Shard drifted through the emptiness of space. The massive asteroid base drifted through a cloud of meteors, concealing themselves. The Interceptor drifted through, keeping a distance from their sensors. Inside, the crew waited anxiously for Shard's appearance.
"Kilowog, get ready." Hal said. "Should be in view right…now!"
A meteor drifted from their view, revealing the massive asteroid.
"There it is, the Red Lantern mother ship." Hal said. He stood from his chair and walked down behind Aya.
"Aya, make sure we have max resolution and magnification." Kilowog ordered. "Full spectrum scans. I wanna know everything about this rock."
Aya worked quickly. The screen magnified the back of Shard just as the docking doors opened. A green mist followed by canisters drifted from the asteroid.
"Yep. Waste dump and oh six hundred means solar time. Like clockwork." Kilowog said.
From his seat, Razer clapped slowly. "Congratulations, after weeks of stalking shard, you've unlocked the secret of when they dump their garbage. Can total victory be far behind?"
"I'm not hearing any better ideas coming out of your talk hole, Red." Kilowog reminded.
"Hold on. We're repairing the ship so we can use the ultra-warp and bring reinforcements from Oa. While we're waiting I'm gathering as much intel as I can without getting us killed or letting the Red Lanterns know we didn't die when they blew up that planet." Hal explained.
Razer stood up. "Let me tell u what Atrocitus would do. He'd come after you relentlessly. He'd keep coming until you were dead, even if it meant his own death." He turned from them. "I was a fool to join you. Soon I'll be as useless as you two. You have no chance of victory if you aren't willing to die for you cause." Without another word of look, Razer flew off the bridge.
They were fools. All of them. Hiding from Atrocitus like cowards, while believing they were safe from this pathetic distance. One false move and their presence would be revealed. They would be killed immediately. Razer landed. Unless he acted now, they were all as good as dead. He walked to the main subroutine system and accessed the ships primary systems. With a quick instructional code input, he set his plan into motion. He calmly walked onto the docking ramp, sealing the door behind him.
After his departure, Aya kept watch over Razer using the ships internal surveillance that linked to her interface. She watched as Razer opened the ramp and departed the ship. Without drawing attention to herself, Aya quickly departed the bridge an followed after Razer. Her armor quickly activated and covered her body. Her face plate dropped as she reached the ramp. Aya quickly took after Razer. He wasn't too far from the ship when Aya reached him. His attention was diverted to his ring, providing her with the moment to intercept him in flight.
"Where are you doing?" she asked.
Razer looked up. It was clear her presence was unwelcomed. "None of your business." He flew past her.
Aya moved into Razer path again. "Negative. You must have permission to leave the interceptor. Explain yourself."
"I'm not a crew member. I just quit." He replied.
"Technically you are a prisoner. Now please, return to the ship. I do not want your actions to be misunderstood by the others." Aya explained.
Razer chuckled. "Misunderstood?"
"Although many of your actions are questionable, your motives are not. I know you are not evil. You would not make such rash decision without primary reasoning." Aya explained.
Razer's eyes narrowed. "Then you don't know me at all." He pushed past her and continued flying.
"You have force me to alter Green Lanterns Hal and Kilowog. They will help me bring you back."
"No, you'll all be busy. Saving the ship." He pressed the trigger in his hand.
A massive explosion aboard the Interceptor caught Aya's attention. Smoke drifted from the vessel. She turned her attention back toward Razer, only to watch him speed off in Shard's direction. Aya turned and flew back to the ship. Alarms throughout the entire ship were transferring into her mind. She could see the alerts and process the information. She stepped back into the ship and marched to the bridge. Hal and Kilowog were still on the bridge, now trying to understand what was happening.
"I'm reading the boards right, Jordan. And where's Aya?" Kilowog demanded.
"I am here. Scanning systems." She responded, joining them on the bridge. Her face plate retracted. "Contrary to the readouts, all functions are normal to profile."
