Chapter One — Happy New Years Earthlings
"Know that my love would burn with me; we'll live eternally."
Twenty-one year old Arley Gluck woke up early New Year Eves day, naked and in the arms of the only man she'd ever loved. Sunshine streamed in through the blinds and the hair on Wally's legs tickled the smooth skin on Arley's calves.
Wally's arms were wrapped around her bare waist and the Lantern buried her face back into the crook of the speedsters neck. Arley could feel just how tangled and knotted her long black hair was and Arley knew it'd take an half hour in the shower just to unknot; but that was future Arley's problem. The Arley in that moment was more concerned with staying warm under the covers and out of the January air. Arley could hear Bodie moving around in the living room; she could hear the squeak of the rubber toy she and Wally had gotten him for Hanukah.
Arley, with her face buried in the crook of Wally's neck placed a delicate kiss on the side of Wally's neck; she loved him— she'd been in love with Wally West for eight years —and being there in his arms, under their covers, just like she had dreamed of as a teenager, it was amazing, it made Arley forget— if only for a moment —about the blood on her hands and the horrors that replayed in the back of her mind and instead focus on the warmth in her chest and how happy she felt.
Wally's right hand moved up Arley's spine and his left moved down, the speedsters head turned so that the tip of his nose was pressed against the bridge of Arley's; Arley smiled warmly as Wally's lips pressed against the tip of her nose.
"Morning Glowstick," Wally said huskily as his hand moved further down to grope her; Arley let out a hum as she breathed and as she lifted her head her chest pressed more firmly against his.
"Morning Handsome."
Arley pressed a kiss to Wally's lips and the speedster didn't hesitate to pull the Lantern against himself as he deepened it; Arley, as the minutes ticked by and the pair continued to kiss— Wally's hand had threaded through her already knotted hair and he tugged at the Lantern's scalp causing the young woman to moan —could feel Wally harden against her thigh.
Yes, Arley thought hungerly, More.
Arley smirked into the kiss, Wally's tongue swept into Arley's mouth and the dark haired Lantern threw her leg over his. Arley turned and Wally— with his lips still connected to Arley's, took his hand from her hair —followed so that she was on her back and he was hovering over her; her legs were on either side of the red-headed man's hips.
Wally's hand slipped from around Arleys waist and dripped between them; Arley's detached her lips from Wally's and she let out a languished moan as a finger slipped inside her. Wally's eyes clenched shut— they'd already been closed but as Wally stilled his hand for a moment the speedsters breath quickened —and Arley's legs spread further apart.
Wally peppered a series of kisses down Arley's throat and along her collarbones as he began to work his hand between her legs; faster and faster. Wally's lips continued to kiss every inch of skin her could reach without detaching himself from Arley and Arley wondered if he could heart her heart as he kissed along the tops of her breasts.
Fire started to flood Arley's veins and the Lantern's hand that had been embedded in the back of the speedsters head floated down to the red head's wrist.
Wally froze and looked up at Arley with wide eyes; he could run from one end of the country to the other in the span of four hours, he could move faster than a human could process but when it came to Arley he never rushed, not when they'd been seventeen and giggling love-sick teenagers because Hal and Guy were both away for the weekend and not at twenty-one and about to explode.
Arley, with half lidded lust filled eyes of her own looked at Wally; her heart hammered in her chest. She loved him, she could say it until there was no air left in her lungs and she could list every aspect she loved about him but even then Arley didn't think that would cover how much she loved the man in front of her.
"Just get inside me Genius," Arley murmured as her hand slipped up his arm, her nails scraped against his skin. Arley pressed a kiss to his lips; "Need you inside me."
She could feel Wally's smile against her lips as he slid into her with practiced ease.
Arley arched and gasped into him; she clung to him as he paused for a second. When Wally began to move a second later his movements were slow and torpid; each thrust he made was followed by a low sounding moan, or perhaps each move Wally made was guided by a breathy whimper.
A hot coil settled in Arley's stomach, waiting to spring free; Arley bit her lip as Wally's teeth scratched against the shell of her ear. Arley didn't need to look for the signs to know that Wally was with her, close to the edge and just about to fall off.
The Lantern turned her head so that once more her lips were melded against Wally's and her legs hitched further up along his hips; Arley pressed herself harder against Wally, almost as if she were trying to fuse with him and Wally's hips snapped against hers, speeding up just enough to make her see stars.
Arley swallowed up each of Wally's moans as he came inside her just as he he took in each of her whimpered cries. The pair, when the world seemed to regain color around them didn't immediately pull away from the other; Arley continued to cling to Wally as her breathing began to even out.
"I love you," she told him and Wally, with the corner of his eyes crinkled pressed a kiss to the Lanterns lips,
"Love you more."
…
Crowded around the kitchen counter Arley, Wally and Artemis— who'd been their roommate for almost a year —ate the pancakes Wally had made. The radio was on and Bodie, who'd grown to be the size of a small car could be heard eating out of his tire sized dog bowl in the corner of the kitchen.
Arley wore one of Wally's commandeered sweaters— there were old food stains that dotted the maroon fabric and a large discolored bleach spot that Wally had somehow gotten on the back —leggings that had a hole in the knee and a pair of fuzzy socks that had the Flash symbol on the very top of the foot.
"How was Star City last night?" Wally asked the ex-archer as he speared a fifth pancake onto his fork. Where Arley and Wally had decided to stay in for New Years the night before Artemis had decided to take the drive up to Star City and go to one of Oliver Queen's many, many parties.
"Great, I made out with some guy in the bathroom before Raquel walked in on us-so out of the three of us I can safely say I didn't get laid," Artemis said. Arley's lips twitched up as she made eye contact with Wally over the kitchen counter, both the night before and that morning's performances played in her mind; the Lantern's face burned a bright red.
Wally, with a cheeky grin winked at Arley.
"That sucks." The Lantern grinned at her plate and Artemis shot the twenty-one year old Lantern a dry look.
"Dick's right, you two are gross," Artemis grumbled into her plate.
"You know you can always call Zatanna to take care of—" Wally twirled a fork at Artemis, "—I'm sure she's still as much in love with you as you are with her."
"I'm not in love with Zatanna," Artemis snapped immediately, "I'm over her-totally and completely over her. I mean why wouldn't I be, I'm the one who broke up with her."
Arley pressed her lips together at the reminder; it'd been ten months ago and Artemis, after Zatanna had spent another night on the Watchtower going over spells and other magical theories with John Constantine— the League's newest magical member —had called it quits just as another fight between her and Zatanna had started to brew.
"Right, right," Wally said as he put his hands up, "Sorry."
It was quiet for a moment; Bruno Mars Uptown Funk played over the radio and Artemis glared at her pancakes before she sighed, the tension in her shoulders eased and the ex-hero looked up at Arley and Wally.
"So besides going at it like nerdy rabbits—"
"—We do not go at it like rabbits," Arley defended; Wally's cheeks were as red as his hair and Artemis snorted.
"Bullshit but okay," The blonde said, "Anyway like I was saying, how was your night? Bodie get scared again?"
