Notice: All characters are owned by DC Comics. This is an original story based off those characters and storylines.
Chapter 7: Dissention
*Oa, Centre of the Universe, Sector 0*
Jessica Cruz flew down to the landing podium, gingerly walking to the platforms where the Guardians held their private discussions as to the running of the Green Lantern Corps.
Although being called from rotation in deep space had been unusual enough… the hundreds of other Lanterns, from across the entire galaxy, made her anxious. Dots and bodies of beings in a hew of green energy landed to the planet surface.
"What was this?"" She pondered in her head, the 25-year-old young woman, from Portland Oregon, brushed a few strands of her hair out of the way.
"A drill… a mobilisation for an incoming war?" She couldn't understand it.
Something about this made her feel uneasy in the pit of her stomach, however.
Before the familiar feeling of crippling fear could rise too high, she stood still, and took a few short breaths to calm herself.
"Your will is always stronger than your fear" Guy Gardner's words echoed, "That ring chose you not because you're a perfect flawless badass without emotion, it did so precisely because you have great fear you overcame."
And he was not exaggerating; two years as a Green Lantern had led her to facing her fears more times than she could've ever dreamed of. Whatever was coming, she knew she could do it.
"Hey kid!"
Instantly, Jessica was gripped into an all-encompassing embrace by what looked to be a wall of pure human muscle in a Lantern suit.
She laughed as she was lifted in the air as if she was a feather.
The handsome man with the green glowing eyes warmly laughed as he let her down.
"Ya know I'm still waiting for that Earth coffee, Lantern Cruz." He spoke playfully with a soft chuckle.
"John, great to see you too." She smiled as she was placed back to her feet.
The famous and respected John Stewart of Earth widely considered the greatest Lantern second only to Hal Jordan, and there were plenty who could make a solid argument the man was an equal or even better.
"It's been too long." She announced happily, "Last I heard, you were taking care of that plague on Ryut."
The veteran trainer of the Lanterns nodded, but he was slightly downcast at the reminder.
"Yeah, nobody ever thought taking care of that crisis would've taken as long as it has, fortunately, we're over the worst of it." He paused, "You were on a peacekeeping mission on Varva, right."
Jessica only blushed. Prideful of one of her very first successful tasks where she didn't require anyone else' aid, and also to be praised by such a highly regarded Lantern such as John Stewart.
Never in a million years would she have ever envisioned herself addressing and commanding an audience as she remained a shut-in within her apartment for years, let alone become a great peacemaker.
On her mission, it had been all the worth it in the end; that that the factions would chose the path of peace over senseless violence, without the need to use force herself made her beam.
However, the increasingly numerous Lanterns brought her attention back to what was occurring in the moment.
"Hey, John … you have any idea what this is all about? I don't think I've seen this many Corpsmen on Oa at the same time before."
The other human only shrugged.
"No idea, all I know is the Guardians have encountered a threat that needs a big task force to deal with it…" he paused, somewhat contemplating his next choice of words, "Look, I probably shouldn't tell you… but I can say for sure it has to do with something that's happening back on Earth."
Immediately, butterflies began to buzz inside her stomach at the news.
Thoughts going to her family, her mom and dad, and little sister, Sara, and friends, had something already happened? Were they aware of it? Everything swirled in her head as their attention went to someone making their way down the stairs of the Guardian's temple.
"Guy!" she cried happily as her old mentor came into view.
"And there's my favourite troublemaker!" added John with an eyebrow and wide grin, "we didn't know you were here?"
She hurried into an embrace, but it was only half-heartedly returned.
Something was off, that was for certain.
Guy looked downcast, as if he had just learned a loved one had died. No usual smartass remarks, no witty commentary, and gone was that shit-eating grin she had come to appreciate like so many who got the know the usually obnoxious man.
