As the last of the massive vessels turned to limp away, Lar flipped and headed back towards the refugee fleet. He had a lot of questions…and no answers. But he intended to find them.
The refugees came first however. They….
Lar stopped.
Why would such a large fleet even bother with a ragtag fleet of refugees? Because it was not the refugees they were trying to kill…but rather some one among the refugees. Someone that possibly had answers the masters of those ships did not want known?
He put on a burst of speed…and the universe exploded in his face!
“LAR!”
Where any other person would have stopped short, seeing the seething hell that had sprung into existence directly in the path of the Daxamite, Jennifer Gand put on an extra burst of speed, leaving both Arisia of Graxos IV, the Green Lantern of this sector, and Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran to keep up or catch up the best they could.
As quickly and as violently as it had appeared, the swirling, dark reddish cloud, shot through with bright yellows and blues, billowed outward and dissipated, giving Jenny a clear view of what it left behind.
Several figures, many seemingly stunned, floated between her and the obviously unconscious form of her husband.
With one exception, all of the figures were dressed in purple and yellow uniforms. One figure her ring instantly identified – Sinestro!
The figure dressed differently also floated unconscious in space, her form covered in a thin layer of green energy. Her dress, from what Jenny could see, was similar to her own. From this distance, that was all she could see before she was forced to turn her attention back to the others.
Closer now, she could see that there were eight of them…five that seemed to be able to function and began to gather around the one her ring had labeled as Sinestro. The remaining two floated in the same condition as Lar and the strange…Sentinel?
So far, those that were even partially aware had not noticed her approach, their attention focused on the other Sentinel and Lar.
Even as that realization crossed her mind, one of the…whomever they were…saw her and quickly pointed her out to the one called Sinestro.
Though she could not hear what was said, she got the feeling it was not nice. Especially when six arms were raised, hands clenched in fists, in her direction.
Though she was still too far to make exact identifications, she could see that each person seemed to have a glowing point on his hand. A ring, she assumed.
That was all she had time for before six beams of yellow flashed outwards toward her.
Jenny never slowed, her face a mask of determination. These, whoever they were, stood between her and her husband, and there was no way to tell what condition Lar was in.
The yellow beams struck the green energy shield that sprang into existence around her, an automatic defense she had learned to rely on ever since Parallax had gifted her with a portion of his power. An automatic defense that protected her, but failed to protect her unborn child from lead poisoning.
The beams slid off and around her shield, doing nothing to impede her progress. A development the attackers had clearly not expected, judging from the looks of astonished disbelief on their faces!
Other than the fact that the ring, the one she had inherited from Hal Jordon, had identified one of the attackers as Sinestro, she had no clue who these jokers were or what they wanted. It was clear, however, that they posed a clear and present threat to Lar, the strange Sentinel, and the fleet of refugees.
There were no further long distance attacks, though the group did spread out a bit, waiting for her to draw closer.
As she drew nigh, Sinestro gave a signal and yellow beams converged on her, attempting to overload her green shielding.
It was, despite Jenny’s confidence, a near thing!
The converging beams slowed and finally halted her progress…holding her in place.
It had nothing to do with yellow energy verses green energy. It was a simple matter of two opposing energy forces working to cancel each other out. The beams could not touch her, but neither could she move forward.
No! Jenny frowned slightly. It was not merely energy…but WILL! She was pitting her will against these six…and the best they could do was stop her from moving!
Through the glare of the beams, she was able to see that Lar was beginning to stir…his Daxamite constitution, damn near an equal to that of a Kryptonian.
Not knowing what condition her husband would be in, Jenny closed her eyes and gathered her will…this would end…here and now.
She opened her eyes and prepared to lash out…just as a green battering ram appeared and flashed towards three of her attackers. Arisia!
“Arisia! No!” Jenny called out, knowing even as the words left her mouth that it was too late.
Predictably enough, the battering ram shattered upon impacting with the yellow clad attackers…but not before knocking them off balance. A sure sign that the power Jenny had given her was offsetting the yellow weakness…if only by a small amount.
It was enough, however, to get the attention of those three attackers and draw them away from Jenny.