The five year old vulpimancer hated fireworks; he tolerated thunder and gunfire in battle but the alien dog-like creature often found himself cowering behind Arley or Wally when the local neighborhood kids set off fireworks.
"Nope," Arley said; Wally snorted. Artemis' brows knitted together; she smiled nonetheless.
"Seriously?" Artemis looked over Arley's head and towards where Bodie was licking his bowl; "Good job buddy!" Bodie looked up from his bowl and let out a loud bark in Artemis' direction; Artemis looked back at Wally and Arley, "He's growing up."
"Maybe because Arley drugged him with a horse tranquilizer before they started," Wally snickered. Artemis' head snapped towards the bashful looking Lantern,
"You drugged the dog!" Arley held her hands— and her fork which had two pieces of pancake speared at the end of it —up, defensively.
"I did what was best for everyone; Bodie gets freaked out over fireworks-he broke the recliner last fourth of July," Arley reasoned, "I mean come on, none of us have money for another chair at the moment." They were three college students, one of whom— Arley —could only work as tutor, not only her hectic class schedule but also because of her job as a Lantern and other heroic duties.
"Fine," Artemis nodded, "I guess you're right." Arley's ring beeped and Wally and Artemis straightened up as Arley set her fork down and lifted her hand.
"Green Lantern Arley speaking." John Stewart's imagine formed over Arley's ring; Arley beamed at the sight of one of her father figures.
"Hey John!" The three young adults chorused.
"Hey kids," John said and Arley snorted, he was thirty-two, not fifty-two. "Arley," John said, his arms crossed behind his back, "Have you turned on a new station at all?" Arley frowned,
"No, why?"
"Lobo attacked the United Nations Secretary-General Tseng last night." Arley choked on her own spit.
Lobo wasn't a stranger and he could call himself a bounty hunter all he wanted but ever since Arley had been ten and she stopped his assassination attempt on the an alien Prince, the female Lantern knew what Czarnian really was; she knew that at the end of the day Lobo was an assassin— a hired gun —not a bounty hunter.
"How the hell did anyone from Earth manage to contact Lobo and put a hit out on the Secretary-General?"
"That's the thing, when Lobo attacked the Secretary-General he didn't kill him; he ripped him in half and took the alien pretending to be the Secretary-General." Arley blinked.
"I'm sorry, did he just say there was an alien pretending to be the UN's Secretary-General?" Wally asked, Arley licked her lips. Hal was off world on a mission, as was Guy and at twenty-one that made Arley the de facto sector leader; meaning she had to decide what to do about Lobo, not John.
"And when did this happen?" Arley asked John.
"Batgirl and Wonder Girl say about seven last night," John said unimpressed; Arley raised a brow and shot a dry look at the green hologram that floated over her ring.
Lobo had a fourteen hour head start.
"Right," Arley threaded her hands through her hair, "I'm going after Lobo-or at least I'm going to try to, Nortz knows he's probably out of the sector by now. Stay on world and try to find out just who-or at least, what kind of alien Lobo snatched from the fake Secretary-General."
"Got it, and Arley?"
"Yeah?"
"Be safe, Lobo's dangerous."
Arley snorted and smirked at the holographic image with all the arrogance of a Green Lantern Corps member could have. Lobo was dangerous, but he wasn't Lantern-killer dangerous; Arley had been going toe-to-toe with the Czarian since before puberity, and won.
"If I find Lobo, trust me, I'll be fine."
"You and Hal," John muttered, "I hate it when you two say that-alright. Love you, I'll call with updates."
"Love you too." And the image of John faded. Arley looked up at Wally and Artemis with a smile on her face, one that didn't quite reach her eyes; Arley loved being a Lantern but she also knew— she'd known for years —that being a Lantern took, and took until there was nothing left to give. Ganthet had once said that was her burden to bear as a hero. "Duty calls."
Arley's uniform formed over the stolen sweater and the ripped leggings and fuzzy socks; her mask appeared over her eyes and Wally smiled sadly at Arley once her uniform had fully appeared.
Wally had woken up to her screaming two nights before, after all.
Where Arley knew she would never buckle under the weight that came with the ring, she also knew sometimes Wally wished she would, if only so that she would have a break from the constant cycle of war and blood and horror that came with her duty.
Arley reached over the counter and grabbed Wally's hand; she pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles, her eyes never leaving his. "I'll be fine," Arley promised, "Trust me." Wally threaded his fingers through Arleys and kissed the pulse of her wrist; his own emerald green eyes glued to hers.
The words I love you hung in the air; not needed to be said.
...
Two days later, after being unable to find Lobo or the Krolotean that the intergalactic bounty Hunter had pulled from the fake United Nations Secretary-General Tseng, Arley found herself on the Watchtower.
John and her stood in the Watchtower War Room, in front of the large holographic computer screen as the newly appointed Justice League leader Captain Atom , Batman, Manhunter, Conner, Dick and M'gann— along with a man Arley didn't recognize —sat around them.
"The big guy's Lobo," Arley said as she pointed at the screen, both Rocket and Zatanna snuck into the room and took two seats closest to M'gann. "He calls himself an intergalactic bounty hunter but the dude's basically a gun for hire-an assassin. He's dangerous—"
"Extremely dangerous," John stressed; Arley rolled her eyes,
"Please," she scoffed as she turned to her sector partner, "I've been kicking Lobo's ass since I was ten." Arley turned back to the other Justice League members, "Anyway Lobo isn't likely to return. The alien Lobo pulled out from the fake Secretary General Tseng however is another story."
"That's a Krolotean," John said as he stepped forward, "And Kroloteans always travel in packs."
"Meaning more of them are on Earth," Batman said to Captain Atom. Manhunter stood from his seat, the room turned to the older Martian,
"I believe my friend may have vital information on that point," Manhunter announced as he flourished a hand in the direction of the unknown man who'd been seated next to him since the meeting had started. "Some of you have not met Adam Strange," Manhunter introduced.
Adam Strange— a young-looking, blonde man dressed in a long flowing white lab coat —stood up with an awkward smile on his face. Adam Strange waved his hand at the heroes and Arley's brows raised behind her mask as she smiled back at him.
"Adam Strange here works at S.T.A.R Labs' Erdel Initiative. He is the scientist responsible for maintaining the Zeta-Beam technology we use for teleportation, and he has a story to tell."
"And here I was wondering why a stranger was allowed on the top secret Watchtower," Conner said through the mind-link. The corner of Arley's lip twitched up.
"Uh," Adam Strange blinked, "It's a little involved." The scientist looked around the room, "I wish I had visual aids or something."
"I can assist you," Manhunter said; the Martian's eyes glowed red and Arley felt her mind splinter once more. The Lantern winced at the mental intrusion and John rolled his shoulders back as he breathed; Adam Strange brought his hand up to the side of his head as she clenched his eyes tightly shut.
"We are all linked Adam, what you remember we will see," Manhunter said through the link. Adam, with wide eyes looked at the Martian;
"Great?" The scientist said. Suddenly Arley and the others no longer found themselves on the Watchtower but rather onlookers to Adam Strange's memory; the scientist was in a zeta-tube tunnel at the S.T.A.R Labs Erdel Initiative.
