Disguising himself as the psychiatrist Dr. Ticky, the Pirate convinced the Green Lantern that recent difficulties in maintaining altitude were psychological in nature, a result of altaphobia or fear of heights.
In truth, the Sky Pirate had generated a machine that caused massive downdrafts that interrupted Green Lantern's flight in several cases.
There the heroes discovered the Sky Pirate downdraft machine and recognizing that Green Lantern's "altaphobia" was merely a hoax, took off in hot pursuit of the villain.
When his excavations were interrupted by the arrival of Green Lantern, Betty and Doiby Dickles, the Pirate and his men turned their attention to the interlopers.
Handicapped by his civilian tagalong, Green Lantern was overcome and the trio tied to a large piece of anti-gravity metal.
Following Degaton's defeat, his accomplices were returned to their proper times and likely had no recollection of their involvement in the case (Justice League of America #193, All-Star Squadron #1-3).
This trait made their armor completely immune to the effects of Lantern Energy Construct that derived from Willpower in the Emotional Spectrum.
Events changed for the race in 2012 when the Oans arrived on Urak and removed all the Power Batteries from the Keepers care who they referred to as undeserving parasites.
This act led to Urak returning to its formerly barren existence with the Keepers struggling to simply survive, so they begin to attack another planets in order to steal their resources.