A mistake! And one that Jenny was not the only one to see. Though she could not hear him through the void of space, she could see Sinestro’s mouth working and knew that he was shouting curses and orders over whatever communication system they were using. Probably an energy system similar to the one she and the Green Lanterns’ used.
Whatever the system, it was apparent that his orders and curses alike were being ignored as those three now focused their attack on the rapidly approaching Green Lantern.
Jenny winced as the three beams intersected Arisia, sending her tumbling head over heels.
Yet the attackers were not allowed to follow up.
From another direction, star bolts flared forth, catching one attacker and quickly overloading his shields, frying him instantly.
The remaining two swung around and fired beams at the dodging Koriand’r, seeking to squelch her fire.
Jenny could not afford to watch any longer. Koriand’r would have to take care of herself for a bit. She had to finish the remaining two and Sinestro quickly. Arisia was hurt and Jenny needed to get this over with and see to her…and to Lar!
She gathered her will once again and this time pushed outward, sending three simultaneous blasts hurtling outward against the three remaining beams. Two winked out as the rings of the attackers overloaded and seemed to explode, vaporizing the attackers.
The third and final beam, sent forth by Sinestro himself, held fast.
“Sinestro!”
Jenny could not afford to turn, but it was no trouble recognizing the voice she heard as that of Katma!
Ah!
Jenny put two and two together and realized that, whatever else this Sinestro might be; he was also a native of the same planet Katma called home! Korugar in Sector 1417!
Sinestro, for his part, had obviously seen Katma and Tomar approaching from behind Jenny and his face twisted in instant anger.
With a flick of his wrist, he refocused his beam in such a way that he was catapulted away from Jenny’s counter beam. He then glared around and, to Jenny’s surprise, disappeared.
“Keep one alive!” She heard Lar’s voice calling out to Koriand’r, knowing the ring he wore would transmit his words to the Princess.
Jenny’s breath of relief at hearing the voice of her husband was short lived, however.
“Jennifer Gand!”
In space, with their voices being transmitted via their rings, there was no way one could tell from which direction a voice came. Yet she knew that Katma was somewhere to her rear and turned.
The two Green Lantern’s, Katma and Tomar, floated in space, their faces stricken. In Katma’s arms was the limp form of Arisia.
“There is…something wrong.” Tomar struggled to get the words out. He looked at the form in Katma’s arms and then at Jenny. “She acted.” He spoke again. “We arrived as the beams caught you…and did nothing. We watched…unable to form a course of action…not even knowing we should form a course of action.”
“Until she was struck by the beams.” Katma continued. Tears flowed from her eyes, welling up and floating away in the weightlessness. “This is not right.” She looked up at Jenny. “This is…criminal!” She clutched the golden skinned Green Lantern of Sector 2815 in her arms and her face conveyed the anguish and guilt she felt. “She is hurt.”
“She is not hurt!” Koriand’r spat, as she flew up beside Jenny. In one hand she clutched a single attacker, unconscious, his form surrounded by a thin, weak yellow glow. She looked to Jenny, and though there was no condemnation in her voice or eyes, her feelings were clear. “She is dead!”
“What?” Jenny pulled up beside her and ran her energy over the limp form…it was true…the Green Lantern of Sector 2815 was dead. And nothing she could do could bring her back. “How….” She stopped and shook her head. The how of it was obvious. The yellow beams speared through her green shield like hot knives through butter. And she was still healing from her earlier battles! “I should have…” She began, stopping as Koriand’r shook her head.
“It was not your fault, Sentinel.” Koriand’r stated and then continued. “She did what she believed needed to be done. She acted…when others did not!” This last was said as she cast a venomous look at Katma and Tomar.
“It was…quick.” Koriand’r finished, her voice softer now, seeing the anguish in Jenny’s face. “It was not your fault, Sentinel. It is the fault of those that attacked you…and cared not whose life they took!”
Jenny closed her eyes and took a brief moment to say a prayer for the brave Green Lantern. She then sighed and opened her eyes to look at Katma and Tomar.
