One of the five Green Lantern contingents sent to canvass Guardian space for signs of General Zod found themselves following a trail of sightings leading into the vicinity of a binary star system; Bogos Qin. Two yellow stars, designated Bogos Qin A and B, danced around each other, permanently within arm's reach of each other but never to touch. The team spread about the half a dozen civilised planets in orbit of this system to conduct their investigation. In command of Contingent 1023 was Mogo, officer of Sector 2261. Each contingent was led by a Lantern with the rank of Warden, the highest attainable position for a field officer. Mogo was one such Warden.

Vell had heard many stories about the legendary Mogo but possessed nothing too detailed about the mighty warrior, soshe was quite excited to meet him.

Once the rogue coalition headed by Hal Jordan left, they had to figure out which contingent Zod was going to take on first. The dispersal of the manhunt teams meant that Zod had to plough into at least one of them before he could blaze a path to Oa, which he most likely knew the location of now since there was so much GL traffic to and from it in recent cycles. A Kryptonian army didn't need to gather intelligence on the enemy, all they needed was to use their incredible enhanced vision and look up into the stars.

John proposed that Zod chose this specific system in Sector 121; the only one in the given range of entry points to Oa with a binary yellow star system. Because of this, the Kryptonians were going to have an incredible advantage. They would havetwice the normal amount of radiation to absorb, and that meant that whatever amounts of their physical energy that the GLs could burn out in a fight would be replenished twice as quickly.

Hal had taken John, Chaselon, and Arisia to intercept and alertthe members of Contingent 1023, leaving Vell, Guy, Archon, Laira, Brin, Bloobert and Katma in sentry positions around the far orbit of Bogos Qin A and B. On one hand, Vell was annoyed that she couldn't stay by his side but was flattered that he trusted her amongst her other GL comrades.

These sentry units were so far apart that they couldn't even see each other without visual assistance from their rings. Vell could see nothing but the blackness of space, the stars that dotted it, and the incredible brightness of the Bogos Qin system that would have blinded her at this range if her ring hadn't provided ocular protection.

"Screw this waitin' around... This sucks." Guy snapped.

Katma was instantaneous with her rebuttal "Patience. There'll be plenty of action to come for all of us."

"Doesn't make sittin' on the bench any easier, lady."

"Shut up before I rip your tongue out, stupid human." Laira jabbed.

Vell snorted in amusement at her comrade's remark as she kept her eyes pinned on her scan data. Kryptonians, due to their immense energy storage capabilities, could register on specialised scanning equipment on the same scale as small suns. It wasn't any harmful type of energy though and most type 1 civilisations hadn't developed the technology to track them yet; that's why Superman is still able to maintain a secret identity. They were easy to detect with Lantern scans, but the tricky part was locating them before they crossed ten light years in ten seconds. They moved like patrons of the speed force in deep space.

Guy chuckled. "I'd like you to try, hot stuff."

"I suggest that for once in his life, Guy Gardner cease his endless bickering." Archon Z'gmora scalded.

Vell added "Wow, everyone really does hate you. I thought Hal was exaggerating as usual."

"Hal's an asshat."

"You followed him here, you idiot. And he's not an asshat." The Bekkorian replied.

"I didn't come 'ere for that square, I came 'ere for the fight."

Katma raised her voice "Stop this, now! Everyone needs to stay focused. We face an incredibly dangerous foe. We cannot afford to be distracted by petty arguments."

Everyone fell silent promptly after that. Vell sighed in boredom, staring out into the blackness of space with keen eyes. Her energy detection scans were conducting a background refresh every micro-cycle and would notify her when any notable concentrations of yellow radiation entered the system. Vell then found herself wondering if the yellow nature of this radiation made Kryptonians more effective against rookie Green Lanterns.

The chemicals that make the colour yellow are potent at reflecting and refracting the green particles of ion energy. The central power reactor, the source of every GL's ion power, used yellow parts in its interior construction to better concentrate the energy by folding it in on itself thousands of times. This was why GL newbies had trouble using their rings on yellow objects; it took a little practice to get around the refraction.

