Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Life Equation

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 21:

Alex reveled in the feel of being in this black and red armor. It felt like a second skin and flexed easily… even the slightly bulkier chest area did not make her feel top heavy. The gloves were as comfortable as the tactical gloves she wore with DEO strike teams and the boots felt amazingly light, despite being very strong.

The blonde who had given her the armor slowly walked around her, taking her in. Apparently satisfied everything was where it should be, the woman nodded.

Alex eyed the large wall of weapons covered by some clear glass. Pointing to the weapons rack, hoping the blonde got the point. Instead, the woman frowned and shook her head.

“But… General Non…”

“ Wearing our armor is one thing but you will have to prove yourself before you carry our weapons.” Ninna told her.

Alex shrugged her shoulders. “I didn’t understand a word of that. Non…”

“ General Non.” the woman corrected.

“He told me to call him Non. Weapons. You show me how to shoot big guns. Comprende?” Alex asked.

“ You must prove yourself.” The blonde reiterated.

Thankfully, for the increasingly irritated Alex, Kelex entered the armory of the ship.

“I thought there might be a communication problem.” the robot told her. “I listen to every area of the ship at all times. What Lt. Commander Hux-Ra means, is you may have their armor but if you want to carry their weapons you must prove yourself.”

Alex wasn’t sure what she would have to do to prove herself but wouldn’t back down. “Ok, what exactly do I have to do, go through some Kryptonian blood rite?”

Kelex stared at her for a moment. “There are no religious ceremonies involving blood in the Church of Rao.”

Alex shook her head and sighed. “Just tell her I’m game.”

Kelex translated and the blonde smiled, very pleased and spoke to Kelex.

“Go to the field behind the barn. Training is currently going on for those not on guard duty. You will spar with the unit.” Kelex informed her.

Alex shrugged her shoulders, not seeing the big deal. She had sparred with J’onn numerous times.

The DEO agent followed the blonde soldier with Kelex floating beside her. When they reached the area behind the barn, out of sight of the farm house, four men and five women stopped sparring and looked at her.

The sparring was not what Alex had anticipated. She thought they would pair up, but it seemed to be more of a free for all kind of fight.

“So… who’s my partner?” she asked Kelex.

The soldiers formed a circle.

“Step into the middle of the circle and be prepared for an attack from any direction.” Kelex told her. “I would recommend you put your helmet on. The battle will last five minutes or until you are knocked unconscious. If you survive five minutes, they will consider you fit to serve by their side and you will have full access to all their gear, including explosives. If you do not, you may borrow Kell’s or continue using human firearms.”

It was obvious by Alex’s face she was not amused. “I’m not serving by their side and my human firearms are perfectly fine. I am an agent of the DEO and their General gave me permission to outfit myself for battle in their gear, with their weapons.”

Kelex translated her message and a large man stepped into the middle of the circle, said something to Kelex and laughed.

“What did he say?” Alex asked, her irritation returning.

Kelex thought for a moment, obviously trying to lessen the obvious insult. “He said they all understand if you are scared and can go cry to General Non. He can give them a direct order to allow you access to their weapons. My advice would be to ask General Non to sort this out.”

The man spoke again, a smirk on his face.

“Kelex?”

“He said he heard you assisted Kell Ur in defeating a Dryad, but it is clear Kell did most of the work.”

Alex stepped into the circle, approaching the much larger man. When she was within a few feet, she stopped.

“Tell him it’s on.”

“I would recommend putting on your helmet.” Kelex told her, backing away out of melee range.

Seeing the man was doing the same as were the soldiers surrounding him, Alex placed her helmet on. Like the rest of the armor, it was form fitting and the front was of the same indestructible clear polymer that protected the ship’s bridge. It was so much better than the bulky infrared goggles she had to wear with her DEO tactical gear.

She stepped back, giving her space to respond to his opening attack.

“Alex, I would not suggest you do this. All Kryptonian special forces recruits go through this. It often takes several attempts to last five minutes.” She could hear the worry in his voice, which was astonishing in itself for a robot who claimed to have no emotion.

Alex, pride on the line with these arrogant Kryptonians, ignored his warning. The large man placed his arm across his chest in salute then attacked. His speed was amazing, striking her in the helmet and sending her back. She rolled over to her feet and dodged the next strike, delivering a counterpunch into his neck, remembering too late that it was covered by armor and did absolutely no good.

Alex spent the next ninety seconds dodging and delivering kicks, trying to find the weak spot in the armor. He was stronger but she was faster. Unfortunately, faster only worked if the larger opponent could be hit with pinpoint precision.

