A/N: I said this chapter would be longer! ^^ I know I should be working on The Caged Goddess, but... I really wanted to get this done, and I did this over a few days since almost every day this weekday I have something to do.

After the Guardians had the Interceptor packed with medicines Hal and Kilowag would need, and only after they had the amount double checked, Aya started preparing the ship to enter Ultra Warp. They had enough medicines to treat both them and Razer and Atrocitus for extreme poisoning; Hal wanted to argue that it was too much, but Kilowag shut him up before he began.

"How much longer until we can go?"

"Approximately 2.6 minutes, Hal Jordan."

Hal punched the wall nearest him. "Not soon enough!"

"Calm down Jordan. As soon as the Ultra Warp is ready we'll be there in a matter of seconds." Kilowag motioned for Hal to take his seat. "I know you're mad about Razer but you can't be losing your head where we're goin'."

"I just don't get it!" he snapped as he took his seat. "It's been months since Atrocitus was jailed and Razer was welcomed at Oa. Everything was fine and now he's doing this. Is he trying to get killed?"

"Hal Jordan, may I ask what you know of Razer's stay at Oa?" Aya turned from the controls and stared the two Lanterns down. "Razer is of few words but he was far from welcomed to Oa. I have reason to believe he hated it here."

"What?" Hal asked, shocked. Kilowag scowled.

"And he's told you all of this, Aya? Last time I saw Red he said everythin' was fine. Heck, even I thought he adjusted pretty well."

"But the other Lanterns didn't like him. Hal Jordan and Kilowag, when I have spent time out with Razer it seems the other Lanterns only give him harsh looks. That is something I expected, considering Razer has killed Green Lanterns and admitted to destroying a planet."

"Razer, succumb to bullies?" Hal rubbed his temples. "Kilowag saved the people and Razer tried to forfeit his life with grief, and saved ours plenty of times. He's not a criminal; if anything, he's a hero who helped save us all even if he doesn't like admitting it."

"I guess they don't see the Poozer like we did." Kilowag's little ears dropped and he felt a pang of guilt for being ignorant of the animosity between Razer and the other Green Lanterns. Then his look hardened as he said: "But that doesn't give him the right to help Atrocitus of all people escape! What in Oa is up with that?"

"That I cannot say." Aya returned her attention to the controls. 10.09 seconds later she said: "Preparations complete. We may enter Ultra Warp."

"Good. Get us there Aya."

"As you say."

As Aya activated the Ultra Warp she couldn't help but think that she really did know why Razer helped Atrocitus escape and that she knew why Razer picked Varardras. By not telling Hal and Kilowag she could be hindering them somehow in their mission; Razer was their friend too and they needed to know. Otherwise, if Razer didn't give them an answer they'd never trust him again. She quickly wiped around her eyes, wary of the liquid her eyes could secrete, called tears, if she grew too upset. "I—"

"We're here," Hal said, standing up. "Varardras."

"I already don't like this place."

Up ahead Varardras loomed. It appeared purple with moving, wispy black spots all over it. Nothing stood out or caught their eyes, even as they moved closer. Despite the distance they were at all three knew the planet truly was barren. The feeling in the boys' stomachs and Aya's processors told them to turn around, but they wouldn't. Their friend was there, not to mention Atrocitus. They had to go.

They had to.

"Aya," Hal gulped, "what are those… clouds?"

"Every two Earth years it rains on Varardras."

"Why doesn't that give me good feelings?"

"Because, Green Lantern Kilowag, the rain on Varardras is highly acidic and will most likely melt your flesh as well as Hal Jordan's. Even I may be in trouble if I get caught in it."

"Then we just won't get caught in it." Hal nodded to Aya. "Take the ship as low as you can go without going below the clouds. We'll fly down so the Interceptor doesn't become Swiss cheese." Aya nodded but her hands hovered near the controls. When she didn't take the ship down Hal and Kilowag exchanged worried looks before turning their attention to Aya. "Aya… are you okay?"

"Come on Aya, you're a GL." Kilowag whacked her back with one of his oversized hands. "This will be no problem for you."

"My apologies." Aya shook her head. She found she'd been doing that a lot lately; mimicking the behaviors of others, that is. "However, before we land I have one question. If Razer gives us no reason for this, what will become of him?"

