Something had occurred in an Earthling desert city. Hro Talak knew some sort of monster had appeared and he had promptly ordered it to be contained to that city. As long as it did not interfere with the primary objective, it could destroy the city for all he cared. People would die, but they were already assured that. What did it matter that some went sooner?

But then he received reports that individuals had fought that monster and after some time defeated it. Per the reports, there was at least one Tamaranean involved. Green animals had also been spotted, along with multiple energy blasts.

There had also been sightings of fire and ice, lightning and green and violet constructs. The constructs had alarmed Hro that two Lanterns, a Green Lantern and a Star Sapphire, had been present. Yet, no Lanterns had been spotted.

Hro was not pleased. It would seem the Green Lantern Corp would have to be neutralized as well.

The doors to the bridge opened. "Commander," Lieutenant Kragger greeted him, coming to stand somewhere behind the winged man. "I have news detailing the Black Hole Generator."

"If it is anything other than total completion, I do not want to hear it," Hro said. An update on how close they were to finishing the project was worthless to him at this point. All he needed to know was if he could order the activation or not.

"Sir, the main generator is complete," Kragger informed him, which satisfied Hro. "However…"

"What?" he snapped, turning around to face the lieutenant. Kragger didn't look the least bit perturbed by his reaction.

"The power source we obtained from those spies has been…removed," Kragger informed him. "There was some damage to one of the outer sites, though it is nothing that will stop the main generator, I assure you. I have our engineers confirming this."

"What do you mean it was removed?" Hro questioned. As far as he knew, a power source could not leave once it was secured.

Kragger reached a hand up to the hawk symbol on his chest. He removed it and held it out towards the Commander, revealing the back side to be a holographic projector. A green light emitted from it, revealing a man similar to the power source forcing open the Nth metal restraints. Though it was clear the power source was of two different colors, this man seemed to be of one. The green light didn't offer what color to be exact.

"Upon further investigation, I believe it was one of the members of Earth's Justice League," Kragger continued, "that is responsible. According to…Lieutenant Hol's notes, it is the one called Captain Atom."

So the Justice League would defy them. That was not unexpected, but that this one member was free… "Why is that man not in our custody?" he asked.

"He was not aboard the Watchtower satellite, thus he was not captured. He was one of five that did not appear to be present."

There were five others? Hro knew the leaders of the Justice League had managed to escape, but he had been unaware—or rather, uninformed—of those not present. "Who are the other four?"

Kragger ended the hologram and placed the device back into the slot on his chest. He then pulled out a small piece of paper, one that had been somewhere on his person. He then read, "The members Martian Manhunter, Batman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary."

That first name caused Hro to narrow his eyes. Of those four, the Martian was the most dangerous. Hro hadn't realized they had overlooked those Justice League members, an oversight he would not allow to continue. "I want them all found and arrested," he ordered. "If they resist, you have permission to use lethal force, understood?"

"Understood," Kragger confirmed.

"As for this Captain Atom and the power source, do we know where they went?"

"To the south, but we believe that was only to ensure we did not know their true destination. Aside from their capture, I do not believe pursuit is necessary."

Hro raised an eyebrow at that. "And what makes you think that?"

"We were able to siphon quite a bit of energy from the power source. In fact, we have more than enough to activate the generator and still have plenty for its defense."

That was good news. He hadn't realized how much power that odd Earthling had, but it was clear he had served his purpose. "Then send a few ships, enough to make it clear we do not allow escape to go unpunished, but the success of the mission is unnecessary. How long before the generator will be able to produce a black hole?"

"Once it is fully operational, a matter of minutes."

"Then turn it on. I want the generator ready for when the Kalanorians arrive."

Suddenly an alert rang out. The multitude of screens changed, each one showing the same image. It was of Earth, along with the Thanagarians positioned around the planet. There was an icon for each of the larger ships, creating a line that curved around the planet. More importantly, there were other icons approaching the line of Thanagarian ships.

Hro felt his stomach drop. "Give me visual confirmation of those approaching objects," he demanded.

One of the screens changed, footage from one of his destroyer ships being displayed. The view was enhanced, allowing for a further look into space. It took two more enhancements before the objects became visible.

The Kalanorian Fleet had finally arrived.

