Legends of the Green Lantern Corps #10

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Legends of the Green Lantern Corps #10
The Polaris Incident

Written by Scott D. L. Kruger
Edited by Daniel Dyer

6 Months later…

Dr. Neal Emerson stood amongst the wreckage of what once was STAR Labs, Los Angeles. He had been experimenting with Magnetism for some time and had finally developed gauntlets that would allow him to harness the Earth's magnetic fields. The project dubbed ‘Polaris’ had, so far, gone untested, most of the other scientists did not like the idea of toying with Earth's magnetic fields.

Without the approval of his fellow scientists, or supervisors, Emerson decided to test the gauntlets himself, after hours... resulting in the destruction of STAR Labs. The energy used in the initial blast permanently fused the gauntlets to his arms.

Emerson fled the scene as the authorities arrived.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Coast City, California, the home of Carol Ferris, CEO of Ferris aircraft.

Carol Ferris sat before her vanity preparing herself for her second date with the new test pilot, Hal Jordan. To say the first date didn't go so well would be an understatement... halfway through dinner, Hal abruptly left, promising that he would "be right back". Needless to say, after an hour, he didn't, sticking her with the bill.

The following Monday, Hal came to work bearing a bouquet of flowers and an apology, using a rather lame excuse about his brother Jack. He begged for a second chance and, being a sucker for his big brown eyes, she gave in.

Little did Carol know, she was being watched...

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Hal Jordan, test pilot & Green Lantern of sector 2814.

Hal drove his new black Mustang down the highway on his way to Carol Ferris' house. So far, being GL of sector 2814, had been very interesting. Living in Coast City, he'd become a bit of a local celebrity. Crime was way down and the tourist trade was way up. Some, trying to make a buck off of the local super-hero had begun selling t-shirts with his emblem on it. Even some T’s that said: “Welcome to Coast City: Home of Green Lantern!”.

He'd also been labeled the "Emerald Gladiator", "Emerald Crusader", "Emerald Knight" and the "Green Guardian"... and even though he turned down many network interviews, he'd reconsider if it could get him a date with the channel 11 news reporter.

Yes, life had become much more interesting for him... but there was just something about Carol Ferris.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Hal pulled up to Carols house, his mind wandering to their last date... This time, to ensure no interruptions, he left his power ring at home.

Last time he tried a date with Carol, some idiot calling himself ‘Evil Star’ decided to trash an observatory outside of town... The guy had a little midget minion... his own personal 'mini me'... It was sad. Looked like a reject from KISS, or, perhaps, a really bad amateur wrestler.

Hal caught sight of the action as it was unfolding on a TV in the restaurant he & Carol were at. Anytime something happened that Hal could prevent or stop, his power ring had an annoying habit of activating. Whenever it activated, he felt an odd tingling sensation on his ring hand... Signifying that he had about 60 seconds to get clear of anyone before his uniform appeared.

Not this time!

They had reservations at a restaurant with no television and no ring... but somehow, he was pretty sure that wouldn't stop his ring, it had become almost as stubborn as he was.

Hal approached Carol's front door, bouquet of pink roses in hand & rung the doorbell. After a moment, she opened the door.

"You're early, flyboy, trying to get back on my good side?" She said with a smile.

"I wasn't aware that I was still on your bad side... flowers?" Hal responded with a sheepish grin.

"Sure, I'll put them with the other bouquet you gave me this week." She smirked as she snatched the flowers from his hand.

Ouch, had a feeling the flowers were a bad idea, should have brought candy...

"Relax, flyboy, I'm just teasing you. They're beautiful, you need to lighten up a bit."

"You're beautiful, the flowers are just to say 'hello'," he said confidently.

"Slow down there 'Ace', I never kiss on the first date." She exclaimed placing a hand on his chest to keep him a distance away.

"Second date, ma‘am, remember?" he replied with a smirk.

"You call that fiasco a date? You need to raise you standards a bit. Oh, and call me 'ma'am' again and I'll make sure you fly nothing but flight simulators for the rest of your natural life."

"Yes ma'... uh, right, ready to go then?" Hal took a step back.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Later… In the car, on the way to the restaurant... with the radio on...

"So, how long have you been in charge at Ferris?" Hal said trying to break the silence.

"Since my father retired 3 years ago..."

"Been tough?"

