GL: The Hunt for Hal Jordan

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

All I've got left to do for the newest chapter is formatting everything and deciding which images I'm going to include. Things are about to start heating up, and chapter 4 will soon reveal the threats in this story! Any fan of the cosmic landscape of the DCU will enjoy this, with bits of lore taken from several corners of the universe.

While the inspiration for this team is the Guardians of the Galaxy as well as DC's R.E.B.E.L.S., in my mind this is like my own personal Infinity War/Endgame with my boy Kyle smack in the middle.

I'll have the new chapter up shortly!

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

Three Days Ago…

Hall of Justice, Justice League HQ…

Hawkgirl was on monitor duty and other members of the League were hanging around the building. The Atom was working with other scientists on something strange, and it appeared like Green Arrow was chatting with Vixen near the cafeteria and dining area. It was another slow and boring day at HQ when the scanners picked up a signal from deep space.

“This is Kilowog of the Green Lantern Corps. Superman? Aquaman? Is anybody home?” Kilowog said on the other end of the call.

“Hawkgirl of the Justice League, do you copy?” Hawkgirl responded before shouting back to the nearest open exit, “Atom!? Somebody, we’ve got a call from deep space and the communications are acting up! Can somebody help a girl out?”

“It’s some technology disrupted by Source Wall energy back in the lab, Kendra. It’s affecting more than just people. My apologies. Let me see what I can do with the control panel…” the Atom responded. “Did I mention this energy also messed with my belt? It’s why I’m stuck at two feet tall…”

“I wasn’t the Corps’ first choice…” Hawkgirl thought.

“This is Kilowog of the Green Lantern Corps. Orion, are you getting’ this?” spoke a construct of Kilowog’s head and collar.

Orion and Mister Miracle were currently in an unknown location with what appeared to be bio-mechanical tendrils wrapping around them and attacking the two New Gods. The sudden appearance of a Green Lantern construct was a bit random.

“SALAAK!? IS THIS THE RIGHT SIGNAL…? YOU SURE ABOUT THAT, POOZER?” the construct seemingly yelled to the left of it at something the heroes couldn’t see.

“Now isn’t the time, Lantern.” Orion stated before swatting the construct away while grabbing a robotic tendril from around his neck.

“I wasn’t the Corps’ second choice…” Hawkgirl continued thinking.

“I’m sorry, sir. The laws of this sector require up to date tags and United Planets registration to carry aliens from planet to planet. I’m going to have to take you into custody and tow your space cab…” an alien Green Lantern said into the window of Space Cabbie’s personal star cruiser.

“I’m not even sure I was…” Hawkgirl continued musing.

Chapter 3: “…the third choice.”

“We will contact General Zod personally, Senior Lantern Kilowog. The Kryptonian requires more political handling…” said one of the Guardians of the Universe to the large Lantern within some Oan communications tower.

Two Days Ago…

Blue Valley, Nebraska…

Kendra Saunders sat outside on the front porch of a suburban home with a blonde haired teenager. Courtney Whitmore was better known in the superhero circles as Star Girl. However, she had seen better days.

“I’m so sorry. Pat’s a good man. His heart’s in the right place.” Kendra said.

“He says his suit isn’t the reason he’s got health problems. He insists on watching over me any time I put my mask on… I just can’t do this if he’s going to kill himself trying to babysit me.” Courtney responded with tears in her eyes.

“Everyone needs to take a break once in a while. I’m going into space soon just to get away from everything.” Kendra said standing up. “If you’re going to take a break, care if I borrow that staff of yours for a bit?”

Present Day…

Hawkgirl and Kyle Rayner touched down on the other moon just in time to see Kilowog and the Atom finish off the Rannian construction droid. Kilowog was piloting an exploration suit of the Atom’s design. It had taken some damage, but for the most part the suit remained intact.

“You mean I missed a showdown between giant robots?! You couldn’t give us fifteen minutes before taking off?” Kyle exclaimed walking up to Kilowog in the exploration suit with the two foot tall Atom basically riding in a tech’ed out backpack.