"How long before the generator is fully operational?" he asked.

The answer was not what he wanted to hear. "For full activation, a couple hours, Commander," Kragger answered him.

Which meant they had to hold off the Kalanorians long enough to activate the Black Hole Generator. "Activate it," he demanded. "I want it online as soon as possible. Shield it as well, I do not care if it is used from the excess power, or you connect it to the Raptor's. Our objective is here and we cannot fail.

"All hands, man your battle stations."

Dr. Fate floated in the air, his legs crossed beneath him, his hands held out to either side. His third and fourth fingers curled inward to touch his thumbs, leaving the first and fifth fingers to extend out. A golden aura shined from his body.

He had been this way for some time now. This left Batman and J'onn stuck in the Tower of Fate, but if there was anyone that knew of patience, it was them. The sorcerer was trying to locate Despero through the mystic plane since he had avoided everything in the real world, no doubt courtesy of his telepathic abilities. A being that could rival J'onn's telepathy was no one to underestimate.

Batman glanced to his friend. While J'onn wasn't the most outspoken person, he had just suffered a devastating loss. What would have normally been explained as stoicism could now be described as depression. The vigilante knew what it was like to get lost in that and it hadn't been a pleasant journey for him.

Diana's voice rang in his head. He was the one that could best reach J'onn in this moment. Again, he wasn't certain if that was true or not, but he had to try. Allowing J'onn to speak when he was ready on the Watchtower had worked for him to express his grief. A more interactive approach would be necessary here.

"Are you doing alright?" he asked the Martian, who seemed to jump upon hearing those words. There was actual surprise on J'onn's face, though he could guess why. It wasn't often Batman asked how others were doing, so that could very well be what surprised the Martian. It was also possible that the green man had been so lost in thought, those words startled him out of it, which was perhaps the more concerning of the two.

"I am well," J'onn answered him after a moment. "You do not need to concern yourself with my welfare."

"Fate seems to be preoccupied for the time being, so we're not exactly going anywhere," Batman replied. "I know it's still fresh and it hurts as if it happened moments ago. Wallowing in it isn't exactly healthy."

"I am aware." J'onn sighed. "In fact, I experienced as much when my race was destroyed."

That sounded like a story, so Batman stayed silent, watching his comrade as he reopened old wounds. "I spent years, even centuries alone. Not a moment went by that I was not mourning my family, my world, my life. The desolation fit my melancholy quite well."

"What exactly happened, if I may ask?"

J'onn tilted his head up, gazing towards the ceiling. "An unknown virus began ravaging my home. I was a Manhunter—what you would call a police officer—and assigned the case to determine its origin. I discovered the perpetrator, but unfortunately could not stop the virus. An entire civilization was left barren and with time, Mars' cities returned to dust."

That felt like a general overview, but Batman could only imagine the details. What he could extrapolate was that the perpetrator was responsible for the virus, or at least its spread. Seeing as J'onn was the last Martian, the perp must have died from the virus as well.

"Home stopped being home," Batman found himself muttering.

There was a moment of silence. "Indeed," J'onn agreed. "You know this feeling."

He nodded. "After my parents were murdered, Wayne Manor stopped being home for me. It felt wrong to be in that house, at least to my younger self. What had made it home was my parents. They gave it life and without them, it was just a shell, an empty husk. It wasn't until after I returned from my training that I began to see it as home again."

"I feel Mars was very much like that," J'onn responded. "Even as the barren world your planet knew it to be, I suppose I watched it become that. Now it is gone and I can no longer return. I can no longer pay my respects to my family."

Lost loved ones—he sadly could relate. Even now Batman could see Alfred's empty grave, courtesy of Hush, and all of the feelings that brought up. However, if there was one thing that came from that case…

"You can still pay your respects," Batman said softly. "It wouldn't be the same as visiting a grave, I'm afraid, but something can be done symbolically."

Another silence fell over them. "I would like that," J'onn eventually said.

Suddenly, Dr. Fate stopped glowing. "I have found him," he proclaimed.

The two men turned their attention to the sorcerer, their conversation effectively ended. "We're ready," was all Batman told him.

