Green Lantern - Galactic Guardian [1]

Chapter One

"Whoo!" Hal yelled as he started the plane down the runway like he'd done so many times before.

"Hal!" a sharp voice came through the intercom. "Focus! This is an actual plane here, not one of your toy ones."

"Ouch. That's a low one, Carol," Hal said, grinning.

"It's Miss Ferris to you, Jordan." Hal's boss replied strictly, though Hal could sense that she was smiling.

The plane started to leave the ground.

"This one's for you, Dad," Hal murmurs as he flies the plane slowly into the air.

Hal patted his helmet. The helmet was an older model of the company's standard helmet. The helmet itself was the same, it was just older and had a reverse color scheme compared to the newer models. It had belonged to his father. 

Hal  insisted on using it before his first flight. Carol Ferris, who now ran the company, had let him use it. She seemed to have a soft spot for Hal. He suspected it was because she had witnessed Hal's father's death as well. Either that or Hal's winning personality.

So, yeah, it was because of his father.

Hal smiled as he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He loved flying. He had always been obsessed with planes. His father taught him all about planes when Hal was little. 

He knew that he wanted the same job as his dad. When he was eighteen, despite his family's protests, he immediately applied to be a test pilot. He got the job and had been working there ever since. 

Shortly after Hal had joined, Carol was promoted when her father retired. She got off to a rough start at first, but quickly became used to running the company. Hal suspected that, if he wanted to, he could become an assistant manager, but he loved flying too much. So he stuck with the title of Most Talented and Annoying Test Pilot.

The plane circled through the air, testing it's limits. It fought against the wind by swerving and occasionally pulling off some difficult moves, courtesy to Hal. Soon the test was over and Hal was touching the plane back down. 

He hopped out and stood back as workers surveyed the plane, taking notes. The tech guys gathered the stats and the maintenance crew, well, who knows what they were doing?

"So how was it?" Hal inquired, approaching Carol Ferris.

"It did extremely well. I think this one is-"

"No, not the plane. The flying!" Hal interrupted.

"I don't see why you must always be pushing the limits of the planes with your strange maneuvers." Carol said, exasperated.

"And I don't see why you must always be so serious!" Hal replied.

Carol rolled her eyes. Hal could tell she was fighting back a grin.

"Look," Hal started. "Come to my place tomorrow at six. I'll show you a good time."

"Are you asking me on a date, Jordan?" Carol asked incredulously. 

Hal just smiled.

Carol finally let herself smile, "Okay, Hal. See you then."

She then turned and grabbed a file from one of the men standing behind her, and walked away. Hal smiled to himself, feeling accomplished. He never expected his boss to agree to go on a date with him, but she had accepted. Hal wondered what she was like when she wasn't working. Maybe she stayed up all night and went to parties, or maybe she went to bed at six o'clock to get a head start for the morning. Hal suspected he would find out soon enough.

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