Green Lantern Ultra Seven: Collision Course

by Japan Boy

In honor of Green Lantern's 75th year: recruited briefly by the Ultra Garrison from Japan, Green Lantern Hal Jordan joins them & their 'seventh member' Ultra Seven in a race against the clock as they attempt to save the Earth from a large asteroid on a collision course - an asteroid that holds a very deadly secret within. Kindly review if read.

For Ron Marz, Geoff Johns, Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis, & all the other multi-talented writers & artists that have kept

Brightest Day burning bright since the debut of Green Lantern Alan Scott in All-American Comics #16, July 1940.

For actors Ryan Reynolds, Mark Strong, Victor Garber, Christopher Meloni, Nathan Fillion, & all the other talented

actors/actresses for their contributions to the Green Lantern mythos in live-action & animated films & TV shows.

For Japanese actor Bin 'Satoshi' Furuya, who played Amagi in the original 1967 'Ultra Seven' series (Bin had also

played the hero Ultraman the previous year. I met Mr. Furuya at a dinner in Tokyo, Japan in early August 2011).

To the loving memory of Award-Winning actor Michael Clarke Duncan, who voiced Green Lantern Kilowog in the

2011 live-action 'Green Lantern' movie, & is very much believed to have been a big fan of the character (Michael

Clarke Duncan suffered a heart attack on July 13th, 2012 & died on September 3rd that year at the age of 56).

To the loving memory of Japanese actors Akihiko Hirata (1927-1984), Susumu Fujita (1912-1991), Shoji Nakayama

(1928-1998) & Shinsuke Achina (1940-2007), for helping to make Ultra Seven one of the most beloved series.

To the loving memory of Green Lantern creator Martin Nodell, who would've celebrated his centennial 100th birthday

on November 15th, 2015 (Martin Nodell passed away from natural causes on December 6th, 2006 at the age of 91).

To the loving memory of those who lost their lives in the horrid flooding in Oklahoma, Texas which began on

May 23-24th, 2015. Our thoughts & prayers are with all of the survivors & their immediate families.

To the loving memory of those who perished & were lost at sea aboard the Chinese cruise ship when it overturned on

June 1st, 2015 in the Yangtze River. Our deepest thoughts, sympathies & prayers go out to all their families & friends.

To the loving memory of the nine victims of the shooting that took place at a church in Charleston, South Carolina on

June 18th, 2015 in a horrid hate crime. We extend our deepest thoughts, sympathies & prayers to their families/friends.

Reader's note:

(This story takes place in between episodes 38 & 39 of the original 1967 'Ultra Seven' series)

GREEN LANTERN / ULTRA SEVEN:

COLLISION COURSE

2015 by Anthony Ogozalek

CHAPTER I

The planet Oa:

It is located in the very center of the universe, & is believed to have been in existence longer than those who had made it their home for billions of years, possibly more so than even the Big Bang itself occurred. A race of immortal beings transformed it from a dormant wasteland into a thriving utopia with emerald buildings of various shapes & sizes erected from the ground. Trees & shrubs are placed near & around the bases of these structures, with water bodies of rivers, ponds & even oceans giving it an exotic yet breath-taking picture.

This paradise of a world is that of the planet named Oa, home to the fabled Guardians of the Universe – a race of blue-skinned dwarfs that measure between 3 to 4 feet in height. Each one was attired in red robes & an extra white apron-like cloth with a green symbol that resembles an hourglass, only with its middle rotund & burly.

It is the symbol of the intergalactic patrol force known throughout the galaxy as the Green Lantern Corps.

First to patrol the sectors of known space were the powerful robots called the Manhunters: armed with weaponry from staffs & their own beings, these machines patrolled to ensure peace on worlds that held sentient lifeforms. For eons, they did exactly that.

But then it happened: in an instant, whether it was accidental or intentional the Manhunters rebelled & caused chaos wherever they went, killing not millions or billions of sentient beings, but trillions. The fault in their program is that they believed there could be order in the galaxy only if all organic beings were all but eradicated. One of the worst slaughters the Manhunters caused was in the sector of 666, also known as the planet Ryut. Out of the entire planet's population, only five beings survived to tell of what happened.

Eventually, the Manhunters turned their attention on Oa itself & go against the very people that created them.

Luckily, the Guardians foresaw & predicted this bold move & counterattacked: after a lengthy battle, they drove & banished their rebelling patrollers to the far region of the universe. No one has seen nor heard from the revolting bots ever since.

To correct their cataclysmic error, the Guardians started employing living beings from various worlds, each one wielding a green power ring which is powered from a central battery that rests in the heart of Oa. Each member also receives a miniature version of this battery to act as an individual recharger, resembling a cross between a most bizarre foghorn & street light. These batteries are used to replenish the energy of the wearer's rings in intervals of 24 hours of their respected planet's time, lest they go dry & be rendered useless.

Not just anyone can become one of the Green Lantern Corps: an individual needs to be devoid of fear in order to fulfil his/her duties as a member, with strong willpower an absolute must, as it is what's required to operate the ring in order to form any solid shape/construct of emerald energy the ring-bearer can think of, from swords to spaceships.

Even the simple chore of flying surrounded by a protective barrier requires fierce concentration, especially when traveling through the cold vacuum of space.

For billions of years after the expunging of the revolting Manhunter robots, the Green Lantern Corps thrived as the fabled Book of Oa – housed in the Hall of Great Service – records it all for future generations of Green Lanterns to study &, hopefully, have his/her deeds placed within its pages as events occur.

Currently keeping tabs on this most treasured possession on Oa & watching the monitors is the Slyggian known as Salaak, a four-armed & fingered being with a double-pointed head & lavender-like flesh. While a tad pessimistic & inquisitive in nature, Salaak's unquestioning & vigilant loyalty to the Corps has made him one of its most entrusted & valuable advisors to the Guardians & the organization he serves.

Expertly checking the monitors as only he could, Salaak sees busy activity around Oa from the Dining Hall to the Hazard Simulation Facility, the latter of which rookie recruits get trained in combat to prepare for the real thing when it approaches. In the Sciencells, the most ruthless of space criminals are kept under close watch by Green Lantern Voz, a vicious gorilla-like warrior with pointed fangs & claws who serves as the warden.

Many of the Sciencells spoke out once to Voz after being placed within. Once.

With his ferocious attitude, they quickly learn their lesson.

Even Salaak can find amusement in Voz's rough discipline among the inmates, & allows himself a smile & even a chuckle when it occurs.

In all, everything was fairly routine on Oa, & quiet for a change.

The peace lasts for another fifteen to twenty minutes before one of Salaak's monitors issued a beeping sound & gives it his full attention. Tapping on the screen that deployed the warning, the Slyggian closed in on the point of origin of the disturbance in a matter of moments, his quartet of arms making the chore child's play.

What he saw on the monitor once it came into view & the data it perceived made his eyes widen.

It can't be! This is impossible!, Salaak thought dreadfully.

Even though he read the calculations correctly, Salaak still could not fathom what it was he now bore witness to, much less comprehend the trajectory of it.

He did comprehend that this information needs to be shared, no matter how unbelievable it was to him.

And he needs to do it immediately: forming an emerald barrier around his person, Salaak swiftly floated out of the Hall of Great Service & sped down the hallway, passing Green Lantern Laira of Sector 112 without acknowledging her presence. Laira was a light blue-skinned, auburn-haired female member of the Corps whose father, Kentor Omoto, had also been a member until he had gone rogue & Laira had to fight & defeat her own father to prove her loyalty & fearlessness to the Corps when she was a rookie, eventually replacing him. Trained by drill sergeant Ke'Haan, Laira doesn't even have to see an opponent in order to attack them, making each move she makes a complete & utter surprise when in battle.

Because she was Ke'Haan's prized pupil, it was rumored that he & Laira had a thing going on with each other in a romantic manner, but Ke'Haan had a family to worry about along with his duties in the Corps.

It was a relationship that could never be, but it didn't stop either from respecting each other with great honor as she was instructed.

Seeing Salaak in more of a rush than he usually travels, Laira suspects something was troubling the Slyggian & started following with her ring as she caught up with the four-armed Corps member.

"Salaak", she said once her pace was parallel with his. "You don't ever move this quickly through these halls unless it was an emergency. Has something come up that we should know about?"

"I must speak with the Guardians at once, Laira", Salaak answered without breaking stride or slowing.

"You mean right now? Whatever for? The Guardians are in meditation at the moment in the Meeting Hall. They gave strict orders not to be disturbed. You know how much they dislike having their sessions interrupted."

"Yes, I know. But I'm afraid this really cannot wait before they've finished."

If Salaak needs to see the Guardians during their meditation, then some emergency has arisen, Laira thought as she knew the Slyggian would never bother their masters for any other reason.

"Are we under attack?", Laira asked.

"We could be, Laira – and very soon, I fear", Salaak said after a few moments. "And that is why I must present myself before the Guardians, even if it means risking their wrath for disrupting their meditation."

Laira let it go: Salaak is one of the Corps' most dedicated members, possibly second only to main drill instructor Kilowog from the now-extinct planet Bolovax Vik. If he is willing to see the Guardians during their meditation, then she knew the situation must be that serious.

For the rest of their trip to the Meeting Hall, Salaak & Laira stayed silent. When they arrived, they were met with four other Green Lanterns standing outside the entranceway to the room: Ke'Haan, the chipmunk Lantern named Ch'p from his home planet of H'lven, the rock-skinned warrior Hannu of the planet Ovacron, & female Lantern Boodikka of Sector 1414. Boodikka joined with a group of warrior women called the Bellatrix Bombers before wearing the emerald suit & ring of a Green Lantern, making her a suitable member of the Corps. Despite his small size, Ch'p's swiftness is matched only by his bravery in battle, & has helped many a Green Lantern in trouble by pulling them out of the thick of it. Even though equipped with a power ring like all Lanterns, the hulking Hannu prefers to use nothing more than his own brute strength during a fight; very few have ever seen Hannu use his ring.

Acting like bouncers at a Gentleman's Club or some other place of importance, the quartet stood in front of the entranceway, forbidding Salaak & Laira further access.

"Just a moment!", Ch'p said. "The Guardians are now in session – neither of you can go in unless they permit you to!"

"I know they're in session, Ch'p", Salaak said calmly but firmly.

"Then you know why you can't go in, & why we forbid you & Laira entry at the moment", Hannu said.

"We have no time for this, Hannu!", Laira protested. "Salaak wouldn't be here if it wasn't so damn important, so let him through already!"

"While I appreciate you backing me up, Laira, I can handle this situation on my own. Trust me", Salaak says as he faced Ke'Haan. "As Laira said, I must see the Guardians of a most serious matter."

"The only 'serious matter' we need be concerned about is the one we'll be in if we dare barge in without their say-so!", says Ke'Haan, undeviating by Salaak's insistence. "Whatever you need to report to them, it can wait! Thus, no entry for either of you! I'm sorry, but that's how it's going to be!"

"Even though we could be facing a probable life-threatening situation, you'd keep me from informing our lords & masters, Ke'Haan? Every second we waste arguing out here, we waste precious time in preparing to repel the threat which I've calculated is very likely heading towards…"

"You must be hard of hearing, Salaak!", Boodikka stepped in. "Until the gnomes say otherwise, no one is going inside, let alone past any of us! We don't care if the power battery is about to blow up & tear Oa to pieces…"

In the middle of Boodikka's ranting, the doors to the Meeting Hall open up, surprising everyone. Salaak & Laira used the distraction to speed past the quartet, ignoring their objections as Hannu & his band followed them straight into the hall where the Guardians rested upon the elevated circular citadel of the room, staring down at the six Lanterns who now stood before them.

"Guardians!", Hannu says in an apologetic manner. "Forgive our sudden intrusion, but Salaak & Laira here have shown insubordination by barging in without your consent…"

"It's all right, Hannu", the Guardian called Ganthet said, whose white hair was done in a braid. "Although we'd given orders not to be disturbed, we've allowed Salaak & a selected few others to come see us during meditation when it is warranted. His insistence to do so could – and most likely does – mean that something needs our fullest attention."

Ch'p, Boodikka, Hannu & Ke'Haan all felt the weight of betrayal was holding them down from above, & each slump their shoulders & hang their heads in shame. Neither Salaak nor Laira felt any satisfaction in their predicament, but pity; they knew each member was only following orders from their superiors to the letter. It'd be no different had their roles been reversed. On top of it all, Ke'Haan was another of those 'selected few' to enter during their meditation process – a fact that had momentarily slipped his mind when he was keeping Salaak & Laira out.

"Please forgive us, Guardians", Ch'p says, being the first to regain his composure. "We were not privy of the fact that Salaak was one of them." Nods from Ke'Haan, Hannu & Boodikka tell they really weren't.

"No hard feelings, Salaak?", asked Hannu. The Slyggian's answer was immediate.

"Of course not, Hannu. Laira & I hold no grudge against any of you for doing your assigned duties", he replied, getting a nod from the female Lantern & relieving the guilt from each before Ganthet gets down to business.

"So then…what is it you wish to address us about, Salaak?"

"Our scanners have picked up a large moon-shaped asteroid approaching our sector", Salaak says, staring up at his superiors. "Its current speed & trajectory indicates that it will reach Oa in just a matter of a few days, maybe less."

Hannu, Ke'Haan, Ch'p & Boodikka mumble their concerns under their breaths until a slight groan from another Guardian & a hold up of his hand silences them.

"How large is this asteroid that's on par course with our home?", the bald-headed female Guardian named Sayd asks.

"According to the readings the monitors calculated, this thing has a radius of 1,738 kilometers – half the size of the moon that orbits around the planet Earth", Salaak said. "Despite its smaller radius, it will mean the end of Oa if it should strike the surface. Guardians, I must strongly urge the preparation for a counterstrike with every available Green Lantern & attack this asteroid directly to either blow it off course or destroy it completely if we're to save our home."

The Guardians – the males & bald-headed females – go into a telepathic discussion with one another, consulting in utter silence. None of the Lanterns below dared to say a word: although they've been forgiven for their intrusion to deliver the dire news, they all knew better than to push their luck.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Guardian named Ranakar spoke.

"The readings you've seen on the asteroid, Salaak…are you positive they're accurate?"

"They are", the Slyggian said. "I checked them over 3-4 times, & found no errors. If left unopposed, this rock will hit Oa in the very heart where the central battery now stands. If we act now, Oa will be spared a terrible demise."

The Guardians wasted no more time in plotting their next move.

"Ke'Haan?", said Ganthet.

"Yes?", he replied.

"Go to Kilowog & have him round up every Green Lantern possible – rookies, veterans, everyone. Have them meet at the gathering area just outside this building. From there, we will inform our troops the situation which Salaak had given us. Once all the details are spilled, battle plans can be made & carried out at your earliest convenience."

"Yes sir!"

Ke'Haan was already making his way out of the Meeting Hall even as he spoke, leaving the Guardians & fellow Lanterns behind. Everyone looked at one another with deep concern: with such a massive piece of rock on par course with Oa, can even the might of the entire Green Lantern Corps be enough to knock it away or to blow it into a million pieces before it could strike the universe's very center & send it to a similar fate? And how did this asteroid manage to go unnoticed by Green Lanterns who were out patrolling in space before Salaak's instruments picked up its trail?

It almost seems like it didn't wish to be discovered until now. How can that be?, Salaak thought, pondering the scenario deeper. The other Lanterns were more or less having the same train of thought as the Slyggian, & it gave them a dread of worry that slowly but surely spread within their bodies, despite how hard they tried to fight it.

Whatever explanation they theorize or feelings they may have, their duty remains the same: Oa, the home planet of the Guardians of the Universe & Green Lantern Corps is currently under siege by a massive threat, & their job is to protect it at any & all costs.

It'd be no different than if it were their own home sectors that were facing this same crisis.

Removing himself from his private thoughts, Salaak exits the Meeting Hall & heads outside to join up with everyone else who were sure to be accounted for.

Boodikka, Hannu, Ch'p & Laira followed soon after, with the Guardians doing so moments later.

The battle for Oa's survival was about to commence.

CHAPTER II

The Terrestrial Defense Force Base, Japan, one week later:

Its location confidential, the Ultra Garrison (or Ultra Squad, if one prefers) is one of the multiple defense bases for Earth, its branches stretched everywhere from Paris to Australia, & up to & including the United States of America. Its mission is a simple one: to defend the planet from any & all threats to it, be they terrestrial or interstellar. Armed to the teeth with the latest technology, vehicles, weaponry & the boldest personnel, this worldwide organization is one of the last lines of defense to the planet, doing whatever is necessary to keep Earth free of alien tyranny.

Of course, having assistance from a 40-meter tall humanoid in red & silver and/or a few Green Lanterns doesn't hurt either.

Deep within the Japanese base, the Commander of the Ultra Garrison – Karou Kiriyama – begins the day with a routine training exercise consisting of quick reflexes & even quicker shooting with their guns at targets which pop up at random areas in a carefully set up scenario that resembles a cross between an alleyway & an abandoned factory, with boxes, wooden crates & other objects for added effect. The targets are plywood figures painted black, representing the enemy which were 'armed' with a small disc the size of an American quarter that fires a single beam of energy meant to stun. Kiriyama's team was to get from one end of the exercise to the other without getting struck or shooting at any 'civilian' targets, which were painted white.

Kiriyama & his team members were all dressed in their light gray uniforms that had black & white stripes, along with a black, white & red helmet that was equipped with a plexiglass visor which covered the face like a shield.

Hanging on their right sides were a standard pistol, all holstered.

Each member of Kiriyama's team awaited the word from him.

After a minute of tense silence, Kiriyama gives the order.

"Amagi – go!"

The technician & strategist of the team from Nagoya, Amagi dove into the arena like it was a swimming pool, drawing his weapon at the ready. A series of armed targets sprung up & fired their own weapons at Amagi, but he eludes each one without difficulty. One or two civilian targets popped up unexpectedly, but Amagi eases on the trigger & spared them a 'death' in the exercise. Everything went well for the man until he accidentally slipped upon a piece of very thin pipe, causing a pair of enemy targets to fire at him. Amagi still escaped death by rolling on the ground like he was on fire in the 'stop, drop & roll' maneuver before taking cover behind crates & returning fire. His shots make short work of his inanimate foes before making a break for it at the finish line.

With Amagi done, the next member was called.

Soga from Kyushu.

An expert marksman & fierce in battle, Soga practically obliterated every enemy target that came his way, doing so precisely & efficiently without missing a beat. The only thing he does miss are the non-enemy targets, & he comes through to the end like he was out for a simple jog. Kiriyama nodded with a smile, indicating he was very proud of his performance.

Next up was Shigeru Furuhashi from Hokkaido, a trigger-happy marksman & the strongest member of the Ultra Garrison. Not only did he excel in taking down targets with his primary weapon, he does so using his bare hands & feet. He displays this tactic when one enemy target hits a civilian with its shot, smashing it to pieces with a well-placed fist, karate chop/kick. At the finish line, he pumps a fist in triumph, getting grins from his teammates.

Anne Yuri, the only female member of the team & its communications operator & nurse, was up.

The youngest member from Tokyo, Anne prowled through the arena like a cat & used her feminine skills to the fullest. Even though her skills are strongest in communications & medicine, she's no less capable of standing firm in a fight, proving her claims by taking care of every target which dared to fire at her. She retaliated just as fiercely as her male counterparts have, & came through the training exercise without a scratch or breaking too much of a sweat.

Finally, it was member Dan Moroboshi's go.

The sixth member of the Ultra Garrison, Dan rushed in the arena & began putting his senses to work. Instantly, a plethora of targets rose up from nowhere & fired shots at Dan, who ducked, dodged & deterred each blast with precise moves & countermoves, his gun putting an end to each. Then, one target caught him unawares & knocked his weapon out of his hand. Improvising, Dan sees a nearby metal garbage can lid & lead pipe the length of a ruler before using the former like a shield to block enemy fire. With his lead pipe, he threw it like a sword at the nearest target which took its head clean off its wooden shoulders just before he dove to retrieve his gun to attend & bring down most of his targets.

Before finishing, Dan used a well-placed fist & kick to his last two aggressors as Furuhashi had.

Unbeknownst to his fellow team members & everyone else in the Ultra Garrison, Dan Moroboshi is secretly the red & silver giant called Ultra Seven, the 40-meter tall hero that has saved Earth many times since first disposing of the Alien Cool after a brief but savage attack. Because of his bravery, he was named the unofficial seventh member of the Ultra Garrison.

In an ironic sense, Dan Moroboshi was honored & inducted twice in the same organization.

The thought of that, coupled with his performance in the day's exercise, made Dan smile.

With each member, Commander Kiriyama used a stop watch to time everyone's performance & wrote it down on a pad next to their names. What he saw made him nod in approval.

"So…how did we all do, Commander?", asked Soga, anxious for an answer.

"Everyone did exceptionally well in today's activities!", Kiriyama says once he looked up from his pad, smiling. "Each of you surpassed your previous times by about a second or two! I'm quite happy to say that you've all set a new record for yourselves!"

The Ultra Garrison members cheered & gave each other high-fives, big grins adorned on their faces.

"There is one thing that could use a bit of improvement on, however", Kiriyama said, ceasing their cheers as the Commander eyes one member in particular. "Amagi…while your time has gotten better, you still took a bit longer than any of the others did."

"That certainly was my fault, Commander", Amagi said apologetically. "My literal slip-up back there did cause me to lose precious time, & it almost cost me. Had this training exercise become a real fight, I probably would've been hit & killed in action. I guess I am still a bit twitchy in battle."

Amagi hung his head until Dan patted him on the back in reassurance.

"Don't sweat it, Amagi", he says, grinning. "That's what these training exercises are for: to make you better than you were last time. Remember: all it takes to stay alive in battle is to keep a cool, clear head, stay sharp & alert at all times, & act accordingly to your own instincts. Anyone can achieve a high status if they just keep working at it. In no time, you'll be able to perform your duties & shoot like a true pro."

"And don't forget to combine your technician & strategic abilities together with your own fighting prowess if & when the need arises", said Anne. "It can vastly improve your chances for your own survival and victory in a fight."

"One more thing: we'll always be at your side when you need a little extra muscle", Furuhashi says, pointing to his bicep in a bit of a tease. "So never be afraid to ask for help – from any of us."

Seeing the smiling faces of his teammates including Kiriyama gave Amagi a big boost in his confidence. He had to return the gesture with a nod.

"Thank you, everyone", he says with renewed pride. "No matter how much I need to train, I know I can perform better in these exercise programs & actual combat, especially knowing I have all of you watching my back!"

"Excellent pieces of good advice – all of them."

A new voice caught the attention of the six Ultra Garrison members, & they turn to see a pair of men dressed in light beige uniforms decorated with numerous medals walking towards the five men & single woman. The six people stood at attention as these men approached, for they were men even Kiriyama obeyed obediently.

"Commander Manabe. Chief Yamaoka", Karou says.

"Kiriyama. At ease, everyone", Manabe says as the Ultra Garrison members drop their saluted status.

"So…what brings you two down here to the training area, if I may ask?", Dan says.

"I've come to invite you all over to one of our privately-owned airstrips near the base", said Yamaoka. "There's something waiting inside the hangar we wish to show you."

"A new aircraft to add to our ever-growing arsenal?", Soga asked, getting a nod from the two leaders.

"This craft is unlike any of the Ultra Hawks you've been flying previously", said Manabe.

"How much different is it?", asked Anne.

"Let's head over to the hangar, & we'll explain everything once you've seen it for yourselves", Yamaoka says.

Anne & the others turn to Kiriyama, who nods.

As one, they were exiting the training facility.

Twenty minutes later:

Using the 3 Ultra Hawks, the Ultra Garrison team with Commander Manabe & Chief Yamaoka flew over to the aforementioned airstrip & hangar known only to members & under the strictest rules. Landing on the tarmac, everyone entered the hangar's office on the top level of the three-story building. A window facing the inner hangar & outside each had blinds that were closed, so nobody could tell what was waiting for them in the former.

Standing by that particular window, Yamaoka & Manabe faced his audience as the latter spoke first.

"Commander Kiriyama & members of the Ultra Garrison, now that we've all arrived here in one of our many well-hidden hangars, it gives us great pleasure to introduce to you our brand new aircraft…the Ultra Phoenix!"

The team gathers to the window once Manabe & Yamaoka clear the way. From their vantage point, the team can see a jet that was about the length of their Ultra Hawk 3, but having a rounded body rather than the rectangular shape the aforementioned craft possessed, & thicker in frame than the second Ultra Hawk that's shaped like a missile. Its silver coloring was mixed in with a golden yellow, giving it something of a bright shine even in a dark space. The wings were also different: instead of being bent downwards like the UH-3, the wings were evenly out like the first Ultra Hawk, but with tips that were bent backwards & were pointed. Its tail was also unique: at the end of the craft, they formed a V-shape with ends that were in the same position as the main wings. The nose had a windshield in the frame as the wings, & the cockpit seated two personnel quite comfortably. Just like any commercial airliner, this jet had standard landing gear underneath its cockpit & wings. Several personnel were gathered around the craft, doing the daily maintenance work.

One word came to mind in describing it, as Amagi points out.

"Incredible! This craft has a shape that's very reminiscent of the fabled Phoenix of mythological legend!"

"One look, & you can easily see the resemblance!", Soga said. "I guess it's no wonder as to why you named it the Phoenix!"

"That's exactly what we want its impression to be as this thing gets taken up in the skies", Manabe said. "What say we all head down for a closer look at our new prized possession?"

"An aircraft this unique…we've got to see up close!", Anne said anxiously, getting smiles & nods of agreement from her teammates & the two leaders.

With a gesture of his hand, Manabe & Yamaoka took lead.

Heading down the elevator like they did to reach the third level but exiting the door leading into the hangar, the Ultra Garrison squadron were being escorted up to get a closer view of their new jet. It was just as impressive at close range as it was from their previous vantage point, & it made the squadron feel like they're living on another planet.

"Very nice!", Kiriyama said with a grin. "If this thing can fight as good as it can fly, I think we've got ourselves a real dandy of a weapon! How long have you been working on this for?"

"Over three months was what it took to design & build this sleek craft", said Manabe.

The Ultra Garrison – including Kiriyama – gazed at each other in wonder.

"Excuse me for asking, sir, but…why haven't we been informed about it until today?", Dan asks.

"Yeah, why all the secrecy?", Furuhashi asked.

"For security reasons", answered Yamaoka. "The Ultra Phoenix is equipped with a vast arsenal consisting of an array of laser guns mounted within the main wings & under the nose, the latter of which can pivot around & move like a searchlight. In the fuselage is a bomb load measuring an equal ton, with the bombs being no bigger than six inches in length & two inches thick. Just one of them can destroy half a city block, as each is armed with a powerful explosive – a new type of TNT equal to the force of the Spiner that was developed not long ago. The craft is also equipped with a formidable cloaking device, making it undetectable by regular radar. On top of that, it can fly at Mach 6, which is faster even than the Ultra Hawk 2. After all, faster response time means a much quicker defeat to enemies & the saving of many lives, but it could also mean the deaths of many innocent people should it ever fall into the wrong hands. That is the reason for the utmost secrecy: the fewer who knew about this new craft before we're ready to test it, the better."

Everyone in the unit agreed, but Kiriyama was the only one who nodded: it would've been the same decision he would make had he been part of assembling this new aircraft to their aerial arsenal. He'd hate to see the thing into the hands of alien races that have tried to take over Earth like Cool, Wild, Kill, & many others.

"A wise play on your part, sir", Kiriyama says with a nod. "It's what I would've done myself."

Manabe & Yamaoka nod back in appreciation of his honesty.

"But now that you have revealed this new jet to us, it's ready for its test flight, I gather?", Anne asked.

"That is it, Miss Yuri", said Manabe. "Once we get our pilot for this run, we'll be ready to commence."

"Excellent! So…which one of us is going to have the honor of giving it its first flight, sir?", Furuhashi asked in an anxious tone, his grin nice & big.

Yamaoka & Manabe share a laugh with each other, making the squadron suspicious as Furuhashi's grin faded.

"What? What's so funny?", asked Soga. "We are going to test it, aren't we?"

"Indeed we are, Soga", said Yamaoka. "But none of you will be flying this thing…at least, not yet."

This made the squad more perplexed, & they were getting a little uneasy about the whole thing.

"I don't get it, sir", Amagi says. "You show us a new jet that's to become our latest fighting tool against enemies after keeping it confidential for over a period of three months, & now you tell us we won't be taking it in the air?"

"You honestly don't believe that we're incapable of flying it, do you?", asked Soga.

"Calm down, everyone, we never said that", said Manabe, his hands in a halt gesture. "I'm only saying that we already have a pilot in mind to give it the debut flight. Commander Takenaka & Staff Officer Yanagawa are on their way now to pick him up even as we speak."

"Ah, we get it", Anne said. "He's a famed Japanese pilot who's going to take it up then. That's clever, sir."

Yamaoka & Manabe shake their heads, their smiles still present.

"Miss Yuri, we never said he was from Japan.", the former says.

Before more confusion can erupt, Dan Moroboshi asks the prize questions, one he pretty much knew already.

"You're bringing in a foreigner? Who is he, & where does he hail from?"

Manabe & Yamaoka keep smiling as they give a brief explanation.

CHAPTER III

Coast City, California, 5:40 a.m.:

A slight chill greets the early spring morning of the West Coast United States area, requiring the few citizens up & about these twilight hours to sport a light coat or sweater. The streets were almost devoid of any vehicles, sans the routine patrol car here & there making their rounds for any hints of wrongdoing, even at this pre-dawn hour.

So far, the only sounds made this morning were the police & other commercial cars going about their business.

For another five minutes, that is.

The sound of glass shattering followed by a ringing alarm breaks that silence as the window to one of the city's many banks gets pummeled by a powerful force, the shards littering both the street outside & the inner floor. A man who looks like an ordinary businessman in a black pair of pants, shoes & white dress shirt simply strolls on across the room as if he's done this sort of thing previously, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the alarms will bring police to his location in a matter of minutes. The blaring noise appeared to bother or concern this individual even less.

In less than a minute, the first responders arrive at the scene of the pre-dawn robbery.

But it wasn't the police.

The unidentified man walks towards a bank vault when he's suddenly stopped by the sound of boots squeaking on the shiny floor. He turns to see two newcomers – a man & a woman – standing firm in outfits not custom for doing banking business. The man was 5-foot, 11 inches tall with shortly-trimmed blonde hair & goatee, dressed in green all over from his boots up to the small hat on his head. A green mask covered his eyes, & he held a sizable bow in one hand with a quiver of arrows hung on his back. His female companion stood 5-foot, 4 inches tall, dressed in a black suit & leather jacket, boots & fishnets adorning her feminine legs. She had long blonde hair & blue eyes that any man would probably be hypnotized by, only these eyes currently didn't look hypnotic or seductive.

These two are the famed heroes known as the Green Arrow & Black Canary, sometimes known as the Emerald Archer & the Pretty Bird of Prey, the latter taking the namesake of her late mother.

"Really…you couldn't wait until regular business hours to do your banking?", Green Arrow says. "What would your stockbroker say?"

The man stared at them like their presence was less than nothing, his face like stone & unreadable.

"Neither of you are our intended target. Go away!", he simply said in a firm tone.

His bold statement immediately put Arrow & Canary in a defensive position as the Emerald Archer grabbed an arrow from his quiver & pulled back tightly on the bow, aiming it at the unflinching man.

"Hold the phone, fella!", he snapped. "You break into a bank before opening time with intent to make an illegal withdrawal, tell us we're 'not your intended target', & expect us to just walk away?! Sorry, son – we don't play that card! Now then…you want to go easy or hard?"

"Don't be absurd!", said the stranger. "Your money is of no interest to us! We were hoping for him to appear, & instead we're stuck with two lesser beings! Remove yourselves before we make you regret it!"

"Who's 'we'? Who else is here with you?", Black Canary demanded. She called out to the unseen second would-be thief. "Wherever you are, show yourself now before you make us find you!"

"Save your breath, Miss! You won't see him unless he wishes to be found! I'll tell you one last time – leave this place immediately, lest you suffer the consequences!"

The man turned away & walked towards the large vault in the room.

"You asked for it, mister!", Green Arrow says, ready to release his shot when Canary stops him.

"Hold on, Archer! Allow me!", she says. Always permitting his fellow pretty bird to go first, Arrow nods & lays down his weapon.

Her boots clack on the tiled floor as Black Canary approaches the man like an angry teacher or mother ready to punish her student/child.

"Hey! Don't you dare walk away from me! You tell us where your partner is exactly, & maybe all I'll do is give you both a simple…"

Black Canary didn't finish her demand: once she grabbed the man's arm, he turned & struck her hard in the chest with the palm of his hand with blinding speed & surprising strength. Canary yelped when she was hit & soared through the air into a round table placed in the center of the room.

"Dinah!", Green Arrow called to her before raising his bow back up & staring at the man with gritted teeth. "All right, mister! Hard way it is, then!"

The Emerald Archer let loose his shot as it flew straight for the intruder. Using his incredible speed, the arrow was caught in his hand in the blink of an eye. With even less effort, the man broke the weapon in two with a simple squeeze of his hand & the halves fell to the floor.

Green Arrow gasped in shock.

Not many of my enemies can do that! Who is this creep?!, he thought. Shaking off the shock, he pulled out & shot several more arrows from his quiver at his target. Each one was either caught by the man, or he easily dodged the barrage with grace only a professional athlete could achieve. Black Canary rose from the floor, albeit a bit groggy, & saw how Green Arrow was unloading on the man, his shots as ineffective as water was on an oil fire.

Brushing away her pain, she rejoins her companion, her fists raised & ready for a fight.

"You son of a bitch! What kind of a man are you anyway?!", she snapped.

The man simply laughed in mock arrogance.

"My partner & I are not 'a man' at all, child!", the intruder said before he started glowing a sickly green from head to toe. At that same time, a black shadow snaked its way out of hiding & stopped next to the glowing man on his left-hand side. The shadow then rose up from the floor like it was a living blot of ink. In mere moments their eerie metamorphosis was complete: the original intruder was something of a walking mass of humanoid foliage greenery, with no visible face or features. His partner morphed into a black-&-white creature with a golden heart-shaped emblem on its chest but with pointed ends on top. Like its partner, it had no face on its elongated neck but eyes on stalks which stuck out left & right on the top.

Green Arrow & Black Canary gasped at the sight of the true identities of the morning's would-be thieves.

Little did either crime-fighter know they were dealing with a member of the alien races Waiell & Pegassa, the latter of which once intended to collide his civilization with Earth if things 'didn't go well'.

"We told you humans to leave when we gave you the chance, & you didn't!", the black-&-white Pegassa Alien said. "Now youshall both pay the price for your stubborn arrogance!"

The eyes of Pegassa Alien fired a pair of white beams at Black Canary, who dodged by diving to one side. The Alien Waiell literally reached out at Green Arrow by extending its right arm in a thick vine of sharp barbs. Ducking his head just in time, the Emerald Archer pulled out a special kind of arrow: one that had a miniature buzzsaw fixated at the end. Pulling on the bow string, the saw activated as he let loose, hitting the thing's arm where the joint should be & severing it. A bleeding stump was left as the appendage fell to the floor, flopping around like a fish out of water. The stump didn't remain one for long: another greenery arm grew back in its place & started lashing out at Green Arrow again, only now the archer was dodging two thorn-covered arms.

Oliver Queen will have to do some fancy footwork to avoid getting 'nipped in the bud'.

Dinah Lance was doing some footwork of her own, staying ahead of Alien Pegassa's beams that were giving the bank a brutal beating wherever they landed. Black Canary decided to take the fight to it rather than at a distance, & she closed the gap in moments. Landing a hard left foot to its chest, Canary ceased Pegassa's beams & unleashed on the creature with swift brutal kicks, punches, jabs, & dodging/blocking when Pegassa retaliated with its own. Dinah did not let up on her attacks: she had no idea how resilient the creature was to taking punishment, & any hesitation could be costly.

Fortunately, she had some very good teachers in the field of hand-to-hand combat such as Ted Grant, also known as Wildcat from the original roster of the Justice Society of America.

But even that could not help to bring down the alien before her: despite how hard & fiercely she fought, Pegassa would not go down, & every hit it didn't block hardly fazed it. Ducking to avoid a savage rake of the thing's fingers to her pretty face, Black Canary put distance between her & Pegassa.

"You are a tough specimen of female human!", Pegassa said. "But even your fighting prowess cannot hope to bring down a member of the Pegassa alien race!"

"You might be right about that, 'Alien Pegassa'!", Black Canary stated. "Therefore, I'll have to change my tune in order to defeat you – and I do mean 'tune'!"

Pegassa was about to fire its eye beams once more, but this time Dinah was ready. Opening her mouth wide, she unleashes her famed 'Canary Cry', an ear-splitting ultrasonic that can shatter even metal. Usually, she keeps the pitch just enough to knock a normal person out but still leave him alive.

But because her latest opponent is not human, she unleashes her meta-human weapon near full force.

Even Pegassa's tough stamina was no match for her sonic cry, & it got knocked backwards into Alien Waiell, as it was on the verge of slicing Green Arrow with more of its thorns, having already giving him several cuts on his arms, legs & chest. Both space creatures get tumbled together as Ollie & Dinah gather their bearings before regrouping with several police sirens sounding in the distance.

"Nice going, pretty bird", Green Arrow said. "That's one song I'll never get tired of hearing."

"That's a tune I'll never get tired of playing!", Black Canary said with a quick smirk. "Are you all right, Oliver?"

"Nothing a few stitches can't handle", Oliver says with a wink which made Dinah smile briefly. "But now comes the hard part on what to do with these two. It's not like we can just hand them over to the police once they arrive. There won't be a jail anywhere that'll hold them, what with their unique abilities."

"Perhaps we can ask our friend to take them to S.T.A.R. Labs when he arrives. Considering the disturbance they caused, it shouldn't be too long before he…"

Dinah was interrupted when Aliens Waiell & Pegassa rose from their tumble, putting the heroes on guard once more. But instead of attacking, the plant creature opened a portion of its chest to unveil a device of sorts that had a red light blinking. The golden emblem on Pegassa's chest did the same, & they both emitted a high-pitched beep that grew louder & steadier as the seconds went by.

Oliver Queen & Dinah Lance's hearts raced, as they were very familiar with what the creatures have planned.

They're going kamikaze on us!, Oliver thought with dread.

"RUN!", the Emerald Archer shouted, grabbing Dinah's arm & pulling her to safety with her. Aliens Pegassa & Waiell gave chase in a frantic run after the fleeing heroes, wanting to get them caught in the inevitable blast. Oliver & Dinah were now just twelve feet from the entrance as the beeping in the creatures' built-in bombs had reached a steady sound.

The world went white as both aliens exploded in a million pieces.

When Green Arrow & Black Canary opened their eyes again to find they weren't dead, their vision changed from white to black & then to green. The green was an emerald glow provided by a man standing 6-foot, 2 inches tall in an outfit of green & black with white gloves that covered his hands & forearms. A green mask concealed his eyes similar to Oliver's own, & his well-trimmed hair was a solid brown. A glowing ring on the middle finger of the man's right hand provided the glowing dome which shielded him, the Archer & Bird of Prey.

He is a man who some know as ace pilot Hal Jordan.

But in his current attire, he goes by another name.

"Green Lantern!", Black Canary said.

"Dinah, Ollie…are you two all right?", asked Jordan.

"We're still breathing, if that's what you mean!", Oliver said as he & Dinah rose from the floor within the dome Hal put up to protect his two friends from the blast caused by the suicidal aliens.

"Are we ever glad to be seeing you, Hal!", Dinah said. "Had you been another second or two late in showing up, you'd be scraping us with a shovel right now!"

"Sorry I was late, Dinah", Jordan said. "My ring detected an alien presence here in the city, but had difficulty in getting a proper fix on its source. Those two aliens you & Ollie fought masked their presence well until the last minute. I almost didn't makeit to you two in time."

"It was a close call, for sure", Oliver said. "But try to look on the bright side, pal: 'almost' doesn't count. I only wish we could've interrogated them better before they'd gone kamikaze on us."

"Did you manage to get anything out of either of them before things went to hell?"

"Only that one of them mentioned that we weren't their primary target", said Dinah. "I hate to say it, Hal, but…I do believe they were referring to you. This whole trap was meant for you to be snared in. Ollie & I were just caught in the crossfire. Anything else aside from that, it's hard to say."

"What could it possibly mean, do you think?", Ollie wondered aloud.

I wish I knew, Ollie, Hal Jordan thought. I recognize those two: they're from the alien races of Waiell & Pegassa. I thought they'd been dealt with in the past, but they've returned unexpectedly & were pretty eager & determined to be rid of me in a hurry, according to Dinah's information. Why?

It was a mystery Hal Jordan was just as eager to solve.

Twelve minutes later:

Exiting the ruined bank under the protection of Green Lantern's bubble, the trio of heroes met with the proper authorities that arrived on the scene: police, fire trucks, ambulances, etc.. Black Canary had been the one who gave the men & women in uniform a statement on what occurred inside while Green Arrow was being treated by paramedics to tend to his cuts he endured in battle against Alien Waiell, minor as they were.

Certain details, of course, were left out & kept between the heroes alone.

Once Green Arrow's wounds were tended to & statements were given, the police went to keep both civilians & the press back as firefighters finish extinguishing any leftover flames & sifting through rubble for bodies.

Much to the relief of police, firefighters, paramedics and costumed heroes, none were found.

Having a secluded spot to themselves for a bit of privacy, the trio of heroes discuss the horrid scenario.

"It's a blessing that both the bank and the surrounding area was empty of innocent people when things literally blew up", Green Arrow said. "All things considered, this could've been a lot worse."

"This bit may have passed, Ollie, but I suspect the real danger is still yet to come", Black Canary said.

"For me, that is, Dinah", Green Lantern said. "I suspect you may have been right before: while I have quite a list of enemies who'd love to see me push up daisies or biting cosmic dust, this was an actual assassination plot on me. I'm being targeted by an unknown foe or group of foes, & I need to get to the bottom of it soon as I can."

"Do you want us to do some snooping around for any clues as to the identity of this mastermind who's pulling the strings?", Green Arrow asks. "If he's anywhere in this city, we'll nab him soon enough."

"I highly appreciate that, Ollie. But I suspect that the key assassin may not be anywhere in the city, let alone on Earth. This is much more my problem, considering the involvement of Aliens Waiell & Pegassa. There's a price on my head, & I won't let anyone get caught in the middle if it can be helped."

"We understand", Black Canary said as Green Arrow nodded. "You go settle this matter, & we'll take care of things here."

"Thank you, Dinah. I'll be in touch", Green Lantern says, holding up his right fist as the ring surrounds him with a protective aura. Green Arrow issued a final statement before he took off.

"You just be careful, old buddy: the next group of aliens you run into might be even deadlier!"

Green Lantern nods with a smile before taking off into the early morning sky, disappearing in a matter of seconds behind the city landscape.

It was a sight neither Oliver Queen nor Dinah Lance can ever get tired of.

Having given their statement to authorities, they head off for other troubled areas.

Ferris Air Base, 9:00 a.m.:

For the next two hours, Green Lantern Hal Jordan flew around Coast City for any kind of extraterrestrial activity, be it big or small. So far, the only disturbance he was able to pick up were a mugger doing a pickpocket routine that got him sent via Green Lantern express to the precinct house, followed by a high-speed chase that ended up with the car full of jewel thieves getting spike-stripped by emerald energy before cops took them into custody.

But further alien activity was non-existent: either they're masking their presence too well from Green Lantern's ring scanners, or there really isn't any more other than what occurred at the bank with Green Arrow & Black Canary.

