6 Justice League the Corps

John struggled to keep up with Fatality. The woman had formed constructs of a sword and a shield. John matched her and the fight began. It soon became apparent that, like the armored swordsman construct battle, Fatality had every advantage.

Fighting for his very life, John wondered about her motives. He'd destroyed her homeworld but then again, she professed love and forgiveness. He couldn't see that right now. Now she was an engine of destruction and that engine threatened to run him over.

Desperate, he dropped his constructs and instead fired a beam at her waist. A clamp formed and grabbed her. Too startled to respond, Fatality's constructs faded. Wearing a grim smile, John began to spin her around his body like she was a rock in an ancient sling. At first she screamed. Soon, she couldn't even manage that.

John intensified the experience and spun her even faster. What he could make of her features, her dark skin was definitely greener. He brought her to a halt before him. He was ready for every eventuality except for the one that happened.

Fatality doubled over and wretched. After she'd done that she straightened out and then bent over and vomited again. She tried to recover her pride and float gently to the surface. What ended up happening was she wobbled so much she threw up a third time.

John took pity on her and clamped her waist again. Fatality started and he could see she feared the worst. He gently lowered her to the ground. Once her feet hit the surface, she sank to her knees and her shoulders slumped in defeat.

John landed in front of her and he asked, "Are you okay?"

"I concede," she said sadly, "I've never been defeated. I admit you are the better warrior."

The depth of her sorrow touched something deep within him. He'd taken so much from her; her world, her family, her destiny, and now her pride. He didn't know how to approach her. She needed comforting and he felt he was the wrong person to do it.

"Where's Shayera?" he muttered. As soon as he said it, he knew that was a bad option. The Thanagarian was just as likely to hit Fatality over the head with her mace to quiet her down as try and talk to her. Sighing, John knelt before her.

"It doesn't have to be a struggle. I made a mistake with your world, a terrible, stupid error that cost lives. I've spent every moment as a Lantern trying to make amends for that tragedy. If I'd known that you were still alive earlier, I would've approached you and tried to make it up to you."

Fatality lifted her head and gazed deeply into his eyes. Even with the green glow from the ring, she could read them. She could see his concern and his anguish reflected within them. She also knew John was trying to read her. The violet glow to her eyes seemed to frustrate him.

"You do have love in your heart," Fatality proclaimed, "Why do you resist us?"

"Love is a wonderful thing," John conceded, "But it can be a terrible thing as well. Some of the greatest crimes in universal history have been committed in the name of love. Love is good as long as it's tempered."

A ghost of a smile crossed her lips, "I don't think you'll always feel this way but you master Will. You can't let Love rule your heart. You'll achieve your balance but I think your heart will be broken first."

John gaped at her. What could she possibly know? They'd just met.

"I forgave you John Stewart," Fatality assured him, "I couldn't hold hate in my heart and embrace love. I had to make a choice of what was most important to me. I'd mastered fear so that was no great mystery. But hate, particularly my hate for you, that's what had sustained me for years."

"Why did you give it up?" John was intrigued, after all, who was comforting who here?

"I lived as a refugee for two years. I ended up on Gorvix VI and there I was taken in by a kindly aid worker. There was no room at the aid stations so she brought me into her own house. She cared for me as though I was a member of her own family. She brought me to work with her and I helped refugees who were worse off than me. That woman taught me the value of love," Fatality described her situation.

John detected a note of finality, "What happened to her?"

"She died," Fatality sighed, "She was very old. Her family let me stay at her domicile until Carol and the Star Sapphires found me."

"The ring called me. It offered me a conduit to Love itself," she explained, "Didn't your ring call to you?"

"Not really," John admitted, "It approached me and selected me but it never called to me in any way."

"Hmm, Will masters emotions. Sterilizes them if you will. It's little wonder it didn't appeal to you. It selected you and took what it wanted. Have you ever wondered who the true master is? You or the ring?" Fatality posed a question John himself had secretly asked himself but had never voiced to another soul, not even Shayera.

Fatality wore an all too knowing smile, "I can see that you have."

John's ring began to pulse and Fatality's eyes went wide, "Why is it doing that?"

"We're about to be visited by another Lantern Corps," John said grimly.

"Will Masters?" Fatality asked.

"No. I can think of only one group that would be coming here," John warned her.

"Sinestro," she surmised.

"Exactly. I'll warn my people. You tell Carol. Tell her we'll stand beside her," John instructed.

"But why?" Fatality wondered.

"If it is Sinestro, he's here for a fight. If it's the damn Red or Orange Lanterns, they'll be here for a fight. Whoever it is we're in for a fight," John explained.

"But you oppose us as well," Fatality pointed out.

"We oppose some of your methods, not the concept behind them," John revealed, "Look, whoever it is, is coming for blood, maybe literally, can you afford to reject my offer?"

"Good point," Fatality got to her feet, "I believe you, John Stewart. Don't try and trick us."

"As hard as it is, you have to trust me," John pleaded.

Fatality scrutinized every line in his face and peered into his eyes. Finally, she relaxed, "I do trust you, John Stewart. At least in this."