Fate raised his hands up before holding them out in front of him, fingers spread out. The symbol of the ankh appeared in front of him, standing as tall as a man, if not taller. Its golden light glowed over the three men. "Despero has left Earth," Fate explained. "Through the turmoil that has overtaken Earth, he has used it to his advantage to return to his approaching fleet."

"Which won't be that far away." Seeing as Mars had been destroyed only a day or so ago, the Kalanorian fleet would be closing in any time now. Despero could literally meet them halfway.

"Then we shall go to him," J'onn finished. "I assume this is the portal to Despero?"

"It is," Dr. Fate replied.

J'onn didn't hesitate. He strode into the ankh, disappearing into it. Batman was right behind him, followed by Dr. Fate. The golden light became a blinding white, though it never hurt the dark-clad man's eyes. It just became all-consuming just before a new setting emerged.

The three men were standing in some forgotten corner of what Batman could only assume was the Kalanorian mothership, or rather the ship Despero would be on. It was dank and grimy, clearly a place that had not seen regular maintenance in some time. Before the three was the only visible path out of this place: a dark hole. Clearly it led somewhere, but without intel, there was no telling where.

"It seems we only have one path forward," J'onn remarked.

"Assuming that is a path and not the garbage shoot," Batman replied.

"I will ascertain this." J'onn's eyes glowed as he reached out with his mind.

Naturally, while J'onn went about this, a cold shiver ran down Batman's spine. It was a very unfamiliar feeling, something he didn't like. "Is it cold in here?" he asked Fate.

The sorcerer glanced towards him before his head perked up. "I sense something is reaching out for you." He was quiet for a moment. "It would seem Zatanna Zatara is seeking you out."

Well, considering they were probably out of range for phones to work, it was only natural Zatanna would use magic to look for him. Curious as to how she hadn't spotted him in the Tower of Fate, unless Fate had been hiding them out there. Regardless, now wasn't the time for distractions. "Do something about it. We're not exactly in a place to have her nagging us."

"Of course."

As Dr. Fate began discouraging Zatanna's search, J'onn's eyes dimmed. "I have a map of the ship," he declared. "The way forward is down."

"No one sensed your probing?" the Dark Knight questioned.

"No."

Batman gazed at the hole. Then he looked to Fate. "You finished?"

"I am," the sorcerer responded.

"Then let's go." Stepping off of the edge, Batman plunged into the hole, his cape billowing out behind him. J'onn rose up into the air before he dove headfirst after him, followed by Dr. Fate. Together, the three men vanished into darkness.

The first indication that something was afoot was the sudden movement amongst the Thanagarian ships. Having positioned the Green Lantern Corp in the upper atmosphere, Ganthet noticed the change in tactics from a perimeter-forming dragnet to defensive positioning.

Seeing as most of the ships were facing out into space, Ganthet stared out into the abyss and found it blinking.

Make that several thousand blinks.

It seemed the dreaded day had arrived. The Kalanorian fleet was taking up position, a No Man's Land forming between the two forces.

The Kalanorian fleet was quite large. Ships of all sizes were present, from the smaller fighters, to the larger transport vehicles. Even larger still were the command ships, which were all miniscule in comparison to the mothership itself. The Guardian did not see the planet-destroying cannon, but that didn't mean it was not present. It was simply not at the head of the fleet, perhaps kept somewhere towards the back, or mingled in the middle of the fleet.

"Fill in the gaps," Ganthet ordered, which was all he needed to say as his Green Lanterns launched out from behind him, searching for areas amongst the Thanagarian ships. Sometimes a lone Green Lantern found himself surrounded by Thanagarian ships; other times two, or even three Lanterns managed to cluster up.

And still, there were more Lanterns that Ganthet held back. This was not an effort to keep some in reserve as much as he wanted to try a flanking maneuver, opening a second front against the Kalanorians.

"I know you're there."

That voice—it had come within Ganthet's head. It was a telepathic communication, and if the sudden flinches and jumps from his fellow Green Lanterns were any indication, they heard it as well. It was a message intended for all to hear.

"For all those who stand down, your lives will be spared. The only fatality will be the planet you currently defend. But if you stand against me, you will suffer the same fate."

Me…that could be no one other than Despero. Was he no longer on Earth? When had he escaped the confines of Earth?

