The Eve of Battle

It was surreal to find a place on Oa that had Earth-based and designed furniture and architecture. Superman would have assumed every inch of it would have been Oan.

This was John's apartment here. A place for him to rest after a grueling mission or case, to stay after long hours of travel, and to catch up with other members of the Corps. So of course he would decorate it in a way that felt like home.

According to Hawkgirl, this whole city was one enormous construct, maintained by the Guardians themselves. Members of the Corps could alter portions of it to their own liking, but only so much. Apparently, Oans held the strongest wills in the universe, who knew?

It was here that Superman brought them, though John had to be the one to lead them here, and it would be in these quarters that he would explain what Ganthet had told him.

The restoration of Kandor, the releasing of who knows how many thousands or tens of thousands or hundreds of—nay, maybe even millions of prisoners captured by Brainiac. It was…very overwhelming to picture such a thing, especially after he had spent so long as the one and only living Kryptonian.

Of the only living Kryptonian not held in captivity.

Diana was the first to express her well wishes. "This is incredible. You must be very eager to reunite with your people," the Amazon praised.

John nodded his head. "I can't imagine how you're feeling about this. It's about time we start undoing what that monster did."

"His crimes are too innumerable to count," Diana agreed. "That his victims can have a second chance to thrive and live… I can't describe or even hope to understand what it must be like for them."

Shayera leaned against a wall, arms crossed, and gaze aimed at the floor. At least, Superman assumed it was the floor. The Thanagarian looked to be in thought, but what she was thinking about, he could not tell. Was it good? Was it bad? If he looked closely enough, he could see how her brow wrinkled ever so slightly.

But he could not occupy himself with that. There was still more to tell the others. "They have a planet chosen and everything, but they aren't able to go through with it due to the Yellow Lanterns and their attacks. If they try to move Kandor off of Oa and the Yellow Lanterns attack—"

"Then Kandor could be destroyed permanently this time," John summed up, eyes narrowing in determination.

"Then we need to end this siege," Diana concluded.

That was the crux of it. So far, the Yellow Lanterns hadn't shown any regard for life. Trying to slip Kandor off of Oa was too great a risk, and even if they did, that would cut into the manpower that Oa needed to resist the siege. An army fighting on the defense would never win, and everyone knew it.

John had confirmed a lot of what Ganthet had told him, and this only steeled his resolve. To save the last remnants of a world he had never known, he—they—would have to stop Sinestro and his Corps. This would mean a fight.

An offensive.

"Fighting an entire Lantern Corps is not going to be easy," Shayera pointed out, finally speaking up. "The big reason we were able to push them back this time was because we had both the element of surprise and the Yellow Lanterns had no idea what to make of us. They're most likely sharing stories and building a strategy of their own. The next time we fight them, it will be harder."

Diana nodded. "We'll need different tactics, then. Anything to keep them off balance. If they struggle to contain us, that gives us the advantage."

"We'll have the rest of the Green Lanterns backing us up. You can't ask for a better army," John pointed out. That was high praise coming from a U.S. Marine.

"If they were able to fully repel the Yellow Lanterns, there wouldn't be a siege. They have something over you guys, don't they?" Shayera argued. Her eyes were sharp, an unfamiliar sight to the Kryptonian who was used to the helm she wore. Somehow, she appeared more fierce without it on.

John hesitated. Superman noticed, realized that Shayera was on to something. They couldn't afford secrets, not when so much was at stake.

"What is it, John?" he asked. "We need to know."

Eyes colored green by will looked to him, read him. Hands clenched then relaxed. "The Green Lanterns have a…weakness. It…sounds stupid, but bear with me. The power of the ring can interact with everything except…except the color yellow."

There was a moment of silence. Disbelief.

"You're kidding," Shayera stated.

John shook his head. Then he gave a pointed glance to Diana. "Have you ever seen any of my construct touch you, Diana?"

The question was directed towards her, so the Amazon frowned in thought. Her answer came in the form of a shake of her head.