Hal Jordan couldn't waste any more time searching: being a Green Lantern was always a fulfilling & exciting job for him, but he has a 'real' one at Ferris Air Base, flying their planes without the accompaniment of his ring.

He wasn't going to let his guard down, though.

Like any good cop, Hal Jordan will be keeping his instincts on high alert as he took his personal car over to the air base & parked it before heading over to the main office as asked by his boss (& secret crush) Carol Ferris, daughter of Carl Ferris who took over the family business when he turned ill & passed away shortly after. Attired in khaki pants, light gray shirt, brown shoes & jacket once worn by his father Martin until he died in a jet crash in a daring attempt to save countless lives, Hal Jordan made his way to Carol Ferris' office who, even now, was having a business proposition with two men from Japan. Carol was dressed in light beige pants & flop shoes, purple shirt & yellow undershirt. She had the bluest eyes of any woman, & beneath her feminine appearance was a tough & able businesswoman capable of holding her own against even the hardest competitors. Her two foreign guests each wore light beige uniforms, both of which were adorned with many medals. One held a slim cigar in his hand, & stood next to the open window as he took drags to blow it out. An ashtray rested upon Carol's desk at the edge away from her.

"And that's our proposition, Miss Ferris", the one without the cigar said. "So what say you…do you think you can spare him for us for a little while?"

"I must admit, Mr. Yanagawa", Carol began, sitting behind her desk & leaning forward in her chair. "It's a very interesting offer, & my company is quite happy to do business with foreign organizations in order to help expand our reputation. But I'm curious: of all the pilots I have you wish to borrow for this test, are you sure you really want him?"

The two men from Japan share a chuckle as the one with the cigar takes another drag & blows it out the window.

"I take it you don't approve too highly of our choice, Miss Ferris?", he says, grinning. "His name was the very first we came up when considering for this experimental flight. In fact, he's the only one we want for it."

"Is that so, Mr. Takenaka?", Carol says, clearly stunned. "And here I thought you wanted him for nothing more than a simple guinea pig or lab rat. If that's the case, you've got my full approval to use him in any form you please."

Both Japanese men share another chuckle, amused by Carol's little joke.

"Forgive our curiosity, Miss Ferris, but it seems to us like there's something going on between you & our choice pilot", Yanagawa says. "It sounds like there's more flying being done than just your base's planes."

Carol smirked as the men grin amusingly.

"I'm sure you're clearly mistaken, Mr. Yanagawa", she says simply. "Like I told him and an ex-consultant here by the name of Hector Hammond, I don't date employees. However, all kidding aside, I meant what I said. You have my permission to have him perform your test. But I feel I must offer you gentlemen a fair warning: Hal Jordan is brash, reckless, stubborn, arrogant, hard-headed…"

The door to her office opened up to reveal aforementioned pilot standing at the entrance like he was ready for a Sunday stroll through the park, with all eyes turning to him. Whether Hal heard any of what was said about him while making his way to her office, he didn't acknowledge it.

"And the best damn pilot this airfield ever had!", Carol finished in a most polite manner, her mouth in a playful smile. "Good morning to you, Mister Jordan. Do come in."

"Good morning, Miss Ferris", Hal said, closing the door behind him. "I didn't realize you had company. Who are your friends?"

"Hal Jordan, I'm Staff Officer Yanagawa, & this is Commander Takenaka", he introduced as Hal shook both of the men's hands when they rose from their chairs. Takenaka placed his cigar in the ashtray before taking his greeting.

"Pleased to meet you", Hal said. "Are you two from the Japanese Self-Defense Force?"

"Close – we're from the Terrestrial Defense Force", Takenaka explains. "Ever hear of it?"

"I believe I have. You're an organization that defends the planet from any & all threats like invading aliens that dare attempt to conquer our world, am I right?"

"On the first try", said Yanagawa. "It's no different than having the hero known as Green Lantern fighting for this planet's safety, you might say. Only in this case, our organization spreads worldwide, with branches in every part of Earth, from Australia to Russia, including Japan."

"So that's why you're here: you wish to recruit me for your team as a pilot."

"Yes & no", said Takenaka. "We do want to recruit you, but it's only for a temporary & brief period. You see, as we've been discussing with your boss Carol Ferris, there's a new craft we've just completed called the Ultra Phoenix. It can travel at speeds exceeding that of our past jets, & we've clearly chosen you to give it its test flight. That's the real reason why we're here."

"I see. Nobody's flown it yet, & you want that person to be me."

"Precisely", Takenaka finished as Yanagawa nodded in agreement.

"Mister Jordan. Hal", Carol stepped in, coming from behind her desk & going to her side. The look on her face is not one of demand, but more of a plea. "Ever since I took over my father's company for him when he became too ill, I've wanted to continue honoring both his memory and company in any way I can. This merging with the Terrestrial Defense Force can & will help in ways even I could never imagine. As you know, this company's all I have left after my father died."

Hal Jordan stayed silent as he contemplated Carol's words. Staring at her, he didn't (or couldn't) see the vicious shark of a businesswoman he'd known since they first met as kids. No, he saw the frail child who cried even louder than he did after Hal's father Martin crashed the jet he was flying away from the air base when it leaked oil & caught fire in the rear.

His mind went back to that period in Hal's life that changed it forever.

(Hal & Carol were children at the latter's father's air base)

Hal: My dad's flying that plane.

Carol: Hmph. My dad owns that plane.

(Martin Jordan's voice comes over the walkie-talkie Carl Ferris held in his hand once his rear engine caught fire)

Martin: I need to bring it away from the crowd.

Carl: There's no external leakage. The investors are watching. That's fifteen-million dollars & our last six years of development you have in the air. Keep it flying, Jordan.

Martin: This thing's going down, Ferris. On top of you, Coast City, or right here…and right here no one else gets hurt.

That's when young Hal Jordan saw the explosion & flaming, flying wreckage of what remained of Carl Ferris' fifteen-million dollar investment. Even when Hal turned eighteen & had enlisted in the Air Force, it still didn't soothe the pain: his mother Jessica forbade him of ever going through with his decision of signing up, & when she was dying of cancer, Hal was all but forbidden from seeing her as his younger brother Jim stated that unless he quit the Air Force, he never could. When he finally did quit, it was too little, too late: his mother was gone, & his older brother Jack highly berated him for never being there for her or anyone in his family. So irritated was he that Jack left the family, becoming even less a part of it than he was before.

Jack Jordan became a recluse since that day, & neither Hal nor Jim had ever heard from him.

It wouldn't be until years later when Hal found out that Martin Jordan was Carl Ferris' best friend, & that his death tore him up even worse than it did Hal, the guilt eating at him since that day before finally taking its toll. Hal had mentally kicked himself for not realizing it sooner, having spent most of his young years filled with anger & frustration – all of it aimed at the wrong person.

Even gaining a powerful glowing green ring from a dying purple alien to right wrongs on Earth & other worlds couldn't eliminate all the hurt his life was filled with.

Hal Jordan found that part rather sad as well as ironic.

"So, Hal Jordan", Yanagawa said, snapping Jordan out of his trip down memory lane what seemed like forever. "What do you say? Will you test flight our new aircraft for us? Your contribution will help benefit all involved."

Hal didn't need another engraved invitation or any further persuasion for his answer.

"Staff Officer Yanagawa, Commander Takenaka…you can count me in. I'll do it", he said, extending his hand & shaking both one at a time. Smiles from every face in the room as congratulations were taking place.

"Glad to have you aboard, Hal Jordan!", Takenaka said proudly. "We simply cannot thank you enough for your invaluable assistance to this project!"

Hal saw the proudness in Carol's eyes: she alone knew that he was doing it for more than just a shared merger with a famed Japanese organization. He was doing it for both her & her father Carl, wanting to make him proud from beyond the grave in atonement for all the anger he had for him…which was all for nothing.

You don't need to prove a thing, Hal. My father had always been proud of you and your father Martin, thought Carol, but she let it go at that.

"Think nothing of it, Commander", Hal said. "It's always nice to fly new aircraft, for one thing. On top of that, I always did want to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. Let's see if it really is as hospitable as I've heard."

The Japanese men share a laugh at Jordan's joke.

"Perhaps after your duties there are done, our people in the Ultra Garrison can show you around the country & you can judge for yourself", Yanagawa said.

"Sounds like a plan. How soon can we leave?"

"Anytime you're ready", said Takenaka. "Our private jet is resting in one of the hangars. Why not use the time to gather some of your personal belongings first before we head off?"

"That shouldn't take too long. When I travel, I mostly do so lightly. Why don't you head over to the cafeteria & enjoy some nourishment while I get myself prepped for the long flight?"

"Leave that to me, Highball. Go get packed", Carol teased.

"Right away, Miss Ferris", Hal teased back before exiting the room. Once he was gone, Yanagawa & Takenaka were barely able to stifle a giggle as Carol rolled her eyes in mock amusement.

Hal Jordan headed down to the locker room to obtain the few items stored within, namely his power battery that he uses to recharge his ring in intervals of every 24 hours. Jordan was responsible enough to recharge & place the ring in his pocket just before he went to Carol's office to hide his secret that's known only to a few people on Earth, aside from Green Arrow Oliver Queen & Black Canary Dinah Lance: his younger brother Jim being one.

Another being an Asian mechanic at Ferris: Tom Kalmaku, who seemingly stumbled upon his secret seeing him glow a bright green & coming across his power battery, changing from his Green Lantern uniform into that of his standard flight suit in the process. Hal wasn't worried: he's been a good sport about it, & Tom has kept it confidential as well as anyone else who knew, having been good friends even before Hal received the ring from the dying alien Abin Sur, who crashed not far from Ferris Air Base out in the desert while bringing in a vicious creature of rage named Atrocitus, whose homeworld of Ryut was utterly destroyed when the Manhunter robots attacked & killed everyone on it. With the help of one-time Green Lantern Sinestro from the planet Korugar, Atrocitus was stopped & imprisoned on Ysmault.

With his younger brother Jim, he simply flat-out told & transformed right in front of him, taking the first step in amendment for past sins. He even wrote it down in a diary for him to read.

It was a good start: Hal & Jim were talking more again like they used to as children, & was even introduced to Jim's girlfriend-turned-wife Susan.

Now, if only Jack would put the past behind him, Hal thought in a melancholy tone.

When he opened his locker, Hal found something that shocked him.

His power battery was gone!

Like trying to find a lost pet mouse or gerbil, Hal searched his locker frantically from top to bottom in every nook & cranny, but found no trace of his ring's power source.

Perhaps Tom took it? No, he wouldn't go so far as playing a practical joke like that on him, especially knowing how vital it was.

That was when he was given a message only he can hear via telepathy.

"Hal Jordan…come meet me in the hangar at once. Let nobody see you, or I kill your friend Tom Kalmaku."

Without a second thought, Hal ran to his destination & kept out of sight doing so. He placed the ring on his finger as he rushed to the hangar he & Tom conduct the day's business at & entered to see the place deserted except for the planes stationed there, Tom & someone, or rather, something else: a mostly blue figure with forearms which were white & ended in what looked like ragged stumps & no visible hands or fingers. The top was an odd mixture of various kinds of fish, with wide bulging eyes & no mouth or nose. While he couldn't see it, the being had what looked like a row of suckers aligning its back, similar to what squid & octopi possess on their multiple arms. If laid on its back, it'd have a strong resemblance to a whale. It held Tom in a choke hold with its left arm, & Hal's power battery lay one foot ahead of them.

The creature has a name, one Hal Jordan stated with malice.

"Alien Metron!", he said with gritted teeth. This alien was once responsible for turning innocent people violent by putting an alien substance into cigarettes that made anyone go mad with an overpowering desire to kill whenever they're smoked.

"It is good to see you, Hal Jordan, or should I rather call you…Green Lantern", Metron said, pointing to Hal with his free arm.

"Let Tom go, Metron! This is between you & me!", Jordan barked, raising his ring hand & pointing it at his foe. Alien Metron put a slight squeeze on Tom's neck, forcing Hal to hold his fire.

"Don't try it!", Metron warned. "With but a move of my arm, I can crush your friend's windpipe & cut off his air for good! I simply took him hostage in order for you to listen to a proposition I have! All you need to do is to hear my terms! Now then…lower your ring or Tom gets lowered to the floor as a lifeless corpse! Do it!"

Looking into Tom's pleading eyes, Hal does lower his ring & Metron releases some pressure on Tom's throat as enough for him to keep on breathing.

"Very good, Green Lantern", Metron said. "It seems that you can be reasoned with after all."

"Cut to the chase, Alien Metron!", Hal snapped. "What kind of proposition are you wishing to offer me?!"

"There's going to be a great change coming to Earth soon. A certain 'gift' from space is on its way here even as we speak, its coordinates set for Earth in an unalterable path. My proposition for you is this: refrain from committing any acts of prevention on your part & allow it to come here unobstructed. If you fail to comply with this simple order or attempt to interfere with its set course, more drastic measures will be taken against you that I hope won't be necessary."

"So it was you that staged the attack for me at the bank with Aliens Waiell & Pegassa…weren't you?! Damn you, Alien Metron: my two friends Green Arrow & Black Canary nearly died in that suicidal blast!"

Alien Metron laughed like it was no big deal, making Hal grit his teeth more in fury.

"I can't take all the credit for staging that trap, as I was only partly responsible", the creature said. "In this little circus, I play but a mere clown as another ringleader masterminds the whole thing under one big top. The only thing you need to do is to stand down & become just a member of the grand audience as we help change this planet into the Earth it was destined to be. Green Lantern Hal Jordan…you will fully comply with these demands to the letter!"

I don't think so, Metron!, Hal thought, lowering his eyes in a scowl. While he kept his arms down, Hal aimed his ring hand at his power battery, which had its opening in parallel with it. Hal quickly fired a thin beam of green light at the opening, causing it to shine bright. Hal put up a shield for his eyes as Tom closed his own to keep from becoming blinded.

Lacking eyelids, Alien Metron could not cover his, & was forced to throw his arms up, thus releasing Tom from his clutches.

"Go, Tom! Sound the alarm! Hurry!", Hal shouted as Tom opened his eyes to find the emerald flash dissipated & got up to run for the exit, but not before pressing the button which activated the klaxons that echoed throughout the base, putting everyone on alert. When Alien Metron was finally able to see again, he saw Hal Jordan all attired in his Green Lantern outfit, his power battery magically sent back to his locker.

"Sorry, Alien Metron! But as I once told a former colleague, 'That's not gonna work for me!'", Green Lantern said. "Whatever your ringmaster wants done with this planet, I won't allow it to happen!"

"You, Hal Jordan, are just as unreasonable & stubborn as Ultra Seven!", Metron said, accusingly pointing with his arms. "I suppose I should have expected such resistance from you! No matter: we have ways of dealing with your kind! As you humans are prone to saying, 'If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem'!"

Alien Metron punctuated his statement by firing a blast of white energy from his stubbed arms directly at Green Lantern, who dodges them both by ducking & charging straight into him, his fists positioned in front like two battering rams. Their momentum carried them crashing through the hangar door, leaving a sizable hole in the metal & onto the open tarmac. Green Lantern stood over the fallen Metron, who lay on his back six feet away. The military personnel & pilots of the base stop & stare at the two figures engaged in combat, unsure of what else to do.

"The only 'problem' around here that I can see is the one I'm staring at!", Lantern said maliciously.

"Stupid fool! You had your chance!", Metron snapped back, extending a plethora of thin snake-like white tentacles from the ends of his stubs & wrapping them around Green Lantern, pinning his arms to his sides. These coils start constricting him tightly as a python or anaconda would do to its prey before swallowing it whole. The ring-bearer then gets jolted by a strong electrical surge that stings him top to bottom. Even with his protective emerald aura, Green Lantern felt the intense pain. Straining through the anguish, Hal Jordan concentrated his willpower to form a construct of a large pair of scissors placed opened over Metron's coils. These scissors snap shut & sever the constricting coils & cut off the juice as Metron retracted what remained of them back into his stubs.

Free of his binds that now disintegrate into dust, Green Lantern struck back.

"Nice try, Metron! My turn!", he said, forming a thick boa constrictor that wraps itself around the alien & putting the squeeze on the interstellar intruder. Metron was laughing despite his dire predicament.

"What's so funny?", Green Lantern asked, confused.

"You think holding Tom Kalmaku hostage was my only card to play?", Metron says. "Meet my other!"

From 120 meters in the sky, a flash of yellow light erupts that caught Green Lantern's & Ferris Air Base's their full attention. The bright flash revealed a large winged green bird-like monster that had a height of 50 meters & a wingspan which was several meters more. Instead of feathers, its body was consisted of scales, & the wings themselves seemed sharpened at the top & looked capable of slicing through solid steel. A sharp yellow beak & sinister predatory eyes made up its face, with its head in a thick V-crest. Its feet had two pointed toes, while small three-clawed hands rested at the ends of its wings. A short pointed stub of a tail hung in the rear. The creature let out a boisterous screech that sent a chill down most people's spines as they stared at the monstrosity that looms above.

It was seen even by Carol Ferris, Staff Officer Yanagawa & Commander Takenaka from the cafeteria, & were just as stunned to bear witness to the beast Alien Metron now calls forth.

"Gyeron…attack!", he orders as the bird-creature swoops down & lands feet-first into the nearest structure – the hangar opposite from where Hal & Tom were occupying. He came down so fast that Green Lantern could not slow his ascent, & Gyeron screeched again as he let loose powerful energy rings from his clawed hands. Unlike last time, he did not need to put his hands together to create these destructive rings, & they strike mercilessly at the surrounding area as building after building gets pummeled. Military personnel, pilots & technicians scrambled frantically to escape the chaos raining down upon them.

Green Lantern aimed his ring to deflect the blasts Gyeron was shooting but was hindered by Metron, who broke out from the emerald snake Hal wrapped him in & tackled the hero like a linebacker. More of Metron's tentacles had wrapped Hal's ring hand, making him unable to aim his weapon where he needed to. Hal tried punching Metron in his head with his free hand, but the blows did no noticeable damage & felt like he was punching a shark. Some tentacles on his left wrist soon ceased his assault, & the alien held him firm.

"It's a shame, Hal Jordan!", Metron says. "I was hoping to let you live just long enough to bear witness this planet's transformation once our gift arrives! But since you're making things more difficult than they have to be, you'll just have to imagine it once I send you to your maker!"

"Good luck with that!", Green Lantern said, using his ring to form a pair of straight razors to sever the coils on his wrists & a large hand to pry Metron off & toss him aside. Free of his foe, Green Lantern flies up & towards Gyeron, but Metron wasn't done with him yet: in an instant the fish-like alien grows to a height of 50 meters himself.

"Since you persist in continuing to fight against us, Green Lantern, your death shall be an excruciating one!", the large Alien Metron says.

"Don't you worry! We're going to continue this fight…but away from here!", the emerald hero said, launching himself between Metron & Gyeron as he spoke. His ring created two large fish hooks attached to chains that puncture both creatures in the chest, causing them to cry out briefly. Literally hooked, Green Lantern constructs a large fishing pole with a chain line instead of twine string & reel both up 30 meters off the ground before taking them away from Ferris Air Base out into the stretch of desert & keeping the mayhem far from people. Hal Jordan gets to a distance of 600 meters from the base before Metron uses his beams to blast away the chains holding the hooks. Realizing he's been freed, Gyeron takes to the air as Metron lands on his own two feet. Gyeron spins round & fires his ring beams at Green Lantern with Metron doing the same, who twists & turns to avoid the barrage & laying down some cover fire of his own. The beams do cause damage but not by much, & Gyeron spits his radioactive yellow mist at the space patroller as Green Lantern stays clear of it, knowing well what it's capable of. A glint of sunlight from Gyeron's mirror-like arms & head temporarily blinds Green Lantern, & Metron uses that to swat the hero like one would do to a bothersome insect. The impact sent Hal Jordan skyward with Gyeron giving chase, as Green Lantern's vision had cleared & saw Gyeron approach with his beaked maw opened wide, having every intention of making the hero his morning snack.

Sorry, Gyeron…I won't be on today's menu, but you can chew on this!, Hal thought as he fires a beam into the bird-creature's mouth & it formed into a green rock that kept his maw pried open for about several seconds before the beast bit down on & crumbled it into smaller rocks.

Screeching in anger, Gyeron resumes his pursuit of the emerald hero, launching more of his ring beams in which Green Lantern was barely able to dodge & keep from getting hit. From the ground below, Metron puts more pressure on Hal by firing his white beams, increasing the hero's danger & chances of receiving a painful scorching that even his green aura probably would not protect him from. It was like a World War II dogfight, with American planes being the primary target against German Luftwaffe or even Japanese aircraft.

And right now, the odds don't look too good for the Allied Forces, especially when one of Gyeron's ring beams got too close to Hal that he could feel the intensity of it.

Enough is enough! If they want to play hardball, I can do that as well!, Hal thought, changing his current course & heading directly for a new target. Going into a dive from his altitude of 1000 meters, Green Lantern headed straight for Metron as Gyeron followed in hot pursuit. The former shot several of his beams at Hal, who kept one step ahead & avoided each one coming at him. When he gets to 300 meters, Metron fires his beams at full intensity at the oncoming hero in hopes of frying him alive.

It was exactly what Hal Jordan was hoping for: diving over to one side, he allows Metron's beams to pass him by like a speeding train which hit Gyeron's arms & head. Because they both act like a giant mirror, these reflect Metron's beams right back at & strike him head-on, causing the fish-like alien to cry out & blind him briefly. It would be all in which Hal Jordan would need: with Metron blinded, he could not see Gyeron being led by Green Lantern as he guides the bird-creature straight into Metron with its right arm extended. Hal passed Metron &, like a giant guillotine blade, the bird-creature literally slices the fish-like alien in half from the middle, his legs falling to the ground as his top half landing right at the bottom of his feet.

One down…and one to go!, Hal thought, now freely able to concentrate solely on Gyeron.

Doing a 180 spin in mid-air, Green Lantern used his ring to form a giant slingshot which gets Gyeron caught in the large rubber band, stretching considerably before retracting & sending the creature in a tumble down to earth, with Green Lantern following right behind. Miraculously, Gyeron was able to right himself & land gracefully on his own two feet as Green Lantern formed a large curved sword with his ring to slice Gyeron like he made the bird-creature do with Metron. Gyeron, however, was smarter than his appearance showed: using his arms like shields, he blocked each parry & swing of Hal's emerald weapon, the weapons clanging like metal bells or pipes.

Gyeron added to the danger by spitting his yellow radioactive mist at Green Lantern. Acting quickly, the emerald hero constructed large fan blades that start spinning in unison, causing the mist to be blown back to the creature. Unlike snakes & spiders who are immune to their own venom or skunks to their own stench, Gyeron's mist was as offensive to him as it was to anyone else. His eyes burned & watered from the heat, blinding him as Hal Jordan now formed a giant guillotine with blade around the creature's neck. With a simple thought, he pushed the blade & severed Gyeron's head from his body, which fell backwards & crashed with a shaking thud. The clawed hands closed into fists, & Gyeron's body was still afterwards.

The head which Green Lantern caught in a pair of tongs did the same after a few open-&-close movements from the mouth, & his eyes permanently shut.

Gyeron has the ability to reform itself as long as all the pieces are in close vicinity, Hal thought. So if I keep the head as far away from the main body…

An idea formed in his head to deal with the problem: transforming his pair of tongs into a catapult, Hal Jordan aimed the thing with Gyeron's head on board. He pulled the mechanism that shot forth the creature's head skywards on a one-way course through the depths of space to a particular destination.

Done. The sun itself can do the rest, Hal thought, knowing Gyeron's head will burn up in no time once it's close enough. Carol…!

That one name urged Hal Jordan to race back to Ferris Air Base in the literal blink of an eye.

When he arrived, he saw men & women struggling to remove debris from areas personnel may be trapped in as well as employees themselves who were caught under. Green Lantern scanned the base with his ring, & found only a handful of people who were seriously entombed. With hardly any effort, he removed the rubble with his ring & freed all those caught as arriving paramedics rushed over to give those that needed medical attention the most. During his scanning, he saw that Carol was alive & seemingly unhurt in every way, seeing as how both Staff Officer Yanagawa & Commander Takenaka were with her & assumed they got her to safety when all hell broke loose on the base. Another pleasant sight was that Tom Kalmaku had also escaped serious injury, having received only minor scrapes.

Sighing with relief, Green Lantern flew off as local authorities can take over.

Five minutes later:

Carol was sitting in the back of an ambulance being treated for a little bit of smoke inhalation, with Yanagawa & Takenaka standing close by. The base's boss kept a lookout for two of her best employees as she recuperated, her heart sick with worry for not seeing them anywhere.

"Miss Ferris!", a voice called to her, & Carol turned to see Tom Kalmaku run to her, stopping short of the two Japanese military men. Carol rose from the ambulance's rear & closed the gap.

"Tom! Am I glad to see you're safe!", she says, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Have you seen Hal Jordan anywhere?"

"He's not among the crowd?"

Carol shook her head.

"We must've gotten separated when those creatures attacked!", Tom says, which was not entirely untrue. "I can only hope that Hal ran for cover, same as I did!"

"Carol! Miss Ferris!", another voice called out, one Carol had hoped to hear again. Hal Jordan, wearing his dad's jacket & a backpack, came up as said woman gave the fearless pilot a quick hug. "Good to see you're all doing well, aside from all the destruction that was caused!"

"We were fortunate that Green Lantern came along & took those two creatures away from here, or else we'd be counting the dead instead of the injured", Takenaka said as Yanagawa & the rest nodded. Hal did the same & looked around the chaos in which Gyeron & Alien Metron caused, & his heart sank not just for the base itself & its personnel, but for Carol, seeing her father's legacy in utter ruins.

I should've made them suffer greatly first! Damn them!, Hal thought with a scowl before turning to the Japanese men with an apologetic face.

"Mr. Takenaka, Yanagawa…I'm afraid I must politely decline your invitation to Japan", he said, stunning the men, Tom and Carol. "Considering what just happened, I simply can't abandon my colleagues & friends here when they need help at the most crucial time. Some other time, perhaps?"

"Hal Jordan…won't you reconsider?", Yanagawa asked. "We can understand how heartbreaking this must be for you, granted, but we can't pull off that test flight for long. We'll need to have someone else do it, & that pilot might not be as experienced as you. It's why we came here in the first place."

"I know, but…"

"Hal", Carol stepped in, cutting him off. "I know you want to lend a hand amongst the tragedy that befell us here today & restore it to continue my father's legacy, & I appreciate that…more than words can ever say. But please don't throw away an opportunity that won't come along every day. These men traveled halfway around the world to ask for your assistance because they believe in you. Just as I do & my father did, when he was alive."

Hal Jordan once again saw the little girl behind the shark as he looked into her eyes. It was a look even he could not refuse, let alone say 'no' to.

"Hal Jordan", Takenaka said. "Amidst this horrible encounter, it looks to me that Carol Ferris has things well in hand here, & is more than capable of taking matters into her own hands without too much difficulty. Will you trust her to do that?"

"I'll be fine here, Hal", Carol confirmed, offering him the smile that always struck him like Cupid's Arrow.

It was all the persuasion he needs, & an encouraging grin & thumbs-up from Tom didn't hurt either.

Hal nodded.

"All right…I'll still do it", he said, facing the Japanese men. "I've got everything I'll need right here with me, gentlemen. Let's get flying for Japan before I reconsider & stay put."

Takenaka & Yanagawa nod proudly.

"Excellent", said the former. "We'll go get our flight arranged for immediate takeoff."

Within an hour, Hal Jordan was flying without his ring, heading for Japan.

CHAPTER IV

Japan, 9:00 a.m., the next day:

Arriving in Tokyo, Hal Jordan checked into a hotel that had a room in reserve for him, but was too worried to sleep: he still kept thinking of Carol, Tom, & all the rest at Ferris Air Base after the attack made on it by Gyeron & Alien Metron. More questions than answers were running through Hal's head a mile a minute, as he prioritized himself with recent events & starting with the attempted suicide bombers of Aliens Waiell & Pegassa that nearly claimed the lives of Oliver Queen & Dinah Lance, two of his best friends.

Hal & Dinah did come to the same conclusion: there is someone out there who's targeting him. The attack on his friends at the bank & on him personally at Ferris Air Base was indisputable proof.

What he can't deduce is who, let alone why.

Sure, Hal's made quite a list of enemies since Abin Sur had given him his ring in his last couple seconds of life: Hector Hammond, a one-time consultant at Ferris Air who became a psychotic telepath after being exposed to radiation from a meteor, his head ballooning to a size bigger than the rest of him; Black Hand, a zombie-like lunatic who gained the power to reanimate the dead; the Shark, a mutant humanoid version of a great white made that way by radiation that gained it the ability to alter its size at will…

But these enemies he's been dancing with lately are from the list of the hero called Ultra Seven, who operates in Japan. Twice they made an assassination attempt on him, one of which occurred at a place which meant a great deal to his own childhood. Even Sinestro – the Korugarian once hailed as the 'Greatest Green Lantern' before the power he wielded had corrupted him – has never attacked Jordan so directly: he'd have him in an isolated area where he can deal with him mano-a-mano.

Jordan couldn't figure it out.

He could, however, suspect that the 'gift' Metron mentioned & the attempts made on his life are one & the same, & that they have some kind of connection.

If only he could piece together what that connection was.

Finally getting tired enough, Hal went to bed to sleep it off & get a fresh start the next day.

Ironically, it became one of the best night's sleep he's had in a very long time.

The next morning after breakfast, Hal Jordan was escorted in the Ultra Garrison's Pointer vehicle – a futuristic-looking silver car with some black striping & the TDF's red logo which was pointed at both ends of a sphere displayed on the doors & roof. The car was driven by Ultra Garrison Commander Karou Kiriyama, with Yanagawa & Takenaka riding in the rear seats as Hal rode shotgun. The drive to their headquarters took over an hour, giving Hal the chance to view Japan's cityscape & countryside all in one neat package. Seeing Japan & receiving the most hospitable welcome from its citizens, Hal found it hard to believe that the Japanese were once a barbaric people from the days of World War II, in which they committed acts of terror like Pearl Harbor, Singapore, Bataan, Iwo Jima, & so forth.

Their barbarism ended after the atomic bomb droppings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki – a regrettable but necessary act – which helped Japan change for the better, with invaluable assistance from General Douglas MacArthur.

And it's why both of our countries must never forget that day of early August 1945, let alone the war itself, so as not to endure such horror of that magnitude ever again, Hal thought bitterly on the knowledge.

Entering a tunnel that took them straight to the heart of the base, Hal was brought through a caravan of hallways & made a quick stop to a locker room area not unlike that from Ferris Air. Placing his backpack inside, he made his way into the control center to meet the rest of the Ultra Garrison party. Hal was smart enough to charge his ring & stuff it in his pocket before placing his battery back inside his pack; he can never know just when he'll be needing it in an emergency, especially after the recent incidents that occurred in Coast City.

For getting that mystery unraveled & exposed, he'll need every ounce of juice from it.

Leading Hal Jordan into the main control room, the doors slide open horizontally to allow its three superiors & newest guest entry. All eyes turn to greet their arrival.

"Commander! Welcome back!", Commander Manabe said as Kiriyama nodded, taking his hand. "I see our guest of honor has finally arrived for the big day!"

"Yes, this is definitely him, Commander Manabe", Chief Yamaoka says with a smile, shaking Jordan's hand & giving his name as he makes the grand introduction to all. "Members of the Ultra Garrison, may I proudly introduce to you one of the world's most fearless pilots to ever helm a cockpit – Hal Jordan of Coast City's Ferris Air Base."

Hal Jordan bent slightly in traditional Japanese greeting to the entire team, getting warm smiles from all.

"Hal Jordan, permit me to introduce you to my team", Kiriyama said. With each new introduction, Hal shook the hand of every member. "This is Amagi, our technician & strategist; Soga, a very fierce combatant in battle & expert marksman; Shigeru Furuhashi, a powerful fighter & pro with firearms; Anne Yuri, our youngest member who serves as communications operator & nurse…"

When Anne was introduced, Hal took the maiden's hand & gently kissed it in true gentlemanly fashion, making Anne tingle with a flashy smile. The others couldn't help but follow suit.

"Along with being a fearless pilot, you're quite the ladies' man, Hal Jordan!", Anne said. "I only wished that they would've done the same when I first came aboard!"

The Ultra Garrison team showed mock surprise on their faces, followed by laughs from everyone.

"Maybe after work, I can take them on the town to show them proper etiquette in greeting the ladies", Hal joked, turning to the one member he hadn't yet been greeted to. "But…business before pleasure. I believe you're the final member of this little group, Mr.…"

"Dan – Dan Moroboshi", he said as they shook hands.

Time seemed to stand still once they made contact: each man felt a surge of weird, unnatural energy flow through them, & their visions turned brightest white like they were being ascended to the gates of Heaven itself. For what felt like forever, neither man could turn away from each other, let alone break the connection their hands were giving.

It was as if they were power conduits that refused to be severed.

Only when Chief Yamaoka spoke was the surge finally cut, & things went back to real-time.

"Okay, everyone", he announced. "Now that we've all taken the time for our new guest to get to know each one of us, let's take him over to where our new set of wings awaits him. Today's the day we've anxiously been waiting for, so let's get it started!"

"Yes sir!", the Ultra Garrison members call out in unison as Kiriyama gestures with his hand to follow him out of the room, grabbing their helmets one by one as they exit the room in single/double file. As they walked, Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi were still disturbed by the strange aura they each felt just scant moments ago.

I received a very strange vibe from Dan, Hal thought. It's like nothing I've felt before.

This powerful energy emanating from Hal Jordan – what is it?, Dan thought.

Neither man said anything aloud as they were being lead to the hangar area where their transportation waited. In lieu of recent events, Hal will be keeping a close eye on Dan throughout his time with the Ultra Garrison.

Dan Moroboshi will be doing the same with Hal Jordan.

Aboard the Ultra Hawks, fifteen minutes later:

Three of the four top brass of the Ultra Garrison – Yamaoka, Manabe & Yanagawa – rode in the Ultra Hawk 2, with Commander Kiriyama piloting. Commander Takenaka flew in the Ultra Hawk 3, which was piloted by Amagi & Soga. The rest – Furuhashi, Anne & Dan – flew in the first Ultra Hawk, with Dan helming the controls. Hal Jordan sat in the rear, wanting to save his piloting skills for the actual craft scheduled & waiting for his expertise. Aside from the belt, gun at his side & helmet on his head, Hal kept his attire of blue jeans, brown shoes, yellow shirt & his father's brown leather jacket that had his last name stenciled on it over his right breast.

It raised the curiosity of just about everyone.

"Hal Jordan", Furuhashi says, turning to face him directly. "Forgive our nosing around into your affairs a bit, but we can't help but wondering as to why you refuse to wear one of our Ultra Garrison uniforms for the duration of your stay with us. Is there a reason for that?"

"You can definitely say that, Furuhashi, but please believe me when I say that it's nothing personal against any of you", Hal stated kindly. "The reason is this: this jacket I wear which bears my father's name is what he offered me as a boy when I saw him fly at Ferris Air Base. He always used to tell me that you can know a man's integrity by the way one wears his jacket, ready to offer it in dire need to anyone more than himself. As fate would have it, I was that lucky person like I hoped it would be. Little did I realize it'd be the very last time my father would ever place his hands on it, let alone ask me to 'keep it warm' for him. Not long after his plane went down & he died as it blew up, I swore I'd never take this jacket off, & that I'd wear it proud like he did – especially when I'm flying."

A few moments of silence filled the Ultra Hawk 1 until Anne Yuri breaks it.

"I seem to recall that incident, Hal: the rear engine caught fire due to a malfunction of sorts, & had it exploded in a populated area, many people would've been killed. I'm guessing your father wanted to avoid a catastrophe like that."

"You guess correctly, Anne", Hal confirmed. "My father knew he was going down no matter what, therefore he steered the plane to an area devoid of any people. Those who were there & watched that horrible accident are still alive & well today, thanks to him."

"At least you can look at the bright side of that tragedy, Hal", Dan said. "Even though he died too soon, he did so as nothing short of a hero, saving all those lives that day."

The Ultra Hawk cockpit stayed quiet again for several moments as Hal stared at Dan from behind. Furuhashi & Anne were a bit worried that Hal would scorn Dan for speaking ill about the man's father, but Jordan did nothing of the kind.

Instead, he nodded with a smile.

"You're right, Dan", he said as Anne & Furuhashi relaxed with a grin. "That piece of heroism on his part helped me to take comfort in & make his death bearable for all these years since."

I see that Dan isn't afraid to speak what's on his mind, Hal thought. In that sense, he's just like me!

Hal took great comfort in it.

The radio came on as Commander Kiriyama announced that the base would be in view soon, & each of the pilots complied with a 'Roger' reply.

In five minutes, they landed at their destination.

With Chief Yamaoka taking lead, Hal was taken inside the hangar where his aircraft would be waiting for him. As he gazed in wonder at the Ultra phoenix & its sleek design resting on the concrete, he was as impressed as the Ultra Garrison members when they first laid eyes upon it. Commander Manabe gave Hal the rundown of the craft's weapons systems & other details like Yamaoka did previously before recruiting Jordan.

"During your testing with the Ultra Phoenix's flight capabilities, you will also be doing so with its weapons", the chief adds. "There'll be targeting areas from land, sea & air for you to use them on, as we will examine its performance in actual combat to check for strengths, flaws, & the like. Be warned: some of these targets will fire back, so keep your senses on full alert & your eyes peeled at all times. On top of that, try not to crash our new toy or get yourself killed. I'd really hate for the tragedy of what happened to your father to be repeated on you."

The last two statements Manabe said with sincerity.

"So I take it you're as familiar with my father's tragedy as the rest of the Ultra Garrison is", Hal said, which wasn't a question.

Manabe nodded, along with most others.

"Thank you, Commander", Hal says kindly. "It's nice & heartwarming to hear that my father's legacy is known & deeply respected here in Japan. He would've loved to be standing where I am right now."

"Acts of bravery like his tend to spread everywhere, even from across the pond", Manabe said. "It seems as if it runs in your family. So then…are there any questions before we get started?"

"A request, actually."

"Which is?"

"Since you explained that this Ultra Phoenix carries two personnel, I would like for one of the Ultra Garrison to accompany me in the cockpit. And that lucky person is going to be…"

Hal Jordan turned & stared directly at the person he had in mind.

"You, Dan Moroboshi", he said, taking the man by surprise.

"You want me to be your co-pilot?", Dan asked. "Might I ask why? I've flown each of our Ultra Hawks at top speed with hardly a problem. I'm sure I can manage flying the Ultra Phoenix after you test-flight it."

"Don't worry, Dan. I've no doubt about your ability to do that. You see, the only thing is…you've never flown with me", Hal said with an encouraging smile. Dan turned to the four commanding leaders of the Ultra Garrison, as well as his teammates. They gave the same facial expression Hal did, & Furuhashi & Soga even gave him a thumbs-up for further incentive, their mouths flashing toothy grins.

Persuaded by every member, Dan gave in & turned back to Hal with a laugh.

"I guess that makes it unanimous!", Dan says, grinning. "All right, Hal Jordan – count me in! Let's get aboard!"

Hal clapped Dan on the back of his shoulder as they made their way aboard the Ultra Phoenix from a mobile staircase which led them to a door just behind the cockpit. Giving everyone a final salute, Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi closed the door & headed for the cockpit, with Hal in the pilot's seat. As they strap themselves in, Commander Manabe turned to Kiriyama & his team.

"Commander, let all head for the control room", he said. "We can watch Hal Jordan perform his activities & keep in touch with him from there."

"Yes sir", Kiriyama said.

Following their superiors, the Ultra Garrison make their way to aforementioned area as the hangar doors open to reveal the long stretch of tarmac that lay before the Ultra Phoenix. Staring at the controls in the cockpit, Dan gave Hal a quick recourse to help him familiarize with the systems, being that this craft was different from the standard jet planes he flew over at Ferris Air. He only had a few minutes to learn which was what, but fortunately Hal was a fast learner, & he practically memorized everything in nothing flat.

I must remember to thank Commander Manabe for allowing me to see the prints for the controls in order to pass them onto Hal, Dan thought, recalling how he asked his superior in doing so. Maybe it was a good thing Hal chose me to be his co-pilot after all.

Dan smiled to himself for that piece of info: he would've had to explain it to Hal from over the radio were he not chosen, & Dan prefers to do so in person rather than at a distance.

Pushing the starter button, the Ultra Phoenix hummed to life as the engine rose in intensity like a clogged water faucet needing to extract its contents.

Staff Officer Yanagawa's voice came over the radio.

"Hal Jordan, are you & Dan Moroboshi ready to go?"

Hal turned to Dan, who nodded, & pressed the switch on the com to answer back.

"Yes, we are", he said.

"In that case…Ultra Phoenix, you are cleared for takeoff!"

"Thank you. Here we go!"

Releasing the brakes, the Ultra Phoenix's engine came to life & it took off with such power that Hal & Dan were actually pushed back in the special-padded seats as the craft raced across the tarmac like it was a mega-ton bullet. Just before they got to the end of the tarmac, the Ultra Phoenix was up & off the ground, disappearing from sight in mere moments. Those watching in the control room could hardly believe their eyes.

"Unbelievable!", Soga said. "When you said this craft flew faster than our other Ultra Hawks, you were certainly not putting us on! Just look at it go!"

"Amazing – absolutely amazing!", Furuhashi adds. "If this jet can fight just as fiercely as it can fly at a fantastic velocity, then we need to get it mass-produced!"

"The sooner, the better!", Amagi puts in. "An army of that craft placed in the arsenal of the other TDF branches around the world would make it safer from attack by invading aliens & the like!"

"That, gentlemen, could definitely be in the cards", Staff Officer Yanagawa said. "But it's all going to depend on how well it handles by our chosen pilot, & they should be approaching the target area for its first combat test."

"And on that note…", Commander Takenaka says, taking over the stick & spoke to the Phoenix. "Hal Jordan, you & Dan are about to reach the first target area. It will consist of multiple tanks & other types of military vehicles. Your job is to wipe them out without being hit. Be very careful & on your guard – although they're devoid of troops, these vehicles will shoot back!"

"Understood!", Hal replied over the radio.

In the Ultra Phoenix's cockpit, Hal kept a lookout for the area, following the coordinates given to him by Dan.

They find it in no time: a plethora of tanks, maser guns, missile launchers & the like align the open forest with their turrets aimed skyward, ready to take down the approaching craft that was now in Hal Jordan's hands.

Now let's see what this baby can really do!, Hal thought, arming the weapons systems on the wings & under the cockpit's nose. Like a well-organized orchestra, the vehicles fired missiles, shells & laser beams at the craft as Hal used the jet's maneuverability & put it to the ultimate test, dodging everything aimed at him. The turrets not only shoot, they moved where Hal flew & resumed their assault with no sign of letting up. He then let loose with heavy firepower of his own: from the wings, the first of two pairs of gun ports opened fire, shooting energy balls in rapid-fire succession like a machine gun. These hit & destroy the missile launchers first before turning to the maser units, blowing them to pieces like they were nothing but cheap toys as what remained of them flew in plumes of debris & burned metal.

For the tanks, Hal used the second pair of gun ports which shot straight white beams, sending them to the same fate he gave the other vehicles. Although some enemy fire came close, none hit the Ultra Phoenix's hull or anywhere else.

All that remained of the attack vehicles were smoking heaps of twisted metal, the action all observed back at the hangar thanks to specially-placed cameras.