"Well I was performing a routine zeta-tube upgrade when something went wrong." Everything flashed white, as it always did when the zeta-tube transported you and Adam Strange was on a platform, somewhere far-far from Earth. "I found myself transported half-way across the galaxy to a planet called Rann."
Arley knew the planet, sort of; Arley knew that Rann was in Arisa's sector near the Guardian-Tribunal boarder and that the handful of times Arisa had gone to the planet the government officials she'd had to deal with had been openly hostile towards her as she wasn't Raanian.
"There was a scientist there, Sardath. He was conducting his own experiments in enhanced-very enhanced," Adam Strange emphasized, "Zeta-beam technology. It took weeks to establish even basic communication, but Sardath eventually made me understand that some of his Zeta technology had been stolen."
Arley felt splinters of her mind come back to her as the scene that had been Sardaths lab faded and the Watchtower War Room came back.
"Fit's the Krolotean MO," John said. "Their entire culture revolves around stolen technology."
There was more to their culture than that; Arley had read books and books about the Kroloteans over the years but John was right, a big part of the Krolotean culture was based around stealing and things they had stolen.
"Sardath detected transmissions between a single location on Raan and multiple locations on Earth. He was attempting to trace those when he accidentally transported me to Raan. He gave me this." Adam Strange fished a device out his pocket and held it up for the room full of heroes to see. A glowing yellow holographic Earth appeared from the device. "It detects trace Zeta radiation and can pinpoint all the locations where Kroloteans have beamed to Earth."
"Then I'm ordering a two pronged attack," Captain Atom said as he stood. "We'll stage simultaneous raids on Every Krolotean target on Earth while a contingent of Leaguers travels to Raan with Strange here to cut the Kroloteans off at the source."
Adam Strange cleared his throat as the image of Earth faded, the team and League memebers turned to him.
"We might have a problem with that second prong. So I'm totally unclear on the why but Earthlings are persona non grata in Raans corner of the galaxy—" the image of six Justice League members, the six that had gone missing under Vandal Savage's control appeared from the Raanian device Adam Strange had in his hand, "—As these six Leaguers are wanted criminals."
"What?" John blinked.
Dick's head snapped to Batman, "Batman those are the missing sixteen hours!"
Batman looked at his first partner and nodded,
"Agreed."
"Missing sixteen hours?"
Strange questioned; Batman didn't sigh and though Arley couldn't see his eyes from behind his cowl but something in the way that Batman had turned towards the scientist reminded Arley of a disappointed parent.
"Five years ago Vandal Savage took complete mental control of the Justice League. These exact six Leaguers went missing for sixteen hours."
"It never even occurred to us that Savage might have sent us into space," John said.
"Why would it?" Arley scoffed. Her arms crossed over her chest and her hand pressed against the side of her ribs, over the scar she'd gotten from the last time she had run into Vandal Savage, "He's a caveman."
"I'll alert Hal," John said to Arley before turning to the other heroes and Adam Strange, "Hal and Guy are on Oa finishing up a mission."
"Meanwhile," Captain Atom said, "We have fifteen other Leaguers to send to Raan to investigate."
"You're not getting it," Adam Strange said to the Justice League leader as more League members' faces popped up from the device he held, "There's a planetary watch alert out on Rann for every Leaguer."
"Not all of us are Leaguers," Dick said as he too stood; "I can send a squad to handle the Raan end of things and to find out more about those sixteen hours, without causing an intergalactic incident."
Captain Atom shifted for a moment before he nodded in Dick's direction; "Do it."
Zatanna and Rocket got up silently and left the room and Dick nodded back at the Leagues leader before he pushed his chair out to leave the room, M'gann and Conner rose to follow and Arley stepped away from John to fly after them, only for Adam Strange to catch Conner's attention.
Arley who had flown over the War Rooms table dropped next to the clone as Conner turned to look at the blonde scientist. Arley eyed the stringy looking man as his hand hovered over the clones arm.
"If you're going, don't wear that shirt," Strange requested. Arley snorted at the clone's dry gaze before she followed him out of the War Room.
"You know that thing about you not being Leaguers, you four know you still have an open invitation," Zatanna said through the mind-link.
"We know Z," Dick smiled,
"But we're all happy where we are," M'gann added.
"Sides," Arley grinned, "I'm not joining until they let Guy in, Lantern solidarity and all that."
Rocket's laugh echoed through the six old team members' minds, Rocket— like everyone else in the League —had met Guy Gardner numerous times over the years.
"If that's your mentality you'll be old and gray before you join you know that girl."
Arley's white teeth flashed at the taller female and she laughed herself.
"Maybe but being a Lantern is all about brotherhood-if the League doesn't take Guy, they don't get me."
…
"So let me get this straight," Wally said as Arley packed her battery into a duffle bag. "You're being sent to a planet where there's a red alert out for Earthlings?"
Bodie's tail excitedly hit the wood flooring beneath him. Wally's hip rested against the mattress as he looked at Arley with a concerned expression on his face; Arley stopped backing for a moment and looked up at the redhead through her lashes.
"I'm a Lantern Wally," Arley said.
"That doesn't change your biology babe, you're as human as me when it comes down to it."
Arley rolled her eyes, though she smiled as she did so. Wally cared and Arley couldn't hold it against him.
"Going to dangerous places is sort of in the job description." Wally's lips pressed together and Arley placed her hands against both of the speedsters arms. "I'll be careful-and besides, I'll have Conner and Megs watching my back. Garth too." Wally put his hands up and dropped them down onto Arley's shoulders. Arley's hands moved to his chest and fisted the shirt he was wearing.
Wally pressed his forehead against Arley's and breathed; "You promise you'll be careful?"
"Swear it." Wally pressed a chaste kiss to the middle of Arley's forehead and when he pulled away and his hot breath fanned across the Lanterns skin. Arley could feel his heart beating in his chest under her hands
"Come back to me, okay?" Arley looked up at Wally,
"Like there's any other choice West," Arley told him and Wally pressed another, less chaste kiss to the Lanterns lips.
…
The five of them— Arley, Conner, M'gann, Garfield and Adam Strange —arrived on a large zeta-platform. The flowers that surrounded them were so alien— the purple ones glowed and the pink ones opened and closed at what looked like every breath —that there was no question about where they had zeta-beamed too.
Garfield's tail flicked behind him and Conner looked around at the alien planet with wide blue eyes. The sky above them was clear and Arley could see the green glow of the Rannian moon shine down from the corner of her eyes.
Conner had Arley's duffle bag thrown over his shoulder.
"Whoa," Garfield gasped as they began to move towards the stairs. The green monkey-tailed boy turned with every step he took as he gaped at his and the others surroundings; Arley couldn't help but snicker at the young teen. Growing up she had reacted the same way every time the Guardians had sent her and Hal and the others to a strange planet.
"Zeta-squad," Adam Strange said, "Welcome to Rann."