“I think the Great Battery has been tampered with.” Jenny spoke gently. She took a breath and let her energy flare out, washing over the two Green Lanterns. Both, as Arisia had earlier, to a lesser degree, winced as the pure cosmic power of the Starheart burned through them, cleansing their systems, clearing their minds. “You said it was not my fault, but the fault of those that attacked us…then don’t blame them either…blame the those that have done this to the Great Battery!”
As the two Green Lanterns regained their senses, Jenny took a moment to allow her energy to play over Arisia. What she discovered caused her to sigh in resignation. With all the cosmic power she possessed, with the power of the Starheart to call upon, there were still some things that she could not do…some things forbidden not only to her but to the Starheart as well. Restoring life to the dead was one of those things.
“It was Sinestro!” Katma was muttering as her eyes cleared and her face grew stern. “Yet it could not have been!”
“My ring identified the person as Sinestro.” Jenny offered, speaking softly as she raised her eyes from the limp form in Katma’s arms.
“It could not have been.” Katma insisted, her eyes hard as she clutched the body of Arisia to her. “I killed Sinestro myself…six years ago!”
“That is only one puzzle.” Every one turned as Lar flew up, the unconscious strange Sentinel in his arms. “Here is another!” He held out his arms so they could all get a look…and silence reigned as each tried to deny the evidence of their own eyes.
In Katma’s arms was the limp body of Arisia of Graxos IV, her Green Lantern uniform torn and tattered, but still very much recognizable.
And in Lar’s arms, slightly younger in appearance, and in a uniform a match for the one Jenny now wore…was Arisia of Graxos IV!
Team Sentinel
“I think we’re going to need help on this one.” Lar remarked as the he, Jenny, and the two surviving Green Lantern’s gathered once again in the stateroom aboard the converted luxury liner.
They had deposited the captured attacker in a cell of green energy, created by Jenny, in the liner’s hold, after removing his yellow ring of power for study.
The body of Arisia…the Green Lantern Arisia…was being prepared for space burial by the people of Graxos and Koriand’r. Though they had not known each other long, the two had gone through hell together and such things forge strong feelings. Koriand’r also made it quite clear that the two Green Lanterns; Tomar-Re and Katma would be tolerated…but not truly welcomed, despite their right, as fellow Green Lanterns to be present. She promised to inform them when the private ceremonies had been concluded and they were ready for the public funeral.
The new Arisia, now lay in a hastily cobbled together infirmary down the hall from the Stateroom. The Graxosian doctor, after just a few tests, had confirmed that she was, indeed, Arisia, despite the impossibility. He also wondered that she still lived.
“Her body has been greatly damaged in the past. Her very DNA has been…damaged. Oh, it is still recognizable as Arisia…but it has been poisoned. Poisoned beyond any means we know to cure.” He quickly pulled up a chart that meant little to Jenny but which caused Lar to scratch his chin and nod.
“Radiation poisoning.” He interpreted the data.”
“Exactly.” The doctor nodded and then pulled up another set of records. “These are our Arisia’s medical records…Our Arisia was injured in the war on Earth seventeen of your years ago. She was exposed to the same form of radiation. The Guardians, however, prevented her from using her ring to blanket the effects so she could continue to function.”
“Blanket?”
“Hide.” Tomar clarified. “Not true healing, but it would have gotten her through the rough part so that she could continue to function. Naturally the ring could not have had much effect on anything yellow. But it could suppress the effects by boosting the undamaged portions of her body.”
“And it would have killed her.” The doctor insisted. He pointed his chin at the sleeping Arisia. “She would have ended like her.” He shook his head. “ It is my belief that only the cosmic energy that courses through her has kept her alive
“It is.” Was the only reply Jenny made, causing both the doctor and Lar to look at her strangely. The four had then forced themselves to eat, knowing that they would need the nourishment for whatever was coming in the future. Afterwards, they had retreated to the stateroom.
“We can request aid from the Guardians….” Tomar-Re began in response to Lar’s statement, trailing off when both Lar and Jenny shook their heads.
“No offense, Tomar.” Lar spoke up. “But if the Great Battery is tainted, then the last thing we need is more befuddled Green Lanterns around.”