However, this ion-refracting quality was only applicable with physical objects since the chemicals themselves that comprised yellow needed to be tangible; yellow star radiation is a form of light and in its natural state could do little more than 'fog' up an ion beam. However, when absorbed by a Kryptonian and converted into bodily sustenance, it ceases being yellow. So...in theory, Vell realised that the yellow impurity had nothing to do with why Zod almost killed her. He was just so incredibly powerful that the ring's high-power output, which could gut starships, asteroids, and even planets if multiple officers converged fire, had close to no effect.

This time though, she was happy to know that they had several tricks up their sleeves. She had thoroughly studied the layout of red solar energy, one of the few things that could sap the strength from a charged Kryptonian, and Lantern Chaselon possessed a supply of synthetic Kryptonite that he had manufactured on his homeworld of Barrio III using a single chunk of natural Kryptonite as the blueprint. Kryptonite was a lethal poison to any organic forms of matter that matched its cellular makeup, meaning any living thing from the planet Krypton. These two things should negate the advantage that the two yellow stars gave the Kryptonians...hopefully.

"This is Brin...I think I've got something. Yellow radiation mass entering from bearing two sixty-six, mark forty-two." A gravelly voice reported through the squad-link comm system.

Vell immediately pointed her scans in that direction to validate Brin's declaration. After a couple seconds her ring chirped, identifying the mass as a biological organism emitting high levels of yellow star radiation. "Grakk. I'm reading it too. What's the plan, Katma?"

"Already?!" Exclaimed Bloobert. "That was fast...what's it doing?"

"Staying put...for now." Answered Brin.

Katma eventually replied "I'll try to get a handle on Jordan. Maybe...maybe he has an idea."

Vell groaned. "There isn't time for that! They're out there watching us, waiting for an opening. We need to go all-out now."

"Listen Initiate, taking the offensive didn't work out so well for you last time. We need to be smart about this."

"There are six inhabited worlds in this system. If we don't buy them some time, the Kryptonians will smash them all to bits!"

Katma thinned her lips. "...We don't know that. Zod is methodical...he won't do something unless he needs to."

"I'm not willing to bet on that. If I'm the only one who wants to try and save these people, I don't care. I'll just know that I'm the only Lantern worth their ring here." Vell snapped.

There was a moment of long silence. Laira laughed in amusement. "You're a funny one. You aren't, because I'm coming with you."

Guy shrugged "Yeah...me too. I'm not sittin' on my hands all day, ya' hear? Just stay outta my way."

Katma groaned under her breath. "...This is mutiny, you all know that?"

"File a report. I'm sure the Guardians will get to it eventually." Guy quipped.

Brin finally added "I don't know about engaging in a head-on assault...but we need to do something, Sentry Tui."

Katma rolled her eyes and finally commanded "Bloobert, hold your position and contact Lantern Jordan until he responds. Everyone else, converge on the energy signature."

"Alright! Let's get this show on the road!" Guy whistled.

"You shouldn't be so enthusiastic about meeting Kryptonians in the field of battle. That is the final mistake of a fool." Lairasaid.

Vell plotted a course for the rendezvous point mapped out by Katma and hit the transluminal thrust as she said "We have a couple things for the poozers this time though. I've got that red solar laser printed on the back of my brain by now."

"We've got some pieces of synth-kryptonite too. Less focused than the real thing, but it'll mess them up good." Guy said.

"I suppose...but it is hard to imagine a rock being able to hurt beings that powerful." Replied Laira.

Brin chuckled. "In a few millicycles, you'll be able to see it with your very eyes, Sentry."

All the Lanterns on system watch met up at the rendezvous point at the same time, since they all made their way there at their rings' top speed. Vell's ring zoomed in on a handful of flickering specks, identifying them as Kryptonians. In less than a second, they disappeared and reappeared mere metres away from the Lanterns.

General Dru-Zod was at the head of the triangular formation. The other behind him were Faora Hu-Ul, Non, Quex-Ul, Mala, Dev-Em, and Jax-Ur, all extremely dangerous Kryptonian criminals logged in the GL archives. Zod wasn't wearing any kind of breathing apparatus as his biology dictated that all he needed was solar power.

