Check this, homeslice!
Chapter Two!
"Please!" Kirk was yelling out, "Not Spock! I'll do anything, literally anything! I see it, you have a Vengeance-sized hole in your life which is a bloody big one considering what the hell of a ship it was, I'll do everything in my power to mend that hole! But please...not him..."
Ring, don't fail me now! thought Hal as he struggled to get himself back up. Khan seemed to ignore Kirk's desperate pleas and was raising his construct high up in the air, bright red tendrils carrying Spock within range of the massive blade. Kirk was now in tears, and the other Enterprise crew members watched in horror as their first officer was carried to his death.
"O my Vengeance, they say vengeance is sweet but would it be as sweet as you? But still, I shall have the blood of your killer flowing into every corner of the universe so you may rest easy, and forge thousands of red rings from that same blood to serve as instruments of justice, so that no other in the universe would suffer your fate." Khan recited before bringing the blade down, and Spock screwed his eyes shut, ready to embrace the impending doom.
Fool, thought Kirk, does he even know that Vulcan blood is green? But still, he felt hopeless. He hated himself for not being able to save his beloved commander. But before the full force of Khan's legendary wrath could be brought on Spock, something unexpected happened. The blade shattered into a million pieces. A Green Lantern had put a protective barrier around the Vulcan. Everyone looked up to see one Guy Gardner, accompanied by John Stewart and Kilowog. "Oh, hey, look, it's angry English dude again!" Guy hollered. "Ready for round two?" That ticked Khan off even more; he might look like an Englishman due to his genes being completely random but, deep down in his heart, he was Indian. After all, he was raised by one, and named for her dead son. He made a fighting stance, but the three Green Lanterns blasted him out of the Bryant's hull.
"Let's see how tough you are without your friends to help you!" said John, while Hal and the Enterprise crewmen were beamed back to the Enterprise.
Meanwhile, Khan was being forced to take on three enemies by himself. "We still got a little light left!" declared Kilowog.
"Not so fun when it's three on one, huh?" added Guy.
Those on the Enterprise saw the struggle, and Leonard McCoy said "Is that Khan?".
"Target phasers on him!" Uhura ordered. "Fire!"
And so, the Enterprise rained phaser blasts on poor Khan, and down he went, back into the hole he made. Then suddenly, the Green Lanterns noticed that their rings were low on light, and requested the Enterprise to beam them in. "Captain on the bridge!" announced Uhura as soon as everybody was in.
"Lock a tractor beam on the Bryant!" ordered Kirk. "We can't let Khan get away!" But then, another miracle took place. Red energy enveloped the Bryant, and then suddenly, she high-tailed out of the place. "Never thought I'd see Khan run scared." Kirk quipped.
"I do not believe we did, captain." said Spock. "Knowing Khan Noonien Singh as we do...his retreat was entirely tactical."
A few moments later, everyone was gathered up at a table. "None of us have anything left." Guy complained. "Except for jewelry..."
"We have a chance to recharge them, if we get to Oa." said Hal. "It's our only chance."
"But you said Oa was located at the center of the universe." said Kirk. "The Enterprise can't get there on her own."
"She's not alone." Hal told him. "She's got help." He then turned to the manhunter they'd secured, and asked "Do you manhunters use teleport gates to get around, the way you did in my reality?"
The manhunter told him yes, and Hal clapped his hands in joy. "So the Enterprise can use them to reach Oa!"
"Um...excuse me...did you say "teleport gates"?" asked Scotty.
"Captain, before we depart for Oa, there is something we should—" Spock began.
"Khan." said Kirk.
"Indeed." replied Spock.
"Who cares?" Guy belted out. "Let him run around vomiting blood with his minions in tow! We need to recharge our rings!"
"Your point is well-taken, Mr. Gardner." said Spock. "But we must determine which of the challenges we face is the most critical at the time. Khan wants only one thing:to conquer."
"Wait, hold up." said Kirk. "He didn't sound like a conqueror, more like a man whose loved one was killed. He also said something involving the USS Vengeance—said the ship was his. And when he showed up wearing that ring, the first thing he went after was you. I believe you got him into a Captain Ahab situation back in 2259, thus making you Moby Dick."
"Nevertheless, he and his Augments pose an immediate threat to the security of the Federation, especially Earth." Spock said.
"Khan's ring will eventually run outta power like ours just did." Hal said. "Right now his rage is boosting whatever Atrocitus had left, and it's gonna stay like that unless he finds a way to power himself up."
"But Spock's right, Hal." Kirk told him. "We can't leave when Khan's on the loose."
"Jim, if Sinestro gets to Oa and recharges the ring first—if he takes control of the central power battery—Augments will be the least of our problems." Hal ranted.
"The dilemma we face is considerable." Spock butted in. "But in my time on the Enterprise, I have come to believe that no scenario is truly...unwinnable." And so everyone headed to Oa, which wasn't that much of a big deal since Hal somehow knew the exact coordinates.
Meanwhile, on Qo'noS, our hero entered the imperial chambers to find Larfleeze there. He smacked him with a construct to wake the sleeping alien up. "Who the heck are you?" yelled Larfleeze.
"I am looking for the Klingon Emperor." Khan declared. "These are the imperial chambers...and you are not the Emperor."
"Am too!" yelled Larfleeze. "Well, temporary emperor, anyway, until Sinestro gets back!"
"This...Sinestro...is the Klingon Emperor?" asked Khan.
