Parallax is coming, and even Kara finds it daunting. She's not worried about herself, but about the countless lives on Earth.
Parallax and its minions are embodiments of the emotion of fear, an unavoidable element for all living beings. Especially when creatures face death, immense fear manifests, which in turn feeds and strengthens Parallax and its minions.
"We've got to take the initiative, Hal," Kara reminded him. "If we wait, it'll be too late."
Hal looked slightly skeptical. "How are we supposed to attack? This thing's in outer space. Can you even survive out there?"
Kara shot him a look. Was he serious? They were facing a potential planet-wide crisis, and he was sidetracking on technicalities?
"Well, I'm not entirely sure," Kara admitted after a pause. The truth was, she'd never dared to go beyond the atmosphere. At her highest, she'd only ever touched its edge, careful not to break through. So she couldn't say with confidence that she'd survive the void of space.
For a while, they both fell silent. The atmosphere grew awkward.
Theoretically, Superman could survive in space, but few would risk their lives to test the theory without knowing for sure. Even Kara, with her considerable strength, was hesitant to try.
Moreover, Superman's power comes from Earth's yellow sun. In theory, Kara could fly close to the sun and absorb its energy to strengthen herself before Parallax arrived. But she'd once read All-Star Superman, where Superman's cells became oversaturated with solar energy and caused his body to fail.
That thought was enough to give her pause. Kara didn't want to risk a similar fate by going too close to the sun.
It's not just that more power is always better. Like a muscle strain from overexertion, an overload of strength could damage, or even destroy, her body. Directly injecting that level of strength into her cells might prove fatal. Kara wasn't eager to find out.
But silence wouldn't solve anything. Since neither of them could think of a clear solution, Hal and Kara decided to call in their friends for input.
Hal called in Thomas Kalmaku, a skilled IT guy and longtime friend, as well as Carol Ferris, executive director of Ferris Aircraft. Carol was not only influential, but beautiful—and Hal's gaze had a tendency to linger on her, despite her eye-rolling responses.
At the same time, Kara contacted Dani, her close friend, and asked her to meet at Hal's place.
Notably, Kara decided not to call Bruce or Clark. If she could handle the situation, she didn't want to interfere with Bruce's rare family time or Clark's budding relationship with Lois. The last thing she wanted was to pull them away from their personal lives.
Soon, friends arrived at Hal's house. Dani gave Hal an odd look. "So… was that the little green guy?"
Kara couldn't help but smile as she explained, "Dani, meet Hal, also known as Green Lantern."
Dani shrugged and gave Hal a quick nod before glancing at Kara again. "So what's up with that ring hovering over your head?"
Kara sighed. "I don't know; it seems drawn to me. Like it wants me to become a Green Lantern too."
Dani smirked. "Has it proposed yet?" She shot Hal a teasing glance.
Kara rolled her eyes. "Not even close."
Green Lantern rings are fiercely loyal and singular, each choosing only one wielder. Plus, the ring represents one of the most powerful weapons in the universe—it's not like it's picking a prom date.
Dani looked mildly disappointed, but Carol seemed visibly relieved. Ever since she'd arrived, she had been keeping an eye on this mysterious woman, subtly wondering what her connection with Hal was.
Meanwhile, Hal introduced Kara to the others. "This is Kara. You can think of her as 'Supergirl.' And right now, we've got a huge threat coming our way. We're going to need all hands on deck to beat it."
Before their friends arrived, Kara and Hal had agreed on this partial explanation of her identity. As long as she wore glasses and maintained a low profile, no one would connect her to Supergirl.
Hal then explained the situation regarding Parallax so that everyone could understand the threat they were up against.
"Why don't you call for help from the Green Lantern Corps?" Carol suggested, hoping for extra reinforcements to protect Earth.
Hal shook his head. "They're already trying. I heard that a squad attempted to recontain Parallax, but they were wiped out."
Kara arched an eyebrow. "You'd think they'd have learned by now."
While Green Lantern often refers to one person, it's also shorthand for the entire Green Lantern Corps. And whenever the Corps has to assemble en masse, it's serious. Unfortunately, many Corps members have fallen in these massive battles. There's a saying, "the Green Lanterns never exceed five"—if they go above that, their ranks will likely thin again soon.
Hal wasn't entirely familiar with the phrase, but he got the sense it wasn't exactly complimentary. He decided to ignore it and continued, "At this point, we're on our own. I doubt the Corps will throw more lives at Parallax, not without a solid plan. And apparently, saving Earth isn't in their immediate plans."
Kara jumped in, "Which is exactly why I said we shouldn't rely on them. We need to take matters into our own hands."
But that still left the issue of outer space. If they wanted to face Parallax head-on, they'd have to leave Earth's atmosphere. And Kara was still uncertain if she'd survive out there.
Hal gave Kara a serious look. "That's why I think you should consider wearing the Green Lantern ring."