Chapter Text
"Tee-high-la." Jaylah tried to get the word out correctly, she really did. Right now, she and her superior/girlfriend were out on a gazebo over water, discussing their relationship.
"T'hy'la, e'lev." Charvanek corrected. "You and me. It is an ancient warrior bond that dates back to the days when we Romulans and the Vulcans were still one people, the likes of which are beyond your conception. Such a thing has not been seen in many centuries. It wasn't even telepathy, just something deep down in my gut that told me you were my t'hy'la. Also, I am surprised...that my t'hy'la would happen to be an alien, of all people."
"Does that mean we're soulmates?" Jaylah said as she perked up.
"Technically, yes." Charvanek replied. "Now if you would get rid of your...piratey habits, then..."
"Oh, I won't get rid of them that easily. They're burned into my very soul, even if I quit being a pirate all those years ago with the green ring choosing me. Forgive me, Riov, but it just won't do."
Charvanek sighed. Her alien girlfriend might be the only person in the universe that could use commander in a mocking way. That was when a communicator began beeping, and she opened it, talked into it a few moments, then said "Excuse me, Jay, but I need to go. My men just recovered a strange object from one of the outposts."
"Alright, take...care." replied the Lantern, but couldn't resist the temptation to find out what it was. So she sneaked after her girlfriend to where the "object" was being kept, and found out it was a large, white sphere with a little slit on its front. She watched as the Romulans ran tests on it, and shivered, unable to hide the sinking feeling she had at the sight. At nightfall, when the place was clear, Jaylah decided to check on the sphere out of pure curiosity.
"Hello, gorgeous," she said, "time to find out what secrets you're hiding." She then ran a hand over the sphere's surface, finding it really smooth. Suddenly, her hand sank into the sphere, much to her surprise, then the sphere jumped to life, releasing her hand. "Wha—"
I activated myself when I detected your biological signature to be different from theirs, the enemy and the pointy-eared folk both. said the sphere.
"You know Romulan-speak?" asked Jaylah.
I deconstructed the pointy-eared folk's primitive language. said the sphere.
"Romulan-people are primitive?" said Jaylah, more surprised than offended.
Correct. My species shed our biological existence for a virtual one thousands of years ago. the sphere replied.
"Who are they?" Jaylah asked a third time. "Who is the enemy?"
They are called Harvesters. said the sphere. They are like locusts. They move from planet to planet...their whole civilization. After they have consumed every natural resource, they move on. A Harvester Ship conquered our planet and extracted its molten core. They use them to refuel their ships...and grow their technology. They have done this to countless civilizations. We fought them for thousands of years...but they destroyed all of our ships. I am the sole survivor.
"I'm sorry." Jaylah said.
Do not be. the sphere told her. My system holds the key to superior technology. And there is a hidden planet where I teach refugees from other fallen worlds, how to build weapons that will defeat them...once and for all. I was on my way to the only planet that were successful in beating them back, but then I was captured by the pointy-eared folk mid-voyage.
"From what you said, those...Harvesters, they sound really evil!" Jaylah said. "But don't worry, I'm right here, and I have dedicated my entire life to purging evil from this universe. I might just tell my girlfriend everything, and she might tell everyone about the Harvesters, then we can all go together to your hidden planet! You see, you might think Romulan-people are primitive, but they're fierce. They can help you in defeating the Harvesters, and of course, you'll have my help as well. I'll come back tomorrow night." she said before walking out.
And, from that moment, Jaylah began leading a secret double life. By day, she just went on her duties as an officer of the Romulan military. By night, she snuck off to have conversations with the sphere.
One certain night, Jaylah told the sphere "Oh, we haven't asked about each other's names yet! I'm Jaylah. Jaylah Osana Dawnbreaker. And you?"
My...name? asked the sphere. In fact, her people were long past names. I...I have no name that you can pronounce.
"You don't have one? Well, then, let me name you." Jaylah smiled. "What about...Tahani?"
Tahani? asked the sphere, "tasting" the foreign word.