"Good job, Hal Jordan!", Takenaka's voice sounded over the radio. "Not a single vehicle is left standing! Now head over to the next target area out in the ocean! There will be a dozen heavily-armed battleships waiting for you! As before, they are deserted of personnel, but will fire upon you with deadlier accuracy! Take them out as swiftly as you can before they do so to you!"

"Roger! Heading out to sea now!", Hal replied as Dan set the coordinates for him to follow.

Nodding, the Ultra Phoenix races out into the open waters.

The battleships were in sight before long, & they wasted no time in shooting powerful shells from cannons that were like metal tree trunks. Many came close to hitting the craft as Hal & Dan felt the force of the explosions, shaking them in their seats.

Takenaka wasn't kidding!, Hal thought. Their shots are more accurate – I actually felt those last several shells being too close for my tastes! I'd better take them out right away before one of them gets lucky!

Opening up with rapid beam fire shots from the wings, Hal takes out several cannons but otherwise doing no significant damageto the ship before passing the whole armada & turning almost on a dime in mid-air.

When he gets within range, Hal opened up the Bombay doors from underneath the craft & unleashed a barrage of powerful bombs that drop on & blow a trio of ships that explode & burn like kindling for a fireplace. The force of the bombs exploding were felt even from within the cockpit.

"Good Heavens!", Dan said. "They told us those bombs would be powerful, but…I never imagined it'd be of this magnitude!"

Hal couldn't argue with him: even his teeth rattled when they exploded, & it had him more than a little worried.

"Neither did I, Dan! I suppose we ought to be grateful that they aren't nuclear!", Hal said.

Neither Dan nor Hal said anything else, as the latter was concentrating on staying alive.

Amen for small favors!, was all Dan could think of to say.

Making another sharp turn, Hal put the Ultra Phoenix at a higher altitude than before, hoping the height would be less consequential when dealing with the other targeted ships. Dodging more shellfire, the craft dumped a second load of bombs upon the ships, blasting four more to watery graves. One lucky shell exploded at the right side of the Phoenix, & Hal struggled to get it under control as Dan held on for dear life.

"You okay, Dan?!", Hal called to him.

"Yes!", he answered back. "That was closer than I would have liked! Even though they're number is reduced to half, let's end this before one of them does hit us!"

"You read my mind! Hold tight!", Hal said, bringing the ship around for the next bombardment run. Because the water was getting choppy due to the bomb blasts, it gave Hal an idea. When he made his pass, he dropped bombs near the ships but not on them in a tight circle, & this puzzled Dan. But then he saw just what Hal was planning: the choppy waters were making the ships rock & wobble on the surface, & they were being pushed closer towards each other & forming a big cluster of floating metal, colliding into one another & bending several of their cannons.

What's more, the scrap metal of these ruined cannons were acting as firm anchors or hooks, keeping them stuck as one.

Unable to be pulled apart or even fire their weapons, the ships were now dead weight in the water, & it gave Hal Jordan his chance to kill the rest of the birds with one big stone: making his pass, he unleashed the rest of the bombs in the craft & they turn the armada into worthless scrap in scant moments. Pieces of flaming debris rain down upon the water's surface, extinguishing each part before sinking beneath. Hal & Dan still felt the force of the blast the bombs made, but being at a higher altitude, it wasn't as intense.

Both men would make mental notes to not drop the bombs when they're too close to targets.

Despite checking the destruction for themselves to confirm that the enemy is no more, Staff Officer Yanagawa's voice came over the radio regardless.

"Excellent performance, Hal Jordan", he stated."From our angle, we've seen each ship met its demise. That was some quick, strategic thinking on your part on how to take them all out like you did."

"Glad I could put on a good show for you", Hal said. "I take it you have one more test for me?"

"Yes. This final test is a simple shooting gallery, with no enemy fire. But in this case, the targets are mobile & quick, so you'll have to act fast. We will be releasing a number of 24 weather balloons from the forest that will rise up to the stratosphere. They will expand the higher they go, thus increasing their speed. The objective is to shoot & pop as many of these balloons as you can before they do so themselves. Are you ready?"

"It'll feel just like being at a New Year's Eve party. Set them loose", Hal said with a grin, one that was shared by Dan, who couldn't resist. Neither could Yanagawa, whose chuckle was audible through the radio.

"Head back towards the forest, & you'll see them soon enough", Yanagawa concludes. "Good luck."

"Thank you, sir."

"Hal…this craft has a laser gun just under the nose", Dan says. "You can move it around like a flashlight, & it would be the proper weapon to use in this particular exercise."

"Then let's use that. Thanks for the advice, Dan", Hal said, pressing the button after Dan showed him which. As Dan said, a port opened underneath the nose to extract a gun on a turret like a searchlight's.

Using the mini joystick, the gun aimed where Hal wanted it to.

Dan Moroboshi informed Hal Jordan that the nose-mounted gun was also mobile by the helmet he wore, having a mini-transmitter that aims & shoots wherever the pilot looked through the visor's built-in sensor. A press of a miniature button got it up & running, & the gun was aiming everywhere Hal was looking out from the cockpit.

No sooner did Hal give Dan a thumbs-up in confirmation & gratitude did the two dozen giant weather balloons rose up from the trees & headed skywards.

"There they go, Hal!", Dan said, pointing at the quick-rising balloons.

"And here we go, Dan!", Hal said.

It's game time!, Hal thought, racing after & popping the first three balloons without too much difficulty. Another four were shot at & popped in under two minutes, but the higher the balloons went, the more difficult it was to pursue & shoot them. And their speedy ascending made it more so as they swelled bigger & bigger.

Hal was undeterred: he relentlessly went after the balloons, pushing the Ultra Phoenix & popping each one once they got in his sights, first chance he got. The intervals between each pop were more distant the higher they went, but Hal never missed a beat or a balloon: they all got busted as if Hal was in possession of an oversized pin. The flight had gone on for eleven minutes, & by then only four balloons were left. Hal put the Ultra Phoenix in a steep climb as he raced after each of his helium-filled targets, which were now very close to the stratosphere & swelled close to their maximum size before bust.

Hal cut their life extension by hitting three within range.

The fourth & final balloon of the whole two dozen was still rising, & so was Hal.

By now, more than a few concerns were striking Dan & the Ultra Garrison, the latter of whom were watching the radar screen back at the hangar.

"What the hell…? What does Hal think he's doing?", Kiriyama said, more to himself that anyone else.

"He's going too damn high, is what!", said Soga. "He needs to come back down before his engine stalls!"

"Hal Jordan!", Commander Takenaka said into the radio stick. "Come in, Hal! You & that final balloon are too high in the air! Let it be & come back down! You've hit enough targets as it is!"

"I've almost got it, Commander!", Hal said over the radio. "Just a few more meters, & I can nail it dead-on!"

"Hal, if you go any higher, it's you & Dan who's going to be dead-on, with the emphasis on the 'dead' part!", said Furuhashi. "Stop fooling around & get back down to earth! Even we wouldn't take so foolish a risk!"

"Hal…did we recruit you for this test just so you can get yourself killed?!", Amagi added after Hal went silent a while. "Need I remind you that our crew member's life is in your hands?! Let that final balloon go, already!"

"Don't worry, Amagi! We'll be fine!", Hal said finally.

Amagi exhaled in a huff, clearly not as happy as anyone else about Hal's suicidal risk.

In the cockpit of the Ultra Phoenix, even Dan was feeling antsy about Hal's risk.

"Hal, maybe we should just let it go", he said in a reasonable tone. "We're already below the stratosphere by just 100 meters. If we go beyond that…"

"Relax, Dan – neither we nor that balloon will make it that high", Hal assured him, indifferent to his co-pilot's plea. By now, the final balloon was at its biggest size & looked ready to make a big burst on its own.

It finally does burst, but not by expansion: a well-placed laser put an end to it, bursting it into many burnt shards. Once the balloon popped, Hal made a sharp left turn that put the Ultra Phoenix in a dive towards earth. Dan held on for dear life as the craft plummeted towards the planet, picking up speed as the land of Japan came closer into view. Dan placed his right hand over his left breast pocket as a reflexive action, ready to pull out his Ultra Eye & transform into his alter ego if it came to that.

He needn't have bothered: at an altitude of 120 feet, Hal Jordan pulled back on the stick for all it's worth to level out & bring the craft to a reasonable height of 80 to 90 feet.

Dan in the co-pilot's seat & those at the hangar exhaled in relief, their hearts slowing after palpitating like mad from Hal Jordan's wild stunt.

"Hal Jordan!", Anne said, getting past everyone & speaking into the radio stick. "What in the hell was that wild stunt all about?! Don't you have any better sense than to let something go when it isn't worth it?! What's the big idea putting yourself & your co-pilot in mortal danger like that?!"

Hal let out a heartfelt laugh over the radio, which upset Anne even more.

"As I told my boss Carol Ferris once, 'I like to live dangerously', Miss Yuri!", Hal said. "Besides, I knew what I was doing the entire time, & so did Dan!"

"Did I?", Dan replied, getting another laugh from Hal.

"You are such a jackass, Hal Jordan! Sometimes I wonder what was going on in Miss Ferris' head when she hired you!", Anne said, a little more roughly than she intended. This incited guffaws from the four leaders of the Ultra Garrison, perplexing the five members.

"With all due respect, sirs, Hal Jordan almost got himself & Dan killed just now & nearly cost us an expensive new craft that probably costs more than what we make in a whole year, & you're laughing?!", Furuhashi says.

"Relax, it's okay", Staff Officer Yanagawa says calmly. "Although he may have stepped over his bounds a bit, Hal Jordan got all the targets he was supposed to & made it out alive with his co-pilot. We've read his resume, so we knew what to expect from him. It's one of the reasons as to why we wanted him for this test. Besides…"

"He reminds us of ourselves as young men", Chief Yamaoka said with a smile. "We were no different at his age, so we can relate to his brash behavior."

Sheepish grins & nods from Yanagawa, Manabe & Takenaka confirm that they, too, were just the same during their prime years. Once the initial shock of their superiors' pasts wore off, it struck the Ultra Garrison as so funny that everyone began guffawing, holding nothing back. It was a welcome relief: if the superiors can respite & share their days as young rebels by admitting it, then they believe it was no harm, no foul.

And Hal Jordan did get back down safely with himself & Dan Moroboshi intact!, Kiriyama thought, grinning.

"Point well taken, sirs!", he said aloud. "But all kidding aside, Hal Jordan did perform his duties better than even we had ever anticipated, so it's safe to say that this test run was a complete success!"

"Yes, Commander!", Soga said. "If you can look past his faults, you'll see nothing short of a bold, daring man who's willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done! What a fine permanent addition he'd make to this team – if he wishes to be!"

"You do raise a good point, Soga!", Anne Yuri said. "In a way, Hal Jordan is very much like our own Dan – truly fearless, inside & out! And I wouldn't mind having an American member on our team!"

Nods & grins show that the rest feel the same way she does.

"Let's all give ourselves a reminder to ask Hal that when the time is right. In the meantime…", Kiriyama said, taking the radio stick & speaks into it. "Hal, I'd like for you & Dan to head back to the hangar so you can rest up from your flight & we can discuss the future of the Ultra Phoenix for the Terrestrial Defense Forces here in Japan & its other branches around the world."

"Sounds good to us, Commander Kiriyama", Hal replied back. "Dan & I are on our way back now. See you all soon. Ultra Phoenix out."

Hal switched off the radio as he reduced the speed of the Ultra Phoenix, wanting to enjoy the flight as much as he can before having to step out of the cockpit. Having some leisure time to enjoy, Dan spoke first.

"You must be really popular at Ferris Air Base with your death-defying antics, eh?", he asked with a toothy grin. "It's sometimes a wonder why you weren't already discharged from them. Not trying to be a wet blanket, but don't you ever plan ahead instead of rushing headlong into danger? Don't you worry about the consequences of your actions?"

"Hardly, Dan", Hal answered, smiling. "I'm the kind of man who makes his plans as I go along. It's served well for me this far in my life, & I don't intend to start changing my tactics now."

"'To each his own', as they say?"

"Exactly. Now you're catching on!"

Both share a heartfelt laugh that echoed throughout the craft as they flew back to base.

Their joyous moment was rudely interrupted when the console started sparking all over, causing wisps & clouds of smoke to rise & fog their sights. Dan gets on the radio to send out an S.O.S., but it could neither transmit nor receive any communications. Hal held the stick firmly to keep the Ultra Phoenix airborne, but even his skills weren't enough to hold her up, & he frantically fought to make it as safe a landing as possible as their ride descends into the forest with the underside smoking where the gun was mounted. Hal told Dan to brace for impact as the Ultra Phoenix made contact with the ground & scraped a path along the way, knocking down numerous trees along the way.

Finally, they come to a stop in a clear patch just wide enough for their ship without touching any more trees.

Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi unstrap themselves from their seats & head for the door as the latter opens it up to unleash the smoke that filled the interior. The ground was only a foot or two from where they stood, so they exited the craft & gave some distance to clear their lungs a bit until they knew they could talk without choking.

"Are you all right, Dan?", asked Hal. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Not at all", Dan replied. "You?"

"Just my pride. 'Any landing you can walk away from', & all that."

Dan nodded humorlessly.

"Dan, I don't know what went wrong with the ship just now, but I do know it wasn't from my little stunt before", Hal went on. "If what I'm suspecting is true…"

"I've come to that very same conclusion myself, Hal", Dan said, agreeing. "Let me go make sure as I check out the console while you get in touch with Kiriyama & the others."

"Got it", Hal said, getting on his wrist device that has a built-in mini-screen for talking directly to any member on the Ultra Garrison. As Hal Made his report, Dan went back inside the ship, now cleared of the majority of the smoke. He heads directly for the cockpit & uses his X-Ray ability as his eyes flashed thrice, scanning the console interior. Even through the still-heavy smoke within, Dan spotted the reason for what he & Hal suspect was the cause for their ship to go down. His X-Ray vision guiding him through, Dan opens the console door & reaches in to pull out the culprit before closing it & rejoining his partner, who was making a full report.

"So the cause was deliberate sabotage, you say?", Kiriyama asks on Hal's mini-screen.

"That's what Dan & I strongly believe, Commander", Hal said. "Dan's checking the console as we speak to find the cause of the disturbance."

"And here it is!", Dan said, coming into view with the suspect: a cylindrical console with burnt wires on each end & another two pair on the sides, all smoking a thin stream. "Whatever this thing is, it's definitely not a part of the ship's console. It seems like whoever's responsible doesn't want this new craft of ours to be patrolling the skies anytime soon. If I were you, Commander, I'd round up everyone involved in the creation of the Ultra Phoenix, from its design all the way down to its maintenance."

Kiriyama nodded.

"That's exactly what I was thinking, Dan", the Commander said. "I'll have Anne come in the Ultra Hawk 3 to pick you both up while we search high & low for the saboteur. In the meantime, stay where you are & send a flare to let Anne know your exact…"

The mini-screen goes fuzzy, back to normal & fuzzy again, staying that way. No matter how many times Hal or Dan call to him, the screen would not respond. The two men stare at each other with the same thought running through their head.

Another act of deliberate sabotage!

Just as that conclusion came silently, a rumbling beneath their feet occurred as both men instinctively grab their guns & the ground erupts 100 feet before them, throwing clumps of dirt, grass & trees everywhere. A metallic shriek filled the air as Hal & Dan get a close view of a golden yellow metal head that resembled a snake's, accompanied by a pair of crimson eyes. As it took to the air, the men can see that this metal serpent also had two pairs of legs with four-toed feet. This mechanical beast measured a length of 120 meters from head to tail, the end of which sported a pincer of sorts, which was undoubtedly used for snatching enemies.

This metal snake was known to both individuals.

Narse!, they thought, recognizing the monster weapon of the Alien Wild race – a people of grayish space Yetis who once tried to claim human souls through a camera-like device.

Narse wasn't the only new problem Hal & Dan had to face: the sound of a boisterous roar that originated from a 48-meter long quadrupedal creature with flesh that was a dark ivory tone, & black spots which ran along its back, legs & long segmented tail. No claws adorned its feet, & the front paws sported a pair of long gold saber-like points which were used for cutting and/or stabbing. A ravenous mouth with sharp teeth made its head, complete with a thick mane like a lion's. The strangest part was that the eyes were not on the side of its head, but where the nostrils should be.

Gabura!, Hal & Dan thought, the creature belonging to the Alien Shadow race – fiends that could turn invisible at will, hence their name.

Gabura stared down at the two men as Narse joined him, hovering in the air.

I'd turn into Ultra Seven right about now, if only Hal Jordan wasn't here!, Dan thought.

Were Dan Moroboshi elsewhere, I'd go change into my other work clothes!, Hal thought.

Since the attack on him at Coast City bank by Aliens Waiell & Pegassa, followed by Ferris Air Base by Alien Metron & the monster Gyeron, Hal Jordan has been targeted by some ringmaster as Metron described. Hal supposed he shouldn't be too surprised that more assassins would follow him here to Japan, which cemented the evidence further that whoever it was pulling their strings definitely wants him eliminated from the competition – one that nearly took out his two best friends Green Arrow & Black Canary.

And now Dan Moroboshi was caught in the crosshairs meant for him.

Not this time!, Hal thought with a scowl.

"Hal! Take cover while I draw their fire!", Dan said. "I'll force them to pay attention to me while you…"

Dan stopped himself when he turned to Hal & saw him drop his gun, followed by the removal of both his helmet & belt. He even took off the mini-com off his wrist before digging into his right pocket.

"Hal? What do you think you're doing?!", Dan started saying when Hal cut him off.

"I'm sorry, Dan, but we've got no time to play it safe!", Hal replied, pulling the ring out of his pocket & placing it on the middle finger of his right hand. As if by magic, a green aura covered Hal Jordan from head to toe, replacing his jeans & jacket with that of the green & black of his uniform from Oa. A pair of white gloves that cover his forearms & hands completes the transformation.

Hal Jordan is…the Green Lantern?!, Dan thought, staring in disbelief at the convergence of ace pilot into planet-hopping superhero. That certainly explains the weird energy which I felt from him earlier!

Dan also saw that Hal was right, & he follows suit.

"I concur!", Dan said as he reached into the left pocket & pulling out a pair of the most unusual glasses that don't even have any temples to keep it in place. It didn't matter to Dan: once they were placed over his eyes, he went through a startling metamorphosis of his own as his head became completely covered in a silver robot-like mask with oval box-like eyes, green Beam Lamp, & detachable fin in the rear. A silver collar adorned his shoulders & the rest of his 'suit' was a sharp crimson with silver stripes on his chest & legs.

It was Green Lantern's turn to stare in amazement, as he was familiar with the figure Dan has now become.

Dan Moroboshi is the hero Ultra Seven?!, he thought. No wonder I felt a strong aura from him!

The Emerald Crusader couldn't help but smirk at the irony of it all, & Ultra Seven nodded in kind.

The roars from both Gabura & Narse brought the heroes' attention back to them, & Ultra Seven was the first to act as he grew from 2 meters to his full 40-meter height, tackling Gabura while Green Lantern took to the air to go into battle against Narse. Like a cobra, the metal serpent lashed out at Green Lantern to gobble him up in one strike, but the hero dives to his right & avoids that fate. As he passes, Green Lantern fires a beam at Narse's neck but does no damage whatsoever – not even a scratch.

The ineffectiveness against anything yellow – I'd almost forgotten about it! Dammit!, Green Lantern thought, recalling the time he trained on Oa & failed to catch a yellow disc thrown to him by drill instructor Kilowog.

For untold years, it was known as the Spectrum Barrier, or more specifically the 'Yellow Impurity'.

In all that time, no Green Lantern could explain, much less beat it. That also went for Hal Jordan, who claimed he did once during his fight with Atrocitus during his rookie year. Even the Korugarian Sinestro had no luck in beating it, despite his high status.

If Green Lantern was going to beat Narse, he was going to have to get creative.

Luckily, Hal Jordan specializes in that field.

Narse went after Green Lantern, abandoning Ultra Seven to deal with Gabura. The metal snake coils himself in a flying saucer shape, with his head sticking out at the top in the center of his new form & continues after Green Lantern while firing crimson beams at the emerald hero from his mouth. This beam strikes the hero in the back, causing him to lose his sense of balance & tumble through the air before crashing down into the trees. Narse closes the distance upon him & peppers the area Hal landed in with multiple streams of white energy, frying numerous trees under the barrage. Green Lantern saw the attack in time, & used his ring to conjure a dome to shield himself from Narse's assault. Green Lantern then forms a protective bubble around him & flies up & away from underneath the saucer form of Narse as he strategizes his next move.

Seeing his enemy escape, Narse uncoils himself & reverts back to snake mode, soaring through the air after the Emerald Crusader & letting out a screech of anger. He catches up to his foe in no time, & when he gets within range, Narse whips the end of his tail as the pincer at the end snatches Green Lantern in one fluid motion. The metallic serpent faces his captured enemy & attempts again to crush him in his jaws. Green Lantern acted fast to put up a thick shield in the nick of time, sparing him from certain death. Using every ounce of his willpower, Green Lantern keeps his shield up & about to prevent Narse's mouth from closing in on him. The strain of keeping his shield intact was overbearing, & Green Lantern knew he'd better devise a way out of his predicament before Narse bites through his construct & does him in but good.

A pair of powerful blasts from the fast-approaching Ultra Hawk 3 had caused Narse to cease his assault on Green Lantern & turn to the newcomer. With Anne in the cockpit, she fired another pair of missiles near the tail's end. Twin explosions forced the pincer to open up & release its would-be prey. Narse screeches out in pain & protest, having been denied his grand kill & he now pursues the Ultra Hawk 3 for retaliation. He fires his crimson beam at the approaching craft to blow it in one shot, but Anne swerves to the left to dodge the oncoming projectile. The eyes on Narse launch a rapid succession of red beams at his new foe, which Anne was barely able to avoid despite her skills. Green Lantern knew she'd be hit sooner or later, & he needed a quick plan to avert disaster.

Anne's in trouble, & my ring can't penetrate Narse's metallic armor because it's a golden yellow!, thought Hal. But while he's safe from my beams, I'm willing to bet he isn't from his own!

His plan formulated, Green Lantern flew off to literally face Narse & shoot a mini barrage of green beams right into him. Narse screeched in annoyance & fires his eye beams at Green Lantern, who deflects them skywards & doing no harm. Failing, the metal snake fired the crimson beam from his mouth directly at his enemy.

It's just what Green Lantern was waiting & hoping for: constructing a large mirror with his ring, Narse's beam hits the reflective emerald glass & gets deflected straight back into his mouth. The unexpected feedback of his weapon caused Narse's entire head to explode in a fiery blast, the pieces going every which way. His body shared the same fate as it was blasted apart in a chain reaction, the destruction continuing until even the pincer at the end of his tail blew up.

Seeing Narse as a threat no longer, Green Lantern flies over to the Ultra Hawk 3 & gives Anne in the cockpit a hand signal, which she understood & nodded.

Ultra Seven & Gabura were in a fierce battle, with each combatant taking over six solid hits from fists, feet, tail & beams. The giant red & silver hero kept clear of Gabura's teeth, knowing they produce a deadly poison that can kill & came awfully close to death the last time he was bit. Gabura's been equipped with some new accessories since their last encounter: the dagger-like points on his front paws really can cut through anything, as evident when the creature sliced through several trees with but a simple swipe. His mouth also fires a white & purple beam that can knock down even Ultra Seven, receiving a powerful hit in the chest.

He'd remember to stay clear of that as well.

Leaping like a giant bullfrog, Gabura swiped at Ultra Seven with his front paws to decapitate him but misses by a fraction of an inch before landing with a thud. Ultra Seven grabbed Gabura's tail & swung him around before releasing him, the momentum throwing the monster 250 meters before crashing onto his back. Flailing his limbs around like a helpless turtle, Gabura rolled himself right-side up as Ultra Seven landed upon his back, riding his enemy just like a cowboy would on a wild bull as Gabura acted exactly that to shake his rider off. It was no dice: Ultra Seven secured his arms around Gabura's neck for a firmer hold, & the quadrupedal beast could not get him off, despite how ornery the creature thrashed about. Going for a different tactic, Gabura lifts himself up on his hind legs & takes his rider with him. Jumping backwards, he lands atop Ultra Seven, who was forced to release his hold. Gabura strikes his enemy while he was down by thrashing his tail upon his face, disorienting the red & silver hero. A good seven poundings from the tail left Seven temporarily dazed, leaving Gabura to strike using his front paws for a stabbing/slashing attack.

He gets halfway to his intended victim before armament from the Ultra Hawk 3 & Green Lantern – the former by strafing powerful beam blasts & the latter with grenade constructs the size of automobiles. Gabura roared furiously & made a leap at the Ultra Hawk 3, intending on cutting it in half or smash it entirely. Anne's eyes go wide as the creature gets too close for her to do anything until a large boxing glove construct from Green Lantern's ring buffeted the beast in his maw, losing several teeth in the process as Gabura comes crashing down on his side.

Anne was spared a grisly fate & she flew on safely, giving her savior a smile in gratitude.

Returning the gesture, Green Lantern turned to Gabura with contempt on his face.

Sorry Gabura – Anne Yuri is off-limits!, he thought with malice. Now, let's go see about trimming those claws of yours!

Green Lantern creates a construct of thick shackles that bind Gabura's daggers on his front paws. The creature strained to break free from his binds & even caused cracks, but they still held long enough for a revived Ultra Seven to unleash his famed Eye Slugger – the detachable fin atop his head – and sends it sailing for Gabura, cutting off first his front paws before going to work on his head. The main headless body drops to the ground with a thud as Green Lantern lets go of the sliced paws, but the severed head still has life & flies through the air, firing his white/purple beam at him, Ultra Seven & the Ultra Hawk 3, the latter of which barely avoids getting devoured by the toothy maw.

Both heroes recalled that Gabura's head has a life of its own even if separated from the main body, & can eject his poison just the same. It also went for his beam, which he fires at the two with deadly accuracy & blasting away at a grove of trees, turning them into burnt chunks. Ultra Seven tried using a variety of his beams from Triple Shot to Ultra Spiral, but Gabura's head was too fast & dodged every attempt made at him.

Perhaps where Ultra Seven has failed, Green Lantern can atone: steering clear of numerous blasts from Gabura's head before using his ring to create a thick glob of plastic explosive which he places right into Gabura's mouth. When the head fired his beam again, the flying appendage strikes the emerald plastique & detonates in mid-air, blowing the head into bloodied chunks of flesh, blood & bone.

Not wanting to take any chances, Ultra Seven uses his Double Beam attack to destroy the main body & severed limbs, sending them to the same fate as the head.

Using his ring like a radio, Green Lantern creates a construct of himself from his shoulders up to his head in the cockpit of the Ultra Hawk 3 as Anne listens.

"Anne Yuri of the Ultra Garrison", he says. "Your crew members inside the Ultra Phoenix Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi are both fine – just a bit shaken up from the crash, followed by the attack of the two monsters. Ultra Seven & I shall fly them back to your headquarters as they await your return."

"That's a relief to know, Green Lantern", Anne said. "I was worried those two monsters may have gotten them, but I'm glad to see that isn't the case. I'll head back to the hangar with the rest of my team & tell them the good news while we search for the two saboteurs that caused the Phoenix to intentionally crash. We'll give Hal & Dan an update on our progress first chance we get. Thanks again, Green Lantern – both you and Ultra Seven!"

The hologram of the hero smiled at the compliment.

"Not at all, Anne Yuri", the hologram says. "My recent case has brought me here to Japan, & it could very well be tied in to what your team is currently investigating, so you & your Ultra Garrison will probably be hearing from me again. Until then, be safe. Green Lantern, signing off. "

The hero's hologram disappears, leaving Anne alone in the cockpit. Moments later, she catches sight of both Ultra Seven and the Emerald Crusader, the former of which carries the Ultra Phoenix in one hand like it was a child's toy as Green Lantern traveled by his side in a luminescent glow of green that shone bright even during daylight hours. Anne Yuri, of course, has heard about the heroes called Green Lantern – how they create things out of emerald light to catch evildoers, stop alien invasions, & the like. She's seen in the newspapers & on television of their heroics, but to go & actually see one of them in person was truly a dream come true for her.

It was like one meeting his/her favorite celebrity of sorts.

Wait till I tell the Commander & the others about this!, Anne thought with a smile on her face as she flew the Ultra Hawk 3 back to the hangar.

This caper just got much more interesting.

But she also knew it was bound to get deadlier.

CHAPTER V

Ultra Garrison Headquarters, two hours later:

After Green Lantern & Ultra Seven delivered the malfunctioning Ultra Phoenix to the base, they took off into the horizon & disappeared from sight in no time. Using an easy teleportation trick, Ultra Seven escorted himself & Green Lantern back into the craft as both reverted into their human identities of Dan Moroboshi & Hal Jordan just before crew technicians brought them to the briefing room where the former gave a full report on the day's activities, from the test in the Ultra Phoenix to when the two heroes fought off & defeated the monsters Narse & Gabura.

Certain details, of course, were left out & kept between Dan & Hal.

Once word got around that a saboteur was guilty for the Phoenix's malfunction, the base was put on full alert in case he or she was spotted at or near the headquarters & attempted the same maneuver at the Ultra Garrison's Base of Operations. A radio call from Commander Kiriyama informed Hal & Dan that everyone who was involved in the Ultra Phoenix was present & accounted for except for two personnel – men by the names of Toshi & Goro.

A photo of both were shown to all on the main computer screen, & their images were burned into the brains of all at the base, making their search simpler now that faces were given to study & apprehend. They were ordered to bring them in at all costs, & to shoot should they put up a fight or even refuse to be taken into custody.

The manhunt was underway by the armed guards of the HQ, giving Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi some private time together as they retreated back to the cockpit of the Phoenix, saying they wish to wait for the return of their other teammates in a comfortable & quiet place. They also mentioned they'd be on the lookout for both saboteurs.

With no objections & under orders from Dan, the guards went to work, leaving the men to wait for Kiriyama & his team to return.

It gave Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi time to go over information meant for only them, & the former went first in explaining how he ended up with a Green Lantern power ring – taking over the mantle from dying alien Abin Sur of his same sector 2814, heading to the planet Oa for training, his dealings with Atrocitus, his berating from & betrayal of Sinestro, & so forth. Dan went next & explained how he became the 'honorary seventh member' of the Ultra Garrison after helping to save the planet from the Alien Cool race – a squid-like people with a flat & rounded body, eyes, mouth & six tentacles that ended in silver hook-like claws.

Hal mentioned that he, too, dealt with the Alien Cool race during their assault on Earth near Coast City.

Like Ultra Seven, Green Lantern defeated the aliens & drove them away – with help from the three other Green Lanterns born on Earth.

"So…you're an alien yourself from Nebula M78, also known as the 'Land of Light'", Hal surmised.

"Yes", Dan confirms. "My real name is Agent 340, & I was assigned to map the Milky Way Galaxy when I got captivated by your planet Earth. Upon my arrival, I discovered a mountain climber by the name of Jiro Satsuma, whose partner was in danger of falling to his death with him. Thinking nothing of sacrificing himself to save his partner, Jiro cut his line & fell to his death until I caught him in mid-flight & saved his life. His courage was so inspiring to me that I molded my human form after him & called myself Dan Moroboshi to avoid any confusion with Jiro. The rest of my story I'm sure you can piece together on your own."

"Your true form was christened 'Ultra Seven' & became the honorary seventh member, yes. So you created your own human form rather than merging your life essence with that of another human's?"

"True. While most of us need to merge with a human host in order to remain on Earth, a selected handful are able to create their own human identities. I'm one of these that has this ability."

"I have to say, Dan…our origin stories are not that much different. On top of that, we ourselves are very much alike – fearless & determined to do whatever's necessary to save lives & this planet itself."

"Even if we are a little too brash, reckless & stubborn for our own good!", Dan said with a grin.

Guffaws from both men echoed the cockpit, clasping each other on the back in good fashion.

When the laughter died, they became all business again.

"Hal, when you encountered Alien Metron at Ferris Air Base, did he give any specific details about this 'gift' he said that was approaching Earth?", Dan asked.

"No", Hal said simply. "He only told me to stand down & not interfere with its arrival here, lest I suffer the dire consequences. He was pretty adamant about it. Needless to say, I flat-out refused & fought him & the monster Gyeron. They nearly killed my mechanic Tom & everyone else at Ferris Air before I stopped them. Luckily, only some minor cuts & bruises occurred with no casualties."

"I know all too well how insistent Alien Metron can be, such as when he used an alien substance & placed inside packs of cigarettes that made people act violent towards one another when they smoked them. Were I not present, he might have succeeded in his sick goal. But when I encountered him, he didn't have the ability to form tentacles from his arm stubs. Same with the monsters Narse & Gabura: neither of them could fire beams from their eyes or mouths in my previous battles with them, & yet they did. Whatever's going on with these creatures, I'm betting it's got something to do with what's approaching Earth, & we don't even know what that is yet. We need answers, Hal, & we need them now."

"That we do, Dan: like before, you & I are being specifically targeted for assassination because we're more or less the two major obstacles that can hinder this plan Metron's 'ringmaster' has cooked up, & even annihilate it. One way to get intel on this is to capture Toshi & Goro, for they might be part of this conspiracy. Else, why go through the trouble of sabotaging the Ultra Phoenix as I was piloting it?"

"And sending in the monsters Narse & Gabura after us if we survived once we went down", Dan says when an idea came to mind. "Hal…what about your three other colleagues here on Earth that became Green Lanterns? Do you believe they might have some intel on what's coming towards Earth?"

"Truth be told, Dan, I did have that very same thought. The only problem with that is they're all on Oa, the home of the Green Lantern Corps & the Guardians of the Universe that founded it. They'd have even less info on what's on its way here than we do, & I can't seem to get in touch with them for some reason no matter how hard I try."

"That's a bad break."

Hal nodded solemnly, knowing Dan was right. He doubted even the Guardians themselves would know about the gift Alien Metron said was coming to Earth unless it planned to cause a great universe-threatening situation that would require for them to be involved, which they rarely do.

It's one of the reasons why they created the Green Lantern Corps.

We better get some info on this whole thing before it becomes too late, Hal thought.

A beeping sound in the hangar of the base brought Hal & Dan on alert, & they rush out from the privacy of the UltraPhoenix's cockpit to acknowledge the arrival of the three Ultra Hawks. Each craft came in same way as they did, being lowered from the surface on a large platform before coming to a stop with the four TDF superiors stepping out of the first craft with Kiriyama, followed by Amagi & Soga in the second, & Furuhashi & Anne from the third. The latter two also take out a gurney & wheel it in the base, which was covered by a thick white cloth. From a metal pole on the side, a bag of plasma hung with a tube attached & feeding blood to whoever was underneath the sheet.

Hal & Dan look at each other before joining over with the rest & follow the Ultra Garrison over to the medical wing of the base. Anne only went in the room when they reached it, telling the rest to wait outside until she gave the okay to join her inside. Commander Takenaka helped matters by giving the order to Kiriyama & the rest of the team, up to & including Hal Jordan. He thought of using his ring to check what was under the sheet & discover for himself, but he figured it can wait & see with his own eyes when the time was right. Dan felt the same way, refraining from using his X-Ray vision & wait until Anne & the other nurses were done.

An hour later, the door opened & all exited the room except Anne, who stood at the entrance.

"How is he, Anne?", asked Furuhashi.

"He's stable & awake", she replied. "Please forgive my rudeness before, but time was of the essence if he was to have any chance of making it."

"No apologies necessary, Miss Yuri", Commander Manabe said. "You needed to hurry if your patient was to live after the injuries he sustained, & you've all but succeeded. Now that he has made it, is he up for conversation? He was quite eager to want to talk with us when we found him."

"Who is your patient, Anne?", Dan asked. "Who were you & the nurses trying to save?"

"Dan…this you & Hal need to see for yourselves", said Soga.

"Yes. This way, please", Anne says, gesturing with her hand as the members made their way inside. Hal & Dan were the last ones to go in, & their eyes widened when they saw Anne's 'patient' laying atop one of the beds: it was a humanoid figure that was covered in brown fur all over except for the chest, which was a bare flesh tone. It measured close to five feet in height, & had a face which resembled something like that of a rodent, mole, or even a combo of the two. The only spec of clothing it had on was that of a pair of silver shorts, & its bare feet & hands sported sharp claws which were no doubt used for digging or fighting off enemies. While they can't see it, the humanoid rodent had a bushy tail in the back, & its eyes went from every member in the room, most of whom were smiling in relief.

Except for Hal & Dan, who kept their senses wary & alert.

"Where did you find this…person, Anne?", Hal asked, facing her.

"Actually Hal…he came to us", she replied. "Just as I returned to the hangar, I heard him calling for help. When I found him, he was right outside the complex bleeding from multiple cuts & bruises. He passed out from his wounds, but not before desperately asking us for assistance. Realizing the only way to save him was to bring him here since the hangar had no medical facilities in or nearby, our headquarters was the only logical solution."

Hal & Dan nodded, seeing it's the same decision they would've made, had they been in her shoes.

"Good thinking, Anne", Dan said, walking up to the patient & standing over him. "You said you needed to talk to us? What is it that you adamantly need to discuss with us so urgently?"

"My name is Scord", he started. "I live in an underground city that lay deep inside the Earth, undiscovered by the surface for centuries. Our civilization is highly advanced in technology, & we have a vast army of trained soldiers just in case we ever were found & attacked by outside forces. But deep down, we are a peaceful race who fights only when absolutely necessary. For a long time, we lived in harmony. But one day, one of our scientists unintentionally created an artificial intelligence that took sentience & began destroying our beloved city, gathering information & making itself into a horrible weapon. We were barely able to fight it off & drive it away from our home, but not before losing a great many of our people. We tracked it heading to the planet's surface & going beyond, heading out into outer space."

Scord took a moment to catch his breath as Anne offered him water to drink, which he did graciously.

"How long ago did thishappen in your city, Scord?", asked Amagi once he was done.

"Just over a hundred years ago", he went on. "For over a century, it's been lost in the farthest regions of space & stayed far away from Earth – until now."

"This artificial intelligence – it's making its way back to Earth?", asked Kiriyama.

"Yes, & that's not all: when it left the planet, it was in a sphere that was no bigger than any of you. But now?"

Scord paused as his lips trembled in fear, afraid of revealing the answer.

"What is it, Scord?", Furuhashi pressed. "Has it gotten even bigger than when it left?"

When Scord still refused to answer right away, Hal pushed further.

"Scord, we know you're scared, but you've got to answer Furuhashi's question: has this thing gotten any bigger? If so, how much?"

"Yes it has – our scanners saw that it grew to about half the size of your planet's moon", he spoke unevenly.

An eerie silence filled the room as everyone's faces took on a shocked/stunned expression. They all fought hard to keep from going into hysteria.

"A piece of haywire electronics half the size of the moon on its way to collide with Earth?!", Furuhashi states. "It's unfathomable! Even if we fired every nuclear weapon on the planet, it probably still wouldn't be enough to slow it down, let alone stop it!"

I understand Furuhashi's concern, Dan thought. Even I as Ultra Seven wouldn't have nearly enough strength or power to divert a mass of that size, much less destroy it.

Maybe if the entire Green Lantern Corps were to concentrate all their firepower on it, there could be a chance to bring its destruction before it can do the same to Earth, Hal thought. This must be the gift Alien Metron mentioned that was on its way over. One way or another, I'll need to get in touch with John Stewart or Kilowog in order to…

Hal's train of thought was cut off when Scord spoke again, this time with more confidence.

"All may not be lost just yet", he says as all eyes go back to him. "There is a way this thing can be stopped in time before impact. We always had a strong feeling that it would one day return to Earth, so we devised & created a half-dozen repeller units to drive it off-course or detonate it while still in space. We managed to launch these units to six different locations on the surface when we got attacked by the monsters Narse & Gabura, both of which were no doubt dispatched to try & prevent us from doing so."

"Where will these repeller units appear at, Scord?", asked Yanagawa.

"Your scanners here will be able to detect them the moment they reach the surface. We've tuned them in to your frequencies in order for you to do just that. Please don't worry: we've also made sure they surface where there's no life present, so they won't cause any loss of it or doing damage to your cities. All I ask you humans to do is protect these units at any & all costs once they appear: the Earth will die if even one of them fails."

"Don't worry, Scord: we'll keep an eye on & guard those units with our lives", Hal said. "You just leave it to us. In the meantime, get some rest & regain your strength. You'll be perfectly safe within this base."

"Hal Jordan speaks the truth, Scord", said Commander Takenaka. "There'll be armed guards here to keep you safe & secure, & the Ultra Garrison will head over to those units you spoke of as soon as they come into view. Anne Yuri here will see to all your needs, so please don't be afraid to ask her for anything."

"Thank you kindly", Scord says. "I could use some food & drink, followed by a little rest as your companion Hal Jordan has suggested."

"Then we'll leave you be for now to do just that", Kiriyama said, facing his troops except for Anne. "Let's head over to the main control room & start scanning the country for those units. According to Scord's info, they ought to be showing themselves very soon, & we need to move out at a moment's notice."

"Yes sir!", came the immediate reply from the four members of the Ultra Garrison, including Hal. In a single file, they exit the room until the Coast City pilot was left & offered his last prayers to Scord.

"Get well soon, Scord. We'll see you soon", he said, getting a grin from Anne & a smile from the rodent-man.

Offering one of his own, Hal left as the door closed.

3:00 p.m.:

Commander Kiriyama & the Ultra Garrison worked tirelessly for any sign of the units Scord's people launched before their underground metropolis was under attack by Narse & Gabura, keeping their scanners open at their fullest in preparation for what the higher-ups call 'Operation: Repellant', which fit right in with their objective. Even Hal was on patrol around the base with Dan Moroboshi, needing to keep moving like a shark does in the ocean lest he starts to sink. Furuhashi, Amagi & Soga were much better off at handling the radars & scanners than either of them were, so it was okayed by Kiriyama for them to go about being guard dogs & make certain the area was safe from any saboteurs like Toshi & Goro.

Hal & Dan feel either or both might try & cause major malfunctions all over the base after successfully putting the Ultra Phoenix out of commission; if that should happen, then they'll be no way for the Ultra Garrison to locate the repeller units once they surface.

It's all the reason needed for Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi to be on patrol, & if they can get any further piece of information of the oncoming threat to Earth & put an end to it, then all the better.

For several hours, they found no trace of anything out of the ordinary.

It only meant that something was bound to happen soon, following their gut instincts to the fullest; being heroes of similar yet different nature taught that to Hal & Dan.

Just be patient – they'll turn up soon enough, Hal thought.

They turned another corner to nothing strange & walk down just as a guard went the way they'd came from with his hat placed almost over his eyes, giving him a limited vision. It wouldn't matter to him much anyway: he's reached his destination only several steps further to the medical room. Looking every which way & finding no one around, he opened the door to find it as blissfully empty of any living thing.

Except for a sleeping Scord, who is in the midst of taking a peaceful rest on the bed he'd been placed on since his arrival to the Ultra Garrison base. The guard walked toward him & looked down on the sleeping rodent-man, smiling a bit.

It was a smile of pure malevolence.

If it weren't his mission, the man could almost pity the poor creature – almost.

He placed his left hand on Scord's mouth & went to work.

The entire operation was over in just under thirty seconds.

By that time, Anne was returning to the medical room after needing to step out & file a couple documents before heading back to check in on Scord's progress. When the door opened, the guard exited in such a rush that he roughly bumped into Anne & walked off.

"Excuse me, sir…!", Anne snapped, hoping the man would turn & apologize to her. He didn't – he just kept on walking, seemingly in a hurry & without so much as a backwards glance.

The bastard! How rude!, Anne thought, releasing a hard 'hmph' before entering the med room.

What she saw inside made her eyes go wide, & she screamed.

