Liberation #3: "The Waiting Game"

"What the Hell is that?!" Kyle and Katma dove back into Kyle's room as a swarm of screaming metal twisted down toward them like a living gun shot. Whatever was attacking them was contorting the hull of the ship, and taking inside itself whatever metal it could to take them down.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Kyle. Mankillers." She looked up and threw up a green shield as the metal sparked and screeched against her barrier. "Another weapon of the Manhunters."

"No. Man. Escapes." The metal began to thicken, and like a waterfall it began to flow over the green shield. Before Katma could think, they were engulfed, and the pressure began to crush the shield. "The. Mankillers."

"Ok, that didn't work," whispered Kyle. His eyes began to glow, but Katma shook her head.

"No, not now. Conserve your strength." She closed her own eyes, and then when they opened, her ring spiked outward, piercing the metal and then flowing outward, cleaning the way for the two heroes. "Move. We need to get outside, get some space between us and this thing."

"But what about the others?"

"Focus your energies on a shield around the engine core. Use your mind, reach out, and imagine it being impervious to assault. Imagine. Visualize. They wouldn't in their right minds fight in such close quarters." Katma smiled. "No one's that stupid."



"WOOOOHOOOOO!" Yellow energy tore through the hull of the ship as Guy Gardner shot down the corridors, battling the metal monstrosities that formed from the ship as he went. "Eat this, you sonofa--"

Kilowog's voice barked out into Guy's ear. "Guy, ye'r comprimising the hull integrity, stop blasting holes through the walls of the ship!"

"Kkkkkshhh... I can't h-ksssshhhh... ya', Kssshhh...og." Guy grinned and his ring melted everything in sight, and he sent a spike of white noise down his ring to Kilowog's. "Been waitin' for a fight like this all week!"

A high pitched whine emitted from Kilowog's ring, and he grunted, his own emerald energies protecting the cockpit of the ship. He was sealed in, but he could hear the clashing of metal on seamless emerald shield. "That idiot's gonna' get himself killed."

“Kilowog, where are you?” Tomar Re's voice emerged from his ring, and Kilowog continued to concentrate on preventing the Mankillers from absorbing the cockpit.

"Go ahead, Tomar."

“I have just torn a chunk of the hull outside, and am analysing it as we speak. The Mankillers appear to be a swarm of advanced nano-technology. They're absorbing the metal of the hull faster than we could possibly prevent.”

"Nano-tech? Lil' robots?"

“Yes, Kilowog."

"Then you know what to do." Kilowog cut the channel and began to sweat. The pressure being exerted on his shield was tremendous. He couldn't see down the corridor of the ship leading down to the engine room anymore, all the metal was swarming toward him. He held his wrist tightly, his nerves throbbing as his brain focused completely on the task at hand. "I'm gonna' kill Gardner."

"Know what to do?" Tomar looked around as the craft began to warp in dimensions. The hull bent inwards, and Tomar knew that he didn't have much time left. He scooped up batch of nano-technology with ring, and closed his eyes, focusing his willpower. "Know... What... To... Do..." His eyes flashed open and he pointed his ring at the ship, and fired off a strobe of light that flashed against the walls. "Concentrate. Binary. Reprogam. Think. Think..." He was processing the base codes of billions of individual nano-machines, and the stress was making his hands shake. He'd never attempted something like that, but he'd always wanted the chance to...



”SUCK ON THIS, you BA--" The metal that Guy was melting suddenly shuddered and Guy stepped back. The Metal snapped back into place, and Guy scratched his head. "...Huh." A thin cloud of black smoke fell to the ground, and Guy could feel a soft crunch as he stepped on it. His finger wiped down the wall and he looked at the twinkling dust on the tip of it. "Interestin'." He blew it off and looked around, before putting his ring to his mouth. "How's everyone doin'?"

”Cockpit is secure.” Replied Kilowog.

Threat is neutralized,” reaffirmed Tomar Re, and Guy could swear that he could hear the regal alien smiling.

”Engine is a-ok, Guy.” Kyle's voice was excited. “Katma was amazing, she just--”

Katma interupted. ”How are we on time?”

”A few hours 'fore we reach Oa. I'm going to slip us outta these defunct hyper lanes soon. They're playing havoc on the hull. Now I know why the Guardians closed 'em down...”



