[CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-098ff22137b2a99d5e61436a13887ae7-pjlq[/img][/center][b][center][color=green] T H E   L A N T E R N S[/color]
[color=yellow]T H E   L A N T E R N S[/color][/center]
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[color=silver][sup][i]"All will be well"[/i][/sup][/color][/CENTER]

[color=8dc73f]"-So, when i get back to base, i see the bastard stood there and i'm just about holding it together. Just about ready to walk away... That's when he says it... "All you had to do was follow your damn orders." And i'll be honest, all i remember is flashes until the other guys are dragging me off of him. That's not an excuse, if i had had my full wits about me, i still would have gone for him. I'm just upset i don't remember."[/color] Hal said, sitting by the console.

[color=f49ac2]"No wonder they bumped you to the desk job."[/color] Carrol replied. [color=f49ac2]"I... I never knew..."[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"Of course not. BIG cover-up. That's why i wasn't court-martialled, i'd have had to tell the truth on the stand and the truth was... We were doing some stuff that the ICC would be very interested to know about..."[/color] He then coughed loudly [color=8dc73f]"Of course, this is just something that happened in a novel i'm writing. The USAF has never done anything along those lines in REAL life. That would be preposterous."[/color] He laughed.

[color=f49ac2]"Oh yeah, that's a great work of fiction that has absolutely no baring on real events that may have taken place. Make sure you write that disclaimer in."[/color] She replied. [color=f49ac2]"So, i've always wanted to go to space. What's it like up there?"[/color] She asked.

[color=8dc73f]"Smells bad, the laws of physics make no sense and it's not too dissimilar to my last deployment to the Gerald Ford."[/color] He answered.

[color=f49ac2]"Laws of physics make perfect sense, you just don't understand them."[/color] Carol corrected him. [color=f49ac2]"This is why the only people we send into space are the people who understand them and monkeys. Nice to see the rules haven't changed."[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"OoOoOh, bitchy."[/color] He replied. At that point, the console started beeping. Hal got up and looked at it. [color=8dc73f]"Ok, looks like we're just hitting the atmosphere."[/color] At that point, there was a clunk sound and the console began screaming with warning alarms. [color=8dc73f]"Oh, oh that's not an everything's ok sound."[/color] He pressed a few buttons. [color=8dc73f]Trajectory has changed. We were supposed to go down just off Canaveral... Oh, that's... We're going to fall much shorter... Much much shorter..."[/color] He gasped.

[color=f49ac2]"Projected landing site?"[/color] She asked, pulling up a map.

[color=8dc73f]"Looks like... It's gonna be south asia."[/color] He replied.

[color=f49ac2]"That clunk may have been an aileron stripping off, it'll mess with your aerodynamics. You're coming in much steeper now. You're gonna have to engage the thrusters again. You're going to need a Radial burn. If you can aim further north, you can aim for Krasnoyarsk. Remove, less likely to hit someone or be spotted."[/color] She replied.

[color=8dc73f]"Do we REALLY care about being spotted? I mean, the amount of weird and wonderful things going on in the world at the moment. Those Rock Golems invading New York? All the costumed kooks? I think a spaceship dropping out the sky is the least of peoples worries."[/color] He replied.

[color=f49ac2]"Ok... If you have enough DeltaV then you may be able to make a Normal burn that will give you enough height to get to the Pacific."[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"And then we sink and i'll get crushed under the pressure. I think a soft landing in Siberia is the best bet. Ok, how do i make a Radial burn?"[/color] He pressed some buttons, before he was thrown across the room by the ship violently shaking. He smashed into a machine and managed to get up, quickly checking his side. Bruised rib. Luckily the ring would fix him in a day or two. [color=8dc73f]"Oh, that's not good."[/color] He rushed back to the console. [color=8dc73f]"DeltaV 0, nonononono, we had PLENTY!"[/color]

[color=f49ac2]"That may have been a fuel-tank igniting."[/color] She replied. [color=f49ac2]"I'm... I'm sorry Hal... Without any fuel or means of slowing... You're just going to..."[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"Lawndart... No parachutes, no..."[/color] He looked up with the sudden realization. [color=8dc73f]"I'm gonna die..."[/color] He looked down at the ring. [color=8dc73f]"Well... That sucks..."[/color] He walked over to the bulkhead. [color=8dc73f]"Dex! You're gonna have to get out of here."[/color] He called.