Her cry did not go unnoticed, especially by Hal & Dan.

Anne!, they thought, looking at each other briefly before racing towards the med room as Dan got on his wrist-com to get in touch with Kiriyama & meet him & Hal. When they arrived, they saw a terrified Anne standing outside the room, her face in undeniable shock. Taking a look within, they saw what frightened her so: Scord lay on the bed with his neck crushed & bleeding, his blood forming a puddle beneath him. His eyes stared wide into the ceiling, & his pink tongue hung from his agape mouth. Upon closer inspection, Hal & Dan can see that a powerful hand crushed his throat with ease.

Scord hardly had the chance to put up even the slightest hint of a fight: whoever did this, he did so with great strength & stealth.

Right under all our noses! Damn!, Hal thought with disgust, angry at the culprit & himself for failing to fulfil his promise to keep Scord safe from attack. A sobbing Anne made Hal turn to & comfort her, just as Kiriyama & the rest arrive to see the grisly aftermath. Each one was awash with the heaviest of guilt upon seeing the rodent-man's body.

"Damn!", Furuhashi says. "And we promised that we'd keep him safe! How could we let him down like this?!"

"Don't beat yourself up too bad, Furuhashi", said Soga. "The best we can do is find who did this, & he could still be close by inside the base!"

"You're right, Soga!", Hal said, releasing Anne from his embrace as his face turns red with rage. "He's still here, & I'm going to find him!"

Hal Jordan took off in a rush with Dan Moroboshi right behind in the same fury, both men ignoring pleas from Anne & calls from Kiriyama. The Commander ceased trying: he knew himself that the culprit could still be within the complex, & it was imperative that he be found before he can escape. Secondly, he saw that Hal was adamant to catch him no matter what – a behavior pattern he saw very much in his own member Dan Moroboshi.

Those two are so alike – one might say they're made from the same mold, Kiriyama thought.

He let them be & gave the rest of his troops new orders, beginning with wrapping up Scord's body & placing him in the morgue for proper burial when the time came.

Hal & Dan sped through the halls of the base, keeping an eagle-eye out for any sign of Scord's killer and/or one of the saboteurs, which could pretty much be one & the same – a twisting gut feeling in both men that only got tighter.

Turning a corner, their instinct proved to be true when they run face-to-face with the killer and first saboteur of the Ultra Phoenix. The blood of Scord was still dripping from his right hand.

"Toshi!", Dan said, aiming his gun at him. "Put your hands up & place them upon your head! You're under arrest!"

"Really? On what charge, may I ask?", Toshi said nonchalant.

"Charges, actually!", Hal said, pointing his own gun. "First, you sabotage the Ultra Phoenix with your partner-in-crime Goro! Then you commit murder, with the evidence clear as day on your hand!"

Toshi looks at his hand like he's never seen it before & raises them both in surrendering fashion, his mouth in the form of a wicked smile.

"Well – it looks as if I'm literally caught red-handed, eh?", he jokes with a small taunting laugh.

"We don't find it funny, mister!", Dan barked. "Now do what I told you before & place your hands on your head! You're coming with us!"

"I don't think so – Ultra Seven & Green Lantern!", Toshi said, stunning both men as their culprit knew of their alter egos. Keeping his hands raised, Toshi lowered his index & middle fingers in a V position, thus unleashing four yellow beams from each at his would-be captors. Hal & Dan dive to one side & barely avoid getting struck as they pass by, missing them by inches. They look up at Toshi, who stands & stares at the men with a malicious grin before fading away his human guise & revealing the wolf underneath. Toshi has morphed himself into a black-skinned creature with four fingers & a pair of incredibly large white ears that resembled fish fins on the sides of his head. No mouth or nose was visible anywhere, but he did sport a pair of oval-shaped eyes, & he was making a sound like a child's toy would.

But this creature was no cute, harmless child – it was a lifeform that's returned to Earth.

"Alien Prote!", Hal & Dan say as they recognize the race of beings that once duped a young man into assisting the malevolent creature in planetary conquest before seeing the light & helping to stop it.

Hal reached into his pocket for his ring & Dan for his Ultra Eye, but Alien Prote moved in & slapped away their transformation devices, sending them sixteen feet away. He then grabbed both men by the throats & lifted them off the ground, their feet dangling in mid-air. Hal & Dan fought & struggled to free themselves, but Alien Prote's strength was solid & held firm as his captives' sights soon began growing dark. Hal used every sense of his willpower to summon his ring, doing so fiercely against the crushing pressure of Prote's grip. The ring shook slightly at first before soaring through the air & landing straight on Hal Jordan's right middle finger. As soon as it did, he made a tight fist & instantly transformed into Green Lantern, emitting a bright flash of emerald light that stung Prote's eyes, releasing his victims.

Forging a pair of tweezers with his ring, Green Lantern grabbed Dan's Ultra Eye & literally shoved them into his eyes, transforming him into his alter ego Ultra Seven.

Alien Prote's eyes cleared themselves of the light that blinded him briefly, but was tackled by both heroes as the creature struggled in their grip, turning the tables on him. Using his powers of invisibility, Prote vanished & took his two aggressors with him as they all vanished from within the confines of the TDF base & re-materialize out into the open forest 550 meters away. Alien Prote manage to throw off his foes like a suspect in heated battle with police, & this scenario was no different. The creature fires yellow beams from his eyes as Green Lantern puts up a thick shield to block it. Both go through the construct like it wasn't even there, & Hal cursed himself for briefly forgetting the yellow impurity flaw of his ring. Prote followed it up by launching his Bolt Bind beams from his large white ears to ensnare the Emerald Crusader, but Ultra Seven stepped in & put up his own shield, which actually succeeds in deflecting it.

Ultra Seven retaliates by crossing his arms & brings them down to his lower torso, activating his Eye Beams. Prote mirrored this maneuver & fired his own. Both set of beams meet halfway & gain no ground against the other as neither make further progress before they explode in a luminescent flash, creating a bomb-like blast that knocked both combatants back several feet. Seven & Prote stumble to get on their feet, but Green Lantern doesn't wait: he charges in at Prote & started wailing a hateful cry before unleashing a fury of fists to the alien's face like a prize boxer, his anger & rage powering him for what he did to Scord.

Green Lantern lets Alien Prote know it, saying his name & the atrocity he committed upon him as he pummels the creature with his fists.

Ultra Seven joins in, having the same contempt for Prote & initiating his own fury with his feet, fists & several judo/karate moves & wrestling techniques, roughly throwing Alien Prote here & there as he was unable to contain his hate any further.

Caught between two opposing forces, Alien Prote vanished before another punch, kick or beam of any kind can be sent his way. Green Lantern & Ultra Seven search the immediate area with their ring & eyes to pinpoint his location, no matter where he hid. In almost no time, Alien Prote did reappear, only at his full height of 46 meters. Ultra Seven retaliated & grew to his full size of 40 meters tall, while Green Lantern rose skyward to avoid a blast of yellow beams from Prote's eyes. He fires back by constructing a pair of large chainguns that rip with bullets of energy, only to have each shot go right through him & doing no harm. Ultra Seven had no better luck: his Emerium Beam passed on through without a scratch on the enemy, & he follows it up by reaching to the back of his head & throwing his Eye Slugger – the detachable fin that can slice through almost anything.

The Eye Slugger had no trouble of slicing Prote's head clean off his shoulders, & the rest of his body vanishes in a cascade of light, leaving the levitating head on its lonesome. Knowing the head has a life of its own, Green Lantern fires his guns at the floating appendage & causes it to detonate like an ichor-filled balloon.

Green Lantern gave his giant partner a thumbs-up, & Ultra Seven nodded.

He was suddenly struck in the back & fell on his face as Alien Prote reappeared whole, shooting a pair of beams from his fingers & destroying Lantern's twin gun constructs. Ultra Seven quickly rose from the ground to face his foe again, when yet another Alien Prote appears on the opposite side.

And another. And another.

Soon they were faced with a quartet of enemies, each one standing poised to do battle.

I remember now – Alien Prote can make duplicates of himself, each having a free will of its own!, Green Lantern thought with distaste.

As one, the four Prote Aliens launched an array of eye beams that strike Seven & Green Lantern, disorienting their senses temporarily as three of them gang up on & pummel Ultra Seven, leaving the fourth one free to deal with Green Lantern. This one shrinks down to 2 meters & engages one-on-one with the Emerald Crusader, who fires a beam of light from his ring that goes through his adversary without harm. Hal anticipated this: little did Alien Prote know that this beam was still active & formed a large clamp that grabbed the creature from behind, binding his arms to his sides & holding him firm before Green Lantern formed a pair of boxing gloves & clobbers the thing repeatedly.

Don't let up, Hal!, he thought. Keep him disoriented so that he can't create any further duplicates of himself!

His punches become more frantic & twice as hard to keep the pressure up.

Behind him, two more Alien Protes reach & grab Green Lantern as they drag him down to earth & free their captured comrade, smashing the clamp that held him with a simple beam. Like the trio that was giving Ultra Seven a bad time, the Alien Protes were hitting Hal hard with feet, hands & more than a few beams that stung the hero even with his green aura protecting him. Green Lantern deduced that he hadn't captured the real Alien Prote, & he & Ultra Seven were learning that fact painfully clear – literally.

The real Alien Prote's still out there! Damn!, Green Lantern thought through clenched teeth.

Sure enough, the actual creature stood a good distance away, being back in the guise of saboteur Toshi. Seeing his duplicates pounding Green Lantern & Ultra Seven made his grin widen, & a chuckle escaped from it.

"Excellent", he said in a gloat. "My copies can handle Green Lantern & Ultra Seven while I head back down to the TDF base & destroy it from within, preventing them from finding those repeller units that can cause a serious crimp in our plans. With them gone, we'll take over this planet after the holocaust."

"I don't think so, Alien Prote!", said a deep voice from behind. When he turned around to face this new threat, he gets stabbed through the chest by a pointed blade that causes him to change back to his alien form before sparkling like fairy dust & disintegrating from existence.

Ultra Seven receives another series of beam blasts as Green Lantern gets kicked & buffeted by their attacking trio of Alien Protes, their assaults getting more brutal until they seemingly disappear in succession as each vanish one after another. Both heroes struggle to get up but keep their wits keen, fighting off the pain they sustained in battle.

Ultra Seven shrunk himself down to Green Lantern's height, & they stare at each other in confusion.

"I don't get it", said Green Lantern. "I couldn't even begin to counterstrike against my attackers, & yet they've all vanished entirely. Maybe the real Alien Prote was present & you took care of him, Ultra Seven."

The red & silver hero shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Green Lantern", he said, his voice like an echo. "I was just as helpless under their barrage as you were."

"If it wasn't you that found & dealt with the real Alien Prote, then…who did?"

"That'd be me, Hal", said the deep voice, & both heroes turn to see an African-American man at 6 feet, 1 inch in a Green Lantern uniform of his own, but minus white gloves. His eyes were brown, & his hair was cut very short to a mostly frizzled style like a man in the military would be having. For this man, it made perfect sense because he did once serve in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining up with a 'new unit'.

Hal Jordan was only too happy to see him.

"John Stewart!", he says, taking the black man's hand & shaking it in warm greeting. "You always did have quite a knack for showing up at the most crucial of times! Thanks for doing so!"

"Not at all", Stewart says, taking notice of Hal's partner. "It seems your talent in making friends hasn't gone dull, I see. Ultra Seven, I presume?"

"You presume correctly, John Stewart", Seven says, shaking the man's hand. "I've heard many great things about your exploits as I have Hal Jordan's. You've earned quite the reputation – you're just as bold & daring as Hal, & like him, you wear that ring proudly."

"Thank you, Ultra Seven. It was Hal that got me into the Green Lantern Corps not too long ago, wanting to find a suitable replacement if he should ever be unable to fulfil his duties. The only difference is…I don't want or need a mask. As I told Hal when he picked me, I have nothing to hide & let it all hang out."

The three share a laugh at John's little trip down memory lane.

"Every Green Lantern has his/her own way of expressing themselves, John", Hal said, reverting his attire back to civilian guise. He looks to Ultra Seven. "And on that particular subject of 'letting it all out'…"

"Of course, Hal", Ultra Seven said, putting his hand to his eyes as he reverts back to his human guise & places his Ultra Eye into the pocket of his Ultra Garrison uniform.

"So this is the disguise you've taken for living here on Earth", John Stewart says.

"Yes. I've taken the name of Ultra Garrison member, Dan Moroboshi", he said. "I would like to go into my story as to how I came to Earth, John Stewart, but I'm afraid we've got a very serious crisis on our hands – one that could destroy the planet if we don't act fast."

"You bet we have a serious crisis, Ultra Seven!", said a powerful voice, & the trio look up to see four more Green Lanterns come soaring down & land on the ground alongside Stewart gracefully like wingless birds. The first one was a male that stood 6 feet, 2 inches with yellow flesh & a mask that covered his eyes. His head was hairless, but sprouted a fin on top like that on a fish's back. A pair of pointed ears & bird beak of a mouth completed his appearance. The next two were female, the first one being a height of 5 feet, 11 inches with lavender flesh, blue eyes & short black hair. The next female was shorter in height by two inches, & her flesh had a slight darker hue than Hal or Dan's. Her ears were also pointed but not as big, & her eyes were a bright lime green. Blonde hair adorned her feminine head, & her outfit was different in style: rather than full-body suits like the others, this one wore lime boots, mini-skirt & choker around her neck with the Green Lantern symbol etched onto it. She sported white gloves that covered only her hands, & her uniform looked more like a swimsuit than anything else, leaving the rest bare.

One might think she belonged in a beauty pageant rather than the Green Lantern Corps.

The final newcomer was a large, hulking, muscular figure who stood a whopping 9 feet, 3 inches tall & had a head & face which resembled that of a warthog/boar with red eyes, but without the tusks. One look at him, & anyone can tell of his high superiority in the Corps – definitely someone you don't want angry at you!

Dan stood in awe at the new arrivals of the Corps as Hal Jordan began introducing him to each one.

"Dan Moroboshi – Ultra Seven – may I present to you some of the bravest Green Lanterns I've ever had the pleasure of fighting alongside: Tomar-Re of the planet Xudar, Katma Tui of Korugar, Arisia of Graxos IV, & Kilowog of Bolovax Vix, the latter of which is Oa's chief drill instructor who trains newly-recruited rookies to be the best they can be. I was one of these rookies he trained & helped shape me to be the Green lantern I am now."

"The pleasure is ours", said Tomar-Re. "Ultra Seven, we of course have heard about your home Nebula M78, the Land of Light. Although we do not consult with each other much, we've always considered your home & people as our dear neighbors."

"That's right", Katma Tui said. "Your Nebula M78 isn't that much different from our Green Lantern Corps over at Oa, what with your people being brave warriors/soldiers just as we are. It's been many years since our civilizations collaborated with & fought alongside each other."

"And that's the reason why we've come to Earth", Arisia said. "A great danger is on its way over, & we need to stop it before it can collide with this planet & destroy it, thus wiping out all traces of life."

"Let me guess what it is, Arisia: a giant object measuring half the size of the Earth's moon", Dan said, getting a stunned reaction from the young female Lantern. She nods nevertheless.

"You guessed right", Kilowog said. "It happened one week ago of this planet's time: Salaak detected the large object approaching Oa & calculated that unless it was destroyed or had its course altered, it would bring the planet to an end of unspeakable horror. Gathering up everyone we could, every Green Lantern set out to intercept this object, which turned out to be a huge rounded asteroid & heavily armed to the teeth as we soon discovered. It fought back against us harder than we anticipated, no matter how much effort we put into our assault. More than a few handful of rookies fell victim to its savagery, & even a good number of seasoned veterans went down under its relentless attack: Hannu, Ch'p, Ke'Haan, Cundiff Cood, Arkkis Chummuck, Green Man, Chaselon, Medphyll, Shorm, Larvox, Graf Toren, Boodikka, Laira, & others. We put everything we had into halting its advance, & it blew right through us like we were nothing but rank amateurs. When it got to Oa, it unleashed a reign of destruction on the surface, razing buildings & forcing those who could make it below ground. The Guardians secured the main Power Battery just in time, but even they couldn't stop this floating fortress from bringing ruin to our home. After what seemed like an eternity of hell hitting Oa, this huge asteroid left & headed elsewhere. It took us days to help the injured & pinpoint the thing's course, & when we had learned it was coming to Earth, we wasted no time in getting here."

"And here we are, Hal", said John Stewart. "Out of all the Green Lanterns on Oa, we five were the only ones who escaped serious injury. Guy & Kyle weren't so fortunate, however."

"Guy? Kyle?", Hal asked, grabbing John's shoulders. "What happened to them, John?! Are they all right?!"

"Easy, Hal", Katma Tui said as Hal placed his hands down. "Your other two Earth companions – Guy Gardner & Kyle Rayner – are both okay, despite the injuries they sustained. In fact, they were among the last ones to fall under the barrage of the asteroid's weaponry, aside from us. They bought the injured enough time to seek cover before they fell in battle themselves: Guy Gardner suffered a concussion, while Kyle Rayner received only a broken arm. Considering the alternative, I'd say they got off pretty light, as did the aforementioned veterans."

Hal Jordan nodded, knowing that it could've been worse for the other two Lanterns from Earth, aside from John Stewart & himself.

"And this asteroid that struck & ruined much of Oa – it simply changed course & flew off for here?", he asked.

"Yes, & that's the strangest thing, Hal", Arisia says. "After devastating the surface, this thing left almost as soon as it arrived – acting like it had a life of its own, or even if somebody from within was piloting it."

Piloting it…, Hal thought, highly considering that the young Lantern from Graxos IV might just be right about her assumption: the thing that left Scord's underground utopia was an artificial intelligence that would've brought ruin to his & the surface world had they not expelled it into space. During its century-long trek, it's developed weaponry & the like, so why wouldn't it be able to steer itself?

Oa suffered greatly at its hands, & Earth will soon be its next target.

Not if we have anything to say about it!, Hal thought, turning to Dan.

"Dan, we've just gathered more facts about this oncoming threat, & we ought to waste no time in getting it to Commander Kiriyama & the others!", he said.

"I concur, Hal!", Dan replied, getting on his wrist-com & contacting Kiriyama. "Commander! Hal & I have just received more intel about the oncoming object! Bring everyone over at the hangar area, & we'll explain everything to you there! Please hurry!"

"We'll meet you & Hal Jordan there, Dan!", Kiriyama said on the com. "We received more news ourselves, & we'll relay it to you once we've regrouped!"

"We're on our way now! Dan out!", he finished, cutting the call & turning to the newcomers. "John Stewart – can we trouble you for a quick lift?"

The ex-Marine lifted his ring.

"Let's go", he said simply.

In mere moments:

Reaching into a pocket dimension, John Stewart recharged his ring since it was running on empty during the long trip to Earth. Having kept his in the Ultra Garrison's locker room, Hal Jordan charged his with John's, with everyone doing so themselves with their own power batteries before returning them back into their place.

I'll have to talk with Salaak about these 'pocket dimensions' one stores his/her battery into, Hal thought half-joking, having never really mastered the technique.

In no time, they all arrived at the TDF base's hangar, the ring's power helping to phase through with ease & they float down in a large green bubble before coming to a stop at the main entrance where they met with Kiriyama & the rest of his Ultra Garrison, including Yamaoka, Manabe, Yanagawa & Takenaka. At first sight of the newly-arrived Green Lanterns, they gave out a slight gasp of surprise & awe, but quickly faded as Hal, Dan & John all offered speedy explanations of their arriving to Earth. Soon, data was exchanged between both teams from the late Scord's story to the savage attack on Oa, confirming that their stories really do collaborate. Their intertwining tales formed a partnership the likes of which the Ultra Garrison has never envisioned, & soon they were all forming plans on how to deal with the danger to Earth before time runs out.

Especially now that the location of the six repeller units have been discovered.

"The planet in where the Green Lantern Corps gathers at has been greatly decimated?!", Commander Takenaka says, just as stunned as everyone else.

"I'm afraid so, Commander", said Tomar-Re. "This asteroid – which is practically that artificial intelligence you described to us as being one & the same – approached Oa & caused great destruction & killed more than a handful of our Green Lanterns, most of which were still rookies in training. As we mentioned to Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi, we five were the only ones that became extremely lucky. Learning this killer asteroid was heading straight for Earth, we got ahead of it in a hurry to warn you humans of its approach."

"Even though we'd been forewarned by Scord before he was killed by Alien Prote, we're still glad you Green Lanterns showed up to help avert this crisis", said Staff Officer Yanagawa. "Considering the size of it & the high threat it represents, we're going to need all the help we can get."

"And it seems like that help also comes in the form of those repeller units Scord mentioned to you", said Arisia. "I can only hope they'll be enough to do the job & succeed where we've unfortunately failed."

"We can, Arisia, by arriving at these half-dozen areas & keep guard that number of units to make sure they stay intact & functional when it becomes time", said Katma Tui. "I have a very strong feeling that they'll send in saboteurs to try & destroy them & make the asteroid's arrival unopposed."

"And that is why we must not allow that to happen", Commander Manabe said. "According to Scord's info, we need all six units fully operational in order to have them drive off this danger or possibly destroy it. Your arrival here will ensure their extended life function & increase our chances of success in ending this threat."

"Our best bet to do that is to split into six groups of two & pick a destination for each team", John Stewart said.

"Exactly!", said Amagi. "And since we have the locations of these repeller units, here's how I believe that these teams should be consistent of: Hal & Dan should head over to Kozawamata in the Chiba district; Kilowog & Furuhashi over to Chichibu; John Stewart & Commander Kiriyama over to Tomioka; Arisia & Soga over at Lake Chuzenji in the Matsugasaki district; Katma Tui & Anne over at Fujiyoshida near Mt. Fuji; I'll accompany Tomar-Re at Ibaraki!"

Commander Karou Kiriyama gave the matter thought as he contemplated Amagi's suggested choices of teams, & nods his approval after a few seconds.

"Those are all excellent suggestions of teams, Amagi!", he says. "Let's go with them! You, Furuhashi, & Dan will take your partners in the Ultra Hawk 1 & separate into the Alpha, Beta & Gamma ships to your destinations! Soga, you & Arisia will go into the Ultra Hawk 2, while Anne & Katma Tui shall go in the Ultra Hawk 3! I'll go to my area in the Pointer with John Stewart! The local authorities of each area have been notified of the situation & have cleared the civilians, leaving your task unhindered! They'll have their hands full with the chore of keeping them at bay, so you will receive no backup: it shall be all up to us to ensure Earth's survival! Are there any questions?"

None was forthcoming, so Chief Yamaoka finished.

"Then there's nothing left to discuss! Head out to your assigned areas! Good luck to you all, & God bless!"

"Yes sir!", came the chorus of each member of both the Ultra Garrison and Green Lantern Corps.

As they each board their assigned vehicles, Furuhashi paused briefly to look at the massive form of the Lantern Corps' drill instructor.

"Hey, Kilowog – maybe you ought to follow me with your ring!", the strongman of the Garrison says with a pinch of sarcasm. "I doubt there'd be room in the Ultra Hawk with your immense size!"

Kilowog chuckles & pats Furuhashi on the back.

"No worries, Furuhashi", he says. "I never cared much for flying around in ships anyway. My ring always does the flying for me!"

The Ultra Garrison member laughs at the irony of it.

"I guess it would be better for a Green Lantern to fly by his/her ring than in a craft!", he joked. "Maybe one day you can let me try one of those rings, eh?"

Kilowog just smiled a toothy grin.

"The ring's a much heavier burden than you might think, Furuhashi!", he stated, half-joking.

Furuhashi frowned like a child being told he wouldn't be heading to the amusement park. The others all let out a laugh before Furuhashi did so himself.

"You're right, Kilowog – maybe I should leave the rings to the professionals! I'll see you over at the Chichibu area!", Furuhashi said before getting on board with Amagi, Dan, Arisia & Hal in the Ultra Hawk 1, the door closing.

Once everyone got to their aircrafts, the platform began ascending to the surface as one by one, they take off to where they've been assigned as the Ultra Hawk 1 splits into its three separate crafts, taking their pairs of teammates as the other Ultra Hawks do so themselves.

With a command to his ring to take him to the area of Chichibu, Kilowog flies off.

Only Kiriyama & John Stewart were left.

"The others are all en route, so let's get moving ourselves, Green Lantern John Stewart", Kiriyama says.

"Yes. I think I'll let you drive, Commander, since this is your backyard", the black man says, getting a grin from the Commander as John does the same before entering the Pointer & heading down a special secret road that will take them topside. A pang of worry struck John as he & Kiriyama head off in the Pointer to Tomioka: a flash of the incident at Xanshi, the planet he accidentally caused with his ring, crept in his mind. The lone survivor of that extinct planet – a female martial artist Yrra Cynril, better known as Fatality – learned of Stewart's involvement & vowed to exterminate him for his treachery, having clashed on several occasions.

At least Kiriyama & the Ultra Garrison doesn't know about what happened at Xanshi, John thought, wondering if they'd still trust him should they learn he was responsible for the destruction of an entire world & all its inhabitants.

It was a guilt that Stewart could probably never seem to extinguish himself from; the destruction of Xanshi was his burden to bear alone, & he swore to do everything in his power to spare Earth a similar fate.

They rode off in silence, even in their own minds as they concentrated on saving the world.

It was all they need to be thinking of at the moment.

CHAPTER VI

Tomioka district:

Going down the fastest route possible with very little to no traffic, Ultra Garrison Commander Karou Kiriyama & Green Lantern John Stewart arrive at their destination in just a little over an hour. Even before they got there, they were able to see the repeller unit in plain sight: it was the size of an average apartment complex but dome-shaped & rounded with a radius of 35 meters & a height of 50 meters. What looks like a cannon or telescope atop the unit was aimed directly towards the heavens, poised & ready to fulfil the purpose it was made for. He radioed in to the other Garrison members that they've reached their objective, with his team doing the same.

John Stewart & Kiriyama exited the vehicle but stayed within close proximity of it, the latter saying it contains several weapons in its arsenal which can come in handy if & when any enemies show up – an inevitability that both men knew was only a matter of time.

From behind one of the few buildings emerged a lone figure wearing mirrored sunglasses & a red suit like he was attending a business meeting. When Kiriyama asked what the man was doing in an off-limits area, the man removed his shades to reveal the other wanted felon the Ultra Garrison was looking for.

"Goro!", Kiriyama said, aiming his gun at the fugitive.

"This is the other saboteur of the Ultra Phoenix Hal Jordan was piloting?", John Stewart asked, his ring raised.

"The very same, John Stewart!", Kiriyama said, keeping his gaze on his suspect. "Goro, I place you under arrest for deliberate sabotage of property belonging to the Terrestrial Defense Force!"

Not waiting for a reply, John Stewart constructed a pair of handcuffs with his ring that close in on Goro's wrists, his hands placed in front of him. The captured suspect stared at his bound wrists like cuffs are something new to him, & he lets out a laugh to mock his captors.

"You think you can take me in like I'm a wanted criminal, Commander Kiriyama, Green Lantern John Stewart?", said Goro. "Neither of you have any idea of what's directly in front of you! Observe!"

Goro's head started to glow a silvery tint before it swelled like a balloon & rose like one, abandoning the rest of his body like a literal cheap suit that dropped to the ground. The large head resembled that of a metal silver brain, with a trio of brown tentacles that ended in silver dagger-like points. It looked like a floating octopus, & its face sported a pair of google eyes & puffy pink lips for a mouth.

John Stewart recognized this creature.

"Alien Chibull!", he said. This alien was once responsible for nearly turning children's toys into deadly weapons, & being in control of the kids themselves to prevent authorities from opening fire upon minors once the transformation was complete. Had it not been for Ultra Seven, it might've been a bloodbath.

Now he's returned, & Alien Chibull fires a pair of silver beams at the two from his oversized brain of a head. The African-American Green Lantern immediately put up a shield to block these blasts, but Chibull has another surprise in store: ceasing his beams, the brain alien spreads his tentacles out & began spinning like the propeller of an old World War II plane & becoming just as deadly as he charges straight for the men with intent to slice & dice. John Stewart extends his shield into a protective dome just as Chibull makes contact, striking the dome & causing sparks to fly. He moves around the dome so fast, he's almost like a hummingbird going from flower to flower, collecting nectar from each one.

But John forms an idea in his head, & he shares it with Kiriyama.

"Commander, when I give the word, you dive for cover while I encase Alien Chibull in a bubble!", he stated.

"What will you do with him once you ensnare him?", the Commander asked.

"I'll interrogate & get whatever new info I can from him about the asteroid!", John said. "If we're lucky, he'll give us a weak point in its defenses before we…"

"He'll do no such thing, Green Lantern John Stewart!", said a voice that sounded like it was high on helium, but was more sinister than comical. Stewart & Kiriyama turned to where they heard the voice & saw a large something that seemingly materialized out of thin air: a creature with a 40-meter height appeared 140 yards from the repeller unit, its form in a combo of a crimson shrimp & cobra. A pair of yellow eyes adorned its front, & a small mouth rested beneath a half-dozen feelers, with another smaller pair jutting right over its eyes. Accompanying its shrimp-like tail were two pairs of insect-like legs that helped it to stay erect.

This is the creature that once took possession of Dr. Yushima in order to blind the Ultra Garrison's radar system & attack Earth with little to no detection – a plot all but foiled by Ultra Seven.

"Alien Vira!", Stewart said, saying his name like it was poison through clenched teeth.

"Correct!", said Vira. "Neither these repeller units, the Ultra Garrison nor your Green Lantern Corps will stop the inevitable when this asteroid approaches your planet!"

Don't bet on that, Alien Vira!, John thought.

"John Stewart! I'll take on Alien Chibull & keep him distracted while you attend to Alien Vira!", Kiriyama said.

"Are you sure about this, Commander?", Stewart asked. "I don't like leaving you by yourself!"

"I'm positive! We need to protect those units at all costs! Please don't worry about me!"

John eyed Kiriyama in the eye briefly, & saw nothing but determination in them. The African-American Green Lantern nodded, placing his complete confidence & trust in the Japanese man.

"Then get ready to attack when I disperse my dome in 3…2…1…now!", Stewart says, disbanding his dome but striking Alien Chibull on another attempt with a beam of emerald energy that knocks him down to the ground, giving Kiriyama a chance to move in on the downed creature as John Stewart flies off after Alien Vira.

The battle for supremacy of Earth has officially begun!

Lake Chuzenji, Matsugasaki:

Ultra Garrison member Soga & Green Lantern Arisia touch down in the Ultra Hawk 2, doing so near the repeller unit that surfaced 100 yards from the lake. Since their arrival, they've not heard nor seen a sign of any other person or animal in the immediate vicinity. Only the soft chirping of a few birds broke the eerie silence that surrounded the area, & while it was normal in a sense, it made both figures edgy.

Then again, they had good reason to be.

Keeping their focus on their mission, they brushed it off, knowing it comes with the job.

Still, they couldn't escape or deny the beauty of their surroundings.

"What a marvelous patch of scenery your planet possesses, Soga", Arisia says, eyeing the landscape. "Are there many places that are this picture-perfect on your world?"

"You could say that, Arisia", Soga replied. "Every country on Earth has an area of land that allows for nature to take its course, undisturbed by man for thousands/millions of years. There are even groups of environmentalists who do anything to preserve these areas so they can remain just as beautiful as you see them now."

"Of course, that's not to say that humans still don't hunt or fish in forests & lakes like this one, am I right?"

Soga looked stunned by Arisia's apparent knowledge of Earth customs. The young Green Lantern female let out a slight giggle in a little tease to the Japanese man.

"Guilty as charged, Arisia", he said with a smile. "But most of us are careful about how many we hunt down for sustenance like food, clothing & the like. We don't go around doing so for fun, even though we do have our share of poachers that kill simply for the high value certain animals can bring. That's why we have game wardens to watch out for those who do."

"Simple human nature, yes?", she asked, getting a nod from Soga.

"Exactly", he says. "Our species actually started out as animals, & savage ones at that. But even as we evolved into the superior race we are today, we still fight wars & such, like we Japanese have in the past. And when we went to war, we behaved as savagely as our ancestors from prehistoric times."

Now it was Arisia's turn to be stunned.

"You Japanese were once war-mongers? I find that pretty hard to believe, Soga", she stated.

"A good many people will feel that same way you do, Arisia", Soga said. "But after the end of the Second World War in which our country was involved in, we Japanese were transformed into the hospitable race we are today."

Arisia smiled at Soga's good nature & honesty, freely admitting the sordid past of his country to an alien girl who trained under her father Fentara – a Green Lantern himself – to be a warrior until he was killed by Sinestro, taking the mantle of her father.

But Arisia has learned a lot of other world's histories from the Book of Oa & her fellow Green Lanterns, most of which had races which were as barbaric as Earth's own.

If other planet's races can change their nature for the better, then Earth's hardly an exception, Arisia thought as she came up to Soga in a rather seductive manner. The Ultra Garrison member stood speechless as the young Green Lantern from Graxos IV places a hand under his chin & looks him in the eye, giving him the shakes.

"I would love to hear more about your planet's history, Soga", she says in an adult tease. "I'll bet it'd sound most interesting coming from you."

"A-Arisia", Soga started saying once he found his voice. "We are on duty, don't forget! Besides…aren't you a bit young to be searching for that kind of fun?"

The young alien girl laughed playfully for a moment before explaining to her human partner.

"Relax, Soga – I was only teasing", she says. "And as for being 'a bit young' as you say, I'll have you know that I'm actually over 200 years your senior of your planet's time."

This piece of information made Soga emit a shocking sound from his mouth as eyes open wide & in danger of popping out of his head. The scenario made Arisia laugh out loud again.

"You…you're over 200 years old?!", Soga asks, pointing a finger at his alien partner. "How can that even be?!"

"Because her Graxonite physiology helps her to age more slowly than you humans do", said a new female voice from behind Soga. Both he & Arisia face a pair off approaching young females who look to be in their early 20s. They each wear their long hair in the same fashion, & even their red dresses were identical. Both seem more like models than the outdoors types, or maybe even twin siblings.

Whatever the case, they're both out of place & should not be present.

But the mentioning of Arisia's physiology made her & Soga curious & cautious, so they take it in stride.

"What are you girls doing out here?", Soga said in a no-nonsense tone, his hand over the gun in his holster. "Don't you realize this area is off-limits to civilians? Explain yourselves!"

The girls look at each other before the first commenced.

"We're sorry, mister", she says in an innocent tone & flashing her smile. "We were out on a nature hike when we got incredibly lost. Neither of us knew there was a curfew out, so you really can't blame us for trespassing, can you?"

"Maybe not, but perhaps we will hold you accountable for what you know about my homeworld physiology!", Arisia said, aiming her ring at the pair, her own tone just as serious as her partner's. "You seem to know a lot more than what you're letting us in on! Now…what's say you tell us who you girls really are, eh?"

The twins give each other a look before they spring into action against Soga & Arisia, moving with the elegance & grace of expert acrobats, delivering swift kicks & judo/karate chops that would be damaging on their enemies, had it not been for Soga & Arisia's own impressive reflexes. Arisia tried using her ring, but her opponent kept her in check as she dodged & weaved every foot & hand that came at her. Finally, Arisia gets an opening when her foe tries a judo chop to her neck which Arisia catches before delivering a right foot to her solar plexus, the blow sending her sailing at a distance of twenty feet before Arisia captures her in a bind that held her firm with her arms pinned to her sides.

Her partner's distress caught the other girl off-guard, & Soga used the distraction to get her into a firm chokehold with two powerful arms. No matter how hard the girl fought & thrashed around, Soga held her tightly.

"Now…you ready to answer my partner's question?!", Soga demanded. "Who the hell are you girls?!"

After another futile attempt to break free of Soga's grip, the captive girl started shouting out to the lake.

"Eleking! Eleking! Help us, please! Eleking!"

As if in answer to her pleas, the water in the lake at a 200-yard distance began to churn before a large animalistic head resembling that of a cross between a tadpole & a dinosaur burst through the surface. Where eyes should normally be are a pair of black twirling mini-fins on stalks, & a pair of arms jutted from its upper body. The hands were shaped like mittens with a thumb, but the tip of each looked like they were sliced off, revealing three holes. Its mouth was filled with sharp teeth that seemed like it was zippered shut & unable to open, & a long whip-like tail splashed in the water that appeared to be nearly twice the length of its body.

This creature in ivory-yellow with black patches measured 53 meters in height, & many times more in length due to its tail.

Soga & Arisia recognize the name and its physical appearance, having encountered it previously.

"Eleking?!", Arisia says, facing her captive prisoner. "Then that means you two girls are…"

"That's right!", her captive says with a wicked grin before unleashing electric beams from her eyes that struck the young Green Lantern in the chest, causing her to lose control of her construct & freeing her prisoner. Soga called to her & receives a slight shock that forces him to release his hold on the girl's partner, who runs & gets reunited with her companion. Soga & Arisia watch as the girls place their hands over their heads & bring them down over their faces to reveal the hidden, ugly truth: a pair of creatures in black, gray & green with yellow oval eyes that were positioned in a vertical way on either side, giving them the look of an insect of sorts. Their mouths were rounded & filled with sharp teeth like a sea lamprey's, & no nose was visible anywhere.

"Alien Pitt!", Arisia says, recalling the race that wished to take Earth for itself because of its beauty.

Eleking's screech made Arisia turn her attention back to the Alien Pitt's guardian, & she surrounds herself with a protective green aura from her ring.

"Soga! Deal with these two alien bitches while I do so with their giant pet!", she says, already taking off to face Eleking, who was wading through the water of the lake & making a beeline for the repeller unit.

Good luck to you, Arisia!, Soga thought as the Pitt siblings charge as one after their quarry.

The Ultra Garrison member fires his gun.

Ibaraki district:

Amagi & Tomar-Re arrived in the Ultra Hawk 1's Beta ship, scanning the area for any sign of enemies, be they alien and/or monster. The bird-man Lantern from Xudar reserves his ring's power, saving it for actual combat which he knew was inevitable. Amagi flew around for several minutes &, finding nothing out of the ordinary, decided to land but stay close to the ship and the repeller unit that emerged from beneath.

Keeping their senses on high alert, Amagi used the time to make chit-chat with his alien comrade.

"So…you were a scientist back on your planet before you were recruited on Oa, Tomar-Re?", Amagi asked.

"Yes, Amagi of Earth", he replied. "I was recruited by the Guardians to take the mantle of a Green Lantern. As you can see, I accepted their offer & have never regretted my decision. It was a very happy time in my life, but one of my first assignments was anything but: in my rookie year, I was ordered to save the inhabitants of the planet known as Krypton in space sector 2813, but could do nothing to prevent the planet's destruction, much less rescue a single soul from that doomed world. It was a burden that still carries a heavy weight upon me even now."

Tomar-Re hung his head slightly at the memory, making his claim as clear as day.

Amagi knows how he feels, & he lets his partner in on a little secret.

"I suffered a similar tragedy myself, Tomar-Re", he began as the bird-man looked to him. "It's something I told my colleague Dan at one time: during my years in elementary school, a small firecracker went off where I grew up at & killed all the people in the vicinity of the explosion. The body parts that were everywhere scarred me since that day, thus giving me a fear of explosives. During the invasion of the Alien Kill race, the Commander helped me conquer my fear & we were able to put an end to their plans of conquest."

Tomar-Re absorbed every word of Amagi's story, & felt a strong kinship with the man: despite the tragedy with Krypton, the bird-faced Green Lantern continued serving the Corps with utmost determination & dedication, forming a strong friendship with Hal Jordan, Kilowog & many others.

Amagi's conquered fear of explosives gave him a firm reminder of getting over one's personal tragedy & going forward.

"We may be more similar to each other than even we realize, Amagi", he said. "I understand you're the Ultra Garrison's technician & strategist?"

"Yes", he said proudly. "My quick thinking in dangerous situations has helped my team defeat even the toughest of enemies that try to conquer the Earth. It's become just as invaluable in combat as the fighting itself."

"Correct."

Both earthman & alien birdman share a smile with one another until Amagi started trembling.

"What's wrong, Amagi?", Tomar-Re asks.

"The weather…it's starting to get cold around here", he says as his arms hug his body for warmth. "I don't get it: we aren't supposed to have a cold day at this time of year!"

The frigidity hit Tomar-Re, & he puts up his emerald barrier while placing Amagi in a construct of a warm parka suit complete with gloves & hood, covering everything & exposing only his face. Amagi was warmed up instantly, & he nods his appreciation to Tomar-Re.

"Thank you, Tomar-Re!", he says as the winds pick up with heavy snowfall. "I feel this sudden snowstorm is an unnatural occurrence!"

"I agree, Amagi!", the bird Lantern said, scanning with his ring. "This snowfall has a radius that covers the area of your Ibaraki district, but extending no further! I do believe this abrupt change in temperature is meant to both blind & hinder us in an attack, meaning the enemy has arrived! Stay sharp!"

Amagi nodded as the snowstorm worsened, becoming a full-fledged blizzard. Nearly a minute later, the sound of a tremor followed by an explosion from beneath the ground commenced & was proceeded by a pair of inhuman noises which echoed throughout the blowing snow. Both Tomar-Re & Amagi have recognized these sounds, having heard them previously as belonging to creatures once fought & defeated by Ultra Seven. One was a low guttural growl while the other one was much more high-pitched, sounding something like a tropical bird call. When Tomar clears the snow a bit with his ring, he & Amagi see the gigantic silhouettes of two monsters similar in nature but different in appearance: the first stood 45 meters tall, & had a body shaped like an upside-down arrowhead, the tip leading down in the form of two legs with a pair of three-toed feet. A pair of arms jutted out from the chest instead of on the sides, & the head was similar to that of a snail's but with a mouth full of sharp teeth. Its eyes were on a pair of long stalks at the top, & from behind a pair of short tails hung down which dangled in the frigid breeze. The second monster measured a length of 65 meters, sporting a bulky body, long tail & neck. It resembled something of a Brontosaurus, but seemingly only had a pair of front legs that were in a kneeling position, wheras the rear legs looked to be non-existent. Two pairs of crimson curved tusks that were un-pointed jutted out from the sides of its sharp-toothed mouth, with another being on top of & behind its head. While the other creature's flesh was a light gray, this beast's gray was a much darker hue, & a plethora of red dorsal plates stuck out from its back.

In a previous fight, they were each beheaded by Ultra Seven's most potent & useful weapon, the Eye Slugger.

But now they've somehow returned, & Tomar-Re & Amagi need to face them alone.

Gandar of the Alien Poll race, & Giradoras of the Alien Shaplay race!, Tomar-Re thought.

"Amagi! Head back inside your ship & remain within!", Tomar-Re ordered. "In this cold, I doubt it'll fly but my parka construct will keep you warm as long as my ring stays active! It's also tuned in to your radio's frequency, so if you have any advice or suggestions, contact me immediately!"

"Understood! Good luck, Tomar-Re!", Amagi said as he raced back to the Beta ship, straining his eyes through the snow that blows like a gigantic lion. In the next minute or two, he finds the entrance & climbs inside, shutting the door to keep the elements out. When he gets to the window, he sees Tomar-Re in a haze as he rushes off to face Gandar & Giradoras in combat.

Both creatures catch sight of the approaching Green Lantern, & roar in acceptance.

The artificial winter blows harder.

Tomar-Re fires his first shot of emerald energy.

Fujiyoshida district, near Mt. Fuji:

With Katma Tui in the passenger seat, Anne Yuri spotted the repeller unit & landed 30 meters from it. The ladies use their spare time to get to know each other better, being regular women at the moment.

As they chatted like two ladies out on the town, a piece of info Katma shares with Anne was something she never would've suspected if she lived to be 100.

