#3: The Legion Virus Saga, Pt. 3 (Kruger / Dufresne)

On the tarmac, the two small X-23 fighter jets sat side by side. Guy Gardner was already strapped in to one of them with his helmet on, waiting impatiently.
Hal climbed the ladder into the second jet’s cockpit. He looked at the writing on his helmet before placing it on his head. The helmet was a gift from Colonel Morgan and his wife, June. June had painted the call-sign ‘Highball’ on the helmet, an homage to his father who used the same call sign twenty years earlier.
Hal strapped himself into the jet and gave a thumbs up sign to the ground crew. As the canopy slid into position the radio crackled to life with Guys voice…

"Hey, Jordan, about what happened, I might have been out of line... no hard feelings, eh?" Guys tone was a little too sincere. Hal, not believing his ears, turned to look at Gardner who was flipping Hal.

"That's nice, Guy, real mature..." Hal said looking away. “I’m surprised you can survive without that finger shoved up your…”

{That’s enough boys…} Colonel Morgan’s voice interrupted.

The two highly maneuverable X-23 planes rolled and dove over the Death Valley desert. Both pilots trying to get the upper hand over the other.
Guy Gardner Skimmed the surface in a vain attempt to avoid Hal's mock missile lock. Unable to shake Hal, Guy pulled hard on the yoke, entering the plane in a sudden steep climb. Hal followed the maneuver without effort.

{You suck, Jordan!} Guy spat into the radio.

Hal smiled under the oxygen mask attached to his helmet. "Keep talking, hot-shot, if it makes you feel better..."

Guy threw his fighter into a spiral dive toward the desert floor. Hal followed suit, without the spiral.

"You know, Guy, you can dive without making yourself dizzy..."

“Dammit, Jordan," Guy said to himself, turning off his transmitter, “If I can't out fly you, at least I know I can piss you off.”

Guy switched his transmitter back on, {That's what your girly-friend Carol said to me last night when I came to visit her... or was that your mom? I can't remember, it was a busy night. And they look so much alike…}
~

The control operator in the tower chuckled to himself. Colonel Morgan continued to rub the headache that was forming, out of his head. General Flagg stood there scowling as Hal's reply came over the PA.

{Like I said, Guy, keep talking...} Hal’s Jet acquired a lock on Guy’s. {Taking you down has become second nature.}

Guy began to curse a response as General Flagg leaned over to the control operator, "Have Abbott and Costello there back here on the double. I want a full debrief..."

"Colonel Morgan, General Flagg!” A second operator interrupted, “we have an unidentified object heading towards the testing grounds... fast. I can't tell, but it could be a small meteor! I've never seen anything move this fast..."

Colonel Morgan rushed over to the main console, "ETA to impact?"

"T-Minus forty seconds, sir, maximum..." the operator replied.

General Flagg grabbed a microphone and began barking orders, "Jordan, Gardner, put them down now!!! You have incoming on your six. I REPEAT, GROUND THOSE BIRDS ASAP!!!"
~

In his cockpit, Hal flipped off his oxygen mask. He turned his head, looked up and saw nothing but a yellow glow as a fireball plummeted toward them. Guy did the same, but reacted with a screech.

"Jordan, what the &@#$ is that???"

"Down, Guy, take it down!" Hal barked in response.

Both planes began an immediate descent, as the remains of Abin Sur's star fighter slammed into the desert floor. The immense explosion sent debris in every direction and caused a massive shock-wave of dust and rock that began to envelope everything in its' path. The shock-wave over-took the two small fighters sending them into an uncontrollable flat spin.

"MAYDAY! MAYDAY!" Guy shouted into the comm. system.

"GUY... IT'S NO GOOD... THEY KNOW... WE'RE IN TROUBLE... EJECT... EJECT!" Hal watched as the ground rushed up to meet him. "Control, this... is Highball... I'm losing her... ejecting now..."

