Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Salaak and Driq
The Green Lantern Corpse
by Martin Maenza
Continued from The Secret Society of Super-Villains: Reclamation, Book 2
A male humanoid figure, enclosed in a protective bubble of emerald energy, streaked across space sector 2814. The bubble rocketed from one solar system to the next on a fairly straight path, never wavering for an instant or deviating from its course. The figure had one destination in mind, the blue-green orb that was third from the sun in the Sol system — a planet known by its inhabitants as Earth.
The humanoid wore a uniform recognized far and wide across the galaxy, albeit one slightly battle-worn. It was a black, formfitting under layer with an emerald tunic that ran from the shoulders and down the torso to where the legs connected to the body. The boots were a matching emerald color, and the gloves were white. Across the chest was a white circle with an emerald insignia in the center. This was the standard uniform of the members of the Green Lantern Corps, intergalactic defenders against evil.
The Green Lantern Corps had been founded by a single race of beings, the diminutive blue skinned males from the planet Maltus. These self-appointed Guardians of the Universe formed the Corps out of necessity to combat an evil they themselves had unleashed. Operating from the planet Oa at the center of the known universe, the Guardians divided the universe into 3600 sectors. From all these alien worlds would come the most brave individuals within each sector, those who would be selected to serve as Green Lanterns.
The figure speeding towards the planet Earth was one such alien from the planet Criq. Like those people of Earth, he had two arms and two legs. But his appearance would probably unnerve most who looked upon him, for this Green Lantern looked like what the natives of Earth might call “death warmed over.”
***
In Encino Canyon, just outside of the city of Los Angeles, stood a multi-story structure. The casual passerby could easily mistake it for any small corporation’s headquarters. Nestled among the green forests, this building had a stone face with plenty of glass and windows on the upper floors. Its design was the creation of a talented architect and one of the individuals who used the building as a base of operations. For this was the Green Lantern Citadel, the headquarters for the seven galactic protectors that had chosen to make Earth their base of operation.
Surprisingly, there was not a lot of activity going on in the building at this particular moment. In fact, only one of the inhabitants was currently on premises.
Salaak of Slyggia stood on the second floor patio looking up at the blue, cloudless sky. “Another beautiful morning,” the purple skinned alien said, “how depressing!”
Salaak was humanoid in shape but had four arms instead of two; he wore his emerald power ring on his upper right hand. His head was oblong with four bumps along each side. His eyes were white slits. The uniform he wore was a slight variation of the traditional Corps’ garb. The color patterns were all the same, but his green tunic had more of a militaristic flavor to it with left flap buttoned over the right and his Green Lantern insignia on the lapel. It wasn’t his idea to modify his original uniform, but all the Earth bound Green Lanterns had done so to help distinguish themselves as individuals. He reluctantly agreed with the group in doing so.
Though his expression remained as sour as always, Salaak actually enjoyed being alone in the Citadel. Or at least, he always professed to enjoy his solitude. But why then did he have such vivid thoughts on where his fellow Earth-based Green Lanterns were?
***
“Hal Jordan is off on a mission with the Justice League of America,” Salaak said out loud to himself. “When he’s not with them, he’s usually out flying jets in his other identity. He divides his time in so many directions, one would think he was avoiding something. Or someone, like Arisia of Graxos IV perhaps. She’s finally stopped mooning over him and has taken up with others more closer to her apparent age. Some heroes north of here in San Francisco – the Wet Titans or something like that. Keeps her sunny disposition from bothering me on daily basis.
“Now the only resident couple around here is John Stewart and Katma Tui of Korugar. They seem to grow closer the longer they are together. Their displays of public affection can be so nauseating sometimes. I’m glad they took off for the weekend to Detroit, the city where Stewart grew up. Maybe they’ll move out of this mushy phase and get to mating. That will put an end to this whole courting ritual.
“Kilowog of Bolovax Vik took off as well. Said he wanted to learn more about the inhabitants of Earth. Why is beyond me. Said he was going to some place called Russia because their government sounded fascinating to him. Doesn’t take much to fascinate some people. Luckily for us, Guy Gardner hasn’t made it a point for sticking around here either. I certainly can’t see why the Guardians would have even given him a power ring. He’s so arrogant and full of himself.