The man feigned a strike, then backed away. Alex felt the movement behind her but did not respond fast enough, feeling a boot in her back, sending her to the ground once again. A female jumped and fell towards her, foot first into her abdomen. Alex caught the boot with both her hands and pushed, throwing the woman back, unfortunately only causing her to stumble a bit.

Alex stayed low, using the woman’s taller height against her while delivering kicks to the leg.

Finally she felt a weak spot, just behind the knee, at the bend point of the armor. A quick kick, followed by both arms into the gut, pushed the woman to the ground.

She turned at movement behind her, only to find another man barreling into her, knocking her to the ground and lying on her body. Fists began to hit her ribs, and though the armor protected her, the force of the blows was beginning to take effect. Many more and she’d end up with a broken rib.

Alex placed her guard up, wrapping her legs around her opponent on top and twisting to the cover position, landing an elbow to his faceplate. She heard the polymer give way but did not crack.

“Thirty seconds, Alex. Protect your neck. There is a weakness in the back and a pressure point can be struck causing unconsciousness.” Kelex pointed out.

Alex stood quickly and breathlessly circled the man who backed away and then she turned, ready to face another opponent. Instead of another opponent, she felt a foot to her lower back from the man she had just turned from, causing her extreme pain.

Alex stood quickly, back flaring and lungs burning. To her dismay the entire circle began closing in on her.

“Oh, shit.” Alex whispered.

The soldiers closed in, delivering solid strikes to her upper body, not allowing her to go low.

“ Time. ” Kelex shouted and Alex hoped that meant time was up.

The soldiers backed away immediately and reformed the circle. All put their arms across their chest in a salute.

Alex stood in a defensive stance, still alert, regaining her breath and resisting the urge to grab her ribs.

The man who had first spoke stepped up to her and said something.

“He says you have proven yourself and will have full access to weapons as befitting a Kryptonian soldier.” Kelex told her. “Now it’s time to train. He wishes to see how you perform against three opponents at once. The four of you will remove armor and fight hand to hand.”

“What the hell! I thought I passed?” Alex was incredulous.

“You did. This is training.” Kelex responded.

“And they call Earth primitive? Street Gang members are initiated like this.” She grumbled but began taking off her armor.

When she stood only in her black body suit, hands and feet bare, she faced the two men and the woman who were clad the same.

Alex’s mind was racing, remembering all the techniques J’onn had trained her in for fighting multiple opponents.

Before she could take a stance, a side kick was leveled at her head. She blocked with her forearm, but the force sent her spinning towards another kick.

She prepared for the blow that never came.

Instead, the foot was caught by Kell Ur who effortlessly threw the man to the ground.

Alex checked and saw he had a red cuff on and a large smile on his face.

“No worries, Alex… sorry I’m late. Kryptonian soldiers do not fight alone when a comrade is near. They are screwing with you.” Kell explained, standing by her side.

The soldiers backed into the circle and the man who was obviously the commander walked towards them.

“ Kell Ur, we haven’t had the chance to congratulate you on your promotion to Lady Kara Zor El’s mate. What will your duties include? Following General Non around, holding his datapad? Answering his communicator perhaps? Or will you just stay with Lady Kara, bring her lunch, hand her tools?” Henn Zol asked playfully.

“ Big words coming from an overhyped bodyguard unit that has never seen war. I am quite happy with my current position, clearing a path through the enemy so you and your so called special force soldiers can take out the officers on the bridge easily.”

“ The young explorer boy has grown quite confident. Especially for someone who has never seen battle. ” Zol told him playfully.

Kell grinned back at the man. “ I am impressed by your confidence as well, considering your unit was only formed for the task of protecting one child. I believe I had to save her once. Good job, Red Shard. So, ready to have some fun?”

Henn nodded . “Show us what General Non has taught you. I suppose you should get to train with the stars before you become General Non and Lady Kara’s assistant.”

Kell grinned. “Alex, how are you physically?”

“I’ve been worse.” Alex replied, getting her second wind.

“I’ve got the left and back, you take the right and front. Let’s kick their asses.”

The Kryptonian soldiers moved once more, three and then four, with Alex and Kell back to back, trading blows and surviving, knocking down opponents. Kell managed to land a blow to the temple of Ogol at the same time Alex landed a kick to Thaol’s knee, dropping them both and leaving Henn facing the two.

Another one jumped from the circle, swinging at Kell before his arm was caught and he was twisted to the ground by Kara who had raced into the middle. She turned to stand by Alex’s side but Alex not seeing, ducked and the fist was coming straight for Kara.

It stopped an inch from her nose as if it had been frozen.

The soldier dropped his arm quickly and backed away hurriedly, as did the others.