"Maybe she's right. Cycle the rocker switches for a hard reboot." Hal ordered.
Kilowog input the order. The bridge, and the remainder of the Interceptor, lost power. For a split second, the entire ship was encased in blackness. The power returned. The smoke filtered out into space, the alarms ceased, and all functions returned.
"So this was a…what?" Kilowog asked.
"A diversion set by Razer." Aya answered.
"We fell for the oldest trick in the book." Hal explained, sitting down.
"Where's out little saboteur now? I'd like to congratulate him on his success." Kilowog said, punching his fist.
"He left the ship. I do not know his exact where about, but I have a guess as to his destination." Aya explained.
"So do I." Hal said. "Shard. Aya, plot a course."
Aya nodded and took to her station.
"See! I told you he was a lost cause. And I say good riddens!" Kilowog yelled. "Who knows, maybe he was planning this the whole time?"
"If that were true, why didn't he just kill us when he had the chance?" Hal asked.
Kilowog was silent.
"Instead he took the time to create a very convincing diversion."
"Agreed. The program is nearly undetectable." Aya informed. "My subsystems are studying how it works even now."
"My bet is he went to settle his score with Atrocitus." Hal said.
"Then he should've made funeral arrangements." Kilowog replied. "Cause that's a one-way ticket."
"And he knows it." Hal said. "Which is why we have to stop him."
"You do realize what you're saying Jordan." Kilowog said. "Rescuing the kids no new feat; but you're talkin' about boarded a moving asteroid, full of Red Lanterns, with their own defense systems. Even if we get past all that, we still need a plan to get Razer out alive before Atrocitus kills him."
"I know it's dangerous. Probably the most dangerous thing we've done since we got out here, but we can't let Razer go through with this." Hal explained.
"Agreed." Aya said. "Since his commission as crewmember, Razer has yet to fault his duties. He is prone to rage, anger, and questions our actions continuously, but he has always been dependable."
"Like I said Aya, I got no problem goin' after the kid. But we don't have a way." Kilowog replied.
"Not yet." Hal said. "Aya, any chance you can cause that same reaction on Shard?"
"By accessing the ships subroutines, I believe I can. However, I would have to be on Shard."
"That's our distraction." Hal informed.
"And getting in?" Kilowog asked.
Hal looked out at the field.
"Oh no. No. Jordan there's no way I'm going that!" Kilowog replied.
"Aya, tracker in a group of meteors, please." Hal ordered. "Once you have them, steer us toward Shard."
Hal, Kilowog, and Aya lay tucked against a small meteor. The Interceptor dragged it and several others through space as it headed toward Shard. Aya concentrated on the ships trajectory, but she could still hear Kilowog's final complaint over Hal Jordan's plan.
"Of all your stupid ideas, Jordan, this one wins the prize!" he yelled.
The Interceptor released the tractor beam of asteroids. The ship departed, quickly retreating to safety from the defense sensors. The rocks hurtled through space toward Shard. Red bolts began firing at the asteroids. The blasts destroyed the smaller asteroids. It would be only a matter of seconds before the larger one was targeted.
"They're shooting at the asteroids, Jordan." Kilowog said.
"Get ready to move." Jordan replied. He looked around the edge of the asteroid. He watched the guns aim for them. "Now!"
The guns fired, destroying their ride. Dust and debris from the asteroid provided the perfect cover for them to slip beneath the defenses. They flew to the back of the asteroid, by the dumping bay doors. On cue the doors opened and dumped the trash from the steroid. They flew quickly and entered Shard through the bay just as the field and blast doors began to close.
"We're in." Jordan said.
"What was your first clue? The smell?" Kilowog replied. His nose curled from the stench surrounding them. "Now we just gotta find the kid."
"If Atrocitus is already aware of Razer's plan-"
"And we're almost certain he is by now." Hal said.
"Then there is no reason he would not be with Atrocitus now." Aya finished.
"So we just need to find Atrocitus." Hal replied.
"Any idea where the command deck is?" Kilowog asked.
