My bed feels soft. Did I go to sleep on top of the duvet? Stars? Did I leave the blinds open? I try to turn to the clock, but there's just more stars? I wake up pretty much instantly at that point and OH SHIT THAT'S THE EARTH! I see the Earth and it's a long way away and I'm breathing? I bring my hands up to my face. No, no space suit. I see the Earth and I'm breathing and I'm not cold or hot and there's no space suit? I'm in space. What?
There's something glowing on my left hand. I don't wear rings but I now have one on my ring finger? It's orange. In fact, I'm orange. I'm glowing orange. I hold my hand up to my eyes and-
-AAAAaaaauuhhhh!?
That's an orange power ring. I'm being kept alive in space by an orange power ring. Well I… I suppose I've never felt suicidal, so that much makes sense. I poke my other arm. Yes, definitely flesh, I haven't been turned into a construct. I don't seem to feel the overwhelming avarice that comes from the orange central power battery, so I guess this is one of the other rings? One of the ones that Larfleeze keeps in his cave? Does he know it's gone?
Fucking stupid. It's Larfleeze. Of course he knows it's gone.
Alright. I'm calming down. As long as I want to remain alive, I will. I can probably fly by wanting to move. I want to move.
Did I move? I can't tell. I don't seem to have moved relative to the Earth, but the Earth is very big and I wasn't trying to move that far. I don't want to go anywhere in particular. I'm still wearing my pyjamas; I can't go out in public like this. Pyjamas?
I look down to check that I am still wearing pyjamas. Yep, with an added orange lantern corps emblem on the chest. Guess the ring just changes whatever I wear to something thematically appropriate? Shouldn't it have generated an actual uniform?
I'm going to assume that that Earth isn't my Earth. If power rings actually existed and this one had come for me it would have found me in my bed. Unless I was dreaming about flying in space? I don't remember doing that and I don't remember seeing a ring choose a sleeping wearer in the comics. Would that work?
Huh. If that actually is DC Earth down there then I'm going to be the most out of shape Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Something happened. Everything's blurry. I think I'm standing on something, but I don't pay attention because everything hurts too much! My arms. My chest. My abdomen, my teeth, my eyes! How do eyes even hurt? They're watering and I'm blinking and gasping and all I can see is a creamy white colour and more black. I hug my arms to my chest and bend over. Oh, aagh, it's not just the pain, everything feels the wrong shape. The pain is being caused by something I can't fix. I don't want to-.
And it stops. My body still sort of tingles, like I've just gone from somewhere warm into somewhere cold and the veins in my skin are trying to decide whether to contract or not. But the pain is gone. My body still feels wrong though. I need to see-.
A thin orange line extends straight in front of me from the ring. At about four meters it stops and spreads right, as if someone was pouring liquid into a mould, only the mould is filling from the top left rather than the bottom. My first construct is a mirror. Sort of. Obviously it isn't reflecting anything, it's making an image of what it would reflect. It actually has a construct frame with a bevelled edge and is about three meters by two in size.
Wow. I'm looking good.
I've never been properly fat or anything, but I've never really taken to physical exercise and, well, no sense lying about it, I have been carrying a little weight about the stomach. Not any more. My arms are now about twice their earlier width. My shoulders are broader. My chest -I roll up my pyjama top- goodness, I have abs! I've never had abs! I run a hand over them. Huh, those don't feel like I was expecting. My chest hair is gone -wait, check- along with most of my other body hair. That feels weird. Feels kind of sticky. My face -the mirror shrinks and moves closer- is pretty much the same. My nose is a little straighter and if I can see this clearly my short sightedness has been fixed. No visible hair on my chin. Skin clarity appears to have improved. The hair on the top of my head is shorter. Looks like something Hugh Grant had in his prime, but longer at the back. Not sure how it's staying where it is. It should be flopping all over the place. Teeth are improved as well. Evenly sized, shaped and in good condition. I think I also look younger? Maybe, it's hard to tell when the image is orange.
I wave my hand and the construct dissipates. And that's when I realise that I'm STANDING ON THE MOON. Grey dust and rock all around and the Earth is visible in the sky. It's too much. I'm in a place only a handful of humans have ever been and my response is to drop to the ground, staring at the sky.
I'm sitting on the moon watching the Earth. I think the ring just rebuilt my body based on how I ideally want to look. Which really hurt. It must have been transmuting new muscle from existing fat. Or maybe even just making more meat from orange power? Should I feel bad about that? Doesn't everyone want to look a bit better than they do?
Shit. This isn't a dream. I never feel pain in dreams. And not enough is going on. I'm actually here and I have to deal with it.
Plan. Plan plan plan plan. Okay, first. Check that this isn't my Earth. I need to go home to do that. If there's another me here it's going to be weird, but I'm a fairly reasonable guy. DC comics don't really show much outside the US so I don't know if the places I've lived in will actually be there if I've somehow entered a comic reality. I can't plan anything else until I know where I am.
Now, how do I get there?
I stand back up. I go to brush off my legs because the dirt has coated everything it touched. Then I remember I'm wearing a power ring and I like being clean. A ring of orange passes over my body and the dust falls slowly away. As the ring reaches my feet I float a little off the ground. No sense getting dirty again just after cleaning myself. Now that's done, how to get to Earth? I have to want it to happen but I'm mostly just feeling apprehension about what I'll find when I get there.
Anal retentiveness to the rescue!
It's late at night and I have to be up for work tomorrow. I need to get to sleep and the best place for that is in bed! On Earth! If I don't then my schedule will be completely messed up. It's working! My need for regularity is controlling the flight!
Now to find somewhere familiar and see if it exists.
Finding Eastbourne isn't that hard. Dropping down from the outer atmosphere I just follow the lights and the railway. It's always a bit further east than I think it is. I float down onto the station, hovering above the central track. At this time of night there's no one around so I take a good look. The building is locked up. That's normal, but then I notice that the fence between platform 3 and the car park is in the wrong style. Rather than having thick wavy uprights and a couple of crosspieces covered in chipped paint it's got thick posts with wire going across. The top actually has an overhang like they use at zoos to stop the animals climbing out, and there's actually a roll of razor wire. Who did they think was going to break in to Eastbourne fucking station? The display boards are wrong as well; they're actually LCD screens rather than the dot displays that are supposed to be there. It's stupid stuff, but when you're used to a place being a particular way it really hits you.