Guy Gardner flew across the mess hall of the ship, colliding with the pots and pans Tomar Re used on occasion to prepare their meals. Their rings provided them with all the nutrients they needed and all the waste disposal needs required to survive, but there was nothing like a warm meal to recharge their batteries. “What do you think yer doin’, Gardner?”

Guy wiped his mouth, his shambolically prepared zero egg omelette spilt down his flight jacket and trousers. “You best be hearing voices from inside your ring Kilowog else your brain’ll be feeling the back of your skull when I’m done with ya!” The two men grappled, and Kilowog pinched Guy up from behind with a pair of green tweezers. Guy retaliated by powering up his ring glow, and the energy from inside Kilowog’s ring began to drain. Kilowog didn’t waste a moment, and used what was left of his charge to propel him at Guy and yank off the ring before he could pull up his own shield. The two of them fell to the cold steel floor suddenly, both of their fists raised at each other. “What the Hell is goin’ on?!”

“I gave an order, and you decided to risk all our lives for a bit of thrill seekin’! This ain’t your Earth air forces, Gardner, this is the Corps, an’ we watch each others backs!”

“Well maybe I’m sick of being crammed up inside this stupid hunk of machinery, alright? And I needed to blow off some £$%^ing steam before I snapped! You don’t know me, Kilowog, you ain’t got the right to order me about. I was shanghai’d into this group and I can leave just as well either way.”

“You best rethink yer priorities, Gardner!” shouted Kilowog as the Earth-man stormed out of the room. “You best think about the people around yuh, instead of just yerself!”



“Beer.” Guy chugged another can of the beer Adam Strange had been kind enough to offer him back on Rann. His ring could ferment whatever he concentrated on, but he couldn’t find anything remotely appearing like wheat or oats in this star system, and after that time he nearly accidentally fermented a living minature plant colony… He didn’t see the point risking it. “I missed you.” He crushed the can in his ring slinging hand and threw it across the room, a tiny portal opening up as it ricocheted back at him and sending it to points unknown. He thought about Rann, and about Adam Strange. That guy was good people, thought Guy, an' even gooder for sharing his beer stash with a fellow Earth-man like himself. He opened up another can, and shook his head. Maybe Kilowog was right. It was his ring, he thought. When he was back in California, he played by the rules (as much as he needed to). He was never a loose cannon. He loved being a pilot. He loved flying. And then, with all that’s happened… “What’s happening to me?” His ring pulsed, a warmth filling his body. He ignored it, and continued staring at his hands. “And what the Hell am I doing out here?" He downed the drink, and threw it up in the air, only for Pac-Man to munch down on the aluminum. "Sonofabitch, what am I doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?"



Kyle was drawing. He sat in the cockpit, green glowing pencil meeting green glowing paper, and drew. It helped him relax, and right now, he needed to relax. Just a few days ago, his biggest worry had been whether or not he’d be able to make rent, now he was in space with real aliens, fighting to liberate an intergalactic police force that he was the power source for.

He let out a heavy sigh.

Yeah, he thought, I really need to relax. And so he continued drawing, not paying attention to the rapidly forming portrait on his pad.



Sprockin’ mistake, that was… huffed Kilowog to himself as he stormed from the bridge and headed to Guy’s quarters. …Gonna’ have to apologize, sprockin’ great. He rapped on the door to Gardner’s room and then poked his head in. “Gardner?” There was no reply, and no evidence of Guy’s being in there, so Kilowog headed to the mess. He passed the engine room, where Appa Ali Apsa floated. Kilowog continued to walk toward the mess when he froze. “Appa?!” He rushed back, and realized he hadn’t imagined it. Appa Ali Apsa floated in front of the engine, his eyes glowing green as Kilowog entered. “Sir! What’re yew doin’ here?”

“I have restored this craft’s full functions. Your journey should no longer be impeded.”

“I thought bein’ a mechanic was my job, but thanks, sir.” Kilowog smiled, “I hope yew don’t mind me askin’, but have yew got any idea where Guy Gardner is?”

“Why do you ask, Lantern Kilowog?”

“Well,” Kilowog always hated the way Appa asked him questions, almost snidely, as if he knew so much more. Well, he did, but he didn’t have to rub it in. “He ain’t in his quarters, and I wuz just curious. If he ain’t in his quarters, he’s in th’ mess, and I thought I’d ask yew becuz yer, y’know, all-knowin’…Again, I hope yew don’t mind me askin’.”

