Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Life Equation

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 09:

The Phantom Zone 10 years ago.

The forever young, twelve-year-old blonde girl paced in her father’s newly restored lab, thinking over every bit of data he had left her on this place where her city was stuck. She had no idea how long her people, her city had been here. The clocks didn’t work and without a sun to measure time by, the people had simply lost count. It could have been days or years.

Though everything inside the dome protecting Argo City was solid, as well as the two Kryptonian battle cruisers she saw outside of the dome, Kara knew everything else exposed to the Phantom Zone was immaterial. She saw lights in the Zone, not stars but more like rays of light spectrums that had been trapped here.

Despite Jor El discovering this place and her father working with her uncle on understanding it, neither had ever discovered what it was or how to escape it. It wasn’t a black hole since it only emitted its special energy; an energy Jor El had harnessed to create the Phantom Drives in the battle cruisers.

The dome around Argo City and the shield that protected the battle ships her Aunt and Uncle commanded were reinforced with this energy, made from the invisible but indestructible field the Rao particle emitted around itself.

Yet despite being protected, Kara knew she was not changing. None of them were, not one Kryptonian had needed to sleep or use the restroom, or even eat… not that there was much to eat so it was just as well. The Council had decided to save all recovered food stores until they escaped this Phantom Zone, if they ever did.

Kara was determined she would figure this out.

Her pacing was stopped by her Mother’s voice. “Kara, come home, come to bed. I’ll lay down with you.”

Kara turned to her mother in annoyance. “We don’t need to sleep. I have too much to do.”

“You need to relax, close your eyes and calm yourself. I’ll hold you. We can turn off the lights and just be with each other.” Her mother was almost pleading with her now.

Kara stubbornly shook her head. “My mind won’t relax, Mother. I have to get us out of here.”

“Our best engineers…”

“Are incapable of doing this. This isn’t a matter of building engines; this is a matter of physics. It comes down to math. The entire universe can be understood by math. One plus one equals two… that never changes. Time does not just stop! It is impossible.”

“Time doesn’t exist here.” Alura told her. “Your father told us that when we had dinner with Lara and Jor.”

“Then we haven’t had this conversation. You started it by telling me Kara come home, come to bed. Do you remember?” Kara asked.

“Of course I do.” Alura replied.

“How?” Kara asked. “If time has stopped for us, then how did we have a conversation that started at one point and has carried on to now? Why are we moving? Why are we whole? The Rao particle, the invisible energy that holds our dome together is still surrounding us. We breathe, we talk, yet we don’t physically change. I have no idea how this is possible or how this area we are stuck in is even possible… because it shouldn’t be possible!

“The basic building blocks of the universe, even the cosmic rays that travel through our universe, can be measured. They weaken, they decay, they slam into each other. The building blocks are everywhere! Time passes. It isn’t a matter of how long we have been here, it’s a matter of how far into the future or the past we will find ourselves in, once I figure this out!”

Alura watched her young daughter continue to pace, mumbling the way Zor El once did. If she weren’t so worried about her, Alura would have been amused by the sight of Kara holding her hands behind her back and looking at the ceiling as she paced, something she had seen her husband do many times. At the age of four, Kara had begun copying this motion, following Zor as he paced around the lab.

Kara was mumbling, loud enough for Alura to hear that she was repeating equations over and over. “Kara, you need to clear your head and relax. Please, come with me.”

“I will be there shortly, Mother… or perhaps it will take years since time doesn’t exist here according to everyone. I don’t think it will matter. I am not sure how long our shield can hold. Eventually this place will break down the Rao particle shield and we will join the rest of this zone, immaterial, unable to touch even each other. It is only a matter of… not time. We float past barren rocks, or they float past us. They phase through one another which should not happen. Why are we solid but not aging? Time passes but our physical bodies do not change. Our city has changed by our actions but the biological organisms inside it do not. Perhaps… I will be there shortly, Mother, I promise.” Kara continued to pace, working through the equations once again.

Alura took a deep breath and left her daughter alone. Arguing would only stress Kara more. She was barely holding onto her own sanity with Zor gone and she did not want Kara to lose hers.