In a daze I float upwards. An orange night vision magnifier appears in front of my face and I can follow the route of the track. Hampden Park is still there. Polgate too, though it looks like they never moved the station so it's still at the end of the town rather than in the middle. Westham -the village where I grew up- doesn't exist. Looks like there's a proper station in Pevensey instead. Westham doesn't exist. Shit, I don't even….
Okay, okay, nothing I can do about it. It hasn't been destroyed, it was never there. The visor evaporates. My parents are probably fine. Next step. Next step.
Alright. I've still got no idea if I'm actually in a version of the DCU, but this definitely isn't my Earth.
I have an orange power ring, transmuted orange lantern corps pyjamas and I look like a bodybuilder. The ring-
"Ring. State remaining power."
"93% power remaining."
Woo. Did that speak out loud, or just in my head? Sounds weird. A power ring at 93% power and no way to charge it. That is a problem.
"Ring. Locate lantern."
"Specify."
"Locate the lantern this ring is paired with."
"None recorded. However, this ring detects a weak light-tether, possibly connected to such a device."
"Show location."
An orange compass point forms in the air, pointing out into space. I get the impression of a significant distance… I don't really know stars, but that's.. probably the Central Power Battery. Not picking that up then. Um, okay. As long as the ring is charged I don't need clothes. I probably don't need to eat either, now I think about it. Didn't Guy Gardner say something about that when he was on Superboy Prime guard duty? No, I shouldn't assume-ugh!
Come on! I spent more time reading comics than I did on my bloody degree coursework! Breathe. Woosaaah. What do I need? Money, and a power source for the ring. Probably in that order. If I'm not actually in the DCU money is far more important. If I am, it's a toss up. That place is dangerous. For goodness sake, an Imperiax probe destroys the capital of Kansas and a couple of months later it's business as usual. I need this ring.
"Ring. Scan planet for compatible power sources."
"None found."
Shiiiiiit. Wait, no lanterns at all?
"Ring. Scan planet for power lanterns, any colour."
"Will detected."
"How many?"
"Three."
That probably means Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner and John Stewart. And I hope I didn't just tell them where I am. Shit, I hope I didn't just tell Lafleeze where I am! No, no, can't do anything about it now. I doubt they'd just give me a lantern so what - Alan Scott! Alan Scott's Starheart lantern shouldn't register as a standard lantern because it was designed as a containment vessel. If this is Justice League Unlimited or something it might even still be in China.
"Ring. Detect Guardian-made containment vessels on Earth."
"Seventy-five found."
What?
"Ring, detect guardian containment vessels containing energy."
"Twelve found."
"Any in China?"
"China unknown."
This world has no China? That doesn't sound right.
"Ring, locate Eastbourne."
"Eastbourne unknown."
"You don't have a local atlas, do you?"
"No Earth locations listed."
Unfashionable end of the western spiral… Can't make a grab on the Starheart because I can't find it. If it even exists here. Can't think of any other easily reachable power sources. I could ask the Justice League nicely if they could put me in touch with Maltus or something. No, the Guardians would put the kibosh on that as soon as they heard about it. So, can't get a power source quickly. Money first then.
"Ring. How good are you at asteroid mining?"
"Construct strength is dependent upon avarice."
"Can we, assuming I want it badly enough, mine asteroids in this system and get back to Earth… um… with at least 60% power remaining."
"Answer depends on type and volume of material extracted and precise avarice levels."
Fair enough.
"Platinum and gold only. About this much."
I make a football-holding shape with my hands.
"And I want it as much as, uh, somewhere between my-life-depends-on-this and I've-been-looking-forward-to-this-all-week."
"Multiple variables decrease accuracy. Best estimate suggests high probability chance of success."
"Plot course to the asteroid in this system which offers the greatest quantity of the metals stated."
And I know where the asteroid is. It's… I don't know… what gravity would be if mass were money. Or something. There's no navigational display but I don't need it. I can find it like I can find the toilet at home at night without turning the lights on.
I might actually be able to make this work.
The ring did all the hard work while I just grinned at the pile of thin disks floating next to me. Smashing a fairly large asteroid up, grinding it, sort of sieving it with a construct that pulled out what I wanted but left the rest of the lump behind and then shaping the metal into coins. The process was slow at first, but picked up speed after the first few disks were finished. I suppose I find it easier to want things I know I can get. It's too dark to see much of the rock, and the constructs are blinding compared with everything else so I have to look away. But I just mined an asteroid! The first human commercial asteroid miner!
I actually did five large rocks and a load of small ones before I registered that the pile was far more than I needed or could carry by myself. It's just so far outside anything I've done before! And kind of fun! I've just made more money in… I'm not sure, not much time… than I've made in my whole life. I think I'm actually giggling, but with no air I can't hear myself to be sure.
The disks, coins, are floating around me. They're about three centimetres across and maybe a third of a centimetre thick. I know that platinum is silver and gold a dull yellow but with the ring as the only light source they all look orange at the moment. And -huh- looks like I stamped them with the orange lantern corps sigil on one side and a representation of a lantern on the other. Not sure I meant to do that, but it sort of feels… right.
I should head back to Earth. I can just take some walking around money and leave the rest here.
I'm actually a bit reluctant to do that. Intellectually, I realise that the chance of anyone coming here to take any of my work is miniscule. But I always worry about whether or not I locked the door after I get to the end of my path back home. It could happen, right? I mean, they might just think the coins were odd and take a couple for some sort of analysis, but I put effort into this. These are my coins.
I'm being silly. Where would I even put them? Just grab some small rocks, fuse them together around most of the shiny coins. No one will know they're there. I'm still going to have to carry the rest with a construct. My
pyjama pockets just weren't built for this.
I'm floating over the Earth. I think that I'm in the upper atmosphere. I'm certainly close enough that the lights below form distinct huddles. I'm actually not completely sure what is beneath me. Picking out coastlines covered by clouds and in the dark is not simple.
So; money, sort of check. Power source, not check but I have some leads. Information, not check. I could try eavesdropping on local telecoms but I don't want to risk being found yet. Also, what are the chances that a random call has useful information? Clothes, not check. I think that has to be my next objective. Unless I plan to convert to Sikhism I need underwear. I need something I wouldn't mind fighting in and something I can wear when I'm not trying to draw attention.
