Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #1

Carol Ferris dreamed of emerald and sapphire. She saw herself standing over a woman with red skin, blood pooling beneath them. A sword was in Carol's hand, stained with the same blood that now oozed from her victim's flesh. "Katma..."

The name tumbled from her lips like water, dripping down into her soul. She'd killed this woman, this Katma. A Green Lantern, the lover of John Stewart -- in the end, nothing more than another victim of Star Sapphire.

Star Sapphire, a Zamoran nightmare taken root in Carol's unconscious, springing forth periodically to stalk Hal Jordan and all that he loved.

Carol tossed and turned, her bedsheets wrapped tightly around her sweating form. Her lustrous black hair was matted and damp, her eyes screwed tightly shut. From afar, one would have thought she was engaging in some form of psychic warfare -- and they would have been right.

Light shimmered around Carol's nude form, wrapping around her in tendrils. A purple sheen appeared around her legs, solidifying into a pair of boots. The sheen continued on, slowly enveloping her in the guise of the Star Sapphire.

Sapphire's eyes sprang open, a malicious smile spreading over her face. She rose from the bed, a sword materializing in her right hand. Striding into the living room, she saw herself for a moment in a passing mirror.

Tall and beautiful, but with a look of madness in her eyes. She wore the Zamoran armor she'd preferred in recent years, her sword shimmering with purple energy. She reached out and ran a hand over her own reflection, her tongue flicking out to lick her licks. "Mmm. It feels good to be free again, to be in control again. Poor little Carol, all alone since her knight in emerald armor flew away... she never stood a chance."

"Indeed."

Sapphire whirled about, her sword raised. She saw nothing, save for the tastefully chosen furnishings that decorated Carol's living room. Like Carol herself, the furnishings were attractive but lacked any real sense of passion. "Who said that? Show yourself."

"I think not -- at least, not yet." The maculine voice, Sapphire realized, seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, lacking a definite starting point. "Suffice to say, however, that I am responsible for your return to dominance."

"Trade secrets, my dear. I think that we have mutual enemies, however -- enemies which have returned, more powerful than ever."

"Oh... the Zamarons, those who once claimed you as their queen before spurning you as a failure." The bodiless voice paused, letting Sapphire utter a string of Zamaron curses. When her words subsided, he continued, "The Guardians are back, as well. Not the same ones that Jordan slew, of course. These are the children of those Guardians and the Zamarons."

Sapphire sheated her sword, an expression of cold hate etched on her features. "Jordan... Has Hal come back, too?"

"Good. Then allow me to guide you for a bit. There's an item I want you to retrieve. And then we can destroy Hal Jordan... together."

The energy blasts streaked through the upper atmosphere of Mexxon VI, as the two warring native races sought once again to annihilate the other. Their civil war had last for some seventy of their years, long enough for whole generations to live and die, again and again.

Hal Jordan soared through the carnage, his Guardian powers allowing him to pass invisible and untouched. Fighter craft of a strange square design hurtled past, dispensing their death rays at every pass. The whole situation trouble Hal more than he cared to admit. Before leaving OA, the other Guardians had pressed him not to intervene in the politics of Mexxon VI.

"The Corps cannot dictate peace. We must lead by example, but we must never set ourselves up as the overseers of the universe. Down that path lies corruption."

Nalhartin's words, tinged with truth, had nevertheless provoked a response from Hal. "I agree -- in theory. But if a battle breaks out while I'm there recruiting for the Corps, I can't stand by and let them destroy each other."

"Saving lives takes precedence, of course. But it not our place to topple governments or depose warmongering leaders. If we take action there, we should take action everywhere -- and that will only convince our enemies that we seek to create a dominion." Nalhartin's compatriots nodded.

Hal focused himself on the present, trying to ignore the gnawing doubts in his heart. Would he ever truly be one of the Guardians, or would his innate humanity forever separate them? He wore their red robes and even had their blue skin these days, but more than his height gave him away as not being a true-born Guardian: his passion and drive. Though these Guardians were much more expressive than their fathers, they were still restrained when compared to humans.