“The Earth-man Guy Gardner is gone. He realized his priorities were not in the correct place and left the ship a few minutes ago"

“He left? And yew let him? I knew he wuz a pain in the neck but there wuz no need fer that!”

“I have done as I must, Lantern Kilowog. The mission continues. I will speak to you soon.” With that, the Guardian known as Appa Ali Apsa vanished in a fade of green, and Kilowog was left alone in the engine room.

Kilowog’s famous anger overcame him. He grabbed a large wrench and attacked the wall, pounding against the metal relentlessly, howling in anger. “Why now?! WHY?!”

“Kilowog, dear friend?” Tomar Re floated through the metal bulkhead and grabbed the large wrench in his long, elegant fingers, holding it in place thanks to his emerald energies. “What is the matter? What has this wall done to offend you?”

“Gardner’s gone. Don’t know why that surprises me, but it does.” Kilowog huffed, and leant against the wall. “The closer we get t’ Oa, the less I think we can do this, Tomar. We’re a handful of survivors against millions of those tin-can sprockers.”

“Well, we live in faith, Kilowog.” Tomar patted his friend on the back. “Faith in our ability to survive. Faith in our ability to not die. Faith in our ability to not get shot to death.”

“That’s all faith in one thing, Tomar.”

“Why yes, it is, isn’t it?” Tomar smiled and Kilowog laughed.



Kyle shook his head. He had heard Tomar and Kilowog talking, through no fault of his own, but merely because he could. They were how many floors down? How many rooms across? And he could hear them. He couldn’t control it, he realized. His Ion powers didn’t turn on and off like they used to when he was on Earth, now they were always on in the background, processing, whispering. Kilowog doubted their mission? Kilowog, the greatest Green Lantern Hal Jordan had ever met? “Yeah. Fill me full of confidence, Hal. Thanks.”

He’d been drawing frantically without noticing. Appa Ali Apsa’s voice filled his mind, and when Kilowog’s anger began to bridle up inside him, it had driven Kyle to draw faster and without abandon. Looking down, he tried to make out what his subconscious had created.

The emerald pencil fell from his hand, as the sketch on the pad stared back at him. Staring up at him from the construct paper was an immensely detailed rendition of one of those Guardians of the Universe he had heard so much about. But how did he know what they looked like? And how did he draw it? Baring only a passing resemblance to Appa, he cast the questions from his mind, and willed the paper away. Laying back on his bed, he stared at the ceiling, a tiny construct of Earth floating over him. So much for relaxing.



Katma Tui was in contact with Adam Strange and the council of royalty and leaders from a score of planets. “We’ll be in Sector 0 within the hour, are you ready?”

“Yes,” nodded Strange, “Thanks to Adam Blake’s talents, we’ve been linked up and planning everything faster than expected. We’re following the plan as set by Kilowog.”

“Our armada is fully prepared, and we’re enroute as we speak,” stated King Gavyn, Starman and leader of the Throneworld Empire. “I hope you and yours are ready, Tui.”

“That we are, King Gavyn,” smiled Katma. “Good luck.”

“And to you.” Gavyn went offline, as did other leaders, leaving Adam Strange and Katma Tui alone.

“So, this is it.”

“I’ve waited for this day a long time, Adam,” confessed Katma. “War. The reclamation of Oa from the Manhunters and that damned Grandmaster… I can’t wait to get my hands on him, I have to admit. But that scares me. I’m a cop. I’m a Green Lantern. I’ve killed when I’ve really needed to. And all the death that the Grandmaster’s been behind… I’m scared. We’re not supposed to be afraid, Adam, but I’m scared I’m going to go too far.”

Adam made a noise that seemed to indicate he agreed, before he spoke: “Fear leads to anger, Ms Tui. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. You don’t want to go down that route.”

“Wise words, Adam,” mused Katma. “But my name is Katma, not Ms. Anyway, we’re going into radio silence from here on in. Good luck to you, sir. See you on the other side.”

“Yeah,” chuckled Strange. “War. Fantasic.”



“Well this is it.” Kilowog was sat in the cockpit, along with Tomar, Katma and Kyle. “The zero hour.” He looked at his ring. “We all charged up, ready to go?”