"I believe I do." Aya said. She held up her palm and projected a diagram of Shard. "If we keep to the sewage lines, we can reach to surface and proceed up through the levels undetected." She explained.
"Where did you get a map of Shard?" Hal asked.
"Razer uploaded it approximately three point one months ago." She answered.
Hal gave Kilowog a look.
"This way." Aya said. She began leading them through the lines, out of the trash bay.
The team flew through the lines. It was a maze of darkness and trash. On numerous occasions, the team found themselves dodging falling trash through the lines. Aya was the only one who managed to avoid with ease. She led with complete certainty and trust of Razer's diagram. On more than one occasion, Kilowog commented about a trap or Razer's untrustworthiness.
Aya came to a stop and looked up at a grate. "This is or point of breach."
"Step back, Aya." Hal ordered. He gently pushed Aya from the grates light. They waited as two armored guards marched over the grate. Hal and Kilowog lifted up the grate and climbed out of the pipe. Aya followed behind them. They walked into an adjacent alley.
"Aya, do you remember the plan? You won't forget anything?" Hal asked.
"Although I too am a sentient being, I am less likely to forget than you, Green Lantern Hal." She answered.
Kilowog looked up at the small vent in the wall. "How's she gonna get in?"
Aya retracted her armor, save for her helmet and legs. "With ease." She flew up and into the vent without a problem. It was a short distance from the alley to the access room. Aya flew through the vent and emerged inside the room. Her armor reengaged before she touched down.
The access room was small, but long. A single control panel was set up at the one end of the room. Five screens were connected via cables to the single panel. Aya walked to the panel and set to work. Within seconds she uploaded the virus and prepared herself for Hal Jordan's signal. As she waited, Aya accessed the ships security feed and encrypted files. She located several files of use to them and began downloading it. She then located Hal and Kilowog within the ships church, and Razer imprisoned just a few levels above. He appeared in good health, if it were not for the restraints he wore. He was on his knees, without his ring. There was no doubt Atrocitus had ordered his death. She watched as Hl and Kilowog entered a side room. Minutes later a single soldier emerged. Aya registered the soldier as Hal. From the feed, she calculated Kilowog's mass would be too much for the armor. He distracted the clergymen, leading him from Kilowog. She was unable to hear, but she understood Hal was buying Kilowog time. To more guards entered the church and Kilowog stumbled out of the room. Hal quickly intervened and disabled Kilowog. The guards and Hal dragged Kilowog from the church. Aya followed them on the screens.
Kilowog was dragged up to the command center, where Razer was about to be executed. The doors burst open and Hal shoved Kilowog to his knees. The disruption was only temporary. Zilius Zox returned to position and readied to kill Razer. Hal retrieved an axe from the wall and took position to dispatch Kilowog.
"Aya, now!"
Aya initiated the virus. Immediately the vessel's alarms rang throughout the ship. She accessed the Interceptor and initiated its return course.
"Aya we are go. Table for three!" Hal called.
"I have shut down Shard's automated defenses to allow the Interceptor to pass through. Estimating arrival at Docking Bay 22 in eight minutes and forty seconds." She explained.
"Good. Meet us there." Hal said.
"My own arrival may be delayed." She replied. "I am currently downloading a large file."
"Don't be late for dinner, baby." Hal reminded. "Over and out."
The file status reached eighty-two point five percent. She would not need much longer. She prepared herself for a disconnection when the door slid open behind her. She lifted her head and immediately felt a change in the atmosphere within the room. She turned toward the door and found herself face-to-face with Atrocitus. His yellow eyes burned into her. The data was at eighty-nine point four. And in the first time since her activation on the Interceptor, Aya felt the unfamiliar emotion that could only be described as fear.
"How amusing." He growled. Ninety-one point six. "They sent their toy as the diversion." Aya noted his ring beginning to glow. Ninety-seven point two. "Your last mistake cyborg." He charged Aya.