“And of course, lastly Ch’p of H’lven disappeared several months ago with his one-time rival Dr. Ub’x. I certainly would never admit to missing that little furball, but at least Ch’p was always around to listen to what I had to say.
“Ah well,” Salaak sighed deeply. “Perhaps I can find something to pass the time on that talking box they call TV.” Salaak adjourned to the adjacent lounge.
***
Salaak was watching After Hours, a particularly dark comedy about a man’s misadventures in New York City late at night. He had barely settled in when he heard a loud crashing sound coming from outside. “Am I not entitled to relax without interruption?” the alien griped as he rose from the chair. With a huff, he headed for the patio area to get a better view of the situation.
Creating a telescope with the emerald energy from his power ring, Salaak scanned the tree line across the property. “Hmmph, probably just a squirrel or one of Ch’p's so-called counterparts on this world.” The Slyggian was about to give up his investigation when he spied a slight movement of the bushes. “It’s probably not worth my efforts to pursue, but who am I to draw that conclusion? Besides, I’ve already missed enough of the movie that I’ll have a difficult time catching up.”
Using his power ring once more, Salaak created a set of emerald stairs from the patio’s edge down to the ground. The alien Green Lantern plodded down the steps on his two-toed feet, grumbling all the while. “Knowing my luck, it’s probably another one of those costumed fools that are always poking around this place. How Hal Jordan and the others put up with their annoying antics is beyond me.” In a few moments, he was across the grassy yard.
Just then, a figure burst forth from the brush. “Bleaghh!” the figure wailed in an eerie voice.
“Zox! What is this?” Salaak exclaimed. The figure lunged for him with some urgency, but his ring put up a barrier that rebound it backwards. The figure stumbled to the ground. “Well, that was certainly a rude welcome.” Salaak got a good look at the figure and realized it wore the uniform of the Green Lantern Corps, albeit one slightly battle torn. It’s face, however, was gray in color with eyes slightly out of alignment and scalp partial torn back. “Just who are you anyway, fellow Lantern?”
***
The alien rose to its feet. Its right arm dangled lower than the other, so it grabbed the appendage with it’s left and jammed it back into its socket. “Fnnarrrrr,” the alien replied to the question.
Salaak rolled his eyes. “Well, that was certainly informative. Maybe this will help some.” He pointed his ring at the other Green Lantern, giving a command to the device he wore upon his upper right hand. “Power ring, identify the Green Lantern who stands before me.”
The ring flashed emerald energy in the direction of the newcomer. The alien stood dumbfounded as it bathed in the familiar power. The ring then spoke to its wielder in a gruff tone that echoed Salaak’s own. “This is Driq of the planet Criq.”
Salaak let out a deep grumble. “So much for a detailed history,” he griped to his own ring. He turned to the other Green Lantern. “Driq from Criq, eh? Well, Driq, I’m sure you haven’t come to this mud ball for a sight-seeing trip. Surely you have some urgent business. How else can you explain your unannounced arrival?”
Driq stared at Salaak with his right eye. The left one dangled from the socket by a large optic nerve. “Pfffghh! Fnorkhh blaaahhhh!”
Salaak stared in disbelief. Usually his power ring would compensate for alien languages he did not comprehend. But for some reason, it failed to interpret Driq’s drooling sounds. “Well, if I can say so, you look terrible. I can only wonder what happened to you.”
“I can answer that one!” a firm female voice said from above them.
***
The two Green Lanterns whirled around, Driq almost falling over himself as he did so. They saw a dark haired female approaching them. She had features like those of a Caucasian Earth woman, but she was garbed in armor of differing pink colors. Salaak had a feeling he had seen her someplace before, but a lot of the Earth humans looked alike to him.
“I killed him!” Star Sapphire admitted. “But it appears that he doesn’t know when to lie down and play dead!” Violet energy surged from the gemstone in the center of the woman’s headpiece, and a concentrated beam of force shot towards the two Green Lanterns.
