7 Justice League the Corps
"Sinestro!" Katma yelled as she descended to street level, "Where do the Star Sapphires dwell?"
He looked at her disdainfully, "As if I'd tell you."
Her ring flared to life, "I will have that answer, one way or another."
"They said they were going to someplace called Zamaron," Kara said. All eyes turned to her and she shrugged, "I overheard them."
"But where is Zamaron?" Arkus asked.
"The proper question is who are the Zamarons?" Sinestro chuckled, "I'd ask the Guardians, if you dare."
The Sinestro Corps began to rise and Katma called to them, "Stay away from Zamaron."
"I will make no promises," Sinestro said cryptically.
"We're just gonna let `em go?" Kilowog asked for he still had a few punches to land on Arkillo in his opinion.
"They aren't the major threat right now," Katma declared, "The Star Sapphires have to be contained."
"Disarmed, you mean." Arkus countered.
Katma shook her head, "You saw how they reacted to Sinestro's ultimatum. I don't think they'll quietly shrink into the night. We need to ascertain their motives, determine their goals, and prepare a response if they interfere in Green Lantern business again."
"Not to mention get Kyle back," Kara asserted.
Katma graced her with a gentle smile, "Of course."
"You mentioned coordinating with the League," Kara reminded her.
Katma nodded, "So I did. Let's find the League leadership and make our plans. We can make our inquiries to the Guardians while we're at it."
"Where's John Stewart?" Tomar-Re suddenly asked.
Katma frowned, "That's a good question."
Mary came to with a gasp. Sitting up, she looked around and discovered she was no longer under attack. She rose and said Shazam's name. Lightning burned away her wounds and she was re-energized.
Shayera noted that Mary was downcast. Mary told her of Galatea's attack. It really disturbed Mary because Galatea was a friend yet she'd been rather brutal in dealing with the Marvel. Shayera didn't know what to say so Mary was left to her own devices when it came to reconciling her feelings on the matter.
They rejoined Catwoman and the newly woken Marvels outside. Captain Marvel and Junior were equally pensive. Their issue was wounded pride. Their egos were incensed at having been beaten by a squad of women.
"That's utter crap!" Mary lit into her brother and her friend, "They had power rings equal to Green Lantern's and there were a lot of them. Even Green Lantern was beat down."
Marvel and Junior looked to Green Lantern. John hemmed and hawed. Shayera rolled her eyes.
"Oh, just admit it. Carol spanked you." She gibed.
John was silent which only encouraged Shayera to rub it in even more. Finally John admitted that he'd been overwhelmed by the Sapphire Queen. He had no sense of shame about Carol beating him. What disturbed was the nature of his near defeat. Being overwhelmed by his own feelings had shaken him.
"I think we should rejoin the others. They might be facing the Sapphires. If so, they'll need our help," John declared.
John, Shayera, and the Marvels took to the air. Catwoman rejoined Huntress on the motorcycle. They all headed for Times Square.
The Question, Nightwing, and Ulla joined the Green Lantern conference on 5th Avenue. Katma inquired as to where the League was. Nightwing queried Hula Hula and got an update. Meta-human Services was collecting the captured Legionnaires and the League was staying on scene to deal with them in case they broke free. Giganta in particular posed a major potential problem.
He showed Katma a GPS map as displayed by his signal device. Her ring captured the image and the Lanterns departed. Kara hung back with her fellow JLers. Ulla got what had happened out of her and took it upon herself to comfort Kara. They climbed into Question's muscle car and took off across town.
The GLs joined the JLU's vigil. John and Shayera's team arrived within moments of the others. The recon teams arrived as soon as they could, barring traffic conditions, which were disturbed by the disruption at Times Square and the upper floors of the Dorm being on 5th Avenue itself and blocking all lanes of traffic.
John reported his team's progress to Superman, Diana, and J'onn. Katma gave her version of things afterwards. It was quickly decided that the JLU and the Green Lantern Corps would cooperate in a rescue effort. Superman wanted to consult with Sue and Max before setting out.
He wanted to consult on whom to take on the mission as well as arrange transport through the Blackhawk Squadron. Max would be able to provide a report on the aftermath of the Sapphires' incursion at the UN. This time would be used by the GLs to contact Oa and find out the secrets of the Zamarons and their planet.