Kara looked at the soldiers who bowed their heads, then took one knee in a resting position.

“ Can I not train?” she asked angrily.

No one said a word.

“ Fight me! You spar with them but not me? Am I not good enough? Stand up and I will survive your five minutes of combat. I am challenging you all. Stand up and spar with me!”

Alex and Kell looked at her, sadness on Alex’s face while Kell’s face was harder to read.

“ Kara, they will not attack you, even in training. There is a reason you have only been allowed to spar with your aunt and uncle.” Kell told her gently, hoping to calm her down. “No one in Argo City is allowed to touch you in any manner which may harm you. It was decreed so by the Council.”

“ The soldiers who protect me won’t even train with me? I know how to fight! Two of the greatest warriors in the history of Krypton have trained me themselves! Take off those cuffs and fight me in the air if you wish!” she yelled towards them.

The soldiers continued to kneel, staring at the ground.

Kara stared coldly at the unit.

“ Kara, they swore an oath of honor, never to allow harm to come to you. They will not strike you, even in sparring. If one tried, the others would take him or her down. You understand oaths, Kara. And… it is the law.” Kell tried to reason.

Kara, her face grim, backed away. Before she walked off, she turned and shot the bird at the soldiers.

“I know what it means now.” she said, then marched quickly back to the house.

Zoll walked towards Kell.

“ That went about as well as I expected it to go .” the man stated. “ What did that gesture mean?

Kell shrugged his shoulders. “ It is definitely not good for diplomatic relations .”

Zoll looked at Alex. “ Thaol, get this woman geared up and train her on our weapons .”

“Looks like you are an honorary member of the Kryptonian Military. Thaol will show you to your weapons. ” Kell told an expectant Alex. “I’m going to attempt to calm Kara down. Wish me luck.”

Kell moved quickly into the house, sparing a glance at the black convertible that had just pulled up to the farm and was being investigated by the soldiers on duty. He paid no mind to General Non and Kal El standing in the kitchen witnessing the scene outside. Instead, he took off the red cuff and listened for a heartbeat he had become very accustomed to. Kara was in her and her Mother’s room. He wasn’t sure where Alura was and didn’t care at the moment.

He gently knocked on the door.

“Come in, Kell.” Kara’s calm voice spoke from the room.

He slowly opened the room and risked closing it behind him, to find Kara staring out her bedroom window.

“You are angry.” Kell said softly.

Kara had her back to him, but it was clear she was shaking her head and had folded her arms in front of her. “That Green Lantern, the one you knocked out, he was right about me.”

Kara turned slowly toward her future husband. “Kelex told me what he said, what you did. I appreciate it but he was right. I am a princess.”

“Kara,” Kell began but was stopped by her raised hand.

“I was home schooled, only had one friend who I am sure was thoroughly vetted by my family. The House of El has held more influence than any other house in the history of Krypton. My Mother is Chief Justice and High Councilor, making her the leader of what remains of our race. My Aunt and Uncle control the military. My clothes have been custom made for me since birth. The best teachers on Krypton were brought in to educate me in history, art, music. My dance instructor was considered one of the greatest dancers in the history of Krypton. My art instructor painted murals in the Temple of Rao in Kandor. I am surrounded by bodyguards day and night. I wanted to know how to fly so my Aunt gave me a military fighter craft for my birthday. A Kelex prepares my hair and makeup every morning and another Kelex is assigned to be my assistant and is heavily weaponized with a special forces team ready to move on his alert. How am I any different than a princess?’

Kell stepped closer to her and reached out for her hands.

“Princesses do not work as hard as you do, cannot do the things you do. They are generally pampered and spoiled. You are none of those things. Yes, you are held to high esteem, more so than other citizens as is your Mother. She also has a guard present at all times that she has no idea about. General Astra personally ordered her protection detail after Zod’s coup attempt. That does not make you a princess. Princesses do not fly through asteroid belts at twice the speed of light to reach another planet.”

Kara shook her head. “And regular girls don’t get to take military craft off of warships without permission and when caught are given permission because it is decided that she will keep attempting it until she is successful. Any other citizen that was caught doing that, even a soldier, would have been brought before the Chief Justice.

“Face it, Kell. What I have been doing lately is the definition of rebelling against all the restrictions that have constantly been placed on me… and they let me because they know if I truly want to do something, I will make it happen, one way or another… asking for forgiveness later, but never for permission.”

Kell let go of her hands and rubbed his forehead, admitting to himself that she had a point. No one else would have dared attempted to do what she did. He wanted to argue but she was right. If Krypton were a monarchy, Alura El would be Queen and Kara Zor El would be the heir to the throne.