Hal hovered above one of the large cities, dotted with alien architecture and strange flashing signs (advertisements? wondered Hal). He casually waved a hand, sending a series of green hands flying out towards the fighter craft. He plucked them easily from the air, setting each down safely on their own native soil. They would remain grounded for a time, no doubt, wondering what strange phenomena had just occurred.

Now free to concentrate on something other than a raging battle, Hal used his enhanced senses to zero in the being he was tracking: N'ixxle Pew, a Mexxon nearing his middle adulthood, was below. Everything fit -- a heroic bent, a fearless nature and a drive to explore. Perfect Green Lantern material.

With an expectant smile on his face, Hal dropped down to locate N'ixxle and invite him into the Corps.

Stop brooding, Jordan. Life's been good to you -- you've survived a near brush with death, you're making amends for all the evil actions Malvolio made you commit and you're about to add a great new member to the Corps. What more could you want?

A small voice answered him, but he ignored the inner presence. Carol was gone from his life, destined to meet someone else and fall in love. It was better that way, really.

Star Sapphire hid in the shadows as Plastic Man strode past, his friend Woozy Winks licking an ice cream cone. "I'm telling you, Woozy, this is really weird. We don't get false security alarms! I smell a mystery here, I think." Plastic Man's nose began to wobble back and forth in an eerie imitation of the Elongated Man.

Woozy looked up at his best pal, a bit of vanilla ice cream on his nose. "Aw, Plas, I wish you wouldn't do that. That nose-thingie gives me the willies!"

Star Sapphire let out a sigh. Her fingers had danced along her sword's hilt, hoping that Plastic Man would notice her, forcing her to disobey the her ally's commands. But the idiotic Justice League member had been too busy playing the fool to even glance in her direction. Whispering, she asked "How did you manage to disable their security like that? Or even get the transporter to function for me?"

The voice came back to her once again, chiding her. "Trust me, Sapphire. In my current form, I've been able to study many of our enemies. I know them. I know their secrets."

"In your current form? What does that mean?" she hissed. "And why do you go on about 'our' enemies, but won't tell me who you are?"

"In time! But for now, you must trust me! Step out from the shadows, go down the far corridor. At the end, you will find an unarmed room. The entrance code is "Crimson-Avenger-Wing-SSOV."

Sapphire followed his bidding, moving through the headquarters of the League. She would have liked to have spent more time here, locating weapons and trinkets she could use, but the voice kept pushing her forward. She found his manner somewhat familiar, though the voice itself was hard to place. Still, I'll play your game until I discover your identity -- and then I'll decide whether or not Star Sapphire really needs you!

Inputting the security code, Sapphire stepped into the League's so-called "Trophy Room." An inoperative version of Amazo, a small Starro starfish and a series of costumes belonging to the original Crime Syndicate were just a few of the interesting objects that met her greedy gaze. So many possibilities....

Sapphire forced herself to move on, following the dictated directions until she came face-to-face with a small glass case. Inside, she saw an object that was eerily familiar. Sapphire laughed long and hard, placing a hand on the glass case. "I know who you are now...."

"I'm proud of you, Sapphire. Now break the case. We will need that thing, you and I."

Sapphire's lip curled. "And how will it do you any good -- in your condition, as you call it?"

Sapphire drew back her fist and slammed it through the protective case. In seconds, she held the small weapon in her hand. "We're going to kill Hal, aren't we? I can feel it. This time, we're going to kill him. Carol will be sooooooo upset."

"This would be an opportunity for you to explore the cosmos -- and serve as an example for your people. Show them that might can be used for right, but that it doesn't make right." Hal stood in the main cubicle in N'ixxle Pew's home, the room's red lighting reacting with his own blue-tinged skin to give him a purple appearance.

N'ixxle himself was a tall, thin creature with no hair and a milky-white complexion. His eyes, wide and round, stared at Hal with intelligent interest. His thin, elongated fingers worked at the air as he talked. "But why me, Guardian? Surely there much braver Mexxonians in the world."

"None that show your combination of compassion, intelligence and bravery. Your work with the Peace Foundation shows how much you care -- for all Mexxonians, not just your fellow countrymen."