Fighting. I haven't been in an actual fight ever. I haven't even been in a play fight since primary school. I suppose punch ups come with the ring but I've no idea what I'd do if someone actually went for me. Oh god, I'm like a slightly better looking Wee Hughie.
I remember from Flash villain pages on Wikipedia that there's a guy in Central City who does armoured costumes. I think his name starts with a G? B? Sounds Italian? It was a while ago. Shouldn't be too hard to find him if he exists here and I doubt he'll complain about being paid in precious metal rather than normal money. Speaking of which, I'm going to have to find out how much this stuff is actually worth. Not an immediate concern; I'll just overpay people.
Overpay a bit. I'm not going to get silly with it. That would just draw more attention. And I certainly don't want to spend all my time hanging around asteroids. That's probably only fun once.
A city full of supervillains is something I'll brave after I find a way to charge the ring. Some sort of motorbike protective gear should do in the short term. Should be easier to find. Actually-
"Ring. State remaining power level."
"68% power remaining."
Okay, that isn't too bad. My best lead on a power source is still Alan Scott. Other options I've come up with include trying to get to Maltus (don't know where it is if it exists), Qward (insanely dangerous) or asking a local super scientist (mostly malign hypercognitives, no guarantee that even if they try they'd be able to do anything before I ran out of power). Maybe I could get some sort of local avarice demon bound to the ring? Wow, that sounded stupid. And dangerous. I'll put that just ahead of going to Larfleeze and asking nicely.
If Alan Scott exists, he'll probably live in either New York or Gotham, if those are even separate places here. My knowledge of regular US geography is weak to nonexistent and now I have a load of fictional cities to work around. I think that New York is on the east coast near the top of the US but it's not like international borders are visible from up here. Under the knobbly bit with the French Canadians in it? In any case I need to find New York, or Metropolis if New York doesn't exist. Metropolis, because Gotham is a shithole full of dangerous lunatics and I'm not going there unless I have to. My need for information outweighs the risk of bumping into a Kryptonian. Should be able to get the information I need from a newspaper or a library without too much trouble. The Justice Society should have been big news and there will be some record of Alan Scott's public life. Clothes, something to put my coins in, then library. I need to go lower.
Waaw. Clear priorities must do something to the ring because I just shot through the sky like a very fast orange thing. I'm looking down on what I'm pretty sure is the American east coast. I've nearly caught up with the dusk line so it's probably evening down there? I can't be sure that the season is the same as back home, so really it could be late afternoon instead. Heck, I don't even know the date. Add that to the to do list.
There are about eight semi-distinct groups of lights that might be what I'm looking for. Is the Statue of Liberty in New York harbour, or Metropolis harbour? It was in Metropolis harbour in the Christopher Reeves films, but I can't remember for comic canon. I suppose either will do for now.
"Ring. Scan that-"
I make an arc with my right arm.
"-area of coastline. I'm looking for a large robed statue on a small island just off the coast."
"Matches found. Displaying most probable."
A construct forms in front of me. The statue the ring has found certainly looks like the Statue of Liberty, from what I remember from films and television series. As the construct extends down it fills in… oh, what was it called? Staton Island? I vaguely remember it from GCSE History. It's as good a match as I'm going to get.
Right! Let's go buy some pants! And some trousers!
Oh God, I'm going to have to get used to American English.
I'm floating over the streets at a height of about ten floors up. The offices on either side are empty so I assume it's fairly late in the evening. A quick fly over revealed no LexCorp building and no Daily Planet so this probably is New York. I don't really want to drop to street level but I've got no idea where the shops I'm looking for are. Probably not in the central business district I suppose.
Not much open at this time of day. I really need to find out what local time is and get a watch. Finally, I find a place. Not sure if it's open for business, but there are motorbikes and a couple of vans outside and light on inside. I drop down to float just off the ground. I'm glowing orange but I'm not sure if anyone inside has seen me. The sign over the front of the building says 'Bluebeards Bikes' and has pictures of bones, bikes and women wearing snakes. Not the sort of place I'd usually go to. In fact, I've really got no idea what the protocol for this sort of situation is. I think I'll affect the manner of a polite but slightly daft Englishman. Act like this happens all the time -and around here it might-, make the purchases, then leave.
I push open the door.
"Sorry to bother you so late, but I saw a light on."
The man at the till is thin, has dirty blonde hair and is wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. The six other men are wearing quite a lot of leather, denim and metal. And tattoos. And they are all staring at me. Four of them were stacking rectangular wooden boxes in what looks like the workshop area. One is standing by the till and the last was flicking through a magazine by the rack. He drops it.
I'm pretty bad at reading facial expressions, but I think they look astonished. Two are actually gaping. The guy at the till actually looks scared. Right! Right. Super powered person shows up at business premises late at night. I raise my hands in a placatory gesture.
"No, don't worry. Heh. Not a supervillain. I'm just here to shop."
That doesn't seem to have helped. They're actually backing away from me. Which causes one of the ones near the crates to trip over.
"Are you alright?"
He actually cringes.
"I'm fine. I'm fine."
No sense in panicking the man I suppose. Oh, the lid of the crate he tripped over has fallen off, revealing… well, I shouldn't be surprised I suppose. Public gun ownership is supposed to be fairly common in this country. Everyone follows my gaze. I think a couple of them are hyperventilating. Hands drift under jackets.
"Guys, I get it. Second amendment. You're allowed guns. Might want to think about transporting them a bit more carefully though."
I drift back to the desk. The face of the chap there has taken on a rictus grin.
"Sorry for being a nuisance, but I'd really appreciate it if I could speak to your manager."
"Sure. Ah. Sure thing buddy."
He presses a button on his desk and leans forwards.
"Ah, Mitch, could you, er, could you come down here fer a minute?"
"Ooh, is that a shotgun? I didn't realise they made them that short."
"Yeah, no, that's fine, but you need to get down here man."
"Is that icing sugar?"
A door opens at the top of the stairs built into the side of the room and a overweight man in a black heavy metal themed t-shirt and blue jeans strides out. He's bald, but his beard is trying to make up for it. He's also carrying a revolver in his belt.
Goodness. What must the crime rate be like in this area?
"Lenny, what in Gawd's name…"
He sees me and stops moving.
"Hello! I'm Orange Lantern Two Eight One Four." I float up to him and hold out my right hand. "Do I have the pleasure of addressing the manager of this establishment?"