"Good, now scoot!" John shot into the air.

Fatality flew off, in search of Carol. When last seen, the Sapphire Queen had been in pursuit of Supergirl. The Argoan had proven exceptionally elusive and she'd obviously felt she was the best qualified to stop the JLer. Of course, there was the unspoken conflict between them in the form of Kyle Rayner. As much as Fatality wished for Carol's happiness, Kyle's departure would solve a lot of problems.


Kara came straight at Carol at super speed. Still, she wasn't fast enough. Carol used the sapphire to erect a wall. Then the wall became a clamp. Kara was then slammed against the wall and squeezed.

Mustering her unbelievable strength she forced open the clamp. Carol dropped the construct. Kara took half a second to catch her breath and then she came at Carol again. This time, Carol repeated her attack on Dela.

Kara wasn't getting cut but the needle-like razors stung like the dickens. And the force behind the blast threatened to bowl her over. She took one step forward at a time. Inexorably she closed the distance.

Disregarding finesse, Carol unleashed a force beam of raw power that slammed Kara back against the wall again. Only this time she didn't have a tangible opponent. She tried pushing off of the wall but she was just thrust back into it. She really was in a quandary over what to do when a green wall formed between her and Carol.

"Kyle!" Carol snapped as the force beam evaporated, "What are you doing?"

"I'm choosing and I'm choosing Kara," Kyle announced.

Carol looked as though he'd slapped her across the face, "How can you? What we share…"

"It's a lie, Carol. You ignited feelings in me I didn't know I had and made me follow you here and get married. That wasn't me. This is me. You staged this little demonstration so I'd make a choice and you thought I'd choose you. Well, you were wrong. If anything, all you've proven is how much I love her. That's why it can't work. Even if you take over my brain again, I'll always come back to her," Kyle reasoned with her, "You profess to be a servant of love. That means you should recognize it when it's in front of you, slapping you in the face."

"But we're married and always will be. That's the law on Zamaron," Carol feebly protested.

"Luckily I'm going back to Earth where this marriage won't be recognized," Kyle countered.

Carol turned to Kara, "He's shared my bed and pleasured me throughout the night and early morning. That doesn't include the following afternoon after he'd supposedly 'recovered' from my so-called brainwashing. Knowing this, do you still want him?" Carol asked, "A part of him will always crave me and when I'm around him he'll fall back under my spell. Can you live with that kind of infidelity?"

"We'll just keep him away from you," Kara said coldly, "Besides, he's standing right in front of you and he's still choosing me."

"But I haven't used the sapphire to fan the flames of his heart. If I do, then he'll fall all over me," Carol countered.

"Can you hear yourself?" Kara scornfully asked, "You're admitting that you have to use the stone to get him. What kind of 'love' is that?"

Carol wanted to argue. She desperately did. Deep inside of her though, she knew Kara was right.

She turned to Kyle, "I said you'd be free to go where you please. You'll remain my consort. Hopefully you'll return to me after you've finished with her."

"Carol, I…" Kyle couldn't find the words to express his feelings. To be honest, he was conflicted. The star sapphire had awoken feelings in him he'd never known were there. The counter-punch to that was that he knew what his feelings for Kara were and they were stronger because of this encounter than they'd ever been before. But how could he make Carol see that?

"My Queen!" Fatality called as she entered the courtyard, "Another Lantern Corps approaches."

"Which spectrum?" Carol was all business, her personal difficulties temporarily forgotten.

"Unknown, but John Stewart strongly suspects the Sinestro Corps is making their way here for revenge," Fatality reported.

Carol mulled that over, "It would serve Sinestro's ego after we humiliated him on Earth. Where do the Green Lanterns and the Justice League stand? Are they with us or are they neutral?"

Fatality noted that Carol didn't even bother to guess if the Lanterns and the League would side with the Corpsmen. Sinestro and his Corpsmen were sworn to destroy the Green Lanterns and Sinestro was a long standing enemy of the Justice League, they wouldn't side with him. However, they might be content to sit this one out and pick up the pieces afterwards.

"John Stewart said he would sway the others into assisting us," Fatality assured her.

"You're putting a lot of faith in a man you'd once sworn to destroy," Carol mused.

"Those days are long past. And, my Queen, John Stewart has found his heart," Fatality said reverently.

Carol smiled, "So we have our ambassador to the Green Lanterns. Good. It seems my consort will be unavailable for the role."

Fatality noted the tightness in Carol's voice when she announced that. Her heart went out to Carol. The way Kyle was holding Supergirl, it was obvious they had reconciled. His choice made, Carol's heart had to be breaking.

Carol took charge once again, "Gather the Sapphires. We must stand united against a common foe."

Fatality began to step out and Carol called after her, "And find Dela. She can't be allowed to betray us."

Fatality felt a sickness creep into her heart over that thought. Dela had already betrayed her Queen. It was a small step further to betray the Corps. And thinking about it, the blonde hadn't been seen since the fight began. Fatality knew with dread certainty that meant trouble.