Issue # 5

"Emerald Wings"
Part One

Written by Barry Reese

Katar Hol walked slowly through the winding corridors of the L.E.G.I.O.N. peacekeeping vessel, his attention half-diverted from the man who moved alongside him. He couldn't help but notice how pristine this ship was, how professional its multicultural crew performed their duties. It was a far different scene from the one he remembered when he'd last encountered this group -- when the L.E.G.I.O.N. had split in ranks, with some choosing to ally themselves with the group's founder, Vril Dox, against the rest. "So the little civil war your group experienced is over?"

Captain Comet, the so-called "Man of the Future," shook his head. He'd been in the middle of a rather lengthy discussion of the L.E.G.I.O.N.'s efforts to help rebuild a more alien-friendly Thanagar, but he'd already guessed that Katar's mind had wandered. "Over and done with. Vril's back with the group in an advisory capacity, but most people seem happier with me running the day-to-day operations. It's funny -- on Earth, I was always considered a cold fish, but up here... Well, I'm much warmer than Dox any day."

Hawkman couldn't argue with that -- he and Vril Dox had argued long and hard during the Eclipso Crisis, when the two of them had marshalled Earth's heroes for the attack on the villain's moonbase. He stepped onto the bridge with Comet, nodding once at an orange-skinned female whom he recognized. Katar couldn't quite place her name, but didn't worry over it very much. He wasn't here to make friends with these people -- he needed to iron out some hard-and-fast rules with them. "You know why I'm here?"

"Of course. Your announcement of an Earth-based corps of Wingmen has made a lot of waves throughout the galaxy. The Thanagarian government has officially asked us to mediate -- they don't want you using the name or uniform of their military elite."

Katar reached up and removed his helmet, looking at Comet with an expression of wry amusement on his face. "Are they going to sue me?"

Comet's laughter made several crewmember's glance up before returning to their duties. On the viewscreen in front of them, the blue-green sphere called Earth slowly turned. "As far as I know, there are no intergalactic precedents for that. Still... I have to tell you... a lot of worlds are used to regarding the Wingmen with distrust and fear. Thanagar's recent track record is working against you -- a lot of worlds think you're going to go in the same direction as the rest of your people."

"And that brings us back to why I'm here, doesn't it?" Katar glanced at a nearby monitor, catching his own reflection. Gone were the scars and inhuman eyes that had marked so much of his tenure as the Avatar of the Hawk-God. For that matter, gone was the Hawk-God... the creature who had robbed Katar of so much in recent years. Now he was the old Katar, full of idealism in his every expression, full of fire. He looked back at Comet and caught the man staring at him with an expression of almost awe. He can see my passion for this... That's good. He'll spread the word and people will believe him. "I want the Wingmen to become an affiliate program of L.E.G.I.O.N. -- we'll gain your off-world access to other cultures and in exchange, we'll give you an inside view on Earth, something you haven't really had since the Dominator-led Invasion."

Comet nodded thoughtfully. "Earth's been kind of wary about intergalactic forces ever since, haven't they?" The handsome telepath drew himself up to his full height. Katar's resolute mind was shining to him like a beacon. "I think we can work something out. I presume you'll want to remain an independent entity?"

"Yes. We have our own rules, our own way of operating -- but we'll share resources and aid one another when needed."

"Fair enough... but there is one thing....."

Katar frowned slightly. He could read in Comet's expression that he'd been dreading this moment for some reason. "What is it?"

"There's been reports of rogue Thanagarians in the vicinity of OA. The homeworld of the Green Lanterns was destroyed a few years back, but the area is still rife with energy -- L.E.G.I.O.N. sent in a team to investigate, to find out if any Thanagarian presence was, in fact, there. They never came back."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"The member worlds that make up L.E.G.I.O.N. want the Wingmen to investigate. They see this as a Thanagarian problem -- and they want to see if you're willing to actively stand against the aggressors that remain amongst your people. If you do... then L.E.G.I.O.N. is willing to not only give you affiliate status, but we're willing to foot the bill for some of the equipment you're going to need."

Hawkman fingered his helmet for a moment. He had no real choice -- the Wingmen needed the financial and material backing of L.E.G.I.O.N., but he also hated to turn his attention away from protecting the Earth. Still, if there were Thanagarians involved... "We'll do it. I'll get back to you when it's taken care of."

Captain Comet bid his new ally farewell, watching as he moved to return to Earth. Good luck, Katar. I think you'll do fine on the mission -- but I suspect you'll find out that running the kind of organization you're planning is going to be tougher than you expect. Believe me, I know.

Shayera Thal, aka Hawkwoman, angled her body so that her wings caught most of the spray of bullets. The sturdy Thanagarian material held up well under the stress, but it wouldn't provide protection forever, meaning she had to wrap this up quickly.

She'd tracked down this group of Intergang enforcers to their Chicago lair, but hadn't really expected them to respond with such force. Nearly two dozen armed men were now raining bullets down upon her, as she huddled in a corner of the penthouse living room.