"Whoa," Garfield gasped as they came to a stop at the top of the steps, "I'm totally walking on an alien planet." Garfield jumped and turned away from the large green moon, "Wow sis you must say that like every day on Earth!"
M'gann smirked as she planted a hand in the younger boys hair; "Actually, I kind of do."
"Wait," Garfield asked with wide eyes, his hands going around his throat, "We can breathe the air here right?" Arley raised a brow at the boy and smirked.
"You're breathing now aren't you?" Garfield opened his mouth to say something back when a femminie voice cut the teen off.
"Adam! Adam!" Arley and the others turned to see a young Rannian woman and an older Rannian man approaching; smiles on their faces. "I'm so happy you've come back!" She said. Arley blinked down at Aniell— her ring —and smiled.
Thank you, all powerful ring, without I would be lost, Arley thought humorously.
Without me you would actually have to work on your Latin homework, Aniell said back; the ring's voice floated through Arley's mind.
"Um, great? I think," Adam Strange said to the woman. The bald man behind the Raanian woman looked at Arley and her uniform almost suspiciously, Arley turned away from the man and his scrutinizing gaze and looked to Adam Strange.
"She says she's happy to see you again," Arley said; five pairs of eyes turned to Arley, the Rannian's and Adam Strange both looked at Arley startled. Conner smirked at Arley over his shoulder and Garfield looked at the Lantern with a wowed expression.
"You can understand them?" Adam Strange blinked. Arley fluttered her ring finger in his direction,
"Of course I can, the ring comes with a universal translator," Arley explained, she turned to the Rannians and stepped forward; Arley bowed her head forward just like Arisia had told her to do, "I'm Arley of the Green Lantern Corps, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Both the Rannian man and female bowed their heads back at Arley. Adam Strange stepped up next to the Lantern.
"Lantern, Zeta squad these are my Rannian friends, Sardath and his daughter—" Adam Strange tilted his head as he looked at Sardaths daughter, the alien female's smile softened; Arley threw a teasing look over her shoulder at her teammates "—Alanna. Sardath and Alanna," Adam Strange said with a breath, "These are Green Lantern, Miss Martian, Superboy and Beastboy, from Earth."
Both Sardath and his daughter bowed their heads.
"Welcome Earthlings," Sardath greeted. "Have you destroyed the zeta's yet?" Adam Strange and Arley's teammates turned to Arley questioningly; Arley looked at Adam Strange with a brow raised.
"I'm still figuring out the language," Adam Strange said defensively; "This is usually when we start playing charades."
Arley sighed, she played translator enough on Earth as it was. M'gann's eyes glowed green, Arley felt her mind splinter and both Sardath and Alanna winced. Arley turned to M'gann questioningly.
"What was that?" Alanna asked her father.
"Such an odd sensation," Sardath replied and Adam Strange perked up.
"You're speaking English!" Adam Strange gasped.
"No they're not," M'gann explained, "But I linked us mentally to Arley who has a universal translator in her ring and can understand them in her mind. We're serving as psychic translators; they speak Rannian and we speak English but all now hear the language they understand."
'Amazing," Sardath murmured; Alanna stepped closer to Adam Strange and Arley looked at Conner with a smothered smirk.
"It will make communicating so much easier," Alanna said. A siren wailed in the distance and Sardath straightened; Arley could feel his fear through the mind-link.
"Perhaps we should take things inside," Sardath said as he motioned to the entrance behind him, "It is wise to use caution when harboring Earthlings."
Arley wanted to remark how because she was a Lantern and Rann was in Guardian space— not Tribunal —she technically didn't count as an Earthling but instead chose to save her breath and keep quiet; Arisia had already told her how xenophobic the Rannian government was.
The elevator door to Sardath and Alanna's home hadn't even fully opened before Garfield shot out of it.
"Alien animalage!" The green boy gasped, "Cool!"
"Sardath, have you learned anything more about why Earthlings are unwelcome in this corner of the Galaxy?" Sardath sighed; and he nodded.
"The Rannian Science Command is xenophobic in general which is why my research into interplanetary zeta-beam travel is being conducted quietly." Adam Strange's brown eyes widened,
"And why haven't you reported the theft of your technology," the human scientist nodded in understanding. Sardath shut his eyes as he nodded,
"Exactly, if Science Command learned I had made it possible for aliens-especially you Earthlings, to zeta here to Rann the consequences could be dire for myself and my daughter."
"We won't let that happen," Arley promised, "Science Command will know nothing of mine or my teammates being here."
Sardath's lips twisted upwards into a smile, Conner who had been standing next to Arley shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"I still don't get it, why the big hate for Earthlings? How do they even know any Earthlings to hate?" Alanna pressed a button on the console behind her father and the image Adam Strange had displayed in the Watchtower— the one of each of the six missing Leaguers —appeared.
"I'm sure Adam showed you this?" Alanna eyed the symbol on Arley's chest, "We are still unclear of the details."
Arley resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest and hide the Lantern on her uniform; John hadn't been in control of his actions when he'd done them five years ago, there was nothing shameful about being a Lantern.
Eleven years of bloodshed flashed through Arley's mind and absentmindedly the Lantern mended her stance; there was nothing shameful about being a Lantern in relation to John. Garfield, in the corner of the room had his head transformed to look like the Rannian bird like creature that rested on his arm.
"Science Command is not inclined to share intelligence," Sardath said,
"But," Alanna added, "We have learned there was an incident on the planet Rimbor involving Earthling Criminals known as the Justice League." Sardath looked at Arley; Alanna looked at the others,
"I assume you are not associated with these outlaws?" Sardath question and Arley pressed her lips together, she raised a brow at the man challengingly, M'gann stepped forward.
"We are not members of the League," she said. Sardath continued to look at Arley unblinkly; the Lantern stared back. Arley couldn't throw the mission— she wouldn't, she was a good soldier and Green Lanterns always completed their missions —but she also wouldn't disassociate herself from John; he was as much her father as Guy and Hal.
She wouldn't just throw him under the bus.
"But since then the Krolotaens have posted planetary watch alerts for every criminal in the League."
"Kroloteans!" Adam gasped as he stepped closer to Sardath, "That's who stole your zeta platform technology; they used it to secretly invade Earth and that's how they found out about the other Leaguers."
"I know," Sardath told the human scientist dryly, "I told you that the last time you were here." Adam thumped his head the same way M'gann had done when she'd first come to Earth.
"Oh of course," Adam said, "Krolotean, I misunderstood you. I thought it was just a Rannian word for thief."
"It might as well be," Alanna said snidely.
Arley— if the Kroloteans hadn't secretly invaded Earth and started body-snatching people —almost wanted to defend the thieving race of aliens; their planet had been destroyed eons ago and ever since then the Kroloteans had been searching for a new one but everywhere they went they were either shunned and forced off the planet or made to eat the scraps of whosoever planet they landed on, that was why they were thieves, it was— without a stable home of their own —the only way they could get their foot in the intergalactic door.
"Yeah," Conner said, "Krolotean culture revolves around stolen tech, we heard. Question is, what do we do about it?"
