Chapter 35: Shades of Green
Disclaimer: All things Supergirl/Superman, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow belong to DC. No infringement is intended.
Green Arrow, better known to the world at large as Oliver Queen, CEO of Queen Consolidated, was not really sure why he was currently sitting inside an orbital station high above the Earth, surrounded by some of the most powerful beings on Earth. He was just a regular guy, after all, who sported a bow and a quiver full of arrows. Oh, he was well aware that he had few peers when it came to archery and was no slouch in martial arts, either. None of that held a candle to beings who could easily juggle tanks or leap tall buildings in a single bound.
He had refused at first. The Batman of Gotham (really Bruce Wayne, he had figured that one out a while ago) had approached him a few months ago and Oliver had declined. He didn't really see the point. He had important work to do on the streets, work he couldn't do from a satellite high in orbit. A few days ago, though, things had changed. What was a guy to do, after all, when Superwoman herself descended from the sky, gave you a dazzling smile, and asked you to join her organization of superheroes? Who in their right mind could possibly say no?
"Welcome to the Justice League, Green Arrow," the Martian known as J'Onn J'Onnz said. "We are glad to have you."
He looked around the table he was now sitting on. At least he was not the only regular dude at the table. Neither Batman nor Adam Strange had actual super powers, so he didn't feel quite as outclassed as he had initially expected. Still, having Superwoman, Wonder Woman, and the Martian Manhunter at the same table was somewhat intimidating, he had to admit.
"Thanks," he simply said. "Still not sure what I can contribute here, to be honest."
"Everyone can contribute something," Superwoman (call me Kara) told him, still with that dazzling smile on her absurdly young-looking face. "The purpose of this team is to defend the Earth from all kinds of threats, big or small. We need different skills, different point of views, different ways of thinking. Sadly not every problem can be solved by throwing a super-powered punch."
"Sometimes you need a sword instead," Wonder Woman said, the smile on her face revealing that she was kidding… possibly.
"So... how is this going to work?" he asked.
"The League functions mostly in an emergency response way," Batman explained. "We all carry communicators with us, so if we come across an emergency we cannot handle alone, we can call for aid or be called upon."
"We also meet up in more or less regular intervals just to keep in touch," Superwoman said. "Keep each other apprised of possible threats, sightings of possible allies, the likes."
"Speaking of which," Batman said, "we have been hearing rumors about a female vigilante operating in Star City who goes by the name of Black Canary. Can you shed some light on her?"
Oliver nodded. "I have encountered her a few times. Great martial artist, very distracting outfit. One of the good guys, I'd say, but with a bit of a vicious streak to her."
The discussion went on from there, naturally flowing into different topics such as their mutual experiences with the League of Shadows, how they cooperated with the police, possible candidates for future recruitment. Oliver found himself partaking more and more, amazed at how good it felt to just talk shop with other people who had decided to put on strange outfits to try and make the world a better place.
And who knew? Maybe he would even be able to spend some one-on-one time with Superwoman one of these days. He did have a thing for blondes, after all.
J'Onn J'Onnz, better known to the world at large as the Martian Manhunter, was currently wearing his "Cousin John" appearance and making one of his increasingly frequent visits to the Kent farm in Smallville, Kansas. These days it was the closest thing he had to a home and the Kents, all four of them, had taken him in as one of their own. Some days he could not quite believe how quickly his life had changed after spending so many years all alone on a dead world.
The person who had made all that possible, his "cousin" Karen, was sitting next to him on the patio of the farm, both of them just resting after having enjoyed yet another excellent dinner made by the family matriarch Martha.
"I can't say I have ever heard of a world called Colu," he said.
Karen – as he had gone into the habit of calling her – had told him about her jaunt through time. It was an amazing story altogether and he was well aware that there were some things she was holding back, but right now they were discussing the fact that, one thousand years in the future, there was a superhero from a world called Colu who was calling himself Brainiac 5.
