For Hearts Long Lost

"The universe is too big for her to not exist anywhere," he told Kilowog. "I WILL find her." "I know, kid," replied the alien Green Lantern who had gone from one of his most hated enemies to an almost brotherly ally over the course of their shared voyage in the Guardians' Interceptor. "If you need us," started the other Lantern, Hal Jordan, "you know how to find us." "I will," answered Razer. Over the past month, since training with Saint Walker, his red aura had begun to dim. He still could maintain enough anger to maintain his shield and even produce some minimal constructs-feats only accomplished by Atrocitus himself-but his anger was more at himself than any outside source. Anger at himself for losing Ilana, for allowing Atrocitus to twist that pain into rage that destroyed planets, star systems, and lives...but mostly for turning their fellow ally into a force that destroyed half a galaxy and almost unmade existence itself. That thought was more than enough to power his ring. That, along with the fact that had he only known about her past before he said that one fatal phrase, "I focus on the task at hand-and shut down everything else"-also haunted his every thought. "I could've stopped her! Before the Manhunters were taken under her control! If I'd've KNOWN!", he raged internally, thankful no one in space could hear his rant in his head.

All through his cursing himself for short-sightedness, his present character flaw presented itself again in the fact that he never noticed the small streak of blue light gliding through space behind him...

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"Guardian Ganthet?," Saint Walker began, "I'm sensing something strange in the Blue energy from the battery." "I sense it as well, Bro Dee," Ganthet replied. "What do you believe it is?," Warth, the second Blue Lantern inquired. Ganthet, seemingly deep in thought, knew the only thing that could cause that kind of reverberation through the emotional spectrum was the birth of a new hope-and a new power ring to link that hope to the central battery. Sayd, floating to his side, confirmed this train of thought for him. "Yes," she began, as if verbally asked, "I created the power ring. But its bearer is apparently unaware of its existence". "You-", Ganthet was caught off-guard by Sayd's initiative, "WHAT?!" Sayd was startled by his sudden outburst and it showed on her face, as well as the other Lanterns. "I apologize, Sayd,"said Ganthet,"but I believe I know who our newest Lantern is. We must bring him here with great haste! I believe I may be channeling him as we speak, but I cannot slow him enough for the ring to catch up with him." "Then maybe we could use some help," Sayd answered. "I'm inclined to agree."

"You both deserted us for the unreliable power of Hope and now you need our help?!" Appa roared furiously, "ABSOLUTELY not!" "Please, Appa," Sayd tried to reason with him, "we need Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and Kilowog to try to contact Razer! He has no idea what he's looking for! Or-" "What's looking for HIM?!", Appa cut her off. "You cast your lot with Hope, so HOPE that your wayward Lantern can realize his mistake! End transm-" "You feel it, too, don't you?" Ganthet said, cutting him off for a change. The emotion of Rage, even Green Lantern Hal Jordan could not 'set you off' so easily. Something in Razer is fighting the aura of the blue ring his hope of finding Aya created...and the excess rage he feels at himself is finding other outlets-namely the Guardians!"

"Green Lantern Honor Guard Hal Jordan of Sector 2814, this is Appa of the Guardians! Come in! You and Green Lantern Kilowog are ordered immediately to return to Oa! There is a matter of grave concern that requires you two and the Interceptor-your 'friend', Razer!" "Well, HE seems more cheerful than usual," Hal told Kilowog, standing beside him. "You don't think he got in over his head, do ya? Granted, he's a fighter-but he doesn't have the advantage of ME training him!," Kilowog boasted. "Your modesty is always refreshing, Kilowog," Appa interjected. "He doesn't realize that there is not only a Blue Power ring following him, but we're also tracking some strange power following as well." "Anything in particular about it that we should know?", asked Kilowog, already charging his ring for what he hooped was an impending fight. "Aside from the fact that it appears to be an entity, it gives off no emotional color," Appa replied. "You are to locate and inform Razer of the effects of his emotions on the spectrum-and try to stall him long enough for the ring to catch up with him."

The Interceptor II, pretty much the same as its predecessor with a few tweaks from Hal and minus a much-missed crew member, made preparations for the jump to warp space. "Co-ordinates configured," the AI voice droned, "Destination, Oa. Estimated arrival time, 6 Earth minutes." "I gotta admit, Jordan," Kilowog began, "some of these Earth modifications to the Interceptor came in handy. Remember when it took an hour to make it to Zamaron?" "Do I," answered Hal,"You think Queen Ag'apo's busy? We could stop by." "Jor-dan," Kilowog cut him off, "we gotta find Razer and talk him down."

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The jump to Oa seemed a lot shorter to Hal-but usually when Appa wanted them to report there, he was generally about to be accused of offsetting some unknown grand design. "You seem a little more distracted than usual, Jordan," Kilowog observed, "Well, for you, anyway." "Just a little?", asked Hal. "I DID say for you," Kilowog countered. "Hal Jordan of Sector 2814, you should know why we informed you that this matter was of grave import. Although Razer's rage does not affect him as much due to his apparently newly discovered hope of finding the Interceptor's original AI-", Appa began. "You MEAN Aya," interjected Hal, surprisingly aggressively, albeit not unexpected. "I trust, then, I do not need to continue explaining-seeing as to you're experiencing it as well," Appa continued,"His rage is affecting the entire emotional spectrum. Ganthet and Sayd were affected by it as well. We almost declared another War of Light before we realized what it was!" "So," Kilowog said,"we find Razer, let him know what's up, he gets his ring, and gets to Odem to get this thing in check. That about sum it up, Appa?" "Actually, Sergeant Kilowog, it does," Appa replied. "We last tracked him to-No! Not there!" For a moment, as if he'd lost his levitation abilities, he faltered in midair-causing Hal and Kilowog to rush forward to catch him. "What is it, Appa?!", yelled Hal, mostly concerned for the small blue alien. "There," he answered, pointing to a holographic map of a sector Hal knew all too well-the place where the Aya-Monitor almost brought sentient life to an end.

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(A.N.-I do tend to jump around the universe thru this story, but hey, the universe IS too big for one thing to be the focal point, right? What do you guys think of my improvised GL insignia?)