"My father's zeta shield will help," Alanna replied. She pressed a second button on the console and an image of a glowing net over a planet appeared.
"If I could perfect the design your primitive zeta tubes would still function within the confines of the Earthling atmosphere, but unauthorized travel to and from other worlds would become impossible. In short my shield will prevent more Kroloteans from invading your world via zeta-beam while trapping any still entrenched there."
"And in the meantime Adam tells us you've located the Krolotean zeta platform here on Rann."
"Indeed, but the jungles of Rann can be dangerous," Sardath said, "You Earthlings will need a guide."
Arley raised a brow at the Rannian scientist; she hadn't gotten the symbol on her chest just by her ring attaching itself to her finger, she'd had to go through four cycles— a year —of boot camp. Arley doubted— after everything Kilowog had put her through —there was anything in the Rannian jungle she couldn't take without her ring.
"I'll go father," Alanna said, "You must complete your work on the zeta shield."
"But transportation out of the city of Ranagar is also not without risks Alanna." Sardath looked at the four heroes and Adam Strange; "We must disguise these Earthlings."
Conner's shoulder tensioned and his teeth ground together.
"Look enough about this Earthling thing, I'm half-Kryptonian, Arley's a Green Lantern and Miss Martian is-a well, Martian!" There was also Garfield who looked the furthest thing from what a normal thirteen year old boy ought to look like but Arley didn't bother to add that in; M'gann had told her how self-conscious Garfield could get at times.
"You came here from Earth, did you not?" Sardath asked rhetorically.
"Yeah," Conner blinked, "But we're not-I mean, never mind," he sighed.
…
Arley waited for Conner and Adam Strange to change in one of the hallways of Sardath and Alanna's home. She was already dressed in old clothes Alanna had grown out of and had taken to leaning against the wall of the hallway.
Hey Aniell, where the hell is Rimbor? Arley wondered. There were thirty-six hundred sectors of Guardian space and while Arley knew she couldn't know every planet in those thirty-six hundred sectors she assumed that any Lantern who had Rimbor in their sector would have let John know what he'd done years ago.
Not Guardian territory, Aniell answered; Rimbor is just over the border between Guardian and Tribunal space.
Arley's jaw set.
Tribunal space, something that bordered Arisia's sector may have been right next door to Guardian space but it practically another universe. It was where the Galra and Apokolpitan weapons came from and where many species the Corps had gone to war with had taken refuge too as the Tribunal didn't tend to extradite any criminals over to the Corps; just as many criminals who were wanted by the Tribunal tended to find themselves in Guardian space.
No wonder Arley and John hadn't heard about him and the other five Leaguers wanted status.
But why Rimbor, why did Savage send them to Tribunal territory? Arley wondered; And was it an accident? If it hadn't been how had Vandal Savage— an immortal Neanderthal who had never once left Earth —even known about the border?
…
Powered down and with a hood that belonged to Alanna drawn over her head, Arley and the others walked onto the Rannian train station that led out of Ranagar; Garfield disguised as the bird-like creature from Sardath and Alanna's home sat perched on M'gann's shoulder.
Conner had his arm thrown over Arley's shoulders in the same brotherly way he'd been doing for the past five years.
The train came around the bend and Arley's ring hand was curled around the cuff of the robe Alanna had allowed her to borrow. Arley's hood bellowed in the wind as the front of the train rushed by, only to come to a still when the train stopped.
Alanna was the first to board the train; then Adam Strange and then Arley lead Conner, M'gann and Garfield. Arley took the seat between both Conner and M'gann solely because Conner had slung her between himself and the Martian, not because she wanted to; no part of Arley wanted to sit between the pair of ex lovers anymore then she would want to skydive into a sarlacc pit.
Garfield moved from M'gann's shoulder to the top of Arley's head; "Nortz help me Beastboy if you pull down my hood and blow this I'm going to get Wally to make turtle soup when we get back."
"What!" Beastboy squakwed. M'gann, with a small smile, nudged Arley and the Lantern smiled at her best friend.
"Be nice," M'gann tutted.
"We should be fine now," Alanna thought; but just as the thought had rung though the mind-link two Rannian Science Command officers managed to catch the train, both of them hopping into the cart before the doors closed. "Unless the Rannian Science Patrol comes in for routine ID checks."
The science patrol officers turned left and began to start scanning at the other end of the train. Adam Strange opened the duffle bag Sardath had given them, and put his hand on the jetpack the Rannian scientist had given them.
"I'll create a diversion and lead them off our trail." Alanna grabbed Adam Strange's wrist,
"No," she thought, "It's not safe, I'll—"
"—You're the jungle guide, remember?" Adam Strange thought, he looked at Alanna warmly and, through the link, Arley could feel both the Rannian female's heart pounding and the human scientist's chest exploding with warmth as the pair's eyes locked. "I'll ditch these guys and circle back to your fathers compound to help him finish the zeta shield."
Alanna put her hands over Adam Strange's and both Conner and M'gann looked away from one another; Arley looked down at her hands suddenly understanding the way Artemis usually felt when she and Wally cuddled on the couch or made out on the kitchen counter.
Adam Strange bursted from his seat, "Beware the Jabberwock my son!" he cried.
Arley's eyes shut; she knew exactly where the scientist was going.
"Oh we're so dead," Arley moaned through the link; Strange paid her no mind.
"The jaws that bite, the claws that catch," Strange lamented as he danced his way over to the Science Command Patrol Officers, "Beware the Jubjub bird and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!" Adam Strange pinched the nose of the Science Command Patrol officer that was closest to himself, "Got your nose." Adam Strange jumped off the train; "No time to say hello, goodbye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" Adam Strange then took off running; the two Science Command Patrol Officers racing behind him.
The train doors shut and the train began to move.
Alanna stood up and moved so that her knees were touching Arley's as she looked out the window. "Jabberwock? Bandersnatch?"
"His last name is Strange," Garfield said; Arley rolled her eyes, she looked up at the alien woman.
"It's an Earth poem, he's a nerd and apparently someone isn't teaching Beastboy the basics of English lit,"Arley thought as she cast a look up to Garfield. Alanna smiled at the Lantern before she moved to sit back down and Garfield's neck twisted so that the end of his pointed beak was pressed against the bridge of Arley's nose.
"Please don't tell Mr. Carr I need to read more, I hate English!" The teen moaned; Arley snickered and pressed her finger to the bird-boys head, moving him back up and out of her face.
"Prove yourself on the mission and we'll see." Arley settled against Conner's shoulder and breathed. Maybe she couldn't sleep— they were on a mission and she had to keep her guard up —but that didn't mean she couldn't relax until they reached their drop point.
Several hours later and in a new position then the one she's started the train ride in— her legs were thrown over M'ganns lap and her back was against Conner's arm —Arley watched Alanna get up from her seat and place the messenger bag she'd thrown over her shoulder since leaving her and her father's home on the floor.
"We'll be in range of the coordinates soon," Alanna said through the mind link and Garfield, who was perched on the back of the seat, looked over to M'gann.