He could just barely muster something that resembled a smile, something that didn't go unnoticed by herself, nor John, who's grin turned to a look of puzzlement and unease, "Hey kid, been a while…" his expression changed to something far too serious, he looked towards herself, as well as John, "Look, Jess, John… things aren't right now- whatever – whatever the Guardians tell you, it's not how it is."
She was stumped, but John Stewart sent only a look of confusion, clearly unsure of what to make of the answer, "doesn't sound like we're off to a good start here, Guy." He briefly looked over the man's shoulder, as if searching, "Do you know where Hal is? Last time I checked he was working our sector. Neither me nor anyone else has heard a thing from him for weeks, what's happened?"
Before Guy could answer, the Guardian, Ganthet, came into view; floating down like the formidable higher being that he was.
"Lantern Stewart, the council is waiting." He proclaimed, he turned to her, giving a polite nod of acknowledgement, "Lantern Cruz, wait here with Gardner."
The senior Lantern nodded and made his way up to where the other Guardians were.
Ok, this had officially gone from strange to unsettling.
Guy was off in the corner, hands on hips, eyes overlooking the emerald city.
"Hey…" she said, "What happened? Come on, as a rook, I can say for sure, the Guardians can be assholes, not gonna lie, but has something bad happened."
In the time she had become a Lantern, Jessica had no doubt become far more bolder than she had been before.
Simon quipped she picked it up from Guy himself.
Gardner sighed; white gloved fists clenched.
"Hal's dead." He said simply, "Batman killed him."
A short silence went by, like the aftermath of a gunshot in the night.
"Oh my god…" Jess whispered, almost stumbling back in sheer disbelief.
"Why?" was all she could respond. How and when secondary and third concerns at this point.
Guy proceeded to give the barest summery, sparing a good number of details, Gotham city had been destroyed, and since then, Batman had been installing a new system of control across the planet to prevent something like that ever happening again.
In the heat of the battle that had occurred between various members of the Earth's superheroes, Hal Jordan had died in a fight with Batman.
As if to answer an impending question, Guy spoke up, voice depressed, "Its totally fucked. The Guardians aren't happy. And I think them interfering is only going to make things worse. I told them, they don't understand what Batman is doing. You need to see it to believe it, Jessica. What we've accomplished. It's incredible."
This… was not something she ever envisioned in her wildest nightmares. Batman, the same man who had helped her overcome her fear when she had been entrapped by the Ring of Volthoom… Batman, who contrary to his grime image as an uncompromising and brutal vigilante, had been crucial to being there:
Consumed in a ball of sickly green energy – energy that was slowly taking her life – she no longer knew who she was.
Every day, every night, everything was a struggle, two steps away from a nightmare.
She didn't know how much longer she could handle it. Or what the point of going on was.
"You need me…" the foreign ring whispered, "you need me, how else will you be safe?"
It was a lie that it cared for her, that it saw her as anything less than a vessel to drain until a fresher one was found, but it's all she had.
"The more afraid you are, the more that ring controls you." A voice called out.
Batman, he stood there, undaunted and controlled. A voice like iron.
The fact that she could've eviscerated him, a mere mortal in a suit, didn't phase him.
He was unstoppable in her eyes, and that only fed her fear more.
"Don't be afraid… of you?" she whispered.
Batman didn't hesitate. "Only criminals fear me and you're no criminal, Ms Cruz. You're a victim, one who deserves help."
She was speechless, confused, "I- I-"
"I was a victim too." Batman said, as if answering an unspoken question. Voice softer, almost… vulnerable, like her, "I watched the people that I loved die in front of me. I was afraid, and I wanted to hide from it all."
Tears began streaming down her cheeks for reasons she couldn't understand, fear, sadness… just being with someone who understood what it was like?
He got closer, now within arm's length; "there's darkness out there, Jessica, and it can consume you… as it nearly did to me."
Silence engulfed them for some moments.
"But you can face it." He spoke once more, "You're stronger than you know. You can stand up to it."
"NOOOO!" the ring cried, "NOOO You need the light. You cannot continue without me!"
