CXXX
Pentagon of the Green
As the beleaguered couple suddenly arrived in a swirl of dark smoke, Bruce and Raven caused an immediate state of alarm within the War Room. After talking dozens of security guards and generals to stand down and lower the weapons, Bruce was able to verify his identity via a DNA-scanner and begin to re-establish order in the room. There were a flurry of questions regarding his eye, Trigon and their previous whereabouts – all of which he promised to answer later.
Within minutes, Bruce arranged a meeting with General Tyrexius Johnson in a briefing room. He wasn't going to like what Bruce had to tell him. Along the way, Raven had warned Bruce that there was an extreme feeling of unease and trepidation within the Pentagon. If everyone had believed Trigon had been defeated, shouldn't there be jubilation?
She then alerted him that they weren't the only strangers here.
When Bruce and Raven arrived to meet with his most senior General, their suspicions were instantly confirmed…
The Guardian called Ganthet - along with five strange-looking Green Lanterns - were also with General Johnson and his senior staffers. And judging by the various emerald projections lining the walls and the fact that it was Tyrexius himself who was seated, it soon became clear to Bruce who were the officers in charge…
"Ahhh, Mr. Wayne," spoke Ganthet. "Welcome back. I see you have re-considered placing Mrs. Wayne within our custody. I assure you, it is for the best."
The little blue guy was nothing if not smug.
"That's not why we're here, Ganthet. And in this building, it's President Wayne. My wife is not a criminal, on this world or any other. She will not be handed over to the Corps. That matter is closed… But why are you here?"
"We are here President Wayne, to establish this planet's defences and strategies regarding future intergalactic threats that are beyond its nascent capabilities. It seems that there is much work to do in this regard… Your world has been mercifully spared from such alien attacks… until the appearance of Mrs. Wayne caused the entity known as Trigon to follow her to this planet. Should I also refer to your wife as President?... This world has far too many honorific titles. Do you govern as a couple?"
Bruce would have to pop that blue-hued superiority bubble with some very pointed facts…
"She's referred to as the First Lady, and there's only one President. I'm much more concerned with the current intergalactic threat than future ones, Ganthet. And yes, my wife and I are well aware of the reason why Trigon was able to destroy one thousand worlds, and why it was he came to this world...
Those one thousand worlds and all their inhabitants Trigon destroyed were under the protection of the Green Lantern Corps, weren't they?... Have you ever figured out why? Do you even realize who it is that you Guardians have crucified upon the fifth cross?!"
"…It is true that the evil entity called Trigon has destroyed a large number of worlds under the protection of the Corps - and that many Lanterns have lost their lives in defending those worlds against the Crimson Scourge of our Universe. This is a war we have fought for far too many years and incurred far too many casualties. A war that we were finally able to end thanks to our newest member, a young lady of your world…"
So… they truly didn't know. Bruce fixed the little alien with a stare from his one good eye.
"Nothing has ended… Trigon is still alive, Ganthet. Who do you think did this to my eye? My wife and I narrowly escaped with our lives. When we last spoke, we didn't leave that little parley in the desert of our own accord… It was Trigon himself who teleported me to the forbidden planet of Ysmault... or should I say Maltus?...
Whatever the Green Lanterns' are able to achieve with that stolen power… There's no excuse you could ever give me to justify the cruelty you've employed there. So if you think you'll be putting my wife up on a seventh cross, you're severely mistaken. Those actions have already had tragic consequences you're not even aware of.
None of you even realized that the fifth Goddess secured under the Paix Arcana was his first-born daughter, did you?! You have Trigon's daughter Abraxas nailed to a crucifix. The Guardians may as well have hand-delivered the God of Revenge a license to destroy every single planet under their protection! Trigon's been using her hatred to take his revenge upon all of you."
Bruce carefully studied the Maltusian to gauge his reaction. Beside him, he knew Raven was using her empathic powers to do the same thing. The little alien seemed to display no emotion whatsoever, but Bruce had certainly ruffled the feathers of the Lanterns in attendance (one of them literally). Ganthet attempted a comeback.
"President Wayne… The Great Beast has filled your head with conjecture and lies. You wouldn't be the first to fall to under his evil influence and mental powers. He has obviously shown you illusions of what he wanted you to believe. We are well aware of our adversary. Trigon had no daughter until your wife was born."