"It means "heroine" in my native language." Jaylah confirmed. "From what you've told me, you're worth being called one."
And the sphere, the newly-named Tahani, actually felt something. She felt like she could trust this black-and-white lifeform. Very well. Now that you have named me, Jaylah Osana Dawnbreaker, can I confide in you what the pointy-eared folk had been up to with me?
"Call me Jaylah. Also, what's wrong with my girlfriend and her...entourage? They just..." Jaylah tried to finish the sentence, she really did. But somehow she couldn't find the words.
I tried to explain to them that I was a mere emissary from the Resistance to the planet they call Terrha, and that there was a threat looming in the horizon. That after nearly 300 years, the Harvesters are out for revenge. But they paid my thoughts no mind, and only sought to exploit me for my technology. Tahani said sadly.
Jaylah shivered. The sinking feeling had returned, and a chill went up her spine. Immediately, she caught Tahani with a construct and headed for the hangar. Unbeknownst to her, there were a pair of eyes watching her from the darkness. They belonged to Sub-Commander Tal, who had been driven mad with jealousy and commed everyone about Jaylah's rendezvous with the sphere. The Green Lantern tried to hijack one of the ships, only to be blocked by Romulan soldiers led by Tal.
"Jaylah Osana Dawnbreaker, you are under arrest for stealing property of the Romulan Star Empire!" said the officer, then mumbled "I knew it..." under his breath.
Jaylah was a bit confused, but she followed Tal without any complaint, while Tahani was whisked away by another group of soldiers. The fact that her girlfriend had been hiding something shady from her made her mad, but her eyes shone with a bigger determination than ever before. The group arrived at a vacant area, and Jaylah saw her girlfriend there although the female Romulan's back was turned. "Miss Dawnbreaker,", she said, ever the well-mannered and emotionally vacant military woman, "maybe I overestimated you."
"I..." Jaylah gulped.
"You tried to make off with that...that thing." the commander growled as she turned her head.
That was when Jaylah's famous willpower returned and she mustered up the courage to speak. "Well, that thing you talk about is a survivor, a warrior. She lost her home and her people to a vicious enemy, and she was on her way to Terrha, the only planet that had been successful in beating back the enemy, to warn them about the imminent danger. If you and everyone else had any conscience, then maybe you should have listened to her. If you couldn't help her, at least you could've let her go! But instead, you chose to exploit her..."
"It could have been the Star Empire's chance to become stronger!"
That was when Jaylah had a realization. "You're...you're evil."
And with the realization, she was disgusted. She had been working for, and even worse, dating an evil woman all along. She made a construct and strangled Charvanek with it. "I'm ashamed to be your tee-high-la." she said, then flung her once-lover into a corner.
"How dare you, you...you alien!" Tal shouted and made a move to attack her, but like she did with Manas and countless others, the Lantern just killed him using her ring.
That was when a bright green light exploded from above and a voice boomed. "Enough!"
"Ring?" Jaylah asked, not knowing what's going on.
Alert. Jaylah of Sector 2814 —incoming Green Lantern Corps.
Jaylah looked up, and there they were, the Guardians Of The Universe. They had brought various other Green Lanterns they recruited over the years. The Romulans trembled at the astonishing sight, paralyzed with awe and fear before they put themselves back together and ran away.
The Head Guardian addressed Jaylah, and spoke. "2814, you are a damaged Lantern and we are here to fix your transgression. You have done the unthinkable—you let darkness into your ring! This could pollute the entire Green Lantern Corps! Hand over your ring, now!"
"Do I really have to?" Jaylah asked. "It's mine! When I got it, I vowed to make a better universe. Someone needs to stand against all the evil in this sad universe, and that someone is me. But without this ring, I can't do it."
"The darkness, it destroys everything!" said another Guardian.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ganthet, maybe she might have a point!" said a female Green Lantern with light orange skin and blonde hair.
"Arisia is right. Like her, me and 2814 are sector neighbors. I've been monitoring her movements all along, she might have been led astray a couple of times but overall, all she did was simply patrol her sector. If anything, she should be praised for keeping it extraordinarily safe." said a male Green lantern whose face resembled that of a fish.
