6 Justice League the Corps

Carol smiled as Fire, Ice, Talia, and Ivy met her, Arven, Maewen, and Fatality in the air above Stryker's. Lookouts had already sounded the alarms. The Justice League would soon be on its way. Still, they had time for her plan to work.

"Welcome sisters," Carol greeted her recruits, "Talia, Ivy, Fire, and Ice, meet Arven, Maewen, and Fatality."

Maewen, whose skin was so pale it was almost translucent and her hair was a mint green, studied Fire's emerald tresses and asked if such a color was common amongst Terrans. Fire laughed.

"As far as I now I'm fairly unique because I can do this," she transformed into her green plasma form and back into her human state.

Maewen smiled, "Your skills will be valuable for our quest."

"Each is blessed with a unique heritage. Talia is a superior tactician and hand to hand combatant. Poison Ivy controls all manner of plant life. Ice is aptly named because she can create and control intense cold," Carol explained, "But we have little time, my sisters. Interlopers are undoubtedly on their way. We must access this prison facility and convert those found within."

The Star Sapphires nodded their agreement and then they focused their rings upon the roof.


Inside the prison, Luthor paced inside of his cell like a caged tiger. As one of the more "dangerous" prisoners he rated an individual cell. Down the way the Ultra Humanite watched his infernal Culture Channel. Luthor wasn't permitted a TV. He wasn't allowed anything that could grant him access to the outside world and what transpired beyond these walls.

Luthor chafed under these conditions. He wasn't even allowed a bloody newspaper. His lawyers were looking into how that violated his rights. Luthor was a firm believer in rights. He should have them and everyone else should be restricted. It was just natural selection.

He suddenly heard a sound like thunder and realized that it was coming from inside the cell banks. Next the walls began to shake. Luthor had visions of Major Disaster coming for them at long last. Only…Disaster was interned in the Gulag, was he not? He despised the fact that he had no way of knowing.

Cursing his informational blindness, he went to the bars of his cell and tried to ascertain the cause of the disturbance. He looked around. He was on the third level of the prison, which placed him near the roof. Everything seemed quiet besides the vibrations.

"Lex?" it was the Humanite, "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

It pained Luthor to admit that he didn't. Just then a crack appeared in the ceiling. More crack formed and soon the entire roof was fragmented. Luthor called out for the Humanite to watch the sky.

The pieces of the roof lifted and a violet glow filled the skies above. Eight women hovered in that space, all wearing the uniform of Star Sapphire. Hope filled Luthor's heart. Carol landed in front of his cell while Fire, Ice, and Ivy spread out level by level. Talia, Maewen, Arven, and Fatality went to the women's and Meta human sections of the sprawling complex. Gunfire could be heard as the guards reacted but their efforts were futile in the face of the Sapphires' power rings.

"Star Sapphire, you've come for me." Luthor gloated.

"I am but one of many by that name," Carol demurely replied.

"Then…?" Luthor's eyes widened with shock, "Carol? Carol Ferris? You've found a way to free yourself?"

"Think of it more as a collaboration then freedom. Although, I suppose I'm freer now then I've been in any other time in my life," she replied, "No thanks to you."

"You wound me," Luthor protested, "How have I wronged you?"

"When I fled the stone after Bailya. You're the one that tracked me down and returned me to its grip. Funny thing that, I suppose I'm actually grateful to you now. I would have never imagined it while I hated you. But the stone has freed me and now my love, which first drew it to me, is unshackled. I even love you, if you can believe it."

Luthor pondered her words. There were so many hidden meanings in what she said, yet most of the truths were laid bare for all to see.

"Is that Fire sporting a Star Sapphire uniform?" Luthor had to ask.

"Yes, she and Ice have joined our sisterhood of love. Poison Ivy is one of us as well. I'm afraid that I have to inform you that Talia has traded in her corporate office for a sapphire ring," Carol happily informed him.

"I forbid it!" Luthor thundered, "She serves a vital role where she is. I can't afford to lose her."

"Have you ever told her that?" Carol inquired.

Luthor scoffed, "Of course not. I wouldn't want it to go to her head."

"You wouldn't want to lose your leverage over her you mean," Carol chided him; "Well I'm afraid the decision is out of your hands, dear heart."


Fire projected dozens of conversion boxes into the cells on the third floor. Ice did the same on the second and Ivy handled the ground floor. The projections of love overwhelmed many of the criminals but some resisted. The Star Sapphires released the converted and left the others locked in their cells.

Luthor saw the Humanite exit his cell and his eyes were violet, "What's wrong with him?"

Carol laughed out of sheer delight, "Nothing's wrong with him. He's found true love."