"Ah. Ah, yeah that's, that's me."
I grin, look at my hand, then look back at him. He blinks, and then starts.
"Uh, pleased t', pleased t'meet ya."
He shakes my hand very quickly, like he thinks I'll want to keep it or something. Then he just sort of stands there. What happened to American tradition of good customer service?
"I know that it's rather late, but I'd really like to buy some things. Jacket, trousers, boots… do you sell t-shirts here? A couple of t-shirts. And I'd like to pay in gold, if that's possible."
There is a flicker of a smile and his eyes dart to the till. "Um, sorry, but we don't take credit card here."
"No no. Not a gold card. The metal. Gold."
"Y-. Y'wanna pay with solid gold?"
"Yes."
His next look is more appraising. "Sure. Sure buddy, we can do that. You guys-" He indicates the other men. "-get back to work. Man wants to buy some clothes!"
Mitch was really helpful once he calmed down a bit. I found a jacket, boots and trousers made of… well, I don't know, but it was fairly tough and had some sort of armoured plates. I also found the price tags reassuring. They also had jeans. I have just realised that I don't know my current size. Huh. I float several black pairs of different waist measurements to my try-on pile. No underwear and no watches, but they do have a small range of offensively embroidered vests and t-shirts. I grab a small selection of grey vests.
"You couldn't point me in the direction of the changing room, could you?"
"We… Uh, we don't really have one. But you can use my office."
"Thank you. I really appreciate this. You're being a tremendous help."
I walk up to his office. A couple of chairs, desk, computer, playboy calendar, folders and a few personal photographs. The vests are tight in places I'm not used to my clothing being tight, but it doesn't take long to identify my preferred size. Half a second with the ring eliminates the imagery. My pyjama shorts make getting the jeans on a bit awkward. Turns out that my waist has exactly the same circumference, it's just made of different material. The constant sensation of cloth rubbing against my ring-optimised body is really bringing home the extent of the change. Once I get the boots on I have an ensemble that I could actually walk down the streets in.
"Ring, are you able to store uniforms?"
I remember thinking how convenient Lantern Stewart's costume change in Justice League Unlimited was. It would save having to lug heavy bike gear around the place.
"Affirmative."
"Alright, acquire that jacket and those trousers as 'light combat uniform'."
"Unable to comply. Uniform must be worn for subspace storage."
I roll my eyes and put them on. The trousers are even more of a pain than the jeans. But, plus side, I'll never need to struggle to get them on again.
I think that the ring must be controlling my body temperature. I should not be able to wear this much stuff and remain cool.
"Ring, designate this jacket and the outer trousers as 'light combat armour'."
"Designating."
My orange aura pulses. The colour and pattern of the jacket is eliminated. The body of the garment is now dark grey, with an orange lantern sigil across the chest and smaller ones on the shoulders. The trousers are dark grey and unadorned. The ring has also altered the fit: they are now both the perfect size for me.
"And send it to subspace."
My uniform disappears. My uniform. That feels odd to think. The difference between me and the superhero I'm committing myself to becoming.
I have no idea what I'm doing.
I keep the boots on. I should get some other footwear, or at least thick socks. They certainly aren't comfortable on bare feet. I walk back into the main shop floor. I end up exchanging three gold coins for the uniform, boots, three pairs of vests and jeans, and a pannier to put them in and small holster type bag which straps onto my leg to hold my coins.
They also provide me with some very useful information: the day just starting is Monday the 5th of July, 2010. Three years and change ago by my reckoning, though I can't think of any way to make that useful.
5th July 2010
Early morning
I eventually found the New York Public Library by having the ring scan every street sign in the city. I really need to start scanning maps into this thing. I flew past a clock to get here so I actually have the time now. It's six fifteen and the library opens in three hours forty five minutes. I'm reduced to sitting on the steps and waiting.
I've still got the ring on but I seem to have managed to turn down the orange glow. I doubt that I'm in serious danger of getting shot dead due to lack of shielding but I don't know anything about the real New York. Either the New York of my own world or of this one. I do remember reading that compared with the real world comic cities have ridiculously high crime rates; that might explain all of the guns I saw earlier.
Does this library have publicly available computers with internet access? I'd tend to assume so but I've never been into a foreign library before. I assume it won't be free. Will I be able to pay in gold here as well, or will they be sticklers for procedure and force me to find a goldsmith or something? That'll be annoying, but at least I can get directions here.
I wonder if I can access the library computer system from out here? I don't really want to break in. I know I could, and probably without breaking anything or setting off an alarm… No, I can't take that sort of risk yet. If someone sees an orange light and thinks it's a fire, I'm in serious trouble. Can I send a thin construct in? Should be possib-. Wireless. Would a public library have wireless internet in 2010? Would it be on now? I gesture towards the library with my left hand.
"Ring. Access wireless data network."
"Access available"
That was surprisingly painless. No obvious construct generated, though the ring is glowing a bit. I rotate it on my ring finger so that the sigil side is on the palm side.
"Ring, acquire maps. I need you to have navigational data for this system and everywhere on this planet."
"Mapping data acquired. Navigation updated."
"Ring, tell me about Alan Scott. Firstly, does he exist?"
Because I'm boned if he doesn't.
"Alan Scott, born nineteen eighteen. Presently still alive. Currently resident in New York City."
Relief.
"Was a super hero operating under either the name Green Lantern or Sentinel during the nineteen forties?"
"Confirmed. Green Lantern began operation in nineteen forty. No further corroborated sightings since nineteen sixty nine."
"Compare available visual records. Was Alan Scott that Green Lantern?"
"High probability match."
Excellent.
"Ring, give me biographical information."
"Alan Scott, born nineteen eighteen in Gotham General Hospital. Presently still alive. Married Rose Canton in May nineteen forty eight. Marriage annulled in May nineteen forty eight due to insanity. No children recorded. Employment history. Railway engineer nineteen thirty seven to nineteen forty. This represents the most likely time he acquired the power ring and lantern. Reporter for WXYZ Radio nineteen forty. Volunteered for US army nineteen forty one. Released to act as war reporter. Promoted to news manager nineteen sixty five. Promoted to managing director nineteen seventy two. Retired nineteen eighty eight, though still maintains a minority stake. Currently residing in New York City."
"Ring, what was the source of that information?"
"Primary information source is website 'Encarta Populi'. Quoted information cross referenced with at least three other sources."