They were taken aback by the question. Neither of them had thought of that.

"There's no telling what the Guardians will do," Kilowag admitted. "Whatever the reason, helping Atrocitus escape… The kid's probably gonna get slapped with treason."

Aya didn't say anything. She did as Hal told her and flew the Interceptor as close to the ground as possible without getting below the cloud line. Hal and Kilowag kept quiet too; they hadn't realized the weight of bringing Razer back until Aya brought it up. If they brought him back, his life could be over. But if they didn't his life could be over anyways.

Razer, please be okay, Aya thought as she disembarked the Interceptor.

Atrocitus leveled his breathing. He couldn't afford to take deep breaths of this poisonous atmosphere. The transport to here from Oa had weakened him too; he had much less energy than he would've preferred to have on a barely charged power ring. Although he escaped Oa he had not yet escaped Razer. "It's such a chore when a father has to do away with a son," he muttered, "but I will survive."

Not much had changed about Atrocitus. He was a little thinner and found that he needed more exercise, but others would say he was the same. Atrocitus knew he was different, however; his hatred for the Guardians multiplied many times over during his imprisonment. His hate had grown stronger and his ring, although barely charged, reflected that.

He sat on a small rock so he could gather more strength. He'd walked a while without running into Razer. A miracle in and of itself; Varardras gave few places to hide and Atrocitus wouldn't risk entering a cave.

Hardly a moment passed before Atrocitus heard a sizzling sound accompanied by the faint pitter patter of rainfall. Frowning, Atrocitus looked around for the source—he found it. Fast approaching was a large cloud of acid rain. "I wonder if Razer has run into one of those yet," he mused but didn't stop to stare. Atrocitus jumped to his feet and ran. He didn't want to drain his ring quicker by flying; right then, although he wouldn't admit it, Atrocitus was the prey and Razer the predator.

The clouds kept on approaching; Atrocitus kept on running. When the storm clouds flanked him, he had no other choice; Atrocitus was forced to take shelter in a cave with an incline. Lucky for him, the cave was not deep and whatever lived there, if anything, wasn't home.

Razer took slow, shallow breaths as he flew. His throat burned from coughing earlier and he wished there was water on this planet, but quickly disregarded the notion. Besides, even there was water on Varardras it'd definitely just kill him faster.

As he searched for Atrocitus, Razer wondered what Atrocitus would do to retaliate. Razer didn't believe it'd take Atrocitus long to think of something. That was part of why Razer worshiped Atrocitus so when Razer took on the task of Lieutenant: Atrocitus was cunning. He knew how to organize the game to his advantage and how to play his cards when he played them.

On the other hand, Razer had plenty of fuel for his power ring. His hatred for the Green Lanterns who looked down upon him, for Atrocitus, for what happened to his people and Ilana—all of that, combined with his fully charged ring, would help him.

But it's wrong.

I shouldn't rely on hate anymore. I forsook the Red Lanterns and renounced Atrocitus as my leader. I… I care about Aya. I shouldn't want this.

"But I do."

"You do what, Razer?"

Razer's blood ran cold. He stopped and turned. Just ten feet away from him were Hal, Kilowag, and Aya. "You shouldn't be here," he said slowly. "What I'm doing is none of your concern." He coughed again, but quickly smothered it.

"That's what you think, Red." Kilowag moved closer. "You really think we were gonna let you and Atrocitus go off somewhere and not do a thing about it?"

"No, I knew full well you three would be foolish enough to come." He raised his ring and pointed it at them. Razer's cool demeanor betrayed the tightening in his chest, which was both physical and emotional. "Leave now or I'll be forced to consider you enemies. All of you."

"Are you really going to do this Razer? What's going on with you? Why are you doing this?"

"You—" He stopped again to cough. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try us Razer; just try us," Hal wanted to say, but didn't get the chance. Razer fired at them and took off. They scattered to avoid the blast of red energy before giving chase. "Aya, go below him. Kilowag, you and I will flank him, got it?" Hal said as loud as he dared without Razer hearing them. Kilowag and Aya nodded and took their positions; Hal took his too.

"Razer, please stop. We would rather not use force." As Aya spoke, Kilowag and Hal pointed their rings at Razer.

