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Chapter Three – "Stone Blunts Scissors"

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This noontime crowd of several hundred was much larger than previous crowds. This was the last rally before the election tomorrow. A hastily built stage had been assembled complete with pictures of the late Loria Mond plastered everywhere. Speaker after speaker took to the podium to declare that secession was what Loria Mond had wanted and died for and what the voters of Jennia should demand.

Pulgas Mond, husband to the late politician, addressed the cheering crowd offering himself as a replacement candidate. He punched the air with his tentacles as he spoke.

"Whether or not we win the election," he said, "we will secede from Galtos because it is the right thing to do. Loria Mond must not have died in vain."

He then turned to the Jennians behind him on the stage, "I want to have Subia Oxios stand. He was Loria's aide and will help me lead our independent world if YOU the voters decide that I am worthy of leading. Subia has asked me if he could address you to talk about Loria and I will give him a chance to do that a little later on."

Oxios stood up and waved to the crowd. He sat back down as Pulgas Mond continued to speak.

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The Green Lantern and Hawkgirl were on the rooftop across the street from the rally.

As he looked out over the crowd, Stewart spoke. "Keep your eyes open. You're looking for something that doesn't belong. Something that's out of place. Something that doesn't fit. Something that's just wrong."

Hol nodded. She unclipped her mace, energized it and stood ready.

Stewart continued, "We've already inspected the stage so we know that's clean. I'll watch the crowd. You watch the roofs."

"I'm on it," she said as she leaped in the air and hovered for a moment in front of him. She then rose a few meters, did a barrel roll and positioned herself directly over the top of the crowd.

"Showoff," Stewart called out after her.

"Yup!" she answered back smiling. "And a darn good one, too."

On the stage below, Mond asked Oxios to come to the podium and say a few words about Loria Mond. Oxios set the briefcase he had been holding on his chair and walked to the podium. He waved to the cheering crowd as he made his way slowly to the front of the stage. Mond sat down with the other speakers.

He spoke slowly, seemingly choking with emotion. "Loria was a good woman...who cared about Jennia and died seeking justice for our ...our..." He stopped and looked at Pulgas Mond and then put his tentacles to his face.

"I'm sorry, but I can't go on," he cried out as he suddenly bolted from the stage and into the crowd. Mond stood up as Oxios ran from the stage. He turned around to look at the Jennians seated next him in puzzlement.

Stewart observed the commotion on the stage below and seemed to focus on the briefcase. Suddenly, Stewart shouted to Hol: "Stop that guy!" He pointed to the fleeing Jennian, then leaped off the roof toward the stage.

From her position high above the crowd, Hol plunged into the crowd, screaming "Hiiiya" as she struck the fleeing Jennian with her mace. The impact of the blow knocked Oxios backward and he tumbled and collapsed on the ground.

The crowd separated around the fallen Jennian. Hol rose in the air, circled back and plucked the stunned Oxios off the ground, like an eagle plucking a fish out of a stream.

Stewart flew to the stage at top speed. He formed a bubble over the briefcase, yelling to Mond, "Get off the stage!" Mond's security detail hustled him off the stage just as the case exploded.

Hol landed on the roof with Oxios as she heard the explosion on the stage. She grabbed the still groggy Oxios by his shirt and hit him with her mace handle, knocking him unconscious. She then let him go and his limp form crumpled onto the slates of the rooftop. She then flew down to the stage at high speed.

The effects of the blast were contained inside the energy bubble that Stewart created.

Nevertheless, the crowd nearest the stage saw the explosion and Mond being rushed off the stage. People started to panic, fleeing the stage area. As the crowd pushed back, some Jennians fell and were trampled. The cries raised the panic level further.

As Stewart slowly released the energy of the explosion from the bubble, Hol landed on the stage next to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "What about the bomber?"

"Out like a light," she answered tapping her mace in her left hand.

He cocked his head back for moment. "Hmmmm." He then looked around at the fleeing crowd. "We better do something about this crowd before they hurt themselves."

"Well, they're like cattle – herd them into a pen," Hol said with some exasperation in her voice as she gestured at the crowd.

She grabbed the microphone at the speaker's podium and speaking in native Jennian tried to calm the crowd.

"Stop running," she yelled into the microphone. "Everything is alright. Mond is okay. Everything is alright." She repeated this over and over in Jennian.

As she spoke, Stewart flew off the stage and created a ringed force field to stop the crowd from running. As Hol continued speaking, he reduced the size of the field until the crowd was held tightly in its confines, barely able to move.

Hol flew off and grabbed Mond away from his security people and returned him to the stage. She thrust the microphone at him and snapped, "You! Start talking to your people – NOW!"

A nervous Mond took the microphone from Hol and starting speaking again asking the crowd for calm. As he spoke, Stewart slowly dropped the energy bubble around the crowd that now started to move closer to the stage again.

Hol swooped out and picked up two of Mond's security detail and deposited the surprised Jennians beside Mond, then returned to the rooftop to check on the still unconscious Oxios.

The emergency medical staff arrived but couldn't get through the crowd. With his ring, Stewart picked up three of the medical vehicles and gently placed them near the stage. This allowed the doctors to set up a triage area on the stage floor. Matuia Ta arrived on scene with his staff and his own security force.

He made his way through the crowd and walked on stage to a chorus of boos. He touched tentacles with Mond and then whispered in Mond's ear. Mond nodded, smiled and spoke to the crowd.

"My fellow Jennians, our Administrator has asked that this rally disband..."