Looks like Wikipedia exists here, in a somewhat altered form.
"Ring, does the Justice League exist, and if so who are its members?"
"Organisation 'Justice League' exists. Official records state that the Justice League was founded in February two thousand and three, after its original members -Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter- coordinated their efforts to defeat an Appellaxian invasion. Please note that the Green Lantern referred to was not Alan Scott. Current roster also includes Zatara, Captain Atom, Black Canary, an additional Green Lantern, Captain Marvel, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Hawkwoman and Red Tornado."
"Ring: confirm. Just 'Justice League', or 'Justice League of America'?"
Organisation full title is 'Justice League'. Though current membership comprises thirteen confirmed or probable US nationals to three non US nationals its UN charter makes no mention of nation of origin requirements.
Other important people in the setting next. Clark Kent, check. Bruce Wayne, check. Diana Prince, not check. I suppose Wonder Woman just never bothered with the alias because she definitely exists. Oliver Queen, check. John Jones, about three hundred possibles and I don't know the character… um, person… well enough to tell if one of them is him. Wally West, check. Oh. He's fifteen. Huh. Looks like this version of DC has the character timelines from.. ah, shit. Before I started reading comics. So, Barry Allen, check. Other Green Lanterns, triple check.
Chara- no, people who interest me next. Right. Theo Adams exists. Alec Holland existed, but there's nothing on Swamp Thing. There's no information on Tefe Holland or Rachel Roth or Timothy Hunter or Gemma Masters. Accomplished Perfect Physician? Nothing, but then I can't remember his actual name. Immortal Man In Darkness? I doubt the Chinese would tolerate that sort of data leak, so no replies doesn't surprise me. A search on Sonic Sally rewards me with a ten second clip of her masturbating with a piece of barbed wire. God, that whole thing is a mess. Worse, I don't think I can fix it without a time machine. One of only two times I ever cried reading a comic book was when her teddy died. Victor Stone is eleven and completely organic. Lonnie Machin is seven. Precocious little twerp is already fighting the forum wars as 'moneyspider'. John Constantine? Nothing, but I seem to remember that he uses magic to erase his records. Captain Cornwall? Two of them, and the older one is also the face of 'Golden Crust Pasties'. Knight and Squire? The Knight search gets me a series of tabloid drunken celebrity photographs, but none of them are dated this year so hopefully he's on the wagon.
Stopping now before I get TVTropes disease. Oh, too late, there go two hours.
I need to get it into my head that these people are real here. Thinking of them as fictional characters is wrong, and will result in me doing stupid things.
Alright, it's half past eight. I don't like phoning people I don't know, but I'm on a clock. How to go about this? Just telling him that I know who he is and that I really want his lantern will most likely result in him hanging up and me being visited very quickly by hostile superheroes. These are not people who can afford to take people discovering their identities lightly and once the Guardians get involved, well. Dread to think. I think it'll work better if I can talk to him face to face. Explain things. Let's face it: even at ninety-two he can probably punch me through a wall. I can't see him finding me threatening.
"Ring, interface with local telecommunications. Contact Alan Scott's home phone number."
A phone construct -a proper handset, from a phone that had an actual dial- appears in my right hand. Shit. There are a few people around now, and while I suppose they just assumed that I was talking on a mobile before a glowing handset will attract notice. Fortunately, my desire not to be noticed causes it to change to a flat mobile handset instead. It rings for a moment, and then:
"This is Alan Scott."
"Oh, um, good morning sir. I do hope I'm not disturbing you?"
I hear a sigh. "Is this about the New York Times subscription again? Because-."
"Oh no! No, um, sorry, um, my name is-"
Can't speak. My mouth and throat freeze. Can't say my name? Think fast.
"-is Colin Underwood. I'm writing an essay on the, the emergence of the American superheroic tradition. You were a reporter for WXYZ Radio during the earliest days of costumed heroes, and were there for the formation of the Justice Society. I'm in New York now. If it's not too great an inconvenience, I'd, I'd very much appreciate it if you'd be willing to grant me an interview."
There is a pause.
"Heh. Kinda long way to come for an extra credit assignment, isn't it, son?"
"Well sir, I've never actually been outside Europe before, there was a cheap flight. I'm mostly here for tourism. I had honestly assumed that you still lived in Gotham, or were… Well… Um… Unavailable?"
"Don't worry about it kid. I feel the ol' axles creak every time I take a bend these days. Tell you what: give me an hour to get myself organised and I can speak to you this morning."
"Thank you sir! Oh, whaw. This is really great. I, I will see you shortly."
I dismiss the construct. Stage one, alright. Now to work out what to actually say to the man.
It's midmorning when I reach the front gate of the house of Mr Alan Scott, retired radio journalist, manager and director and former Green Lantern. I've used the time to study his history and rehearse my lines. I do actually want to talk to him about the early days first though. The Justice Society members really kicked the whole costumed crusade thing off. They weren't the first US super heroes -Hugo Danner had that title- but the primary coloured clothing NGO thing is their invention. My home has literally nothing equivalent to the beginning of the DC heroic age, and learning how normal people were affected would probably help me avoid making mistakes. It also isn't really covered in the comics at all. Marvel had that thing with the Bugle photographer but Marvel New York is condensed crazy.
Before I go in:
"Ring. Scan that house for Oan technology."
"Oan technology power source detected. Further materials consistent with known Oan technology also present."
He still has his lantern, then. I don't know if it is the Starheart from the standard DCU, but I should be able to adapt it. If not, then I've still got-.
"Ring, state current power level."
"Fifty three percent power remaining."
That's what I get for wasting that effort on dramatis persona enquiries. Mr Scott's house is a medium sized detached house in Inwood, a place I'd never heard of until I had the ring direct me here. I'm not sure exactly what I expected. Given his former occupation I assume that he's fairly well off but I suppose that since it's just him he didn't see the point of getting somewhere bigger. There are a couple of borders along the edges of the brick paved drive, but they're covered in gravel with only a few medium sized bushes planted at intervals. Adds some colour and I suppose it's low maintenance. There's no car in the drive but there is a garage so I suppose it could be in there. The gate blocking the drive has a communication panel on one of the supporting brick posts. I walk over and press the button. I hear a buzz. Ug, if this is anything like the one at work…
"Hello?"
Completely clear sound? And a screen? Mr Scott looks good for his age.