The star sapphire began to glow. Luthor recoiled, "What are you planning to do with that?"

"I'm going to free your heart," Carol said with a broad smile. The stone projected a conversion chamber. But within a few moments, it cracked and shattered. Carol was disheartened.

"It seems the embers of love you found with the Crimson Queen have left your heart in the cold," Carol proclaimed.

"What do you know of it?" Luthor hissed, raw hatred eking out of his voice.

"The scrying stone is very precise. You loved the Queen only now those emotions are a festering pool of hate. There is no love in your heart so I leave you here," Carol announced. She began to fly away.

"You can't leave me here!" Luthor cried.

Carol pitied him but her decision was made, "I already have."


The sapphire pulsed and she followed its urgings until she reached a cell in the Meta human section. Inside, Goldilocks was eagerly clinging to the bars. Arven held a ring in her hand. It pulsed but it did not approach.

"Carol, the rings are responding to her yet they do not choose her. What should I do?" Arven asked.

"Leave her. Her love, though great, is a sickness. It leads to death and destruction rather than greater love."

A tendril of hair wrapped around Carol's throat as the two Star Sapphires turned and walked away. Arven's ring glowed as she held it ready to do her bidding. Carol calmly turned and faced Goldilocks once again.

"This is not the path of love," she chided the younger woman.

"Let me out and bring me to Sir Justin. I'll show you love," Goldilocks tittered.

"Give up your insanity," Carol urged, "Let me go and take your first step towards real love."

"You're letting me out of here!" Goldilocks demanded and her hair tightened its grip.

Carol had had enough. A force beam lanced out of her stone and slammed Goldilocks against the cell wall. Her hair went slack as she sank into unconsciousness. Carol and Arven led the others out of the wing.

Meeting with the others and their converts, the Sapphires encased the converts in force bubbles and lifted them out of the prison. They took them all to Times Square.

"Spread the word," Carol urged, "Love has come and people must embrace it!"

The converts spread out. Fatality asked Carol, "What is our next step?"

"First we await the arrival of our fellow sisters and then we march on the United Nations. From there we will broadcast the message of true love," Carol announced. The Star Sapphires couldn't wait.


Katma's eyes opened. She groaned as she pushed herself off of the dirt. She felt like something had crushed the life out of her and then she realized, it had. Her ring pulsed twice and then died. The power ring's power was used up. She gazed around, expecting to see Carol's beaming visage and instead she confronted Sinestro.

His arms were folded across his chest, but then again, when weren't they? Katma knew he could be an arrogant ass and his smug expression did nothing to foster her good graces. She knew she'd regret letting him speak but she did so anyway.

"I take it none of you pathetic excuses for ringslingers has any idea where Carol Ferris and her irksome Star Sapphire Corps have gone to," he pronounced derisively.

"I didn't even know that's what they're calling themselves," Katma admitted.

Sinestro looked insufferably pained, "I don't suppose I should expect you to. The star sapphire, the original stone that possessed Ferris has taken upon itself to fill the universe with the emotional spectrum of love. Gems found in the caves where the star sapphire was "born" have been mined, cut, and mounted on bands. Those that wear these rings call themselves the Star Sapphires in homage to the original stone and its leadership."

"Carol seemed free of its influence," Katma observed.

Sinestro made a dismissive noise, "Ferris will never be free of the sapphire. It's taken on a symbiotic relationship with her. She serves as its proxy and it in turn fulfills her every wish. Every wish except for Jordan."

"She seemed pretty resigned to that fact even before this new relationship was forged," Katma countered.

"That's true," Sinestro mused, "The stone shifted its affections towards Rayner. Tell me, where is the young imbecile?"

"And if I refuse to tell you?" Katma's eyes flashed angrily.

"Then I refuse to let you live," Sinestro declared simply.

"He's in New York. I'm sure you remember how to find it," Katma said snidely.

"The Katma Tui of old would have rather died than reveal that. I think you've been on this backwater mud ball too long. You've grown weak," Sinestro rallied his Elite and they flew off. The liberated converts set forth for their abandoned worlds.

"Kat, was that the best thing to do?" Kilowog asked.

"Our rings are depleted and he'd find Kyle anyway. This way we're alive to alert the JLU and help Kyle. Trust me `Wog, I'm not throwing anyone's life away," Katma replied.

They summoned their lanterns and said as one, "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"

Upon completion of the oath, Katma launched herself into action.

"`Wog, get on the comm and brief the Justice League. They have to know the Sapphires and Sinestro's Corps are coming. Then tell them we're on our way." Katma instructed.

"You got it." He lumbered off and then returned a few minutes later, "Ready ta kick these Poozers' tails?"

"I plan on doing a hell of a lot more than that." Katma growled.