Once Kara was alone, she sat back at her father’s desk and began reading through his and her Uncle’s notes on the Phantom Zone. They had harnessed the energy emitted from the Phantom Zone but never classified it. While it did not power the systems and weapons of a ship like an Omegahedron, it was able to work in conjunction with an Omegahedron to allow the ships faster than light speeds a dozen times over.

“Lady Kara?” Kelex said, making his presence known.

“Not now, Non Jr. I’m thinking.” She replied without looking up.

“Perhaps you are overthinking. A rest may improve your thought processes. Or perhaps you would like to play? I can sit through one of your imaginary formal dinners.”

Kara looked at him with irritation. “I’m not a child anymore. I am 12, I wear a training bra and I most likely always will if I cannot get us out of here! We can be injured, but our injuries go away immediately. You saw that during the recovery. Our rescue workers and engineers dug our people from their underground bunkers, but bones were never broken, yet we are in a physical form. Our dead were dead before we entered this place, but no one has died since we have been here. We aren’t sure how long we have been here or when and where we will arrive when I get us out of here.”

“Because time does not exist here.” Kelex pointed out.

“Time always exists!” Kara told him and walked to her work bench. She grabbed a long wrench from her work bench. “Count out loud.”

Kelex began. When he reached three Kara threw the wrench at him causing a loud clang.

“Three seconds. Do your memory banks remember? You started at one and at three the wrench I threw struck you. That is time. Time does not just stop. Even in suspended animation there is still a universal clock…” Kara stopped speaking, her eyes widening.

“Formal dinners.” she whispered.

“You wish to play?” Kelex asked tentatively.

“No. The formal dinners we had were not real. I used my imagination. But in my head, it was real. Time passed in my imagination, but I never grew, I never felt pain. I didn’t taste the food we pretended to eat. Because imagination is strictly a sentient product, an output of our minds. It doesn’t play by the rules of our universe.” Kara stared into space as the answer percolated, simmering, just beyond reach, but very close now.

“Do you believe all Kryptonians are imagining this place?” the robot asked, unable to understand how her imagination was pertinent to this conversation.

Kara answered him, almost in a whisper. “Imagination doesn’t affect this universe because it is separate, something only we have. Celestial beings, Kelex. We know they are real. We know we have souls, an energy force inside us that makes us unique, that cannot be measured, nor should it.

“Rao is a celestial being. He is a part of this universe, has been since the beginning. He gave life to our people with his light, protected us, he takes our souls back into his light when our bodies are gone.”

“But Rao isn’t here.” Kelex replied, obviously not following her reasoning.

“The sun isn’t here, but the sun was never Rao. Rao inhabited the sun because it was the best place to watch our people. He gave us life from his divine spark at the beginning of the universe, this universe. There must be other celestial beings. Rao is our god, but life is abundant in this universe. There must be other celestial beings.”

“Your point?”

“This place doesn’t play by the rules of the Universe because it does not belong to our universe! Don’t you see?” Kara said excitedly.

“Not in the slightest.” The confused AI replied.

Kara explained. “Before the singularity, another universe existed. It must have. There can never be nothing. What would nothing even look like? Nothing, that’s what. How can something look like nothing? Air can be seen on a molecular level, a vacuum can be measured, black holes seen in space, darker than the surrounding area. Everything looks like something or is at least measurable. If there were nothing, what would the Rao particle have been made of?

“No, at the singularity a single particle held all the energy of the Universe we live in. It exploded, expanded the Universe, protons, electrons, antiprotons, mass, dark energy, antimatter, the beginning of our measured time, everything! This place does not belong here. I have always theorized that the singularity was composed of the remnants of what came before, rejoined, molded, changed and then exploded into what we now know.”

“The singularity was the beginning of everything.” Kelex told her.

Kara disagreed. “You think that because you were programmed to think that. Most sentient beings believe that because they cannot fathom endless universes going back infinitely. But there was something before. There is always something. There was a universe that bounced back to the original source, changed, but one. Think of it like a flexible band. All bands reach a point they can no longer expand. The band then collapses back into itself. This ‘ Phantom Zone’ should not exist in this universe because it is a leftover from the universe before! It’s a slip, a hidden pocket, a pocket dimension if you will.