Next, "Or you? Before your wardrobe update, you wore a good amount of yellow."

Shayera frowned, but you could see that she was piecing together a puzzle that had been put right in front of her.

John gave another sigh. "You have no idea how hard it was making sure Flash could race us to the sun to stop Brainiac's missile. He wears yellow boots; it took so much to make sure he didn't sink through the track I was making for him. With enough will, we can break through or manipulate anything yellow, but it takes so much."

"Enough you run out of energy yourself," Shayera realized.

"The Guardians explained that there is a color spectrum. Specifically a spectrum of emotions. Green is will. Everyone here knows this. Yellow is the color of fear. Nothing erodes will like fear does," John explained. "You can guess a couple of the others. Red is anger, violet is love. These emotions let us interface with the rings. If my will wasn't so strong, I'd be able to do nothing with my ring."

"So you face a force that is able to utilize a significant weakness against you. It's a miracle that you've been able to hold out for as long as you have," Diana said.

Another shake of the head from John. "Not entirely. Fear may weaken will, but nothing shatters fear like a strong will."

"But it takes a lot of will to do that, which means it will tire you out before they get tired," Shayera pointed out. Then, "We're the trump card that Oa needs right now. The three of us. None of us have the weakness to yellow. We could do something, but with enough numbers, the Yellow Lanterns could push us back."

"All the more important that we speak to the Guardians and figure out a battle plan," John finished the discussion. "If Kandor and the other cities Brainiac took have any hope of being freed, we have to stop Sinestro now."

"We're doing this," Superman stated, and he waited until he received agreement from the others. Straightening his shoulders and standing taller, "Then let's end this."

"Our scouts have been able to outline the front lines of the Sinestro Corps," Ganthet instructed.

They stood in the middle of a circular chamber, the representing numbers of the Justice League and the Green Lantern Corps. Ganthet, along with Sayd, stood next to a terminal, one that emitted a holographic map.

The sphere was clearly Oa. Like any planet, it orbited around its sun. Unlike any galactic map of Earth, there was a noticeable lack of a moon. Oa didn't have one.

That was why the orbiting asteroid was off-putting. It shouldn't be there, and there were three guesses as to how it got there.

"Sinestro is using this asteroid here as a base of operations,' Ganthet continued, the hologram zeroing in on the object, the representation of Oa moving out of sight. Various yellow dots formed lines on either side of the asteroid and many grouped up on the far side of it. "There is a clear sight of the planet from this position, and the siege lines are here and here." The view of the asteroid zoomed out and Oa returned into picture. "There are Sinestro Corps lines here and here." Two smaller forces twinkled for the assembled group, their positions on different sides of Oa.

It meant that Sinestro had three different points of view of Oa. He would know if anyone tried to leave the planet. He would also have a means to know who was arriving.

It seemed like a discrepancy, but Ganthet spoke about it soon enough. "During the last incursion, the bulk of his forces converged here." A yellow circle dotted Oa and radiated yellow rings that blinked out at the edges. "With less eyes and ears up here, it allowed for some blind spots. Sinestro is increasing his numbers with each and every subsequent attack. It is only a matter of time until he sends the entirety of his forces."

"Which is why we need to go on the offensive," Sayd picked up. "A war fought always on the defense is a losing war. For the best results, we will need to strike here." The asteroid once more took up the focus of the hologram. "Our intelligences says that this is where Sinestro is. An attack here is risky; this location is where the bulk of his forces are located. However, with enough force, we should be able to draw Yellow Lanterns from here and here," the other two enemy lines came into picture again, "to join with the fighting."

"Would that not be boxing us in?" Salaak spoke up. "If we attack the main force head on, that leaves our flanks open for attack, especially if they try to cut us off from Oa."

"We'll have a secondary force that will hold back until they begin trying to box us," Says answered. "Our front line will need to hold on while the rear and secondary force pincer the Sinestro Corps reinforcements. The goal is to draw in as many as possible away from their posts."