Kara snorted. “You realize what being my husband means, don’t you? No matter how much you accomplish, no matter how many promotions you earn, everyone will think you achieved them because you are my husband.”

Kell shrugged his shoulders. “You told Lois you didn’t care what humans thought of you or called you. Have you ever considered that maybe I don’t care what others think about me? If we are feeling sorry for ourselves, you might want to remember that I was a kid who grew up on a scout ship, a kid who doesn’t know how to pilot. I was a cadet whose only noteworthy accomplishment was accidentally saving your life. No one would expect you to choose someone of my standing for a husband. Most of our citizens do not even know my name, but I don’t care. You know me. That is all that matters.”

Kara smiled and wrapped her arms around Kell. “You are good at knowing the right thing to say, even if I don’t want to hear it.”

She laid her head on his chest, grumbling, “They could have at least allowed me to train with them. I know how to fight.”

Kell shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps, but you would have to talk to your family about that. You have trained with your aunt and uncle but tell me, have they ever hit you in the face? Have they ever really caused you any pain?”

Kara pulled back, looking him in the eyes and shook her head. “No.”

“I couldn’t either. I hope you would never want to cause me pain. Military training… all our training, is brutal because we have to be prepared to go to war at any time. We are used to this, we have grown up preparing for this. You have not… you shouldn’t have to. We both have different things to offer our home.”

Kell continued as a thought occurred to him. “Why do you believe fighting only involves fists? In Metropolis, when you were fighting that scientist, your fists kept you alive, but they didn’t save her… your intelligence did. I have a feeling fists won’t help us much against Brainiac.

“The prophecy uttered by the dying Guardian never said a great and strong warrior will defeat that monster. It said a girl as brilliant as him would be his downfall. I would think many have tried to use force to subdue him, yet he still exists.

“ You, though, are the one he fears.”

Kara reached up and pulled Kell into a kiss, one that distracted the two enough they didn’t pay mind to the knock on the door or Non walking in on them.

The two jumped away from each other when they noticed him leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed.

“General.” Kell started. “We were just about to join you.”

“Yes, I see that,” Non said sarcastically, shaking his head. “Astra and I had to wait three weeks before we were bonded due to being on patrol aboard the Valor. I can tell you, we spent more time in engine room than we did at our assigned posts… not that either of you should do that.”

The smile was still on the General’s face in direct contrast to the redness covering the young couples’.

Chuckling, he let them off the hook. “A Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen are here. I would like you both to join us and Kal El. Hal Jordan will be sitting in as well as Alex.”

Kell nodded quickly. “Of course, General.”

Kara shook her head. “I have work to do. I will be fine in here and you or Kell can inform me when it is over.”

Both men looked at her suspiciously.

“You don’t plan on recreating your lab in your head, do you? I believe it would be best if you have a cuff on so we can sedate you if it goes on too long.” Non suggested concern and anxiety in his voice.

Kara looked him in the eyes, very annoyed. “I do not have a medical condition. At times I require deep, uninterrupted thought. I have no intention of going that deep. If something happens feel free to cuff and sedate me but do not bring me out if I am close to a solution. I need to pray. If I could be alone, I would appreciate it.”

Non nodded, hoping she was not lying, and no sedatives would be needed.

“I will ask the others to meet on the ship so you can have as much quiet time as you need. You’re Mother and Lois are in the barn if you need anything. I believe your Mother is interested in something called a ‘tractor’. Join us when you can.”

Non left, Kell following dutifully behind him. The General spoke as they walked, warning the younger man, “Be careful my boy. If Alura catches you two, she may have one of her episodes of epic annoyance. Those can last for days, something you will find out when you move in with us.”

“Of course, General.” he told Non quickly, face still flushed at having been caught.

Two hours later, the group was still in the common room of the ship, Non telling the humans of his ship’s capabilities, Jordan planning on calling more Lanterns close to the Sector if needed, and Bruce telling Non of Earth’s heroes’ capabilities… or as much as Bruce felt he needed to know, which wasn’t as much as the General wanted or felt he needed to know.

“I also wish to speak to the Martian… J’onn J’onzz.” the General told the group.

Non raised his hand to cut off argument from Kal El. “I understand, Kal El. I do not like pieces of our sacred land being held by a shapeshifter any more than you do… I mean no offense, Alex. But Kryptonite is not the issue at the moment. It will not matter how much Kryptonite he has if this world is destroyed. These pieces of the equation Brainiac seeks, they are on Themyscira which is protected by… magic?”