"At first... getting people to listen to me wasn't easy. We all warmed up to each other eventually, and now we're a well oiled machine."

"Breaking news out of Los Angeles," the radio news announcer came on. "STAR labs is the scene of a major disas…"

Hal quickly turned the radio off, even though he had a nagging feeling that he shouldn't have.

"Sorry, you were saying?" Hal smiled uneasily.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Later, at the restaurant, Hal & Carol sit across from each other sipping wine.

"So, better than last time?" Hal asked hopefully.

"So far, so good... let's hope your brother doesn't have an emergency this time."

"Heh, yeah... My brother… Anyway, how about we get started with an appetizer? how about...?"

Hal was suddenly interrupted by a large explosion across the street. The concussion shattered the windows in the restaurant. All of the patrons began running for cover, screaming.

Instantaneously Hal's hand began to tingle as his power ring suddenly materialized...

"Dammit! Carol, take cover in the kitchen..." Hal ordered.

"What about you?" she asked pulling his left arm back toward the kitchen.

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME!” he shouted, yanking his arm free, “I'll get the injured folks to safety. JUST GO!"

Carol ran to the kitchen in the rear of the restaurant with the other patrons. Hal glanced around to see if anyone was watching. When he was sure he was being ignored, he willed his GL uniform on. "Dammit, why the hell can't I just have a normal date like everyone else?"

Hal flew out of the restaurant seeing overturned police patrol cars littered across the street. The video store across the street was on fire with people trapped inside. Between him & the video store stood an older man in a lab coat with really big metal gloves. The man had thrown Hal's new car into the video store window, causing the explosion.

"Not my car… Hey Pal, that car was not cheap..." OK, time to multi task.

Hal sent a beam of light around the deranged doctor, scooping up the endangered people in the video store, as a second beam of energy wrapped the doctor in transparent, glowing green chains.

"Alright, Professor, what's your damage? Stop getting kick-backs from your HMO?" Hal taunted.

A street side mailbox ripped free of it’s mooring and launched itself at Hal. Hal deflected the mailbox with a green shield, accidentally knocking it into a patrol car. Apparently chaining him wasn't helping...

"Leave me alone, it was an accident, I swear!" Dr. Emerson screamed at Hal.

"Sure, my car flying through a video store windows is... what? An act of God? Come on pal, come quietly, take off those stupid metal mittens, and we'll work this mess out."

"NO, you idiot, you don't understand... they're a part of me now!" Emerson yelled.

Hal was struck upside the head with traffic light pole, followed by a pair of parked cars. His ring automatically protected him from harm and, luckily, the folks Hal rescued were clear of the fire when his concentration was broken.

Unfortunately, Dr. Emerson was freed as well.

"Dr. Neal Emerson, this is Chief Redding of the Coast City PD, drop your weapons or we will be forced to open fire."

"I can't, you morons, they're attached," he shouted back.

"Alright, open fire!" Chief Redding ordered.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Hal emerged from the wreckage just as the CCPD’s finest opened fire on Emerson. Emerson raised both his gauntleted hands up, creating a wall of magnetic energy, stopping the bullets just centimeters from his face. He turned his hands around and the bullets mimicked the movement. He then flung his hands forward, sending the bullets back toward the police that fired them.

“No!“ Hal shouted throwing himself with super-speed between the Police and Emerson, creating an emerald barrier to stop the bullets. Hal’s arm was grazed by one of the bullets, but he hardly noticed, keeping his concentration locked onto the task at hand.

"Hey Chief, you're not helping here! Can we try to not piss off the guy with the big magnet hands?" Hal shouted over his shoulder toward Chief Redding.

"Why won't you listen to me???" Emerson sobbed into his gloved hands.

"Listen, Dr. Emerson, is it? Come on guy, just power down & let's talk about this." Hal tried to reason with the doctor.

"My life is over, Emerson is dead. Polaris…. The Polaris project… yes… Polaris." Emerson began to say over and over again. “I am Polaris!”

"I'll call you Susie, if that's what you want, just knock it off..." Hal replied.

Polaris began to buckle the girders beneath the restaurant Hal & Carol were dining at, bringing the façade of the restaurant down. Hal quickly placed green support columns underneath the falling structure to hold it up. He created giant nets to catch the excess debris before it killed anyone or destroyed more property.

Using Earth's magnetic fields, Polaris took the opportunity to make his escape, quickly flying out of sight.