"All Lanterns, hold firm," Ganthet called out, using his ring to broadcast his message to all of his people. "You hold the most powerful weapon in the universe in your possession. Prove yourselves worthy of its power."

The response was almost immediate. "In brightest day, in blackest night."

Ganthet recognized the oath. With every passing word, more and more Lanterns joined in until it was a cacophony of voices, simultaneously uttering each familiar word with determination, conviction, and will. "No evil shall escape my sight, let those who worship evil's might."

And Ganthet participated as well, his own voice booming amongst the Green Lanterns. "Beware my power—Green Lantern's light!"

"The Green Lanterns are positioning themselves amongst our forces," Kragger reported.

"I can see that," Hro Talak responded as he stared at the screens. The monitors he gazed at either showed the Thanagarian defensive line, green-glowing Lanterns positioning themselves in perceived weak spots, or the very large, very real Kalanorian force.

Hro could appreciate the Lanterns reinforcing his lines. He was not one to turn down assistance, especially in light of what he was about to face. He had known Despero had marshaled quite a force from Kalanor, one that most had thought impossible considering the desert planet and its limited resources.

Seeing it though, it was almost frightening.

His Thanagarian blood couldn't resist the challenge.

"Commander, incoming message!" one of his men announced.

"I will allow it," he acknowledged.

The man turned on the overhead speakers and he heard the dreadful voice of Despero. "I know you're there. For all those who stand down, your lives will be spared. The only fatality will be the planet you currently defend. But if you stand against me, you will suffer the same fate."

"It would seem Despero is trying to sway the weaker specimens," Kragger mused.

"Yes, he is." Hro turned his attention back to his communication officer, the one to announce the incoming message. "Tell our legion to answer the Kalanorian leader."

It happened without preamble. As the two forces stared at each other over an expanse of space, Thanagarian ships suddenly opened fire. Large plasma cannons fired incredible blasts, the smaller ships unleashing smaller plasma beams. The onslaught of firepower burned through the space between the two forces until they reached the Kalanorian front line.

Ships were struck, the plasma blasts either ripping through hulls, or exploding against them. Smaller ships were consumed entirely, exploding into balls of flame, which were quickly extinguished by the vacuum of space. Bigger ships had gaping holes torn into them, leaving them damaged, but not destroyed. For the larger ships, explosions erupted against their hulls, but aside from scorch marks on their surface, they remained intact.

Then came the Kalanorian counterattack.

Their own plasma blasts were fired an instant later, along with mobile missile launchers firing a barrage of missiles. The Kalanorian firepower raced across the same expanse as the Thanagarians', closing in rapidly.

The Green Lanterns scattered amongst the Thanagarians ships went into action. Beams of green fired out before forming shields in front of them and the Thanagarian ships. The plasma beams and missiles collided with the shield, erupting into a wall of fire that spread out all over the various shields. None had broken through, leaving the counterattack ineffective.

Until small plasma beams came down from above.

On top of the Thanagarian ships, small Kalanorian fighters flew down, firing their weapons. The plasma beams struck the Thanagarian forces from their unprotected tops. Explosions erupted, damaging the bigger ships as the fighters were engulfed completely.

Green Lanterns jerked their heads up, then took evasive maneuvers to avoid the surprise Kalanorian attack. This cleared the various shield constructs that protected the Thanagarians front.

Then came another barrage from the Kalanroians.

It was surprising how often battles in space were fought along traditional lines. Most strategies were conceived on land and sea, meaning opposing forces were limited to what was in front and beside them.

In space, all directions were factors.

Watching as his fleet unleashed a second barrage, one expected to be more successful than the first, Despero waited for the following explosions. Flanking the Thanagarians from above had been a wise move.

Now, how long would he need to wait before sending another flank from below?

Flashes of green light appeared throughout the exploding ships, indicating Green Lanterns were amongst the Thanagarians. That could prove problematic if they regained formation and coordinated a defense that surrounded their side. Perhaps it was necessary to take countermeasures now.

"Release the elites," Despero commanded from his chair.

Thus far, the battle had gone predictably. Both sides were firing their more powerful weapons in an attempt to damage the others' forces. Smaller ships had swarmed in and dogfights were in progress. As a Thanagarian fighter shot down a Kalanorian fighter, it was quickly destroyed as a second Kalanorian fighter swooped in, its twin plasma cannons penetrating the Thanagarians' hull and causing an explosion.