Shayera ran her fingers down over the gun she wore at her side. Peacock, as she often liked to call Katar, had frowned upon her love for big and noisy weapons, but that was his hangup, not hers. She withdrew the small pistol and launched herself into the air. She opened fire without hesitation, her marksmanship being so high that she was able to deliver numerous flesh wounds, just severe enough to take the target out of the fray without seriously injuring them. Despite the overwhelming numbers, Hawkwoman's grace in the air and her skill with her weapon soon ended the combat.

Peacock would be proud, she thought to herself. No deaths.

Hawkwoman heard a cry from behind her and turned to see an Intergang thug that she'd missed. He had a gun pointed directly at her and a sneer on his face. "Poor little birdie. Hate to see a sweet thing like you get all shot up -- but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

Shayera cursed in Thanagarian as the man fired. At this range, she would never be able to dodge....

Nor would she have to. The bullets suddenly changed course, flying back to their source. The man screamed in surprise and pain as the bullets lodged into his legs.

Hawkwoman turned towards the penthouse window, seeing the silhouetted form of a wingman there. "Condor?"

The lanky youth settled to the floor and stepped in. His wings were strapped rather clumsily to his back, making Shayera wince. She'd have to teach the boy some dignity when it came to wearing his uniform, but she also recognized that he flew without the aid of Nth Metal, instead using his telekinesis to direct his flight. For him, the wings were nothing but ornamentation. "It's me. When you didn't return to headquarters for the meeting, I came looking for you."

"What meeting?" Hawkwoman savagely kicked a man in the face who was struggling to rise.

"Katar came back from the L.E.G.I.O.N. get-together and sent out a signal for us to meet up with him. You didn't get it?"

Shayera smiled as she moved to pick up the telephone, planning to call the local police. "I turned that thing off ages ago. Kept beeping at me."

The Black Condor's jaw dropped open in surprise. "But...."

"Katar can reach me if he needs me, Condor. I'm not one for meetings and strategy, never have been. I want to fly into combat and kick some ass. Period. If there's a real emergency, I'll be there, don't worry."

"Well, this sounds fairly serious -- Katar is planning to go to OA. He's asked you and I to look after things here."

"Seven Hells.... He's already dumping us here on Earth while he galivants across the universe? And why's he going to OA? It's a a bunch of space rubble nowadays."

"Something about renegade Thanagarians siphoning off energy from the remains."

"Hmm." Shayera brushed past the Condor, moving towards the window. "How about cleaning up here and talking to the cops for me... I'd like to go see Katar."

"You going with him?"

"Oh yeah. I didn't get my wings back just to sit around on my ass while he gets the glory. Besides," she said with a softer tone, "I just got the real Katar back.... and I don't plan to lose him again."

OA.

For centuries, it had stood at the center of the universe, home to the nigh-immortal Guardians of the Universe. Blessed with their incredible wisdom, the Guardians had formed first the Manhunters and then the Green Lantern Corps, both designed to bring peace and order to the chaotic universe.

And then, inexplicably, the greatest of their servants -- Hal Jordan of Earth, the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 -- turned against them. In his madness and grief, he stole the Guardian's power and became the mad villain known as Parallax.

The last living Guardian, Ganthet, had helped create a new Green Lantern -- Kyle Rayner of Earth. But the legacy of the Corps seemed long forever, the power of the great Central Battery spread throughout the debris that had once been OA.

Katar Hol and his lover, Shayera Thal, flew through the void with a sense of dread. They were protected from the rigors of space by a transparent sheen of Thanagarian design, but they still imagined they felt the dull cold of a cemetery. Men and women had lived and died here. A noble dream had died with them.

"No sign of the L.E.G.I.O.N. team or the Thanagarians. You think they got what they were after and left?" Shayera's voice broke the silence, carried by the small communicators they wore.

Hawkwoman dodged a tiny green-tinged bit of debris. For a second she thought it might have bone, wrapped up in a bit of a Green Lantern uniform. The thought only made her feel more uneasy.

Hawkman checked the hand-held scanner in his grip. "Doubt it. Though there's plenty of energy in the area, so they should have found it without any trouble. I had no idea there was so much of it still here."

Hawkwoman placed a hand on his arm. "Katar... Look."

Hawkman followed her gaze and felt the hair suddenly stand up on his arms. There were bodies floating amidst the rocks and dust -- Thanagarian bodies. They were horribly burned and disfigured but their garb was proof enough of their origins. Without waiting for his partner, Katar pushed forward until he was right next to one of the bodies. "Amazing. The scanner indicates that this guy died of extreme radiation poisoning. It's consistent with the type of wavelengths found in the rest of the area, but at an incredible dosage. How in the Seven Hells did he come into contact with an amount strong enough to do this?"

"I'm not sure, Peacock, but I think we might be joining him soon. The scanner's going off the scale...."

