The Zeta-tube materialized on the Watchtower in a blinding flash of white light, the sound echoing through the hangar bay like a thunderclap.
Recognized: Robin, B-0-1. Vex Vale, Guest.
The air was sterile, cold, and sparkled with residual zeta radiation. Through the massive, transparent viewport to my left, the Earth hung like a sapphire marble against the velvet black of space. It was a view that should have inspired awe.
For me, it just inspired a desire to take inventory.
"Keep your hands to yourself," Robin said, his voice echoing in the metallic chamber. He was immediately walking toward the central hub, his cape sweeping behind him. "And don't activate the Sharingan unless I tell you. The sensors on this station make the Cave's look like a child's toy."
"Relax, Boy Wonder," I said, strolling casually beside him, my hands in my hoodie pockets. The Ring was humming against my skin, a 6.3% main battery paired with a 50% Reach-tech reserve. The sensation was distracting, like a static charge that wouldn't dissipate. "I'm just here to learn."
I wasn't lying, I was here to learn. But I was also here to gather data.
As we walked down the polished corridor, I activated the Ring's secondary scanning function, routing it through the "Ghost" protocol to keep it invisible to the station's automated systems.
"Ring," I pulsed the thought. "Scan the local network. I need the schematics for the main power core, the Zeta-beam location data, and the location of any stored power batteries, Lantern-tech, or Reach-derivative materials."
"Scanning... Network security is high-grade military-level. Attempting to bypass firewall... Firewall bypassed. Downloading schematics."
The data flooded into my mind. A torrent of blueprints, energy readings, and security protocols. The Watchtower was powered by a miniature artificial sun, a star-sized battery that made the Santa Prisca transformer look like a flashlight.
"Data downloaded. Power Core output is stable. Zeta-tube frequency identified as harmonic resonance 99.8. Warning: The station's AI is currently scanning for unauthorized data transfers."
"Disguise the data as routine maintenance logs," I instructed, my heart hammering against my ribs.
We reached the training deck, a massive room overlooking the viewport. In the center stood John Stewart, his Green Lantern suit immaculate, his expression stern. Beside him was the primary training dummy—a reinforced titanium construct designed to withstand a direct blast from Superman.
"Robin," Stewart said, his voice a deep baritone that resonated in the large room. He turned his gaze to me. "And the kid with the eyes."
"Vex Vale," I said, stepping forward and offering a nod. "Sir."
"Robin tells me you've been doing some... inventive work with that ring," Stewart said, stepping closer. "Harnessing Reach tech is a quick way to get yourself killed, or worse, corrupted. The ring is a tool of willpower, not a power strip for alien weaponry."
"It's what I had," I said, holding up my hand, allowing the ring to glow with a steady, green light. "I didn't have a Power Battery to waste my main energy store so casually. And I wasn't given instructions like the other lanterns. But fin if I must teach me the 'right' way."
Stewart looked at the ring, then at me. "Willpower is about focus. It's about creating order out of chaos. That Reach energy you're using? It's pure chaos."
He gestured to the titanium dummy. "Let's see you create something solid. Lets try something basic like a sphere. Perfectly smooth. Perfectly dense. If it flickers, you fail."
I looked at the dummy. The Reach energy was still icy in my veins, demanding to be used, demanding to be volatile. I closed my eyes, summoning the image of a perfectly polished chrome ball from my memory. I pushed the stolen Reach energy out, shaping it with the sheer force of my will, while the Sharingan monitored the molecular structure of the light.
Flicker. The sphere turned a sickly electric blue.
"No," Stewart said, his voice hard. "Too much volatile energy. Focus on the Willpower, not the tech."
I grit my teeth, the pain behind my eyes intensifying. I forced the Reach energy back into the secondary cell, pulling instead on the meager 6% of the main battery. The sphere stabilized, turning a brilliant, solid green. It hummed with power.
"Better," Stewart noted, his voice slightly less harsh. "But you're running on fumes. Robin tells me you're trying to find a way to charge that thing."
"I am," I said, letting the construct dissolve. "And I don't think I'll find it by standing in the corner. Unless you'll let me use yours?"
He responded with his usual stoic expression, likely gained from his military experience. "Not until we can fully trust you, kid."
"That's what I expected," I shrugged
I looked out the viewport at the Earth below. The Watchtower was the perfect place to start. I had the schematics. Now, I just needed to figure out what to take first.