“You two are able to think and act clearly now because of my energy.” Jenny informed them. “Your rings will hold the charge for the regular twenty-four hours…but at the end of that time, you will need to recharge. Don’t use your batteries. Come to me. Your batteries draw off the Great Battery, I don’t.”
“We will still have the weakness to yellow?” Katma ventured.
“Yes.” Jenny admitted. “I am not channeling the power directly into your bodies, but through your ring. Thus, though the weakness will not be as great, it will still be there.”
“What help then do you suggest we find?” Tomar turned back to the subject at hand.
“Kara and Rogue.” Lar answered instantly, looking at Jenny. Jenny was thoughtful for a moment and then nodded.
“And if need be, we know how to get through the Great Portal to Alterverse. We could call on Jade or Alan.” She mused. “But for now, let’s see if we can get Kara and Rogue out here.”
“I have heard those names before!”
The voice, so familiar and yet, at the same time, so different, startled them all.
After entering the stateroom they had, as if by unspoken agreement, settled around a small table. They all now turned back towards the entrance to see…Arisia!
Moving a little shakily, she made her way into the room, waving away the anxious doctor that tried to follow her.
She looked directly at Jenny.
“You know who I am.” She said, her voice soft now. To the surprise of her companions, Jenny nodded.
“Arisia of Graxos IV.” Jenny clarified. “A former Green Lantern. You surrendered your ring and your battery when the Guardians ordered you away from Earth seventeen years ago. You had a job to do and you meant to see it done.” She paused and looked at her companions as she continued. “The Guardian had barely disappeared, reluctantly accepting her resignation, I might add, when the Starheart chose her to be it’s next Champion.”
“That is not the way it happened!” Katma shook her head. “I was there, I know. Arisia was too hurt to continue the battle…she left earth. She tried to use the ring to heal herself enough to go back…the Guardians would not allow it. They had the ring take her to Oa where they nursed her back to health…and then returned her to her own sector.”
“That is the way it happened with the Arisia of this reality.” Jenny nodded. “Seventeen years ago Arisia was indeed hurt. She was forced to retreat from earth.” She was looking at Arisia now. “And that was when the Probability Device was activated. What was once a single reality of this vast Multiverse was suddenly three! Hardly noticeable among all the realities that already existed and still continue to be created. But this was the first time any had been artificially created.” She pointed to towards the floor. “This one the people here named Universe-1, Multiverse-1, or MV-1. The other two are called MV-2 and MV-3. All three share the same exact history up until that device was activated…after that…things changed. The device tailored all three. If you were to look back at their histories now…I am sure you would see some inconsistencies. Things that happened in one reality in the past that did not happen in the others. You might also see that even the ages of some of the people are different! That is the doing of the Probability device!” She stopped and again looked at Arisia. “She is from the reality we have termed MV-2!”
“How….” Lar began, mystified, closing his mouth as Arisia spoke up.
“The Starheart is giving her the information.” She said. “Just as it is giving me information about you.”
“Us?” Lar’s eyebrows rose, wondering exactly what information the blasted Starheart was sharing with out his knowledge.
“Be quiet, Lar.” Jenny spoke in a voice that seemed, to all the others, to come from far away. Lar closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes, suppressing the natural irritation that rose. “The Starheart is rushing us.” Jenny tried to explain. “It is in a hurry…but I can’t see exactly what it is trying to convey.”
Arisia shook her head as the others looked at her. She stepped closer to Jenny and slowly raised her left hand towards her, palm outwards.
Seeing this, Jenny raised her own right hand until her palm was mere inches from Arisia’s.
Lar and the two Green Lanterns gasped as visible green energy crackled and sparked, leaping from Jenny to Arisia.
Jenny gave no outward appearance of surprise, but Arisia stiffened as the energy flowed from the ex She-Hulk through her body.
After a moment the flow of energy stopped and Arisia gave a sigh. To the others she seemed stronger, more sure of herself. Jenny was thoughtful.
“Arisia requires the same type of energy that the Starheart supplies…and that I generate...to survive.” She mused. “I need to discharge the energy I generate or go insane as it builds up.”