"I am not surprised," Karen answered. "At this point in time they are still a relatively young species, only a few centuries ahead of the humans. Their first forays into space travel were well after your people's time, J'Onn. I am not sure Kryptonians ever encountered them directly, but we did hear about them."
Apparently the Coluans were a species well-known among the galaxy's civilizations for their prowess in computer engineering. That, together with the choice of names of their planet's future hero, painted a rather disturbing picture.
"Did you ask your future friend about any connection to Brainiac?"
Ever since their encounter with the former master computer of Krypton, they had been keeping their ears open for further clues. The Green Lantern Corps had promised to inform them about any sightings and Adam Strange's contacts among various alien races were also on alert, but so far there had been nothing. Nothing except a name from a thousand years in the future.
Karen sighed. "I did, actually, but it was the same answer I got for most of my questions: can't tell you, due to things that you haven't lived through yet."
J'Onn chuckled. "I imagine that was rather frustrating."
"It was, yes, but it does at least tell me that this is something I should look into. If it wasn't, how could it be something that I have yet to live through?"
J'Onn nodded, seeing the logic, strange as it was. "So how do you want to play this, Karen? Just drop in on Colu for a visit?"
She shrugged. "Got a better idea? Though I was planning to do a somewhat discreet entry with the help of my handy little friend here."
She held up the alien computer she had acquired during her travels, the so-called Mother Box. J'Onn was amazed by the device. Clearly a machine, yet somehow telepathic in nature, something that not even the Martian race with their inborn telepathic ability had ever accomplished. Clearly the product of a technology far ahead of even Martians and Kryptonians and capable of opening gateways that bridged immeasurable distances in a heartbeat.
Still, considering what Karen had told him about the beings that had apparently built these devices, J'Onn did not feel entirely at ease.
"Are you sure it is wise to rely on this machine? You took it from someone who, by his own words, planned to conquer the Earth and burn it to ashes."
"I do remember, believe me," Karen said, her hand unconsciously going to the small scar on her forehead. "I would never have made it back to the present without it, though. And from what that Metron guy said, it seems that the race that made them has both good guys and bad guys of their own. I believe it's just a tool and it depends entirely on who uses it."
"I hope you are right," J'Onn said. "I would still advise taking the Javelin instead. Even if this Mother Box is as neutral as you think, we do not know whether it might run out of power or cease working for some other reason. It could leave us stranded light years away from Earth."
"Us?" Karen asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you offering to accompany me then, J'Onn?"
He gave her a self-depricating smile. "Well, you told me that the Coluans are green-skinned. I would fit right in, won't I?"
Karen scoffed. "You are shapeshifter, J'Onn. You can fit right in wherever you want to."
"Nevertheless. Anyway, Brainiac is very well equipped to deal with Kryptonians, as we have seen. It would be foolish not to have an ace in the hole, as the humans say."
She held her doubtful face for a few more seconds, then smiled. "Very well. I'll be glad for the company. I don't want to take the entire League off Earth, just in case, but you are probably right that I could do with some backup, especially if we do find Brainiac on Colu."
She rose from her chair, stretching. "Okay with you if we head out tomorrow? I'd like to brief the rest of the League, too, just in case. And I'll have to explain to Clark that there will be yet another adventure he is not allowed to accompany me on."
J'Onn smiled. "You do realize that you won't be able to protect him forever, right? He's almost a grown man."
"Almost being the watch word," she replied. "I…"
She was interrupted by the beeping of her comlink. A moment later Adam Strange's voice came through both of their receivers.
"Kara, J'Onn! I need you both to come up to the Watch Tower. We have something of a situation here."
"It never fails," Karen sighed. A blur of super speed later she was standing ready in her Kryptonian uniform. "Let's head up, J'Onn!"
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name's Guy Gardner. I'm a Green Lantern. Correction: I'm THE Green Lantern. None of those other jerks can hold a candle to me. No doubt you are wondering why I called you here today. Simple: I'm declaring myself commander-in-chief of this little club here, the Justice League. Any objections? I didn't think so!"
There was a dead silence for a moment, only to be broken by another man dressed in green.