"No way!", Anne exclaims with a look of shock on her face, bringing a smile to the Korugarian female. "You & Green Lantern John Stewart are actually married?!"

"That's right, Anne!", Katma Tui said in a playful tease. "Being on several missions together, I was attracted to John Stewart's thoughtfulness & determination – always doing what's right & necessary to get the job done, & putting others first before himself. They were a combination that I found simply irresistible, & our romance eventually ended in us becoming husband & wife."

"Incredible! I've heard of interracial romances, but I have to say that this one takes the cake! Did John Stewart fall for you right away, or did he take his time?"

"He was rather reluctant at first, I admit: his sense of duty always came first before anything else, but he found that he couldn't resist my 'feminine charm', & that's how we came to be. Just like myself, he doesn't regret tying the knot with me."

"I find it amazing that the Green Lantern Corps would even allow for something like marriage in their society."

"It isn't the first time something of this sort has happened in our ranks, Anne: another example was with Green Lantern KT21. She was pregnant with her son whom she named BJ while she was inducted, & performed her duties as both a Green Lantern and a single mother exceptionally well."

"Ah, now I see what you mean, Katma. It's no different from police officers or someone in the branches of our Armed Forces tying the knot with that special someone. Anyone can find true happiness with their significant other, no matter what one's occupation may be." Anne pulls herself closer to Katma Tui, who does the same. "I'll let you in on a little secret, Katma: while he may not know it yet, I believe my team member Dan Moroboshi has feelings for me, but is adamant at keeping them to himself. He can't fool me, however."

The girls giggle with each other at Anne's exposed truth.

So…even a member of Nebula M78 isn't immune to Cupid's Arrow, as John Stewart once explained to me, Katma Tui thought.

"Remember, Katma Tui – you didn't hear this confession from me", Anne says playfully.

"I'll take it to my grave, Anne Yuri", Katma said with a wink & a toothy smile, making her partner do the same as they share another giggle. Their fun time was interrupted by a warning buzz from Katma's ring, & the girls become business once again.

"What is it, Katma?", Anne wondered.

"My ring has just detected the presence of an intruder in close proximity, Anne", she said. "Ring: locate enemy."

"Intruder sensed at 1000 meters, bearing northeast from present location", the ring announced.

Both ladies look through the cockpit of the Ultra Hawk 3 to where Katma's ring calculated their foe was at. At first glance, all they could see was a large mound of rocks & dirt that formed a hill. They stare at it for several moments until they catch movement of rocks which become loose & slide down the side. More & more rocks get loose from their place & create a miniature avalanche before a large hole gets revealed. Placed within was a sight that seemed out of time – the head of a meat-eating dinosaur!

And not just a dinosaur: the thing emerged out of its hiding place, its whole bottom consisting of not legs, but of a huge set of tank treads that carry the upper part of the dinosaur that measured 60 meters from nose to tail tip. A pair of forearms with clawed four-fingered hands grabbed the front, accompanied by a trio of horizontal guns underneath its head & thick neck. Where rear legs should be were electronic attachments that connected the tank treads to the monster resting above, & a thick tail swung back & forth as if expecting to buffet an opponent. A boisterous, menacing roar was heard even from inside the Ultra Hawk 3's cockpit as it made its way towards the repeller unit.

It can't be!, Anne Yuri thought, feeling like the past was literally alive again in more ways than one.

"I recognize that creature, Katma Tui!", Anne said. "We've faced it once before!"

"We're familiar with it as well, Anne!", Katma said. "That's the Dinosaur Tank – the specially-designed weapon of the Alien Kill race! Even though it lacks the ability to fly, it's still a very formidable enemy, & not one to be taken lightly! Anne, get your ship airborne while I do the same from outside!"

"Got it, Katma!", Anne said as her alien partner made for the door but gets stopped briefly. "Keep your ring open to my radio! I have an idea that just might work & save us a lot of trouble!"

"I'd love to hear it, Anne! Explain it to me as I try & cut it off!"

Anne nodded as Katma Tui opened the door to the Ultra Hawk 3 & flew out, closing it before taking off.

Getting on her radio, Anne relays her plan to Katma as she takes to the air.

The Chichibu district:

Like Furuhashi told his giant Green Lantern partner, he met Kilowog at his destination, arriving not too long after the Oan drill instructor did. Landing the Ultra Hawk 1's Gamma craft, he stood side-by-side with the hulking figure. The Ultra Garrison member could hardly believe just how well-built he is: every part of Kilowog was fit with muscle, even on each of his four fingers. Furuhashi couldn't help but feel a tad jealous of the sole survivor of Bolovax Vix of space sector 674, despite his own reputation of being the strongest member of the Ultra Garrison.

Oddly enough, he also felt good about being in his presence. And safer too.

Furuhashi decided it couldn't hurt to 'chew the fat' with the drill instructor, so he stirs up conversation.

"So, you & this Ke'Haan fellow…you train rookies on that planet you Green Lanterns gather at to obtain your rings?", he asks.

"That's right, Furuhashi", Kilowog said, staring down at him. "Once a rookie gets his 'badge', i.e. his/her ring, we put them through training that's dubbed 'Ringslinging 101'. Or as Ke'Haan & I like to call it…" Kilowog gets to eye level with Furuhashi. "'The worst day A' your worthless life'!"

Kilowog stared down the Ultra Garrison member with hard eyes, making him nervous before doing something he wouldn't expect…he laughs wholeheartedly. Furuhashi couldn't help but to join him as the drill instructor pats him on the back in good spirits.

"I suppose you & Ke'Haan really do put the rookies through hell on Oa during training session!", Furuhashi says with a grin. "It's not much different from what we go through at the Terrestrial Defense Forces or any other branch of the Armed Services here on Earth! I know I meant it as a joke before, but if I ever do become a Green Lantern, I want you & Ke'Haan to give me your worst! I'll bet you both I can pass with flying colors!"

"If you should ever receive one of these on your finger, Furuhashi…", Kilowog stated, showing the man his ring. "It's a date…and a deal!"

Kilowog & Furuhashi smile as the latter nods his understanding until movement from the corner of their eyes put both combatants on alert, & they turn to see a quartet of flying – or rather, floating – objects of a golden yellow color. Two were smaller than its companions, & they float to an 80-meter distance from the duo as they begin colliding into & assembling together, creating in mere seconds a gigantic 55-meter tall robot with three-fingered hands, rainbow-colored chestplate & rectangular flashing white light that seemingly acts as its eyes. A mechanical rhythm of a hum echoed the area, being heard all around the Chichibu area.

Furuhashi's heart raced, seeing this robot operational again after having blown it to pieces last time with a special chemical that was capable of penetrating its highly resilient Pedantic armor.

Kilowog himself knew all-too well of this robot, along with his place of origin.

"King Joe of the Alien Pedan race!", he growled with a scowl.

"Be careful, Kilowog!", Furuhashi warns, getting his gun. "This robot's so tough, it even gave Ultra Seven a hard time when he fought it!"

"Yeah well, this poozer hasn't faced me in battle yet!", Kilowog said, using his ring to construct a giant robotic version of himself that equaled King Joe's size, with him as its heart. "Furuhashi, be my backup & watch out for any hidden tricks this poozer might have up his mechanical sleeves!"

Kilowog's robot stood in par with King Joe, daring him to make the first move.

The Alien Pedan's robot does make a move, but in a most unexpected way: from at the bottom of his right leg, King Joe opens a port eight feet tall & 3-4 feet wide. Furuhashi aimed his gun at & fired towards the opening, but what blocks & deflects the blast was something he would never imagine possible: a trio of miniature King Joe robots each 2 meters tall emerges from this opening & make their way towards the Ultra Garrison member.

'Watch for any tricks up his mechanical sleeve', he says!, Furuhashi thought in a half-joking manner. Who'd ever figure it'd be something like this? All right…Kilowog wants me to be his backup! Let's see if I really have what it takes!

Like the miniature versions of King Joe head straight for Furuhashi, the real deal goes after Kilowog.

The ultimate test of strength was about to begin!

Kozawamata district in Chiba:

Dan & Hal touched down in the Ultra Hawk 1's Alpha ship, landing only 10-15 meters from the repeller unit that surfaced there. Unlike the other members of the Ultra Garrison or Green Lanterns, neither man shared a conversation as they concentrated solely on their main objective. The other reason is they basically have nothing further to share with one another, having revealed all there was to know.

Everything they were willing to share, that was.

All was quiet until they heard a cry for help that put both men on alert.

It sounded female, & strangest of all, it sounded familiar – to Hal.

It can't be!, he thought, unwilling to accept the fact of her possible presence here in Japan.

To Hal's dismay, it was: a woman 5-foot, 7 inches tall with jet black hair wearing a blue dress & matching shoes emerged from a grove of trees & headed for the men.

"Carol?!", Hal said.

"Miss Ferris?!", Dan said. "What's she doing in Japan?!"

"Dan's right, Carol!", Hal said, taking her by the shoulders. "Why are you here? You're not asking me to come back home, are you? I can't do that just yet! We're in the midst of a grave crisis – one that could spell doom to the planet unless we act fast & stop it! In order to do that, we need all available hands on deck – including mine!"

"I know that, Hal", Carol said. "I see you've become a part of the Earth's Ultra Garrison now, so you don't need to come back to Ferris Air anymore. But I want you to know that if the Earth is on its last legs even with your power as a Green Lantern, then I wish to spend those last moments with you. Surely that isn't too much to ask for, is it?"

Hal was touched by her generosity & compassion, & he smiles in the same manner.

"It's all right, Carol", he says warmly. "If by chance we don't prevent Earth's destruction, then at least I get to see you one more time before…"

Something stopped Hal in mid-sentence, & his thoughts echo Dan's own.

How did Carol Ferris know that Hal Jordan's a Green Lantern?! Of what Hal told me, he's never revealed his identity to her!

"What's wrong, Hal?", asked Carol as Hal held her firmer.

"What did you call me just now?", he demanded. "How do you know that I'm one of…"

Dan used his X-Ray vision to see past the deception, & he called out to his partner.

"Hal! Get away from her! That's not Carol Ferris!"

The bold pilot's eyes widen at Dan's revelation as Carol gets free from his grip & shoves him with incredible strength that sends him sprawling back sixteen feet as Hal lands on his rear. Dan calls his name & runs to his side just as Carol began laughing like a lunatic. Hal was confused further until 'Carol' started glowing a glittering shade before she morphed into a being of red, black, white & silver with crab-like claws for hands. Its face was nothing more than a pair of yellow eyes at the top of an elongated thick neck, with a flashing green-yellow light underneath.

"Alien Godora!", Hal & Dan snarled as the former rose to his feet to face one of the many aliens that once tried destroying the Ultra Garrison base with a powerful bomb after having kidnapped several members of the UG, along with Commander Takenaka.

"That's right, Green Lantern, Ultra Seven!", Godora laughs as Hal raises his ring while Dan grabs his Ultra Eye.

"You alien bastard! How dare you go & impersonate…", Hal growled as his ring lit up.

"Wait!", Godora demanded, halting both men in their transformation progress. "Before either one of you does anything brash, there's something you ought to know, particularly you, Hal Jordan: I have the real Carol Ferris trapped in a capsule at her home near Coast City! With but a word from me, I can have it fill with a deadly toxin that will eat her alive from within, inducing a slow & agonizing death as her insides burn, screaming in agony like nothing she's felt previously! I alone have the power to keep her alive even after the asteroid hits Earth, while everyone else on the planet dies! So what will it be, Green Lantern Hal Jordan? Will you save your precious Carol Ferris as we execute genocide on a global scale, or forfeit her life as you & Ultra Seven foolishly try & stop the inevitable?"

Alien Godora's words made Hal pause in thought: would he comply with the alien's orders & rescue the woman he's known since his rough childhood? Or would he sacrifice her life to save the billions that now face extinction?

It was like he was stuck in a pool of thick molasses & couldn't wade his way through.

"Hal! Don't listen to or give in to him! You know what you have to do if…!", Dan started to say until he was hit by Godora's energy rings from his right claw, getting knocked back five feet as the Ultra Eye goes flying.

"Stay out of this, Ultra Seven!", Godora barked. "This is a decision only Hal Jordan can make! Well…have you made your choice, Green Lantern?! Does Carol Ferris live or die?! What do you think she would want you to do?!"

Taking a good look at Dan Moroboshi as he nods to him, Hal Jordan nods back & faces Alien Godora with his final answer.

"Alien Godora", he began to say. "Carol Ferris would want me…to do what I must to save Earth!"

As Hal shouted, his ring fired a beam of emerald energy that struck Godora in the chest & knocked him back to a distance of twenty feet. He converts into his Green Lantern outfit as Dan retrieves his Ultra Eye & places it over his eyes, transforming into Ultra Seven. Both heroes stand poised to do battle with Alien Godora, who gets back on his feet & sees red in his yellow eyes.

"Alien Metron was right: you both are quite stubborn & unreasonable!", the alien says. "Very well then! Since you chose to fight & defy us, we'll make sure you die just as slow & painful as Carol Ferris will! Remember this, Hal Jordan: her death is on your hands!"

"Then I'll make sure it's fully avenged – with extreme prejudice!", Green Lantern snapped angrily.

Please forgive me, Carol!, Hal thought as he & Ultra Seven charge at Godora.

Neither hero held anything back.

Tomioka district:

Commander Kiriyama had more than a few close calls from Alien Chibull's attacks from his spinning tentacles & trio of electric beams he fires from the middle of his metal cranium. Kiriyama fires his gun at the alien, but his speed & nimble moves keep him off-balance & constantly missing. The UG commander had to also avoid getting caught & crushed by the alien's appendages, nearly falling victim to such a maneuver three times earlier. Now he understood as to the reason for impersonating maintenance personnel Toshi & Goro: neither of them had prior arrest records, & were model employees, dedicated to their work. Aliens Prote & Chibull used their identities to gain access to their new craft & sabotage it, putting the blame on both good Samaritans of human beings.

Kiriyama feared that the real Toshi & Goro have been killed once their usefulness had ended, their bodies hidden or worse, vaporized to ashes.

Green Lantern & Ultra Seven already made Alien Prote pay for his crime, & Kiriyama vows to do so with Alien Chibull, no matter what.

But so far, his luck was not in his favor.

John Stewart wasn't faring any better against Alien Vira: the shrimp-like beast out-maneuvered Stewart at every turn, matching him move for move & counterattacking with his beam which John was barely able to deflect with his shield construct. When he tried shooting Vira in the face directly, the alien creature spewed forth a cloud of yellow mist that actually disintegrated the emerald energy like a fan blowing away smoke. John Stewart tried constructs of swords, spears, hooks & even a giant bazooka that fired a powerful shell, but they all met the same fate by Vira's mist. Stewart dodged a pair of eye lasers that nearly nicked him in the side before retaliating with a scythe construct, swinging it at his snake-like foe. Alien Vira avoided evisceration by briefly levitating in the air as the weapon missed slicing him in half like Ultra Seven once did with his Eye Slugger. While airborne, Vira spewed more of his yellow mist down on the African-American's scythe & dissolved it. John Stewart flew to avoid getting crushed by the alien's finned tail as he came back down to earth before constructing a spiked mace on a chain to strike while he could.

In a move that belied his great size, Alien Vira spun towards the giant mace & sprayed his mist, turning the weapon into useless emerald particles, surprising Stewart.

"No matter how many constructed weapons you make & throw at me, Green Lantern John Stewart, they are no match for my yellow toxic mist which can dissolve even the protective aura that surrounds your very being!", Vira said with malevolence. "When it makes contact with your flesh, you will be introduced to a new definition of the phrase 'excrutiating pain'!"

John didn't doubt him: Vira's mist can dissolve his constructs with ease.

He'd hate to think of what it'd do with human flesh.

All the more reason to keep away from it, but it needs to be put out of commission if John Stewart is to have any chance of defeating Alien Vira & keeping the repeller unit safe for performing its world-saving duty.

Wait…there is something that I can try!, Stewart thought, firing a green beam as he dives towards the ground & staying one foot above it. Vira disintegrates John's beam & follows after the African-American Green Lantern with his energy beam, firing single shots as John flies in a circular pattern & doing a full 360 degrees before facing his alien foe face-to-face once more.

"You cannot dodge my blasts or toxic mist forever, John Stewart!", Alien Vira says. "Sooner or later, you will be brought down before I proceed to the repeller unit & destroy it!"

Not on my watch, you're not, Alien Vira!, Stewart thought.

"Windam…come forth!", he says orally. From behind Alien Vira, a 40-meter tall humanoid robot with the face of a bird complete with beak, black dots for eyes & tall pointed fin on top materializes. John Stewart was one of three Green Lanterns to receive Dan Moroboshi's Capsule Monsters, handing them to each of his chosen trio before joining up with the Ultra Garrison & heading to their assigned areas. Dan had modified them to listen & obey these temporary masters as they would to him.

When John Stewart made his circular pass around Alien Vira, he dropped Windam's capsule deliberately & now he activates him at the right time.

Although not very bright, Windam is most loyal – and fierce when he needs to be.

"What the…?!", Alien Vira says as Windam lets out a loud metallic roar & grabs the creature from behind in a strong bear hug. Like a fish caught on a hook, Vira squirms & wriggles fiercely to get free, but Windam's strength is all but solid. Keeping a firm hold on his prey, Windam reaches around Alien Vira's face with his right hand until he finds his tubular mouth & digs his fingers in until he gets a hold before yanking it out with a crunch. Only then does Windam release his hold on Alien Vira, who spits globs of pinkish fluid from where his mouth used to be.

Gotcha!, John Stewart says silently before firing his ring directly at the bleeding wound as Windam fires his own beam from his forehead, similar in function as Ultra Seven's Emerium Ray. The double the intensity & assault meant the quicker Alien Vira's body caught fire & burned like a gasoline-soaked tree. Windam roared in triumph, spreading his arms like he wanted to give the universe a great big hug.

John Stewart couldn't suppress a smirk, so he doesn't.

Alien Chibull nearly got Kiriyama caught in his writhing tentacles, but lost his prey when he fired his gun at the creature's underside, causing sparks to erupt & withdraw to a safe distance. When he saw from the corner of his eyes that Alien Vira was set ablaze, Chibull turned to watch his partner go up in a holocaust once his mouth was ripped from its place & beams from both Green Lantern John Stewart & Capsule Monster Windam, roasting him alive.

Even though the interlude was only a few seconds, it was more than enough for Kiriyama to act: running up to the metal-brained alien, he lands a hit with his left hand that got his enemy in sight again. Chibull launches a barrage of electric bolts at the retreating Kiriyama, who takes refuge behind an abandoned car & fires his gun. The beam strikes at one of his tentacles & blows it off, sending it flying in a whirl with its end still burning.

Kiriyama then held up a small remote in his free hand for Chibull to see: during the time he ran at the metal-brained alien, Kiriyama planted a small but powerful explosive disc in the back of his oversized head.

Bug in place, the UG commander spoke the last words Alien Chibull will ever hear.

"This is for the real Goro that you murdered!", Kiriyama said, pressing the button on his remote. Alien Chibull's entire head exploded like a metal balloon, sending pieces scattering in every direction. John Stewart saw what occurred, & nodded to his partner before turning to the giant bird-faced robot.

"Windam…return!", he said, holding out his left hand as said robot dematerialized & shrunk to his capsule form before John placed it inside the pocket of his Green Lantern suit.

He floats down to Kiriyama, relieved to see only a few scrapes & cuts on his person.

"John Stewart", he said. "I was worried that Alien Vira would've gotten you with that deadly mist of his."

"He came close, Commander, but I managed to stay one step ahead of him", said Stewart. "This makes one area secure for operation, & we should let the others know the good news about our success."

"Along with that, you & I shall remain to further safeguard the repeller unit just in case we get attacked again by any more enemies", Kiriyama said, getting a nod from John.

"My thoughts exactly. This is one time we really can't lower our guard, even for an instant."

Kiriyama nodded before getting on his wrist-com, getting in touch first with Amagi. John Stewart looks ahead as his thoughts & best wishes go to the other members of the Ultra Garrison & Green Lanterns currently fighting for the future of planet Earth.

With one Green Lantern, John became most concerned for above the others.

Be safe, Katma Tui, he said to himself. Anne Yuri, please be sure to watch her back.

A feeling of anxiety hit the pit of his stomach.

Lake Chuzenji, Matsugasaki:

Like opposing electric charges, Arisia & Eleking fought within the confines of the lake with as much savagery as a pair of jungle cats dueling over a kill made by the other. The young female Green Lantern scored several hits on the dinosaur-like creature with rapid shots & beams of green energy, but these seem to only make Eleking more furious & retaliated using his mouth beams that can fire either in rapid succession or straight laser. Arisia barely keeps herself ahead of the deadly volley aimed at her, the beams hitting the water & boiling where it touched. Eleking presses on with a new trick: the fin-like horns where his eyes should be twirl like propeller blades & launch a quartet of energy rings at the female Green Lantern, who puts up a shield to deflect the oncoming projectiles that strike her construct with sledgehammer force & almost dunking her below the water.

That's something new from him!, she thought as she kept herself level. No telling what else Eleking might come up with next, so I'd better be even more cautious when facing him!

Changing his tactics, Eleking whipped his long snake-like tail at Arisia, who catches sight of it & dives to one side & avoids getting crushed. Eleking whips his tail at her several more times, but had great difficulty because of her small size, like trying to hit a fly with a baseball bat. The tip of Eleking's tail almost came close to striking Arisia, but misses by less than an inch. When Eleking faces her again, Arisia stares him down & watches for anything else the Pitt Alien's pet dares to try.

It's your move, Eleking!, Arisia says to herself, scowling at her giant foe.

The next few moments had things happening in a simultaneous manner: Eleking shoots both his mouth & horn beams at Arisia, who dodge & weave frantically in mid-air to keep from getting hit. They distract her long enough for the holes in Eleking's left hand to shoot forth a trio of thin streams like striking snakes. As one, they wrap themselves around an unsuspecting Arisia, who was caught while avoiding Eleking's beams. Nearly wrapped up tighter than any mummy, Arisia struggled in her binds when Eleking sends a surge of electricity coursing through, the voltage stunning her everywhere, her muscles locking up & becoming stiff as her body gets wracked with pain.

Like a howling banshee, Arisia cries out in agony, unable to escape as Eleking screeches delightfully.

Fighting through the anguish, she concentrates fiercely on focusing her ring to operate as she strains to form a construct of a large straight shaving razor like the ones Hal Jordan once showed her during a brief visit to Earth. The electric ell-like creature notices the attempt to sever his lines & fires his mouth beam to destroy Arisia's construct-made weapon.

Eleking was a bit too late: in a fraction of a second later, Arisia's razor sliced through the monster's binds, thus cutting off the electric current as they unravel & fall loose to the water below. Eleking screeched in pain & disapproval, displaying it by firing both set of beams at the newly-freed Arisia, launching a volley of rapid-firing spikes of green at her large foe, the points piercing his flesh but doing no further harm.

They do, however, make Eleking mad.

The creature screeches angrier & thrashes his tail at Arisia, his moves more swiftly & wild.

Nimble as she is, Arisia knew she'll get clobbered sooner or later: she needs backup, & she needs it now.

Fortunately, she has backup in the form of a capsule – the second of three Green Lanterns to be lent one by Dan Moroboshi.

"Mikuras…come forth!", Arisia called out, putting some distance between herself & Eleking before throwing her borrowed Capsule Monster near the dinosaur-like monster. It materializes in the form of a 40-meter tall brown creature that was a mixture of a two-legged fish, frog & bull, complete with two pairs of ivory-yellow curved horns adorning its massive head, one set being longer than the other. A pink-lipped mouth with only three sharp teeth occupying the upper part & a pair of large round eyes made up its face, with a short stub of a tail sticking out in the rear. Its arms were powerful like those of a sumo wrestler, & hands of four fingers seemed eager to tear prey apart.

Mikuras takes notice of his surroundings & spots Eleking right away, a distant memory flooding within his mind as he clearly remembers the creature that once gave him a world of pain with its long snake-like tail, stunning him with a strong electric current.

The sight of the monster stirred a rage inside him, & Mikuras roars an angry gurgling sound, wanting nothing more than revenge on the monster that gave it such pain in their last encounter.

Charging like an actual bull that sees red, Mikuras rushes Eleking, who shoots his mouth & horn beams at the charging monster but doing no damage & hardly even slows him down. The force of Mikuras' charged momentum was more than enough to knock Eleking backwards as both combatants splash in the water, turning the lake into their own personal arena as thrashing & bashing commences.

Arisia floated in her spot & watched the two creatures go at it like pigs in mud.

Mikuras can help keep Eleking busy while I go & offer my assistance to Soga with those twin Alien Pitt bitches!, she thought, zooming over to where the Ultra Garrison member was currently engaged in combat with said aliens.

Since the brutal conflict began, Soga received more than his fair share of surprise attacks & cuts/bruises that they resulted in: the front of his uniform was slashed by the claws of the Alien Pitt sisters, which were sharper than any razors Soga has seen cut. Ignoring the burn of his wounds, he fought tooth & nail against the creatures, landing several hard punches & kicks while dodging electric beams from their yellow eyes & a new method of attack. From both their lamprey-like mouths, the Alien Pitt can spray a stream of a corroded acid-like substance that can melt even steel upon contact. Soga learned that when he saw his helmet dissolve from a lucky hit, having only seconds to remove it lest it ate its way into his skull.

He kept himself clear of this new & disgusting method his foes developed, avoiding it more than the electric volts from their eyes or claws that cut upon the slightest contact. Soga didn't receive his reputation for being quite a fierce fighter in combat for nothing: when he got his chance, he buffeted one of the Alien Pitt fiends with a fist that had jarred loose several teeth from its mouth, leaving it blind for a swift kick in the solar plexus. When its partner came to retaliate, Soga dodged the claws & body-flipped the other one on its back, ending it with a kick to its face & his gun aimed straight down, ready to either fry or blow its head off. He was struck in the back by the thing's partner before Soga could pull the trigger, sending him to land flat on his own face as the twin Alien Pitt stand over him, with Soga staring up at the death which was sure to drop down & claim his life.

A guardian angel by the name of Arisia came swooping in & snatched both Alien Pitt creature in a green clamp which pins them both in a tight pinch, giving no room to maneuver or even escape. She made sure that neither one can face Soga or herself & spit their corrosive gook from their mouths or use their eye beams.

"Soga, are you all right?", Arisia asks, seeing the wounds he sustained in battle.

"I've been better, Arisia!", Soga replied, rising up with only the slightest difficulty. "But I'm glad you arrived when you did! I probably wouldn't be standing here right now, were it not for your timely intervention!"

Arisia smiled at the compliment, & Soga followed suit before turning to the captured Alien Pitt twins.

"So…now that they've been caught, what shall we do with them?", he wondered. "We certainly can't put them in a cell anywhere, & I doubt they'll talk to us if we interrogated them, even if they were capable of speech when in their true forms!"

The sounds of Eleking & Mikuras' splashing & emitting their roars/screeches caught Soga & Arisia's attention as the former monster shot his foe with several blasts of his mouth beam to Mikuras' face, blinding him briefly. Eleking used this to further bruise his opponent by lashing his tail into Mikuras' midsection, knocking him away a good 50 meters before launching his horn beams at his downed enemy.

Arisia scowled at the Alien Pitt's pet creature, & a plan forms in her head.

"Stay here, Soga! I have an idea that just might enable me to get 'two birds with one stone', as you humans would say!", she says, flying towards Eleking with her two prisoners in tow. She makes a construct of a rifle with laser sighting & opens fire at Eleking with rapid shots that strike the monster on the left side of his head & neck. The beast turns & fires his mouth beam at the oncoming female Green Lantern.

It's precisely what Arisia was hoping for: as the beam rushed forth, she dived out of the way & placed her clamp holding her two captives in its path. The projectile made contact with the object, blowing it apart along with its Alien Pitt prisoners, their body parts scattered in unrecognizable pieces all over.

Even if the Alien Pitt could make a sound, they wouldn't have any time on account that death happened so fast.

Realizing the error he's made, Eleking screeched in sorrow & frustration as he shoots forth the electric streams from his right hand at Arisia. The Graxosian female was prepared this time: collecting all the streams with a metal claw construct, Arisia sends an electric voltage of her own from her ring that counteracts Eleking's & returns it back to the source. Combined with her power, the power feedback was too much for Eleking & the monster screeches his loudest in anguish as he's struck by two different currents. He tried prying his strands loose, but Arisia held them firmly, & the pain flowed throughout his body.

Let's see how you like being on the receiving end of a powerful electrical current, Eleking…two of them!, Arisia thought maliciously, enjoying some payback on her part.

In a last-ditch move to save himself, Eleking fired a single shot from his mouth that severed both his streams & the connection, ignoring the pain of losing his strands. He makes his way towards Arisia, only to get his tail grabbed from behind by a recuperated Mikuras as he pulls on the appendage, keeping Eleking at bay. No matter how hard the dinosaur-like creature pulls away, Mikuras' grip was solid & refused to budge. The bulky, ornery Capsule Monster ups his attack by firing a red beam from his mouth & strikes his opponent in the back, searing his flesh & turning it a sickly black wherever it touched. Eleking screeched from the pain & turned towards Mikuras, but the bull-like monster gave his foe a powerful 180 degree swing with his tail & sent him splashing into the lake. He followed it up with a crimson beam to his face, blowing off both rotating horns & crippling his sight. Being robbed of his eyesight drove Eleking into a frenzy, & he thrashed his tail everywhere, the unexpected force causing Mikuras to release it. Acting like it has a life of its own, Eleking's tail found & wrapped itself around Mikuras like a python & started emitting his electric discharge upon the unsuspecting Capsule Monster. As with his previous encounter, Mikuras was vulnerable to this attack, & he was unable to fight back, let alone get free.

Mikuras!, Arisia thought with despair, seeing her giant partner in mortal danger. Fortunately, she's a strategic planner & is able to keep her wits in even the most chaotic of times. She notices Eleking firing his mouth beam blind due to Mikuras' removing his horns that enable him to see, & that gave her an opening: constructing a thin blade half a dozen inches wide & ten meters long, Arisia curved it like a sword & flew in straight for Eleking, who could neither see nor hear her approach as the constant firing of his beam drowned out every other sound. Arisia swooped in & past Eleking with her green blade two meters behind his neck.

She moved so fast, she was almost like a green blur.

Once she made her pass, all was still & quiet, from Eleking's firing to the voltage his tail was stunning Mikuras with. Except for Arisia retracting her weapon, nothing else moved.

The eerie quiet lasted several more seconds before Eleking's head from the midst of his neck fell off like a tree cut from its base, making a splash into the lake as the top of the neck where the head was severed began gushing pink blood. Soon after, the headless body slumps into the water & disappears beneath it, sinking to the bottom.

Eleking is literally fish-food now!, Soga thought, seeing the battle from his viewpoint.

A dazed gurgle from Mikuras turned Arisia's attention to him, & she held out her left hand.

"Mikuras…return!", she commanded as said Capsule Monster dematerialized & shrunk back into his capsule form, ending up first in Arisia's outstretched hand & then within the pocket in her skirt.

I must remember to thank Dan Moroboshi – Ultra Seven – for the use of his Capsule Monsters…they've been a great help!, Arisia thought with a smile as she flew back to Soga near water's edge.

"Great going back there, Arisia!", he said as she landed next to him. "You did it!"

"I couldn't have done it without your invaluable assistance, Soga!", Arisia says with a smile. "You had helped to keep the Alien Pitt off my back & made sure they paid attention to you, leaving me free to deal with their pet Eleking!"

Smiling, Soga nodded in full agreement.

"Let's get in touch with the others to inform them that our area is secure!", he suggests.

Arisia nodded as Soga's wrist-com buzzed for him to answer while Arisia used her ring to contact her fellow Green Lanterns in the same manner.

"Commander, Arisia & I have just safely secured our area over at Lake Chuzenji in Matsugasaki!", Soga says into his mini-screen. "The threat of Alien Pitt & their creature Eleking have been eliminated!"

"Excellent news, Soga!", Kiriyama said on the com-screen. "John Stewart & myself had a similar situation here at Tomioka with the Aliens Chibull & Vira, but they've been dealt with as well! Keep guard at your post in case there's another threat to the repeller unit!"

"Understood, Commander!", Soga finished before closing his com.

Arisia finished sending her message herself, & she & Soga stare at each other with a pinch of doubt.

"I've been thinking, Arisia", he started. "Even if we do keep each repeller unit secure in every area, why do I have this strange feeling that it still won't be enough, & that the Earth will remain in grave danger?"

"Truth be told, Soga…I've been having similar thoughts about it myself", Arisia says, crossing her arms. "I have a very uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach that something isn't right, & I believe it's more than the asteroid on its way here. Just what that is, I really can't say."

Neither combatant could blame the other: whether one was in the Ultra Garrison of Earth or in the Green Lantern Corps of Oa, things are never what they appear to be. True, they've already secured two areas in Japan for protection in Earth's survival, but what if it wouldn't be enough despite what the late Scord explained about the repeller units before he was killed by a disguised Alien Prote? And why is it that Soga & Arisia feel that something was amiss, & another high danger was present they can't even see yet, aside from the asteroid itself?

They couldn't put their finger on it, & it worried them dearly.

All they can do is continue to keep their area safe, & wait until it does rear its ugly head.

They only hoped it wouldn't be too late.

CHAPTER VII

Ibaraki district:

Ice & snow were in the unscheduled forecast of the area as the monsters Gandar & Giradoras have turned it into an unexpected & unwelcome winter, covering the ground in frigidity the likes of which Ibaraki or anywhere in Japan has never seen or felt before, sans the time these creatures last appeared: one from the depths of the Earth itself, & the other who was placed within the Ultra Garrison base by the Alien Poll race in order to freeze it, having discovered one of Ultra Seven's Achilles' Heels.

Now Green Lantern Tomar-Re has to deal with them both solo.

Amagi remained in the Ultra Hawk 1's Beta ship, watching through the artificial blizzard in the parka suit which Tomar-Re constructed to keep him warm. He tried getting the ship airborne to give his Green Lantern partner backup in the sky, but because of the severity of the cold Gandar & Giradoras have conjured up, the engine stayed too cold to even start. Even though the parka kept his body temperature normal & toasty, Amagi could feel the interior of the ship going cold, feeling like a refrigerator's ice box where meats, vegetables & other foods are placed.

He can only sit & view the battle from his windshield, which was barely staying clear of the frost collecting on it.

Gandar unleashed another frigid blast from his mouth at the bird-headed Lantern flew clear, followed by a new method from the creature: the eyes on his stalks can each shoot a beam that turns whatever they hit into solid ice, an attack that took Tomar-Re by surprise & almost fell prey to it. Giradoras also has this new ability, being able to do so by his lower tusks jutting from the sides of his mouth. Tomar-Re put up a thick shield to block the frigid beams, but the momentum of its power causes Tomar-Re to crash & get dragged across the ground, creating a ditch before he was able to regain his bearings & become airborne again. Gandar & Giradoras shoot their ice beams at the oncoming Xudarian, but Tomar-Re dodges these & launches a pair of powerful beams of his own from his ring & hit both monsters in a simultaneous manner. Gandar gets struck in the chest as Giradoras takes his hit alongside his body; the strikes cause a mark among their thick flesh but doing nothing further, & certainly not enough to stop or even slow them down.

Like a large bat, Gandar got airborne himself & flew after Tomar-Re, spewing more of his frigid breath at his small but dangerous quarry. Tomar-Re fought to stay ahead of Gandar's breath, zigzagging left & right when the beast unleashed his eye beams that turned the ground below to solid ice where they landed. The Green Lantern shot a volley of emerald bombs which exploded on contact with Gandar's flesh, who mostly ignored these & put on a new burst of speed that caught Tomar-Re in its draft & sent him twirling through the air, making him vulnerable to a swat by the monster's hand like he was an annoying fly.

In the eyes of both frost-blowing monsters, he is.

Staying wary enough to construct a sled, Tomar-Re used it to hit the snow-covered ground & slide safely to a halt to an area that was anything but safe.

He landed right beneath Giradoras, who blasted Tomar-Re with a powerful breath of snow from his gaping maw.

Surrounding himself in a bubble, Tomar-Re lifts himself up only to be buffeted by Giradoras' tail that sends the bird-headed Lantern crashing into the Beta ship where Amagi helplessly watches his partner getting creamed by both monsters. Tomar-Re saw how cold his human ally was inside his craft despite the parka he constructed for him & was given enough time to form a dome that kept the blowing snow & ice off & warm it up from inside and out.

Once the dome was set up, Tomar-Re nodded to Amagi, who returned the gesture, & flew after his enemies for another battle round.

If only the Beta could just get off the ground…, Amagi thought as he sees Tomar-Re head off towards his giant adversaries, launching a barrage of green bolts & bombs at their heads to disorient & confuse them in a series of hits & explosions. Gandar & Giradoras bellow in rage in the onslaught, followed by the former to be ensnared by an emerald set of thick chains & shackles around his ankles & wrists. Giradoras fires a stray blast of ice from his right horn, the shot striking Tomar-Re in his left arm & freezing it solid for several seconds until the heat from the protective aura had melted it away.

Were it not for my aura, the ice would've broken my arm off for sure!, Tomar-Re thought.

Amagi saw the incident, & an idea instantly formed in his mind. Getting on his radio, he prayed the cold hadn't damaged it too badly so he could get in touch with his alien ally.

"Tomar-Re, this is Amagi! Come in! Do you read? Over!", he started transmitting.

The Xudarian was dodging more ice blasts when Amagi's call came through on his ring.

"One moment, Amagi!", Tomar-Re says, using his ring to create thick sheets to literally pull the wool over the eyes of Gandar & Giradoras, blinding them as they thrashed to get the emerald sheets off.

Tomar-Re gets on the line with Amagi on his ring in a miniature construct of him.

"Go ahead, Amagi!", he said.

"Listen, Tomar-Re!", Amagi starts. "Your ring protects you in an aura which enables you to fly through the cold vacuum of space without it affecting you, correct?"

"Yes it does! That's why the ice blast from Giradoras didn't turn my arm into icy pieces just now, explaining why I still have it attached & perfectly intact!"

"Then that you can use to your advantage over both monsters & take them out in a single shot! Here's what I'm suggesting you should try…"

After a very brief but fully detailed explanation, Tomar-Re nods.

"I hear what you're suggesting, Amagi, & it's the best idea I've heard!", the Xudarian Lantern says as Gandar & Giradoras finally manage to remove the sheets Tomar-Re constructed by firing their ice beams, shattering them like a brittle clay pot. The bird-headed Green Lantern flies directly in between both monsters, each of whom stood 45 meters apart. In a move to provoke them, Tomar-Re constructs a two-way rod that fires in both directions, each beam striking Gandar & Giradoras in the neck near their face. Both creatures bellow in anger before unleashing their frigid breaths in full force, creating a truly blinding snowstorm that engulfs Tomar-Re completely, who disappears within so that even Amagi was unable to see him despite the dome thawing out the ship.

Gandar & Giradoras add to the frozen mayhem by firing their ice beams to where they last saw their little quarry before the snow made it impossible for even them to see in. The combination of snow & ice blasts from both monsters soon creates a cloud that eventually engulfs the creatures from sight, dropping temps even further.

Then, just as suddenly as the monsters began their icy assault on Tomar-Re, it ceased altogether as the blizzard subsided & faded.

What was left in the aftermath was nothing short of astonishing: Gandar & Giradoras were solid sculptures of ice which glittered in the rapidly reappearing sun overhead as the clouds the monsters formed began dissipating. Tomar-Re broke free of the snow that covered him with his ring's aura, melting it all away & rising from the ground to get a better view of his handiwork. Gandar & Giradoras stood immobile while Tomar-Re fired up his ring & shot a beam inside the frozen form of Gandar before doing the same to Giradoras, planting a bomb within each. The Xudarian Green Lantern put himself at a safe distance to watch both monsters explode in a shower of ice chunks with earth-shattering force that was even felt by Amagi, whose parka disappeared along with the dome covering the Beta ship, as neither construct was necessary any further.

Opening the door, Amagi stepped outside as the area was quickly warming up which will gradually melt away whatever snow/ice was left behind. Tomar-Re landed beside him, patting Amagi on the back in gratitude.

"A well-played plan that had a positive result", Tomar-Re said proudly. "You, Amagi of the Ultra Garrison, are a masterful strategist as your teammates proclaimed you to be."

"They always did have high confidence in me, whether it be planning attacks or improving on the tech we use in them", Amagi says, smiling. "This is a day to really be proud of my abilities!"

"Indeed. What say we let everyone know the good news of our success here in Ibaraki?"

"Great idea, & I'm just as anxious to find out how our other members are holding out on their ends!"

Tomar-Re nods as he & Amagi get on their communicators to make contact with Kiriyama & whoever else has their own area secured from hostilities.

A wave of relief flowed through both when they learned of two others which were free of danger.

Three down, & three to go.

Fujiyoshida, near Mount Fuji:

Katma Tui flew up to & past the Dinosaur Tank as Anne Yuri relayed her idea to the female Korugarian Green Lantern. The mobile dinosaur saw her & fired its eye lasers which Katma blocked & deflected easily, but refused to fire back. Even when the bionic prehistoric creature shot a few rounds from its cannons, Katma Tui simply put up a thick wall which had each shell explode harmlessly, doing slight damage.

She did not return fire other than that.

Even Anne held back as she flew the Ultra Hawk 3 in a circular pattern around the Dinosaur Tank, which took no interest in it. The only thing it was interested in is the repeller unit that stood erect on the far side of the area, near the famed mountain outside of Tokyo. It had a long way to go before it got there, but neither Katma Tui or Anne Yuri were going to permit letting get close enough.

The time to act was now.

"All right, Katma…time to put the plan into action, just like I discussed it with you!", Anne said at the cockpit of the Ultra Hawk 3.

"Copy that, Anne! Here goes!", Katma Tui said as her ring made Anne's image vanish before firing her weapon at the Dinosaur Tank, aiming her beam on its back. It wasn't intended to cause any kind of damage to the monster, but instead take it on a little trip as the Dinosaur Tank was lifted off the ground & sent skywards by a half-dozen gigantic emerald balloons that each measured 20 meters wide – one-third the creature's whole length.

Its treads unable to find any purchase & continue its trek, the Dinosaur Tank roared & thrashed around angrily as the balloons kept it rising higher & higher into the sky, its momentum speeding the higher it rose.

Seeing the bionic monster exiting the area without incident put a smile on both ladies' faces.

"We did it, Anne!", Katma Tui said to her ring, which formed a mini version of her partner from the neck up. "It was a well-thought out plan, & it's working like a charm! The balloons I constructed will carry the Dinosaur Tank up & out into the stratosphere, where it can be properly disposed of with hardly a problem!"

"Yes!", Anne said. "Having no ground to travel on, the creature is all but helpless in its current predicament & is completely at your mercy! Once you get rid of it for good, we'll put in a call to the others & fill them in…"

As Anne & Katma conversed with each other, the Dinosaur Tank continued rising closer to the outer stratosphere as it picked up even more speed on its transport of balloons. Usually, any kind of balloons would be close to bursting if reached this high an altitude as it expands the closer it gets to the stratosphere, but since these balloons are constructs of a Green Lantern, they'll stay intact even when they reach beyond.

Katma Tui's balloons won't pop unless she wantsthem to, or if something stronger does.

The Dinosaur Tank aims its tail at the balloons as its very tip lights up in a spherical yellow glare before shooting it at the rear balloons, popping three with loud bursts before aiming at the next trio. Losing half of its transport, the Dinosaur Tank wobbles upon the strings of its remaining balloons until its tail beam pops the last three before putting the bionic creature in free-fall as it plummets to earth at a faster speed than its ascension to the Heavens.

