The first element of the conspiracy to reach the Argo was the unarmed K’te councilor ship. While still quite distant, it had monitored at long range the arrival of the Argo to the Cholonu system and its subsequent speedy departure. The K’te imperial agent realized how delicate the situation had become. Whatever information the last of the Cholonu had gathered at his homeworld was too much, and would serve only to anger him and make him more unpredictable. The fact that his ship was now on a course for Dressilus was the worst sigh of all. The K’te ambassador thought it possible, depending on what exactly the Cholonu had learned, that he might blame the Warpsmiths more than the K’te. He fervently prayed to the living god Emperor Vexel that this was the case. That would make persuading him and his companions to return with him to K’te space for quiet disposal so much easier; especially considering the far more ostentatious assets who were rushing to the scene to take care of the problem if diplomacy failed.

    Hailing and coming alongside the Argo, the K’te diplomat felt optimistic when the Cholonu agreed to meet with him. Going over to the Cholonu’s ship alone and unarmed, the K’te diplomat persistently tried to convince the Cholonu that the Emperor was overjoyed to learn that his race wasn’t, in fact, extinct, and wanted to personally express his condolences to the last of the Cholonu, and raise him to an exalted rank, blaming the fate of his race on the limitless bloodthirst of the Warpsmiths.

    The Cholonu men call Zero Man managed to keep most of his contempt in check. Zero Man told the K’te diplomat that he might agree to meet with Emperor Vexel after he had helped deliver the Traveler safely to the peace conference. It was clear, however, that Zero Man’s feelings were not at all warm towards the K’te and that he had viewed at least some of the footage of one of the Cholonu’s final battles while he had been on his homeworld. The K’te diplomat was convinced after speaking with him only a few minutes that there would be no changing his mind. The diplomat’s course of action was clear.

    The diplomat left him graciously and politely, returned to his ship and departed, as quickly as possible so he wouldn’t have to lie if he was ever asked if he knew what had happened to the Argo and its crew.

    No more than fifteen minutes after the K’te councilor ship had left, and the Argo had re-entered hyperspace, a green streak of light sped toward the ship.

    The Traveler became noticeably relieved. The Traveler had been hoping that an opportunity would arise to get a message to the Green Lantern Corps. For the Traveler had begun to suspect that this single Cholonu somehow held great significance to the peace process, and that his presence at the conference was of the utmost important. The Traveler could not yet see how or why this was so, but it was enough that he knew it was true, just as he also knew that there would be forces arising soon from all sides attempting to prevent it. A Green Lantern escort would now be most welcome.

    Traveler explained to the rest that the Green Lanterns were a heroic group of galactic law enforcers dedicated to the cause of peace and justice, and that he should be allowed to board immediately. The Traveler’s companions heeded his advice. Alex Ryan dropped the ship out of hyperspace and allowed the Green Lantern to enter the ship through the main airlock.

    As soon as the inner airlock doors opened, Sinestro attacked.

    The initial assault was brutal and almost completely effective. The entire cabin was filled with a battering ram of green energy. Wonder Man, Zero Man and the Traveler were sent flying by the blast, careened off the far bulkhead and slipped limply to the floor, unconscious.

    Alex Ryan stood in the middle of the cabin, totally unaffected and more than a little perplexed.

    Sinestro shot a lance of concentrated green energy from his power ring straight toward her heart. It passed harmlessly through her. Sinestro glared at her.

    Alex Ryan glared back.

    Two beams of golden light speared from her eyes. Sinestro quickly interposed a green shield, but the twin beams cut through it effortlessly and struck Sinestro in the chest. He howled and was thrown across the cabin. Sinestro clutched at his chest with his left, non-ring hand. Ryan’s eyebeams had burned the Green Lantern insignia completely off his uniform. The flesh underneath, already red, blistered.

    Sinestro snarled and projected a beam of green light around Ryan, striking at the outer airlock doors, prying them open with two immense green levers. While the ring couldn’t effect her, he gambled that hard vacuum would.

    The cabin depressurized rapidly, and Alex Ryan found herself reflexively turning insubstantial. She no longer needed to breath and, under the circumstances, didn’t miss it. She again glared at Sinestro, but nothing happened, and she realized that she wasn’t able to channel light offensively in this form.

    Sinestro was surrounded by an emerald glow and streaked out the airlock into space, a tendril of green light trailing behind him. Suddenly it split open into a net that engulfed Zero Man, Traveler and Wonder Man, and dragged them out the airlock after him.