"Hey sis," the green changeling boy said, "Remember that time you and Superboy visited me in Qurac, and he picked flowers that were really poison sumac."
Arley looked up at the bot she thought of as a brother and quirked both her brows up at him, Arley had never been into botany but she knew enough from her dealings with Poison Ivy to know what poison sumac was.
"Isn't poison sumac a leaf-like type of ivy?" Arley wondered teasingly; Conner's cheeks burned pink and M'gann looked at the boy she thought of as a brother, Alanna stood up with the bag over her shoulders once more.
"That was a long time ago Gar."
"Noted," Garfield said, "But you remember, right Superboy?" Garfield asked Conner as he swung his tiny bird-like body around to the clone. Conner rocked forward in his seat and Arley caught herself on the edge of the trains seat,
"How much farther?" Conner asked Alanna. Alanna opened the holographic map her father had given them and looked at the door, her own jetpack opened and Arley felt her uniform appear under the robe Alanna had given her.
Her mask appeared over her eyes.
"Now." Conner got up and Arley threw her legs over M'gann and back onto the floor as Conner kicked open the train doors; he moved back so that Alanna could lead the way, M'gann and Garfield followed after the Rannian native and Arley, with Conner's hand in hers, flew after them.
The five landed on the jungle floor below the train tracks; Garfield transformed back into his unusual half-monkey form and Alanna once more took out the holographic map her father had given them.
Conner and Arley— As M'gann shifted back into her usual form —began to take off the robes they'd gotten from Alanna and Sardath, and— because Arley had left her battery back at Sardath and Alanna's home —Conner stuffed the robes into the duffle bag Arley had brought with her.
"This way," Alanna said. Garfield jumped into the air and swung from several vines before dropping back onto the ground in front of Alanna, the younger boy's eyes widened at the sight of blue sand and the luminescent purple flower that was perched in the middle of the sandy puddle.
"Whao-hoo," Garfield gasped, "Now that is some prime alien souvenir material!" Garfield went to jump for the flower only for Alanna to catch the younger boy by his tail.
"Wait!"
Garfield let out a painfilled cry as he hit the grounds, inches from the blue sand. Alanna dropped Garfields tail and instead picked up a thin stick that laid by her foot, the Rannian threw the stick into the blue sand and as the stick sunk into the sand fire erupted around the plant.
Arley's eyes widened.
"Blue Sand Bog," Alanna explained, "Deadly. Basically, if it looks pretty don't touch it."
"Noted," Garfield wheezed as they continued around the sand bog and further into the jungle until they came to a stop, just outside the Krolotean compound. The five hid in the bush of the jungle, behind several large purple leafed plants.
The compound reminded Arley of the run down airfields Hal watched supernatural documentaries about.
"It's bigger than I anticipated," Alanna said, "I mean even this far out in the jungle how could something this size be built without the Science Command knowing about it?"
M'gann stepped back and drew her hood over her head; Arley and the others turned to the young Martian. M'gann blended into her surroundings, turning not invisible but virtually so.
"I'm going in, I'll send you an image of where to rendezvous," the Martian girl said through the mind-link.
Through the link Arley could see what M'gann saw; she could see dozens upon dozens of Kroloteans in the large compound, chittering to one another as they worked on the zeta-platforms that littered the room.
"I found your entrance," M'gann thought and Alanna and Arley— with her hands under Conner's arms —and Garfield, who once more had transformed into the alien animal he had seen back at Alanna and her father's home, flew up silently to the hole in the roof of the Krolotean compound.
The four hesitated for a moment as M'gann checked their surroundings.
"All clear," the Martian said before the four dropped down into the compound and followed M'gann into the compound's rafters. Garfield transformed into a monkey and Conner pressed himself against a beam in order to hide himself; Arley who blended into the green walls of the compound stayed away from the edge, as did Alanna.
"Six zeta platforms?" Alanna gasped.
"Not for long," Arley mused as Conner set the duffle bag he'd been carrying down onto the floor. The clone took out a box and opened it, showing both Alanna and Garfield the dozen bombs that were inside of it.
"There are small target explosives, they should disable the platforms without blowing the whole base. Three minute triggers will give us plenty of time to get out before the Kroloteans know what hit them."
Two of the bombs floated into Arley's hand, another two floated into Garfield and four floated in front of M'gann.
"Beastboy, Lantern and I will plant them," M'gann said to Conner and Alanna, "You two wait here."
Arley knocked her fist against Conner's as her feet lifted off the ground and quietly, just as she had long ago been taught, she flew down to the zeta platforms. Careful not to be seen, Arley placed one bomb on the underside of one platform and the second to the underside of the platform next to it.
"All set" Garfield beamed through the link, "Now let's blow this—" a loud blaring alarm interrupted the green skinned teenager and Arley ducked so that she was below the catwalk that led to the zeta-platforms.
"Incoming zeta-transmission!" A scratchy voice screeched. "Raise the antennae!" Arley's eyes widened,
"Guys—"
"We heard," Conner grumbled as Alanna gasped,
"The escape route is blocked, we're trapped inside with the bombs." Arley's eyes shut; she had promised Wally she would be careful, being trapped inside a building with bombs and no escape route was not careful!
"Yeah," Conner tisked, "With the bombs and a lot of angry company."
Wally was going to kill her.
"Sir, what happened!" One Kroletean asked, another Kroltean, one who stepped off the platform and onto the catwalk Arley was hidden under screeched back his reply;
"The Meta-Earthlings drove us back here!" Arley's brows knitted together,
"What the hell's a Meta-Earthling?" Arley wondered,
"No clue," Conner replied.
"New plan," M'gann said, "When the platforms blow, use the chaos to charge the front door; I'll cover you."
"And then we blow this—" Garfield was cut off by a scream; his own scream. Arley let out a scream as well as she too was blasted back; Arley hit the ground beneath her with a roll, the Kroloteans above her screamed as they were blasted from their zeta platforms.
"Arley!" Arley let out a huffed growl as she rolled onto her stomach and slowly got to her feet. Kroloteans laid around her, some simply knocked out, others bleeding and others were half under the zeta platforms Arley and the others had blown.
She could taste Alanna's horror at the scene before them through the link; it was the same as Arley's. Arley's breath got caught in her throat as she continued to look at what she and the others had done. They hadn't meant to, no one had been meant to get hurt.
"Beastboy!" M'gann cried, "Gar! Are you alright?" Arley formed a large glowing green hand from her ring and— as Garfield let out a whimper —used her construct to move and push the platform she had been nearest to off of three bleeding Kroloteans that had been crushed underneath it.
She had wanted to stop them from invading her planet and kidnapping humans; she hadn't wanted them dead. She didn't want their blood on her hands. Her heart thundered in her chest as she pushed the rubble of a second platform off of more Kroloteans.
Kroloteans were thieves and pickpockets and bandits; they weren't cold blood killers and war-mongers, they didn't deserve to die in a pool of their own blood. They didn't deserve to be murdered.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good, go!" Garfield replied. The teen changed from a monkey to a gorilla and the ball in Arley's throat— the one that made it hard to breath —bobbed furiously.
