"Pardon, but there were others in the halls." Ehopel explained, activating the lights in the hanger and began looking about the room.
"Hello, I am Lanos." The voice said.
Everybody relaxed when they realized the voice was from the console to the door and was a holographic square that seemed a parody of Aya's computerized form. Aya approached it and looked at it curiously, clearly taking an interest in it.
"Hello, I am Aya, it is nice to meet you Lanos." She replied.
"Would you inform us where the Interceptor is?" she asked.
"Certainly!" Lanos said, sounding annoyingly enthusiastic.
"Accessing database…you are here!" He said after a moment.
Hal frowned, clearly confused and walked up as Aya turned to him.
"It seems the information I had was a deception to misdirect us." She said, sounding robotically confused.
"Well that doesn't sound good." Kilowog frowned.
"Explain to me how it should." Razer said coldly.
"Try that again poozer." Kilowog growled.
"I dare you."
"Enough with your squabbling, we need answers." Hal interjected.
"Hal Jordan is correct, but perhaps this location is not an ideal place." Ehopel suggested.
"She is correct, we need answers but we need to find a secure location until we can resolve our issue." Aya said.
"Right, but where could we possibly go?" Kilowog grunted.
Hal blinked then grinned at him.
"…what?" Kilowog asked.
"I hope you're right about this or we're both in for it." Kilowog muttered and watched as the new recruits to the corps flew through their exercises.
"Relax, where else could somebody new be able to blend in with the crowd?" Hal grinned as Ehopel and Ewil watched the recruits move through their exercises.
Hal had suggested they take the two travelers to Kilowog's training center, since new recruits would see the two AI as nothing more than robots who were there for nothing but to help with training. Aya and Razer participated in the routines, Aya acting as Kilowog's second and Razer as their stunt fighter, secretly they were to watch over the two as Hal and Kilowog went to the room from earlier and look for answers.
Hal winked at Kilowog and they both left, quickly exiting the building and flying off.
"I hope you're right about those two, Hal, we're going through an awful lot of trouble just to help them." Kilowog grumbled.
"I know we're doing the right thing, and I'm not stupid, why you think I got you guys to help?" he said, grinning.
"Isn't there anything but your gut you listen to?" Kilowog growled.
"There is, but listen to this, remember how they had mentioned the Blue Lanterns Corps?"
"Yeah?"
"We never told anybody about them, so how would they know?" Hal explained.
"…you're right…" Kilowog said after a moment sounding surprised.
"Exactly, but that's not all, I think those two are hiding something from us and I have a feeling it might be important." Hal added.
"Let me guess, your gut told you this?" Kilowog said.
"Bingo, now let's check out that room again, I have a feeling there's more to that room than we first saw."
It had been only about 15 minutes and Razer was already losing his temper with these recruits, many kept making terrible shots and others were just too scared to face him. At times he wondered how the heck a lot of these recruits even made it to the Lantern corps when a shot from above flew past him. He looked and realized one of the recruits had decided to try and train with him, he would have felt a little more appeased had he not realized the recruit was a squirrel.
"Alright, show me what you got." He sighed, expecting the worse.
The next thing he knew he was pinned to the ground yelping as the squirrel held him down, not even using his ring power as he did.
"Okay! OKAY! OFF! YOU WIN!" Razer shouted as his arm was twisted a little more and then he felt relief as his arm was released and looked up to see Aya smiling over him, making him blush.
"It seems the most unlikely hold great potential." She mused then held a hand out to help him up.
He took it, blushing deeply and made a few rolls of his shoulder to ensure it was not dislocated.
"It would seem so." He muttered and looked at her before making a small smile.
She returned it and they both went back to the training, at one point many of the recruits questioned Ehopel and Ewil, asking for a demonstration since they did nothing but stand at the side. Aya assured them they were only for observational services, not for direct combat. In the end the argument was broken up when Razer interfered, and ultimately lost his temper with a squid like recruit, frightening him off.
"Razer, was that necessary?" Aya asked.
"I don't like it when they argue." He muttered.
Aya gave him a look and pointed to where the recruit had flown off, indicating for him to retrieve him.
"And I suggest a more mellow approach." She said.
Razer looked and sighed, floating off to track down the recruit as Aya continued the exercises.
Razer looked about for a while and finally found the recruit; he was using one of his tentacles to roll the ring around his finger, clearly considering its power and his potential.
"I suggest you get back to training." Razer said, struggling to not sound intimidating.