Katma Tui heard the blaring pops of her balloons, & looked up to see three of them gone before the next three shared the same fate by a beam from the thing's tail.

"What's wrong, Katma?!", Anne asked, seeing her partner looking skyward.

"The Dinosaur Tank just popped my balloons with its tail, & now it's plummeting like a stone!", she replied.

Anne was stunned by this revelation, never believing the Dinosaur Tank could accomplish such a feat as it didn't have this ability when Ultra Seven battled it previously, despite giving him a hard time like when it ran right over his arm with its treads. Katma Tui didn't make any move to re-construct her balloons: she let the Dinosaur Tank stay in free-fall, hoping the crash itself when it hit earth will be enough to destroy it, the scenario becoming even better than what Anne Yuri had originally devised.

Anne also kept the Ultra Hawk 3 out of the Dinosaur Tank's falling path, not wanting to impede its own doom or allow her ship to get hit by it in any way.

Let it destroy itself!, both ladies thought, feeling satisfaction as the bionic creature fell to its demise.

Like its tail beam, the Dinosaur Tank had another new addition: from underneath its tank tread base, a trio of high-powered air jets that went into action when it reached a height of 200 feet, slowing its descend until it landed upon the ground with nothing more than a shaking thud before making its way towards its intended target, roaring as it does.

For a moment, Katma Tui & Anne Yuri were stunned by what they'd witnessed before shrugging it off & getting back to business.

"Katma – let's hit it at two different angles!", Anne said on her radio. "Take the front while I take the sides!"

"Understood!", Katma said, the image of Anna fading as the Ultra Hawk 3 dives left & lets loose with a volley of missiles that strike the Dinosaur Tank upon the side, the explosions felt even within Anne's craft & Katma's protective aura. The bionic creature roars in defiance as it fires its tail beam at the passing Ultra Hawk 3, but Anne's flying helped prevent a catastrophe & spare it a grisly demise. At that same time, Katma Tui uses her ring to make a construct of a large ramp that shoots upwards in front of the Dinosaur Tank. With no time to avoid it or even slow itself down, the creature gets halfway up as it roars angrily. Katma then closes the ramp at both ends & on the sides, turning it into an open coffin of sorts: if flying it up into space doesn't work, maybe encasing it will.

And this time, its tail will be sticking out a bit so as not to give it a chance to blast away its temporary new home.

But in a state of dumb luck, a tail laser & air jets underneath its chassis aren't its only new gimmicks: along with eye lasers, the Dinosaur Tank is equipped with a yellow heat ray from its mouth which it shoots at the floor of its tomb, disintegrating Katma's construct as the ray eats it into oblivion like a stack of papers being lit on fire. Katma & Anne were stunned at the creature's new weapon, & it continues on its trek towards the repeller unit unopposed.

Katma Tui made constructs of real tanks with actual moving turrets that shoot as Anne fired another barrage of missiles coupled with laser shots at the approaching bionic monster. Deadly as the assault was, they were hardly even slowing the creature down, & the Dinosaur Tank spew forth its yellow mouth ray that all but disintegrates the armada Katma created, each exploding one after the other like firecrackers. Anne's left wing of the Ultra Hawk 3 gets clipped by the thing's tail beam & wobbles a bit, but otherwise she's unfazed.

"Anne! You okay?", Katma asked on her ring.

"Just a little nick on the wing, but I'll live!", she replied. "But no matter what we try, we just can't halt or even deter the Dinosaur Tank's progress by my armament or your constructs – unless we have some real heavy firepower!"

"Fortunately, we do!", Katma Tui says, digging into her suit pocket & pulling out a capsule – the third & final of Dan Moroboshi's, & the last Green Lantern to be given it.

As the humans would say, 'let's go for broke'!, Katma thought.

"Agira…come forth!", she says, throwing the capsule in her free hand as it materialized into a ceratopsian beast 45 meters tall. It stood on two powerful legs, with five clawed fingers on each hand & foot. A long mouth with a slight beak at the end held no teeth, & a protective frill/shield adorned the rear of its head. On its head above the eyes was a single black curved horn, & its stance was similar to that of the fictional character Quasimodo in the classic story of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'.

When Agira sees the approaching Dinosaur Tank, he roars a high-pitched noise similar to that of a banshee.

Dinosaur Tank responded in kind, & Agira charged like a two-legged Triceratops with his enemy firing several shots from his trio of turrets on its chassis front. Agira gets hit in his midsection, but he ignores the blasts & rushes at his bionic foe. Dinosaur Tank fires its laser eyes at Agira, hitting him in the chest. The bipedal ceratopsian roars when he gets struck & backs off a bit, but it was only a temporary respite & resumes his charge. When Dinosaur Tank fires its yellow ray, it has a different effect on Agira, & the creature gets buffeted down on his back & to the side. Roaring angrily, Agira tries getting up again, but Dinosaur Tank unleashes its full frontal arsenal on the fallen Capsule Monster, creating powerful explosions everywhere Agira lays.

Unless the ladies step in, Agira's fight will end before it can even begin.

"Anne, let's assist Agira by attacking the Dinosaur Tank from the rear & buy him time to get up, & be wary of that tail beam!", Katma Tui says on her ring.

"My very thoughts exactly, Katma!", Anne said, bringing the Ultra Hawk 3 into position & placing her line of fire across the Dinosaur Tank's back as Katma Tui does the same, dropping emerald grenades along the area. The hits & blasts catch the attention of the bionic prehistoric creature & fire its tail beam at both attackers, only to miss them by inches but coming awfully close on the attempt.

That tail beam must definitely go!, Katma thought as she & Anne broke off in a split as the latter made another run on the Dinosaur Tank's side, making it divert its attention to Anne & away from Agira.

It also gave Katma Tui the opportunity she needed.

Using her ring, the Korugarian female placed a bomb construct with timer on the tip of the Dinosaur Tank's tail, with the seconds ticking away. She gets to a safe distance as the bionic monster gets its sights on the Ultra Hawk 3 as Anne dives straight towards it, her ship directly in the line of fire of its eye & maw beams.

Only seconds before the Dinosaur Tank could fire either, the bomb on its tail tip explodes & blows off that little portion of its appendage. The creature roared in fury as Anne launched beams of her own & strike the thing in the face, confusing it further. This gave time for Agira to recover & charge at his enemy in full force, not slowing down even for an instant. Like the regular Triceratops & Tyrannosaurus have undoubtedly did during the Cretaceous Period, the two dinosaur creatures went at it using nothing more than basic primal rage, slashing & gnawing with teeth & claws while blaring roars echoed the area. Dinosaur Tank put on more speed to its treads to gain momentum but Agira held him firm, keeping the fight in one spot.

All the treads were doing is kicking up dirt & a cloud of dust.

Dinosaur Tank fired its eye beams at Agira, but the bipedal ceratopsian was out of its line of fire as he wrestled with his enemy's neck & side, keeping clear of its armaments. Being in the blind spot of its enemy, the Dinosaur Tank made a little bit of a retreat going into reverse & finally able to get free of Agira's savage grip. Roaring in a taunting manner, Dinosaur Tank didn't fire either its eye or mouth beams as Agira rushed it again.

Once he was in range, the bionic creature turned a speedy 180 degrees & clubs Agira square in the head, putting him down hard on the ground. While its beam has been placed out of commission by Katma Tui's bomb, the tail of the Dinosaur Tank was still very useful as a battering ram or club, & it uses that ability to the fullest extent as it continued clobbering Agira along the side of his head & body to keep him down, despite how fiercely he fights to rise.

Anne Yuri & Katma Tui can only watch as even Ultra Seven's borrowed Capsule Monster was unable to bring down the Alien Kill's bionic weapon. Then again, even Ultra Seven himself was given a good deal of trouble when he last faced it even if the creature lacked the ability to fly.

If even Agira lacks the strength to bring Dinosaur Tank down…what now?, Katma thought worriedly before she got in touch with Anne via her ring.

"Anne, when your Ultra Garrison fought the Dinosaur Tank that time, how were you able to defeat it?", the alien female asks.

"On that mission, we were assigned to transport a powerful explosive called Spiner which, aside from the atomic bomb, made all others seem feeble & can cause a blast ten times as strong!", Anne explains. "When Ultra Seven fought the creature, he used a capsule filled with the Spiner to detonate underneath as soon as it was in position! If only we knew beforehand we'd be facing this thing again, we would've brought some with us!"

"Maybe we still can!"

"How do you mean, Katma?", Anne wondered.

"My ring – it can duplicate the formula to use against it!", Katma explained.

"Your ring can actually do that?!"

"Yes – just watch!", Katma said, disconnecting with Anne & giving her ring new instructions. "Ring, replicate formula for Earth explosive designated 'Spiner'!"

"Running", her ring replied, setting off on its task immediately. It only took several moments for it to come up with a response amidst the sounds of battle between Agira & the Dinosaur Tank.

Hold on a bit longer, Agira!, Katma thought as her ring came to life.

"Scanning complete", he ring said. "Explosive known as Spiner replicated. Do you wish it to commence in its use?"

Seeing Agira gaining no ground on his enemy, the Korugarian's choice is made.

"You bet I do!", Katma Tui said as she held out her left hand. "Agira…return!"

The bipedal ceratopsian dematerializes & shrinks back into capsule form as Katma Tui places it inside her pocket before constructing a large capsule to store the newly-replicated Spiner explosive. Her weapon in tow, Katma Tui went down 90 meters in front of Dinosaur Tank, firing a slight ball of emerald energy to get its attention.

Roaring with intent to kill, the Dinosaur Tank raced forward as Katma Tui stood firmly in place like she was a statue. Anne watched from the Ultra Hawk 3 & was at a temporary loss for words of her idea.

"Katma…what do you think you're doing?!", the Ultra Garrison member asked once she regained her voice.

"My duty", Katma simply said, unflinching in tone or movement. "It's moments like this that are the reason as to why I signed up in the Green Lantern Corps."

"But Katma, how can you hope to defeat this thing with just…"

"Trust me, Anne", Katma said with a smile. Anne nodded, but issued a last warning before the connection was cut.

"Don't make me regret it, Katma Tui", she said, plain & simple.

A nod later, & Katma was on her own as the Dinosaur Tank came at her full throttle, closing the distance fast.

Katma Tui never wavered in her posture, nor did she tremble as the treads were now 30 meters & closing.

All the Korugarian female did do was scowl at the Dinosaur Tank, which gave an intimidating roar & refrained from using either of its remaining beams. But Katma wasn't intimidated in the least, & the capsule full of replicated Spiner explosive rested 10-15 meters from where she stood.

In no time, the Dinosaur Tank closed the gap & its treads swallowed Katma Tui whole.

The next roar the Dinosaur Tank made became its last as Katma's capsule exploded with a thunderous blast that Anne felt within her cockpit of the Ultra Hawk 3, gasping in fright seeing the creature gets a hole blown in the center before getting ripped in half & sent in opposite directions as a large cloud of white smoke expanded & covered both the Dinosaur Tank halves & Katma Tui herself, for Anne could find her nowhere in all the chaos & shouted her name.

Then said Green Lantern's face appeared in a holo-image in front of Anne.

"Hey…didn't I ask you to trust me, Anne Yuri?", she said in a smile as she made it out of the thick cloud in her protective aura, making her do the same with a relieved sigh. She followed it up with a little laugh.

"Forgive me for being scared for you, Katma Tui!", Anne joked, making their grins wider. "But I must know: how did you survive that tremendous explosion just now?"

"Simple", the purple-skinned female explains. "Just before the blast, I encased myself in a constructed safe that I layered with as many levels of steel as I could. It's one of many things I learned from my husband John Stewart."

Anne couldn't help the irony, so she let out another good-natured laugh.

"Good thinking, Katma Tui!", she said. "Now you know why people put their treasured valuables within safes! John Stewart taught you our Earth customs quite well!"

The hologram of Katma Tui smiled & nodded.

"We've got this area secure, Anne: let's give the good news to the others!", she suggested.

"Nothing I'd like better, Katma!", Anne said, getting on the band with her Ultra Garrison teammates, beginning with Commander Kiriyama as the Korugarian did so with her fellow Green Lanterns – the ones who aren't currently engaged in a life-or-death struggle.

Only two more areas to go.

These are usually the most critical.

Chichibu District:

Of all his years serving in the Green Lantern Corps, be it as drill instructor or out in the field, Kilowog has been up against some pretty tough opponents from the resurgence of rogue Oan Krona to the rebelling Manhunter robots that once patrolled space.

This particular foe is another to add to the list – the Alien Pedan robot named King Joe.

Encased in the construct of his robotic self, Kilowog fought King Joe in a test of strength as they traded blows & strained their muscles to the limits & beyond. Like two opposing magnetic forces, neither Kilowog nor King Joe would give an inch or stand down & relent, even after several powerful fists were exchanged between the combatants.

For a good thirty minutes, this fight was more or less a standstill.

But both opponents knew that something has to give sooner or later.

A repeller unit was a mere 55 meters away, awaiting either salvation or annihilation.

Firing twin blasts from his ports, King Joe hits Kilowog's chest & causes his robotic construct to form cracks as the golden robot follows it up with a pair of shots from the ports on the sides of his head. These actually blew off pieces of Kilowog's construct & caused him to lose his concentration momentarily. King Joe took advantage of this confusion & struck the Bolovaxian drill instructor in both the side & left leg, making him fall flat on his back. The Alien Pedan robot kneeled down upon Kilowog's fallen form & formed his hands into fists before he started pounding his construct with incredible force, spreading the cracks as they spider-web Kilowog's robot.

Kilowog felt every blow, & even his teeth rattled from each parry.

Furuhashi was right! This poozer sure ain't no pushover!, he thought.

As for the Ultra Garrison's strongest member, he was having problems of his own: the three miniature King Joes relentlessly followed the man, firing beams from their face ports, sides of their heads & a brand-new method. From the chests, a rainbow-colored beam shot forth & blasted an abandoned car on the first attack, blowing it to flaming ruins & unrecognizable twisted metal. Furuhashi barely avoided joining it by diving for cover & firing his weapon, but the shot only reflected harmlessly off the Pedantic armor. Even at highest strength, the gun's beam had no effect on any of them in the slightest.

It was like hitting a tank with a bow & arrows.

And going man-to-man with them was totally out of the question: if these miniature versions were anything like their 'parent' which was now engaged in duel with Kilowog, then even just one of them can & will tear Furuhashi apart with its own two hands like he was a rag doll, strongest member of the Ultra Garrison or not.

Furuhashi was going to have to get creative if he is to beat these 'offsprings'.

First he has to stay alive long enough: one of the mini King Joes blasted a crater in the man's way, causing him to lose his balance & fell to the ground & almost went into the crater. Another mini King Joe reached out & came close to snatching Furuhashi in its literal iron grip, but he escapes by the skin of his teeth & regains his footing. Shooting his gun to blind the robot, Furuhashi turns to avoid a hand-blade by another robot which came close to severing his jugular. The robot swings its hand stiletto six more times before Furuhashi blinds this one as well & gets his path blocked as he puts himself at a safe distance to reconsider his options.

Or tries to: the third robot blocks his path & transforms its hands into twin spinning blades that look like they can cut through anything. Furuhashi takes a step to the left, but the robot followed him without missing a beat. Going right, he gets the same treatment & is stopped dead in his tracks. No matter where Furuhashi goes, the robot stayed with him in precise movement until its two brethren rejoin, forming a deadly triangle & cornering Furuhashi within. The trapped Ultra Garrison member looks every which way & finds no way out, his heart hammering against his chest.

In each pass, he saw the robots light up their face ports & prepare to fire in what Furuhashi firmly believes to be in a simultaneous manner, roasting him alive into a charred skeleton or blast him to bloody pieces.

He sees only one way out of this predicament.

I have to time this just right, or else it's the end!, Furuhashi thought, his forehead sweating madly.

Keeping his eye on the one with spinning blade hands, he keeps his composure as the robot finally shoots its beams after what felt like an eternity.

NOW!, Furuhashi said to himself, ducking & diving for cover between two of the mini King Joes, all of whom fire their beams like Furuhashi believed they would & strike dead center where each set meet. The energy buildup was going too fast, & the ball in the middle of the pile grew like a sun going supernova before exploding in a concussive blast that knocked Furuhashi off his feet & onto his face. Burned pieces of metal came crashing down near the Ultra Garrison member, some striking him in the back but doing no physical damage to it.

When the rain of metal ceased & desisted, Furuhashi turned over to see the mini King Joes.

Or what remained of them: what was once a trio of powerful & merciless robots are now only three pairs of legs standing, the tops smoking from where the rest of them had once been.

Each pair of metal legs collapses like trees, having no further life in them.

Furuhashi wasn't acknowledged if the Pedantic armor of King Joe was resistant to each other, & he took a very big gamble on it & his life.

But in the end, it paid off – big-time.

The sound of Kilowog facing off against the parent reminded Furuhashi that the fight was still commencing in spite of having dealt with its children.

Kilowog!, he thought, racing back to the Gamma craft for more & better armament.

King Joe never relented on his pounding of Kilowog's robot construct of himself, the cracks spreading further & faster than before. Even with his keen intellect & fierce concentration, Kilowog was still having difficulty in resisting King Joe's powerful fists, & his forehead was sweating even more profoundly than Furuhashi's had. Pieces of his robot self were chipping away like old paint, & King Joe's double fist blows weren't any improvement.

Nuts!, Kilowog thought angrily. Once this poozer gets through my armor, he'll pound me the same way! Gotta get him off!

When King Joe raises his fists for another beat-down, Kilowog grabbed hold of the wrists & started squeezing them to try & either crush them into an inoperable status or tear them off completely. Kilowog's concentration gets pushed up to the max, fighting to get his robot construct to hold together while fending off a pair of incredibly powerful arms that gave Ultra Seven a run for his money.

Furuhashi returns to the battle arena, armed to the teeth with a bandolier of special grenades & a rifle to fire them with. These grenades were fitted with a special armor-piercing explosive that should do the job of penetrating even the armor of the Alien Pedan's mighty robot. Unslinging the rifle, Furuhashi picks one of the grenades & loads it into the mouth & aims it square at King Joe's chest, being careful so as not to hit either Kilowog's robot construct or even the drill instructor himself.

Come on, Kilowog! Move your arms just a bit so I can get a clear shot!, Furuhashi thought, looking for the first opening to fire his weapon. His luck goes from bad to worse when King Joe transforms his hands into spinning blades like his children were able to & they close in on Kilowog's arms, threatening to cut off both hands at the wrists.

Furuhashi won't get a chest shot at this angle, & he won't have time to reposition himself for a better one.

He'll have to make do with hitting the robot's arm & hope for the best.

Peering through the rifle's scope, Furuhashi gets a bead on the elbow of King Joe's right arm & shoots.

The grenade makes perfect contact with his target & explodes with a powerful blast that causes King Joe to relent in his attack, giving Kilowog the open window he was looking for.

Great shot, Furuhashi!, the drill instructor thought, feeling less pressure upon him than before.

"All right, you mechanical poozer – let's see how you like this!", Kilowog growled, getting to his feet & placing a hard right fist into King Joe's face, the impact helping to tear off the damaged right arm in Kilowog's left as wiring & gears dangled & fell out, the ends sparking. Kilowog used the ripped-off appendage to beat King Joe with it, giving the robot a little taste of his own medicine, so to speak. Even with his armor cracked & damaged in spots, Kilowog was still able to put up a fierce fight against King Joe, who uses his remaining arm to commence with their brawl.

Aside from losing an arm, King Joe still maintained his savagery against the Oan drill instructor, dishing out his blows as easily as taking them.

But in this round, King Joe was taking more punishment than dishing it out, his armor weakened & being dented in spots thanks to a well-placed grenade on Furuhashi's behalf.

It didn't mean that King Joe would go down without a fight: like any wounded animal, the robot fought back fiercer than ever, thrashing with his remaining appendage & firing bolts from his open palm. Anything it hits becomes instantly vaporized, like a row of abandoned cars it just struck & throwing the charred remains everywhere. One landed nearly on top of Furuhashi, who only had scant seconds to avoid death from above.

Time to help Kilowog put the rest of this mad dog down…permanently!, Furuhashi thought with gritted teeth as he took aim at King Joe, who was in a vicious wrestling match with his robotic opponent.

All the tumbling & changing of views in Furuhashi's scope made it hard for the Ultra Garrison member to get a bead on his target, going from King Joe to Kilowog & back again. Upon inspection, Furuhashi noticed the row of five horizontal cylinders on King Joe's back, recalling the last time he'd seen them when Ultra Seven faced the menacing mecha.

He may not know what's in those cylinders, but he bets it's something vital to his life functions.

If I can take out just one of them, then perhaps…, Furuhashi said to himself.

"Kilowog! Turn King Joe's back to me so that I can have a clear shot at it!", he shouted to his Bolovaxian ally, hoping he's heard him.

Fortunately, he did: Kilowog grabbed King Joe by the arms near the shoulders & spun him around to Furuhashi's line of sight.

"Whatever you're going to do, Furuhashi, now's the time!", Kilowog says, straining to keep King Joe steady as good as he can. The Ultra Garrison member loads his rifle & aims it straight for his back where the quintet of cylinders are lined up. The Bolovaxian was starting to lose his grip on the Alien Pedan robot, so Furuhashi had to take his shot now.

Agreed, Kilowog! And here we go…, Furuhashi thought, pulling the trigger & letting his grenade fly. His shot struck between the middle cylinder & the one to its right.

It was a perfect hit: the grenade exploded with a blast that caused electric sparks to erupt all over King Joe as he jerked & twitched in his movements, his systems & sense of balance scrambled.

Great shot, Furuhashi! This poozer is crippled!, Kilowog thought with satisfaction.

"All right, poozer! You've had your fun, now it's my turn!", Kilowog said to his scrap metal of an opponent. As with a prized fighter who's gotten his second wind, Kilowog unleashed his fury upon what was left of King Joe, who was now being on the receiving end of severe punishment. Even with his robot construct damaged & cracked in places, Kilowog still gave the Alien Pedan robot hell as he landed fist after hard fist that caused deeper dents in his armor & even plates falling off – some of which had wiring still attached.

King Joe tried firing his beams at his Bolovaxian enemy, but his internals were too heavily damaged, & each time he tried only resulted in doing even more damage than Kilowog's physical assault. King Joe was barely standing as Kilowog punched his robotic face that more or less meant his endgame, the fight all but drained out of him.

"Furuhashi! Care to do the honors of finishing this poozer off?!", Kilowog says, taking a few steps back from an all-but-defeated King Joe.

"Kilowog, I thought you'd never ask!", Furuhashi called out as he loaded a final grenade & aimed his rifle right for King Joe's chest, which had an exposed breastplate & revealed the internal wiring. The Ultra Garrison's strongest member wasted no time in firing his weapon & striking this exploited weak spot, causing a chain reaction that led up to King Joe's destruction as his entire top blew apart & the ground gets littered with his remains – his left arm, pieces of his head, what was left of his right arm, & so on. Like his children, King Joe became only a pair of standing legs but gets knocked over by a swift kick from Kilowog.

The Bolovaxian snorts his disgust before retracting his damaged construct & returning to Furuhashi.

"Nice work there, Furuhashi!", Kilowog said. "You'd make one hell of a Green Lantern, were you not already a member of the Ultra Garrison!"

Furuhashi laughed in good nature.

"And you'd make quite a member on our team – were you not light-years away from Earth!", he said.

Kilowog chuckled, giving his partner a pat on the back.

"Tempting, but the Corps is where I truly belong", he says. "I can no longer abandon it any more than you could the Ultra Garrison."

Furuhashi nodded, knowing Kilowog's statement was nothing short of the truth.

"I agree, Kilowog – the organizations we've joined are the true callings in both our lives", he says. "Speaking of which, it's time we gave the good news to our comrades that this area is now secure."

"You make the call to your teammates, & I'll do the same with mine", Kilowog said.

"Got it!", Furuhashi replied, & soon both went to work.

With five units/areas in safe hands, there was now only one left to guarantee Earth's safety.

That task was placed in the laps of Hal Jordan & Dan Moroboshi.

Kozawamata, Chiba District:

Alien Godora was giving the heroes Green Lantern & Ultra Seven the fight of their lives. The crustacean-like alien grew to his full 47-meter height to do battle with Ultra Seven at his full 40-meter height, but not before leaving a little present for Green Lantern: a quartet of Alien Godoras that are just as vicious & cunning as the real thing. The first Godora fires his ring attack, which Green Lantern blocked with a shield construct before getting hit in the side by a second. A third Godora attempts to snip his head off, but Hal rolls out of the way & gets back on his feet, only to be tackled from behind as the others gang up on him. Hal fought back with all his might, but the Alien Godora behind him held the man firmly while two more grabbed his arms in their clawed hands, clamping them down tight.

Were it not for the protective aura surrounding Hal, he might've had them chopped off in their claws.

The fourth Godora stood seven feet from Green Lantern & laughed in a maniacal & mocking fashion.

Hal Jordan just gritted his teeth in anger & defiance.

"You & Ultra Seven simply don't know when to quit, Green Lantern Hal Jordan!", Godora says. "If you'd only accepted our proposition when Alien Metron paid you a visit at Ferris Air Base, none of this would be necessary! And now…not only do you forfeit the life of your love Carol Ferris, you also condemn the entire Earth to extinction! And yet, you still believe us to be the villains?!"

"Alien Godora, since the day I received this ring from Abin Sur, I've sworn to perform my duties to the bitter end as he did!", Green Lantern said. "That means I shall do whatever it takes to defeat any & all threats to my home! If it means my death along with the many billions of lives on this world you plan to take if that asteroid hits, then I'll die fighting your kind with every fiber of my being!"

Alien Godora remained silent a few moments before he laughs again.

"Then you're a bigger fool than we first thought, Hal Jordan!", he says. "It won't be a question of if the asteroid will hit this rock, but when! Once those repeller units are destroyed, there'll be nothing that can stop its set course here! But since you're so keen on fulfilling Abin Sur's legacy until your death, then permit us to send you straight to him so you can tell the fool yourself how you failed!"

Alien Godora placed his arms outwards at Green Lantern.

"Please give your late predecessor our regards!", the crab-like alien says before hitting Hal Jordan with his ring beams, causing the pilot to cry out in anguish.

Ultra Seven dodged eye beams from his giant playmate as Alien Godora followed it up with a flying kick that Ultra Seven blocked using his own martial arts techniques, implying an arm block before following up with a flip that sends Godora hitting the ground on his back. Ultra Seven uses his own eye beams to finish him off, but Godora was only briefly stunned by the maneuver & was back on his feet instantly. From his right claw, the alien crab shoots a volley of energy rings that Ultra Seven counterattacks with the Emerium Beam from his forehead's Beam Lamp. They cancel out the rings in a blast of light that looked like a sun going out. Ultra Seven kept the pace going with his small-but-effective Handmill Ray – an attack that enables him to fire single beam shots in rapid succession like a literal hand-held machine gun. These shots aren't enough to kill, but they do keep Alien Godora occupied for Ultra Seven to grab his Eye Slugger on top of his head & thrust it forward.

The Eye Slugger is Ultra Seven's most reliable & favored weapon in his arsenal, & has put a quick, decisive end to many past enemies & can cut through almost anything.

Unfortunately, Godora's claws aren't one of them: the weapon bounces off his appendage with the sound of two metals colliding as it returns to its thrower & back on the rear of his head.

Both combatants stood & faced each other like two gunslingers in the Old West.

"As one alien to another, let me ask you this, Ultra Seven", Godora began. "Is this backwards mudball of a planet really worth saving? It's had nothing but savage wars, & the humans inhabiting it have absolutely no consent for each other's lives, as they continue committing crimes & other forms of blasphemy! In our version of Earth, there'll be no wars, no crimes, & no acts of terrorism whatsoever as we constantly survey each continent with the utmost vigilance! Of course, we'll need to make a few sacrifices along the way, but…"

"And that's exactly why we intend to stop you, Alien Godora!", Ultra Seven said, cutting him off. "I doubt that Earth is the only planet to have seen its share of conflicts & wars, but to have an entire species condemned because of a chosen few is the ultimate blasphemy! As long as there's even the slightest spark of life within my body, I will defend Earth from your kind just as any member of my home planet of Nebula M78 or anyone who's ever joined the ranks of the Green Lantern Corps! The only way you'll get this planet will be over our dead bodies!"

"As you wish!", Alien Godora barked before charging Ultra Seven, who did the same to renew their clash.

Down below, Hal Jordan slumped to the ground as the Alien Godora that shot his beams at the Emerald Crusader ceased his assault, the other three aliens still holding him firmly in their grip. Even with his green aura, Green Lantern felt the blasts that struck him, & his hide was sending up wisps of smoke in spots & his breath came in pants.

"Impressive, Hal Jordan!", said the Alien Godora who shot at him. "Your tenacity & stamina is quite remarkable for a human being! I must say that Abin Sur has chosen wisely in giving you his ring! But everybody has their limits, & after the beating I just gave you, I doubt that you'll survive another blast from my beams!"

Green Lantern stared at Godora with contempt.

"Take your best shot, scumbag!", he spat through clenched teeth.

The three Godoras held Hal Jordan back up as the fourth prepared his fatal strike. The fearless pilot held his gaze at the creature who's ready to put him to death. Hal won't give him any pleasure in having to beg for his life: he never did for the likes of Atrocitus, Sinestro, alien pirate Kanjar-Ro, & he'll be damned if he started for Alien Godora.

The crab-like alien positioned his claws for the kill shot.

Hal Jordan stared, waiting for the right moment.

Both of the alien's claws shot forth his energy rings.

Now!, Green Lantern thought, pulling his right arm & placing one of the Godoras in the path of the oncoming beams, a move the thing was unprepared for which cost him his life as the beams struck him in the back, disintegrating him in a shower of glistening particles before vanishing altogether. Hal then head-butts the alien behind him in the eyes as he loosens his grip before landing his ring hand in a fist which was covered in a metal glove construct complete with pointed knuckles that make contact with the third alien's eyes, gouging them out as ichor squirted everywhere & the creature ran around in a literally blind rampage, firing his own energy rings in every directions, hoping that he hits Green Lantern in all the confusion.

The only thing he does hit is the Alien Godora Hal head-butted, meeting the same fate as his companion before joining him as Hal sent a beam through his midsection, leaving only the fourth & final Godora still standing.

"Just as you humans would say, 'If you want something done right, do it yourself'!", the remaining crab alien said. "And that's just what I'll do, Hal Jordan: I'll first make your death an excruciating one before sending you to the depths of Hell itself, where your poor departed friend Abin Sur awaits!"

"Bring it on, Alien Godora!", Green Lantern said sternly, extending his arms & placing a glove construct on his other hand which also sported pointed knuckles.

Growling in frustration of Hal Jordan's continued defiance, Godora flew at the man as Hal swung a fist which connected with the creature's claw, the clang echoing several yards. Godora struck again, only to get the exact result as before. Going for a more hands-on approach, the crab creature reached out & snapped his claws repeatedly at Jordan's neck in an attempt to snip his head off his shoulders like one would do to a flower. After eight strikes, Hal made a neck brace that covered his exposed throat to Godora as he succeeds grabbing it with his left claw. He was in for a surprise: the neck brace Hal made was fitted with a sticky substance that adhered to his claw, making it hard to remove, if not impossible. Despite his attempts, Alien Godora's claw was stuck but good.

"What the hell is this…?", Alien Godora began to say.

"Gotcha!", Green Lantern said, cutting him off before clobbering his enemy in the face below his eyes. He didn't relent either: Hal kept on slugging his alien foe with his glove constructs, the points drawing blood with each strike. He was both an ace pilot and handled himself in a street fight even before Hal Jordan received his ring from Abin Sur, & he used the latter skill to the fullest in his brawl with Alien Godora, who was bleeding badly due to several puncture wounds from Jordan's gloves. His vision was going blurry, & his moves/reflexes were slowing down from the loss of his bodily fluids.

Another six to seven blows, & Alien Godora was knocked to the ground like a boxer on his last legs.

Through hazy eyes, the alien looked up at Hal Jordan, who stared down defiantly at his beaten foe.

"I'm guessing you haven't been in many street fights or bar brawls where you hail from, Alien Godora!", says the Emerald Crusader. "Relying too greatly on your abilities instead of bulking up your fighting prowess, you fall too easily in hand-to-hand combat! With or without this ring I carry, I'll do what is needed to protect my home, my family, my friends & my planet! Whatever made you think I'd step aside & let all that get taken away from me by the likes of you?! You're the biggerfool for ever believing that, Alien Godora – even for an instant!"

"Shut up & die, Hal Jordan!", Godora shouted, using the remainder of his strength to shoot his energy rings at his hated foe. Hal was more than ready for him: making a mirror construct, he places it in front of him as Godora's rings hit & reflect back at the beaten alien, striking him square in his chest as his form shines in a crystalized fashion before it dissolves into oblivion like his brethren.

"Not today, thank you!", Hal Jordan says, retracting his gloves & looking to see Ultra Seven in duel with the real Alien Godora at their full sizes. Jordan considered going in to assist, but thought better of it: he handled his enemies on his own without too much difficulty, & he does believe Ultra Seven can do the same & hold his own in a scuffle.

Therefore, he does nothing but head over to the repeller unit & guard it safely as his giant companion takes care of the real aggressor.

Unlike his duplicates, this Alien Godora knew how to handle himself in hand-to-hand combat, & he gives Ultra Seven a real workout with hand chops, stunning kicks & a beam here & there. The resident from Nebula M78 gives him no different: using his fighting prowess, Ultra Seven keeps Godora on his toes & blocks what comes his way while offering a fist here & a foot there. To his disappointment, Godora managed to avoid each blow that came for him.

It was getting Ultra Seven nowhere, & he needed a different tactic if he was to conquer his enemy.

Standing 40 meters apart from each other, the two combatants stood & stared in silence before Ultra Seven made a move neither Alien Godora nor Green Lantern expected him of.

He shrinks himself down to his two-meter height!

Dan…what are you doing?!, Hal thought as Godora laughed.

"I must admit – this is a surprise!", he scoffed. "You'd rather face your defeat in miniature form than as a full-sized warrior? So be it: you are nothing but an insect, if less than so! It's only fitting you die like one!"

Like a person stepping on a cockroach, Godora raised his foot off the ground in an attempt to squash Ultra Seven like the proverbial insect. Green Lantern's instincts told him to rush in & offer his assist, but his other instincts tell him to hang back & trust him, & he stayed put.

He needn't worry for long: after four attempts to stomp Ultra Seven with his foot, the aforementioned hero then shot himself back up to his 40-meter height in the blink of an eye. Totally unprepared for the maneuver, Alien Godora was thrown skywards & twirls once in the air before landing hard on his back with earth-shattering force.

Yes! Excellent move, Ultra Seven!, Green Lantern thought with a proud smile.

As Godora rose from the ground in a groggily manner, Ultra Seven threw an energy dart with his Handshake Ray – which is sometimes known as his Knuckle Beam – which hits the alien in the shoulder. Ultra Seven followed it up by placing his arms in an L position, his right one upright & his left across his chest. This gave him the chance to fire his Wide Shot Beam, Ultra Seven's most powerful move: a stream of blue-white energy flows from his right forearm that hits Alien Godora dead center in his middle in a vertical position.

He met the same fate as his duplicates, & was gone in seconds.

Alien Godora's threat was neutralized.

Ultra Seven shrunk down to his 2-meter height as Green Lantern soared over & joined him.

"Smart ploy, Ultra Seven!", Hal said. "Even I didn't see that coming!"

"I'll bet Alien Godora was just as blind to it!", he replied, getting a grin from Jordan. "We have our area safe & secure, Green Lantern: let's give our teammates the news!"

"We will, indeed! But first…", Green Lantern says, getting on his ring. "Ring, what is the exact proximity of the asteroid heading towards Earth? How soon is its estimated time of arrival?"

"Asteroid heading to Earth is approximately 360,000 miles away", the ring replied. "At its current velocity, the object will collide with Earth in less than 5 hours if left unopposed."

"That's not much time!", Ultra Seven said.

"I agree!", Green Lantern said, removing his outfit down to his waist & revealing Hal Jordan's upper half as he got on his wrist-com. "This is Hal Jordan calling Commander Kiriyama! Come in!"

Said person came on Hal's device as Coast City's ace pilot filled him in on all the details of the battle between Alien Godora & heroes Green Lantern & Ultra Seven, their victory over the fiend & their new intel about the asteroid's distance & time before the impact.

Kiriyama soaked in every word like a sponge & nodded.

"That's certainly sooner than I'd like it to be, Jordan!", he said. "I'd better get on the horn with everyone & tell them about what they can expect in the next stretch of time! If those repeller units are going to perform their duty like they're supposed to, then now's the perfect time!"

"Let's leave that to Green Lantern himself, Commander! He can do so with both your members and his fellow Lanterns in a quicker manner! Jordan out!", Hal said, cutting the connection before Kiriyama can protest & regaining his outfit's full disguise before he gets on his ring to address Ultra Garrison member & Green Lantern alike.

His ring transmits a hologram of himself to every team at their designated areas, giving it their full attention as he speaks.

"To all crew members, here's the latest update on the oncoming asteroid: it is now at a distance of 360,000 miles from reaching Earth & will collide with it in under 5 hours! If your area has been indefinitely secured from hostilities, head over to your repeller unit & see if you can get it operating! There can be no more room for error or delay: if they need to be active, it must be now!"

Like a miracle on Christmas Eve/Day, the repeller unit in Chiba's Kozawamata district begins humming to life as the turret on its top shines a radiant glow of golden yellow-green light that shoots skywards. The units in the other areas follow suit as each one lights up & fires its beam into the Heavens, reaching a height of 10,000 miles above Japan & Earth before colliding altogether & create a single beam that shoots out into the depths of space, its mass thicker than any of the individual beams. Like a racing comet, the stream of powerful energy heads directly for the oncoming threat as said asteroid sensed a forthcoming threat. From multiple ports, cannons of various sizes extend & began blazing away at the beam of light heading their way. It was a futile effort: while these weapons were capable of bringing down multiple members of the Green Lantern Corps like it did on Oa, they might as well be spitting in the wind as they get on the receiving end of punishment, being obliterated one after the other & scratching a portion of the surface.

Closing the ports, the asteroid shook & jarred as the stream of energy began doing what it was made for & lived up to its namesake. The asteroid pushed with all its might to continue its course with Earth, but the stream of energy proved to be too much even for its massive size & strength, causing more fragments on its surface to break away.

Everything was going well in Earth's favor, & it seemed as if the asteroid won't even get close to its intended destination.

In the Ibaraki district, the repeller unit started sparking, catching the attention of Tomar-Re & Amagi, who watch helplessly as electricity raced across the surface before shorting out after nearly a minute & powering down. The short-out caused a chain reaction as each repeller unit abruptly shut down, each one ceasing its beam & going offline.

"No!", Amagi said in fright.

"Amagi…what happened?!", asked Kiriyama as Hal's Green Lantern persona hologram kept everyone in contact. "Why did all the units shut down suddenly?!"

"Commander Kiriyama, we have a serious situation!", Tomar-Re stepped in. "The unit in our area here in Ibaraki has shorted out & ceased to function!"

"What?! How was that possible?! I thought you & Amagi secured that area!"

"It must've been the extreme cold the creatures Gandar & Giradoras emitted as I was doing battle with them – the unit's outer shell was not as well-protected as we first thought, & the interior machinery suffered the elements!"

"Is there any way it can be fixed?!", Furuhashi asked from Chichibu.

"In just five hours' time, not a chance!", Amagi said. "Even if I had the tools & the know-how of its structure, I couldn't begin to repair it!"

The news hit everyone like a punch to the gut: the moment of truth was finally upon them with things going in their direction, & this sudden bombshell gets dropped that places the planet in greater jeopardy than before. It hit both John Stewart & Tomar-Re the most: the former Green Lantern destroyed Xanshi by accident with his ring, & the latter could do nothing to prevent the planet Krypton from meeting its fate.

Kilowog was also another to suffer that fate, what with his own home planet Bolovax Vix being destroyed that left him the only survivor.

Now a serious sense of deja-vu was washing over them, their hearts sinking like stones faster than anyone else's.

"So now what can we do?!", Arisia asked from Lake Chuzenji, the fear in her tone most evident. "Even the entire Green Lantern Corps couldn't stop it, & our one hope has just blown a fuse, leaving Earth defenseless!"

"Maybe not, Arisia", Green lantern says from Kozawamata. "There is one way we haven't tried yet: Ultra Seven & myself shall head off & alter its course or destroy it entirely."

Hal's suggestion put everyone in a state of shock, & none of them were too enthusiastic about his plan.

"Just the two of you?!", said Anne Yuri in the Ultra Hawk 3. "That's suicide, Green Lantern! At least take one or two of your fellow corpsmen with you! Don't go on a mission so drastic that might not even end in a successful manner, please!"

"Anne Yuri", Ultra Seven stepped in. "We know how you feel about this, & neither of us blames you for doing so. But time is of the essence, & we're running out of it and any further options. We need to do something to stop this asteroid, now that the repeller units are out. This is it."

"Do either of you even have a plan in stopping this thing?", John Stewart asked from Tomioka.

"We'll have one by the time we get there", Hal replied simply.

"But…"

"Do you trust me, John Stewart?"

The African-American man's answer was immediate.

"Yes…that I do. You and Ultra Seven", he said with a smile of assurance. "Good luck to both of you."

"Thank you, Green Lantern John Stewart", said Ultra Seven. "All of you…please remain at your areas & wait for us. If we require extra assistance, we'll be sure to call to you for it. Until then…"

"Do what you boys need to up there, Ultra Seven", said Kilowog. "We'll all be praying for your success."

"Much obliged, Kilowog. Kozawamata area, out", Hal said before severing the connection, leaving him & Ultra Seven in private.

"Green Lantern Hal Jordan, you ought to recharge your ring before we go. I'll do the same with my energy once we're airborne", Ultra Seven says.

"That's exactly what I was thinking, Ultra Seven. I want both of us in peak physical condition for what needs to be done", Hal said, addressing his ring. "Ring, get me my power battery."

"Acknowledging", it said, opening a portal dimension for Hal's battery to slip through as he grabs the handle.

Placing his ring within, Hal Jordan recites the sacred oath every Green Lantern memorizes upon graduating.

It lights up with radiant emerald energy.

"In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's Light!"

Ultra Seven watches in awe: he's heard about the sacred oath the Green Lanterns speak when recharging their rings with personal batteries or even the Central Power Battery on Oa, but this is the second time he's ever seen the transaction take place up close & in person.

Amazing!, was all he could think of to say.

"Ring, power check", Hal ordered.

"Power level at a full 100%. Shall I place your battery back?"

"Please do."

With but a ball of light, Hal's power battery disappears before his eyes & taken back to its resting place.

"I'm all geared up & ready for action, Ultra Seven. Let's get going", Green Lantern says to him.

With a nod from his partner, both heroes rise skywards & head into the bright blue sky & beyond. Along the way, Ultra Seven's collar drinks up the solar energy & it gives him a vast recharge, much in the same manner as Hal Jordan's power battery does his ring. He uses every spare second in Earth's atmosphere to soak it up before leaving it & into the vast vacuum of space. Giving his ring a command to take him straight to the asteroid, Green Lantern & Ultra Seven rocket through the cold void until the gigantic object came into view.

"This could work after all, Green Lantern", Ultra Seven said. "With just the two of us going in, we should be all but able to slip past any defenses this thing might still have."