"Good morning Mr Scott! Colin Underwood here. I phoned earlier?"
"Of course. I'll let you in."
There is a soft clank and the gate swings inwards. I walk towards the front door and he opens it before I get there. Blue jeans and pale blue shirt. He still has most of his hair, and it is still visibly blonde. He looks physically fit as well, wrinkles aside. Really, he could pass for a man half his age. He extends his right hand.
"Alan Scott, formerly of WXYZ news."
I stand there for a moment. I am now talking to someone who was a superhero. And was a fictional character. It doesn't fit in my head. I'm just.. talking to a nice, retired American man.
"Colin Underwood. Pleasure to meet you."
His handshake is a perfect formal handshake. Not too light like his hand is acting on sufferance or too test-of-strength heavy.
"Please, come on in."
The interior of his house is light and pleasantly decorated. Maybe a bit empty. No, uncluttered. A single man lives here and he keeps it tidy. As he leads me towards the living room I get my first clear look at my revised face in a mirror on the hallway wall. Goodness, I look young. I think it's the lack of stubble, perhaps combined with my memory of the last time my hair was this short. I'm twenty nine and if I told myself I was a decade younger I'd believe me.
He offers me the settee and then settles into an armchair with a view out of the window across what I assume is a park.
"So, where did you want to start?"
Where do I want to start?
"I suppose I should start at the beginning. When did you first become aware that what might be called 'supernatural abilities' were things that actually existed?"
He gazes out of the window for a moment, and strokes his chin.
"Hmm. Well, thinking back, I don't think I was really in any doubt that things like that could happen. I grew up reading about Hugo Danner's actions in the Great War. 'The Mighty Coloradan.' You know who Hugo Danner was?"
"Yessir. The first American superhero. Tremendous physical potence and fortitude."
He face creases. "You know, ah, I actually met him once. He wasn't exactly… well, the superheroes were active when I started out with WXYZ, they had a clear idea of how they were going about things. They didn't always get things right, but that was an execution thing. They never doubted the mission. Despite everything he could do, I don't honestly think Danner ever really knew what he wanted to do with himself. Maybe… He didn't know anyone else is his position. The guys who founded The Society, even when they weren't working together, they knew each other. If things got kinda crazy, they needed to blow off steam with someone who'd been through the same stuff as them, they could. He didn't really have anyone. When he was growing up, there just wasn't anyone like him. That just isn't good for a man, especially not a man with the powers he had."
"Was meeting him the first time you encountered that sort of thing?"
"Oh, no. I didn't actually meet him until the early sixties. He came back to the US after spending some time in Brazil. No, the first time I saw something like that myself, I think it would have been November of nineteen forty. The Green Lantern held a press conference, and did a little demonstration of what his ring could do."
Yeah right.
"Nothing before that? I mean, there's been reports of low level magic use in US cities for, well, always."
"You hear things, maybe even see a thing or two, but you go home and you tell yourself it's all smoke and mirrors. And mostly it is. Someone like The Green Lantern, or the original Flash, or Fate once he came out of hiding? You can't fake that. It's happening right in front of you, and everyone can see it."
"You lived in Gotham pretty much the whole of the time Green Lantern was active there. Did you have a lot to do with him?"
"Not really. I saw him at press conferences, did a couple of interviews. I think we even went to a few of the same parties, but I couldn't say I knew him as a person."
"What sort of impression did you get of him?"
"He was a good man. Polite, maybe a bit stilted. Kinda, not preachy exactly, but a guy who didn't have to bother with a lot of stuff regular folks go through. Heh, why worry about cab fare when you can fly right over? He did a lot of good, and as far as I could tell it never went to his head."
"What do you remember of the public reaction to people like him going public?"
"In my experience people can ignore most anything not happening right in front of them. If a guy uses his powers for good, they'd say more power to him. If he uses them for evil, stick him in irons and throw away the key."
"Was there no negative reaction at all? I mean, the House Committee on Un-American Activities-."
"Jo McCarthy was a son of a bitch, if you'll pardon me. There was never any public support for that sort of thing."
Ooh, that's a sore point.
"Did you cover the hearings at all?"
"Wasn't my beat. Just as well, really. If I'd been there, they'd probably a'ended up dragging me out, kicking and shouting."
"Did you cover the formation of the Justice Society?"
"At the time I didn't have the pull to get that gig. Wrote a couple a'articles about them later. I think the paper put all that stuff online if you care to look for it."
"Do you remember the group disbanding?"
He seems to sag slightly. "Yeah."
"Do you know why?"
"No, but if I had to guess? Wonder Woman never got old. Come to think of it I don't suppose Red Tornado did either. But for the other guys? You're in your twenties, you're full of vinegar. You have super powers as well? There's nothing you can't do. Then, you hit thirty, forty. Maybe you got a wife, kids. A mortgage. A few injuries that keep you up some nights. You don't wake up quite so early and you try not to stay up so late. You want to fit in something like the Society as well as all'a the other stuff you gotta do? Good luck."
He looks at the ground, and sighs.
"Ah, it was a shame, though. They still got together sometimes, after that. Big cases. Mordru in sixty nine. Left the office to report on that one myself."
"What do you think of the Justice League?"
He perks right up.
"Those people, it makes me feel good just knowing that sorta thing can still happen, you know? I'd heard of The Batman before they all got together. Can't say I thought much of him. Heh, if it works out like that, I wouldn't mind being proven wrong more often. I didn't know much about Superman, at the time. Watching him since, he seems like a really good guy. Can't quite place his accent. Wonder Woman looks much the same as ever."
Wistful? Well, not that surprising really. Ah, time to get to the point. I feel a bit bad for misleading him like this. How to lead in?
"What do you think happened to Green Lantern's equipment? I used to assume that the first new Green Lantern was using it, but then the others turned up."
"Got me. Maybe Mordru destroyed it. Maybe it's in a crawlspace or a loft somewhere. Hey, maybe he put it down somewhere and forgot about it. Happens when you get older."
Fine, don't make this easy.
"Mr Scott, may I be frank with you?"
He waves a hand. "Go right ahead."
"Mr Scott, I believe that you are in fact the Green Lantern of that era."
"Oh? And what makes you think that?"
"Because your hair, build, voice and presence in Gotham City match that of the Green Lantern perfectly. Also, because this power ring has detected an Oan power source fifteen metres in that direction."