    Quickly closing the airlock and repressurizing the ship, Alex Ryan hopped into the pilot’s seat and initiated pursuit.

    Sinestro led the Argo on a wild, dangerous chase, but Ryan’s piloting skills allowed her to keep up. Her ship unarmed, Ryan decided she had no choice but to use the Argo itself as a weapon, and attempted to ram Sinestro. Although Sinestro dodged out of the way at the last moment, the effort broke his concentration sufficiently that the web imprisoning Ryan’s comrades dissipated.

    Zero Man having revived at this point, saw his chance. He grabbed Traveler and Wonder Man and sped toward the Argo’s opening airlock door. The moment they were inside, Ryan accelerated to top speed, inertia impaling the unconscious forms of Wonder Man and Traveler in the aft bulkhead.

    The tables turned, now Sinestro relentlessly chased the Argo. Ryan pushed the Argo well beyond its design specifications for a series of daring, unpredictable maneuvers, including at one point throwing the ship into full reverse from top speed—incidentally imbedding Wonder Man and Traveler in the foreword bulkhead—and then turning 90 degrees while diving and accelerating back to top speed.

    Having only barely lost Sinestro, the crew quickly found the homing beacon that they had by now deduced had been installed by the Network and ejected it into space, Ryan taking the Argo from it as fast as was possible.

    The problem was that this was no longer nearly as fast as they needed. Ryan’s extreme maneuvers had pushed the ship well beyond its tolerances and the strain was starting to show. There was no guarantee that the Argo in its current condition could even get them to Dressilus. They would again have to set down somewhere for repairs.

    Pouring over the ships navigational charts, the Traveler noted that their best chance was to make for a nearby outer colony of the Shi’Ar. It was large enough that they stood a good chance of not being noticed, and it certainly seemed less perilous than trying to find respite in the closest alternative: the Skrull Empire.

    Landing at the colony world’s spaceport in the dead of night, the team immediately began to explore the still-bustling city, searching for the means to surreptitiously repair their damaged ship. As they wandered the dark streets, however, Alex Ryan began to weaken. Now requiring exposure to a strong source of wide-spectrum light every hour, being forced to keep to the shadows lest they be recognized was now very clearly taking its toll.

    The Traveler, as accustomed to dealing with street-level hustlers as cultured dignitaries, quickly arranged a meeting with a local “fixer,” from whom they hoped they could obtain now not just repairs for their ship, but also powerful portable lighting equipment for Ryan.

    While waiting for the meeting, the group sat at a dark corner table and kept a careful vigil. The bar’s holovision was tuned to news reports covering the peace conference and a late breaking story concerning details that had just been leaked out of it. Zero Man watched with great interest.

    Hours before, Qys intelligence analyst Sarrilish, still unable to contact Green Lantern Prime, had decided to leak the Cholonu aspect of the peace talks to selected news sources in the hopes that the story breaking would buy hir more time. Now, it was everywhere.

    The news report stated that sources close to the peace process had revealed that a great deal of the brokered agreement relied on Warpsmith restraint in dealing with the K’te, and this was solely thanks to the extinction of a race called the Cholonu. Although details were sketchy at this time, it appeared that a deceased Cholonu General named Zem Baiee Nin Po  figured prominently in the story.

    As the reporters spoke, the image and official Cholonu military record of General Zem Baiee Nin Po, which they had obtained from Sarrilish, was displayed. Zero Man studied both carefully and he could barely contain the gasp that came a moment later.

    The service record indicated that the general was from the Kaskin province of Cholonu, but the image of him in full military dress uniform clearly showed that the ornate knots of his campaign ribbons were tied to the right. While all other Cholonu tied the campaign ribbons to the right, everyone from Kaskin tied their service ribbons to the left in an informal, but very real, tradition that dated back for centuries. As this was done to honor the first great warrior to arise from Kaskin province, no Cholonu from his home province, especially one who has achieved Zem Baiee Nin Po’s exalted rank would have ignored the tradition.

    It was the sort of mistake no Cholonu would make, and only another Cholonu could recognize. Zero Man had no idea who or what Zem Baiee Nin Po was, but now strongly suspected he wasn’t a Cholonu. And as the salvation of the K’te had rested upon the dying request of this “Cholonu,” the scope of the conspiracy—and the magnitude of the danger Zero Man and his companions were now in—suddenly snapped into focus. Their only hope, and possibly that of the galaxy as a whole, was to reach the peace conference and expose this vile deception. The K’te has cavalierly put his race to the sword, and now were exploiting their memory to save themselves. Zero Man could not let this stand.