She needed to leave.
You do, Aniell whispered, You promised your boy you would come back to him. You need to run.She needed to help the aliens around her too. They'll kill you for what you've done, Aniell hissed; Run Arley, run.
Arley turned away from what she'd done and shot out of the compound with the rest of her team; Conner every other step looked up at Arley who pretended she couldn't feel his stare burning into her.
Arley and others raced down a long hallway, M'gann used her telekinesis and the wooded up entrance bursted open with a bang; neither Arley or the others paused to look over their shoulders— Arley ignored the dark thoughts that pounded in her head with every beat of her heart —as they raced into the Rannian jungle.
The four young heroes and their jungle guide didn't stop running— flying in the girl's case —until Alanna's jetpack let out a beep, warning her it was low on power. The green moon glowed ominous in the dark sky, the moon behind it glowed blue.
"Where did all those Krolotains come from?" Alanna wondered through the mind-link.
"Earth," Arley answered as she shared a dark look with M'gann; when Dick had sent them off to destroy the main Krolotean compound with only Garfield and Conner— and a civilian —the fact that the Kroloteans from Earth would appear had never crossed their minds, they had thought Dick had accounted for them. Perhaps he had; Dick Grayson was nineteen, no longer the wide eyed fourteen year old boy he'd once been.
Like it had done to everyone else who had known the second Robin's death had effected him; it had changed Dick.
"We think," M'gann added, "Our team was set to raid their Earth bases about now."
"Can't you find out for sure?" Garfield asked Arley and the Lantern looked back at the green gorilla that trailed behind her,
"Sure I'll just ask one of the murderous aliens out for our blood where they came from, would you prefer I do it before or after they tear out my throat?"Arley wondered sarcastically. M'gann's elbow jutted into Arley's side and Garfield's bottom lip stuck out.
"Before to be honest," Garfield said and Arley, holding her side, snickered. Garfield was sweet; he reminded Arley of a younger Billy— not that Billy Batson wasn't still sweet, Arley still adored the younger hero —but Garfield reminded Arley of back before the Leaguer started to go through puberty and began to mimic Conner because, in Billy's opinion, Conner was the coolest guy he knew.
"Sure," she told the young teen, "I'll get right on that."
Garfield flashed Arley a smile and Arley's head swiveled back around to watch the jungle in front of her. Conner slowed down at the back of the line.
"They're following us," Conner thought as he turned to the jungle behind them, "Or something is-something big."Conner's eyes narrowed and Arley— before Conner turned back to her and the others with a gasp —hadn't managed to get a clear picture on just what the clone had seen.
"Move!" Conner shouted; Arley and the others didn't hesitate to spring forward, away from where they'd just been. The jungle around them exploded; M'gann and Garfield went one way deeper into the jungle and Alanna and Arley both went up only for whatever was chasing them to strike the Rannian female jetpack. Alanna detangled herself from the jetpack and began to drop through the air.
"Conner!" Arley shouted as she turned; Conner caught Alanna as Arley fired at the bug like mechs that had chased them through the jungle only to miss as Alanna's jetpack exploded near her. The mech fired at Conner and hit the clone in the back, sending him and Alanna forward.
Arley dove at the second mech; her ring out in front of her. She didn't think about the alien inside of the mech or the color of the Krolotean blood back at the compound and how that color would be all she saw for the rest of her life; all Arley thought about was Conner— her brother —and Alanna and how it was her duty as Lantern to do what was needed of her.
"This is so not how the mission was supposed to go," Conner bemoaned.
The second mech rushed past Arley and a third mech emerged from the brush as Arley swung the whip-like construct through the air, cutting the mech in half and destroying it in a fiery explosion.
Arley's skin burned hot as she floated down to the ground; Alanna's voice sounded in the back of her mind as Arley moved towards the wreckage she'd caused. Arley formed a dome over the fire, smothering it out, she didn't worry about the Krolotean that had been driving the mech or what the lack of oxygen would do to it; there was no way the Krolotean survived.
Another face to see in my nightmares, Arley thought gallowly.
You did what you had to do, Aniell thought, You did what was right.
Spare me, Arley scoffed; I killed the Krolotean because it was the easiest way to keep Conner and the others safe, I blew up the compound because those were my orders and if we hadn't stuck around to see the aftermath I wouldn't have thought of what we did. I'm a killer. Arley said it so simply; the same way she would say whether or not it was raining or if the moon was out, she said it irrefutably.
I'm sorry, Aniell said softly in the back of Arley's mind.
Don't be, Arley thought stiffly, I'm the one who did it, my choices are my own. Arley smirked darkly down at her ring, Or have you forgotten what free will is?
Aniell didn't respond.
"Superboy, Lantern, Alanna, are you—"
"—Alanna and I are okay for now," Conner said, "What about you-and Arley, you're okay?"
"Fine," Arley said as she flew up and away from the smouldering wreckage. "I'm fine-what about Miss M?"
"We lost them."
"Now can we blow this popsicle stand?" Garfield wondered.
"Now we stay put, we give their patrols a chance to move on. We'll meet up below the mag-rail when it's safe."
"And then regroup with Adam and my father to determine what to do about this Krolotean base," Alanna added; M'gann's hum ran through the mind-link.
"M'gann," Conner thought, "Be careful."
"You too Conner," M'gann said softly and Arley rested her back against the trunk of the tree she was in; there'd been hundreds of more lives Arley had, had to take over the years— ever since Sinestro and his Yellow Corps had started to wage war against the Green Lanterns and ever since the Krojodilos, a war mongering species that held no value for life of any kind, recently began trying to conquer numerous neighboring planets all Arley ever found herself in anymore was war —and just like every one of those times, Arley wondered if the Krolotean went quick enough as not to experience pain.
She wasn't a sadist; she didn't want anyone she killed to suffer, not the warlord she'd beheaded at ten and not the Krolotean she'd blown up below her.
Hero or villain; Ganthet was right, at the end of the day it didn't matter because they were two sides of the same coin, as long as she did what she had to and protected the innocent then she was okay. But she didn't feel okay; Arley stared down at the bits and pieces of the mech she had destroyed— and despite knowing that the Krolotean inside of it wanted to kill her and two people she considered family —and sucked in a shuddering breath because she didn't feel okay. She wasn't okay.
She'd never be okay.
And like Ganthet and Dinah had both said, perhaps that was okay— perhaps never being okay again after what she had done —was okay because it showed she cared, it showed how different she was from someone like the Joker or Sinestro; it showed she was still human.
An hour or so later, Aniell's voice floated through Arley's head; You should head towards the mag-rail now, everything will be better the faster you're off this planet.
Arley didn't bother to correct her ring— nothing would ever be better; she was a killer who would always be hunted by the ghosts of her victims —and instead, with a hum began to make her way towards the rendezvous point under the mag-rail.
Arley, halfway to the mag-rail, felt the splinters of her mind that she'd been sharing snap back to her and though the Lantern sucked in a deep breath at the familiar feeling she stiffened nonetheless. M'gann wouldn't have needlessly dropped the mind-link; not while they were in the field and not of her own free will.