"My thoughts exactly, Ultra Seven", Green Lantern said. "The reason why the others fell to it on Oa was because they were all clustered too closely together, making them easy targets. With only us, it'll make their weapons ten times more difficult to get clear shots."

"It'll be just like trying to kill a spider with a gun."

"Precisely."

When the two heroes get 1000 meters of their target, a plethora of armament emerge from the ports & aim at the approaching crusaders. Once within their sights, these guns fire powerful red & yellow lasers that streak past both men, but some were close by about an inch or less.

"Ultra Seven, try to keep from firing back if you can help it!", Green Lantern said as he dodges blasts here & there, with his partner doing the same. "Let's save as much energy as we can for getting inside! If what I suspect about it turns out to be true…"

"Understood!", Ultra Seven said, diving to avoid another crimson blast.

During the siege, it didn't turn out as bad as first believed: before, it was packed with ten times the firepower it used to rain destruction on Oa & deal with the Green Lanterns there. But the beam of energy from the repeller units' brief but effective assault, that number was cut down exponentially, reducing its exterior defenses to about a handful.

Fierce as they were at firing, it wasn't even close enough to slow down, let alone halt, the heroes' advance.

They were now only 350 meters & closing in fast.

"We're almost there, Green Lantern!", Ultra Seven says, rejoining his partner. "Where do you think we should make our entrance at?"

"That looks promising!", he answered, pointing towards a lone laser rifle which shoot forth yellow beams. "Are you ready, Ultra Seven?"

"When you are! We have a world to save, so let's do it!"

"Then on three! One…two…three!"

Both heroes shout 'three' in unison, & shoot forth like living rockets at the laser gun which shoots its beams to halt their approach. With minimal energy, Green Lantern & Ultra Seven put shields up to deflect the blasts & literally rush headlong into the weapon, smashing it upon contact in a fiery explosion. With the two hostilities no longer in their sights & inside the complex, the remaining guns withdraw & the ports close.

Green Lantern & Ultra Seven have now entered uncharted territory.

They have no idea what awaits them within.

CHAPTER VIII

Within the asteroid:

The area Green Lantern & Ultra Seven entered was pitch black, & had no idea where to start their frantic search.

That problem was easily rectified as a portion lit up suddenly, revealing a lengthy cavern that leads into another area of pitch-darkness.

Looking at each other, both heroes nodded & quickly but carefully floated with caution towards the cavern.

With every several dozen kilometers, the tunnel lit up more & more as the heroes travel further & deeper into the humongous asteroid. So far in their journey, they see only expertly-carved walls of stone like someone or something had done so manually. Neither Green Lantern nor Ultra Seven could tell if it was the A.I. that caused these formations itself, or if it had servants/slaves to smooth them out to its specifics. What they can deduce is that it was made with well-manicured labor, & that it comes with its own artificial breathable atmosphere.

Aside from their determination to bring the asteroid down, the heroes couldn't help but to admire its décor.

It did have a hundred years to be made like this. That's more than enough time, Hal Jordan thought.

Hal got a pinch of the jitters from the thought, but his urge to stop it brushed it away.

Both traveled on without a single word or thought, their trip going on for mostly an hour before they reached a new pitch-black area in which not even their own lights could illuminate.

It's like we aren't meant to see what dwells within, Ultra Seven thought, with Hal thinking the same thing.

It turned out to be a false assumption: within seconds, the whole area was shone with bright lights from above which shined almost as bright as even the sun itself. Everywhere they looked, there were rows of metal platforms like prison stairwells, divided into cubicle-like areas that were fixated into the stone walls. The width between them was at about four football stadiums in a row, & even traveling in the center Green Lantern & Ultra Seven can see what they'd stumbled onto, & it made them gasp in surprise: wherever they looked, the heroes saw cylinders big & small that held a creature/alien in cryonic liquid with tubes protruding into the wall behind it. Green Lantern & Ultra Seven saw rows & rows of fiends like Aliens Wild, Pitt, Pegassa, Prote, & Godora, along with monsters like Gabura, Gyeron, & Giradoras were being what Hal Jordan & his partner believe to be 'grown' in these cylinders, & full-fledged robotic creatures like Narse & King Joe were being assembled off a line like cars, planes & other vehicles would be made.

Even though Green Lantern expected the asteroid to be something of a ship/aircraft of sorts, he never expected seeing anything like this inside it, & neither did Ultra Seven.

"So that's the game!", Hal said. "This here asteroid is much more than just a simple floating fortress! It's like a cloning factory: while the Artificial Intelligence trekked throughout space in the last century, it must've collected tissue samples & the like of each species of the monsters & aliens you've fought in the past, be it willingly or by force!"

"Not only that, they've cloned/replicated them perfectly with updated, added features!", Ultra Seven says. "Now it explains all the added features to Alien Metron, Narse & Gabura when they returned! With this kind of technology & power, this asteroid will use its replicated creations to strike at Earth & kill whoever's left standing after the holocaust should it hit the planet! Even we would be hard-pressed to try & stop all of them as a living tide!"

"I concur, & that's exactly why we came here in the first place! Even if we perish in the attempt, this rock goes no further to Earth!"

"Then let's find the main console & destroy it before it does the planet!"

"Permit me to save both of you the trouble, Ultra Seven, Green Lantern Hal Jordan!", said a high-pitched voice which also sounded like it was inhaling helium. From a console with a balcony-like stand 900 meters away, a creature only 1.23 meters tall levitated that was shaped like some kind of octopus or squid, but had round eyes & a mouth which was capable of speech. A set of flashing yellow lights like the ones fireflies emit were embedded in its tail portion & a larger square-shaped one between its eyes. Three pairs of tentacle-like arms protruded from its sides, each one ending in a hook-like silver claw that resembled a bottle opener. Its flesh was a hue of black, silver & brown, the latter being unseen from the back.

Floating closer to this intruder, Green Lantern & Ultra Seven were familiar with it, the latter hero having fought it & its forces as the first enemy he faced & conquered at the time his chosen form Dan Moroboshi was inducted into the Ultra Garrison.

"Alien Cool!", they exclaimed.

Acting on instinct, Ultra Seven grabs his Eye Slugger fin & throws it at the squid-like creature. Alien Cool uses his arms to create an energy barrier in front of him & block the weapon which deflects it harmlessly as it returns back to the rear of Ultra Seven's head.

Alien Cool laughed in mocking maniacal fashion.

"Fool!", he scoffs, shaking a tentacle at him. "You cannot defeat me the way you did when my predecessor made his previous attack on Earth! Like all the other creatures aboard this rock, I've been gifted with abilities I never sported before! You won't find me easy prey this time!"

"So you're the pilot of this asteroid who attacked Oa before making your way to Earth!", Green Lantern snapped, his fists rock-hard.

"Actually…Alien Cool is just my navigator. I'm the one who took the stick on this bird", said a voice as hollow & cold as space itself.

It can't be!, Hal Jordan thought, his eyes widening, for it was a voice he recognized.

"Why, Hal Jordan, I presented this floating rock as something of a gift to you!", it went on as Hal & Ultra Seven can now see the blackened silhouette of a figure 6 feet, 7 inches tall. "I must say, Hal – I went through a great deal of trouble in presenting this peace offering to you at Oa, discovering you weren't there, & as I made my way to Earth, you never even thought of paying an old friend a visit before your home becomes decimated?"

The silhouetted figure stepped into the light & revealed itself, showing a purple-skinned fiend with a full-body suit of black, yellow & gold with bracelets adorning his forearms. On his left bicep & chest was a circled emblem in black with white décor, resembling partly of an Oan power battery. His cranium was slightly longer than that of normal people's, & his eyes & hair were blacker than space. A yellow ring adorned the middle finger of his left hand.

Before Hal Jordan held the title, this individual was hailed as the greatest of the Green Lanterns.

Now he is its greatest threat, & has clashed with Jordan numerous times.

"I'm crushed, Hal Jordan. My feelings are hurt", he says with a sly smirk.

"Sinestro!", Green Lantern & Ultra Seven spat, the former doing so with clenched teeth & a scowled look.

A flash of a memory enters Hal Jordan's mind:

(Hal Jordan was piloting one of Ferris Air's new jets when he picked up a foreign object at 12:00 on his radar. He called it in, but the tower claimed they picked up nothing. His eyes widen when he sees Sinestro floating in the sky in his Green Lantern uniform. The tower asks Jordan to respond, but he can't. Seconds later, his jet explodes in mid-air, but Hal Jordan was spared a grisly demise as Sinestro encases him in an emerald bubble).

Sinestro: Green Lantern of Sector 2814. You are wasting time.

Hal Jordan (changing from his pilot's outfit into his Green Lantern one): What are you doing?! Who the hell are you?

Sinestro: I am Sinestro. Green Lantern of Sector 1417.

Hal Jordan: Is that supposed to impress me?

Sinestro: Hr. Ring?

Sinestro's ring: Sector 1417. The most orderly sector in all the universe.

Sinestro: And I am the greatest Green Lantern. The Guardians have deemed you worthy enough to continue your training with me. Only a selected few have been as honored. Stel, Arkkis Chummuck, Khen-To…

Hal Jordan: And who's going to shell out the twenty million dollars for that jet? I don't see any pockets.

Sinestro: Your terrestrial affairs should be of little concern, Earthman. You are in the presence of a veteran. Never question a superior officer. Never challenge those more powerful than you.

Hal Jordan: Um…yeah. That's not gonna work for me.

The man's thoughts come back to the present as Hal aimed his ring hand at his one-time companion & friend.

"You've hit Oa with savage force, killed rookies & put many seasoned veterans on the injured list, intend on repeating the process to Earth – and you dare have the utmost nerve to still call me your friend?!", Hal spat, firing his ring in a thick beam that heads right for Sinestro. The rogue Korugarian simply places a yellow shield to block the blast & doing no harm.

"You never did learn to keep your anger in check, Hal Jordan", Sinestro says. "Even now as you claim a title I once held dear, you're still nothing more than a volcano of rage that awaits in blowing its top. You fare no better than the angry John Stewart, the mad dog Guy Gardner, or the alley rat Kyle Rayner." The purple-skinned fiend shows a sinister smile. "How are your fellow Earthmen faring, by the way?"

Green Lantern attempts to fire another blast from his ring, but Ultra Seven stepped in & placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Nodding, Hal lowered his arm.

"How did you become the pilot of this thing anyway, Sinestro?", Ultra Seven asks.

"Ah, the observer called Agent 340, who changed his name to Ultra Seven after taking the form of Jiro Satsuma & calls himself Dan Moroboshi", Sinestro began. "Funny you should ask: truth be told, this thing was on its way to my home planet of Korugar when I was informed of its approach by my most trusted general. Even though I've now been branded as its greatest villain thanks to Hal Jordan, Korugar is still my home & I will do anything to protect it from harm. Penetrating its defenses, I discovered the interior of this weapon & its origins: I spoke to it, & vice versa, & we shared a mutual goal with one another. Starting with Oa, it became the first stop before making my way to Earth. Once we cleanse that mudball of a planet, the universe will soon fall to order – my order!"

"And what you can't control, you'll destroy – just like you do with everything you touch!", Ultra Seven barked.

"You are very perceptive, Ultra Seven, I'll grant you that. But if you or Hal Jordan think you can stop our trek to Earth, then you're just another rabid dog to be put out of its misery like those fools on Oa!"

"Then bring out the Euthanasia solution, because that's the only way you're going to stop us, Sinestro!", Jordan says, taking off after his longtime friend-turned-enemy. He gets halted in mid-flight by the sudden appearance of a silver robot in a suit that resembled medieval armor. A fin appeared down the middle & sides of its head, & a diamond-shaped mouth appeared underneath, opening with metal teeth.

"Alien Borg!", Green Lantern said.

"Correct!", the cyborg says, whose voice was in an echo. "Never mind about Sinestro – I'll be your dancing partner, Hal Jordan!"

"Deal with him, Hal Jordan! I'll handle Sinestro for you!", Ultra Seven says, taking off after the Korugarian, who sees the approaching member of Nebula M78.

This should become quite interesting!, Sinestro thought with a wicked smile.

"Mind the console, Alien Cool, as I attend to Jordan's new friend!", Sinestro said, surrounding himself with his protective yellow aura.

"Yes, Sinestro!", Alien Cool said as his partner took to the air.

As Sinestro & Ultra Seven began their tussle, Green Lantern & Alien Borg did the same with each other.

"I don't care how many of Sinestro's foot soldiers gets sent my way – I will bring this asteroid down, even if it has to be over our own corpses!", the Emerald Crusader says, his ring shining brighter.

"How fitting you should mention that, Hal Jordan – a corpse is the only way you & Ultra Seven are ever leaving here!", Alien Borg says, his laugh echoing as he makes himself semi-transparent & replicates his form into an army of eighteen copies of his figure that surround Hal Jordan.

When next he spoke, it was as one.

"So, Green Lantern – can you guess which one of us is the real Alien Borg before it's too late?"

They all laugh that hideous echoing guffaw that was as eerie as it was loud. Hal Jordan wasn't intimidated: the man grits his teeth while keeping his green aura holding steady. In unison, the Alien Borgs light up their fin beams & hit Green Lantern in several directions all around. Even with his aura shielding him, Hal felt each blast like a light that was shot through a magnifying glass hitting his flesh, amplified tenfold.

His cry in pain echoed louder than Alien Borg's baritone laugh.

When Sinestro came close enough to Ultra Seven, the hero had shot forth his Stop Light attack: a trio of yellow beams he shoots from his hands when he rests them upon his Beam Lamp. The Korugarian blocked this easily & struck with an array of spikes from his ring. Some get blocked by Ultra Seven's shield, but others get blasted apart by his Eye Beam attack. Sinestro fired multiple shots of yellow energy from his ring, but Ultra Seven dodged each one like an ace pilot & came close to deliver several punches & kicks. The renegade Lantern delivers some of his own, being as adept at hand-to-hand combat as he is with using his primary weapon. Using a fast hard boot, Sinestro kicks Ultra Seven in his solar plexus, putting distance between them before firing his ring. Ultra Seven thought fast & puts his bodily shield up in time, the beam striking his person harmlessly as it bounces off like popcorn. He retaliates by shooting his Triple Beam – a wrist beam that splits into three.

Like before, Sinestro deflects this with a constructed shield.

He lets it down when Ultra Seven ceases, but the hero charged as he fired, being able to grab the renegade by the shoulders once his defense was gone. Sinestro does the same, & both combatants stare at each other in deep loathing &, oddly enough, pity.

"Sinestro of Korugar!", Ultra Seven began. "For a long time, you've been hailed as the greatest Green Lantern of all – until the day you abused the power of your ring & allowed it to corrupt you, body & soul! Enslaving your own planet & its people, attacking the very beings you've fought alongside in combat, going against everything in which the Green Lantern Corps stands for! Why, Sinestro?! Why do it?!"

To Ultra Seven's surprise, Sinestro actually stops struggling with his enemy & has a look of shock on his face.

"Why?", he asks in a surprising soft tone before his face & voice become hard again. "You're just as clueless as Jordan: the so-called 'Guardians of the Universe' have been around in existence for billions of years, & in all that time, they easily could've shaped it into a picture-perfect utopia, what with the immense power they possessed! But what do those irritating gnomes do to maintain order? They began patrolling the cosmos like glorified law enforcers – first with the Manhunter robots before they'd gone berserk, & then with live recruits from 3600 sectors! We've become nothing but glorified garbage collectors, picking up a scrap here & a piece there! And how is the universe in this day & age after billions of years? Still in utter chaos, still in confusion, still the garbage dump they left it in at the beginning, & you have the mitigated gall to ask me 'why'?!"

Sinestro shouted his last word as he pushes Ultra Seven away with all his might. The red & silver hero awaited an attack by his enemy, but doesn't come…yet.

"I kept my world of Korugar in perfect order with the power of my ring, Ultra Seven!", Sinestro says. "Because of me, my planet wasn't the chaotic mess Earth is! But when Hal Jordan interfered in its affairs, it became a scene of war, & my replacement was a mere child by the name of Katma Tui! She could not replace me – no one can replace me!"

"The only reason Korugar became orderly was because you instilled fear into them!", Ultra Seven protested.

"Don't you speak of Korugar like you know it, Ultra Seven – you don't!"

"On the contrary, I do! You enforced order on your planet against the people's own free will, & anyone who had stepped out of line was either imprisoned or executed! You're no different from the likes of Xerxes, Genghis Kahn or Adolf Hitler, all of whom wished to achieve the same sick goal that you did!"

For a brief moment, Sinestro actually had nothing to say.

"Believe whatever the hell you wish, Ultra Seven!", he snapped. "This asteroid is hitting the Earth, & when Hal Jordan sees the horror of the aftermath & realizes how utterly he failed in saving his home, only then will he understand & share my pain! And you will be all but powerless to stop it!"

Upon speaking his final sentence, Sinestro raised his arms & brought them down, firing his ring directly at Ultra Seven in a wide cone-shaped beam that engulfs the red & silver hero entirely.

Like being in an oven, Hal Jordan was getting the heat turned up on him as Alien Borg & all his duplicates kept firing their beams at the Emerald Crusader, turning the spot a bright white. Despite his shield, Hal won't last too much longer in his current predicament: he needs to get those beams off him, & at his earliest convenience.

This has gone far enough!, Hal thought, using his ring to create one like that which surrounds the planet Saturn. It disperses & expands outwards, striking the multitude of Alien Borgs circling him. The ring Jordan created shorted out every hologram & gives the real Alien Borg a little jolt but does no other damage. When he emits a mechanical grunt, Green Lantern turns & faces the main antagonist, his hands covered in metal glove constructs again, complete with pointed knuckles.

"Nice trick, Alien Borg!", Hal says. "Now…how about a fair fight this time?!"

"However way you want it, Hal Jordan!", Borg said. "I don't need an army to take care of the likes of you!"

Alien Borg extends his palms out, & from them a blade the length of his forearm shoot forth & attacks Hal while emitting his echoing baritone laugh. Green Lantern forms constructs of a shield on his left wrist & a sword in his right hand, bringing them up just in time as Borg strikes with his own blades as Hal barely blocked.

A second or two later, & Hal Jordan would've been skewered through the chest and/or had his head sliced off.

Like a maniacal butcher, Alien Borg swung his weapons repeatedly at Green Lantern, the sound of his two blades clanging like bells as the force of the alien's attack drove Hal back several meters as Borg's assault made cracks upon his shield that spread further with each savage strike being made. His own sword was showing signs of breakage as well, & Hal was suddenly besieged by Borg's right-hand blade as it was driven through his shield, the blade's tip only a fraction of an inch from his face.

Not wanting to give him another chance at such a drastic move, Green Lantern converted his shield into that of a pair of thick metal shackles that bind Alien Borg's wrists together, all the while using his sword to cut off his blades at or nearest the palms into useless stubs. Borg tried using his head beam, but Hal beats him to it & uses his ring to mold his fins & melt the firing mechanism into molten putty.

Ignoring his defeat, Alien Borg remained defiant in the face of it.

"Go ahead & dispose of me if you wish, Hal Jordan!", he says. "There'll be many more of me to take my place!"

Taking a brief look to where Ultra Seven & Sinestro were dueling, Green Lantern turned back to Borg.

"Don't you worry your pretty metal head over it, Alien Borg: I'll have the same message for them as I do for you!", Hal Jordan says, throwing the bound Alien Borg over to the fight between his partner & greatest foe.

Sinestro ceases fire of his ring to see Ultra Seven nowhere in sight, even after waiting several seconds to see if he was playing some trick.

Seeing nothing that resembled one, the renegade smiled wickedly.

Alas, poor Ultra Seven…if only I'd have known him well!, he thought, reciting Shakespeare's famous line, one of few Earth customs he'd learned during his brief stay on Earth. A slight twinkle from his face only a foot away made the renegade drop his smile before it shone brighter & grew in a crimson/silver glob, reforming itself into Ultra Seven as he expands to his 2-meter height after shrinking to microscopic size in order to throw Sinestro off-balance, his beam never vaporizing him as the renegade had hoped.

He tricked me…!, was all Sinestro could think of before getting buffeted by a right hook to the chin by Ultra Seven, the blow sending him twirling through the air 36 feet before being able to right himself. Gritting his teeth until his jaw hurt, Sinestro aimed & fired his ring at Ultra Seven, who did the same with his hands & launched his Double Beam attack. Alien Borg – of whom Hal Jordan threw – got caught in the middle of the blast site as both beams struck the silver cyborg & exploded into burning pieces of scrap metal. Putting up a shield to protect himself from the metal shards, Sinestro detracts it when the rain of debris died to find Ultra Seven & Green Lantern side-by-side.

"It's over, Sinestro! This ends now!", the Emerald Crusader said through gritted teeth.

"You know something, Hal Jordan? You're right – it is time we brought this party to its conclusion!", Sinestro said, getting on his ring & in touch with his 'navigator'. "Alien Cool – set the speed to our fortress at maximum! Have it crash in the heart of the city called Tokyo!"

Sinestro punctuated his order with a sinister grin, making Green Lantern & Ultra Seven's hearts gallop madly.

"Yes, Sinestro!", Alien Cool replied, getting right to work.

You bastard!, Hal Jordan thought before he rocketed off towards the console to stop Alien Cool from carrying out his order. Ultra Seven fired his Emerium Beam to prevent Sinestro in any attempts to stop Hal.

Oddly enough, the renegade doesn't even try to.

"Sinestro! I've killed dozens of evil aliens in the past! One rogue Korugarian won't make any difference to me!", Ultra Seven said, placing his right arm in an L-shape to prepare firing his Wide Shot attack.

"I know you'll kill me, Ultra Seven!", Sinestro said, crossing his arms in a nonchalant manner like being killed was no big deal to him. "The only problem with that is – it's much easier said than done!"

At that moment, a volley of white beams strikes the red & silver hero in the back that sent him soaring through the air for 50 feet before he regained his sense of balance. When he turned to face his new opponent, he saw a large bat-like humanoid creature with light gray flesh & brown fur on the top half. Unlike a regular bat, its mouth had no teeth & it lacked any wings but sprouted incredibly large ears. The eyes were yellow with black pupils, & had hands with five fingers on each.

It was the creature he faced before in the 4th Dimension.

"Alien Icarus!", Ultra Seven said as Sinestro chuckled.

"Yes, Ultra Seven!", he said. "While he's a simple cloned improvement over the original like the others, he still recalls you destroying his kin in your previous encounter, & now he yearns for some serious payback!"

So fast was Alien Icarus' approach to Ultra Seven that the hero was unable to launch a counterstrike before the creature snagged him in a crushing bear hug that even the red & silver hero felt.

Ultra Seven fought back with all his strength.

Alien Cool saw Green Lantern quickly making his way towards him as he reached for the console that controls the asteroid & all its functions. The squid-like alien rapidly typed in his new instructions given to him by Sinestro just as Hal Jordan fired a warning shot at the ceiling right above the creature's head.

"Alien Cool – get the hell away from that console, or my next shot goes right through you!", Green Lantern firmly ordered, his ring aimed at Alien Cool's head. The hovering creature complied & slowly floated away, raising his tentacles.

"Sure, Green Lantern Hal Jordan! Anything you say!", Alien Cool replied nonchalant before the middle tentacle on his right side shot forth a thin beam at the console, creating a small hole & causing it to spark vehemently.

"What did you just do?!", Hal barked.

"I shorted out the controls to the engines that manage the asteroid's velocity!", Alien Cool answered. "And now there's no way to halt this rock's forward progress from either here or the Earth when it hits – in just two hours!"

Green Lantern's eyes went its widest as Alien Cool lets out a boisterous maniacal laugh. Hal felt himself go weak in the legs, finding it difficult to keep steady. The thought of having failed everyone on Earth – especially those closest to him – made it unbearable to his conscience: Jessica, Martin, Jack, Jim Jordan, Susan, Carl & Carol Ferris…

Carol…

That one name helped to give Hal rejuvenated strength & keep his posture firm, & his depression turned to hard rage & fury in which he could no longer contain.

And Alien Cool's taunting laughter wasn't making matters any better except fueling his hate.

"You son of a BITCH!", Hal Jordan shouted at the top of his lungs, charging Alien Cool like a madman that has nothing to lose. The hovering creature shot beams from all six of his tentacles, but Hal deflected them with a shield & reached his quarry by grabbing him by the tail as the creature tried floating higher out of his grasp like he was a helium balloon being released. Retracting his shield, Hal Jordan pulls on the alien's tail & began slugging him with fists that were hard as rocks to what passed as his face, going into a blind fury as he held nothing back in his fierce assault. Alien Cool tried staying conscious, but Green Lantern's blows were relentless, & the creature was spewing pinkish blood out of his mouth as the emerald-clad hero swung the alien above his head & slammed him down onto the hard steel floor repeatedly onto his back, each blow becoming harder than the previous.

Green Lantern finally let go of his quarry after a dozen blows, who now lay on the floor with his mouth bleeding & his tentacles twitching slightly before dropping & going still, his eyes closing shut right after.

His enemy incapacitated, Green Lantern rushed over to the console & checked to see if there was anything that operated or stayed intact aside from the damage Alien Cool inflicted upon it. With the way it sparked, it didn't look all too promising.

"Ring, do an immediate scan & see if this can be repaired!", Hal ordered his weapon.

"Acknowledging", it replied, going to work & bathing the console in a green aura for a full ten seconds before it gave an answer. "The answer you seek is negative: subject known as Alien Cool has permanently damaged controls to both steering & engine mechanisms, making repairs impossible."

Dammit!, Hal thought, before trying to think of an alternative as he looks around to see an alternative way to halt or even alter the asteroid's sped-up charge.

He turned to his ring again for help, seeing nothing useful.

"Ring, do another immediate scan for an alternative method of stopping or even slowing down/altering this rock's course – and make it fast!", Hal said.

"Scanning", it said, bathing the console again in emerald light. On this attempt, its scan extended throughout every system within the asteroid's interior, its reach spreading faster than a person's cancer from years of smoking. Hal felt sweat form upon his forehead, waiting for a response with every ounce of patience as he could muster.

After over a minute that felt more like forever, his ring answered.

"I have found a way to grant you your wish", it said. "There is, however, a complication within the system which briefly fought my scan before I can administer a solution. It is still present, but with both of us working at the console, your wish of preventing this asteroid's collision with the Earth can be granted."

Hal relaxed slightly upon hearing the good news. He didn't need to hear from his ring about the 'complication' in which it spoke of: he knew it was the artificial intelligence that Scord spoke about back at the TDF HQ.

Let's go give that A.I. a really bad cold!, Hal thought.

"Good work!", Hal said. "Tell me what I have to do!"

Green Lantern's ring started giving him instructions to which he followed to the letter.

Nine minutes later:

Ultra Seven broke free from Alien Icarus' bear-like grip & struck with his Handmill Ray attack in succession to help get distance from one another. Icarus shot forth his Arrow Beams like he did last time he & Ultra Seven fought, but unlike then, he was able to fire his trademark attack from his hands instead of his entire body. Ultra Seven deployed his shield to deflect the shots, melting upon contact. From his mouth, Alien Icarus can fire a steady beam of white that has the same effect, giving him a new feature. This is also deflected before Ultra Seven lowers his shield & commenced with his Emerium & Eye Beam combo attack. Both strike Icarus square in the chest, causing the alien bat to cry out in pain before he rushed Ultra Seven, firing his mouth beam. Dodging the projectile to one side, the red & silver hero put a well-placed foot to Icarus' face once he was in range, temporarily blinding & staggering him. Ultra Seven then caught Icarus' right arm & flung him over his shoulder, sending him over to Sinestro. The renegade dived to his left to avoid colliding with his soldier before Icarus' vision returned to normal & ceased his tumble. He was immediately tackled by Ultra Seven like a linebacker on the field, & the alien bat began pounding on his enemy's back with his fists. Seven all but ignored the hits as he attempts to ram Icarus into the wall on the far side.

Or at least tries to, as his progress was halted when Sinestro snagged Seven's feet with a yellow chain link before yanking hard & separating the combatants. Ultra Seven fired his Wide Shot beam first at Sinestro's chain & severed his link before doing so at the renegade himself. Sinestro simply puts up a thick shield that does no harm to it, & he did so in a calm demeanor as if he was used to getting savagely attacked.

Just as filled with rage as Hal Jordan!, Sinestro thought with a smirk, remembering on how his former pupil was always berating him with his anger when it was directed at someone else. That is why they will lose this battle!

Ultra Seven was about to attack with his Wide Beam again, but was clobbered from behind in the side of his head by Icarus, the blow clouding his thoughts & sending him tumbling through the air. Icarus grabbed the red & silver hero by the shoulder with his left arm & began slugging him with his right. Each blow to the head was like the equivalence of a prize fighter getting hit by his opponent, who outranks him in both size & strength. Soon, Ultra Seven was starting to see double as Icarus never relented on his punches.

Then it became Icarus' turn to be hit unawares as a green construct of a ram's head 2 meters tall buffets him on the left, getting the alien bat away from Ultra Seven as Green Lantern floats to his partner's side.

"Are you all right, Ultra Seven?", Hal asked.

"A bit shaken, but I'll manage to fight on!", he replied, being able to float on his own.

"I doubt it, Ultra Seven!", Sinestro said. "I've gathered every piece of information about you once I discovered this floating fortress – from your real name to your weakness to extreme cold! The Beam Lamp indicates your level of energy which starts flashing when it's low! Like a Green Lantern Power Ring, you need to recharge yourself with solar energy in order to keep fighting, & with what you've wasted upon fighting both me and my other forces in this fortress, I doubt you'll last for much longer!"

To punctuate his claims, Ultra Seven's Beam Lamp does indeed begin to flash & indicate his energy level getting dangerously low, drawing a slight gasp from Hal Jordan but a smirk from Sinestro.

"It hardly matters!", Hal says in a matter of fact fashion. "Ultra Seven – we're leaving this death trap anyway!"

Before the red & silver hero can say anything, Hal whispers close to what passes for his ear, keeping an eye on both Sinestro & Icarus in case they interfere or try to listen in.

Hearing his partner's little secret, Ultra Seven nods his full approval.

"Then all the more reason to get off this particular boat!", he said. A roar from Icarus catches their attention, & the alien bat-creature grows to his full 40-meter height that dwarfs both heroes.

"What made you think we'd allow you two to just up & go at the drop of a hat, Ultra Seven?", Sinestro says with a wicked grin. "You'll both remain within this station until after we crash into the Earth & wipe out the populace! Only then will you be permitted to leave here – as a pair of rotting corpses!"

"What you allow or don't is of no concern to us, Sinestro!", Ultra Seven shouted at him before he turns to Green Lantern. "Place your ring onto my Beam Lamp!"

"Your Beam Lamp? Why would you want me to…", Green Lantern started to ask.

"Do you trust me, Hal Jordan?"

The ace pilot's response was as immediate as John Stewart's was when Hal asked the African-American Lantern.

"Yes – yes I do!", Hal said, doing as Ultra Seven suggested.

"Quickly – recite your sacred oath!", Seven said.

"Oh no you don't!", Sinestro snapped, firing his ring at the two heroes with Icarus doing the same with his mouth beam. Both attacks strike the heroes dead-on in a blast, but when the area was cleared away of smoke, they were both unharmed as Ultra Seven's body shield held firm & kept them safe.

Sinestro gasped in stunned surprise as Hal Jordan began reciting his oath.

"In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's Light!"

While Hal Jordan recited his oath, he & Ultra Seven were first covered in & became a sparkling energy field that combined into one – a beautiful mixture of red, silver, green, white & black. What happened next was a sight that made even Sinestro drop his jaw with stunned surprise: Ultra Seven reemerges to his 40-meter height, but his demeanor was a mixture of both his red/silver attire to that of Green Lantern's. White gloves adorned his hand, with a power ring on his right middle finger. The Green Lantern emblem was proudly displayed upon his chest, a hint of Hal Jordan's mask was placed over his yellow eyes. With his energy recharged, Ultra Seven's Beam Lamp stopped flashing & held at a steady green.

This is impossible!, Sinestro thought, his eyes wide as saucers as he now bears witness to a sight even he never envisioned – a member of Nebula M78 with the power of a Green Lantern.

Alien Icarus was unimpressed by the sudden metamorphosis, & assaulted the newly-transformed Ultra Seven with a double attack from his Arrow Beams. Ultra Seven – or, Ultra Lantern in this guise – merely evaporated it with a blast of emerald energy from the warrior's ring. Icarus tried his mouth beam, only to end up in the same manner. In a fit of rage, Icarus charged Ultra Lantern as the giant hero did so himself. Mighty as he was, Icarus was still no match for the combined power of Green Lantern & Ultra Seven, & the alien bat was soon overwhelmed in nothing flat against the giant hero. Aside from his vicious attack, Icarus fell victim to Ultra Lantern's power, who now creates a large construct of the Eye Slugger with his ring & uses it to slice Alien Icarus in a vertical manner right down the middle as the two halves split apart & fall to the hard concrete floor way down at the bottom.

Sinestro's heart felt like it was going to stop palpitating when Ultra Lantern fixed his gaze upon him, knowing even his power would be feeble against his large foe's.

To his relief, Ultra Lantern takes to the air & smashes his way into the ceiling, raining down chunks of rocks & debris over Sinestro's head. He travels faster than the renegade can follow, & soon Ultra Lantern was plowing through each level of the asteroid until he makes it out into the vacuum of space, putting himself at a distance of 300 meters from the asteroid that was still heading for Earth at a faster velocity than before.

He suspected it wouldn't be for much longer.

Remembering that Hal Jordan pursued Alien Cool earlier, Sinestro flew over to the control console to find the squid-like alien lying upon the floor, unmoving with blood dripping from his mouth. A computerized voice caught the renegade's attention, saying something that dazzled the Korugarian perplexedly.

"Teleportation commencing in ten seconds", it announced.

"Teleportation?!", Sinestro repeated, zipping over to the console & seeing a countdown that was at 00:00:05.

Even with his ring's power, there was no way Sinestro could halt or delay the timer.

So that's what Hal Jordan was doing over here!, the renegade thought. Curse that son of a bitch!

When the countdown reached zero, the entire room started going blurry & Sinestro fell to the metal floor.

Ultra Lantern watched as the entire asteroid briefly glowed as white rings engulfed the soaring rock orb before disappearing from sight twelve seconds later, the threat to Earth no longer present. Feeling the crisis truly at an end, Ultra Lantern started bathing again in crystalline energy as the entities of Ultra Seven & Green Lantern Hal Jordan had split apart to become their own personas once more.

"That was a brilliant strategy, Hal Jordan!", Ultra Seven praised. "Since we couldn't alter its course because of the malfunctioning repeller units or destroy it from within, the best way to stop its collision to Earth & save the planet was to teleport it away!"

"Precisely, Ultra Seven!", Green Lantern said. "I figured that since the artificial intelligence created that asteroid primarily from scratch, it would have other forms of advanced technology aside from creating those cloned monsters & aliens. When I scanned the console with my ring, it was discovered that it could teleport from one place to another in short intervals due to the immense power it would require. After a little re-programming, I helped send it away."

"Maybe we ought to track down & try to destroy it before it can even have a chance of returning to Earth."

"You needn't worry, Ultra Seven. Where I've teleported it to, there's no chance of it ever coming back to become a problem for Earth, Oa, or anywhere else."

Green Lantern started his trek back to Earth.

"J-Just a moment!", Ultra Seven says, following & catching up to him. "Where exactly did you send that asteroid anyway?"

Hal Jordan smiled big at his alien partner.

"To the one Green Lantern even Sinestro is afraid of!", he says on the verge of laughing & barely able to keep it together.

He explains to Ultra Seven as they make their way to the planet.

At that same time:

Sinestro found himself on the steel floor of the asteroid's control room when everything came back into focus. He grunted with pain as he recalled what occurred before he blacked out, & rose to his feet in a wobbly manner. Alien Cool also slowly rose from the floor as well, aside from his injuries sustained by Hal Jordan.

"What happened?", Alien Cool asked, his tone as tired as the rest of him.

"Hal Jordan beat you into submission, & then teleported us somewhere", Sinestro said.

"Teleported? Where to?"

"That's what I want to know!", Sinestro said, pushing a button to bring down a large monitor from the ceiling & turning it on. What they were now viewing at made then gasp loudly & their hearts gallop like race horses: just outside the asteroid was a planet of vast greenery & blue water very much like Earth itself.

But this was no ordinary planet: from their viewpoint, Sinestro & Alien Cool can see the enormous emblem of the Green Lantern Corps upon its surface, & it was well-known to friend & foe alike. This was the planet that has made even bounty hunter Bolphunga the Unrelenting actually, well, relent.

Mogo!, they both thought with great dread – an entire sentient planet that's a Green Lantern.

Without a moment's hesitation, Sinestro took off & headed straight for & up into the large hole Ultra Seven made when he & Hal Jordan briefly merged as one, ignoring Alien Cool's cries for help. The squid-like alien can only stare at the monitor in utter helplessness as Mogo positioned his emblem directly at the asteroid & lit it up like a second sun before unleashing his power at the target that was a dire threat to Earth – power that is thousands of times greater than the repeller units that Scord & his people constructed to end the threat of the asteroid and the artificial intelligence that created it.

Only a second or two after that power struck the asteroid, it blew apart in a tremendous explosion that killed Alien Cool & everything else within, giving nobody even the slightest chance to scream. From behind, Sinestro could see the bright light that the explosion caused, & he turned to witness a horde of debris heading his way like rockets. The pieces were too big for him to try & blast away, let alone block with a simple shield, & he used his ring's power to get him as far away from the blast and shooting fragments as he could.

But even at top speed, Sinestro could still not escape the approaching remains of what was once his impenetrable fortress, & before long they caught up to & overpowered him in a tidal wave that made him scream in terror.

His body flew across space for many miles.

He has no idea for how long he'd been soaring through space, & the yellow protective aura that allows him life in the cold vacuum was soon to go out.

His vision was blurry when he opened his eyes, & that's when two things happened at once: his aura finally went out, becoming quickly replaced by a second from a source of similar origin. Although hazy, Sinestro can still see the familiar yellow outfit of the creature that was keeping him alive by his own ring that was worn on the left four-fingered clawed hand of his savior. It was a creature that was about the same height & built as Kilowog, but with a head that was more like an alien gorilla with a mouth filled with large sharp teeth, the biggest being the front pairs of fangs.

This hulking monster is one of Sinestro's very first recruits to his own newly-appointed Corps, having found him on the savage jungle planet of Vorn/Coristeel, located in Sector 674.

"Arkillo", Sinestro said weakly.

"Yes, Master, I'm here", Arkillo said. "And just in time too, by the looks of it."

"How did you…"

"Locate you? When your signal from the asteroid disappeared from our scanners, it took me a moment or two to hone in on your ring before it announced you in the vicinity of Mogo. I raced across the stars to get you, & when I had learned of the explosion that was your fortress, I feared the worst – that the Sinestro Corps had just lost its leader & founding member. It swells my pride to see that isn't true."

Sinestro tried getting up, but Arkillo kept him within his gargantuan grip.

"No, Master…rest", the creature said. "I'll take you back to our headquarters on Quard where you can lick your wounds & recharge your ring."

Sinestro smiled before using his ring to drain some of Arkillo's energy to replenish his.

In no time, he was already back in form.

"Thank you for your concern, my giant friend", he told Arkillo, briefly placing a hand upon his shoulder. "But I can manage the trip on my own. How goes the recruitment of my Corps?"

"All is going very well, Master", Arkillo says. "Since we started when you attacked Oa, we've recruited over a good five thousand members, with many more still arriving even as we speak."

"Excellent, Arkillo. I knew you were the one to rely on for the task while I was hitting the Green Lantern Corps on Oa, weakening their defenses while we strengthen ours. If ever there was a time to hit them when they're down, this is it. Let's return to Quard & get our troops ready for the big war to come."

"Lead the way, Master", Arkillo said, following Sinestro as he does indeed takes lead.

Along the way, Sinestro vows to make every one of his hated enemies suffer with extreme prejudice – especially Earth Green Lanterns Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, John Stewart and Hal Jordan.

For a bonus, he also wishes to extract vengeance upon the hero Ultra Seven just as much.

First chance I get, Ultra Seven, you will know what true fear really is, along with all your fellow members from Nebula M78!, Sinestro thought with malice.

He will do whatever it took to carry out that threat and promise.

EPILOGUE

Terrestrial Defense Force Headquarters, the following day:

Once they returned to the planet, Green Lantern got on the horn with both his fellow Lanterns and that of the Ultra Garrison to tell them of the good news that was sweet music to everybody's ears, human & alien. They cheered as if they'd just won the Stanley Cup or Super Bowl, & more than a few on both sides shed tears of joy with knowing the crisis has been averted & the battle won. The tears were also for the rookie Lanterns that fell in battle on Oa, along with seasoned veterans who were killed in the fight, never reaching their prime under Ke'Haan or Kilowog's tutelage which would've made them the best they could be, just as Hal Jordan had.

That burden fell on Kilowog the most; if there's one thing the Bolovaxian hated more than anything else is to see rookies' life expansions cut too shortly, especially when training.

The one consolation is that the thing responsible for their deaths was obliterated & that their souls could now rest in peace knowing they got justice, thanks to the efforts of both Hal Jordan & Ultra Seven.

As for the renegade Sinestro, if there's even the slightest chance that he's survived the blast – and each one of the Green Lanterns suspect that he has – they shall make him pay for his crime against the populace of Oa and of Earth, adding to his list of many atrocities he's committed since abusing the power of the ring & going rogue.

It was as inevitable as sunrise to sunset.

With the crisis averted, five of the repeller units withdrew beneath the surface & back to their underground city from whence they came. The sixth one that short-circuited in Ibaraki during Gandar & Giradoras' artificial blizzard was brought back by Kilowog & Tomar-Re with their rings, using them to locate their utopia. Tomar-Re still felt guilty & horrible about letting the unit he & Amagi was supposed to guard & protect, nearly causing the Earth's demise like as when he saw Krypton explode in a powerless state. Kilowog put him at ease by saying he did all he could, & that things such as this happen unexpectedly – a factor that comes with the territory of being a Green Lantern, even if he/she is a seasoned one with many years of experience.

Learning he was not to blame gave Tomar-Re a huge release of a burden, especially when the asteroid was first whisked away by its own teleportation devices before getting destroyed by the sentient planet Mogo.

That thought put a smile on the Xudarian's bird-like features & he even chuckled wholeheartedly, lifting up the burden even higher until it was gone altogether.

Amid the wonderful news, Kilowog & Tomar-Re gave the populace of the underground city the sad news of Scord, who'd been killed during their adventure as his body was brought back by Green Lantern Hal Jordan & Ultra Seven. They'd given an explanation on how the Ultra Garrison base was infiltrated which led to their inhabitant's death at the hands of Alien Prote while offering their deepest sympathies & apologies for failing to keep him safe. Scord's people were not resentful of the Green Lanterns or the Ultra Garrison, & offer their thanks for returning Scord's body and for saving the Earth.

Had it not been for what Hal Jordan & Ultra Seven had done, everyone would've ended up like Scord.

Hal took comfort in that straight fact, including that Scord received justice like the rookie Green Lantern lives in which the asteroid took.

Vowing to keep their underground utopia a secret from the rest of the world, Hal, Kilowog, Tomar-Re & Ultra Seven parted with a bow of gratitude & a handshake before reaching to the surface where the other Green Lanterns had waited. The deed all but done, John Stewart announced he & the others had to return to Oa & tend to those wounded in the fight with Sinestro's asteroid.

Following suit, Hal Jordan & Ultra Seven did the same at the Terrestrial Defense Forces HQ in their civilian guises.

