My name is Hal Jordan.
A few years ago, longer back than I care to even remember, I was drafted by an alien lifeform on his deathbed into a league of interplanetary space cops led by The Guardians of The Universe. They called themselves The Green Lantern Corps, and according to them, I was the first human being ever chosen to serve among their ranks. The ring chose me, as it choses every Corpsman, for the ability to overcome fear - it claimed that I was able to push aside every lingering doubt in my mind and step up to become a hero worthy to wield it's power.
Most people mistake that quality for being fearless. I never claimed to be that. Hell, one of my earliest memories of life - perhaps the most important moment of my entire life - was a nightmare realized whenever I lost my father in a test flight gone awry. I was only eleven years old when it happened, and it taught me a very valuable lesson: that death is inescapable. Inevitable. Over the years, especially since becoming a Green Lantern, I've often theorized that it was that truth which spurned me on to learn how to master my fears. To understand death's inevitability is to understand the real power of fear.
Even after I actually died myself - as a disgraced murderer and genocidal maniac known as Parallax - I gained no greater knowledge than that hard fact. For years, I would wander between the realms of the living and the dead while joined to the spirit of vengeance known as The Spectre, paying attention to every insight I could get my hands on. It was all I had left at the time, really. But underhis vengeful hand, I quickly realized that he had no guidance to give. I was never happier than the day I was allowed to leave that world and resume my life on Earth. That was when I knew I could do some real good again. That was when I knew I could finally atone for the evils that had turned me into a monster.
So here I am. Ready to fight the good fight again and make all of that a distant memory.
I wish I could say that with all that I've experienced, with everything crazy that I've seen and done across the cosmos, that I would have learned not to fear death most of all.
"Kyle, watch out!"
"ARGH!"
But the truth is, I still do. And I always will.
To be a Green Lantern doesn't mean to be fearless. Because it's impossible.
We're just better at hiding it than others.
"Jeez, Rayner. What the hell was that? I'd have dodged that shot like it was nothin'."
"Shut it, Guy. Kyle, you hear me? You okay, man?"
Kyle Rayner's eyes flutter back open, lying in the dirt ruins of a planet once known as Cellestai-8. Until recently, it was a barren wasteland that had been apart of a galaxy decimated by Manhunter robots, as apart of it's "cleansing" protocol that deemed all lifeforms unfit to their own brand of martial law. The survivors of the attack were moved out of the system years ago, reconveined on Mogo for a brief time until a suitable environment could be found.
Now the planet's in the middle of a civil war. Qward, the weaponer planet, recently became overthrown by a hostile group of aliens calling themselves The Cellestials. They claimed to be apart of the race that founded the eight planets of this system, and challenged every neighboring star system to oppose their tyrannical rule. Otherwise they were going to take all eight planets back and become a pretty dominating prescence in the universe. Naturally, given that five of the eight planets had been repopulated, there was some opposition to the threat.
So now we're here. Trying our best to keep the peace between warring factions, but ultimately giving them more targets. Kyle, who was once considered the ringbearer of the once-fallen Corps, just learned that firsthand with a pretty devastating stun to the back. I land next to Guy Gardner and John Stewart, our backup, and offer him a hand.
"You guys worry to much. He'll be fine. Just a little laser burn, nothing we've never seen before. Right, kid?"
I flash him a grin that he returns, gratefully grabbing my hand and pulling himself up.
"R-Right. I guess. Ouch."
John punches me in the arm. "We worry too much? Look who's talking. You looked like you were about to have a stroke when he got hit. You showing us your softer side, old man?"
I chuckle that one off, taking off into the skies.
"We'll see who's getting geriatric, John. Last one to dismantle the Cellestial army buys us all a round. Deal?"
Guy takes off after me, joining me in flight. For all of his tough talk and abrasiveness, he's an asset to the team. I just hope that one day, he learns how to think with his brain, rather than his mouth.
"I ain't getting suckered into that one again, Jordan. I still remember the last bet we made. Still haven't made my rent in a month."
Kyle and John enter the fray, firing off at our attackers as we tow the line.
"Not our faults that you never take anything seriously, bowlcut."
"Insulting the hair now? I'll have you know, I've gotten laid off of this fine comb-over..."
"Yeah, how was he, anyhow?"
The three of us laugh, as Gardner trails behind, muttering under his breath.
"You'll get your's, Stewart..."
As we all fly into the revene, ready to take on the remainder of the approaching troops that are trying to destroy a local village, something happens that even after all these years, I'll probably never get used to. A familiar voice comes booming into my head, louder than any of my surroundings. Which is pretty impressive, given the hostile conditions of the planet right now.
~Martian Manhunter to Justice League. There is a situation happening all across the globe. Our attention is required.~
In the midst of flight, I come to a stop. Justice League business? Now, when we're in the middle of this? I nearly tell myself that it had better be important, but I already know how foolish that sounds. Of course it's important. League priority always is. And while I hate to take prescedence with anything over the struggles of a people less fortunate than any four of us, Earth is my home. Anything happening there is
my priority aswell.
"Guys, I'm getting a telepathic message from J'onn. Something's happening on Earth. League priority."
Kyle narrowly dodges another blast, having learned his mistake from earlier.
It's odd to think that at one time, we have all been a member of the Justice League. I was one of the founders. John was brought in soon after, even helped design Batman's original plans for the Watchtower. Guy was apart of the International years, and occasionally still lends his hand to the former members of that group. And Kyle, well - he had the toughest time of all. Replacing a rank left void by me, after I turned into Parallax.
But if anyone understands the urgency, it's him. I almost want to tell him to take my place, but the message wasn't for him.
"If J'onn's the one saying it, it's gotta be important, right?"
"Go. I'll cover you on the way out."
"Are you sure you can all handle this? I know what it means to get a call like that, but what's happening here is just as important."
"Relax, would ya? We're not all living legends like you, Jordan. There's a reason they called your ass back to Earth instead of the rest of us. You're needed there. We've got this."
"For once, Guy's right. Anything major happens here, we know where to find a couple thousand reinforcements to back us up. You go tackle the League's mission."
Hesitantly, I nod to the four of them and begin to fly in the other direction.
"Kyle, keep these kids under control while I'm gone. I don't want to hear about any bickering."
Kyle gives me a salute.
"Aye, aye, captain."
"Bickering? Since when do we ever..."
"Since always, probably."
"No one asked you!"
I shake my head and fly off, heading out into open space to find the nearest path to my own galaxy.
"Green Lantern here. I'm on my way to Earth now, J'onn."
"You can fill me in when I get there."