"That's true, Ganthet… Trigon didn't sire any surviving children until Raven. But he wasn't born as Trigon. The Crimson Scourge was first born as the crown prince of Apokolips, the New God who was called Drax.
In his previous existence, Drax was the brother that Darkseid betrayed and murdered after impregnating his wife - the same Drax who later became the God of Revenge called Trigon. Who found Maltus to learn that the Guardians have the daughters of both Darkseid and Trigon nailed to their crosses… Trigon's own niece and daughter who've been imprisoned there since they were infants. He's been taking revenge against the Green Lantern Corps ever since."
Pop.
"President Wayne… if the demon called Trigon were still alive, we would have sensed it. There have been no readings confirming his presence since Earth's own Green Lantern was able to overcome him. Perhaps it is the stress of your ordeal that has caused you to construct these wild fantasies…"
"Then have you tried scanning your old stomping grounds of Maltus? Because that's where we left him only minutes ago... But if you don't believe me, just wait a few minutes. I'm quite sure Trigon will be returning to Earth… He has unfinished business with all of us."
"If he does, rest assured… it shall be the Corps who will finish that business for Earth, President Wayne."
Bruce drew a deep breath. How many lives had to be lost before the Guardians finally accepted the heart-rending truth?
"The Corps can't stop him, Ganthet. Your rings are useless against Trigon. How many lives will you allow to be lost before you realize that? That power is drawn from his own daughter and niece… who won't allow you to harm him. Because he's been working for them. That's why the Corps have lost one thousand times in the past against Trigon. Even Barbara's 'victory' was nothing more than a ruse created by Trigon to lure Raven to Maltus… To reveal his plans to destroy the rest of the Universe not under Lantern protection…"
"Three-and-a-half-billion years ago, while the very first cells of life were still forming in the primordial ooze on this little world, I was designing flying machines capable of space travel upon Maltus, President Wayne. The Guardians are the oldest sentient life-forms in the Universe, predating even the Gods themselves. We are well aware of what we can, and cannot, do. We will stop Trigon… if he even still exists."
"Have you ever heard of a black Power Ring, Ganthet?"
"A Power Ring may be colored however its bearer chooses… We prefer green of course, but the end result is the same. It is a Power Ring."
"No, this ring is unique… It was constructed by someone called Nekron, the Lord of the Unliving. According to Trigon, it can raise the dead. And Trigon has it..."
"More of his lies and tricks, President Wayne… Pardon me, I am getting a communication from my fellow Guardians on Oa…"
The humans in the room watched as the blue-skinned Ganthet concentrated, receiving a telepathic communication from across the Universe that only he could 'hear'. It was obvious that even the Green Lanterns present had not considered Bruce's revelations as 'lies' or 'tricks'. They seemed genuinely concerned by these developments.
As Bruce observed the group, he couldn't even imagine what he himself would be like after four billion (or more) years of living… but he was positive that he would be just as pig-headed as Ganthet was. Did ethics, emotions and morality simply fade away after a billion years of life and experiences? Had the Guardians become hopelessly jaded beyond the moral scope of mortality?...
Of course! Metron had recognized this, and the Guardians must have accepted this lack of emotion within themselves as well… That was the true reason they had selected sentient life-forms as emerald champions and discontinued the robotic Manhunters… because these mortal Green Lanterns actually cared about their worlds and the lives they protected.
Bruce had no doubt that the Guardians had noble objectives, but he wondered to what extent their lack of compassion and sympathy had effected their ability to interact with other races and make ethical choices concerning protection. The Maltusians had long ago become creatures of pure logic and order, abandoning the heart for the mind…
Ganthet broke his silent communication.
"I am sorry, President and First Lady Wayne. I must apologize to you as well, General Johnson. We will continue this conversation at a later date… Recent developments require the immediate attention of these attending Green Lanterns elsewhere. The Green Lantern Barbara Gordon may remain on Earth until her training begins on distant Oa…
…And President Wayne. We are firm believers that the ends do justify the means. It is one of the fundamental tenets of evolution. Our eyes are always on the future."