The canopy blew back and Hal ejected mere seconds before the plane slammed into the ground. Being so close to the ground, Hal hit the ground shortly after and began to roll. The weight of the chair broke both of his legs with a nauseating snap, followed quickly by three of his ribs, one of which punctured his left lung.
When he finally came to rest, his body, still in the chair, was contorted in an unusual shape. The pain drove him out of consciousness as he began to choke on his own blood. He never thought it would end this way. Like it did for his father.

"Father..." Hal shouted with a start. His eyes were open, but the soft emerald glow made him feel as if he were dreaming still. He lifted himself off the ground, every muscle in his body was sore, as if he had been through a rigorous workout. Actually, in truth, it felt more like he’d been in a 10 car pile up.
He began to dust himself off when he noticed that he was no longer wearing his flight suit.

"What the hell is this?" He asked himself as he looked down on the black and green uniform. He looked at his hands, white wrist guard gauntlets that went almost up to his elbows, with black gloves and a green ring on his right hand. He looked down at his feet & saw the metallic-like green boots and noticed the softly glowing symbol on his chest. He looked back at the ring on his right hand… the symbol on his chest matched the one on the ring.

Hal looked all around at the destruction in the desert… the last 10 minutes of his life flashed before his eyes. The planes, the fireball in the sky, the shock-wave... the ground rushing up to meet him. Darkness. Green light. He looked over at the ejector seat lying about 3 yards away… dried blood covered the seat. His blood. By all rights he should be dead. Judging from the strange outfit he had on, and the glow that covered him… he thought that he probably was.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked more to himself than to the voice that answered.

{When one falls, another must be chosen. So has it been for over 3 billion years.}

Hal spun around, looking for the origin of the voice, but saw nothing.

"Alright, if I am dead, this is definitely not what I expected."

{You are not dead Harold Jordan of Earth, you have been chosen.}

"Chosen for what? And where the hell are you."

The ring on Hal's right hand began to glow and an beam of light shot out from it's jeweled center. Before Hal the emerald apparition of Abin Sur took shape.

{Harold Jordan, you have been chosen, by the ring of power you now wield, to succeed me as Green Lantern of Sector 2814. Congratulations!}

"Congratu…? Who are... what are you?" Hal stared at the ghostly image in wonder. He poked at the image, astonished as his finger passed right through it.

{My name was Abin Sur... I was the Green Lantern of sector 2814, the sector that includes your galaxy.}

"...Galaxy...? Green Lantern? Was? Are you a ghost?"

{We are an intergalactic peacekeeping force that has existed almost since the dawn of sentient life in the universe. I am not a ghost, more like an echo of what once was. What you see is a construct created by the ring of power. I am the ring of power. We take on the traits of those that passed before to help guide you.}

The construct of Abin Sur looked back toward the smoldering crater.

{You must hurry, HE will be following & you are not ready to face him... there is much you need to learn}

Hal moved to halt Abin with a hand to the chest, but his hand passed through it. He quickly withdrew his wayward hand...

"Listen, Casper, I go nowhere without answers..."

{If that is your wish...}

The air around Hal electrified and the landscape began to shift. Hal found himself standing on what seemed to be an alien world surrounded by creatures of all shapes & sizes surrounded by yellow buildings. All the aliens wore uniforms similar to, if not exactly like the one he now wore. He noticed that they were all staring upward at something behind him, each pointing a ringed… appendage. He followed their gaze up, turning to see an enormous green lantern, pulsating with a deep emerald energy. The sight took his breath away.

"My God..."

{The Green Lantern Corps were formed over 3 billion years ago by our masters, the Guardians of the Universe. The Corps was created to preserve peace and order across the universe. There were 3600 of us, each carrying a ring of power like the one you now wear. The ring is the most powerful tool in the universe, it is powered by your willpower and is capable of doing anything you can imagine...it can even protect you against harm, and assist in healing mortal injuries...}

"Then why are you dead?" Hal interrupted. The image of Abin Sur paused and took a more human look.