"Thanks, Tomar-Re." said the blonde, and the two bumped fists.
Jaylah gulped again, and spoke, her voice steady and unwavering. "Listen, whoever you are, in times of evil, I refuse to give up. Right now, there is a friend whose voyage to stop a great evil has been interrupted, and she needs help. If you truly wish to keep things from falling apart, then save her."
"I appreciate your determination. So be it." said the Guardian who had been addressed as Ganthet, and then, a blinding green light knocked Jaylah unconscious.
Jaylah woke up in a green chamber, with Ganthet and a bald female Guardian looking over her. "Ugh..." she groaned as she sat up, and then she looked around. Tahani was safe and secure, tucked away in a corner. "Where am I?" she asked.
"You are on Oa, headquarters to the Green Lantern Corps." said the female. "I am Sayd, a member of the Guardians Of The Universe. This is Ganthet."
"Tomar-Re spoke very highly of you, but he also pointed out that you are very prone to manipulation. That is why we brought you here, to train." Ganthet added.
"Listen, blueface, I don't have time for that. Tahani and I have to go to Terrha." Jaylah snapped.
"Tahani? Is that the name of that...sphere-thing you're defending?" Ganthet asked. "And the planet you refer to as Terrha, is known as Earth to its indigenous species. It has been nothing but a simple mud ball to us but in centuries, it has made great progress. Does it have any meaning to the both of you?"
"She needs to go there. A threat is on the horizon, and she said she has to warn the people of Terrha...Earth about it. She said that an evil species called the Harvesters are on their way to Earth, for revenge."
"I see, 2814. Earth is in your sector, therefore under your jurisdiction. But before that, you need to train, considering your lack of a proper moral compass." said Sayd.
Just then, the chamber door opened and a pink-skinned female Green Lantern entered. "This is Katma Tui of Sector 1417. She is our second recruit—right after you, but she is older and more disciplined. She will be put in charge of your training." Ganthet introduced.
"Hello, Lantern 2814. Are you ready to get to work?" said the pink Lantern.
And that was the day the hard-knock life began. Jaylah and Katma constantly got into trouble regarding Jaylah's corrupted ring, and Katma hated it even more when the black-and-white alien would talk back to her. And to think that this woman was the first Green Lantern recruited by the Guardians, and, therefore, her senior! On several occasions, Katma considered voicing her complaints to the Guardians about the insufferable little Lantern she was saddled with, making her someone else's problem and returning to Korugar, her homeworld tainted by a corrupted government. Jaylah, on the other hand, had her own problems as well. With every second spent on Oa, she was growing more and more restless. Arisia Rrab and Tomar-Re, the respective Green Lanterns of Sector 2813 and 2815, her "sector neighbors" who had stood up for her back on Romulus, would sometimes drop by and calm her down, but that wasn't enough. She had to take Tahani to Earth and warn its denizens about the threat of the Harvesters as soon as possible.
All in all, Jaylah and Katma managed to work things out and they got along pretty well, and Jaylah now had a slightly better sense of what was going on around her, thanks to Katma. That was when the Guardians decided Jaylah was worthy of being called a full-fledged Green Lantern, and had her recite the oath, which she spoke with gusto but for some STRANGE reason, she felt like it didn't fit her. She needed something different, something darker. Her own oath.
That night, the Lanterns threw a raging party for her—the first to be recruited, the last to be instated. "To my protege, the most insufferable Lantern we ever had!" Katma said, raising her glass high.
"To the girl!" said everyone.
And that was the last straw. Jaylah floated up to the Central Power Battery as she said "I have a name, y'know. And y'all need to learn to use it."
Ignoring the panicked gasps from the Lanterns, she entered the massive battery, feeling her ring leech power from the infinite source of willpower within. Once she had taken a significant chunk of power from the battery, she emerged from it and recited the oath she made for herself.
"With darkness black, I choke the light!
No brightest day escapes my sight!
I turn the dawn into midnight!
Beware my power... Dawnbreaker's Might!"