Batman held out a hand, and behind his cowl, she could see it, clearer than any sky.
He cared.
"Are you tired of being afraid?"
The answer came to her, the one she had been waiting to give for the last four years.
"Yes." She whispered once more.
"NOOOO! YOU WON'T EVER BE SAFE FROM HIM- "
As she fell into his arms, the ring's sway left her, no longer able to feed on her pain, grief and guilt.
Thanks to Batman, she had been freed, in more ways than one.
At that point, dozens of Lanterns had joined them below the grand podium.
Plenty she could recognise: the Xudarian scientist, Tomar-Re, the cranium shaped and feisty Galius Zed, brave and valiant Arisia Rrab, the sometimes scary, but honourable Arkkis Chummuck, Laira, Stel and the chipmunk like… well, Ch'p, as well as thirty others, all were hardened veterans of the Corps, with thousands of battles and skirmishes between them all.
The exact type of small force for bringing in a dangerous and unpredictable foe.
Before either Jessica or Guy could greet the new arrivals, John had returned. The man held no glimpse of the jovial mood he had only minutes ago.
He knows Jessica realised instinctively, and who could blame him? Hal had been his closest friend.
Suddenly it all made sense: Earth was the point of the crisis, and Batman was the target to be brought to Oa for trial.
"Lanterns!" John Stewart's deep voice announced, drawing everyone's attention, the former Marine taking charge, "We have a new mission, and its one that will be of importance to all of us: We go to Earth, to apprehend Batman, for overthrowing governments, and murdering one of our own." He paused, a venomous expression on his otherwise controlled face, "Hal Jordan."
The group of Lanterns was shocked initially, the death of one of their own was always a constant, and it was not the first or last time they would hear such news; it came as a facet of the career in the Corps after all… but all knew that Batman and Hal Jordan had been members of the Justice League of Earth, and allies who had battled to defend their shared world hundreds of times.
And now, Batman had become a killer.
After the shock, the various assortment of Green Lanterns' mood turned to a solid determination to bring justice, for their comrade.
They'd bring in Bruce Wayne of Earth, no matter what.
Stewart continued, giving a brief overview of what had been taking place additionally, as Guy Gardner had done for her (minus any praise for his efforts of course, only scorn)
"John." Called out Guy, coming into full view of everyone, hands up, "Look, man, I know how it sounds… but you need to believe me. Doing this isn't the right course of action-"
"Save it, Guy." John interrupted, emerald eyes now glowing harshly in his direction, "Guardians told me you've been complicit in Batman's actions. I'll hear no judgements from you."
At that, Guy's face got angry, taking a few steps forward, now face to face with John, who didn't back down or shake their eye-contact.
"You weren't there, John. You were somewhere else as usual. You don't know what you're talking about, anymore than the Guardians do. I was there, and Hal was my friend the same as he was to you."
"That why you let him die?" was a blunt response.
All the present Lanterns – including Jessica herself – were all stunned by the exchange. All somewhat unsure of how to proceed with the argument.
An muteness fell over the gathered group.
Guy himself was now positively rageful at the comment.
"Say that again, John, so I can bust your mouth open."
John did not respond to the call. Only glaring, slightly pocking his head to the right, an indication to the other Lanterns.
Throughout all this, Jessica had been awkwardly huddled between the two.
Guy still stood his ground defiantly, "If you think I'm gonna help -"
"You won't, the Guardians don't trust you, and neither do I. You're to hand over your ring and remain here until we bring in Batman."
Gardner shock his head.
"You're gonna let them attack our planet, John…"
"No, we're only going to take in a murderer, and restore the world to its people."
"I can't believe you could be such a puppet…"
"This isn't up for further discussion, Gardner… Don't be stupid about this."
At that, it became clear to Guy just how outnumbered he was, the other Guardians, all with unfriendly expressions had formed a semi-circle around the rogue Lantern to contain him.
The tension in the air was downright toxic, and Jessica felt like a vessel having an outer-body experience as she watched all of this.