He gives me a measured look. "Your 'power ring'?"
I raise my left hand, palm open. "Ring, light combat armour please."
A wave of orange light passes over me, and in its wake my protective gear reappears. Mr Scott settles back in his chair.
"Alright son, you've been playing me long enough. What do you actually want?"
"That's simple, Mr Scott. I want your lantern."
5th July 2010
Morning
"Is that right?"
"Yes. I was thinking… Five hundred million dollars? Ten percent deposit by the end of the week, balance within two years?"
"I'm… Y… You want to buy my lantern?"
"Yessir."
I think I gobsmacked him, but his expression doesn't actually change much. The only things moving are his eyes and eyelids and he blinks.
"If the amount is insufficient-."
"It's not the amount, son." He rubs his brow. "What..? What exactly do you intend to do with it?"
"Well, first I have to check that it can be made compatible with this ring. Then, recharge. I don't really have any definite plans after that."
"Running low on power?"
"The asteroid mining I budgeted for, but you'd be surprised how much power internet background research can take. Ring, how much left?"
"Fifty two percent power remaining."
His eyes twitch. "Your ring can talk. So you're, what, a member of the Orange Lantern Corps?"
"That's right."
"They didn't give you a lantern of your own?"
"I know, right! If I'd been anywhere but Earth I could have been in serious trouble! As it is, this ring is tied to the central power battery on Okaara. It's far too far to commute."
I know that people avoid looking at other people's faces when they're thinking. So much of the run time on the human brain goes into analysing other people's expressions, you get measurably dumber when you look at one. He's currently studying his ceiling.
"Theoretically speaking, if I were not prepared to part with it, what would you do?"
"I'd try to persuade you to change your mind. If you were adamant… I'd just have to try somewhere else. Look, I'm on a bit of a deadline here. If you could give me some sort of indication-"
"Would you mind if I made a phone call?"
"Of course not."
He gets up and walks out of the room.
I think this is going reasonably well. I couldn't predict exactly how he'd react, and he seems more confused than alarmed or irritated. I had no way to tell how big a deal breaking his secret identity would be. I still don't, really. Surely everyone who had a personal grudge against him would be either dead or in their dotage by now? Not Mordru, obviously. Never found him interesting as a character but he was certainly powerful. Vandal Savage is probably around as well… and I didn't bother to look up either of them, damn it!
Mr Scott didn't strike me as the sort to have wireless internet, and stealing someone else's access while in his house didn't seem like a good idea.
I can just about hear Mr Scott's voice outside the room. Can't make out what he's saying. Tone seems to be conversational, with occasional rises for emphasis. Does he have a mobile? I would have guessed not, but maybe I'm being unfair to old people. If he's standing just the other side of the door, then it must be a mobile as there wasn't a phone in the hall. Or… I know that my ring enhanced my vision when it altered my body. Is my hearing better? I didn't think so, but if Mr Scott is a couple of rooms away…
The conversation stops. I hear another door open and close, then nothing. That's a bit rude. I get up and walk over to the window. Nice day out. Reasonable temperature -though that could be the ring-, grass in good condition, trees swaying in the wind and a nice view, even. The trees in the parks Mum used to take my sister and I to when we were little were usually packed together into areas of woodland. Here, one or two would stand in isolation with large gaps between them.
"Proximity alert! Will detected!"
That explains where he went. Understandable that he'd want his ring as well, I suppose.
I watch a family walk down what appears to be the main path through the park until the door behind me opens. I turn to see Mr Scott holding his right hand at chest level and flexing his fingers.
"Been a while since I've worn this."
His ring is larger than I was expecting. Certainly larger than the one I'm wearing. I don't remember what his looked like in the comics. Didn't he just cut a circle of metal off the Starheart container? This one sort of looks like someone stuck a tiny model lantern on it. It actually looks cheap and a bit silly until he moves the funnel to an angle at which I can see the glowing green core.
"Sixty nine, you said?"
"Hm? Oh, no. A few times since then. Not exactly active duty…"
He looks slightly distracted as he sits back in his chair. I stand at ease -thank you Scout Association- facing him.
"Can I ask if you've made a decision?"
"You know, I've had people after my ring before. Criminals, super villains, the occasional government official. I've been offered bribes more times than I care to remember. I honestly don't think anyone has ever tried to just… Just… Tried to.. buy me out."
"Is that a 'no'?"
"It's a… It's a… God damn it, what do you want me to say?"
He lets out a short laugh. Bemusement to amusement? I'll take that. He rubs his forehead with his right hand, then stops and looks at the ring again.
"So what does this… Orange Corps of yours do, anyway?"
Sit in a cave full of precious materials and eat rotten food? Go completely mad? Turn people into constructs?
"There are few restrictions on my personal conduct. I am empowered to act in the best interests of my sector, as I see them."
"So what exactly is the difference between what your people do and what the Green Lantern Corps does?"
"I have a greater degree of personal freedom while they are limited to law enforcement. A Green Lantern might prevent someone destroying a bridge, or repair it if they weren't fast enough to protect it. They won't ever use their ring to build one, even if the greater good could be served by doing so. An Orange Lantern should never be expected to clamp down their desire to help people."
"That so? And what would they say, if I asked them?"
"They'd say, 'Orange Lantern, what are you talking about?'"
"Not so well known?"
"There are not many of us, at present."
I don't think any of that was a lie.
"The Green Lantern Corps is run by the Guardians of the Universe, right? Who runs your Corps?"
I don't actually know. Should probably check.
"The technology employed in power rings was developed on Maltus. When the various political factions of that world experienced, well, 'irreconcilable differences', they agreed to separate. The Guardians -who favour the green light- went to Oa. The Controllers -who favour orange- remained behind. In terms of ideology the two groups seem rather similar, but when things get tense… Tiny differences…"
He nods. "Creating a green construct is an exercise in willpower, mental focus. Is that how your ring works?"
"No. The orange light responds to avarice."
That didn't go down well. He slides to sit on the edge of his chair and leans forwards.
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
"The more I want the construct, the more I want the outcome the construct is being created to achieve, the stronger the construct."
"And if you don't want it all that much?"
"Then it would be very difficult for me to act. With the ring at least. In extremis, the ring might actually prevent me from acting."
My eyes drop to the carpet. I don't know for sure that can happen, but it seems logical. Might actually have to watch out for it.