One hundred. Her face plate dropped. Aya leapt from the console and over Atrocitus. Her calculations revealed she would stand no chance against him and that it was best to retreat with the others. However she was not prepared for Atrocitus' quick assault. He fired at her as she prepared to land. Aya brought up her arms as protections. The blast threw her out of the access room and sliding across the floor. Aya quickly regained her feet and watched for Atrocitus. He launched himself out of the room.
Aya rolled from Atrocitus' assault. She rolled onto her back and used the momentum to launch herself to her feet. She flew down the halls from Atrocitus. It was her only chance of escape and survival. She could hear his rage tearing through the hall behind her. Aya dared a glance back. Atrocitus was right behind her. He fired several blasts in her direction. She managed to outmaneuver them, but she could only do so for so long.
Suddenly Atrocitus slammed into Aya. The blasts had been a distraction. Aya fell to the ground in the center of Shard. Aya rolled onto her feet and looked up. Atrocitus charged his ring and flew down toward her. He slammed his fist at Aya. Aya quickly jumped from his path. His fist slammed into the ground, creating a massive crater where Aya had stood seconds before. She could feel the closeness of his assault. Around them, buildings shook from the amount of force and energy. The ground caved in on itself beneath their feet.
Atrocitus kicked Aya. The force sent Aya slamming down to the ground. The oxygen was forced from her lungs, leaving her stunned and breathless for the first time. Atrocitus lunged at her again. His fist collided with Aya's helmet. The force ripped the protected plates from her helmet. They clattered across the floor from Aya body.
"I want to see your face as I snuff out your insignificant life." He growled.
Aya gasped and pushed herself up onto her elbows. Atrocitus grabbed her helmet and ripped it from her head. He grabbed her throat and slammed her back down against the ground. Aya struggled to breathe beneath his grasp. Atrocitus raised his fist; his ring was glowing demonically before her eyes. Aya stared up at the demonic glow of the ring. It was the last recalled sight as his fist slammed into her face.
"Aya we are go, table for three!" Hal called. He, Kilowog, and Razer leapt out through the remains of the window. They flew down toward the ground.
"I have shut down Shard's automated defenses to allow the Interceptor to pass through. Estimating arrival at Docking Bay 22 in eight minutes and forty seconds." Aya explained.
"Good. Meet us there." Hal said.
"My own arrival may be delayed." She replied. "I am currently downloading a large file."
"Don't be late for dinner, baby." Hal reminded. "Over and out."
Red bolts rained down behind them. The guards, accompanied by Zox, were right on their tale. They pulled up just before hitting the ground. The blasts collided with the ground, sending a wave of debris flying through the air. Zox attempted to separate the crew by weaving his whip between them, but no one provided a catch for him. Instead, the sped up.
A stray blast nicked Kilowog in the back. He turned and landed on a nearby roof. He looked up at the incoming guards irritably. "Okay. I've had about enough of you posers!" He constructed an array of rotating blasters on his arms and shoulders and fired. One by one the guards and Zox had succumbed to Kilowog's aim. Kilowog ceased firing with a satisfied grin. But as he looked up, his grin faltered. Another red came barreling down and slammed his fist into Kilowog. The sheer force creates a massive crater in the roof and a wave of dust flying. Kilowog groaned and looked up. the red struck again, punching Kilowog from his hole and into the wall of another building. Kilowog looked up to see the red charging headfirst into him. The red struck Kilowog with so much force, the two broke through three buildings before Kilowog managed to stop them. He grabbed the lantern by the horns and heaved him over his shoulders, but the lantern held on. He used the same maneuver to heave Kilowog onto the ground. He then grabbed Kilowog's leg and dragged him across the roof. He threw Kilowog into another building and charged headfirst once again. The lantern slammed into Kilowog's chest and let the Bolovaxian slump onto his knees on the ground. Kilowog knelt on the ground, breathing heavily. He looked up at the red lantern. Suddenly a green construct slammed into the red lantern, sending him flying back through the city. Kilowog looked over to see Hal and Razer landing beside him.
