Peace of the Jedi [Sequel to Sword of the Lanterns]

Chapter Thirteen- Old Friends

Bout time for an update, huh?

btw Artemis and Jaina have officially formed the "I-Didn't-Know-I-Had-A-Niece" Club

"And we are officially at t-minus one hour and counting!" Carol declared proudly. "Now we do have time for a few more questions."

Representing sector 2814 as Earth's only Green Lantern, Jaina scanned the crowd for any suspicious figures. Next to her was Carol, at the microphone, representing the Earth-Mars communication initiative as well as Ferris Aircraft, and Martian Manhunter, who was really M'gann disguised as her uncle.

Carol pointed to the first reporter who raised her hand. "Yes, Miss-"

Jaina barely kept herself from sneering as G. Gordon Godfrey stepped in front of the reporter Carol had called on, his own hand raised.

"Pardon me if I'm the only one not drinking the space-cola-" Godfrey didn't sound very sorry "-but isn't anyone asking if Earth wants more communication with aliens?" He glared at the Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter, but Carol Ferris kept her cool.

"Our galaxy is made up of billions of stars, but Earth and Mars are warmed by the same sun. They're not aliens, they're our next-door neighbors. Isn't it time we got to know them?" She reasoned patiently with the toddler trapped in an ugly old white guy's body.

At this slight, Godfrey turned to his cameraman and went on another rant about alien invaders. Jaina found it very hard not to sigh. This wasn't the TV or the computer, where she could just shut it off. This was real life. Up close and personal with G. Gordon Godfrey.

However, Jaina could see Godfrey's point of view, though. The New Republic was seasoned experts with planetary interactions, and had perfected lightspeed travel while Earth was eons behind on that technology. However, if another strange race from outside the galazy like the Yuuzhan Vong tried to invade again, Jaina knew she wouldn't take it very kindly. 

"If I may," M'gann, as her uncle J'onn, stepped up to the podium as Godfrey stopped to catch his breath. "All the more reason for us to stand together. This satellite represents the cooperation between sister planets, the beginning of an alliance that can protect us all."

Jaina stepped up next to her friend. "If I can add to that- aliens are not going to go away just because you refuse to acknowledge that they're out there. Some of them are nice, like the Green Lanterns such as myself, Martian Manhunter, and Superman," She gestured towards the sky, where Connor was being levitated high enough that no one couldn't tell that it wasn't his big brother figure.

"However, there are a lot of them that aren't. And a great majority of them are bigger and more powerful than you are. You are going to need help if you want to fight them. The Justice League can't do it on our own.

"And there's not only fighting, but trade! Hundreds of planets out there have more advanced technology and resources no one on Earth has ever fathomed they would need. There are possibilities for trade routes, bringing in revenue that this world needs. This satellite is the stepping stone to a bigger and better world, a brighter future for the Earth."

She took a deep breath and stepped back from the podium. Jaina knew she was nowhere near as good as her mother was at making speeches, especially before a delegation with tons of political influences, but she took it as a success that she didn't slip up as say "Miss Martian" instead of "Martian Manhunter".

"Thank you Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. On behalf of the Earth-Mars communication initiative, we couldn't agree more." The corner of Carol's mouth twitched upwards in Jaina's direction.

"Did I do good?" Jaina asked nervously as she and M'gann joined Connor at the bioship. Below them, Godfrey was starting to rant again.

"You did great!" M'gann smiled promisingly at Jaina as she shifted back to her normal form.