Each Lantern's ring used lipreading protocols to translate. "You are loyal soldiers, I am humbled. Because of your dedication, I will ask you to stand aside. No one need die here. All we wish is to remove the Guardians from your command structure. You will then answer to me, and me alone. We will ensure that no more suffering will come to the citizens of the universe."

Guy scoffed. "Take a hike, bozo."

"He can't hear you, idiot." Vell snapped. "There's no air out here."

Katma floated forward and projected a message via hologram in Kryptonian script. It read 'We cannot allow you to pass.'

Non laughed, and the shaking of his body almost made it so Vell could hear his booming in the vacuum. Zod responded promptly "Very well. Then our passage will be taken."

"Now!" Vell roared, conjuring a red solar laser with her ring, setting it to wide spread, then discharging. As she did, Lairaand Z'gmora joined in blasting their foes with the energy. Guy, Katma and Brin however, brandished their shards of synth-kryptonite. Katma built a similar laser around her kryptonite core and opened fire, Brin began shredding slivers off and firing them at the soldiers, while Guy just charged in with it grasped firmly in his hand.

Vell's eyes widened as she saw Zod and his followers writhe in pain. Her fear began to recede...they could hurt them. She finally halted her stream of laser fire and darted into reach of Non, the largest and most intimidating of the Kryptonians. Vell reeled her right hand back, charged up a field of ions around it, then let it fly into Non's face. Her knuckles impacted against the man's jaw, loosing a tooth which twirled outward intensely in the dead of space.

Non slowly turned his head back to face Vell, who smirked bloodthirstily at the massive brute. The solar system was now subject to a blazing green lightshow as lasers, missiles, kryptonite shrapnel, and more were slung about like confetti.

The Bekkorian rammed her knee into Non's gut, slammed an elbow into the back of his skull as he reeled over from the previous attack, then seized him with both her arms. She took out at trans-light speed once again, maxing out her ring's speed. She suddenly spun, then released Non. He was thrown at impossible speeds into an asteroid that made up the belt that orbited Bogos Qin.

He shrunk little by little and vanished onto the mass of a huge asteroid. It then rumbled and shattered under the immense force and sprayed its innards all around. Its chunks exploded outward, knocking into the other asteroids nearby, loosening them from their fixed positions. Before she could urge herself forward to track down Non, she was embraced by a familiar sight.

Two beams of fire lanced outward from the debris and impacted on her shields. The heat caused Vell to cringe in pain, but she endured as she brought her red laser to arms. She fired into the shattered rock as she boosted forward. However, Non met her halfway. He barged into her like a torpedo, breaking her collarbone through her still-standing shields.

Non's momentum outweighed Vell's, so she was speared backwards by his tremendous tackle. Vell turned her laser around and fired on his backside as she continuously brought her knee up into his stomach. After every blow, she could feel him losing strength. They ploughed through asteroids on their chaotic flight path, each floating rock taking a chunk out of Vell's shield until it burst and failed.

Vell managed to break his control of the fight by wrenching Non around by the neck. As she held him in a headlock, her red solar laser floated to Non's front and unleashed its power. He opened his mouth in what would have been a roar, but there was no atmosphere to carry the sound. Vell instead only noticed the vibrating of his throat.

The Kryptonian grasped for Vell's face with his immense hands, scratching her face with his still formidable strength. The Bekkorian growled as his fingers tore down her face, seeing bubbles of her yellow blood brushed out into space. Still, she continued blasting her foe.

Without warning, Non managed to seize purchase on Vell's uniform and tore her from the lock she held him in. He twirled her around like a ragdoll, slamming her against pieces of rubble. She felt her flesh bruise, more bones break. After tenderising her, Non planted both hands on the sides of Vell's skull and applied pressure. As he did, he looked into her eyes.

His face was wildly battered. It bore bruises, was red with his own blood, and was beginning to turn purple. However, as every second ticked by, Vell could see those injuries slowly fading. The yellow suns. They were helping him regenerate.

Non laughed in silence as he pressed harder and harder.