“Yes.” Bruce confirmed. “He won’t be able to find the island… only Diana knows the way. Even if he did, she has assured us that…”

“Magic.” Non helped, skepticism in his voice.

“Yes,” Bruce admitted somewhat uncomfortably, “Magic.”

Non looked at Kal El and grinned. “Your father and Kara would tell you that magic is simply science a culture has stumbled on that they do not understand. As for me, I am no magician or scientist. If there is no record of the island’s location in any databank he may have breached, Brainiac will only have one choice if he truly wants this math weapon.”

Turning to the Lantern, Non asked, “Hal, how many Lanterns watch Apokolips?”

Hal was a bit surprised by the question. “Darkseid lost the Guardians protection when he attacked Earth. He is considered a criminal warlord. The planets in his sector are uninhabited. One Lantern watches from a distance, to ensure he does not leave his planet.

“After the Earth defeated him, a team of Green Lanterns arrived in his palace. He was in no physical shape to defeat us. We took possession of his boom tube technology and the Mother boxes, placing them in Oa. He was also warned not to leave his planet or to consider himself at war once again with no quarter this time. Should the Lantern ever call us, the entire Corps will arrive.

“Why do you ask?”

Non took a moment. “In planning and strategizing against any foe, I find it useful to put myself in the enemy’s head. In this case, if Brainiac cannot find what he is looking for on Earth, he will bargain or kill Darkseid to take the pieces he has. That is what I would do.”

The table remained silent for a moment, taking that in.

“You believe Darkseid would join him in invading Earth?” Oliver finally asked.

Non shook his head. “No, they would never trust each other. Brainiac will take Apokolips by force if Darkseid does not surrender or… perhaps he will offer Earth after he has captured or killed my niece and tested the equation on humanity. I feel he will most likely kill Darkseid and take the pieces.”

Taking a moment to make sure the others were following his reasoning, he was pleased to see they were. “To simplify things, based on what we know, Brainiac wants two things: the Anti-Life Equation and Kara. If he is able to effectively use the equation, he will have control of everyone on the planet, Kara too, most likely.”

The room quieted, everyone deep in their own thoughts.

“If he arrives, you do plan to evacuate Kara, right?” Clark finally asked.

Non took a deep breath. “I will appeal to her sense of honor. She agreed to abide by the decision of the Council, of which she is a member. I hope that will be enough. If that doesn’t work, she will possibly need to be drugged and taken to safety. If either is impossible… I hope so, Kal El. I hope she will agree to leave but it will not be easy. Either way, with Kara here or not, we will not abandon Earth. If he does not strike in the next five weeks, we will leave a comlink that you can communicate with us. When he arrives, contact us immediately. With the Lanterns help, we can be here in thirty hours and we will come.

“With the limited knowledge we have, my wife, General Astra, is working on a strategy to defeat him. She is searching Zor El’s archives but having a difficult time understanding the little information he or your Father had on Brainiac. This might be an incentive to have Kara leave, to search the information for herself. Either way, I would suggest she spend more time in your Father’s lab while she’s still on Earth. It is the safest place for her, and it has the most complete record of other races, especially conquering races, in Jor El’s crystals. There may be something there his AI does not know about or something only Kara can find.”

Bruce nodded, satisfied with the plan for now. “I would suggest we continue this tomorrow. This farm is not ideal for concealing twenty three Kryptonians and two space ships. It is too close to Smallville. I own a rather large amount of land between Gotham and Metropolis to the east. Forty square miles of it is heavily wooded and I have a lake house that’s hidden from the air. The house has fifteen bedrooms so there’s plenty of room.”

Clark looked puzzled. “There are only 70 miles separating Metropolis and Gotham. You own over half the land?”

“I own all of it.” Bruce told him. “The lake house should be sufficient as a base of operations as well.”

“Then we move out tomorrow morning.” Non agreed.

“Don’t want them at Wayne Manor, Bruce?” Oliver asked with a knowing smile. “I doubt you have any tech that would impress them.”

Bruce made no comment, instead standing up and moving towards the exit of the ship.

“I have to say, General, you speak great English.” Oliver noted.

Non looked towards Kal El, carefully considering his words. “When Jor El informed us of what he found, the hidden information from the last scouting trip concerning Kryptonian abilities on this planet, he insisted his friend Zod be in the room. Zor, Astra and I were also present, and we didn’t trust Zod regardless of what Jor thought of him. The three of us decided to learn as much English as possible in the event Zod ever attacked Earth and we needed to stop him. We planned to learn more languages but once Zod was imprisoned, we stopped bothering. Zor continued to teach Kara to entertain her and Kara passed on her lessons to her Mother. Knowing Kara’s love of adventure matched his own, Zor probably expected her to travel here one day.

