Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Carsta Vager
The Ghost of Green Lantern 1101
by CSyphrett
I had served the Green Lanterns of sector 1101 for many years before I took on that honor myself. It came about in this fashion:
Carsta Vager had become the latest to serve the Corps. He defended his home planet and sector for many years as an example of the best of his species. He had never known defeat, except once. It proved to be a costly defeat for Carsta.
That day started like any other. He awoke before sunrise, engaged in his physical regimen, and set out on patrol duty with me. As we left the atmosphere of the planet, scans alerted me to the presence of ships stealthily approaching.
We flew closer to see who these newcomers were. Carsta Vager was slightly disconcerted to see that the hulls of the four ships he confronted were painted yellow.
“This is the Green Lantern of sector 1101,” Vager said calmly into a conjured radio. He was wary but hopeful that the ships’ stealthy approach could be put down to unfamiliarity with the star system. “Do you need assistance?”
The four ships halted their flight. The captain of the fleet came on the screen. He was a Sorthian, who are as a species not known for friendly greetings.
“Hello, Lantern,” said the captain. “We are fine.”
I noticed a ship approaching from behind us. Even as I warned Vager, the craft’s guns opened fire with yellow bursts of energy. Carsta was cut in half by the beams.
“Better than you, it seems,” the captain said with a rumbling laugh.
Carsta Vager was mortally wounded. We both knew it for the truth.
The yellow fleet descended toward the planet far below. The populace had no defense against the threat. Vager was their sole defense, and he was now floating dying in the blackness of space.
“I want you to listen,” Vager whispered, calling on the phenomenal willpower that had made him who he was. “You will defend the planet from any threat until someone more worthy than I can be found and appointed. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said back to him.
“Then go about your business,” he whispered.
I left Vager in an energy bubble as I flew off to carry out his last command. I had served many Green Lanterns and decided on my tactics as I flew after the yellow fleet.
That fleet descended toward Vager’s home world quickly. I knew the emerald light would not work against their yellow hulls, so I needed an indirect approach.
Flying past one of the moons on an intercept course, I scooped up part of a mountain as I went. My years with the Corps had given me a working knowledge of combat tactics.
The yellow fleet saw my burden coming on their screens and began to fire their lasers at me as they tried to separate. I swung the rock through them one at a time. I felt small satisfaction in seeing the lifeboats flee the wrecks.
Beaming an image of Carsta Vager for them to see, I said, “This world is protected. Go and never return.”
I grabbed each boat and accelerated it out of the system into hyperspace. Then I returned the rock to the moon.
Only one thing left to do now. I returned to collect Carsta Vager’s body from where it floated and gathered all of it together after a search. I buried the corpse on the moon where I had ripped up the mountain, and I erected a simple stone for him.
Then I tried to find someone to live up to his standard. It has been a long search, but I think I have found someone at last. It is time for another Green Lantern for sector 1101. Not the ghost of a dead one.