Salaak barely managed to dive out of the beam’s way as it exploded the ground on which they were standing. He was able to throw up an emerald shield in time to protect himself from the blast. His comrade, however, was not so lucky. “Driq!”
The reflexes of the other Green Lantern seemed to be severely impaired. He barely had time to notice the oncoming attack before the beam connected to him directly. “Phraaaaah!” he cried out. The force of the violet energy hit him like a rocketing comet, pounded him directly into the dirt. As the dust settled, the alien’s body lay in a twisted heap.
Salaak recovered and saw the fate that befell his fellow Corps member. “Who are you and why do you attack us so?” he demanded to know. “What have Driq or I done to you?”
Star Sapphire laughed wickedly. “You personally have done nothing to me. But this one…” she gestured to the still unmoving heap on the ground, “…this one I found spying upon me. I was about to leave my world of Zamaron, only to be confronted by him. He claimed he had been assigned by Hal Jordan to keep a watchful eye on my actions.” Her eyes narrowed, and her gemstone pulsed with energy. “This angered me even more than I already was!
“As my ship attempted to leave orbit, he used his power ring to impede my departure. We battled in space, and his ring was no match for my warrior training. I left his body for dead like so much space dust while I proceeded to Earth.” She glanced at the heap with disdain. “Obviously he was not as dead as I thought. Now that has been corrected!”
Salaak stood his ground. “Your actions will not go unchallenged. For when you attack one member of the Green Lantern Corps, you attack us all.” Emerald energy lanced forth from his ring.
***
Star Sapphire laughed as her gemstone countered the emerald beam with its own formidable energy. “So noble and so predictable!” she spat. “The Guardians’ teachings have marked each of you like a rancher brands his herd of Texas cattle.” The beams of energy met head on, making the battle a contest of wills.
She continued her assault on both fronts. “But the Guardians did more than that. They stripped each of you of your self identities, garbing you in the same uniforms and providing you all with the same weaponry and the same weaknesses.” The violet beam started to overpower the emerald one. “They took away your individuality, reduced every race within the ranks to equals.”
“But not all races are equal!” Her beam surged and knocked the purple skinned Green Lantern back. “Some races are naturally superior to others!”
Salaak caught his balance. “Well, if you want to look at it that way,” he countered. “Some people can be so negative.” He punctuated his statement with a strong emerald blast, but it shattered off of her own violet energy sheath. “What we may lose due to conformity, we make up for in determination and will.” He was about to strike again when an emerald spark caught the corner of his eye. “Eh?”
Both combatants now saw it. An emerald glow around the body of Driq had begun to grow brighter. It encompassed the whole crumpled body, and then a limb twitched. This was followed by a few more twitches in other limbs, and then finally Driq’s body slowly stood up once more. His body looked a bit more worse the wear due to the blast he had taken, but he appeared to be moving once more.
Star Sapphire fumed. “He should be dead!”
Salaak was curiously surprised since he too silently concurred with the woman. He looked down at his ring. “Power ring, please confirm Driq of Criq’s condition.”
The ring bathed Driq in its energy before responding. “The entity known as Driq of Criq, despite all physical appearances, has expired. It is his power ring that keeps the body animated.”
***
Salaak turned to the woman. “See what determination and will power is capable of?”
“Argh!” Star Sapphire exclaimed as her violet beam shot forth. It sliced through the nearby tall trees, showering large upper sections down upon the resurrected Green Lantern and burying him. “I don’t have time to deal with this! I’ve come for Hal Jordan!” She turned back to Salaak, ready to strike. “Where is he?”
“I knew it,” Salaak grumbled. “Once more one of Hal Jordan’s old enemies comes to attack us.” He barely dodged a violet beam as it shot towards him. “Maybe it was a mistake to come to this world after all.” His own ring projected an emerald hand to try to catch the woman who was dead set on a battle.
“It is a mistake to protect Hal Jordan!” Star Sapphire barked. Her violet energy pushed against the emerald fist, attempting to break herself free of its grasp. With a surge, freedom was once more hers. “This is the last time I ask! Where is he?”