“Speaking of my beloved niece, it has been two hours. Kelex, where is she?”

Kelex stilled for a moment. “She is still in her room.”

Non looked a little concerned. “Please make sure she is not having an… intense session. She tends to do that under stressful situations. I also need her to devise a method to give us warning. Brainiac cannot have the advantage of arriving in this solar system without us knowing.”

With the meeting over, the party broke up. Non found Kelex in front of Kara’s door, with Alura beside him.

“The door is locked, and she isn’t answering.” Alura told her brother in law. “Kal El, would you mind if I… we broke the door lock? I tried to use this vision without my cuff, but I saw into Smallville and couldn’t pull it back. She isn’t speaking so she must still be calm.”

Kal El used his vision to peer inside.

“She isn’t there.” he said, grabbing the door handle, snapping it and entering, swiftly looking around the room.

The group, now including Kell, found an alarm clock in pieces, wires running to the iPhone Clark had given her, and a wire attached haphazardly to the phone leading out the window to the satellite dish on the roof with another cable leading to Clark’s laptop.

“Kelex, where is she?” Non asked through clenched teeth. “One of your primary mandates is to know her whereabouts at all times! I want her location now!”

“She has disguised her trackers using a Wi-Fi signal from her phone, to the dish, and back to the laptop creating a continuous loop that perfectly matches the signals being emitted from her trackers.” the robot explained.

“Then take it apart and find her.” Non ordered.

Kelex quickly detached the cables and stopped moving.

“I cannot find her.” he finally said. “She has successfully masked her signal.”

“There is a note on the desk.” Kell said, taking it quickly and reading it out loud.

Uncle Non,

Drugging me? Not going to happen. I have work to do. I will be back in the morning. Have Kelex prepare my ship for remote at lightspeed four. He knows how. I know how to detect Brainiac entering the system.

Love, Kara

Alura groaned. “Kelex, can you tell how long she has been gone?”

Kelex checked the laptop. “Judging by the time loop, I estimate ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes!” Non exclaimed. “As fast as she flies, she could be anywhere. How did she sneak past the guards?!”

Alura shook her head. “This is Kara we are talking about. When she found out about the trackers, she obviously thought of a dozen ways to circumvent them within seconds. As far as the guards… they never stood a chance.”

Kal El moved quickly to the bathroom and was back in the blink of an eye, suited up.

“I’ll find her.” he told the group.

Kelex shook his head. “If she doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be. She will be back when she has completed what she set out to do.”

“And what could that be?!” Non shouted, his distress not helping the situation. “She said she needed time to think! She could be in some jungle for days pacing back and forth, lost in her mind, trying to figure out some damn equation!”

Alura brightened a bit. “She told me this morning that she had to find despair. Kal El, where would she find despair?”

Clark shook his head. “On this planet? Many, many places unfortunately.”

“She also said she had to find hope in despair.” Alura said quietly.

Clark took Kara’s phone from the bed and opened her browser. He saw several searches in her history.

“I think I know where to find her, or at least some places to look. I will contact you as soon as I do.” he told the three and was gone in a blur, taking to the air with a sonic boom.

Dagahaley Refugee Camp, Kenya

The sun was nearly setting as Kara hovered high in the air, dressed in the outfit her Aunt Lara had made her, and took in the sight below. A refugee camp, one of the largest in the world, teeming with over 87,000 people, living in the middle of what would be considered a desert to her, resembling the badlands in Western Krypton.

Only the Badlands were deserted. These people were living here, cramped together, tents barely holding together, sparse trees that could not offer shade, bitter heat during the day and no doubt cold at night.

And the water. Kara could smell how putrid the water was even from the height she hovered a good distance away.

Descending slowly, she was not surprised to see the view from the ground was even worse. From above she saw poverty and suffering but on the ground she saw despair.

Moving into the refugee camp, she nearly gagged from the smell. According to her research, camps like these were filled with people who had been forced from their homes by war or genocide, relocated to overcrowded facilities with little if any education, a lack of funding for basic human needs and miserable living conditions. Crime was also common, many criminal rackets operating, taking advantage of refugees seeking as little as food to feed their children.

“Why do they go on? Their life is a waking nightmare.” Kara said to herself and began moving into the camp.

Her dress drew many stares, some in curiosity, some hateful looks that surprised her, all from men.

“Can I help you?” a male voice asked from behind. Kara turned and was greeted by a middle age Caucasian man, perhaps in his late fifties, with grey hair and a long grey beard.