"Yeah, Well, he's not Klingon, but he killed the High Council with his ring and took over, so all the Klingons obey him now, but he had to fly off to Oa, took my ring with him, left me here to keep his throne warm until—"
"Hold on a sec." Khan said, suddenly cutting in. "You said Sinestro had a ring like mine?"
"Nah. His is yellow, y'know, the color of fear. Turns out the Klingons are all about fear. Although, based on the ones I've met so far..." Larfleeze rambled. "They seem really into rage, too."
This made Khan smile. With their aid, he could actually get vengeance for his Vengeance...and fill the void within. Little did he know what was already happening on Oa, where Sinestro was explaining to the Guardians Of The Universe.
"Though we've only just met, I already know so much about you." said the Korugarian. "I know that several years ago, you encountered a terrible being who threatened the universe itself. I know that you captured him and locked him inside this massive power battery—it now exists as an impurity within this battery's core. A yellow impurity."
"How could you possibly know this?!" cried a Guardian. "Who the heck are you?"
Sinestro smirked. "I already told you..." He then proceeded to drag Parallax, the Yellow Fear Entity, out of the battery and to himself. There was a sudden overload of yellow light—and he now stood in a different outfit, the very same one he wore while fighting Volthoom, complete with a golden cape flowing from his shoulders. "I am Thaal Sinestro of Korugar, and the universe...is mine!"
Back on Qo'noS, Khan had ordered his crew to take care of the security, which they did. "You know who I am." said the Red Lantern. "The last time I was on this planet, I slaughtered an entire squadron of you. And that was without my family by my side. Surely you realize that my victory is inevitable...so why waste your time and mine? Besides..." he said as he got himself off the ground, holding the corpse of Larfleeze by its snapped neck. "I have a mutually beneficial proposal for you."
"This is the second time a stranger with a ring has invaded the highest sanctum of our empire!" roared a Klingon Council member.
"We pledged allegiance to Sinestro because he promised to end the Federation once and for all." added another. "What more could you possibly offer?"
"Freedom from Sinestro." Khan said, and threw the corpse of Larfleeze in front of the Council. "This grotesque animal told me of Sinestro's plan, and how to follow him to the planet Oa. Once I acquire the power Sinestro seeks, we will invade the heart of the Federation together in numbers they cannot withstand. Earth will be mine, and you will have your empire back. So shall we continue battling against ourselves...or create the future together?"
While all this was happening, chaos had been unleashed on Oa. "How is this possible, Ganthet?" asked a Guardian named Tantho. "How can the stranger have freed the Yellow Entity from his prison? How can he be so powerful?" Suddenly, the ceiling above the Guardians cracked. "He is shaking the very foundations of Oa!" cried Tantho.
"Do not give in to your fear, Tantho." said Sayd, a female Guardian. "That is the surest path to ruin."
"She's right." added Ganthet, Sayd's secret lover. "Now is the time to resist. You saw the rings the stranger bears, now is the time to test our prototype. To see if our grand experiment is worthy..." He then opened a container, revealing a beautiful green ring.
Meanwhile, Sinestro was wreaking havoc outside. He bellowed out, "Your vaunted willpower is formidable indeed, Guardians. But something even stronger rises inside you now. Something you have not felt in eons. You are afraid. I have spent a lifetime learning to harness and wield the power of the Yellow Entity, while you all have grown complacent. Prideful. Weak. Here and now, I will end your precious Green Lantern Corps...before it can even begin!" He then made some constructs that immediately latched onto the Green Power Battery, and was about to crush it when something hit him from above. It was the Enterprise! Hal's crazy plan had worked!
"Direct hit, commander! Ready to fire again on your command!" said Hikaru Sulu.
"Hold fire, lieutenant." said Spock, then ordered "Manhunters...attack."
Immediately, a swarm of manhunters were dispatched from the Enterprise, and they all focused their attacks on Sinestro, chanting No man escapes the manhunters.
"Captain, the target has been engaged. Proceed with caution." said Spock.
"Aye, commander." replied Kirk, as he and the four Green Lanterns beamed near the Green Power Battery.
"Aw, yeah, baby! Time to recharge!" cried Guy.
Meanwhile, back on the Enterprise, Uhura had picked up a signal. A buncha ships were coming in...and they were Klingon!
"What the juice?" yelled McCoy.
"Khan." Spock replied. "Evasive action, Mr. Sulu."
"Aye, commander!" said Sulu, and the Enterprise did her best to avoid the Klingon attacks while Sinestro used Parallax to wipe out the manhunters. "Pathetic machines". he scoffed. "You thought you could do better than the fools who built you?"
Meanwhile, Kirk and the greens got close enough to the gigantic lantern. "We're close enough!" said Hal. "Greenies, time to..." But then, a red energy blast knocked them out.
"Hello again." said Khan, as he landed in front of the five. He then grabbed Kirk by the neck and said "Tell me, captain...did you ever dream as a little boy playing starships that you would one day visit the center of the universe? I can't think of a better place to die."
Hiding in the rubble, Ganthet, Sayd and Tantho were putting all their hopes into the green ring. "By the sacred pages of the Book Of Oa...may you find a worthy bearer." And the ring whizzed away...to find its resting place upon a worthy hand.
James Tiberius Kirk of Earth, you have the willpower to overcome great fear. Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps.
"Wowzers!" said Khan.
"I don't know you, Red Lantern." Sinestro declared. "But if you interfere with me, you die with Kirk."
"Sinestro, I presume. The same goes for you." Khan quipped.
Kirk had enough, and decided to step in. "Both of you...stop talking." he said sternly. "Captain's orders."
Next stop:Khan's rise as the Dawnbreaker!