“The jet lag from Boom Tubing across sectors is enough to make anybody want to get out of the ship as soon as possible.” The Atom responded climbing down from the suit’s backpack apparatus. “I’m going to take some samples of that Source Wall debris over there….” He continued.

“Kilowog is quite the gear head. He used the same Boom Tube technology to get Ray and I to Oa in no time. With Darkseid missing and his forces scattered, Mother Box tech is scarce. And even if it’s found it takes great power like that of the Guardians to really tap into the Box’s full potential.” Hawkgirl thought looking on at Kilowog and Kyle.

“The energy my scanner is picking up… it isn’t Hal’s ring energy. It’s a combination of what appears to be repurposed tech from Rann, New Tamaran, other planets, as well as the Emergent Energy.” the Atom said to the group walking up on debris with a glowing purple energy coming from it.

“It looks like somebody’s amassed resources from planets on the other side of where the ‘Wall was located.” Kilowog suggested to Hawkgirl and Kyle, ‘Wog still wearing the exo-suit.

“We need to get word back to Oa and check in with Rann, see if anybody’s heard from Adam Strange…” Kyle replied, adding “Hawkgirl theorized large scale teleportation or possibly electro-magnetic technology. If both Rann and New Tamaran were both hit, there’s a chance Braal was too…”

“It’s the next galaxy over from them. How are you going to contact Oa without a ring way out here..?” Hawkgirl asked.

Ten Days Ago…

“You CAN understand me?! Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Hal exclaimed, accidentally waking one of the other refugees in the make-shift shelter. The small robot continued to fly behind the blue skinned woman’s head.

“This camp went from seventy-five refugees to nearly two hundred within a week. I am the only one who can understand them all…” the woman responded, “My name is A’Syleh.”

“I noticed the Tamaranian Queen wasn’t among the people like before. I’m a Green Lantern, whatever your people are planning… I can help.” Hal replied as the two of them walked out of the shelter.

“I’m sorry but I do not know what a Green Lantern is. Most of us in the camp were born here. The invaders took slaves from other worlds.” A’Syleh began before the veteran Lantern put the pieces together.

“And these are just the ones who managed to escape.” Hal said figuring out most of the situation.

“I will take you to the leaders from beyond where the great wall once stood. I’m sure they would have heard of your kind.” The woman continued as her flying robot paused and turned to look behind them.

Present Day…

“It’s not like we can email or text the Guardians on his phone.” Hawkgirl thought.

“Back on the ship, I have a few Oan Memory Emeralds.” Kyle said in response to Hawkgirl’s question.

“Think I remember John mentioning those once before…” Hawkgirl mentioned to Kyle as the Atom began approaching the group.

The Atom had a chunk of glowing purple rock in a canister over his shoulder. He seemed tired, looked like he was getting sick.

“I got the sample but I don’t… my suit…” he began before falling over.

“We have to get him back to the ship!” Kyle exclaimed, picking the tiny hero up like a child. The Atom’s hands began to swell and enlarge and as if the weight factored in the arms stretched in length as well.

Near a dead body where the Atom found his sample was what remained of the chunk of ‘Emergent Energy’. The power from it still crackled in purple exotic fashion and several alien bugs approached the glowing debris. They not only began to grow in size, parts of them started to turn translucent as well.

“What’s going to hit us next?” Hawkgirl thought from the confines of the shuttle craft.

Between the two moons, or perhaps even sub-planets, was a large asteroid belt. The asteroids could be seen by the group as they took the shuttle back to their star cruiser. The heroes however, didn’t see the ship hidden within the belt. A dark silhouette of a thin alien looked on from within. The figure pressed a button on a control panel and began to seemingly report.

“Oan Memory Emeralds. Hybrid Mother Box tech. The Source Wall debris did something to their scientist but they continued to take a sample to study.” the thin figure stated.

“And their leader?” asked a deep, somewhat grizzly voice.

“He’s an agent of the Guardians, but he’s not a regular Lantern.” the thin alien silhouette replied.

Back on the ship…

“Ray you need to rest! Please?!” exclaimed Hawkgirl, her helmet on the floor and her wings retracted.