Kara nodded. “I’m…”

“Supergirl.” The man finished with a small smile on his face. “We don’t have clean water and electricity is spotty in the best of areas but somehow we get cell reception. You were with Superman in National City and fighting a monster in Metropolis. Have I missed any other exploits?”

Kara shrugged her shoulders. “Not as many as I wished. Do you live here?”

“No… yes. I’m not a refugee if that is what you mean. Dr. Clinton Armoni. I work for the UN, providing medical care… with what I have. So, I suppose I do live here, just outside the camp. One of the few buildings we have made of concrete because the medication needs some semblance of security.”

Kara was surprised. The man didn’t dress like doctors she had seen on television. He wore a white, button-up, short-sleeve shirt and dirty, khaki pants with worn boots.

“You treat all these people?” She asked, voice in awe.

The man laughed. “No, I have help. There are fifty-two of us.”

“In a camp that holds over 80,000 people…” she said concealing her shock. “Why are you not given more assistance?”

“Money, or lack of in this case.” The doctor replied. “You should probably know many of the men in some of the cultures represented here are not used to seeing females in anything less than a full dress completely covering them from head to foot. Our female volunteers deal with the same looks you are receiving.”

Kara understood. She had read a bit about this in Google searches on different religions but not spent much time on the subject.

“Would you show me around?” she asked.

The man nodded and motioned with his arm to follow him. “So… what brings Supergirl out here?”

“My name is Kara. I had to see this… for reasons I can’t go into. Please, tell me about this place, these people.” She said, settling into an attentive demeanor.

The man walked slowly, as they were obviously attracting attention. Women and children looked at Kara with wonder, no doubt caused by her manner of dress and the House of El crest her cousin had made famous on this planet. Men looked at her either suspiciously or with lust or hate. Some looked at her with both.

“All of these people were displaced from their homes. Either genocide, racial cleansing, civil war, or corrupt governments. Many of them led comfortable lives until forced to run from their homes. Some have lived here for over a decade.” he explained.

Kara continued to walk, taking in the faces, the fear, the weariness, the anxiety, the utter depression. She saw children underfed, barely any personal belongings, toys handmade from whatever waste could be found.

“That woman over there has ten children.” the doctor whispered to Kara. “She lost two of her children to the war. Eight are hers and two are orphans she has taken under her care.”

Kara looked sadly at the woman. “I have never seen war personally in my life, only heard about battles in the stars. Is there a local government, some entity that can address these injustices?”

Armoni shook his head. “The UN cannot find enough volunteers to work in this hell. They cannot afford to pay for an infrastructure and the security that would be needed. The host countries do not become involved other than giving land and some food. They also require taxes, though there are no real jobs. Many criminal organizations fight each other for control of the camp. Violence begets violence… deadly battles for control over people who have nothing.”

Kara shook her head. She saw a child smiling at her and walked towards him before the doctor’s hand stopped her. “Don’t. He wants to speak to you… probably because of the symbol on your chest. Superman is known to everyone in the world. Word of you hasn’t reached places like this. If he is seen talking to you, other men may take it out on him and his family, just for you being a woman who shows her face and legs.”

Kara looked back at the boy and smiled, then with a pained heart, moved on.

“Is this close to ‘Hell on Earth’?” the blonde asked.

The doctor nodded his head. “As far as living conditions… I have seen many bad places in my life. This is one of the worst, the others being camps similar to this one.”

“And they stay because they have nowhere else to go or can’t afford to. How do they eat?” she asked.

The doctor shrugged his shoulders sadly. “It’s a challenge every day. They all do what they can, children try to work as soon as they can walk. The jobs are controlled by whatever mafia is in control at the time. They are heavily taxed and make little money. Those who are brave enough to find work on their own are punished by those in charge if caught.”

“This is despair.” Kara said, greatly saddened by what she was seeing. She asked her guide, “Why do you work here? You are a doctor. You could work anywhere, live in luxury. Why have you come here?”

The man looked to the sky for a moment. “Why would an indestructible man who can fly and create fire with his eyes and tornados with his breath, help the world instead of conquering it?”

He looked back at her and said, “It’s simple, really… I believe in hope. Hope that these people can find some semblance of happiness in their lives, hope that some of these children can rise above their circumstances and change the world in some way.”

“And these people?” Kara asked. “These people are living in despair. I can almost see the cloud of sadness, anger, their unanswered cries for justice. They are trapped though, trapped in this living hell. Do they hope?”

The doctor looked around the camp. “Many don’t. Some do. Some hope for small things, knowing they may never happen. Some hope to one day return to their homes, hope the violence will end. Some hope that their children will at least be able to read. It isn’t easy but it is there. You just have to look hard to find it. Many are resigned to their fates, but others fight, even if it is just keeping a spark alive in their heart, passing on that hope to their children.”