As he was listening to this, John found this line of reasoning curious. In any war situation, there were tactics. The battle hardened would tell you that most strategies fell apart once the fighting began. Nevertheless, having some idea of what they were supposed to be doing was reassuring. After the fighting began, then everything was on a second-to-second basis. As long as you returned home, that was what was important and not how you did it.

Still, it felt like Ganthet and Sayd were keeping something to themselves.

This was more evident when Ganthet looked to the three individuals here who did not blend in with the rest of the Corps. "Our allies from Earth, we would like it if you would be at the front, lead the charge. Your presence will draw the attention of a number of Yellow Lanterns. At this point, they know you are here so trying to use the element of surprise would not be effective.

"Make nuisances of yourselves. Draw as much attention as possible. If they are paying attention to you, this will allow Green Lanterns to take advantage of their distraction. They have a natural advantage against us, so however we can even the odds, every little bit helps. In essence, we are buying time and however much you can get, do not hesitate."

Superman nodded his head in agreement. "Whatever you need."

"So you want us to draw in and distract as many of these Lanterns as possible. What's the endgame here?" Hawkgirl spoke, her tone sharp.

Neither of the Guardians showed any offense. Then again, the Guardians were masters at maintaining composure and stoicism.

"There is a member of the Corps who is powerful enough that it can change the tide of a battle in an instant," Ganthet said, and John automatically knew who it was that was being referred to.

"Unfortunately, due to this power, movement can be an issue," Sayd mentioned. "They are on their way, but that is why we need as much time as you can afford. Your arrival in the previous battle was fortuitous as in we have been afforded more time, limited as it is."

"It will also give Sinestro pause," Ganthet added. "This battle we propose, it is a risky gamble. We fear there will be many Lanterns who fall. The Sinestro Corps will not hold back, even on the defensive. Their advantages are many, but we have ours as well. The timing of everything will be close. Give us what you can, our allies from Earth, but know you do not need to remain. This is our fight, and one we hope to finish."

Either Ganthet didn't know who he was speaking to, or he did and was being very manipulative about it. John always found himself questioning the Guardians nowadays, keeping hope that they had the best in mind even if their methods were questionable.

Regardless, Superman and Wonder Woman would eat it up, and by the looks on their faces, they were. Even if they suspected manipulation, they agreed with stopping Sinestro. So long as the Yellow Lanterns' commander was in charge, being able to restore Kandor would be a no-go.

When it came down to it, John was a soldier, one with Marine training. He was used to following orders, even if he disagreed with them. His participation in this fight was already guaranteed. He didn't need the added incentive of helping a friend reunite with his previously believed dead race, now very much real and so close to returning. Stopping a would-be tyrant was an added bonus.

He could tell Superman and Wonder Woman were ready, but he could see how quiet Shayera—ahem, Hawkgirl was. She was vocal about the Guardian's strategy, but when it came to the topic of Kandor, he had noticed her silence. Why? Did she have doubts about it?

Before he could continue with his thoughts, Ganthet was speaking once more. "Everyone, you know the risks. Do what you must without violating your oaths. Though our night is at its darkest, let no evil escape your sights. This will not be an easy battle, but do not let fear stay your hand.

"There is still time left. Use it to prepare. We will alert you to when we begin. That is all, you're dismissed."

Various Lanterns began heading out. They were going to spend their time wisely, psyching themselves or getting one last ribbing from some friends. There was no doubt some were not going to be surviving this battle, but it was something they had all come to terms with as Green Lanterns. It was a risky job, and you never knew when death would strike.

It was no different from being in the League. With the number of bad guys on Earth, time was a luxury as well. It took the right moment at the right time, and it would be over. This was something John had come to terms with a long time ago. He was not afraid to give up his life for the cause.

Hawkgirl understood this. So did Wonder Woman to an extent. Out of all of them, Superman was the one who struggled the most, the Man of Steel wanting and trying to save everyone. He couldn't do that, and still he mourned those he failed. To still be able to do that, John found himself admiring the Kryptonian.