“I have to make repairs to the exploration suit and then study the fragment. People are depending on me back home!” the Atom pleaded in a dazed state still trying to come to grips with how his arms and hands appeared.

“I’ll fix the suit, poozer. Ya won’t be much use to anybody back home dead. Get some rest, I’m not askin’.” Kilowog grunted as the Atom finally passed out.

“I’ll take him to the med bay. You should probably contact Oa with your magic crystal things. How will they find us though?” Hawkgirl asked as she picked up the Atom, now with his helmet removed and his glasses falling off of his face.

“Well I… um…” Kyle began, and continued to go nowhere. “I got nothin’. I have no…”

“I have been plotting the constellations and empty space as well as sub-planets. Currently we are in Negative Sector 0-0-0-2.” ALEX announced.

Negative Sector 0003
Ten Days Ago…

“The planet Ougellon doesn’t possess the technology of other planets. The invaders clearly just came to pillage for food and slaves. They underestimated the warriors of my people. Their largest ship was grounded…” the blue skinned alien continued to explain to Hal as they came upon another shelter a bit more guarded and secure than the others. Her robot turned once again and checked their steps. Something was watching them. Hal stepped in to a crowd of somewhat familiar faces; the Queen of Tamaran, Tigorr of the Omega Men, Sardath of Rann, and…

“ADAM STRANGE?!” Hal exclaimed as his old friend turned around from a make-shift meeting table.

“Hal F***ing Jordan… why am I not surprised?” Adam approached and shook the hand of Hal.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

I’m only passably familiar with LoSH, so those are mostly names to me.
The conception of the JL feels like the JLU show here, which is a nice one—where it’s really big, cosmic, and something’s always going on.
The tentacles thrown in for Japanese fans?

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

I’m only passably familiar with LoSH, so those are mostly names to me.
The conception of the JL feels like the JLU show here, which is a nice one—where it’s really big, cosmic, and something’s always going on.
The tentacles thrown in for Japanese fans?

I was always a fan of the JLU and an expanded roster in general so that's how I always portray them. And once you're League you're pretty much always in the club. Green Arrow, Vixen, and Guy Gardner were in a few of the last issues of Damage and represented the League for example.

The tentacles.... will come into play in the 2nd arc if I take it that far. And I'm having fun with the story right now and know exactly where I'd take at least 15-20 chapters total in the 3 arcs I've got plotted. The next chapter will be from the POV of the Atom, with the 5th chapter being Hal's, and the last chapter in the first arc will come back around to Kyle Rayner. I wanted to play with the different points of view and so far I've enjoyed getting in the characters' heads. Atom will be interesting now that the Emergent Energy has jacked him up twice. I can't wait for the enemies' reveal next chapter.

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

Three Days Ago…
JL Headquarters

“So Hal’s missing in deep space?” the Atom asked.

“Beyond where the Source Wall once stood if I understood Kilowog’s message. In three Earth days Kyle Rayner will be leading a rescue mission into unknown space in search of him.” Hawkgirl responded.

“This one time a couple years back…” The Atom began to think.

“I could study the emergent energy where it originated and lend a hand. Maybe there’s some crucial piece of information out there. I can bring along this exploration exo-suit since I’m stuck this way for now…” Atom mentioned, knowing the Green Lantern Corps were asking for whomever they could get on such short notice.

“…I was lost in the Multiverse. Kyle Rayner was one of the heroes who rescued me. And before that, Hal Jordan helped me out of a few dark places as well.”

“Your intensity is $#!+.” Hawkgirl stated looking disappointed with the small statured scientist.

“Excuse me?!” the Atom responded in shock. “Did she just..?” he thought briefly for a few moments.

“Estevez’ character… it’s from Breakfast Club.” Hawkgirl said now smirking. “The fact still stands, Ray, you’re not you right now. Maybe it’s the malfunction in your belt… It’s like you’ve got even more things going on in that head of yours than before….”

“I got the reference. You think I really lack intensity though?” Atom asked.

“Yeah big brain, I’m gonna need…” Hawkgirl began to respond.

Chapter 4: “A Little More.”