"Who is that bozo?" Green Arrow asked.
Not bothering to give him an answer, Superwoman stalked forward, her eyes filling up with red fire, until she stood directly in front of the uninvited guest sitting at the Justice League's conference table.
"Get out of that chair!" she simply said, her voice cold as ice.
"Hey, sweets," Gardner shrugged, smiling. "You already went to the trouble of putting my insignia on this chair, so..."
There was a loud bang and Gardner went flying across the room. He hit the far wall and slid down, dazed. Before he could regain his bearings, a fist grabbed him by the lapels of his costume and effortlessly lifted him up into the air. Face to face with a very pissed-off looking Superwoman, Gardner swallowed.
"That chair," she told him, almost whispering, "belongs to Abin Sur, who was one of us. You, Gardner, are not. Your bosses might consider you worthy of wearing his ring, but I have yet to see even a shred of evidence in that regard. Sit down in it again, I will make sure you won't be sitting down again anywhere for a long, long time, got me?"
"Uh... yes, Ma'am."
She let him go, causing him to stumble as she simply turned her back and went over to her chair, sitting down. The rest of the League still eyed the intruder wearily.
"Why are you here, Gardner?" the Batman asked, voice sounding like gravel. "Not even you are stupid enough to break in here and expect to be accepted into our team, much less as leader."
Gardner snorted, smoothing down his rumpled costume, before leaning back against the wall in the cockiest pose he could come up with.
"Well, here is the thing. My bosses, those little blue bald guys, sent me here. Apparently they would like a talk with Supersweets here and..."
"You are an adult, Gardner," Superwoman interrupted him. "Lay off the nick names and try to act professionally for once. What do the Guardians of Oa want from me?"
He looked peeved at being interrupted, but apparently didn't want a repeat of the earlier scene. "Well, the Guardians want to invite you to Oa for a talk. Apparently there is something of 'common interest' or something."
"So they didn't tell you," Green Arrow concluded, chuckling. "You're just the messenger boy."
"Watch it, Robin Hood," Gardner growled.
Superwoman met J'Onn's gaze.
Could this be about Colu and Brainiac? She directed her thoughts at him.
It would be a very big coincidence if it was, he replied. Still, if we are heading out onto an interstellar journey anyway…
Colu is just a few hundred light years from Earth, Karen told him. Oa is, to the best of my knowledge, in an entirely different galaxy. I wouldn't even know how to get there without the aid of a Green Lantern.
Superwoman saw him direct a gaze in Gardner's direction. A moment later she violently shook her head. You can't be serious, J'Onn!
I admit he is extremely rough around the edges, but there must be something to him for the Green Lantern ring to have chosen him.
They continued to converse quietly for a moment longer before Superwoman's shoulders slumped. You so owe me for this, J'Onn!
Directing her gaze back to Gardner, she sighed. "Very well, Gardner. I have a prior engagement I have to take care of on the planet Colu. You can accompany us and then we'll head to Oa from there."
"Hey, toots, I have better things to do than just follow you around while you do whatever it is you do and..."
"Then tell your bosses thanks, but no thanks," Superwoman interrupted him, rising from her chair. "You know the way out, Gardner. Don't come back unless invited!"
Gardner fumed, but finally relented. "Okay, have it your way."
"Good. We are heading to the planet Colu tomorrow morning at 9am sharp. Be here on time, Green Lantern!"
Gardner left, grumbling under his breath. "This trip better not be a big waste of time!"
End Chapter 35
Author's Note: Yeah, I'm still alive and continuing this story. And I am somewhat sorry that Oliver Queen is getting only so small an appearance here, but I have to admit: while I like the character, I really don't know how to write him. I love 1970s Lefty Green Arrow, but I keep drifting back to TV Arrow, too. So he's in, he's part of the Justice League, but don't expect him to take center stage too often.
I have spent the time off gathering a few more ideas for this story and I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. This chapter marks the start of another multi-chapter arc, though it won't have an overall name, just a lot of references to the color green. I'll basically be going through all the various "green" characters of the DCU.