The crowd booed.

Mond waved at the crowd for silence. "No, my friends he has asked for us disband so that the injured among us can be treated properly and he is right. He has also encourages us to have another rally tonight and he has promised to assume full responsibility for providing security."

He paused and then added, "He has promised on his family honor."

There were murmurs in the crowd. Then suddenly applause broke out from the gathering.

"Please go home and we will meet back here tonight," Mond continued. Slowly, the crowd dispersed enabling the medical personnel to treat the scores of injured lying in the street.

Stewart rejoined a smiling Hawkgirl on the rooftop as she watched Matuia Ta on the stage. She thought to herself that if secession was successful Ta would probably be out of a job. But he was smart. She was sure he would land on his feet whatever happened.

"So you speak Jennian?" Stewart asked with a small smile. "Is there no end to what I don't know about you?

"There's no end, John," she said returning the smile.

Stewart shook his head. "I'll hold this guy," he said pointing to the still unconscious Oxios. "You find the local authorities and tell them we believe we have in custody the person responsible for the death of Loria Mond."

Hol flew to the stage and landed next to Matuia Ta as he was barking out directives to his staff.

"Excuse me, Administrator," she said tapping him on the shoulder. "But my partner and I have apprehended the person we believe to be responsible for the death of Loria Mond."

Ta looked at her. She thought she caught a brief smile before he frowned and said sharply, "You're Hawkgirl, right? Talk to that man over there in the green uniform. That's my chief of police. He'll help you. Now, excuse me. I'm trying to help my people, here." Ta gestured toward a green uniformed Jennian surrounded by similarly clothed officers.

With that, Ta led his staff away from her and continued to bark directives at them to manage the situation. Hawkgirl thought to herself, He'll be just fine.

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The next day the voting proceeded relatively smoothly. At the previous night's rally, Mond had made a point of singling out Matuia Ta for recognition. Matuia stood and received a long ovation. Mond had then offered Matuia a position in the new Government, which Matuia had accepted.

There were a handful of fights at the polling places with the participants being separated by either Hawkgirl or the Green Lantern. Those separated by Stewart didn't require as much medical attention afterwards as those separated by Hol.

As the polls closed, Stewart and Hol were preparing to assist Matuia's security people with the vote count. Just as they arrived at the registrar's office, Stewart looked up to see approaching at high speed a green streak of fur. Hol flashed a huge grin as this furry Green Lantern, who bore a remarkable resemblance to an Earth chipmunk, landed next to Stewart. She quickly wiped the smile off her face.

Stewart indicated the two foot high Green Lantern and said, "This is Ch'p. He is the Green Lantern of sector 1014." Hol nodded at the little Lantern as Stewart said, "Ch'p, this is Hawkgirl."

Ch'p nodded at Hol, turned to Stewart and said, "I have been temporarily re-assigned to this area to ensure the election results are carried out. I relieve you, Green Lantern of sector 2814."

Stewart answered back, "Green Lantern of sector 1014, I stand relieved." He turned to Hol and said, "We're through here. Let's get ready to go."

She folded her arms across her chest and asked, "Don't you want to know the results of the vote?"

Stewart smiled. "Does it make a difference? We were here to ensure they could vote. We did that. Ch'p is here to ensure the results are honored – and he'll do that."

Matuia Ta came out of the registrar's office. He looked at Stewart. "Thank you for your assistance. Subia Oxios confessed last night. He hoped by disrupting the elections, he could keep martial law in place here and his business interest on the third moon would continue to show profits. He was tried this morning and executed shortly before lunch."

Stewart closed his eyes, sighed and cleared his throat. Hol sensed he was very uncomfortable with this type of summary justice. She knew he wouldn't say anything but this news would certainly increase his desire to leave as soon as possible.

Turning to Hol, Matuia continued with a wry smile, "You have my personal guarantee on my family's honor that whatever the vote results are, the transition will be peaceful. After all, I don't want you to have to ever come back here."

"And I don't want to come back here either," she answered. Then turning to the Lanterns she said. "Excuse us a moment."

She and Matuia Ta walked a short distance away from the Lanterns. She grabbed his tentacle and smiled. "Farewell, Matuia. On my family honor, you will always be my friend."

He smiled, "Farewell, Shayera. On my family honor, you will always be my friend. May you find the love you deserve, my young Lieutenant, and always keep the love you need. May we never see each other again so that we may always remember this moment."

He turned and walked back into registrar's office and closed the door.

She stood there silently for a moment looking at the closed door then rejoined the Lanterns.

"I'm ready. Let's get off this piece of dirt," she said flatly. They took their leave of Ch'p.

Stewart formed an energy bubble around them and they started to rise. As the bubble rose, he hesitantly asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'll be okay, John," she sighed. "I was just thinking that people change. I've changed since I joined the Justice League. My views on life have changed."

She looked down at the planet disappearing below her and added, "There are things I should do and would have done that I can't do anymore. I know how to do them. I know I should do them... I just can't bring myself to do them. And I fear eventually that I will change into something I won't recognize as me anymore."

The Lantern was puzzled and offered, "We all change. That's part of life. We can only hope that each time we change, the change will make us better and stronger than before. If it's any consolation to you, I don't know who you were before the Justice League, but I like who you are now."

She grinned broadly at him and then said softly, "Thanks."

She was silent for a moment and then suddenly offered, "You know, if we don't have to get right back, I happen to know a bar on the third moon of Galtos that serves the best..."

She stopped and smiled, "Never mind. Let's go home."

End