“If I need to leave the Multiverse, I am cut off from the Starheart.” Arisia took up where Jenny left off. “As I just recently discovered. I cannot get that energy…nor can it siphon off the excess energy from Jenny if she is not in the Multiverse.”
“But we can form a symbiotic relationship.” Jenny went on…in the exact same tone…and the onlookers now knew that it was neither Jenny nor Arisia speaking…but the Starheart speaking through them…using their minds to frame it’s concepts into forms that could be understood. “Arisia will receive the energy she needs to function as a Sentinel as well as the energy she needs to live…and I will not be subjected to a build up that could cause insanity.”
“But there is more.” Arisia spoke again, her voice slow and seemingly far away. She stepped closer as Jenny stood to face her.
Lar, his brow lowered with suspicion slowly stood and started to move around the table, stopping when Tomar placed a hand on his arm.
“Wait.” The Birdman whispered. “I do not know what is happening…but I don’t think the Starheart will hurt either of them.”
Lar looked at the Green Lantern but said nothing. Yet neither did he move to stop whatever was about to happen.
Jenny was aware of all that was going on, yet even she did not know what it was the Starheart was trying to tell her.
She knew that it wanted something from her…and that it wanted her permission. That, if nothing else, gave her some confidence. The Starheart would not do anything major without her permission. Yet it was also letting her know that once this happened, it would be permanent. There would be no going back.
At that instant, Jenny realized…and assumed that Arisia was realizing…that the Starheart had arranged this. It was not a god…but it had access to knowledge they did not. And it had used that knowledge to bring the two of them together.
She silently gave her permission, and yet still braced herself. There was a pause and, looking into Arisia’s eyes, she knew that the MV-2 Sentinel was wrestling with the same questions and uncertainty. Finally the golden skinned Sentinel nodded, the movement so slight as to be nearly indiscernible…and both she and Jenny stepped closer.
“NO!” Lar ripped the table between him and the women out of its moorings, tossing it out of his way, as his wife and the new Arisia stepped forward…into each other!
The two figures blurred, their forms merging even as Lar reached out to grasp them.
Tomar and Katma could only stare, dumbfounded, as Lar was pulled in, his form merging with the others.
Lar felt as if he were being swept down a whirlpool. The stateroom vanished form his sight, replaced by darkness as his mind was pulled inward to merge with Jenny and Arisia.
And there was another presence!
For the first time, Lar knew he was actually ‘seeing’ the Starheart! And he knew that he was being allowed to see this.
He felt his mind touched, his memories sorted and in turn he saw the minds and memories of both Jenny and Arisia…and he knew, no matter what, the three of them would be bonded by this experience for the rest of their lives!
Tomar and Katma rushed around the table as Lar’s form reappeared and was tossed backward.
The Daxamite lay on the floor, his eyes unseeing, staring towards the ceiling for a good minute before he shook himself.
With the help of the Green Lanterns he hauled himself to his feet and looked towards Jenny and Arisia.
Their blurred forms were hidden by a bright green glow now and all he could do was wait.
It did not take long.
Eventually the glow faded and a figure, green skinned with blond hair, features a perfect mixture of both Jenny and Arisia, opened her eyes for the very first time.
“I am….” The voice was strange. Instead of a single voice, it sounded exactly like two voices talking together. “…Senturia.” The figure finished.
Hesitantly it stepped forward and reached out a hand to gently touch Lar’s cheek.
“Jenny?”
“She is…here.” Senturia spoke haltingly. “We are…one.” Her brows furrowed and she stepped back. “We cannot…function long like this.”
The green glow reappeared and, quicker than the initial merger had taken; it quickly faded, once again revealing Jenny and Arisia as they separated
Both women swayed and, had it not been for Lar’s super speed, would have fallen.
If Tomar and Katma noticed that he handled both women gently, fussing over them as he made them comfortable on the floor, lavishing concern that, previously he would have lavished on Jenny alone, they said nothing.
Instead they waited until he had assured him self that both women were as comfortable as he could make then and had stepped back.