"Everything's spinning." He groaned.
Hal turned to his ring. "Aya, ETA 30 seconds. Where are you?"
Atrocitus appeared as a projection throughout the asteroid. "Your plan didn't work, Guardian lapdog." He held up his arm, revealing an unconscious and severely beaten Aya. Her cybernetic spinal column was barely attached to their ports. The entire column looked like it would rip in two in any second. "If you'd like to reclaim your toy, meet me at Battery Square."
Razer turned to Hal. "It's a trap."
"Of course it is." Hal snapped." But we don't leave anyone behind."
"I'll the cy-" Razer quickly corrected himself. "Aya. I'll get her."
"Not alone you won't." Hal replied.
"You've for to get the sergeant to safety and prep the ship for takeoff. We won't get away from a dozen Red Lanterns with only ring power." Razer explained. "We need that ship."
"Too risky. We board the ship now and then I'll find Aya." Hal stated.
"By then it will be too late." Razer snapped. "You're always going on about having the courage not to fight. So do you have the courage to leave this to me?"
Hal looked down at Kilowog, who was still hurting bad. Razer was right and they all knew it. But that didn't mean he liked the idea of trusting Razer after everything he'd done. "I'm trusting you to bring back a member of my crew, Razer. Don't make me regret it."
Razer said nothing. Hal bent down and took Kilowog's arm around his shoulder. The two Green Lanterns began flying toward the Interceptor. Razer took flight and headed for Battery Square. His mind replayed the broadcast. Imaged of Aya's battered form flooded his mind. She should never have been on Shard, never have confronted Atrocitus. The entire crew was aware she had no defenses beyond her armor. She was a fool to believe she could defend herself against the monster.
Batter Square came into his view. The massive Red Battery lay in the center. He spotted Atrocitus walking toward the battery, holding a crippled Aya by her column. He raised her up, ready to throw her into the battery itself.
"Leave her alone!" Razer demanded.
Atrocitus turned. "You want her? Anything for you." He threw Aya toward him, ripping the column completely apart. Razer flew up and caught her before she hit the ground. She was completely limp in his arms with her head tilted back against his arm. Razer nearly feared she was dead, but he noticed her chest plate still held a green light. It was flickering, but for a moment she was still alive.
Without warning, a blast from Atrocitus launched Razer back and forced Aya from his arms. She landed several yards in front of him. He watched as her chest plate faltered, but regain itself. Atrocitus fired again. Razer quickly brought his arms up in defense. The blast sent him skidding across the ground, but he managed to hold back the blast with his own.
"I hoped you would choose wisely." Atrocitus said. "I hoped you'd be an ambassador for my legacy."
"A legacy of murder and hate?" Razer replied.
Atrocitus ripped opened the ground as Razer fired at him. He punched the barrier, sending it into four pieces, hurling at Razer. Razer managed to dodge them all, but Atrocitus took the chance to fly at him. His fist slammed into Razer's jaw, sending him staggering a few paces. His next punch sent Razer flying up into the air. Atrocitus constructed a whip and lassoed Razer. He hurled him into the walls and to the ground. The whip vanished from Razer's body. He pushed himself up off the ground and found Atrocitus charging him. He flew up quickly and fired at Atrocitus. Atrocitus easily dodged the blast and kept after Razer. Razer took off through the city, firing back at Atrocitus.
"I had such high ambitions when I created you!" Atrocitus called. His fist slammed into Razer's head, sending him hurling to the ground.
Razer projected his ring, using the energy to slow him down. He flipped over and landed on his feet. "You didn't create me! I did! If only I had listened-"
"If only you had listened to your sad little farm girl?" Atrocitus taunted. He slammed his fist into Razer. Razer quickly brought his arms up in defense. The force sent him up into the air once more and crashing at the base of Lantern stairs.