He noted that Hawkgirl was slipping away. This felt as good enough a time to have a chat with her. Hopefully it would not be their last.

"Can we talk?"

Shayera looked over her shoulder. John was approaching her, passing through an elongated archway. The redhead just turned back to look out at the Oa from the balcony she stood on.

It hadn't been long since Superman had come to them about restoring Kandor, a Kryptonian city shrunk and stuck in a bottle by Brainiac. That should have been fantastic news since if the Guardians had figured out a way to undo whatever it was that Brainiac had done to them, they could do it for the other worlds trapped in his collection.

And yet, she had reservations.

There was a voice in the back of her head that was warning her that maybe this wasn't a good idea. The Universe had gotten along well with only one Kryptonian alive and roaming its infinite expanses; what would happen if an entire city's worth were suddenly dropped into its lap?

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked, content to hearing John's footsteps as he came to stand next to her.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were oddly silent when Superman made his announcement. You didn't even congratulate him. That told me you had something on your mind," he said.

"Well, I do," she admitted.

"Want to share with the rest of us?"

The Thanagarian weighed the pros and cons in her head about telling her boyfriend. Ugh, did I really think that word? If there was anyone she could relay her concerns to, it would be him. John usually was levelheaded to know when something was worth being concerned about and what wasn't worth the effort.

"What do you know about Krypton?" she finally started. She might as well feel out what John knew about Krypton, which would only help explain her reservations.

"Only what Superman has told us. The Guardians don't really speak of the planet much," John told her. "Brainiac blew it up when he made it part of his collection. It was a planet of highly advanced technology and an enlightened society."

Shayera snorted. "That's the propaganda talking."

The dark-skinned man raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"I wasn't alive when Krypton was around, but they were a space-faring race. Give me one example of such a people that didn't go around conquering their neighbors. I'll wait."

John stared at her before nodding. "So they weren't the peace-loving people we were told about."

"They had their own empire at one point; they just stopped expanding was all. They weren't like the Citadel or even Despero, trying to conquer anyone and everyone they found. They reached a point where they felt there was little point in continued expansion and stopped. With the worlds they conquered, they established outposts and colonies. They were usually technologically superior to any other race, so it wasn't like they faced a lot of resistance."

"I guess Superman would be disappointed to hear that," the Green Lantern mused. "He never really did explain how he learned about his home world. Probably was full of that propaganda you mentioned."

"You know what else isn't mentioned?" Shayera asked rhetorically. "There isn't any account of any Kryptonian coming into contact with a yellow sun."

"Wait, what?" Now John was giving her an incredulous look. "You're joking, right?"

The redhead shook her head. "Superman is literally the first Kryptonian I've ever heard of to have his powers. Somehow, someway, Krypton's population never came into contact with a yellow sun, even with the technology to do so. They primarily stayed in places with red suns."

"Perhaps they suspected there would be some reaction," he suggested. "They just didn't know what."

"Maybe. They could have been hypervigilant in their space exploration; who knows?" Shayera shrugged her shoulders. "And now we're about to reintroduce an entire city's worth of people onto some random planet that can at minimum sustain life. In an instant, we're about to have thousands, if not a million Supermen flying around."

"Now you're just sounding like Bruce," John observed. "This sounds like something he'd be worried about."

It did, didn't it? That didn't mean the guy was wrong. Shayera distracted herself with thoughts of Bruce arguing with Superman and the Guardians against the return of Kandor. A true unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.

"Do you think he'd be wrong to worry about that?" she suddenly inquired.

"Maybe. Thing is, look at Superman. If any Kryptonian is like him, we're talking about having more Supermen that can help. That's not a bad thing."

"You're also assuming all Kryptonians have the same moral compass as Superman," the winged woman was quick to point out. "Name me one civilization that was completely, entirely good or bad? The odds of such places are astronomical. Brainiac didn't just pick Kandor because it was comprised of entirely good people; there were some rotten ones in there as well. Now imagine some dirtbag or gangbanger with the powers of Superman. Now imagine ten or twenty of them; a hundred of them; an entire city's worth."