[color=ed1c24]"I cannot get through the green shielding."[/color] Dexter replied.

[color=8dc73f]"Well then... Looks like we're both going to die."[/color] He sighed. At that point, he noticed the bulkhead beginning to glow, before he quickly got out of the way, seeing Dexter melting through the with lava belching from his mouth. Walking through the cat door he created, he looked up at Hal.

[color=ed1c24]"If we are to die, Cultist... Then we die as is intended..."[/color] He then rolled onto his back. [color=ed1c24]"With you giving me the worship i deserve."[/color] Hal sat down next to Dexter and slowly, cautiously reached out his hand for the fur on Dex's tummy. As he reached in, he noticed the claws slowly extending, before he pulled his hand away.

[color=f49ac2]"You're taking this well."[/color] Carol replied.

[color=8dc73f]"I fly planes for a living, i've come to terms with my mortality long ago. I'm not afraid. Just... Eh, just a little disappointed i'm not going to be here for the big showdown with Despairo."[/color]

[color=f49ac2]"Need me to relay a message to anyone?"[/color] She asked.

[color=8dc73f]"If you can get ahold of Jack and Jimmy, my brothers... Can you tell them that i'm sorry i wasn't there for Mom at the end... I... Tell Jack i know he doesn't believe that, but i'm not upset that he doesn't believe me. I deserved that... I just wish it could have been different."[/color]

[color=f49ac2]"Jack Jordan and Jimmy Jordan. Lot's of alliteration in your family..."[/color] She replied. [color=f49ac2]"I'm sorry, but i can't get over how calm you are!!!"[/color] She yelled at him.

[color=8dc73f]"Well, what's the point? Is me getting all up in arms, shouting, screaming, throwing a bitchfit going to change anything? No, i'm gonna meet Adoni with some damn dignity."[/color] he replied. [color=8dc73f]"Plus i don't get emotional in front of chicks. No offense."[/color]

[color=f49ac2]"You're the one about to die horribly and you're afraid of offending me?"[/color] She asked.

[color=8dc73f]"Horribly?"[/color] He asked. [color=8dc73f]"We're about to smash into the earth at Mach-Damn, i don't imagine that's going to last long.[/color] He then slowly reached another hand out to Dexter's belly. He was going to die in a few seconds, may as well go for it. And at that point, he heard something he never expected to hear.

[color=ed1c24]"Prrrrrrrrrrrr..."[/color] He looked down at the cat. He was doing what no man had ever dared do before... And it's because he was about to die that he might get away with it. He looked at the computer screen, seeing the map and everything completely overloaded with warning signs.

[color=8dc73f]"Dex, Carol, see you on the other side."[/color] He said, closing his eyes and waiting for the end... And waiting... And waiting... Then suddenly the shaking stopped. He opened his eyes. [color=8dc73f]"Dex... Are we dead?"[/color] He asked, looking around. [color=8dc73f]"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"[/color] He wrenched his hand out of the sharp embrace of the cat.

[color=ed1c24]"Your pain receptors appear to be intact."[/color] Hal ran over to the console, blood pouring from his hand.

[color=f49ac2]"Flyboy, you ok?"[/color] She asked. Hal checked it. They were just over Bangladesh and had just stopped.

[color=8dc73f]"We're... We're alive... And we're stopped... Sinestro?"[/color] He asked.