Kara walked beside the doctor for the next hour through the tent cities. She knew violence was going on around her but no cries for help came.

“If you are thinking of becoming involved, be prepared to stay here for the rest of your life.” the doctor told her as if reading her mind.

“What do you mean?”

“I know you could save thousands of people in this camp from crime tonight, violent or otherwise. Just remember, you won’t be here tomorrow to save them. Those who you stopped today will come back tomorrow, for revenge against those they were denied.”

“So I am supposed to do nothing?” Kara asked disbelieving.

The man looked defeated. “Treating the symptoms for one night does not cure the disease. Sometimes it can aggravate the disease further.”

Kara dropped her head, tears forming in her eyes. “How? How do they hope?”

“How did you hope, losing your planet?” the man asked, well versed in the Superman’s story and having read Lois Lane’s story on the girl by his side.

“I had no choice. What else was there to do?” she replied.

The man nodded. “Exactly. Some here have stopped caring, stopped fighting. But never underestimate the power of the human heart. Sometimes it will surprise you what can ignite a spark of hope. It might be a volunteer teaching a mother to read stories to her children at night, or it might be a Kryptonian wearing a symbol that looks a lot like an ‘S’, saving thousands, saving the world. Hope can come from many places.”

Kara nodded her head in agreement. “But what of those who have given up hope? Can they regain it?”

The man stayed quiet for a moment. “You tell me. Can they regain it? Is hope and love ever really gone?”

Kara shook her head. “No. Humans are strong… all sentients are. Some are evil, some are good, some just want to live their lives as best as possible… but as long as a soul exists, there will always be a spark of hope inside no matter how small.”

She stood stunned, mumbling, mostly to herself. “He can’t take that away. It’s a variable he will never understand.”

“Who?” the doctor asked.

Kara shook her head, looking back to the man. “It’s not important now. Thank you, Doctor. You have helped me greatly.”

The man smiled. “I doubt showing you this place helped you.”

Kara disagreed, smiling at him in return. “No, it has… you proved a theory of mine. There can never be nothing. Even in a pit of despair, hope cannot be snuffed out.”

Kara shook the man’s hand gently and slowly floated up.

She had reached a height above the clouds in the night sky when she found him as expected. “Cousin.”

Clark looked at her closely, trying to read her mood. “I told your family where you were. They are worried.”

Kara knew that already. “Yes, I expected that, but I’m no princess. I can’t afford to be now. I suppose I should have erased my search history.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered.” Clark told her, taking a deep breath, happy to see her. “You told your mother you needed to find despair. I knew where despair was. It took me a few different camps, but I heard you eventually. Did you find what you were looking for?”

Kara nodded, speaking to Kal, but also reciting what she had learned to fix it firmly in her mind. “Yes. I believe one part of the equation is a simple Y equals N where Y is despair and N is caution. Hope can never truly be destroyed. That is something Brainiac will never understand. It is a simple equation but one that is difficult to grasp at the same time. He may have an intellect equal to or perhaps greater than my own, but he has no heart.

“Here… in this place, there is a lack of sympathy, an overwhelming feeling of despair but it is not complete. Hope can never be completely gone. Love is truth, truth is love… I understand.

“There is more though. I understand what I saw in the Anti-Life equation. Y equals hope and N equals waste of time… I need a thesaurus. I need one word. Wasteful… or perhaps foolishness. I have a new variable… it just needs a name. Whatever monster created this Anti-Life Equation believed love equaled death, but it does not. Love equals rebirth… I think.”

Sighing, she said, “I need to pray.”

“I think I will join you. Smallville?” Kal asked, holding out his hand.

Kara nodded and took his hand. In a seeming change of subject, she asked, “How do you defend the innocent without hurting the guilty? How do you fight humans, without accidentally killing them?”

Clark smiled at the innocence of her question. “I don’t like violence either, so very carefully and thinking through my actions so as not to compromise my beliefs or honor.”

Seeing her thoughtful expression, he decided a hands-on demonstration may be in order. “I’ll make you a deal. From now on, at least let me know where you are going so you don’t cause the Kryptonian Military to scramble war ships and the two of us will make time to go to Metropolis. I will show you how it’s done. You feel like being Supergirl?”

The smile that lit Kara’s face was enough to dispel the gloom that had settled over them in the wake of their discussion. “Yes, I would hate for the press to stop talking about me. I’m enjoying Lois and Cat’s rivalry. Let’s take our time going back. I am sure Mother and Uncle Non will be having long talks with me in the morning but right now, I just want to enjoy the stars.”