“Lar Gand?” Katma ventured quietly. Lar looked to her and, with a final glance at the dozing women, nodded his head and moved back towards his seat.
He righted the table, a feat requiring a use of his heat vision to weld it back to the metal deck from which he had torn it, and settled in with a sigh.
“I can’t describe it all.” He began. “When I touched them, the Starheart pulled me in. Not for me to join with them…but to ease the fears it knew I had. Our thoughts and our memories merged. I was Jenny, Arisia, and Lar Gand, all at once. And I knew what the Starheart was doing. Then it kicked me out.” He laughed, if somewhat bitterly. “I can’t describe the feeling. We were bonded, the three of us. No secrets, no hiding. Nothing. But because I am just an ally of the Starheart and not truly part of it, I could not remain.” He motioned towards the women. “I thought I knew what was going to happen…we’ve seen it before.”
Both Katma and Tomar nodded, recalling all too clearly the incident in Alterverse where Jenny had merged with Alan Scott and Jade.
“This was not that intense.” Lar went on. “This was a true merger. That one…I think Jenny’s cosmic power simply merged with the mystic power of Jade and Alan to form a unique form of energy. But I believe it was still under the control of the Mystic Starheart of Alterverse. And even though none of them can recall exactly what happened, I think it was Alan that was the main guiding force of that union.” He looked again at the women. “Senturia is no where near that magnitude of power. She is basically a construct able to channel more of the Starheart’s energy than a single Sentinel could. Able to hold and direct energy that would burn out Arisia by herself or send Jenny into instant insanity.” Lar shrugged as he finished up. “That is about all I was able to get. That and the knowledge that now the three of us are bonded together.” He looked up at Katma and Tomar. “Jenny and I were calling ourselves Team Sentinel…that team has just grown.”
“Lar Gand.” Tomar shook his head. “You cannot be sure of that. You have only just met this Arisia….” He trailed of as Lar began to laugh.
“Tomar, didn’t you hear what I said?” He pointed towards Arisia. “We may have just met her…and she us…but the Starheart knew all of us. And we merged, Tomar. I know her past…her likes, her dislikes…I know all about Arisia of Graxos IV of MV-2. Just as I know all about Jennifer Walters-Gand. Just as they now know all there is to know about me and each other.” He shook his head in turn. “The memories are fading, for the most part. We won’t be able to do what Rogue is able to do when it comes to Kara’s memories. But there will be some that don’t fade. There will always be a part of Jenny and Arisia within me…just as there will be a part of me and each other in them.”
He stood and made his way to look out at the stars through the viewscreen in the stateroom.
“And The Starheart has touched me as well. I am not the chosen Champion….but now it has a link to me.” He turned back and looked at the Green Lantern’s, his face serious and worried.
“I know where Arisia was coming from…and how she got here.” “Friends…we got trouble. Big trouble!”
Team Sentinel
“First of all, welcome to the team!”
Arisia nodded wordlessly towards the holographic images that appeared in the center of the stateroom. She was still trying to sort out her feelings about what had occurred and the conflicting feelings she had upon seeing the image of the blonde headed Kara and red headed Rogue didn’t help.
It wasn’t that she was jealous or suspicious…but there was something…
Her eyes narrowed as the blonde hologram turned its attention back to Jenny. It was then that she noted the intense worry seeping through the masks both she and Rogue were attempting hide behind. It was then that she realized that she was seeing the two of them as Jenny would see them…and knew that Jenny was seeing through the masks as easily as she.
“As for help…” Kara shook her head. “I can’t leave Earth right now, Jenny. There’s a lot going on….” Jenny shook her had in return and cut in.
“Cut the crap, Kara. You are trying too hard to hide something. What’s wrong?”
There was a moment of silence and then Rogue spoke up.
“The Twins are missing, Jenny.”
Those simple words were enough to make Lar sit up and take notice.
“What do you mean…missing?” He demanded.
“We believe they were attempting to construct a dimensional portal to travel to Alterverse.” Kara explained. “As soon as we got word, we contacted Ian. He has determined that their…transmission…was intercepted and redirected.” She paused, as if unsure if she should continue.
“Spit it out, Kara.” Jenny demanded.