The ground beneath the tree Arley was in shook; the whole jungle shook.
Something was wrong, so, so wrong.
Arley turned in the direction she had come from— in the direction she knew the Kroloteanian compound to be —and took off, leaving a bright green contrails behind her as she zoomed through the Rannian jungle, only stopping when she ran into both Conner and Alanna.
"You're okay," Conner sighed as Arley threw her arms around him, glad he was safe.
"Thank Nortz," Arley said as she pulled away from the clone; "M'gann's been taken-Garth too probably." The clone's baby blue eyes hardened,
"I know," Conner said, "And now that you're here we can plan on how to get her-er," Conner blushed, "Them back." And though it was forced, Arley grinned at her brother; she turned to Alanna,
"You can sit this one out," Arley told her, not unkindly, "I don't want you getting hurt."
Alanna smirked; it reminded Arley of Zatanna and Rocket and the way both girls' eyes would spark mischievously when given an out they wouldn't take.
"What kind of jungle guide would I be if I allowed you and Superboy to wander it alone?"
The smirk Arley gave the Rannian native was much more genuine than her smile.
…
With the sight of a looming spaceship hovering over the Rannian jungle Arley swiped the first Krolotean mech from the back of the line; Conner grabbed mech after that.
With a construct Arley rolled the mech she had absconded with into the jungle tree line before using a large crowbar she'd formed from her ring to begin splitting the mech open. Arley had only just started to crack the mech open when it opened on its own accord and the Krolotean that had been driving it jumped out from the mouth of mech and into the rope like constructs Arley had changed the crowbar too.
The ropes wrapped around the Kroloteans mouth; she wouldn't kill him just for the sake of the mission but she wouldn't allow him to break her or Connor or Alanna's covers. Arley heard Alanna's voice and then several blaster fires and then Conner's angry yell.
The binds that had wrapped around the Kroloteans mouth dissolved and the alien looked at Arley contemptuously; murderously.
"All those Kroloteans before, the ones that came on the zeta-platforms, they were the ones from Earth, right?"
The Krolotean didn't answer and though Arley didn't like playing the role of bad cop, but out in the jungle with no else to do Arley fixed a glare onto the small alien and forced her voice to be devoid of any emotion,
"You might want to tell me because pretty things don't happen when I get angry." The Krolotean growled and Arley willed the binds around him to tighten; the alien wiggled helpless in her grasp.
When the Guardians had declared War against the Yellow Lantern Corps four years ago Laira had taught Arley and dozens of other Lanterns wartime interrogation techniques; they weren't something Arley would ever use against a Krolotean but that didn't mean the Krolotean in her grasp knew that.
She could hear Conner destroying a mech and she could see the ship hovering over the Rannian jungle begin to fire, and even if it made Arley's gut twist and even if it made her feel sick to her stomach the Lantern knew she needed the information the Krolotean had as quickly as possible; she knew she needed to do what was necessary.
"I've been taught how to make even the strongest of Thanagrians talk, so spare yourself a lifetime of pain and tell me what I wish to know."
"If I don't?" The Krolotean hissed.
"I'll draw and quarter you," Arley replied blandly; "That's where I rip you limb from limb."
The Kroloteans' eyes closed; it hung its heads in defeat and Arley felt exactly like the foster parents who used to stand in front of her as a child and threaten to hurt her if she didn't do what they wanted. She felt her skin crawl under her uniform.
"What do you want to know?"
"The Kroloteans that appeared from the zeta platforms are the ones from Earth, right?"
"Yes," the alien hissed. She heard a crash and the spaceship that continued to rise above the Rannian jungle shook; Arley didn't need a mind-link to know that it was Conner and Garfield and M'gann causing the damage.
"And that was all of them? All the Kroloteans from Earth came back?"
"How would I know, you slaughtered them before we could take count—" Arley didn't flinch at the Kroloteans snarl, she didn't blink; she couldn't, not then, "—But perhaps. Or perhaps not, who could know when our forces lay dead."
Arley breathed; she focused on her mission, she needed the information, she couldn't rise to the Kroloteans bait.
"Why are you on Rann? How? Rannians are notoriously xenophobic and no offense you really don't look like you fit in around these parts," Arley snipped. "Nor like someone the Science Command would let land a secret base in their jungles."
"Money," The Krolotean said, "It makes every planet go 'round."
Fair enough; it wasn't as if the Krolotean was wrong.
"But why Rann? Was it just to steal from Sardath?" The Krolotean blinked and Arley snarled at the tiny alien, it squeaked as she flew closer; "I asked a question."
"Yes, we needed the Rannian's technology."
"To zeta-beam to the ship you guys have on Earth, why Earth?"
"Money makes every planet go 'round," the Krolotean repeated.
It was the Kroloteans posting about an interplanetary watch of the League. Aniell said; Arley looked away from the Korlotean as her ring's voice floated through her head. Ask about that. We need to know about that.
"The Justice League?" Arley wondered, "Why are they wanted criminals? What happened on Rimbor?"
The Krolotean glared darkly at Arley; the Lantern tightened the binds around him.
"Talk or I'll kill you." There was a ball in the back of Arley's throat, one that burned like red hot metal and made the Lantern want to cry; she wanted to vomit, but she couldn't, not when she had a duty to do, a mission to complete. Green Lanterns didn't fail, they were too stubborn— too willful —to fail their duty and Arley was a good Lantern; a good soldier.
"The Justice League are war criminals," The Krolotean hissed, "They attacked Rimbor for hours-nearly a day. They murdered dozens, traumatized children and crippled others. They raged war on Rimbor for no reason other than they could."
That sounded like Vandal Savage and something he would make others do while in his thrall; needless violence against the innocent was something he had over fifty thousand years perfecting.
"How'd you'd know it was them?" Arley wondered,
"They told us; warned us," The Krolotean hissed, "They were the Justice League from Earth and the galaxy should be aware, should fear them." The Krolotean said so almost mockingly and Arley jerked the alien up higher in the air causing the Kroloteans legs to kick out. Then she dropped him, unceremoniously to the ground; the Krolotean looked up at Arley from the crouched spot on the ground and Arley looked down at the Krolotean,
"I'm not going to kill you, you answered my questions."
The Krolotean didn't hesitate to take off through the jungle and Arley paused when her feet touched the ground.
Hero and villain; two sides of the same coin.
Arley breathed as she stepped forward; towards where she'd last scene her friends. M'gann had a sash in her hands and Conner and Garfield, both covered in soot smiled as Arley came into the jungle clearing.
"GL way to miss all the fun!" Garfield beamed; Arley didn't smile at the green teenager and instead focused on both Conner and M'gann. Above them the Krolotean spaceship disappeared into the Rannian atmosphere.
"We need to get back to Earth now," Arley said urgently; Conner's smile faded and Garfeild's dimmed. M'gann's eyes narrowed and her hand raised from her side; "I found out what happened on Rimbor."
Hero and villain; it was a line Arley felt herself toeing dangerously.