{Listen to me now, for what I am about to say is the most important of all. The ring has two weaknesses, first the rings power supply only lasts 24 of your Earth hours. It must be charged by your lantern battery...}

A smaller version of the lantern before Hal appeared in his left hand.

{It and the ring are linked together to this main power battery on the planet OA. Secondly & most important of all, due to a necessary impurity, the ring is powerless against anything colored yellow. Though it was the crash that ultimately killed me, I was dead before, due to injuries I sustained against a madman wielding a yellow power ring not unlike yours.}

The image of planet OA faded & was replaced with the barren landscape of Death Valley. Dust and ash still thick in the air. Mangled debris scattered over the area.

{A virus known only as LEGION has been unleashed in our universe. We do not know its exact origin, although the Guardians have their suspicions. The virus attacks only Green Lanterns. It attacks the power ring directly, turning it yellow, it then enters the ring-bearers body and spreads like a disease. It corrupts the mind of the ring bearer sending them on a single-minded mission... assimilate or destroy other Green Lanterns.}

Abin’s image changed to reveal another Green Lantern. This one tall, and gangly, with a slightly larger forehead. He had beady black eyes with a mustache and goatee. The look on his face was that of smug superiority... not unlike someone else Hal was familiar with.

{This is Sinestro of Korugar in Sector 1417, he was the first of us to fall. He was always a little over-zealous, in Abin Sur’s opinion, but the Guardians applauded his results.}

"If the ring has no power over anything yellow, and the infected rings are becoming yellow, how do you stop the virus?"

The image of Sinestro changed back into Abin Sur.

{That is the real puzzle. And it is also the reason why so many Green Lanterns have fallen... for direct contact, ring to ring, is how the virus is spread.}

A knot formed in Hal's stomach as he remembered back just a few moments ago to all the various Green Lanterns standing before the giant glowing Lantern.

"How many have fallen?"

{Nearly a thousand...} the image of Abin spoke without emotion once again.

Hal stared at Abin in disbelief.

{Someone approaches...Listen carefully, when you need to recharge your ring, simply will your battery to appear. When it appears, place your ring to the face of the lantern and recite the oath...}

And with that, Abin was gone, leaving Hal alone in the desert once again.

"Wait, Abin... WHAT OATH???"

"You hit your head harder than me Jordan? Who the hell are you talking to?" Guy Gardner stepped through the smoke, dried blood matted in his hair, and on a fresh wound along his cheek. "You hallucinating or something? Jesus, look at you!” Guy circled Hal, staring him up and down.

Hal immediately looked down and realized that the Green Lantern uniform was gone, replaced by his flight suit. It was, literally, ripped to shreds around his legs & arms, with blood staining the front.

“Not a scratch on you, but your flight suits ripped to shreds. How the hell you manage that?"

"I... I don't know. I just woke up.” Hal's mind reeled, did he just imagine the last 10 minutes of his life? He stared down at his right hand, the ring was gone.

"When I found that... I thought for sure you were worm food" Guy motioned in the general direction of Hal's X-23 and the ejector seat.

"Thanks for the overwhelming concern... ass."

"I just call it as I see it... Harold."

Guy walked over to Hal's ejector seat... noticing the parachute never deployed, he glared at Hal over his shoulder. Waitaminit... "How the hell did you walk away from this? There's blood all over the seat."

"Just lucky, I guess. And I clean up well."

"Great... the almighty Hal Jordan survives an UN-survivable crash."

"Sorry to disappoint you."

The sound of an approaching helicopter cut short any reply Guy might have had. The smoke still so thick neither man could see the approaching rescue vehicle. Guy walked toward the sound.
Hal took the opportunity to stare again at his ring-less hand. He concentrated on making the ring appear and it did, clear as day.

Holy crap, it worked... I wasn’t hallucinating.