"I get your point," John interjected then. "I hadn't really thought about that, but you're right. We can't just have Kandor restored on some moon in a solar system with a yellow sun. We need to put them where there's a red sun."

"At minimum." Shayera sighed. "Sorry to be the wet blanket here, but I can't help it."

"It's a legitimate concern," John assured her. "It makes me wonder if the Guardians have even considered such a possibility."

She snorted. "I hope so. Worst case scenario, there's someone with a strong enough voice that could convince Kandor to go on a rampage and try to conquer the entire universe."

That caused her man to wince. There, that sounds better than boyfriend. "You can stop," he told her. "I get where you're coming from."

"Then what do we do about it?"

"Express our concerns to the right people and hope they listen."

Shayera grimaced. Now that was something she wouldn't hold her breath on. Leadership had a tendency to ignore the grunts in the trenches because they viewed the macro versus the micro. Never mind they couldn't see the buzzsaws from their lofty perch unlike the ones at ground level.

She really hoped she was just fretting about something that wouldn't come to pass, but after being around for as long as she had, it was becoming more prudent to expect the worst case scenario to happen.

Was this how Bruce viewed things? If so, it was a sorry state of affairs that he was usually right more often than not.

Superman had had his fair share of alien skies. Night time tended to bring out the most wonder. During the day, a planet's sun would block the light of the stars and any other celestial bodies, and while that planet's atmosphere would have its own shade of color—there had been a light purple and a green sky instead of the normal blue—there wasn't much to say about it.

When it was night, you could see the stars, make out any constellation you wanted, sometimes marvel at the number moons there were because while Earth had one, the Kryptonian had been on a planet or two with multiple moons. It was a surreal experience, not unlike that one iconic scene from Star Wars with the two suns. When he was young and learning to manage his powers but before the confirmation of his alien heritage, he would lie on his back on the ground, and wonder about other worlds and planets and whether he belonged to one of them.

Childhood ignorance could not hide the fact he was different. That he could pick up Pa's tractor as if it weighed nothing, could run and keep up with Pa's truck without breaking a sweat or feeling tired, hearing voices from across Smallville and at times Kansas, seeing through walls and…clothing, those weren't normal. It made him different. It also made getting along with his classmates harder than it needed to be.

He could still remember after one day in class in which he freaked out a boy who sat next to him, Ma had had a talk with him. He had needed to keep his growing powers in check, to not scare anyone, and if there came a day when he could show them, it would need to be with someone he trusted. It would take until high school for that to happen. What was Lana up to these days?

The question of why he had these powers would be answered one day. Then he would lay on the ground, look into the night sky, and wonder which star was Rao, which was the one that Krypton had orbited around? Alien skies gave a new perspective, a new view of the universe, if not the galaxy. Which star was Earth's sun? Which was Rao? Were either in a constellation?

These were the questions in his head as he looked up at the Oan night sky, though there was a new question. Which of these stars had a planet orbiting it that would be the new home for Kandor? The only other remnant of Krypton, and it was so close to returning. So close.

A fight. One single fight, that was all that was in the way. From what John had told him, Sinestro was not a good man. Maybe once he had been, but the man had changed, twisted, desired any and all power he could get. He understood why Brainiac was his target. Brainiac had orphaned a great number of people, at least when he didn't track them down and fix what he might consider to be an oversight.

Sinestro needed to be stopped, plain and simple. It was time now that needed to pass before this confrontation. Somewhere, up there, hidden amongst those stars, the Yellow Lanterns were maintaining their siege, operating from an asteroid. Where were they, exactly? How much resistance would they put up? Was there even a hope to reason with any of them?

Beside him, Diana stood in solidarity. She was keeping quiet, looking to the stars herself. What was she thinking about, he wondered. Different thoughts? What would a woman born on Themyscira and touched by gods he had once believed to be myth see up there in the stars? What would she think about them? What questions would she ask?