Kyle nodded. “Yeah, you all took a turn pointing your fingers at me. Fun.” His chest emblem glowed in the dim light of the cockpit. Outside, blue lightning thrashed behind them as they shot down the hyper-lanes. They had fallen into disarray over the three hundred years of being closed by Green Lantern Corps mandate, and had been long forgotten by those who had used them. They were after the Manhunter’s time of prominence, and before their resurgence, so the Corps were safe in the fact that this was their way in. Hopefully. Hopefully the Manhunter’s didn’t have an anti-matter canon poised at the entrance gate, and hopefully they weren’t about to be wiped from existence. Hopefully. It seemed that Kyle was living on a floating cloud of ‘hopefullys’ and just like Kilowog’s words earlier, it did nothing ot fill him with confidence. But he had a job to do, and so he would do it. Survive.

“Good. Right. So this really is it. We’ve been over the plan, you all know your roles in it. So all we have to do now is wait.”

“We’re a man down already, Kilowog, waiting is easy, it’s the winning that’s going to be the hard part.” Katma flexed her wrist, muscles going tight then loose. “I’m limber. I’m ready.” She laughed. “I’m nervous.”

“An’ how do yew think I feel, Katma? I’m leading this show, and I could very well be leading all dems soldiers and civilians to their deaths. I’m terrified. But I over come it. That’s all we can do. So yeah. Let’s do this.”

Tomar checked his green construct of a watch that covered his wrist. “It’s nearly time. The hyper-lane is nearing its end.”

Kilowog nodded. “You know what to do.”



In space no one could hear it speak. “Unit 3457782 reporting.” The verbal monotony was a design flaw. They communicated through the, simply put, network connection that linked their AI. They mimicked humanoid speech patterns because when they were the law, that’s what they had to do. “Sub-space tunnels showing no sign of activity. Resuming patrol.” It’s mechanical eyes looked up to the sky, and a shimmer of purple and red became visible, energy readings off the scale. “Warning--” The nose of the space ship crashed through the Manhunter unit, dispersing it like a fly on a wind shield.

Krona looked up from his throne, the view screens showing this sudden incursion in Oan space, and the reaction of the Manhunters all around. They flocked toward the ship, their lasers bursting the shielding off the hull of the ship. And yet, their weaponry wasn’t doing enough, and it was getting nearer and nearer. Krona seethed. “All units, destroy that ship! Wipe it out from the sky!”

Thousands of Manhunters shot upwards, their energy blasts tearing more and more holes into the ship. It’s momentum, by now, was unstoppable, and the fiery wreckage shot through the atmosphere of the planet and headed straight for the Citadel, where Krona was situated. He threw up his hand, a shield of glistening energy surrounding him, and the entire building went up in flames, the ship’s fuel igniting on impact and destroying everything for miles all around. Krona glanced up, gritting his teeth, and lowered the shield, his heavy boots crushing the debris as he headed outside. “What has happened?”

“There are zero life-signs,” buzzed a Manhunter unit, as it’s eyes scanned the wreckage.

“Yes, well, who could survive such an onslaught. Though this does bring up the fact that your energy weapon systems could use an upgrade,” Krona stroked his beard, and then looked around, the thousands upon thousands of Manhunters blotting out the Sun that orbited the planet. “You’ve done me proud.”

There was a noise above them, as something, somethings, broke upper atmosphere. Explosions of sound engulfed Manhunter units, and Krona threw up another shield as something fell atop him. He looked down at it, as it lay twitching on the ground, a Manhunter unit, a perfectly smooth chunk taken out of it’s body. “The anti-matter mines…” More and more explosions of sound echoed out as holes in reality opened and closed, sending hordes of Manhunters falling to the ground. It was raining machinery, and Krona knew why. “They’ve opened up the sub-space tunnels, they’re throwing the anti-matter mines right back at us! All units—attack!” It was raining destruction all around the grounds of Oa. Krona’s energy shield would hold as long as he needed it to. “Emergency shut down of all mines,” he sent out a telepathic signal to the circuitry on the devices, and then the sound of the air vanishing was gone, and all that was left was the sound of damaged Manhunter units falling to the ground. “Who would do such a thing as this… Who would dare…”

“Us.” Kilowog blasted his power ring straight at Krona’s chest, and sent the despot flying. Katma Tui, Tomar Re and Ion all became visible, shimmering into being behind the Grandmaster, and went to work. “Light ‘em up, Lanterns. We’ve got a universe to save.” Kilowog put his ring to his mouth, and grinned.

His ring knew what to do: <Code Zero. All available Lanterns, report to Oa immediately. Code Zero>