"Then don't."

Razer stopped and changed directions; he flew upwards and turned midair so he was going the way opposite they were. This time, instead of flying straight, Razer zigzagged and went right for the nearby storm clouds. By the time Hal, Kilowag, and Aya closed in on the storm Razer was out of sight and deep into cloud cover.

"Hal Jordan, we should not follow Razer into the storm. It is too dangerous and I am unsure as to how long your constructs can handle the rain."

"No Aya; we're going after him. If we get about the cloud line he can still hide underneath and we could lose him."

"And what if Red's just doing this so we'll follow and then he goes above the clouds?"

Hal paused. "Good point." He smiled and patted Kilowag's shoulder. "Because of that, you and Aya can go above the clouds and search for Razer. I'll go through them."

"Are you nuts Jordan? You heard Aya; our constructs might not last long against the rain."

"Look, we don't have time for this! If Razer went into the clouds then he has to be unaffected by it somehow, and I'm betting if I use a construct I'll be able to catch up with—"

Razer flew out from the cloud cover firing. Hal and Kilowag yelled as they plummeted to the ground; Aya shielded herself from his initial blow, but Razer was on her and struck her with a staff-like construct. She fell to the ground, stunned. After they were taken care of Razer huffed and flew back into the clouds and hurried away.

Aya recovered first. She stood a little off balance but her sensors recovered quickly and corrected her equilibrium. Hal and Kilowag had hit the ground hard however and were in less favorable condition. When Aya tried prodding them neither of the Green Lanterns did more than groan. "Lanterns Hal Jordan and Kilowag, Razer is escaping and the acidic rain is within a few feet of your bodies. If you do not wake up and move the clouds will eventually move towards you and you will die."

"Aya…"

"Yes Hal Jordan?"

"I see stars."

Dutifully, Aya grabbed Hal's and Kilowag's shoulders and took off into the sky. They still had to go after Razer and she could carry them; it was better than waiting around for her beaten allies to recover. (They did recover, but only after a few minutes of Aya flying around Varardras in search of Razer. And when she couldn't find him and the acid rain was closing in she took shelter in a cave, where Hal and Kilowag would wake up.)

"I'm gonna beat some respect into that little Poozer! Who does he think he is?" Kilowag yelled as he stomped around the cave. It was large and had a small pond of acid rain right outside the entrance. "Had Aya been knocked out of it we coulda died!"

"Kilowag, calm down," Hal said between coughs. "Aya, what are the symptoms of the poisons in this atmosphere again?"

"The symptoms consist of the following: Coughing. Dizziness and blurred vision. Vomiting then followed by muscle weakness, which is soon followed by asphyxiation. Death occurs soon after." There was a pause. "Hal Jordan of Earth, are you having issues with your equilibrium and vision?"

"Thankfully no, but—" He stopped to cough again. "I can hardly stop coughing."

"Hey, wasn't the Poozer coughing too?"

"I guess it's because he came here weakened with the transporter failing with him in it."

"If Razer is suffering the effects of Varardras Atrocitus must be suffering all the same." Aya stood up from the rock she'd been sitting on next to Hal. "In which case the three of you will become increasingly weaker; therefore increasingly easy to capture." She sounded like it was a good thing the three of them were slowly dying.

"But that's also a bad thing, Aya." Kilowag slammed his fist against the wall. "We want to bring Razer in alive; Atrocitus too. If they're already getting affected by the poisons then they could die before we get 'em treated."

"And since we don't know why Razer did this, getting him to come with us won't be any easier."

Aya regretted this already. But it was the rational thing to do; the right thing to do. "I believe I know why Razer assisted Atrocitus with his escape. I believe I also know why Razer picked this planet to come to." Had someone told Hal he won the lottery, or told Kilowag that he had to eat cheese, they still wouldn't have earned such shocked expressions. "I believe he's done this because—"

A large, hulking monster crashed through the entrance of the cave. Acid spewed from its purply green, rotting lips. Hal, Aya, and Kilowag leapt back farther into the cave only to feel a warm, moist breeze on their backs. As Varardras wasn't famous for its pleasant breezes, they slowly turned and were faced with another monster. And another, and another. Then, all at once, they pounced.