There was a sudden impact that shook Non. Vell's eyes fell to his chest, where a sharp needle made of kryptonite had pierced through his skin and uniform. She looked behind Non to see Hal, covered in blood, who smiled weakly. "Into the sun. Quick!" He said.

Vell slammed Non with vicious punches as she asked "Isn't that the source of their power?"

"With a chunk of kryptonite in him like that, that sun will burn him up before he can draw any kind of energy from it. Hurry!"

Vell, without hesitation, followed Hal's recommendation. She constructed a large rail gun around Non's near-unconscious body. As each component secured itself in place, Hal continued fighting Mala, who fought even more ferociously than Non did. Vell found it difficult to concentrate. "Hal...you need help!"

"N-No! Take care of Non! I got this!" He formed a baseball bat the size of a truck, wound back, then cracked it across Mala's face. She soared into the asteroid belt as Hal followed.

Finally, with her construct complete, Vell activated it. The rail slid forward, powered by faux-electromagnets, which ejected Non outward at a speed invisible to the human eye. Vell tracked him with her scanners, and was satisfied when his body pierced the surface of the sun. His life signs were still strong at first...but slowly and surely, they faded until nothing remained. "He...He's dead..."

"Beetles! Great work!" Hal yelled. He then opened a channel to someone else. "Alright, what we planned. Do it now!"

"Affirmative. Initiating construction of dyson sphere." A booming voice bellowed.

Vell, panting from her fight with Non, asked "Who's that?"

With a smile, Hal answered "My lady, I give you...Mogo." He gestured towards a planet...a seventh planet, in what was a six-planet system only moments ago.

The planet glowed verdant with charged ion, then a beam erupted from its surface like a green water spout. It stretched all the way from this planet to both stars of Bogos Qin. Eventually, the beam took on solid shapes; hundreds of thousands of panels that snapped together around the two stars until it covered each and every inch of their light.

Vell zoomed in with her ring and noticed a colossal symbol on the planet's surface; the sigil of the Green Lantern Corps. "H-He's...a planet? A sentient planet?"

"Weird right? Come on, rookie. We got work to do."

The pair traced their way back to the main fight, as Vell appreciated the intricacies of Mogo's construct. Hal called it a dyson sphere, a theoretical structure in human science. It was a proposed device that could be built around a sun to absorb its energy. The one that Mogo constructed covered the rest of the system from its yellow light, meaning that the Kryptonians were now on their own.

"Jordan to all hands in Bogos Qin, General Zod has been engaged at my co-ordinates. This is the signal, boys; lay out the welcome wagon." Hal said into his ring.

"Is Mogo pulling that off on his own? That sphere...it's bigger than any construct I've ever seen."

"It's taking him a lot of focus. We need to make sure he stays safe so he can concentrate. And hey...that was some great work back there."

Vell smiled. However, she didn't have time to say anything before Mala came crashing into Hal, propelling the pair of them out of sight. Vell's first instinct was to break off and follow, but she caught sight of Faora holding one of her comrades by the neck. She had her hand tightly wrapped around Brin's neck, as Arisia blasted her with red solar power. She grimaced in exertion, but she managed to tighten her grip just enough.

There was a pop as Brin's shield collapsed. Faora made one precise strike with her other hand. It pulverised Brin's head, sending gore funnelling backwards in a bloody mess. Brin's ring slipped off his finger, and as it did, Faora reached out for it.

Both Vell and Arisia charged into her like raged bulls, drowning her in pure ion energy.

"She's not going down as easy as the others!" Arisia bellowed.

"The others? Easy?" Vell remarked.

Arisia thinned her lips. "I guess you're right. Come on, sync with me!"

She charged up a ball of ion, and upon seeing what her friend was doing, Vell did the same.

"One...two...three!!" Arisia cried.

On three, the pair hurled beams of immense energy into Faorafor five seconds straight. When the light dimmed, the two Lantern Initiates saw Faora's body floating in the void. She was knocked out, but still out of the fight. "By the Guardians...she still isn't dead!?" Arisia exclaimed.

Vell sighed "I had to throw one into one of the stars to kill him. I'd say this is still a win."