N'ixxle rubbed one of his fingers across his hairless head in a gesture of contemplation. "I see. This is certainly a fascinating offer, Hal Jordan. May I--"

Hal's cry of pain silenced the Mexxoanian in midsentence. The Guardian staggered back, clutching at his head. "No! Not again...."

Hal pulled away from the alien's concerned touch. "Nothing you would understand, my friend. When I became a Guardian, I set several 'alarms' around my home planet, specifically around some of my loved ones and friends. One of those alarms just went off and I'm afraid of what it might mean."

Hal looked at him for a moment and nodded. "You can accept this and go to OA." He held out a green lantern ring in his hand. "You can do a lot for your world, N'ixxle. But you have to take the first move"

Less than five minutes later, Hal Jordan was streaking towards Earth, having sent his newest Green Lantern to the Guardians. He supposed he could use his new Guardian-level powers to teleport there instantly, but his instincts were still those of a Green Lantern. Approach with caution, at least until you've defined the problem

The problem. Those words, so cold and clinical, could barely describe what frightened Hal so. This particular alarm was keyed to his beloved Carol and had been set to go off under only two conditions: 1) her life was in mortal danger and 2) Star Sapphire returned. The Guardians would have frowned upon his alarm system, seeing it rightfully as a sign of his continued dependence on Earth. But he couldn't turn his back on Carol, or Tom or any of the others. Never again.

Earth seemed to rise up from the stars before him, green and blue. Seeing it brought a flush of emotion to him, but his memories and regrets faded as he saw the woman who floated before him, clad in a shimmering field of sapphire. "Carol."

"Hello, Hal." Sapphire held her blade in one hand, her other fist closed tight. "It's been so long, hasn't it? Poor Carol thought you were dead. She whined and whined about you, pining about all the lost opportunities. And now she's gone away. Forever!"

Hal dodged a swipe of Sapphire's sword, their green and purple energies mixing for a moment. "You knew I was coming -- how?"

"A little birdie told me, Hal. He knows so much about you -- and he was right, wasn't he? You were spying on little Carol all along weren't you? Watching as she fell apart again." Sapphire exploded outwards with an energy blast, one that was barely deflected by one of Hal's energy shields.

"How many times do we have to play this game, Sapphire. You know I'll beat you. You know I'll drive you out of Carol again -- why keep trying this?"

So intent was he on trying to keep Sapphire from hurting herself, that Hal never noticed Sapphire open her closed fist. The yellow power ring of Nero, a recent foe of Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, flew forth. It streaked out into the heavens, a mental command from Sapphire sending it to a location known only to herself and her ally. "Because sooner or later, Hal, you'll slip. And then my sword's going to cut the head from your shoulders!"

A distant flash of yellow, the signal that the power ring had entered warp speed, distracted Hal for just a moment. He could detect its energies, similiar to his own, but powered by the Qwardians. "What the heck...?"

At that moment, Sapphire struck. To her word, Hal's lapse allowed her blade to slice clean through Hal's neck. His head flew upwards, emerald energy spilling like blood from the wound.

Sapphire let loose a cry of exhultation. He was dead, at long last -- and deep within her, she felt Carol Ferris crumble and die.

Next Issue: Part two of three. Star Sapphire has apparently killed Hal Jordan, meaning that no one is left to stop her ally's scheme. Be here as another old foe of Green Lantern's, the powerful Evil Star, takes center stage!

Welcome to the first issue of DCL's Tales of the Green Lantern Corps. I thought it was fitting to kick off the series with a special focus on Hal Jordan, the great of all GLs. Of course, Hal is a Guardian these days, but that doesn't mean his adventures are over, as this story attests.

In the "Emerald Wings" storyline that ran in Legend of the Hawkman # 5-7, I rebuilt the corps, revitalized the Guardians and restored OA. In this three-parter, I plan to revitalize three of Hal's greatest foes -- Star Sapphire, Evil Star and the "mysterious" mastermind behind it all.

After this storyline, you'll see other writers take up the gauntlet (ring?) and share their Green Lantern stories with us. I'll be back, have no doubt about that, in the future to tell some more Hal-related stories.