Story: "Rings of Saturn, Episode One" (22 Pages)

Credits:

John Ostrander (plot, script)
Tom Mandrake (pencils, inks)
Bill Oakley (letters)
Carla Feeny (colors)
Heroic Age (color separations)
Peter Tomasi (edits)

Feature Character:

Martian Manhunter

Supporting Character:

Princess Cha'rissa (first appearance; a white Saturnian princess and daughter of Jacoth and Tareesha)

Guest Stars:

Jemm
Wonder Woman
Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
Orion (latter three as the JLA)

Villains:

Cabal (first appearance; see Comment)
Captain Horatio Destiny (Richard Destine; first appearance; a former actor, now head of the space pirates of the Kharma)
the Space Pirates of the Kharma (first appearance of all)

Other Characters:

Dall (Prime Minister of the red Saturnians)
Captain Kh'arr (a captain of the white Saturnian army; first appearance of both)

Comment: Cabal is revealed to be a fused being consisting of Jemm's cousin Commander Jogarr, Charissa's mother Queen Tareesha, Prime Minister Dall, Johm, Prelate Balik, and Commander Synn in #16. Dall first appears in this issue, the other five first appear in their individual guises in #14.

Synopsis:

A deputation from Saturn arrives within range of Earth demanding that Jemm, currently in the custody of the JLA, be handed over to them. When the Martian Manhunter arrives on board their ship he is attacked by a white Saturnian, who believes him guilty of harming Jemm, a red Saturnian. He is surprised to learn that she, Princess Ch'arissa, is betrothed to Jemm in a marriage which will unite the two warring factions of Saturnians, even as (far away) a being called Cabal plots to destroy this union.

On the journey towards Saturn, J'onn begins healing Jemm's mind, scarred after his encounters with the Injustice Gang and Malefic, but as he begins to have success, the ship comes under attack from space pirates who demand that the royal couple-to-be are handed over to them. J'onn disguises himself as Jemm, and he and Ch'arissa give themselves up to the pirates, whose leader used to be an actor on Earth. As they are detained, the captain gives the order to destroy the Saturnian ship and to kill the royal couple.