As if sensing his own thoughts, Diana asked one that must have been on her mind. "How are you doing?"

She was thinking about him? An alien skyline and it was him who was on the forethought of his mind?

"The usual," he answered, keeping his eyes on those twinkling stars. The ones that didn't twinkle, that stayed constant, those were planets.

"It must be overwhelming," Diana remarked. "I did not lose my world, not like you did, and I was surrounded by those who cared about me. You are about to be reunited with a people you only have recordings of. They're about to be real again. Overwhelming may be an understatement."

Superman gave a sigh. "You have no idea."

Diana pried her eyes away from the stars to look to him. "What are you feeling?"

He couldn't even say his body tensed at the question. There was…so…much. "I really don't know," he admitted. "You have dreams. Daydreams. You wonder. You don't actually think it'll come true. It's…it's a lot like finding out that Santa Claus is real."

"Santa Claus," Diana agreed neutrally.

"Maybe it's more like…like finding out Atlantis is real. It's always out of reach, no matter how hard you try, and you want to believe and believe in it. You pass it off as another story. Another daydream. Then one day, Atlantis shows up in Gotham Harbor and demands extradition rights." He shook his head at what sounded absurd, but had been very real and very stressful.

This explanation Diana understood, and it reflected in her eyes. Even with her background in mythology, she too had written Atlantis off as a myth, a bedtime story that the Queen of the Amazons had told her.

Just when you thought you knew everything about your world, it still found a way to surprise you.

"I've spent my whole life believing I was the last of my kind. The last son of Krypton," he continued. "To see Kandor in Brainiac's ship, to learn why he did it, I wanted to kill him for everything he stole from me. Having to give it to the Guardians was…not easy either."

"And now?" Diana prompted. Sometimes she didn't need a lasso to bring forth the truth.

"I don't know what to feel," he said, his voice breaking with a chuckle. "They're doing it. They're bringing back a piece of my past that…that I don't really know anything about. I can use the computer left to me by my father…my Kryptonian father, and it can tell me everything I want to know, but it can't tell me what went through the mind of your average Kryptonian. What were their hopes? Their fears? What did they aspire to? Was it to bring something new into the world? Was it to go home after a long day's work and…hope Ma didn't make meatloaf again—"

It was quick, but he pressed a hand to his mouth, as if to cover it or stop the words altogether from coming out. Diana noticed, but she kept her alarm in check.

"What is it?" she asked.

It was the one aspect of his origin that always came up and with it a shade of guilt. He was robbed of a life on Krypton, yes, and Brainiac had made sure of it, but because of that horrible action, he had fallen into the lives of the Kents. As much as he had looked to the stars for answers, daydreamed about a life stolen from him, none of it was worth giving up the life he had had with Ma and Pa.

They had been the ones there when his powers began manifesting in earnest. When he had been so scared, it was them who comforted him. Who guided him though life on Earth, teaching him the lessons and the values that he would turn to as hard as he could. Who loved him like he was their own, and he could never stop loving them.

Why was it anytime he sought out answers about Krypton that he felt like he was betraying them?

Lowering his hand slightly, he voiced softly, much like a child would, "What do I tell Ma and Pa?"

Diana gave a small smile and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "You tell them the truth. They will still love you, no matter what."

They had proven that time and time again. Nevertheless, the doubts always remained. They were the only two people in the world that could make him feel so small, yet every time they made him bigger again.

Nothing but support, even if Ma still worried about him. She still worried if he was eating enough. Pa was still that fountain of wisdom. Whenever he needed his head clear, his parents were always the ones to help him.

It started high pitched, in the range where most humans wouldn't have been able to pick it up. Its frequency changed, and with it came a deeper alarm. Diana looked away from him and out to the city, eyes hardening. Soon enough, the call to arms sounded throughout the Oan city. Everyone was hearing it.

It was time.

"When we get back to Earth, I'm going to have another story for them," Superman remarked casually.

"Maybe one day, I'll be able to do the same with my mother," Wonder Woman agreed.