    Soon after, the alien “fixer” arrived and began to negotiate with the Traveler. While this was happening, both Wonder Man and Zero Man noticed a very conspicuous individual standing at the bar, who--while drinking from his monstrously large mug--was clearly scanning the crowd carefully, as if looking for someone. He was a hulking, muscular humanoid with long, bushy black hair, unkempt moustache, and chalk white skin, who wore studded black leather and chains. Zero Man furtively pointed him out to the Traveler. Both had heard stories of this individual and his exploits. He was the insatiably violent bounty hunter called Lobo, and his presence meant the group was in mortal danger.

    They needed a distraction. And quickly. The Traveler, calling on several life-times worth of cunning, provided one.

    Also standing at the bar, not terribly far from Lobo, was a large, tough-looking Thanagarian, drinking with other members of his Network mercenary unit. This Thanagaran was aware of Lobo’s reputation and was in the process of sizing him up.

    Lobo suddenly clearly heard a very pugnacious insult sneered from behind him. Between the noise of the bar and the skill of The Traveler, Lobo didn’t even notice that it wasn’t said verbally at all.

    Lobo turned, looked around and locked eyes with the Thanagarian glaring at him. Lobo slowly lumbered over until he stood inches from his face. The Thanagarian was puzzled, but would not be intimidated. He stood up straight, flexed his wings into an aggressive posture and glared back. The other members of his unit stood up behind him.

    “Say that again to my face, Clyde,” Lobo challenged.

    The Thanagarian stared back at him, fire in his eyes and Lobo clearly heard him say it again.

    A half hour later, only after Lobo’s berserker rage had fully worn off and he was toasting his victory alone inside the ruins of the still-burning bar, did Lobo realize that the Thanagarian’s mouth had not actually moved.

    Needless to say, the moment the astonishing violence began in the bar, Zero Man and his allies quickly and quietly exited the bar through a hole in the wall that was made by the bartender’s hurled body after he started yelling, “No blasters! No blasters!”

    Having only narrowly escaped the bounty hunter, Zero Man, Wonder Man, Traveler and Alex Ryan fled to the dark alleys of the city, while realizing they might need a new plan, especially as Ryan was weakening by the minute. Carrying Ryan’s semi-conscious body through the streets, the party scurried for cover when Lobo roared overhead on his hoverbike, searching the city from above while loudly voicing great profanities. The party hid successfully and Lobo moved on, but Ryan was fading fast.

    The party accessed a city information terminal, desperately looking for something—anything—that might revive Ryan. They found a large agricultural station on the other side of town. They hoped such a facility would have equipment that could generate the kind of bright, wide-spectrum light she needed.

    The party made its way through the city, even as Lobo continued his search above. At one point, a group of local hooligans noticed the party and the fact that one of their number was obviously in distress. They began to converge. Luckily, this violent (and attention-attracting) encounter was deftly prevented by quick-thinking on the part of the Traveler.

    Eventually, the party arrived safely at the agricultural station, which did indeed have the lighting equipment they hoped it would, and Ryan quickly regained her strength. The immediate crises over, the party began to discuss what to do next when someone realized they hadn’t heard the growl of Lobo’s hoverbike for a while.

    Ryan immediately called H.E.R.B.I.E. to check on the ship.

    “Hi, there!” H.E.R.B.I.E. chirped through the communicator. “Hey, guys, I’m sure glad you called! There are some folks standing here who would really like to talk to you! They just arrived and” <SCREEEEEEEEEECH>

    Yes, the team decided, they would defiantly need a new plan.

    Meanwhile on Dressilus, a spokesbeing for the peace conference said he was very pleased to announce that with the final language of the treaty having been officially approved by all sides, he now saw nothing that could prevent the official signing ceremony, scheduled for the next day, from taking place.

    While on Qys, a military analyst was frantically trying to contact what was left of the Shi’Ar military in order to warn them about a Skrull battlecruiser that had been racing toward Dressilus, but which now looked to be preparing to enter their territory. Or at least that was its course before it cloaked and all traces of it vanished.

    “And where,” that lone analyst wondered with growing concern, “is the Green Lantern Prime?”