"Your means are not achieving the required ends, Ganthet. If you do not adapt, we will all become extinct very, very soon. That is another tenet of evolution."
"Oa must make decisions we deem necessary - for the preservation of life. But we will respect the authority upon this world… as is our code. Farewell."
Bruce and Raven watched as the Guardian and Lanterns disappeared in a flash of green light. He wished Ganthet would have been more specific about the emergency that had called them away. Had Trigon resurfaced? Or had another threat appeared. Bruce turned to his wife…
"Raven…Did you get a read on Ganthet?"
"The old one is almost without emotion. He respects you though. Your words did have an effect on the other Lanterns though. Two of them have at least heard of Nekron. None of them were aware of the existence of a black Power Ring - or the fact that Trigon is still alive, but they did not seem completely surprised by that revelation, either. The Lanterns have a long history of failure and tragedy against my merciless father. They were very concerned to be called away."
Bruce felt the firm hand of General Johnson on his shoulder…
"Mr. President… First, let me say it's good to have you back. But what the Hell is going on?! These Green Lantern guys just suddenly appeared here and demanded to talk to who's in charge and then make us look like rank amateurs when we try and prevent them from doing just that. And now you're telling me Big Red is still alive?!…"
"I'm sorry to break this to you Tyrexius, but he is. After we chatted with Trigon in the desert, the Green Lantern Corps thought they had defeated him, but it was all just a ploy. Thanks to Trigon, Raven and I have just been on Ganthet's old home world, an abandoned planet called Maltus. The Guardians have six Gods imprisoned there they use as the fuel to power their rings.
Trigon was trying to strong-arm Raven into joining him so that they could raise an intergalactic army of the dead, but she abjectly refused. As part of those strong-arm tactics, Big Red poked out my eye. To be fair though, I did blast out his eye with the Tachyon Cannon in order to save Big Blue. Anyways, Trigon was not pleased with Raven's refusal so my wife transported us back to Earth in the nick of time. My butler patched up my eye and here we are…"
Bruce had left out a few of the sordid details of course…
"So these Green Lantern guys… are they allies?"
"They are, but the blue-skinned guys who lead them are jerks. They're like a Senate with no Congress, President or elections - where all the Senators live forever."
"I actually know a few Senators like that… So will Trigon re-appear in Kahndaq?"
"That would be my guess. Will the soul barrier stop Trigon's re-entry, Raven?"
"It is still weakened, Bruce. It will re-establish in time, but it will not stop him now… perhaps delay his re-entry by moments."
"Damn… Well then General, Trigon will reappear in Shiruta."
"… But you said Trigon had unfinished business with you. Wouldn't that mean he'll appear wherever you are?"
"Exactly… And I'll be in Shiruta."
"Goddamit Wayne!" Johnson pounded the nearest desk. "That's not how we do this! I am not using the President as bait for that… thing!
... Look, the last time he took the choice out of our hands and we gave in to his demands by sending you there. This time we can take him by surprise. I can have our armed forces ready to blow that red monster into dust as soon as he appears. It's my job is to protect this country and you – and it's a hell of a lot easier to do it in my own backyard than in some country half-a-world away."
Bruce knew his most senior General wouldn't take his decision well, but as a leader, he couldn't jeopardize more lives when there was a readily available option not to. If there was going to be a war, he didn't want it on inhabited soil.
"General… I understand your concerns. But this isn't an enemy we can defeat by conventional means. To be honest, I'm not even sure how we are going to stop him yet, but I'm hoping my wife will help me with that.
If Trigon were to re-emerge in Washington, all Hell would break loose and there would be a far too many casualties. That's not a concern in Kahndaq. And if we do fail to stop him, I expect the world will use all conventional means possible to protect themselves. I'd rather have those weapons pointed at a dead country than America.
And if my guess is correct, Big Red will try to use the black Ring of Power for himself to raise the dead. He sounded like he's ready to enter the army-building stage of his master plan. Could you imagine what a zombie apocalypse would do here?... No, it will be much easier to contain in Kahndaq. Besides, Clark is still alive there, and I would like this…"
Bruce pointed to the band-aid covering his empty eye socket.
"… to mean something. I just pray to God our man of steel is back on his feet by the time Trigon gets here…"