Present Day…
Negative Sector 0002

“So I passed out during your speech about getting rest and she just…?” Atom began asking.

“Picked ya up like a kid and put ya in bed, poozer.” Kilowog stated while still working on the exploration suit.

“Knowing Hawkgirl, she’ll never let me live that down…” Atom thought to himself.

“The emergent energy is messing with my equipment and I can’t get any concrete test results. Though the tests I’m running on myself to try and figure out how to get back to normal height and rid of these gorilla arms…” Ray Palmer began saying before Kendra came into the bay area Kilowog was using as a work space.

“Aw c’mon Ray, I think they’re cute.” Hawkgirl quipped, sporting a tank top and sports bra, however still wearing her armored bottoms.

“My hands are the size they would normally be at my regular size, but I’m still stuck at this height with elongated arms. By the way, the work on the left arm is amazing, Kilowog.” Ray said trying to change the conversation.

“It was like carrying a two year old to bed…” Kendra said with a bit of a laugh, to which ‘Wog also cracked a smile.

“There she goes ladies and gentlemen. I’ve been mutated by this strange energy twice now and she’s making jokes like back on Earth…” Atom thought to himself still admiring the large alien’s craftsmanship on the exploration suit.

“Don’t talk down to him Kendra, its more than just personal at this point. Though I wonder how he’d manage in a match against those Wonder Twins’ alien monkey…” Kyle said walking in now smiling as well but still showing Ray respect when entering the room.

“Everybody’s got jokes like Joaquin Phoenix today…” the Atom mused after Kyle approached the group.

“Scanners are showing multiple planets and moons capable of sustaining several dozen different types of life forms. The ship is currently approaching the edge of the sector…” ALEX announced over the coms.

“Kilowog does fine work. I just hope the suit is ready before we come across more hostiles. I don’t want to be a hindrance in a fight.” Ray thought as he picked up a blowtorch and handed it to Kilowog.

Nine Days Ago…
Oegellon, Negative Sector 0003

Hal Jordan walked around the camp site with Adam Strange and it was daytime once again. They passed A’Syleh as they talked about the current situation.

“The people of this planet doomed themselves the minute they grounded the invaders’ main ship.” Adam Strange stated.

“So THAT’S how I managed to stay alive for weeks. The planet itself heals people…” Hal responded.

“They’ve taken prisoners, stolen tech, all in an attempt to gain enough resources to rule the uncharted sectors. Now, they want this planet because of the effect it has on people. The Queen of Tamaran and her daughter, Sardath, as well as Tigorr and I escaped with a few dozen soldiers after about a week here.” Adam continued to explain.

Down near the creek the young man from the future, also known as Cosmic Boy, was using his magnetic powers to make what little bits of metal he could find dance in the sky. He was taken by surprise by a young Tamaranean girl in a brown cloak. The girl kissed him on the lips and quickly bounced back off of him.

“If the royal guards weren’t lying, YOU should be able to understand ME now!” the young girl stated in suspense. “Can you..?” she asked as she questioned what had just happened.

“I… can?! That’s an interesting power.” Cosmic Boy said in an amused kind of way.

“I’ve got a few others. Runs in my family I think.” She responded in a flirty manner. “My name is Kamerand’r. “

“My name is Rokk. I go by Cosmic Boy in the Legion… I think… I’m from the future. My memories though… I think it’s the strange energies all around. I’m used to my flight ring protecting me from that kind of thing but… I lost it somehow.” Cosmic Boy said in his response to the fiery young Tamaranean.

“The future sounds better than being stuck on another world with your mother.” The girl said crouching down near the creek.

“That doesn’t sound too bad. At least there’s one person you know.” Cosmic Boy responded as Hal Jordan and Adam Strange seemed to disappear back into the makeshift meeting area in the distance.

“That one person is the Queen. And this is the third time we’ve lost a planet to invading forces or some sort of cosmic crisis. There’s been talk among our people of dethroning her…” Kamerand’r said sounding defeated by proxy.

Present Day…
Negative Sector 0003

“Wonder how long this guy’s been trailing us…” thought Ray Palmer on top of a control panel.