Katar saw the numbers climbing higher and higher. Something was causing the energy levels to rise at an enormous rate. He took Shayera's hand and squeezed it. "Shay, there's no time to outrun this. This whole area's about to--"

Hawkman's words were cut off as a tremendous force seized both he and Shayera, hurling them away from OA. Katar flexed his wings to slow his progress through space, but he noted that he and Shayera had been hurled miles away in that short time.

Shayera drew her gun even as Katar unsheated his katar knife. Up ahead, they could see the remains of OA glow with an emerald energy. A bright flare caused both Thanagarians to cry out and a palpable sense of presence seemed to wash over them. Through the brightness, Katar could see the rocks and debris come together, squeezing into some sort of mass. "I don't believe it. OA... something's rebuilding OA."

"Unfortunately, you're correct."

Hawkman turned towards the unexpected voice, but saw nothing but the blackness of space. "Who?"

A strong blow struck Hawkman on the jaw, jerking his head with the force of the blow. A shadowy form came into view, dressed in gold and black. He was humanoid in appearance, though his skin was tinged with blue. His white hair was long and unkempt, making him look younger than he actually was. "Consider me a bearer of bad tidings, Hawklings. My name is Doranchatok and I have to come to bear witness to the end of all things."

Hawkwoman snarled savagely, backhanding the stranger with the butt of her gun. "You have a lot of nerve, you bastard! Do you always go around attacking people you've never met?"

The blue-skinned man floated a safe distance from them as Hawkwoman went to check on Katar. He was awake, but still dazed. "Tend to your mate, woman. My hatred is reserved for others besides yourselves. I'm surprised your government would bother sending more of you, though -- didn't the deaths of the others warn them away?"

"Did you....?"

"Of course not. Nor did I slay the L.E.G.I.O.N.airres. They did that. Not intentionally, perhaps -- but they did it, nonetheless. This whole area has been experiencing power fluctuations lately because of their actions, because of their attempt to restore OA and to return to our universe."

Hawkman shook off the stars that were blinding him and locked eyes with the stranger. "Who are you talking about?"

"Ask them yourselves, Hawklings."

Hawkman turned back to OA, his eyes widening. OA stood anew, its rocky surface looking untouched by time. But most surprising of all were the humanoid figures who held hands about the globe, bathing it in green energy. There were so many of them, male and female.... the men were shorter than the women, with the same blue skin as Doranchatok. The women were taller, full of Earthly beauty, with skin that ranged from black to peach. The red robes of the men and the warrior garb of the women were instantly recognizable... "The Guardians... and the Zamarons? But they're supposed to all be dead."

The stranger in black and gold laughed coldly. "We should only be so lucky, Thanagarian." Without another word, Doranchatok faded once more from view.

Shayera cursed again, still staring at the scene before her. The Guardians and Zamarons were slowly floating down towards the new OA, seemingly unconcerned with the Thanagarians who observed them. In the end, only one figure remained in space, watching the Hawks with as much interest as they showed him.

"Katar... Please tell me that's not who I think it is."

Hawkman remained silent, but raised his katar in warning.

The figure began moving towards them, his green and grey armor coming into better focus. It was him, all right, the figure who had once been a source of hope -- but who had thrown it all away in the name of vengeance.

"Something's wrong," Katar hissed. "He looks... different."

Speaking through the void, the figure concurred. "I've been through a lot, Katar. But you can put your doubts aside... because this time, everything will be okay."

Hawkman could stare as the man once known as Hal Jordan came to a stop before him. His skin was blue and his hair, normally brown with streaks of gray, was shockingly white. "We'll stop you, Parallax. Just like we did before."

Hal smiled, with no trace of anger or resentment. "Stop me? Why? The beings you just saw are the children of the Guardians and the Zamarons*. They've returned, just as the Guardians promised they would**."

(*The Guardians briefly left this reality with the Zamarons just prior to the Millenium limited series. **In Green Lantern (1990) # 7, the Guardians promised that the Zamarons and their children would eventually return to OA.)

Hawkwoman sneered. "And what about the great and powerful Parallax? Why the sudden change in hue?"

Hal's eyes twinkled as he waved a hand through the void. His armor changed in the blink of an eye, transforming into a set of familiar red robes. "Nothing to worry about, Shayera. I'm a Guardian now."

TO BE CONTINUED

Next Issue : Hal Jordan... the new Guardians... the mysterious Doranchatok.... and the return of OA? What the heck's going on? Be here for more of "Emerald Wings!"

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Still no letters, but that's okay. I can talk enough for all of us. :-)

This issue and next will bring some (in my opinion) much needed changes to the status of the Green Lantern mythos at DCL. Hopefully, you'll like what I have planned. If not, just hang in there because this book isn't about to become The Legend of Hawkman and Green Lantern. This is Katar's book and he'll remain our focus.

If you're pining for the Earth-One Hawkman, he'll be back before you know. Maybe, just maybe, I'll even be able to convince TJ Burns (a fanfic author of some reknown in such circles) to write a story or two with the pre-Crisis Katar -- TJ's a big Hawkman expert and I bet he'd come up with a great plot or two. Interested, TJ?

See you all next issue,

Barry Reese