The High Priestess of Zamaron stood before the gathered Star Sapphires. Miri, Race, Miss Bloss, Arven, Fatality, Maewen, and even Dela Pharon stood as the front rank. Dela's inclusion had been a concession on Carol's part. Dela was good; one of the best Sapphires, but her damned ambition clouded everything. The idea, as put forth by the High Priestess, was that her acceptance into the front tier of Sapphires would quell her open campaign to be named Queen. Carol's only concern was that this would just drive Dela underground and her movements would be harder to track.
Carol herself was bedecked in her normal Sapphire uniform but the star sapphire itself was borne on a headband rather than her customary mask. She wanted to be seen by her groom and appreciated for her beauty at this moment in time. Kyle was pristine in his Green Lantern uniform. Like her, he forsook the mask and faced her openly.
The marriage ceremony invoked the name of the Lost Lovers, whose crystalline skeletons powered the Sapphire Battery. The battery enclosed them and they radiated the violet light of love and powered the star sapphire and its ring mounted cousins. After the ceremony, the Sapphires celebrated while Carol and Kyle slipped away. Then, he made her dreams come true.
The following morning, the sun arose outside of the carved city that the battery was built in. In a cavernous room, Kyle awoke in a monstrous bed. He was startled to find himself naked and even more surprised to discover he wasn't alone. He started to reach out to turn his companion slightly to discover who she was. Carol suddenly turned on her own and a contented smile spread across her face.
"Kyle, you're awake," she said happily.
Kyle leapt out of bed, completely disregarding the fact that he was still naked. Carol pouted, "Don't tell me you don't remember."
Memories washed over Kyle. She'd gotten into his head and then he'd followed her…and Kara! He'd pushed her away, literally. Then he'd travelled here with the Sapphires and there'd been a…
"We're married?" he almost shrieked.
"By all the laws of Zamaron, yes," Carol's smile was ecstatic.
They were married! That thought revolved around his mind over and over. Then other memories drifted in. Memories of her body, and his, intertwined and…
"Omigod! We…" Kyle couldn't even say it.
"Mmm mmm," Carol purred, "Several times."
What would Kara think? Could she forgive him? One thought permeated his feverish brain, "Why did I…?"
"Make love to me? Because you love me, silly." Carol chided him.
"Why do I love you?" Kyle asked, not knowing a gentler way of putting it.
"You honestly don't know?" Carol was wounded.
"No, I don't," he said with all honesty.
"It began when we faced one another in Bailya. You felt pity for me, a veritable spark of love to be precise. Later when we faced each other again in the moon base of the Techno Organic Union, I 'kindled' that love," she said as though it was the simplest thing in the world.
"And how did you do that exactly?" Kyle was beginning to forget he was naked and was instead becoming angry.
"The star sapphire ignited your nascent feelings for me and forged a bond between us. You must have noticed that I was continually popping up in your mind from that point on?" Carol explained.
Kyle had never admitted it to anyone, not even himself, but he had thought of Carol after that…a lot. He'd even fantasized about…well, last night.
Carol's smile was a victorious one, "I see you acknowledge the truth. When we met again yesterday, I simply called upon you to recollect your love for me and after you did you willingly followed me here and married me. I have to say, you were even more enthusiastic after the ceremony."
Kyle's head hung low, "Don't remind me."
Carol threw back the sheets and her naked form was on full display. Kyle had to admit, it was a nice form. Carol began to smile in earnest.
"You're thinking about me." He tracked her gaze and it was squarely aimed at his groin, which was rebelliously responding to her body and the memories of the previous night's activities. Previous night and most of this morning, he amended.
"Carol, I freely admit that I admire you and that I've dreamt about doing things like last night with you but I don't love you," Kyle insisted.
"Of course you love me," Carol said dismissively, "The sapphire wouldn't have an effect if you didn't."
"It could brainwash me," Kyle argued.
Carol's grin was a knowing one, "Not quite. The sapphire is powered by the Light of Love, it can only reach out and ignite love within a heart that already has it. That's what Sinestro is afraid of. We have the ability to ignite the passions of his followers and distract them from his ambitions. We can only do that because they already have love in their hearts."