Hal decided to save the restaurant patrons instead of pursuing Polaris. He rushed into the ruined restaurant, sure the façade was secure. He found Carol in the restaurant kitchen helping to treat some of the wounded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you please come with me... quickly..." Hal urged.

He quickly escorted everyone to relative safety, but Polaris was long gone. Carol Ferris stared in awe at her rescuer.

Chief Redding stormed up to Hal, jabbing a finger in his chest.

"You let the psycho go... hero,” Redding barked, spittle flying into Hal’s face. “You could've let us go in after the people and taken off after that nut job."

"Yeah, and possibly gotten you and your men killed. I made a judgment call that I can live with, chief. You don't like it, tough,” Hal barked back, unflinching. “And anyone ever tell you it's not nice to point?"

Hal moved Chief Redding out of his way with a transparent green hand. Hal stalked off into the street looking at the ruined wreck of his car in the video store window. He felt a sudden pain in his left shoulder. He glanced down at his shoulder and noticed the small bullet graze.

What the Hell… I thought you were supposed to automatically protect me?

There was no response… there had been no response since the battle on Qward.

"Excuse me Mr. … ummm… Mr. Lantern..." Carol said as she ran up to Hal.

"Uh, yes ma‘am… ahem!” Hal said quickly clearing his throat and deepening his voice. “What can I do for you young lady...?"

"You were amazing, but... My, uh, friend was here helping the injured... tall, brown hair, brown eyes, black suit?"

"Friend? ...Right…” Friend? “I think I saw him round the corner over there."

"Thank…” Hal flew off in the opposite direction quickly disappearing from sight. “…you… Wow.”

Hal doubled back, in stealth mode. He used the ring to bandage the wound on his shoulder. It didn’t hurt, but he didn’t want to get blood all over his suit.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Carol gingerly walked in the general direction the Green Lantern pointed to in regards to Hal‘s location. She kept her eyes on the sky the entire time. That uniform, that body...

"Carol! Thank God you're alright,” Hal said trying to hide his disappointment toward the ‘friend’ comment. “I was able to get some of those folks to safety when all hell broke loose. Can I walk you home?"

"Walk, what happened to your car?" Carol asked, suddenly drawn back to her date.

"Crazy guy with the wacky gloves tossed it into that video store across the way."

"Oh Hal! I’m so sorry. You loved that car,” she consoled.

“Yeah… but, it’s just a car. You’re safe, that’s what really matters. Let me walk you home…”

“No... you know what Hal…” She began, looking to the sky again. Hal didn’t like the tone in her voice. “I think that maybe this isn't such a great idea. I'll hop a cab & see you at work on Monday."

"Carol, come on, this wasn't my fault..."

"I know,” She looked back at Hal, “it's just that... I don't think I should date employees, it sets a bad example. And... and we're not getting off on a very good foot."

She stood up on her tip-toes, kissed Hal on the cheek and walked away.

She spent that whole brief conversation glancing up. Great, I'm being dumped for myself... give me a freaking break.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Epilogue 1

Carol Ferris sat at her vanity brushing her long black hair thinking about the mystery man known as Green Lantern. Even though she'd never met him before, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she somehow knew him.

Little does she know, she was still being watched and had been all night long...

"Amazing my sisters, this one will do nicely…"

"Agreed, and how ironic is it that her mate is one of the Guardians puppets?"

"Yes, indeed, this one will serve our purposes nicely."

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Epilogue 2

"It wasn't my fault... I can control it... I know I can!" Dr. Emerson said to himself. The darkness of the sewer he hid in enveloped him entirely.

"Of course you can Dr. Emerson..." a voice came out of nowhere.

"Where are you??? Show yourself!" he demanded, activating his gauntlets.

"Please, Dr. Emerson..." the man's voice soothed.

"Dr. Emerson is dead! I am Polaris!" he spat a reply.

"Well then, Dr. Polaris... what if I told you I had the means to give you control over your abilities?"

"Liar!"

"I do not lie... I have the ability. I need you to trust me."

"Trust?"

"Yes, Polaris... I can help you get your life back... You must trust me."

Next: Take a trip to the fringes of the Universe with Green Lantern Jar Kell, as guest writer Charles 'Chuck' Wilkins introduces "Agmemno!"

And to find out what happens to Dr. Polaris next, check out Legends of Superman #11! Coming soon!!!