“We know who did it…but we don’t know where she sent them.” Kara spoke slowly. “It was Glorith of Baldurr, Lar. From the Citadel at the End of Time!”
Lar reeled as if sucker punched. But Kara was not finished.
“Ian thinks she was trapped there and used the girl’s transmission to free herself.” She went on. “She’s here on Earth somewhere…building up her power. As soon as she feels strong enough…you know where she will go!”
“She’ll go where ever I am!” Lar stated flatly.
“Exactly.” The hologram of Kara nodded.
“As if we didn’t have enough to worry about.” Lar muttered. He grimaced and then looked back at the hologram. “We’ll worry about Glorith if and when she shows up.” He said. “Now back to the twins.”
The hologram shrugged, trying to appear calm, but Arisia knew that the only people she was fooling would be the two Green Lanterns, Tomar and Katma.
“Ian, Zal, Lex, and Reed were able to get the portal up and running again…long enough for Ian to go through.” Kara explained.
“Zal?” Jenny had to smile. “Working with Lex? That would have been a site to see.”
“It was…difficult at first.” Rogue put in, trying to hide a smile at the memory. “It took both Kara and I to keep Zal from killing Lex on site. But I think he finally realized that not every reality is exactly the same.”
“Well, he seemed to accept it quicker than two hard headed Kryptonian females I know.” Jenny quipped. She then turned serious again. “So what did Ian discover?”
Arisia closed her eyes and tried to grasp a fleeting fragment of a memory…something from Lar’s past….to no avail. The memories were fading already.
“What about the Time Trapper?” Lar asked, unknowingly hitting upon the memory that Arisia had tried to grasp.
“Dead.” Kara answered. “Ian was able to discover some information from the Citadel…and that was part of it.” She paused. “According to Ian, it was a good thing that Glorith did not simply transport the twins to the Citadel. He says the security measures the Trapper took would be enough to take out a group of Kryptonians.”
“He’s right.” Lar nodded. “The Legion was never able to crack that security.”
“Well, apparently Ian can.” Rogue added. “or rather, his little computer friend can. In fact, Ian was so taken with the place that he has decided to move in!”
“Move in?” Jenny raised an eyebrow.
“Will that not have an adverse effect on Zal and the people of Otherverse?” Arisia spoke before thinking and blushed as the holograms turned in her direction in surprise.
Jenny had introduced her…but had not gone into any detail.
“It’s a long story.” Jenny explained when Kara turned back to her. “But a good question.”
“It shouldn’t.” Rogue answered. “Ian has promised to keep tabs on the events in Otherverse and has furnished Zal with the means to contact him if needed. Besides, he has left Frostfire there.”
“So what now?” Lar brought it back to problem of the twins.
“Now they are trying to figure out exactly where Glorith sent the girls. But they are not holding out much hope.”
“Which means you have to find Glorith and find out from her.” Lar mused. He shook his head. “Glorith is a stubborn one, Kara. You know her. You’ve run up against her before with the Legion. And she is powerful. And neither of you have any resistance to magic.”
‘Speaking of magic.” Kara sighed. “Stephanie is missing as well.” When Reed tried to contact her to have her go with him for a check on your child, there was no answer. Lex sent a team to her apartment to check on her. The apartment had been ransacked. There was no sign of Stephanie.”
“This just keeps getting better.” Jenny scowled. “And the baby?”
“Reed says it is fine.” Rogue was quick to assure. “He is working with cell samples taken before the baby was put into stasis. The prognosis does not look good for any results in the near future.”
“And he only has one shot at it.” Kara reminded Jenny. “Reed has to be one hundred percent convinced that he has a permanent cure before he will even consider dropping the stasis field.”
Arisia watched as Lar took one of Jenny’s hands and squeezed gently. The one time She-Hulk was stressed, though she hid it well. Hesitantly, Arisia stepped closer to the pair and took Jenny’s free hand in her own, adding her own support.
“So what now?” Lar asked, his feeble attempt to change the subject apparent to all.
