Chapter 194: The Green Lantern Corps' Trial
The Trial of Sinestro
A unique trial was taking place aboard the Oa Starship. The one on trial was the leader of the Green Lantern Corps and the holder of the title "Most Powerful Green Lantern," Sinestro. Presiding over the trial were three of the nine Guardians of the Universe, beings who had existed on Oa since time immemorial. Their names had long been forgotten by others, only their codenames remained:
Gant, Appa, and Drokkbo—names derived from three different civilized languages, representing Love, Law, and Justice, respectively.
In the center of the meeting hall, the three Guardians were represented by holographic projections on three stone columns at the forefront.
Below them stood Sinestro, the accused, flanked by the witnesses, B'dg (a Green Lantern from an amphibious intelligent species) and Salakk (a Green Lantern from an aquatic intelligent species).
Behind them stood thirty-five solemn Green Lantern Corps soldiers.
The trial began, and a video was displayed on the central monitor.
The video showed the battle between Sinestro and the Fourth Mechanized Infantry Division. Colonel Carrick, his hand wrapped in bandages, commanded fully armed soldiers to surround the camp. Upon spotting Sinestro emerging from the underground base, he immediately ordered an attack.
In an instant, bullets became a storm, the air roared, and the fire from exploding rockets obscured the entire view.
Sinestro's location was swallowed by fire and smoke. After a long pause, the smoke slowly dissipated. The sight made everyone present tense, but they weren't worried about their Commander; they were worried about what happened next.
As expected, Sinestro, driven by rage and grief over his friend's corpse being cut up, was enraged. A colossal six-meter-tall humanoid construct materialized behind him. The being had four arms: two wielding gigantic swords of burning fire, and two holding massive swords emitting cold, freezing mist.
The creature roared at the sky, radiating boundless fury and madness. It raised its thick arms and swung them down forcefully.
A blade of fire flashed, severing dozens of soldiers at the front, cutting them in half at the waist. Their corpses rapidly burned, scattering as black ash.
What followed was a one-sided slaughter, the horrific scenes of which made every Green Lantern Corps soldier present avert their gaze.
The video lasted only ten minutes before ending.
Appa, the Guardian representing Law, spoke.
"Sinestro, answer me: Is the content of this video falsified in any way?"
Sinestro held his head high. "No."
Gant, the Guardian representing Love, said mournfully,
"You slaughtered 134 sentient lives on Earth."
"That was not a slaughter. It was a battle."
Sinestro still held his head high, as if he were the one upholding justice. B'dg, the witness, couldn't help but interject, "Great Guardians, please hear my statement. The conflict between Sinestro and the sentient beings of Earth erupted because humans dissected and experimented on Abin Sur's corpse. Sinestro and Abin Sur were close friends, sharing a profound bond forged over countless years. It was the sight of this that provoked such irrational behavior."
Salakk, the other witness, added,
"Abin Sur was the Protector of Sector 2814. He was brave, fearless, humble, and full of love and kindness—the greatest Green Lantern in Corps history. His life was dedicated to fighting evil and protecting the sentient races of Sector 2814 from external threats. His name is known across the universe and revered by many civilizations. Yet, such a great being was, after death, dissected, chopped up, and subjected to barbaric experiments by the very beings he protected..."
At this, the atmosphere grew silent. The Green Lantern soldiers' expressions were complicated, and Sinestro clenched his fists, his jaw twitching uncontrollably.
"Did the humans who committed these acts bear no fault?"
The simple question plunged the already heavy atmosphere into a deathly silence.
Were the Earthlings at fault?
From the Green Lantern Corps' perspective, yes, they were at fault, as they had dissected Abin Sur, a colleague and role model revered by many soldiers.
But many things cannot be viewed from only one side.
Drokkbo, the Guardian representing Justice, spoke. "Such incidents are not the first, nor will they be the last. Sentient races, in the process of civilizing, have all engaged in similar actions. They yearn for attention from alien civilizations, yet are deeply terrified by the unknown. The only way to eliminate fear is through understanding—understanding physiologically, engaging culturally, and then taking further action."
"To the sentient beings on Earth, Abin Sur came from space and was an unknown, terrifying entity. They were unaware of his identity as a Green Lantern, let alone his noble character and great deeds. The dissection and study were incorrect actions taken to dispel fear in their hearts—an inevitable phenomenon in the process of civilization's development. Every sentient race experiences it, and it cannot be stopped."
The crowd was stunned into silence by these words. The Guardians were not wrong; the civilizations of those present had all committed such acts. Even B'dg and Salakk, who wished to defend Sinestro, closed their mouths in helplessness.
Gant, the Guardian representing Love, spoke.
"Anger, hatred, and resentment are emotions strictly forbidden by the Green Lantern Corps. The green light is the power of will, representing guardianship and responsibility. The purpose of the Green Lantern Corps is to maintain universal peace and protect weaker civilizations from destruction by powerful entities, not to act as punisher, adjudicator, or avenger."
Appa, the Guardian representing Law, concluded,
"Sinestro, your actions stemmed from anger and hatred, not guardianship. You violated the laws of the Green Lantern Corps. Do you have any defense to offer for this?"
Everyone's gaze instinctively turned toward the man in the center, carrying deep concern.
Sinestro closed his eyes. After a long moment, he slowly opened them.
"I accept all judgment from the Great Guardians. However, I have one request: I ask that the judgment be carried out after the Parallax mission is complete. Parallax is on Earth, possessing a sentient life form. We must find it and neutralize it to protect this planet's civilization. This is the mission of the Green Lantern Corps, and it is my mission."
The three Guardians did not speak, communicating their thoughts telepathically. A moment later, Drokkbo, representing Justice, spoke.
"Sinestro, your will has been corrupted by anger and hatred. We cannot accept you remaining on this planet. You must return to Oa and await the judgment of the Enforcement Division."
"I refuse!"
Sinestro suddenly roared.
"I am the Commander of the Green Lantern Corps! I absolutely cannot abandon my comrades at such a dangerous time! I must fight alongside them, defeat Parallax, and end this threat!"
Appa said severely, "You intend to defy the judgment! To oppose the laws of the Green Lantern Corps?"
Sinestro lowered his head in silence, flexing his arms.
Bang!
The electronic shackles binding his hands and feet snapped open.
"I will always obey the laws of the Green Lantern Corps and take deep pride in them. But I cannot leave now."
With that, he took a few steps forward and switched off the projector.
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