Promptly, a green light poured over the Kalanorian fighter, stopping it in place. Nearby, a Green Lantern held the ship with their will, the green light emanating from their ring. Moments later, the Kalanorian fighter began to crumple inward, its engines sputtering until they stopped. The Lantern promptly stopped their crushing of the ship and took off to find another, leaving the crumpled Kalanorian fighter to float in space. The life support systems should keep the pilot, or pilots, alive unless they suffered errant blasts from either Thanagarian or Kalanorian firepower.

Around one side of the battle, Ganthet kept an eye on a large contingency of Lanterns, ones moving in place to flank the Kalanorians. Their counterattack would be taking place momentarily. In the meantime, the ones at the front were doing their best to shield not only themselves, but the Thanagarian destroyers.

Considering the number of ships involved in this battle, this was going to take some time.

At that moment, one of the Kalanorian destroyers fired a large plasma blast, one that was heading right for the Guardian. Watching it close in on him and the ships that surrounded him with dull expectation, Ganthet waited until he commanded his will to form a shield. The plasma blast hit his green construct moments later, the force of the beam struggling against the blue-skinned man's will. However, there was a reason he was a Guardian; his will was nigh indomitable, so the plasma blast did no harm. His shield withstood the attack until its conclusion.

That's when he first saw it. Amongst the Kalanorian fleet, there were flashes of light, ones different from the plasma weapons already in use. Purple specks appeared, spreading up above and down below the massive fleet. Then they arced forward, heading in the direction of Earth. As time flowed by, they grew larger, but it was quite clear that whatever they were, they were small objects.

"Ganthet!" an alarmed voice shouted over his ring. It only took him a moment to realize it was Katma Tui. "It's the Kalanorian fighters! The ones that defeated us!"

Ganthet narrowed his eyes. Katma had informed him of these mythical fighters, Kalanorians with strange powers. It would be his first time to see them in action.

As these Kalanorians closed in, Ganthet realized they held no protection of their bodies, their purple flame auras were all that were protecting them from the vacuum of space, much like the auras of the power rings. Their current formation as they approached soon began to break down, changing from straight lines into the Kalanorians closing in on each other, mingling until they were nothing more than a random formation of scattered fighters.

Then he saw flame-like blasts fire from these Kalanroians, heading right for a large Thanagarian cruiser. Three nearby Green Lanterns immediately responded as they combined their wills to form a shield construct. The purple flames struck the shield moments later.

Then much to Ganthet's surprise, the shield hardly held up before the flames penetrated, swallowing up the Green Lanterns. The attack continued forward until it struck the Thanagarian cruiser. Within a matter of seconds, the ship began to expand before explosions ripped through its hull at random places. This ended as the entire ship then erupted into a gigantic explosion, smaller ships getting caught up in the detonation and were promptly destroyed as well. Even larger ships suffered damage as they were either pushed to one side, or their hulls were breached.

Then came more of those flame-like attacks. Seeing one coming right for him, Ganthet immediately recreated his shield construct. He felt the moment the purple flames hit the construct, could feel the force behind the attack. Then much to his astonishment, the flames ate their way through the shield, hardly slowing down. Holes were punctured throughout the shield, widening as the flames consumed the construct.

Then the shield shattered and Ganthet found himself throwing his body out of the way. He barely avoided the attack as it rushed by him. Despite its appearance, he did not feel heat from it. He could sense the power, a strange, indescribable power, within it. It was something he had never felt before.

Then an explosion erupted behind him, one of the Thanagarians ships he had been protecting no doubt. The force of the blast slammed into him, knocking him forward as he let out a cry of surprise. Nearby Lanterns were also thrown off, hurled away from their positions.

It had been quite some time since Ganthet had felt physical exhaustion, but he felt that feeling once again, foreign as it may be. Wincing, he glanced around him, finding dying flames that were soon replaced with the wreckage of a Thanagarian ship. The special Kalanorian fighters then flew around him, seemingly heading towards Earth before their flights arced, turning them around to attack the Thanagarians once more.

They were coming in for another pass.