The recruit winced and Razer rubbed the back of his neck nervously, unsure of how to continue.
"Look…your ring chose you for a reason, as did mine…I…am….sorry I was harsh…will you go back to training?" He managed to say.
The recruit looked at him and seemed to consider him for a moment before slowly nodding.
Razer nodded then motioned for them to fly back, glad the awkwardness had passed.
"I'll race you." He said before making a small smirk.
The squid wriggled its tentacles before zipping past and Razer really did have to race to catch up. When they made it back to the training the first thing Razer noticed was that there was nobody within the training room. Concerned he looked about, wondering where the others had gone when the squid made concerned burbles and motioned towards the front exit. Razer nodded to him and they both flew to it and exited the building when the squirrel recruit flew back and saluted Razer.
"Where are the others?" he asked.
The squirrel made haste in his explanation, but without saying a word, he wrote his explanation in green lettering, explaining a Guardian had come and requested everybody to leave. Everybody but the robots had left and the recruits were awaiting orders on what to do next.
"Uhh…" Razer had many thoughts flying through his mind but he needed to get these recruits off of his back.
"You both are in charge until a higher rank comes back." Razer said pointing at both the recruits and quickly flew off, leaving both recruits looking at each other in confusion.
"Wait until Aya and the others hear what we found." Hal said grinning as they flew back to the training room, their search turned up with a discovery that would please their comrades.
"Maybe we should have stayed there with Aya and her little double lookers?" Kilowog suggested.
Suddenly Razer flew up to them, looking concerned.
"Speaking of the devils, where is Aya and her look alikes?" Hal asked.
"I do not know, I had gone to retrieve a recruit, upon my return I was informed a Guardian had requested the recruits to leave. I looked for Aya but she was nowhere to be found." Razer explained sounding highly agitated.
"What?!" Kilowog spluttered out.
"Okay, this isn't good…where would they take Aya and the two Aya wannabes?" Hal asked, looking at his two crewmates.
They thought for a moment before Kilowog spoke up.
"They probably took them to the science division." He suggested.
"Kilowog is correct, but even if they were within the science division how would we be able to help them escape?" Razer said dully.
"We'll worry about that later, first we need to find them and make sure they're okay." Hal said and flew away, soon followed by his two companions.
When they arrived Hal flew forward before stopping the others, looking focused and concerned.
"What is it?" Razer asked.
"Did you see that? It was a yellow flash." Hal said, frowning.
"What? So?" Kilowog grunted impatiently.
"Something…is not right…" he said, frowning.
"What could possibly-" Kilowog started.
A sudden explosion of yellow light forced them to back away and they watched as a glowing green figure flew out, holding two smaller figures over his shoulders and approached them. The building seemed undamaged but all three had a strange sickening feeling in the pits of their stomachs and backed away from the figure fearfully as it approached them. The figure was Ewil, on each shoulder were the other two and he simply held Aya out to Razer, who took her quickly and backed away from him, clearly untrusting.
Hal blinked and felt as his worry faded when Aya and Ehopel stirred slightly but looked at the building and realized he had forgotten about their discovery in the excitement, and then he remembered the flash and looked at Ehopel.
"Let's hope she can explain to us what happened back there." He said.
"Come on, let's go." He said and flew back to the hangers, the others following him nervously.
"Why are we leaving? What's going on?" Razer said, glancing at Ewil nervously.
"Well we can't stay and there's only one place we can be and we're on our way there now." Hal said, he could feel that strange twinge in his stomach and he swore his flying faltered but he couldn't be sure.
"Alright Poozer, what did you do? Set off a poison bomb? Acid? Organic cancelling-" Kilowog started, sounding nervous and angry.
"Look, we're all worried but I doubt whatever happened harmed anybody." Hal said.
"How do you know everything organic within the compound was not vaporized?" Razer growled.
Hal looked at Ewil who only shifted to hold Ehopel bridal style in a defensive manner.
"I don't know." He said.
They entered the hanger, it was empty but Hal went to the wall beside the control panel and pressed a part of it. Immediately it collapsed into a square panel and the room lit up as a ring of lights appeared on the ground, forming the shape of the interceptor. The ground within it split in two long ways and pulled apart, revealing a hidden compartment where the Interceptor rose out.
When the door to the ship opened they quickly flew in and to the control deck and Kilowog began to power up the ship. Hal moved to the captain's chair and began his own series of startups, within moments the whole ship began to glow and the dome above them began to open.