Hal willed the ring away and, in a split second, it was gone. He just stood there transfixed, staring at his hand when Guy shouted back at him, "Hey, Superman, yeah, you have a hand... Can we go now? The chopper’s comin’”

Hal shielded his eyes as the helicopter came in for a landing. Dust, soot & ash flew through the air. The moment the copter’s skids hit the ground Colonel Morgan & General Flagg jumped out and jogged toward the pilots.

Guy leaned into Hal, "Great, now it hits the fan... oh wait, that's right, you're perfect."

"Shut up Guy, it wasn't our fault, they know that."

"Whatever, Golden Boy."

Both men stood at full attention as their commanding officers approached. General Flagg couldn’t contain his anger. Colonel Morgan was just relieved.
"I'm glad to see that the two of you made it out relatively unscathed..." Colonel Morgan said while catching his breath.

General Flagg placed his hand on Colonel Morgan’s chest, and stepped between Morgan & the others. "I want both of you on the evac chopper now! Report to the base infirmary for full physicals & get your asses to debriefing. I want a full report from both of you... YESTERDAY! Clear?"

"Yes sir, General" both men said in unison saluting.

"Dismissed!"

Colonel Morgan’s face was blank as he turned to the General. "Rick, it wasn't their fault..."

"I know that, COLONEL, but I'm going to have to explain to the Joint Chiefs that 2 of their brand new 25 million dollar stealth fighters were taken out by a UFO... I don't suppose you would like to join me on that call, would you? Colonel?"

"No sir, General."
General Flagg stalked off as the Haz-Mat helicopter landed nearby. The rotor blades blew dust and smoke away from the debris field. Colonel Morgan noticed the ejector seat nearby. Blood covering it… A shred of material hung from the disconnected safety harness. He walked up close to the fabric and saw writing. He knelt down beside it and read the name H. Jordan.
“What the Hell?”

General Rick Flagg & Colonel Kyle “Ace” Morgan approached ‘Ground Zero’ in the requisite Haz-Mat suits. The controlled chaos of the scene just added fuel to the thought that this was not just a stray piece of space rubble. The direction & speed required to make a dent in the Earth this large suggested that this was no spy satellite either.

”General Flagg! Colonel Morgan! Over here... we’ve found something,” called a member of the Haz-Mat team.

Flagg & Morgan rushed over to the spot where a group of 5 Haz-Mat team members stood. A sixth man knelt in the middle of the huddled group.

“What is it Sergeant?” Demanded Ace.

The man stood up and revealing a small piece of blackened metal from the downed object. In the center, a Green Lantern symbol.

General Flagg stared in shock, immediately recognizing the symbol.

“I want photo’s, NOW!” Flagg demanded.

“What is it?” Morgan asked.

“Report to base immediately Colonel!” Flagg ordered.

“Sir?” Morgan asked again confused.

“Do not make me repeat myself Colonel.”

“Sir!” Morgan answered with a salute.

As Colonel Morgan grudgingly stalked off toward the helicopter, Flagg reached for a phone in his breast pocket. He opened the cellular phone & without dialing a digit an operator was on the line.

“Authorization, White Bishop One… I need to speak with Faraday.”

General Rick Flagg sat at his desk pouring through the photos taken at the crash site, when his assistant, Nancy’s voice erupted over the PA system.

“General Flagg sir, Agents Faraday & Sullivan from the DEO have arrived, shall I show them in?”

General Flagg stood, straightening his uniform. “Yes Nancy, thank you.”

The door opened and a tall, middle aged man with white hair stalked into the room, followed by a woman in her mid-twenties.

“General Flagg, pleased to see you again.” King Faraday said happily as he shook General Flagg’s hand. “May I introduce agent Sullivan?”

“Agent Sullivan.” General Flagg acknowledged as he shook the woman’s hand.

“General,” she replied, “pleased to meet you. But please, call me Chloe.”