"You love me," she declared, "You wouldn't have followed me otherwise. Point in fact, you wouldn't have rejected poor Supergirl if you didn't love me and want me. How's she going to react to your being married by the way?"
"Leave Kara out of this," Kyle warned.
Carol smirked, "That poorly, huh?"
"Dammit Carol, why me?" Kyle demanded to know.
"Because you're the one that has feelings for me. To be fair, you weren't my first choice but Jordan's being an ass. You were available, you wanted it, so you got it. As for the why of it, every Queen needs a consort. You get to be that lucky fellow," Carol explained.
"I'm honored, now how do I resign?" Kyle wondered.
"It's death do us part," Carol slid off of the bed and began to approach him. Kyle was wary but he didn't move. She wrapped her arms around him and he was frozen. Part of him railed that he was trapped by the star sapphire once again…only, her headband was on the nightstand next to his ring. He was locked into place as she drew him in for a kiss.
Her lips lightly brushed his. He didn't respond. She tried again and this time flicked her tongue out. He started to speak but she moved in and locked herself into him. He wanted to fight. The rational part of him commanded his body to resist but instead it started to respond just the way she wanted it to. Hating himself, he succumbed to her.
The next morning found the JLU gathering. John and Katma had approached the Guardians and learned about the Zamarons. Once they had been female Oans who left when the males committed to mastering Will. Seeking to master Love, they had travelled to Zamaron, drawn by the Lost Lovers. Their lives had since been devoted to the star sapphire and the spread of love. At the sapphire's behest they had created power rings and a power battery. Subsequently the Star Sapphire Corps had been born.
Their goals remained unaltered even after the long millennia. In that regard they were the same as the Guardians they had abandoned. Was it mere coincidence that the Sapphires were all female like the Zamarons that selected them? The Guardians felt it wasn't. Just as the Manhunters had been created in the masculine image of their creators, the Sapphires emulated their guides.
Carol Ferris had long ago been chosen as the Sapphire Queen. At first she'd been a prisoner of the role but she'd grown to accept it and the star sapphire. She had a great deal autonomy now but how far could she stretch before the sapphire reasserted control? That was a vital question in need of answering.
The bad news for Kara was that the Queen sought a consort and Kyle had obviously been chosen. It was little consolation that Hal Jordan had originally been approached with this goal in mind. What mattered to her, and to the rescue team, was that Kyle was in Carol's grip. His measure of freedom was also at question. Kyle had mastered Will so there was a good chance he could break free given the right circumstances.
The only Green Lanterns committed to the task by the Guardians were John, Katma, Kilowog, Arkus, and Tomar-Re. Guy Gardner would stand watch over Earth during their absence. The GLs wanted to complete the task as swiftly as possible in order to send their volatile replacement back to Oa as soon as possible.
Sue had consulted with the League leadership and devised a rescue team. With the Legion incarcerated they could afford to send the most powerful members. Superman would lead the team. Diana would serve as his lieutenant. The Marvels were all going. Kara couldn't be left behind. Shayera was unstoppable as well. Starman, Booster, the Ray, Stargirl, and Anna made up the rest of the team.
Neither Anna nor Courtney had ever been in space before. The thought of leaving their birth world thrilled them both. The notion of leaving for a foreign world was even more compelling.
Ray had never been on a space mission either but he kept his anticipation to himself. His major concern was Mary's fretting over confronting Galatea. She was very subdued regarding the possibility.
Blackhawk would be the shuttle commander. Lady Blackhawk was coming along with them to act as relief pilot. It would be a nice change for them both. LBH had little extraterrestrial experience so she was thrilled to be selected for flight duties.
The teams gathered inside of Sawbones and Blackhawk lifted off. LBH was also in the cockpit to observe. Anna and Courtney got permission to ride along so they could watch Earth slip away. Anna practically vibrated with eagerness.
The Javelin lifted off and broke free of Earth's bonds. Clearing the Moon, Blackhawk inputted Zamaron's coordinates and the nav computer calculated the hyperspace jump. They slipped into subspace and disappeared from this reality. The mission was underway.