"That sounds unreliable."
"I… I suppose it is. I haven't had a problem so far, though."
"So what happens if you're short of cash, you walk past a jewellery store, see a valuable diamond? You don't have to will taking it."
"Money's not really my thing. If I need to buy something, well, I mentioned before that I'd done some asteroid mining?"
I take a single platinum coin out of my leg bag and toss it to him.
"I'm not sure exactly how much it's worth, but I don't imagine funds are really going to be an issue."
He nods, turning it over in his hand.
"And if you walked down a beach, saw a pretty girl..?"
Is he? Shit, he's implying…
"I'm not that sort of person!"
"You're a young man. Understandably, you have urges in that direction. Most people have good enough control of themselves that they aren't a problem, but you've got a power ring on your finger that responds to your desires, and from what you've told me, the stronger the better. And you want me to give you a tool for recharging it. Understand why I have concerns about this."
Fuck you old man.
"That could only happen if my sex drive completely overwhelmed my desire for social ingroup affirmation and intrapsychic rule compliance reward!"
"So what do you want to use it for?"
I don't know! I'm too angry about you calling me a rapist in waiting to think clearly!
"This world is dangerous. I don't mean getting hit by a car or being mugged or something. People deal with roads all the time and petty theft is well within the abilities of police. But if a fire throwing metahuman or if some rampaging monster or alien warlord or whoever it is today starts smashing people for fun, people can't deal with that. At Earth's current level of technology there are things most people are not safe from. I can, I can use this ring to make them safe."
"And why does it have to be you?"
"Because I went to sleep in a nice safe world with no aliens, no magic and no superhumans and I woke up IN SPACE, over this madhouse, with this ring on my finger. And I know exactly how dangerous it is around here with your giant robots and super powered psychopaths and the only thing that makes me feel even slightly safe is this ring. Your lantern represents the best way for me to keep it charged; if you'll sell it to me or lend it or rent it, then great! If not, fine. It's your property, but I would appreciate an answer now so that I can try and make other arrangements."
Then the doorbell rings.
"Mind if I get that?"
"Oh, go ahead. It's your house."
He walks out of the room and I try to calm down. Why the hell did he do that? I try to listen to the hall but all I can hear is my own pulse. I sit down heavily on the settee and make fists. My aura is back at full intensity. I've actually formed a construct chest plate. I can see it as a definite outline within the glow. Hooray for conscious ring control. Calm, calm. I run the first part of the first mission of Goldeneye for the Nintendo 64 through my mind as a relaxation exercise. It worked during my MRI scan. Step forwards, free aim at the guard's head, fire once or twice depending on difficulty setting, rush across the open area to the tower, shoot the patrolling guard and then move around the back of the tower to shoot the guard against the wall. Up the tower, pick up the sniper rifle and kill the two guards in the tunnel. And now I'm feeling better.
Then Mr Scott walks back in with Wonder Woman.
Leotard with star pants, golden tiara and double-ues, red body section. Boots. Goodness, I don't think I've ever seen a woman so muscular before. The breadth of her shoulders and the definition of the muscles of her arms are really quite pleasantly impressive. Her armour was made by Hephaestus, wasn't it? It isn't skin tight, there's definite depth to it. The outer layer is some sort of red material but I think I can see tiny threads of silver…
"Yes?"
Wonder Woman just caught me checking her out. Think fast!
"Bracers. Lasso. No sword or axe. Standard armour, rather than civilian clothes or the golden plate. A professional occasion, but not one where heavy resistance was expected. I'm afraid that I don't know you well enough to draw further conclusions."
I rise and meet her eyes. "Good morning Your Highness. Orange Lantern two eight one four at your service. It is my pleasure to meet you."
I perform a shallow bow. I think I got away with it.
5th July 2010
Morning
She gives me a measured look, and then turns to Mr Scott.
"I hadn't realised you were training an apprentice."
"I wasn't." / "He's not."
We speak at the same time, and exchange glances. I make a 'go on' gesture with my hands.
"Colin here just made an offer on my lantern."
"An… offer?"
"Half a billion dollars."
Oh, so that's what Wonder Woman's does-not-compute face looks like. It's a lot like her normal face.
"I mean, you have these things lying up there in the loft and then some bright young thing comes around and tells you they're worth a lot of money. I wasn't even insuring it!"
"No, I don't suppose you were. Alan, what is happening?"
Standing at ease again, I watch Mr Scott as he talks. Less chance of looking at the wrong thing.
"The boy here phones me, says that he wants to interview me for a paper on super heroes due to my work as a journalist. He comes over, asks some questions, then flashes his power ring and asks to buy my lantern."
"How did he-"
She turns back to me, her expression hardening.
"How did you know Alan was the original Green Lantern?"
"This ring can detect power lanterns. There aren't that many to choose from. Plus, the two of them look identical. Tiny mask and a different parting?"
Mr Scott actually winces.
"How did you get a power ring?"
"No idea. I woke up this morning… no, hang on, last night, and there it was."
I raise my left palm. She looks at it carefully.
"What, exactly, can you do with it?"
"So far, flight, environmental protection, scanning, cleaning, construct creation, data analysis and this rather nifty thing where it can store my clothes."
"Cleaning?"
I face-shrug.
"The moon's dusty."
She goes to speak, pauses, and concedes the point. Her attention shifts back to Mr Scott.
"Do you plan on giving it to him?"
Million dollar question. I'd certainly like to know.
"It occurs to me that giving him my lantern would make him a very powerful young man."
"That's certainly.. true..?"
"And I'm certainly not letting someone like that loose without proper training and supervision."
Did he just say I could have the lantern if she agrees to take me on as 'Wonder Lantern'? She doesn't seem too impressed by the idea.
"I'm sure that you could show him the basics. Once he has been active for a while I can help him apply for a position in the League."
I raise my right hand. I don't remember a lot of what I learned in primary school but that one has really stuck with me.
"I'm sorry your highness, but that won't work. The lantern can remain green, or I can try to turn it orange. It can't be both. One of us will be out of power in a day or so."
Her jaw tightens.
"Colin, would you excuse us for a few minutes?"
You're seriously excluding me from this?
"Oh right. Adults are talking."
I put on my chirpy Edwardian ten year old voice and make the reins holding gesture.
"I think I'll go and play in the park. Do let me know when it's time for tea!"