Post by redsycorax on Apr 5, 2023 2:15:51 GMT
In the last episode of the Justice Alliance, Hermes Trismegistus gave his life to prevent the entry of the Demons Three- Astaroth, Belial and Baal - to Earth-500's Universe. But what consequences will that heroic sacrifice have- especially when it comes to Green Lantern Jose Hernandez, his former lover and now widower?
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RIO DE JANEIRO:
As he charged his power ring, Jose Hernandez looked around him and asked himself some questions. The answers weren't reassuring. Everywhere he looked, everyone he talked to, everybody around him, especially in the Alliance, reminded him of the absence in his life- the tall, bearded, beautiful Hermes Trismegistus, the man he had loved, the man he had wanted to marry. There wasn't even a gravestone to mourn at, given his annihilation facing the Demons Three. All right, then. This wouldn't be easy, but he needed to do this. He could be a Brazilian Air Force flyboy, a Green Lantern or a Justice Alliance member, or at least he could be two of those. At the moment, Alliance membership was beyond his emotional limits. He couldn't face any more losses of this magnitude.
JAA SEABASE:
"And that, mi amigas, is why I am resigning my Justice Alliance membership effective immediately."
There was a moment of silence as the revelation sunk into his erstwhile colleagues:
"Hey, I don't think this is out of the blue. Jose, I hope you'll spend some time with Hoshi, the kids and me. After what you've just been through, you need friends. Family."
"Appreciated, Tanaka."
With tears in her eyes, Superwoman said: "Accepted, with considerable regret and sorrow. I hope you realise that you are not alone in your own sorrow and grief, Jose. Hermes Trismegistus was a friend and colleague of ours. His loss impoverishes us. I only hope this won't be permanent, because we need you with us. After you've had time to grieve and mourn your loss, please, feel free to return whenever you judge the time is right."
"Thank you, Kara. And thank you all for the support you've given me over the last few weeks or so. And I hope I'm invited to your baby's christening when the great day arrives."
"Of course. You'll be very welcome." And after Green Lantern had hugged Robin, Hawkgirl, Flash, Superwoman, Wonder Woman, Ultra Violet, Mysta, Three Face and Lightning Girl, he ignited his power ring once more and rose into the transit tube where he was lost to sight. After that, Wonder Woman wiped away a tear:
"Hera help him."
"Diana, that must have been so painful for you as well." Superwoman said, holding Wonder Woman's hand in her own.
"I know what Jose's going through. Even if it's been five years since Steve died, it was in identical circumstances, self-sacrifice and heroism. And at least I have Unitta. We've talked to one another since Hermes death. I hope it helped him, but I know that sort of grief means that it will be a long, hard road back."
In another corner of the room, Three-Face had her arm around Captain Thunder's shoulder:
"Talk to me, Willie."
"I'm sorry, Evelyn. It just reminded me of what Bella and I lost when our own Earth perished in its nuclear holocaust."
"And you lost your parents? I know. I lost the man I loved and our daughter on Earth-Three. But I didn't lose an entire world."
"I wish I had your inner strength, Evelyn. I'm just glad that you're here, now, and that we can hold and love another. Poor Jose will never have that simple comfort again, not with Hermes."
"And I wish I could take away those years of desolation and survival you spent alone on Earth-964, Willie. About inner strength? You're a strong man within as well as outside. Never, ever forget that."
"I love you, Evelyn Dent."
"I love you, Willie Fawcett."
As Lightning Girl watched her brother and the woman he loved, a lump came to her throat. She envied Willie that security and Evelyn's love. Robin cleared her throat:
"They're lucky."
"Helena, have you heard from James yet?"
Robin shook her head: "No. Dad slipped a tracker beacon into his outfit and so I know he's still alive and moving, trying to track down Olsen and his criminal human genetic engineering cartel. But... Bella, one day I'm frightened that the light diode will wink out. He'll have either died without achieving his objective, or will have achieved it at the cost of his life. And then I suspect I'll ask myself whether I should also do exactly what Jose has just done- and whether all our powers and prowess are worth it if we can't protect the ones we love most in this world?"
"I asked myself exactly that question when I failed to save my home Earth from the ravages of nuclear war."
"But you did it anyway, and because of that bravery and courage, and because you did all in your power to prevent it happening, something, somewhere decided that you were too precious and necessary to existence itself to be blotted out yourself. And so you were flung clear and look at you now. You have your brother and Kal and Kara as adoptive parents."
"You're definitely Batman's daughter, you realise? I suspect that inner knowledge is probably hereditary."