“I am not Hal Jordan’s keeper,” Salaak responded flippantly. This resulted in another blast from Star Sapphire, one that slammed into him and temporarily distracted his sight.
Star Sapphire used the opportunity to rush the alien. She grabbed him by his lower left arm and twisted it hard. As she forced it behind his back with one hand, she smacked him up side the head with her other forearm that was cover with armor.
Salaak hadn’t expected a physical attack from the woman. Up this point, she had used only her gemstone’s energy which he confidently had countered. But now, she was fighting like a warrior trained for combat. She slammed his head into the ground, and he felt the arm that she held firmly pull from its socket. “Oooof!” was all he managed to say.
“Where is Hal Jordan?” the woman screamed. Her booted heel was placed firmly in the alien’s back, keeping him down. “Tell me now and your death will be less painful!”
***
Still Salaak refused to reveal anything about Hal Jordan. Even though he could tell her what she wanted to know, he kept his mouth silent. All Green Lanterns were brave by nature and loyal to their fellow Corps members.
“Very well,” Star Sapphire spat. “You leave me no choice!” Her gemstone began to glow, but she hesitated.
Salaak watched out of the corner of one eye as the expression on her face changed from pure anger to slight curiosity. Then he observed something odd, as the woman began to talk but not to him.
“What? How can this be?” She paused for a brief moment as she appeared to be listening to a voice no other could hear. “Very well then! I shall come to you!”
Salaak felt the pressure release from his back as Star Sapphire quickly took to the air. He rolled over, trying to get a shot at her with his power ring, but she had already rocketed off into the sky under her own gemstone’s power and was gone.
Salaak tried to lift himself off the ground using his arms only to be reminded by incredible pain in his injured left arm. “Just great,” he sighed as he used his ring to levitate himself off the ground. “Zox! Now I’ll have to tend to my own wound.” He started towards the Citadel when he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye.
A large section of cut tree rolled off a pile, followed by another. Beneath the pile, a green glow exploded and pushed the remaining wood aside. Driq of Criq rose from the ground, more worse the wear than before. “Fraaaaamp?” he asked, looking around curiously.
Salaak stared back at his fellow Green Lantern, not really understanding the question. “Oh, fine, come along!” he said. The two made their way back inside the building.
***
It was very late that evening when Hal Jordan approached the Citadel from the air. He wore his Green Lantern uniform and arrived with the aid of his ring’s emerald energy. “Whew, that space mission with the Justice League lasted longer than I had hoped,” he said to himself. “I’d better check in with the others.”
Hal entered the front door of the Citadel. “Hello? I’m back!” he called out. As he moved across the room, he barely had time to step out of the way as a hurried form rushed past him with a tray. While he didn’t recognize the individual, he knew the uniform and emerald glow. The figure lead Hal to the recreation room. “What’s going on? Who’s this?”
Salaak looked up from the recliner he was sprawled out upon. “Ah, you’ve returned, Hal Jordan,” the purple skinned alien said. He took the can of soda from the tray and nodded to the one holding it. “You forgot the chips, Driq.”
Hal looked from Salaak to the other. “Driq?” he asked. “As in Driq from Criq?”
The other alien turned to Hal Jordan and said “Phhhyttt.”
Hal was taken aback by the outburst. He then realized the alien looked as though he had been through a tremendous battle. His body was battle scarred and costume torn. “When I last saw Driq, I had asked him to keep a periodic eye on Zamaron,” Hal said. “What happened to him?” He turned back to Salaak and noticed one of the Slyggian’s arms in a sling. “And what happened to you, Salaak?”
Salaak turned from his movie. “What? Oh, you had a female caller this morning. She happened to us.”
“A female caller?” Hal asked. “Who was it?”
Salaak sighed as he knew he would not be getting back to the television any time soon. “I never caught her name,” he replied. “She looked like this.” Salaak’s ring flashed, creating a life-sized three dimensional holographic image of the woman.
Hal Jordan’s jaw dropped as he stared at the image of the armored woman. Even done up in emerald green energy, Hal recognized the face. “Star Sapphire… Carol? What’s she doing back on Earth?”
Continued in The Secret Society of Super-Villains: Reclamation, Book 3