“Scanners are picking up somebody with a cloaked ship tailing us. What do you want to do, Kyle?” he asked from one of the stations on the bridge of the ship.

“We don’t know how long they’ve been watching us but for now we’ll play it by ear. This ship would make Han Solo wanna switch movie franchises and for now they’re keeping their distance…” Kyle replied before suddenly an explosion went off on the right side of the star cruiser.

“Talk to me Kilowog, that didn’t sound good…” Kyle continued after he and everyone else were nearly shaken out of their stations.

“Poozer on our trail must’ve got close enough to the ship to plant a bomb.” Kilowog stated.

“Probably while we were checking out those moons…” Hawkgirl commented activating the rest of her armor, “You want me to go say hello?” she then asked.

“She’s no Batman, but odds are she’s right…” the Atom thought looking at his teammate.

“ALEX? How many jumps until the next planet?” Kyle asked out loud.

“Approximately three. However, the damage the ship suffered will need to be addressed before the Mother Box technology can be used correctly. Currently we are on course to make an emergency landing on the nearest moon…” ALEX responded.

Moments later….

Kyle and Hawkgirl exited the ship with weapons drawn. Like before there were several crashed vehicles. It appeared a lunar outpost had been compromised. Bodies were everywhere, bloodied and broken, belonging to both sides of the battle. Near an oddly familiar crashed star cruiser one of the ravaged bodies of an enemy began to move ever so slightly. Source Wall debris was once again splitting the ground open off in the distance.

“Kyle, Kendra? Are communications still working?” someone said from the ship over a com link.

“There’s static in the signal but we can hear you. What’s up?” Kyle responded.

“I’m definitely picking up traces of Hal’s ring. Emergent Energy is far enough away that our scans are more accurate. Something is messing with our frequency though…” Atom informed from the ship with Kilowog manning the exo-suit.

“What is… this… now?” the Atom thought focusing his eyes on energy readings.

A loud hum could be heard aloud on the moon shortly before a small army of additional berserkers and space pirates were zeta beamed to the surface.

“That’s definitely Zeta Beam tech, Rayner.” Hawkgirl commented flexing her wings and taking to the air.

The crawling zombified corpse of a berserker approached Kyle and surprised him grabbing at his leg.

“HOLY $#!+!?!” Kyle screamed blasting half the guy’s jaw off.

“Not… enemy…” it struggled to say, “Bos… Boston…” it then waved it’s hand using the tech in the suit to blast an approaching enemy.

The ship that had been following the team could be seen in the distance passing the moon and heading towards the planet. The figure within was Shiro Nova.

“I am approaching your current position…” he stated over a communications device as he grabbed a blaster and strapped it to his back.

Nine Days Ago…

“Who exactly are we up against, Adam?” Hal asked his old friend around the meeting area of the Queen, Sardath, and Tigorr…

Ougellon’s moon, Now…

Kyle, Hawkgirl, Kilowog in the Atom’s exo-suit, and the zombified berserker who had picked up a skull like helmet off of another corpse fought against the small army. The newest addition to the team wore black and red armor, and for a reanimated corpse with half his jaw blown off he couldn’t be heard over the chaos. Kendra stabbed through an enemy with the cosmic staff she’d borrowed and then blasted other enemies in the distance with its energy. Kilowog was taking on larger brutes. Kyle dragged another injured aggressor with horns in similar black and red armor to the side behind a damaged wall and put his gun to its head.

“I’m only gonna ask this once… who sent you?” he asked.

Nova’s ship had landed and upon exit he walked up on his current employer whom already had Fatality at his side with her battle staff in hand. An army of other berserkers and brutes of at least four or five species were on the move behind them, one even sporting the jetpack and gear of Adam Strange. The bigger alien’s armor didn’t look like it used to, and before he had never been much for capes. He had large boots to fill with his father missing, and when light peered under his hood his identity was unmistakable when his eyes crackled with energy.

“Grayven.”

[Deadpool Fight like a man: with your words, not your fists. Find all posts View Profile Close Deadpool]

Some great micros in here, glad you still have the flare for it!