"What, like courage, determination, grit and compassion run in your family, Bella? Come on. Let's go somewhere else and we can talk some more."
THE END [2.15 PM, APRIL 5, 2023]
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RIO DE JANEIRO:
As he charged his power ring, Jose Hernandez looked around him and asked himself some questions. The answers weren't reassuring. Everywhere he looked, everyone he talked to, everybody around him, especially in the Alliance, reminded him of the absence in his life- the tall, bearded, beautiful Hermes Trismegistus, the man he had loved, the man he had wanted to marry. There wasn't even a gravestone to mourn at, given his annihilation facing the Demons Three. All right, then. This wouldn't be easy, but he needed to do this. He could be a Brazilian Air Force flyboy, a Green Lantern or a Justice Alliance member, or at least he could be two of those. At the moment, Alliance membership was beyond his emotional limits. He couldn't face any more losses of this magnitude.
JAA SEABASE:
"And that, mi amigas, is why I am resigning my Justice Alliance membership effective immediately."
There was a moment of silence as the revelation sunk into his erstwhile colleagues:
"Hey, I don't think this is out of the blue. Jose, I hope you'll spend some time with Hoshi, the kids and me. After what you've just been through, you need friends. Family."
"Appreciated, Tanaka."
With tears in her eyes, Superwoman said: "Accepted, with considerable regret and sorrow. I hope you realise that you are not alone in your own sorrow and grief, Jose. Hermes Trismegistus was a friend and colleague of ours. His loss impoverishes us. I only hope this won't be permanent, because we need you with us. After you've had time to grieve and mourn your loss, please, feel free to return whenever you judge the time is right."
"Thank you, Kara. And thank you all for the support you've given me over the last few weeks or so. And I hope I'm invited to your baby's christening when the great day arrives."
"Of course. You'll be very welcome." And after Green Lantern had hugged Robin, Hawkgirl, Flash, Superwoman, Wonder Woman, Ultra Violet, Mysta, Three Face and Lightning Girl, he ignited his power ring once more and rose into the transit tube where he was lost to sight. After that, Wonder Woman wiped away a tear:
"Hera help him."
"Diana, that must have been so painful for you as well." Superwoman said, holding Wonder Woman's hand in her own.
"I know what Jose's going through. Even if it's been five years since Steve died, it was in identical circumstances, self-sacrifice and heroism. And at least I have Unitta. We've talked to one another since Hermes death. I hope it helped him, but I know that sort of grief means that it will be a long, hard road back."
In another corner of the room, Three-Face had her arm around Captain Thunder's shoulder:
"Talk to me, Willie."
"I'm sorry, Evelyn. It just reminded me of what Bella and I lost when our own Earth perished in its nuclear holocaust."
"And you lost your parents? I know. I lost the man I loved and our daughter on Earth-Three. But I didn't lose an entire world."
"I wish I had your inner strength, Evelyn. I'm just glad that you're here, now, and that we can hold and love another. Poor Jose will never have that simple comfort again, not with Hermes."
"And I wish I could take away those years of desolation and survival you spent alone on Earth-964, Willie. About inner strength? You're a strong man within as well as outside. Never, ever forget that."
"I love you, Evelyn Dent."
"I love you, Willie Fawcett."
As Lightning Girl watched her brother and the woman he loved, a lump came to her throat. She envied Willie that security and Evelyn's love. Robin cleared her throat:
"They're lucky."
"Helena, have you heard from James yet?"
Robin shook her head: "No. Dad slipped a tracker beacon into his outfit and so I know he's still alive and moving, trying to track down Olsen and his criminal human genetic engineering cartel. But... Bella, one day I'm frightened that the light diode will wink out. He'll have either died without achieving his objective, or will have achieved it at the cost of his life. And then I suspect I'll ask myself whether I should also do exactly what Jose has just done- and whether all our powers and prowess are worth it if we can't protect the ones we love most in this world?"
"I asked myself exactly that question when I failed to save my home Earth from the ravages of nuclear war."
"But you did it anyway, and because of that bravery and courage, and because you did all in your power to prevent it happening, something, somewhere decided that you were too precious and necessary to existence itself to be blotted out yourself. And so you were flung clear and look at you now. You have your brother and Kal and Kara as adoptive parents."
"You're definitely Batman's daughter, you realise? I suspect that inner knowledge is probably hereditary."
"What, like courage, determination, grit and compassion run in your family, Bella? Come on. Let's go somewhere else and we can talk some more."
THE END [2.15 PM, APRIL 5, 2023]