“Now?” Kara took a breath. “Rogue and I are going to concentrate on our problems here and see if we can locate the twins and Stephanie. Hopefully we’ll have that mess straightened out by the time you get here.” She held up a hand to make her point. “Yes, I know what you said….but right now you have a fleet of refugees…excuse me…prospective settlers…to deliver before you can do anything else. You get those people here and then we’ll set up a new game plan. Okay?”
She waited for both Lar and Jenny to nod and then gave a weak smile.
“Good. We’ll see you soon. Kara and Rogue out.”
The hologram faded and both Lar and Jenny seemed to slump.
“She’s right.”
All three turned to Tomar.
“We do have a responsibility to these people. They have come under attack once already. There is no way we can just leave them to their own devices while we go off.”
“And Tomar and I could not handle it alone.” Katma admitted. “In a few hours this charge you gave us will run out and we will need to recharge. And it is going to take us longer than twenty-four hours to get these people to the Sol system.”
“Perhaps…Perhaps not.”
Now all five turned…their mouths dropping open in surprise.
It was Ganthet, the Guardian, that had spoken…but he was not alone. Counting Ganthet, there was seven of the Guardians from Oa standing together in the large stateroom. And they were there in the flesh…these were no holograms. And at least three of them were something Arisia had never thought to see…three of these Guardians were…women!
“We will discuss this fully in a short time. But now, I believe the Princess Koriand’r is about to arrive to inform you that preparations are complete. It is time to attend the funeral of a friend…and honor the passing of a Green Lantern!”
Team Sentinel
If there was any doubt as to the place of honor Arisia had held in the society of her homeworld, the lavish funeral prepared by her people and Koriand’r dispelled it all.
And if any of those present felt that Arisia had not been given the honor she was due from the Green Lantern Corps…the presence of seven of the Guardians of Oa corrected that notion.
As the clear topped capsule bearing Arisia’s body slowly traversed the length of the vast ship’s chapel towards the chute that would launch her into space, forever to sail through the airless void of space within the sector that had, for many years, been her charge, people wept openly. Within, Arisia lay, her green and white uniform neatly cleaned, lay with her arms crossed over her breasts, her sightless eyes open in the custom of her people.
Tears turned to awe, however, as the Guardians stood forth and played their energy over the capsule, engraving images of honor into the surface and decorating it, for all time, with the emblem of the Green Lantern Corps.
There had been no eulogy, which had surprised Jenny. It was not until later, talking with the new Arisia, that she learned that eulogies are given only in the private ceremonies amongst her people, not public ceremonies.
A trait, she mused, that Koriand’r’s people seemed to share.
Silence fell as the capsule neared the chute and ever so slowly moved out of sight.
The hatch closed and, with a slight wumph…the capsule was ejected.
Team Sentinel
The refugee fleet moved on, traversing through space towards their new home. Yet they left a piece of themselves behind as they quickly moved beyond vision.
Floating through the void, the capsule gave off a dull green glow. A warning for potential grave robbers that might come across the capsule in the centuries to come. And if that were not enough, the small plaque, green and radiating a powerful energy, told the full story.
Arisia
Of Graxos IV
Green Lantern
Of Sector 2815
“In the Darkest Day,
In the Blackest Night,
No Evil Shall Escape My Sight.
Let Those Who Worship Evil’s Might,
Beware my Power,
Green Lantern’s Light!”
-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2003 by Dylan Clearbrook
-- and may not be reprinted without permission.
-- The Continuum Worlds Concept is a joint creation of
-- Dylan Clearbrook and
-- and Supergirl’s Multiverse, as depicted in the
-- Continuum Worlds, are original creations of Dylan Clearbrook.
-- Alterverse and The Inheritors, as depicted in the Continuum Worlds,
-- are original creations of
-- The Realm and The Web of Shadows, as depicted in the Continuum Worlds,
-- are original creations of John P. and Jason G respectively.
-- Some characters in Continuum Worlds stories are original creations
-- of Dylan Clearbrook,
-- Andrew Shields, Kyle M., Brian, or Jason Froikin and may not
-- be used without express permission of the respective author.
-- All DC characters are property of D.C. Comics.
-- All Marvel characters are property of Marvel Comics.