Razer watched, holding Aya protectively when he noticed Ewil turn and began to walk to the medical hanger. Out of curiosity, and the want to keep an eye on the robot, he followed and watched as Ewil entered the pass code and went in. Razer peeked in cautiously and watched as Ewil placed Ehopel on a medical berth and began typing in orders into the console. Slowly Razer strode in, hugging Aya close before he too went to a berth and placed Aya on one, also typing in commands for the console. He looked over his shoulder repeatedly to Ewil as they worked, he wondered just how advanced Ewil was, he wondered if Ewil was simply programmed for Ehopel's defense or was given higher AI. Frowning he turned back to his work and finally finished his commands before allowing the machine to scan Aya and initiate its repairs. He looked at the data from the scan and realized Aya had been in the process of being deconstructed, he looked at Ewil and then back at the data, a new thought formed, he wondered if Ewil had not done as he did would Aya have been in one piece when they found her?
He turned back to Ewil and was startled to see him standing beside him; quickly he put his hand over Aya, ready to protect her if necessary. Ewil seemed to stare at him for a moment, he assumed he was scanning him then he turned his helm to look at Aya, staring at her too before he turned and went back to Ehopel and stood guard by her side.
Razer felt a little shaken and watched as Ewil stood by Ehopel, he seemed harmless enough but he was not willing to leave Aya alone with him. He decided he would also stand guard and he stood at her side, he faced his body towards the monitor to give him the vantage point perfect to view Aya, her progress, and Ewill, who stared at him, unmoving from Ehopels side. After a few minutes Razer was feeling agitated, it had occurred to him that if Ewil had created such an explosion due to Ehopel being in danger he wondered what would happen if he viewed the crew as a danger. At that moment Hal Jordan decided to make his entrance and stood for a moment, assessing the situation before taking a cautious step inside.
"Funny, I haven't felt this kind of tension since we first brought you aboard Razer." Hal tried to joke.
"Very funny." Razer said, not taking his eyes off of Ewil.
Seeing his attempt had failed Hal walked towards Razer and peered at Aya.
"How is she?" he asked.
"According to this device her repairs are near complete, she will awaken in 5 minutes." He said, taking some comfort in the fact she would soon be moving about.
Hal nodded before stepping over to Ewil, whose head kept turning to keep him in his line of vision as he stepped within reach to look at Ehopels progress. Hal was reckless enough to turn his back to Ewil and scan the monitor before turning to Ehopel then turning to Ewil, clearly thinking about something.
Razer almost expected Ewil to lash out, to see Hal Jordan as a threat for being so close to his directive in such a fragile state but was mildly surprised to see he was still standing. He watched as Hal finished his little tour and walked out of the room, glancing at Razer and sending him a little smile before he left.
"Call me when they wake, it looks like they will both awaken at the same time, if my math is right." He replied before the doors closed behind him, leaving Razer alone.
It turned out his math was not right, Aya woke up and Ehopel continued to remain immobile, Razer was sure to get Aya out of there as soon as he could. He took her to Hal and Kilowog and decided to voice his concerns to the two lanterns.
"I find the presence of that larger mechanoid quite intimidating, if he finds us a danger to Ehopel or if she decides us to be a hindrance to her goal-"
"I understand your concerns, but so long as we stick together and keep an eye on them we'll do fine." Hal assured.
"And how would you know?" Razer growled, feeling even more uneasy.
Hal sighed before looking down the hall, clearly checking to see if there were any audios he didn't want nearby.
"Listen, while I was checking up on Ehopel I noticed something about the vitals, something I've been suspicious of for a while." He began.
Razer crossed his arms as Aya and Kilowog listened intently.
"When I first met the two I had my suspicions and what I saw confirmed those suspicions, either they are pretending to be robots or they are partially robotic." He explained.
"Wait, wait, are you telling me they have been lying to us this whole time? And you suspected that but STILL trusted them?!" Kilowog burst, his red eyes glowing vibrantly.
Hal was about to speak when a horrible feeling fell upon him, had he been wrong to trust these two? Why was it he did in the first place? Did he doom them because he had been acting like an idiot? Maybe they wanted this to happen just to destroy them all-
Hal suddenly blinked, something was wrong, quickly he looked over to the hall and gasped, a glowing yellow figure stood there. Instantly he raised his ring arm to shoot, panic coursed through him but he found he could not fire. A flash of golden light enveloped him, he realized the sensation was all too familiar too late and he was consumed before he fell to darkness.