Very slowly, the Green Lanterns began to move forward, intent on stripping – temporarily – Guy Gardner of his power.
Something the man would not allow.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" he screamed, sending a large wave of energy that knocked back everyone, John, Jessica and half the Lanterns, on the platform, sending them back, or crashing to the floor, all saved from actual harm of course due to their rings – although John got the first, with a busted lip and a bloody nose.
Making a break for it, Guy sped off in a blast of green energy, flying to the direction of space, eager to escape Oa.
"STOP HIM!" ordered John, "HE CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO WARN BATMAN!"
Guy sped away, and every Lantern that was not out of it from the blast gave chase.
A jokester he may have been, but the wisest knew that to underestimate Guy Gardner's will was a foolish move; he may have been a tier below the likes of Hal and John, but that still made him more powerful than most of the Green Lantern Corps combined.
Throughout this, Jessica remained still as a statue, unable to move, unable to decide what she should do in this moment: join the chase, and potentially have to face her trainer, a man she respected and valued, or obey the order she was given, for an organization she was still relatively new to… and in this moment, one she struggled to convince herself was on the right path in this circumstance.
The Green Lanterns with John at the head went as fast as they could, but Guy was too quick, especially with the head start, if left the planet orbit, he would be lost and free to make his way back to Earth.
As he ventured further however, the Lanterns received aid.
From atop the Guardian's podiums, a large blast of green energy instantly created a shield that blocked Guy's path, it took him four punches until it broke apart, allowing him to continue his escape. However, the Guardian's obstruction allowed the Green Lanterns to catch up, the eight instantly restraining him with will-powered ropes.
Like a captured animal, kicking and reeling, Guy was brought back down the Oan surface.
"Get his ring off him.!" called one of the Lanterns.
"Jessica!" Guy cried, his eyes on her, practically begging, "you have to listen to me, they can't be allowed to do this, Batman is saving lives, making the world a better place-"!"
He was silenced by a punch from Stewart.
"Be quiet, Gardner."
"Lantern Cruz." growled John Stewart, mouth and nose still bloody, his expression plain, but with a suppressed anger, looking at his comrade as if he were another criminal, "take his ring, now."
Guy bit back, "Yeah that's right, John. Turn against the Earth. Turn against your own people. You're a real tough guy when I can't fight back. Release me, and let's see who the better Lantern is!"
John said nothing but only glared down in disgust, fists clenched, clearly considering it…
"Enough!" called Ganthet, who had returned down once more.
A disappointed frown as he looked down at the restrained Guy Gardner.
"Stewart." He continued, "do not allow him to incite you. Cruz, have the ring removed."
Everyone's eyes went to her, and she swore, Ganthet noticed her hesitation.
Reluctantly, Jessica followed the order, using her own ring to remove Guy's, who's suit disappeared, replaced by a Hawaiian shirt and shorts.
"You're making a mistake!" was his final cry as two Lanterns escorted him to the holding cells.
"Alright, we go to Earth." Called Stewart, "We get Batman, we end this crisis, and restore the Earth to its people. Move out…" slowly but deliberately, the pale glowing eyes of Stewart went to her, "Lantern Cruz: wait here on Oa until we return."
What, wait here? Was that a joke?
"But why?" was all she could muster. What had she done?
John's expression of annoyance did not change, "I discussed this with the Guardians. They ordered you back because you were supposed to join us, but now they want you here, and to stay out of this affair: they sense confusion in you with the situation, and your previous experience with Batman may cause your vision to become clouded, and based on your hesitation just now, I believe they're right."
"You can't do this!" she declared defiantly at the elder Corpsman, angry that she was just expected to wait, "That's my home too, with people I care for. I need to go!"
"This is not up for discussion, rookie. That's an order."
With that, and without a moment's hesitation any further, John Stewart and the forty other Lanterns all ascended to the sky, disappearing, their target and destination known: Bruce Wayne would face Lantern justice.