[color=ed1c24]"I do not smell the fear that surrounds the human... It smells more like..."[/color] Dex replied, before taking a great sniff. The walls suddenly began to turn blue. [color=ed1c24]"Hope..."[/color] As the blue seeped in through the walls, Hal watched the blue energy beginning to force the green from the computer into his ring, his costume reappearing.

[color=fff200]"-ntern are you there? Captain Jordan respond!"[/color] Hal looked at the ring.

[color=8dc73f]"Sinestro, you can hear me?"[/color] Hal asked.

[color=fff200]"Yes, we saw the craft crashing towards Earth, i was going to intercept, but i was... Delayed by something else. The Blue Lantern appears to have-"[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"Yeah, i kinda guessed."[/color] Hal looked down at Dex. [color=8dc73f]"Dex, buddy, we get to live!"[/color] He smiled. Dex gave him that same sour look he gave everyone.

[color=ed1c24]"If you speak about what happened when we were going to die, i will rip out your tongue and use it to line my litter box."[/color] Dex growled.

[color=8dc73f]"Hey, man, we all do crazy things when we think we're going to die. It's all good. Sinestro, how far out are you?"[/color] Hal asked.

[color=fff200]"A few minutes, why?"[/color] He replied.

[color=8dc73f]"Good, see you in a sec."[/color] He picked up the phone. [color=8dc73f]"So, any chance we can have a "Nobody Died" date where i thank you for saving my life?"[/color] He asked into the phone. There was a few seconds of silence.

[color=f49ac2]"I'll let you know..."[/color] At that point the phone hung up.

[color=8dc73f]"Oh yeah, she's into me."[/color] Hal replied. In any case, he needed to go meet the Blue Lantern. Flying out of the ship with Dex in tow, he noticed that they seemed to be in a heavily jungled area. Above the ship, there seemed to be a bright blue light. [color=8dc73f]"Hello!!!"[/color] Hal waved, floating towards the blue light. [color=8dc73f]"Thanks for the catch... You play for the Coast City Sharks? We've been looking for a good receiver this season!"[/color] The Blue light seemed to flash and suddenly he saw the face... Just as the kid in Japan had said, his face was that of an elephant and he looked immensely strong.

[color=00aeef]"Greetings, Sainik."[/color] The creature bowed in greeting. [color=00aeef]"I am glad to meet some of the others."[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"Look, i have to tell you about what's going on, see, there's this guy-"[/color] One of the hands raised to indicate silence.

[color=00aeef]"I am well aware of Despairo... But fear not, Hal Jordan of Coast City. All will be well."[/color] He replied.

[color=8dc73f]"Then you'll join us?"[/color] He asked. The elephant man shook his head.

[color=00aeef]"I am sorry, Sainik. But i am not at liberty to join you now. You see, i am not the true owner of this ring. I am simply allowing it to guide me until the true Champion of Hope appears."[/color] Hal raised an eyebrow, then looked at Dex. Dex looked back, asking what he expected him to do.

[color=8dc73f]"So, why aren't you-"[/color]

[color=00aeef]"Hope is the one incorruptible force of this universe. Even if i am not the true Champion of Hope, it cannot lead me to attack and destroy. Nor would it ever ask me to."[/color] He said, looking down at the ring. [color=00aeef]"It will join you for the final battle. But for the moment, i must help keep the others in check."[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"Can you tell me your name, at least?"[/color] Hal asked.

[color=00aeef]"My name is Warth... And i will help you when you need it. But until then, hold your hope tight and allow it to galvanize your will."[/color] In a flash of blue, he disappeared. A few seconds later, Sinestro appeared.

[color=fff200]"Green Lantern. It is good to see that you have survived."[/color] He looked at the ship. [color=fff200]"S.W.O.R.D. is obsessed with getting their hands on these things. I just had to find one myself."[/color] He sighed. [color=fff200]"Get back to The Bus and charge your ring properly. I'll take this to S.W.O.R.D. HQ."[/color]