In conjunction with the happy celebration of the destroyed menace to Earth, there was also a bit of a dark cloud or two looming over the Ultra Garrison, one of them concerning Hal Jordan.

"Are you really going to go, Hal Jordan?", Soga asks. "Do you even have to?"

"Soga's right, Jordan", Furuhashi says. "You're one of the boldest & dedicated men we've ever known. Your membership here at the Ultra Garrison will fortify it like it's never been before. It's bad enough they're mothballing the Ultra Phoenix until further notice. Must we lose you as well?"

"We were really getting used to having you as a permanent member, Hal", said Amagi. "Isn't there any chance we can get you to reconsider?"

Hal Jordan smiled warmly.

"Everyone, words alone cannot express how grateful I am to have served with this fantastic organization: it gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction almost as much as when I'm out there flying", he states. "But, as for becoming a mainstay, I'm afraid that's out of the question: my real home is Coast City where Ferris Air Base is in close proximity, & as I've explained to you, my father Martin flew at that very airfield. I can no longer just up & leave any more than you people could give up being a member of the Ultra Garrison."

The room stayed silent from Hal's statement. He spoke nothing short of the truth: the Ultra Garrison is like a second home to just about everyone in the room, & to just up & leave it would be such a blasphemy to their souls.

For them, it'd be a bigger crime than allowing the Earth to fall prey to invading aliens that attempt to conquer the planet, & that's something none of them could ever live with.

"We understand, Hal Jordan", said Staff Officer Yanagawa. "Because your father flew for that of Ferris' owner Carol, you wish to keep the tradition of it going as long as you can. But I'd be lying if I said we won't miss having you here as an ace pilot for the TDF branch here in Japan."

"Duly noted, Yanagawa", Hal said, shaking the man's hand. "But it's not all that bad. Try to think of me as a reserve member of the team: if things ever get too hairy on your side, contact Carol at Ferris Air to request for me & I'll lend a hand soon as I get your message. Fair enough?"

The four leaders of the TDF & Ultra Garrison members look at one another before Commander Takenaka spoke.

"More than so, Hal Jordan", he says, shaking his hand. "We hope to see you soon."

"In this crazy world, anything is possible", Hal joked, getting laughs from all in the room. He went from person to person, shaking the hand of each. When he got to Anne, he emitted the same treatment he gave her when he had first arrived. Anne couldn't help but grin from his showmanship to the ladies.

"Anne, everyone, keep your wits sharp & remain vigilant", Hal said. "The world's a dangerous place, & it also goes for what's out there in space. It's one of the reasons as to why they have a Green Lantern Corps, & why there's an Ultra Garrison of the planet's TDF branch: we can never tell what will come our way, be it from the stars or even the Earth itself. Our nationalities may differ from each other, but as an entire species we're tons stronger as one & we must never surrender or give in to hostile forces of any kind. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stayed defiant to the German Nazis during the Second World War; we can show that very same attitude towards alien races like Pitt, Prote, Vira, Wild, & the like. This has been our planet for the last five million years, & we intend to keep it that way!"

A round of applause erupted in the room, hearing the truthful & inspiring speech Hal Jordan had just given the members of the Ultra Garrison & feeling more pride that they haven't felt in a long time.

A real inspiration, that one, thought Commander Manabe. His father would be so proud of him!

If only we had more like Hal Jordan in the TDF, thought Chief Yamaoka. Then again, I see a lot of that in our own members, especially Dan Moroboshi!

"Commander, if it's all right with you, I'll escort Hal back to his hotel room in the Pointer", Dan suggested.

Kiriyama nodded.

"So long, Hal Jordan", he said with a pat on his back. "We've extended your stay at the hotel for a week, so try to enjoy the sights here in Japan as a reward for all your services. And you did mention you wished to see the country, am I right?"

"Guilty as charged, Commander!", Hal said, grinning. "Let's go, Dan!"

"Yes!", Dan said with a nod, & both men exited the main control room as they head for the Pointer vehicle with Dan at the wheel & Hal riding shotgun. For most of the trip, the men rode in silence until it bothered them as Dan was the first to break it.

"As I told you the other day, what you concocted back on that asteroid was pure genius, Hal!", he said. "Even I wouldn't have thought up something so clever like that!"

"Much obliged, Dan", Hal said. "It wasn't too difficult to perfect: any kind of programming, even a sentient one, can be overwritten & reprogrammed if you have a strong enough virus to give it the equivalence of the flu. That was where my ring came in – it helped me to combat the A.I. & alter its course to teleport itself to a place I know it would never return from. Once the new course was set, I let both it and Mogo do the rest."

"And this Mogo…it really is an entire sentient planet like you've said?"

"As sentient & alive as you or me: perhaps one day I'll take you over to meet him in person."

Dan had to smile at the notion.

"I'd like that very much, Hal. Thank you", he said as something just entered his mind. "Hal, there's something I feel I need to know."

"What is it, Dan?"

"It's probably a long shot, but…do you suppose Sinestro could've survived the blast Mogo caused when he hit that asteroid?"

Hal stayed quiet for almost a minute before answering Dan's question.

"As much as I loathe admitting it, Dan…if anything could live through a blast like that, it'd be him. He's always come back to torture me & the Corps, no matter how hard we kick his tail throughout the cosmos."

"And every time he reappears, he's more diabolical than in any of his previous encounters", Dan stated as Hal nods.

"Not only that, I believe he's made a new enemy with you, Dan. Sinestro always was one to hold a grudge. I'm strongly urging you to watch your back: he can be as vile as any of the monsters & aliens that you face."

"Understood. At least we know that Carol Ferris is all right back home, learning she had been freed from Alien Godora's little prison once he was dealt with."

Hal nodded, & they drove on in silence for another 30-40 seconds when an echoing voice called out.

"Hal Jordan of sector 2814", it said as Dan stopped the Pointer & both men got out. Dan went to Hal's side, his gun already in his hand when a holographic projection of two figures. The first stood at 5 feet, 11 inches with a touch of a spiked hairstyle on top, Green Lantern outfit & mask covering his eyes. The second one was only half his size but wore a crimson robe & sported blue flesh with white hair that was ponytailed in the rear.

"Kyle Rayner! Ganthet!", Hal said. "What is it? Is Oa under siege again?"

"That's putting it mildly, Hal Jordan of Earth", said Ganthet. "Only an hour ago of your world's time, a band of yellow-clad warriors invaded Oa with savage fury, striking us as we were still recuperating from the asteroid's assault a week ago. I fear that this caravan of vicious creatures are being led by our once-prized pupil from Korugar."

"Sinestro!", Hal growled. "So he did survive as I had feared!"

"That's right, Hal!", Kyle adds. "Somehow he's collected a plethora of the galaxy's most vicious warriors & has created his own Corps! Despite their wounds, all the Green Lanterns are standing firm & doing battle, including John Stewart & the ones who helped you back on Earth, but we can sure use your help on this!"

"What about Guy Gardner? Is he able to fight despite his concussion?"

"Guy's one of the first to fully recover from his injuries okay, along with many other seasoned veterans like Ch'p & Laira! Right now, he, John & Kilowog are leading several assaults against Sinestro's band! We're fighting okay, but we really need you on this one, Hal!"

"Say no more, Kyle! Tell John & the others I'm on my way!", Hal said, getting his ring from his pocket.

"Allow me, Hal Jordan", Ganthet said, firing a beam of emerald energy into his ring & causing his demeanor to change into his Green Lantern uniform, mask & all. "There – your ring is now fully charged & will enable you to make the trip to Oa. Please hurry!"

Hal nodded as the holographic images of Kyle Rayner & Ganthet disappear, leaving him & Dan Moroboshi alone once again.

"Hal!", Dan said. "This assault on Oa was undoubtedly a second phase of Sinestro's plan – weakening defenses on Oa with that asteroid while he rallied up his Sinestro Corps to hit it while they were down! If it's that bad as Kyle Rayner & Ganthet say it is, then maybe I should accompany you to help drive them away!"

"Dan", Hal said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I appreciate your concern for Oa's well-being. But this Sinestro Corps is a Green Lantern problem, & it's us who should attend to it. Besides, we can't just leave the Earth unprotected & vulnerable to an alien attack. That's where you come in."

Knowing Hal Jordan was right, Dan nodded.

"You're not wrong, Hal", he said. "Good luck at Oa, & God bless."

"Thank you, Dan", Hal concludes, raising his ring hand. "Ring – take me to Oa!"

"Setting course", it said, & Hal was airborne in the blink of an eye, reaching the stars & going beyond his solar system in mere seconds.

Be careful over at Oa, Hal, Dan thought before getting back into the Pointer & drove off.

For now, Dan Moroboshi is the only true defense the Earth has.

Out in deep space:

A crystal-like saucer races on through the cosmos as Green Lantern Hal Jordan passes by 1000 meters away in an emerald beam as he races himself to get to Oa. From within this strange craft was a meeting room of sorts, with a single cylinder erected from the floor that served as something of a control panel, & a circular monitor was displayed showing Hal Jordan speeding through space on his trek to Oa.

Except for the monitor, the room was dark until the lights came back on & the monitor went dark. Standing in the room were two-meter tall beings with blue, white, black, yellow & brown color patterned flesh. Their heads were large & bulbous, resembling that of a bird's with beak & large eyes. When they spoke, their voices were a deep & menacing baritone sound, like a record player spinning a record at low speed.

There were four in all, & one of them spoke when the monitor ceased showing images.

"So that was the Green Lantern from Earth known as Hal Jordan?", he asked.

"Yes", said the one who seemed to be their leader. "As we've just seen, he is currently on his way to Oa to assist his fellow Green Lanterns against the new threat in which they now face: the dreaded Sinestro Corps. Like the leader of the Corps' namesake had promised us, they shall keep the Green Lanterns on Oa busy & far away from the Earth while we attend to our own objective…"

"The assassination of Ultra Seven!", the other three say in unison.

"Correct!", their leader says. "We – Alien Guts – shall prepare to capture Ultra Seven & execute him before we take the Earth as our very own. Without any interference from the Green Lanterns, we will have little to no difficulty in our task of claiming Earth once we dispose of its other hero, Ultra Seven. Once we accomplish this most important of tasks, we shall take care of Hal Jordan or any of the Green Lanterns that come by Earth & attempt to stop or drive us away from the planet – if they are lucky enough to survive their encounter with the Sinestro Corps. We are still a day or two away from reaching our destination, & therefore we shall use this time to plan our means of attack upon Earth's champion. Please pay attention & listen very carefully: this is how we will proceed…"

The Alien Guts leader laid out his plans to his crew members as their saucer continued its journey to Earth.

Soon, Dan Moroboshi – Ultra Seven – will be in for the fight of his life.

Quite literally.

MEMORIALS:

Brian Moore, NYPD Officer Shot & Killed in the Line of Duty, 25 (1989-2015)

Josh Ozersky, Well-Known Food Critic, 47 (1967-2015)

Oscar Holderer, Last Known Member of U.S. German Moon Rocket Design Team, 95 (1919-2015)

Maya Plisetskaya, Russian Ballet Great who Spent Over 35 at Bolshoi Theater, 89 (1925-2015)

Dave Goldberg, Head of SurveyMonkey Company & Husband to 'Lean In' Author Sheryl Goldberg, 47 (1967-2015)

Michael Blake, Award-Winning Author of 'Dances With Wolves', 69 (1945-2015)

Grace Lee Whitney, Actress Best Known as Yeoman Janice Rand in 1960s 'Star Trek' Series, 85 (1930-2015)

Ruth Rendell, Prolific British Crime Novelist, 85 (1930-2015)

Ellen Albertini Dow, Character Actress Best Known for 'The Wedding Singer', 101 (1913-2015)

Jim Wright, Former United States House Speaker & World War II Veteran, 92 (1922-2015)

Errol Brown, Lead Singer of 1970s Group Hot Chocolate who Sang 'You Sexy Thing', 71 (1943-2015)

Melvin Rosner, Founder of Bagel Boss Food Chain, 82 (1932-2015)

Guy Carawan, Folk Singer who Popularized 1960s Anthem 'We Shall Overcome', 87 (1927-2015)

Johnny Gimble, Famed Country Fiddler, 88 (1926-2015)

Joanne Carson, Ex-Wife of Former 'Tonight Show' Host Johnny Carson, 83 (1931-2015)

Craig Gruber, Bassist for Rainbow & Elf Bands, 63 (1951-2015)

Elizabeth Wilson, Award-Winning Character Actress, 94 (1921-2015)

Chris Burden, Artist who Created 'Urban Light' Sculpture in Los Angeles, 69 (1946-2015)

Karl P. Conley, Officer who Started K-9 Unit in Suffolk County, 76 (1938-2015)

Bill Guthridge, Former University of North Carolina Basketball Coach & Assistant, 77 (1937-2015)

Peter Gay, Prize-Winning Historian Influenced by Sigmund Freud, 91 (1923-2015)

William Zinsser, Author of Million-Selling Novel 'On Writing Well', 92 (1922-2015)

Lenny Cocco, Lead Singer for Doo-Wop Group the Chimes, 78 (1936-2015)

Murray Abbott, Institutional Sales Trader at Morgan Stanley, 36 (1978-2015)

Rachel Rosenthal, Performance & Theater Artist/Director, 88 (1926-2015)

Ed Fouhy, Emmy Award-Winning TV News Executive, 80 (1934-2015)

Alexander Lamfalussy, Hungarian Refugee & Founding 'Father of the Euro', 86 (1929-2015)

William Bast, Noted Writer for Television, 84 (1931-2015)

B.B. King, Legendary Iconic Blues Singer, 89 (1925-2015)

Lionel Pickens, Better Known as Rapper Chinx, 31 (1983-2015)

Garo Yepremian, Professional Kicker for Miami Dolphins & Other NFL Teams, 70 (1944-2015)

Joseph Kozenczak, Chicago Police Detective who Nabbed Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy, 75 (1940-2015)

Franz Wright, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet, 62 (1953-2015)

Robert J. Langer, Former Driver for Newsday & Firefighter who Volunteered in 9/11 Aftermath, 62 (1952-2015)

Alfred DelBello, Former Lieutenant Governor for New York, 80 (1934-2015)

Elisabeth Bing, Lamaze Pioneer in the United States, 100 (1914-2015)

Ortheia Barnes-Kennerly, Legendary Detroit R&B Singer, 70 (1944-2015)

Dean Potter, Extreme Athlete & BASE Jumper, 43 (1972-2015)

Adrian Robinson, Former NFL Defensive Lineman, 25 (1989-2015)

Gill Dennis, Screenwriter for 'Walk the Line' & Other Films, 74 (1941-2015)

Emily Beazley, 12-Year-Olf Girl who Fought Inspirational Battle With Cancer (2002-2015)

Margaretta 'Happy' Rockefeller, Widow of Former U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, 88 (1926-2015)

Bruce Lundvall, Longtime President of Blue Note Records, 79 (1935-2015)

Bob Belden, Grammy-Winning Jazz Musician & Composer, 58 (1956-2015)

Raphael Tenthani, Malawi Journalist & Contributor for BBC & Associated Press, 43 (1971-2015)

James Skeffington, Pawtucket Red Sox President, 73 (1941-2015)

Godfrey Isaac, High-Profile Attorney for Many Celebrities, 90 (1925-2015)

Marques Haynes, Legendary Harlem Globetrotter, 89 (1925-2015)

Dennis Coglianese, World War II Veteran, 89 (1925-2015)

Victor Salvi, World-Renowned Harp Manufacturer & Player, 95 (1920-2015)

Marty Pasetta, Longtime Director of Oscar-Winning Telecasts, 82 (1932-2015)

Marcus Belgrave, Jazz Trumpeter Legend, 78 (1936-2015)

John F. Nash, Inspiration for 2001 Award-Winning Film 'A Beautiful Mind', 86 (1928-2015)

Alicia Nash, Wife of John F. Nash, 82 (1932-2015)

Anne Meara, Actress & Comedian & Mother of Actor Ben Stiller, 85 (1929-2015)

Prashant Bhargava, Filmmaker Best Known for 2011 Film 'The Kite', 42 (1973-2015)

Richard Mulhall, Racehorse Trainer & Manager, 76 (1938-2015)

Stan Cornyn, Recording Executive for Warner Brothers, 81 (1933-2015)

Mary Ellen Mark, Legendary Documentary Photographer, 75 (1940-2015)

Don J. Dantona, Businessman & World War II Veteran, 89 (1926-2015)

Jack Sherman, Doctor & World War II Veteran, 87 (1927-2015)

Dennis Sheehan, Longtime Manager for U2 Band, 68 (1946-2015)

Michael King, Innovative Television Syndicator, 67 (1947-2015)

Francis Minnock, Navy Veteran of World War II, Korea & Vietnam, 95 (1919-2015)

Reynaldo Rey, Actor Best Known for 'Friday' & 'White Men Can't Jump', 75 (1940-2015)

Thomas Hayden, Former Floral Park Mayor & Army Veteran, 83 (1932-2015)

Walter Byers, First Executive Director of the NCAA, 93 (1922-2015)

Beau Biden, Son of Vice President Joe Biden, 46 (1969-2015)

Ed Petrie, Legendary East Hampton Basketball Coach, 82 (1932-2015)

Doris Hart, Tennis Great who Won 3 Wimbledon Titles in One Day in 1951, 89 (1925-2015)

Lennie Merullo, Oldest Former Member of the Chicago Cubs, 98 (1917-2015)

Charles Kennedy, Former British Liberal Democrat Leader, 55 (1959-2015)

Pat Peterson, New York City Marathoner, 55 (1959-2015)

Julie Harris, Academy Award-Winning British Costume Designer, 94 (1921-2015)

Betsy Palmer, Actress Best Known as Pamela Voorhees in 1980's 'Friday the 13th', 88 (1926-2015)

Irwin Rose, 2004 Nobel Prize Chemistry Co-Winner, 88 (1926-2015)

Jim Bailey, Singer-Actor who Impersonated Female Stars, 77 (1938-2015)

Jean Ritchie, Appalachian Music Legend Known as the Mother of Folk, 92 (1922-2015)

Clarence Francis, College Basketball Player who Scored 113 Points in 1954 Rio Grande Game, 82 (1932-2015)

Katherine Chappelle, Visual Effects Editor on HBO's 'Game of Thrones', 29 (1985-2015)

Jerry Collins, Former All Blacks Rugby Player, 34 (1980-2015)

Vincent Bugliosi, Prosecutor in Manson Trial & Author of 'Helter Skelter', 80 (1934-2015)

Kalief Browder, Black Teen Falsely Accused & Imprisoned for Three Years, 21 (1993-2015)

Roger Verge, Acclaimed French Chef & Restauranteur, 85 (1930-2015)

Margaret Juntwait, Famed Met Broadcaster, 58 (1957-2015)

Anthony Riley, One-Time Contestant on NBC's 'The Voice', 28 (1987-2015)

Victoria Siegel, Daughter of 'Queen of Versailles' David & Jackie Siegel, 18 (1997-2015)

Ronnie Gilbert, Member of 1950s Influential Folk Quartet the Weavers, 88 (1926-2015)

Chea Sim, Key Cambodian Public Figure, 82 (1932-2015)

Sergei Sharikov, Two-Time Russian Fencing Champion, 40 (1974-2015)

Will Holt, Songwriter & Composer who Wrote the Popular Song 'Lemon Tree', 86 (1929-2015)

Mary Ellen Trainor, Actress who Starred in 'The Goonies' & All 'Lethal Weapon' Films, 62 (1952-2015)

Bob Wacker, Former Reporter at Newsday, 92 (1922-2015)

Vincent Musetto, Former New York Post News Editor & Film Critic, 74 (1941-2015)

Robert 'Pumpkinhead' Alan Diaz, Veteran New York Rapper, 39 (1975-2015)

Mervin Field, Founder of California's Venerable Field Poll, 94 (1921-2015)

James Last, Popular German-Born Big Band Leader, 86 (1929-2015)

Armand Soriano, Last Member of Brooklyn Dodgers' Razzing Sym-Phony Band, 87 (1927-2015)

Melvin Weitz, Foodtown Supermarket Pioneer, 91 (1923-2015)

Marguerite Patten, the Original Celebrity Chef, 99 (1915-2015)

Robert Chartoff, Oscar-Winning Movie Producer of 'Rocky' & 'Raging Bull', 81 (1933-2015)

Ornette Coleman, Innovative Jazz Saxophonist & Composer, 85 (1930-2015)

Ron Moody, British Actor Best Known as Fagin in 1968's 'Oliver', 91 (1924-2015)

Christopher Lee, British Actor Best Known as Saruman, Count Dooku & Count Dracula, 93 (1922-2015)

Dusty Rhodes, Wrestling Legend Hall of Famer, 69 (1945-2015)

Keith Broomfield, American Killed While Fighting Islamic State Militants in Syria (age not provided)

Monica Lewis, Actress, Singer & Voice of the Chiquita Banana Character, 93 (1922-2015)

Jim Ed Brown, Country Singer & Longtime Grand Ole Opry Member, 81 (1934-2015)

Jack King, Apollo 11 Launch Commentator in 1969, 84 (1931-2015)

Dr. Robert Spiro, Diabetes Researcher, 86 (1929-2015)

Elizabeth McIntosh, Spy whose Lies Helped to Win World War II, 100 (1915-2015)

James A. Fay, Former Massport Chairman, 91 (1924-2015)

John Carroll, Former Editor of the Baltimore Sun & Los Angeles Times, 73 (1942-2015)

Jamie Sangouthai, Close Friend of Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom, 37 (1978-2015)

Kirk Kerkorian, Billionaire & Las Vegas Casino Mogul, 98 (1917-2015)

Jesus Moroles, Texas Sculptor & National Media of the Arts Recipient, 64 (1950-2015)

Ron Clarke, Australia's Greatest Middle Distance Runner, 78 (1937-2015)

Zito, Brazilian Soccer Great, 82 (1932-2015)

Blaze Starr, Stripper & Burlesque Icon & Comedienne, 83 (1932-2015)

Richard Nowicki, Boxer & Bus Driver, 87 (1928-2015)

John David Crow, Texas A&M Heisman Winner, 79 (1935-2015)

Nelson Doubleday Jr., Publisher & Former New York Mets Owner, 81 (1933-2015)

Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer & Founder of Comcast, 95 (1920-2015)

Rick Ducommun, Actor & Comedian Mostly Known for 1989's 'The 'Burbs', 62 (1952-2015)

James Salter, Acclaimed Author of 'A Sport & A Pastime', 90 (1925-2015)

Colette Marchand, Oscar-Nominated Actress, 90 (1925-2015)

Wendell Holmes, Member of Soul & Blues Band the Holmes Brothers, 71 (1943-2015)

Gunther Schuller, Leading Proponent of Third Stream Movement Fusing Jazz & Classical Music, 89 (1925-2015)

George Winslow, 1950s Child Actor in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', 69 (1946-2015)

Walter Scheib, Former White House Chef Hired By Hillary Clinton, 61 (1954-2015)

Darryl Hamilton, Former Major League Baseball Center Fielder, 50 (1964-2015)

Jack Rollins, Talent Manager who Managed Comedy Greats, 100 (1915-2015)

Joyce Ann Brown, Wrongfully Accused Inmate Exonerated After A Decade in Prison, 68 (1947-2015)

Danny Villanueva, Former NFL Kicker & TV Pioneer, 77 (1937-2015)

Bobby Heyward, Close Friend of Lamar Odom, 30 (1984-2015)

Buddy Landel, Former Wrestler from Knoxville Known as 'Nature Boy', 53 (1961-2015)

Ear Norem, Legendary Painter & Illustrator, 91 (1924-2015)

Sister Nirmala Joshi, Indian Nun who Headed Missionaries of Charity, 81 (1934-2015)

Don Featherstone, Creator of the Pink Plastic Lawn Flamingo, 79 (1935-2015)

Albert Evans, Former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer, 46 (1969-2015)

Hugh D. Auchincloss III, Stepbrother & Close Friend of Jacqueline Kennedy, 87 (1928-2015)

Harold Battiste, New Orleans-Born Composer, Producer, Arranger & Musician, 83 (1931-2015)

James Horner, Oscar-Winning Composer of Movie Scores, 61 (1953-2015)

Dick Van Patten, Actor Best Known for TV's 'Eight Is Enough', 86 (1928-2015)

Marva Collins, Innovative Chicago Educator, 78 (1936-2015)

Mario Biaggi, Former United States Congressman, 97 (1917-2015)

Yevgeny Primakov, Former Prime Minister of Russia, 85 (1929-2015)

Donald LeBlanc, Retired NYPD Cop, 85 (1929-2015)

Patrick Macnee, Actor Best Known as Secret Agent John Steed in TV's 'The Avengers', 93 (1922-2015)

Harvey Pollack, NBA Pioneer, 93 (1922-2015)

Edna Anderson-Owens, Music Executive & Longtime Assistant to Berry Gordy, 76 (1938-2015)

Walter Browne, Chess Champion & Grandmaster, 66 (1949-2015)

Chris Squire, Bassist & Co-Founder of Rock Band Yes, 67 (1948-2015)

Josef Masopust, Football Great from Czechoslovakia, 84 (1931-2015)

Jackson Vroman, Former NBA Play for the Phoenix Suns, 34 (1981-2015)

Jack Carter, Actor & Comedian, 93 (1922-2015)

Charles Pasqua, French Resistance Fighter & Politician, 88 (1927-2015)

Claud Johnson, Son & Sole Heir of Legendary Bluesman Robert Johnson, 83 (1932-2015)

Nicholas Winton, British Humanitarian who Saved 669 Children from 1938 Nazi Holocaust, 106 (1909-2015)

Charlie Sanders, NFL Hall of Famer & Former Detroit Lion, 68 (1946-2015)

Phil Walsh, AFL Coach for the Adelaide Crows, 55 (1960-2015)

Jacobo Zabludovsky, Longtime TV News Anchor for Mexican Television, 87 (1928-2015)

Boyd K. Packer, Salt Lake City Mormon leader, 90 (1924-2015)

Jerome Peter Wallin, Former Huntington Official & World War II Veteran, 94 (1921-2015)

John Whitman, Husband of Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, 71 (1944-2015)

Diana Douglas, Actress, Model, Ex-Wife of Kirk Douglas & Mother of Michael Douglas, 92 (1923-2015)

Val Doonican, Irish Music Balladeer & Icon, 88 (1927-2015)

Burt Shavitz, Maine Beekeeper & Co-Founder of Burt's Bees, 80 (1935-2015)

Scot Breithaupt Sr., Entrepreneur Considered the Godfather of BMX Racing, 57 (1957-2015)

Red Lane, Nashville Country Singer & Songwriter Hall of Famer, 76 (1939-2015)

Glenn Ford, Wrongfully Convicted in 1983 Louisiana Murder Case, 65 (1950-2015)

Miriam Schapiro, Pioneer of Feminist Art Movement, 91 (1923-2015)

Gyorgy Szabad, Former Hungarian Politician, 90 (1924-2015)

Julie Brett, Mother of 'X-Factor' Judge Simon Cowell, 89

John M. Stephens, Award-Winning Action Cinematographer & 'E.T.' Cameraman, 82 (1932-2015)

Jerry Weintraub, Famed Producer of 'Karate Kid' & 'Ocean's Eleven', 77 (1937-2015)

Amanda Peterson, Star of 1987 Comedy 'Can't Buy Me Love', 43 (1971-2015)

Shannon Burgess, Actress, Voice Actress & Comedian, 25

James Tate, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet, 71 (1943-2015)

Irwin Keyes, Character Actor in Horror Films & TV's 'The Jeffersons', 63 (1952-2015)

Ken Stabler, Legendary Oakland Raiders Quarterback, 69 (1945-2015)

Christian Audigier, French-Born U.S. Fashion Designer, 57 (1958-2015)

Omar Sharif, Actor who Starred In 'Lawrence of Arabia' & 'Doctor Zhivago', 83 (1932-2015)

Saud al-Fasial, Former Minister of Saudi Arabia, 75 (1940-2015)

Ben Wattenberg, Political Writer & Television Commentator, 81 (1933-2015)

Juli Soler, Influential Restaurateur, 66 (1949-2015)

Tashin Sahinkaya, Leader in Turkey's 1980 Coup, 90 (1925-2015)

Judith St. George, Children's Book Author, 84 (1931-2015)

Jon Vickers, Canada-Born Opera Singer, 88 (1926-2015)

Roger Rees, Tony Award-Winning Actor, 71 (1944-2015)

Joseph Robinson Jr., Oldest Son of Sugar Hill Records Founders, 53 (1962-2015)

D'Army Bailey, Judge & Civil Rights Activist, 73 (1941-2015)

Hussein Fatal, Member of Tupak Shakur-Led Rap Group The Outlawz, 38 (1977-2015)

Satoru Iwata, Executive Chief & President of Nintendo Co. Ltd, 55 (1959-2015)

Joan Sebastian, Grammy-Winning Mexican Ballad Singer & Actor, 64 (1951-2015)

Arthur Cave, Son of Australian Rock Star Nick Cave, 15 (2000-2015)

Marlene Sanders, Pioneering Television Journalist, 84 (1931-2015)

Andy Davis, Passionate Sculptor, 53 (1962-2015)

Helen Harrison, Authority on the Trials of Premature Births, 68 (1946-2015)

Alcides Ghiggia, Uruguayan Soccer Legend, 88 (1926-2015)

Bill Arnsparger, Assistant Coach who Helped Miami Dolphins Win Two Championships, 88 (1926-2015)

Aubrey Morris, British Character Actor Best Known for 1971's 'A Clockwork Orange', 89 (1926-2015)

Dave Somerville, Co-Founder of 1950s Group The Diamonds, 81 (1933-2015)

Kathleen Rollins Snavely, World's Oldest Irish-Born Person, 113 (1902-2015)

Claudia Alexander, NASA Scientist who Concluded Galileo Mission to Jupiter, 56 (1959-2015)

Van Miller, Longtime Buffalo Bills Radio Broadcaster, 87 (1927-2015)

Alex Rocco, Emmy Award-Winning Character Actor, 79 (1936-2015)

Jules Bianchi, French Formula One Race Car Driver, 25 (1989-2015)

Cocoa Fujiwara, Japanese Manga Author & Illustrator, 31 (1983-2015)

George Coe, Veteran Film & TV Character Actor, 86 (1929-2015)

Josh Greenberg, Co-Founder of Music Streaming Service Grooveshark, 28 (1987-2015)

Buddy Buie, Co-Writer of the Classics IV Hits 'Stormy' & 'Traces', 74 (1941-2015)

Ian Flanders, American BASE Jumper & Wingsuit Flier, 37 (1978-2015)

E.L. Doctorow, Bestselling Novelist who Penned 'Ragtime' & 'Billy Bathgate', 84 (1931-2015)

Theodore Bikel, Actor & Singer Known for 'Fiddler on the Roof', 91 (1924-2015)

Justin Lowe, Guitarist for Twin Cities Band, 32 (1983-2015)

Elio Fiorucci, Italian Fashion Designer, 80 (1935-2015)

Walter Crawford Jr., Bird Conservationist, 70 (1945-2015)

Barbara Colby, Wife of CIA Spymaster William Colby, 94 (1920-2015)

Loredana Nesci, Reality Star of SundanceTV's "Loredana, Esq.', 47 (1968-2015)

Daron Norwood, Country Singer, 49 (1965-2015)

Don Oberdorfer, Longtime Diplomatic Correspondent for the Washington Post, 84 (1931-2015)

Don Joyce, Negativland Sound Collagist & Radio DJ, 71 (1944-2015)

Paul Freeman, Founder-Leader of the Chicago Sinfonetta, 79 (1936-2015)

Richard Leone, Former Chairman of the Port Authority of New York, 75 (1940-2015)

Lou Lenart, World War II Hero Hailed as 'The Man who Saved Tel Aviv', 94 (1921-2015)

Wayne Carson, Grammy Award-Winning Songwriter, 72 (1943-2015)

Tom Moore, Longtime Cartoonist for 'Archie', 86 (1929-2015)

Ingrid Sischy, Former Editor-In-Chief of 'Interview' Magazine, 63 (1952-2015)

Bob Abt, CEO of Abt Electronics, 77 (1938-2015)

Mildred Joanne Smith, Actress who Starred with Sidney Poitier in 1950's 'No Way Out', 94 (1921-2015)

Francis Guess, Civil Rights Advocate, 69 (1946-2015)

Rev. Owen Chadwick, Eminent Historian of Christianity, 99 (1916-2015)

James Rothenberger, Chairman of Capital Group Cos Inc., 69 (1946-2015)

William Baum, Longest-Serving U.S. Carnival, 88 (1926-2015)

Vic Firth, Renowned Musician & Visionary Drumstick Maker, 85 (1930-2015)

Peg Lynch, Writer & Star of Early Situation Comedy, 98 (1916-2015)

Vasily Pichul, Russian Film Director, 54 (1961-2015)

Jeannette Cathy, Wife of Chick-A-Fil Founder Truett Cathy, 92 (1922-2015)

Van Alexander, Songwriter & Music Arranger, 100 (1915-2015)

Howard Rumsey, Bass & Jazz Player, 97 (1917-2015)

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, 83 (1931-2015)

James L. White, Wrote Screenplay for 2004 Ray Charles Biopic Film 'Ray', 67 (1947-2015)

Ann Rule, Author of True Crime Novels, 83 (1931-2015)

Shiina Mota, Vocaloid Music Producer, 20 (1995-2015)

Bobbi Kristina Brown, Daughter of Singers Bobby Brown & Whitney Houston, 22 (1993-2015)

William White, Former Tuskegee Airman, 88 (1926-2015)

Eileen Daily, Former State Senator of Connecticut, 72 (1943-2015)

Dr. James Jude, Lifesaving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Pioneer, 87 (1927-2015)

Buddy Emmons, Steel Guitar Legend, 78 (1937-2015)

Sean Malone, Actor from 'Gone Baby Gone', 'The Fighter' & 'The Forger' 54 (1961-2015)

Johnny Meeks, Legendary Guitarist for Gene Vincent's Blue Caps, 78 (1937-2015)

N. Brock Winkless IV, Hollywood Puppeteer Behind Chucky & the Crypt Keeper, 56 (1959-2015)

Lynn Anderson, Country Singer who Scored a #1 Hit with 1970's 'Rose Garden', 67 (1947-2015)

'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, Legendary/Iconic Wrestler & Actor, 61 (1954-2015)

Cilla Black, British Singer & TV Personality, 72 (1943-2015)

Billy Pierce, All-Star Pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, 88 (1927-2015)

Alan Cheuse, Longtime Literary Critic & 'All Things Considered' Contributor, 75 (1940-2015)

Howard Jones, Father of in Vitro Fertilization, 104 (1910-2015)

Nova Pilbeam, Actress who Starred in Two Films by Alfred Hitchcock, 95 (1919-2015)

Richard Schweiker, Former Senator & Cabinet Secretary, 89 (1926-2015)

Kaiser Carlile, Batboy Struck in Head by Practice Swing, 9 (2006-2015)

Mel Farr, Former Running Back for the Detroit Lions, 70 (1944-2015)

Coleen Gray, Actress Best Known for 'Nightmare Alley', 'Red River' & 'The Killing', 92 (1922-2015)

Arnold Scaasi, Designer for First Ladies, Movie Stars & Socialites, 85 (1930-2015)

Chris Hyndman, Co-Host of CBC's Steven & Chris Show, 49 (1966-2015)

Leo Reise Jr., Former NHL Defenseman, 93 (1922-2015)

John Wiernicki, Survivor of Auschwitz Death Camp in World War II, 89 (1925-2015)

Vincent Marotta, Co-Founder of Iconic Mr. Coffee Brand, 91 (1924-2015)

Louise Suggs, Legendary Golfer & Co-Founder of the LPGA Tour, 91 (1923-2015)

George Cole, Veteran British Actor Best Known as Arthur Daley on 'Minder', 90 (1925-2015)

Billy Sherrill, Legendary Country Music Producer & Songwriter, 78 (1936-2015)

Lt. Col. Eldridge Williams, One of the Last Surviving Tuskegee Airmen, 97 (1917-2015)

Sean Price, Heltah Skeltah Rapper, 43 (1972-2015)

Terrence Evans, Actor from 'Star Trek', 'Terminator 2' & Others, 81 (1934-2015)

Jonathan Ollivier, Top British Ballet Star, 38 (1977-2015)

Peter Andrew McKenna, Decorated Green Beret (age not provided)

Frances Kelsey, FDA Reviewer who Opposed Thalidomide, 101 (1914-2015)

Elsie Hillman, Pennsylvania Philanthropist & Republican Power Broker, 89 (1925-2015)

Maryan Stevens, Wife of Former High Court Justice John Paul Stevens, 84 (1931-2015)

Lynn Manning, Blind Poet, Actor & Athlete, 60 (1955-2015)

Robert Conquest, Historian of Josef Stalin-Era USSR, 98 (1917-2015)

Frank Gifford, NFL Hall of Famer & Veteran Sports Broadcaster, 84 (1930-2015)

Brig. Gen. Fritz Payne, Oldest Living American Fighter Ace, 104 (1911-2015)

Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Star of 1970s TV Series 'The Rookies', 93 (1921-2015)

Uggie, Scene-Stealing Dog from 2011's Oscar-Winning Movie 'The Artist', 13 (2002-2015)

John Culhane, Historian of Disney Animation, 81 (1934-2015)

Johanna Quandt, BMW Matriarch & Billionaire, 89 (1926-2015)

Charlotte Holloman, African-American Soprano & Teacher, 93 (1922-2015)

Tony Lara, Captain on Discovery Channel's 'Deadliest Catch' TV Program, 50 (1965-2015)

Alan Kupperberg, Veteran Writer & Artist for Marvel & DC Comics, 62 (1953-2015)

Helen Mata Gugerty, Longtime Nurse who Served During World War II, 89 (1926-2015)

Ann McGovern, Author of More Than 50 Children's Books Including 'Stone Soup', 85 (1930-2015)

Bob Fillion, Left Winger for the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, 95 (1920-2015)

Jazz Summers, Music Manager for Wham!, Snow Patrol & The Verve, 71 (1944-2015)

Edward Thomas, Retired Police Officer who Helped Desegregate Houston Police Dept., 95 (1919-2015)

Corey Hood, Decorated U.S. Army Veteran, 32 (1983-2015)

Edena Hines, Step-Granddaughter of Actor Morgan Freeman, 33 (1982-2015)

Nicholas Vogel, World War II Veteran, 92 (1923-2015)

Julian Bond, Longtime Civil Rights Activist, 75 (1940-2015)

Richard Devylder, Activist for the Disabled, 46 (1969-2015)

Jerome G. Miller, Revolutionized Juvenile Justice, 83 (1931-2015)

Jemera Rone, Lawyer & Human Rights Activist, 71 (1944-2015)

Emma Didlake, Oldest United States Veteran, 110 (1905-2015)

Julia Wasserman, Longtime House Member of Connecticut, 91 (1924-2015)

Frederick 'Fritz' Payne, Fighter Ace Pilot of World War II, 104 (1911-2015)

Bob Johnston, Music Producer, 83 (1932-2015)

Bud Yorkin, Producer of 1970s Hit TV Sitcom 'All in the Family', 89 (1926-2015)

Yvonne Craig, Actress Best Known as Batgirl in 1960s 'Batman' TV Series, 78 (1937-2015)

Frank Bradford, World War II Veteran, 91 (1924-2015)

Bernie Beglane, Versatile Journalist & Dedicated Teacher, 88 (1927-2015)

Louis Stokes, Ohio's First Black Congressman, 90 (1925-2015)

Joyce Ingalls, Former Model, Actress Best Known for 1978 Film 'Paradise Alley', 65 (1950-2015)

Les Munro, Last Surviving World War II Dambusters Raid Pilot, 96 (1919-2015)

Rob Thielke, President & Recognizable Face of Vern Fonk Insurance, 50 (1965-2015)

Sasha Petraske, World-Famous Cocktail Pioneer in NYC, 42 (1973-2015)

Anna Kashfi, Actress & First Wife of Marlon Brando, 80 (1934-2015)

Larry Harvey, Famed Washington Medical Marijuana Patient, 71 (1944-2015)

Harry Volkman, Legendary Chicago Weatherman, 89 (1926-2015)

Harry Ostro, World War II Paratrooper, 100 (1915-2015)

Ricardo Rodriguez Jr., Lance Corporal in United States Marines, 25 (1990-2015)

Melody Patterson, Actress Best Known as Wrangler Jane in 1960s Sitcom 'F-Troop', 66 (1949-2015)

Arthur Morris, One of Australia's Greatest Cricket Players, 93 (1922-2015)

Beth Ann O'Hara, Mother of Actress/Comedienne Sarah Silverman, 73 (1941-2015)

Justin Wilson, Known as the 'Gentle Giant' of IndyCar Racing, 37 (1978-2015)

James Duke, Trauma Surgeon who Attended to Texas Gov. John Connally on 11/22/1963, 86 (1928-2015)

Amelia Boynton Robinson, U.S. Civil Rights Leader who Survived 1965's 'Bloody Sunday', 104 (1911-2015)

Alison Parker, Reporter for Virginia's WDBJ TV Station, 24 (1991-2015)

Adam Ward, Photographer for Virginia's WDBJ TV Station, 27 (1988-2015)

Marcy Borders, Woman Covered in Dust in Iconic Photo Taken After 9/11 Attacks, 42 (1973-2015)

Darryl Dawkins, NBA Player Know for his Thunderous Dunks, 58 (1957-2015)

Frank Petersen, U.S. Marine Corps First Black General & Aviator, 83 (1932-2015)

Edward Joseph O'Donnell, Father of Actress/Comedienne Rosie O'Donnell, 81 (1934-2015)

Paul Royle, World War II Veteran who Took Part in 1944's 'Great Escape', 101 (1914-2015)

Jimmy Evert, Highly Regarded Tennis Instructor & Mentor, 91 (1924-2015)

Merl Reagle, Creator of Crossword Puzzle for LA Times & Others, 65 (1950-2015)

Augusta Chiwy, Nurse that Saved Hundreds of U.S. Soldiers During the Battle of the Bulge, 94 (1921-2015)

Joe Bilello, Retired NYC Cop & World War II Veteran, 93 (1922-2015)

Al Arbour, Legendary Hall of Fame Coach for the New York Islanders, 82 (1932-2015)

Bart Cummings, Legendary Australian Racehorse Trainer, 87 (1927-2015)

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 'Les Miserables' Broadway Actor, 21 (1993-2015)

Nelson Shanks, Painter Known for his Portraits of Presidents & Royalty, 77 (1937-2015)

Dr. Oliver Sacks, Author whose Book 'Awakenings' Inspired 1991 Movie of the Same Name, 82 (1933-2015)

Wayne Dyer, Prolific Self-Help Author of 'Your Erroneous Zones', 75 (1940-2015)

Marvin Mandel, Former Colorful Governor of Maryland, 95 (1920-2015)

Ed Lewi, Public Relations Legend, 81 (1933-2015)

Natalia Strelchenko, World Renowned Norwegian Concert Pianist from Russia, 38 (1976-2015)

Dan Iordachescu, Celebrated Romanian Baritone, 85 (1930-2015)

George Cleve, Conductor Best Known for Interpreting the Works of Mozart, 79 (1936-2015)

Ruth Newman, Survivor of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, 113 (1902-2015)

Joel Smith Lawson Jr., Physicist & Navy Pilot in World War II, 91 (1924-2015)

Brad Anderson, Cartoonist & Creator of World-Famous Comic Strip 'Marmaduke', 91 (1924-2015)

Wes Craven, Iconic Horror Filmmaker of 'A Nightmare On Elm St.', 'Scream' & Others, 76 (1939-2015)