Razer groaned and pushed himself up onto her knees. Atrocitus blasted him in the back and slammed his foot on Razer's shoulder. "Do you think what she said to you, what you felt for her, matter in the least? It was I who conquered your world. Who set your warlords against each other to create destruction and chaos and hate." He picked Razer up and threw in into a wall. He grabbed his head and held him still. He raised his fist into the air, his ring glowing fiercely. "It was I who saw your potential and recruited you. And when I saw you needed only a nudge to become a truly hateful creature, then I sealed your fate. It was I who slaughtered your preciously Ilana."
Rage boiled inside him. The hate surged through his veins, filling him, burning him with the deepest hate he'd never felt before. Rage fumed from his skin and consumed his body whole from the inside out. His vision turned red. With a murderous cry, Razer blasted Atrocitus from him. Atrocitus flew across the square. He hit the ground and crashed into the stairs unconscious. Razer flew to the fallen murderer. Memories of Ilana fueled his rage. Her fallen body lying in the remains of their home, the begging in her voice when she asked him to stay, the last touch he felt before he left her. His ring glowed brightly, ready to end what had been started.
"Razer." Came a quiet voice. "We have to get to the Interceptor." Aya opened her eyes and turned her head toward him. Her chest plate continued to flicker. "I have vital information for Hal Jordan, but my mobility has been impeded. Will you aid me?"
Razer could see nothing but Atrocitus' death ahead. "No. Do the best you can." His ring charge strengthened. "You die now."
Aya used one of her arms to roll onto her stomach. She winced at the motion. Her legs twisted in each other, her hair fell over her face. "If we do not leave now, we will all die."
At this, Razer took his eyes from Atrocitus toward her. Her battered form, lying weakly on the ground, Her warning blue eyes blaring at him through long white strands. Laser fire from above caught his attention, causing him to look to the sky. The Interceptor was making its way, but it was taking on fire. He looked back down at Atrocitus body, he was beginning to regain consciousness. Stay and die, flee and live. If he killed Atrocitus, what would that solve? Nothing. Ilana would still be dead, the Red Lanterns would hold even more hatred and still wage war across the galaxy. Aya was right. As much as it killed him, as strongly as he wanted to end Atrocitus' life, they needed to go.
With a cry of anguish and frustration, Razer turned from Atrocitus and walked to Aya's body. He lifted her into his arms and fetched Atrocitus' lantern. Without a look back at Atrocitus he flew up toward the Interceptors open ramp. It closed behind them immediately. Razer carried Aya to the main deck where Kilowog was sitting on the bed.
"Jordan they're onboard, get us out of here!" he called.
"Everyone hold on!" Jordan ordered.
Far from Shard, the crew had gathered on the main deck where half of them lay injured. Kilowog was already on the road to recovery. But Aya was far from recovered. Her medical scans revealed the full extent of the damage that Atrocitus had inflicted upon her. Fractures in her ribs, wrist, and skull, cuts and dark bruises that had begun to show. The even more challenging part was the new column that needed to be constructed in order to reactivate her nerves, along with her armor. But Aya didn't complain about her injuries.
"Aya, are you alright?" Hal asked.
"Despite my appearance and scans I am fine." She answered. She used her elbow to prop herself up. "Although my repairs shall take some time. That is inconsequential."
Hal turned around toward Razer, who was standing behind him. "Your actions put us all in danger. Atrocitus knows we're alive now and he'll be looking for us. Our job just got infinitely harder, thanks to you."
Razer said nothing to defend himself or rebuke Jordan's accusations. There was no need to.
"Attention. I have unlocked the encryption on the files I stole from the Red Lantern mainframe." Aya explained.
The crew turned their attention to the center of the room. The computer projected the files. An ominous silence fell over the crew as they stared at the projection. Hundreds of ships appeared, all in one location. Each one primed for war and destruction, baring the Red Lantern symbol.
"Warships." Razer said. "Hundreds of them."
"Better keep your ring charged, Red." Kilowog warned.
"Looks like we all should." Hal said. "Aya, better put a rush on those repairs."
oh the drama