“But how is this possible? We do not age because we do not belong here. Our shield is made from the strongest building block of our Universe, so we maintain our tangibility for now. We are not the same life forms that belonged to the other… it’s the opposite of everything! Don’t you see?”

Kelex shook his head. “What you are saying is not logical.”

“That’s the whole point! It shouldn’t exist but obviously it does. It plays by its own rules. We know the Phantom Zone produces a strange energy. It is most likely the energy it absorbs from the outside and expels once again since it doesn’t belong. We can store it, study it, use it. But inside here it is useless. If it were able to be used our ships would have come closer to Argo, attempted to guide us in some search for a door. Instead their engines are down. It’s playing by its own rules, so I will make it play by mine.” Kara spoke with conviction.

Kelex wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that. “How do you plan to make a region of space you believe is a leftover of what was before the primary singularity, play by your rules?”

Kara smiled. “Exactly as you suggested before. I’m going to clear my mind and communicate on an emotional and mental level. There must be some celestial being here. What else could have protected this area from destruction as the old universe turned into the new? Crushing effects of the old universe folding in on itself? Only a celestial being would have that kind of power, fight off the laws of our physics to hold onto its own life. Something powerful protected this area from the collapse of the previous universe. I need to communicate with it. It will tell me how to communicate with the ships. It will open a door, or I will make one myself. I have what I need here in Argo City to destroy the Phantom Zone but to get our people out I need the Phantom Drives on the cruisers, the ion cannons destabilized, bringing energy in instead of sending it out. Everything is reverse! It is so simple! It either opens a door, or at least doesn’t try to stop me… or else.”

“Or else what?” Kelex asked with as much trepidation as his programming allowed.

“Or else I destroy the Phantom Zone, restore order to the Universe.” Kara stated with conviction staring at the ceiling. “We may cease to exist in our physical forms, but our souls always will. Rao will find us once I destroy this place. It is better than living in this stale existence. But it won’t come to that. Rao wanted to protect us but even Rao could not hold the core of our planet together. He is still with us, waiting for us to emerge. Once this ugly spot in space time is gone, he will take us back into his light.”

Kara looked back at the AI. “I need you to leave. I need to have a discussion with this celestial being in charge. He will give me the means to communicate with our ships, I will use the Phantom drives, reconfigure them, give the ships mobility, reverse that energy that shouldn’t exist and use it against itself. Make it play by my rules. The same passages our ships use to board enemy craft can attach themselves to our shield with support rods made from the remains of our military barracks in the city. That part will be easy. Then the Nightwing and Flamebird can guide us out of here. I know how to open a rift! Why did it take me so long?! Ugh! Go Kelex. I need quiet.”

Kelex shook his head. “I’m getting your mother. What you are proposing sounds dangerous. Even if your theory is correct, attempting contact with a hypothetical celestial being by threatening it…”

Kara walked to the unit and hugged him, opening his back panel and depowering her robotic friend, letting him drop to the floor. “Sorry pal. I’m not going to get us killed, I am going to get us out of here.”

Kara sat on the floor, next to her deactivated Kelex unit. She cleared her mind like she did when she prayed to Rao. Kara was not sure of course how long she sat, ignoring the outside world.

The darkness in her mind was lightened slightly. A voice filled her head. She couldn’t determine if it sounded more male or female because it was neither. Celestial beings weren’t male or female. They played by their own rules as she did. Kryptonians may have called Rao their father but in reality Rao was mother and father.

“I cannot give you what you want.” the deep voice told her. The voice sounded peaceful, resigned.

“Yes, you can. I am Kara Zor El and you will give me what I want. I need to communicate with my fellow Kryptonians outside my city. This dimension, a hidden pocket in my universe, one that should not exist, that should have died… you have kept it alive. We do not belong here. You may control our bodies to an extent, but you do not control the matter of our universe. You have seen inside my mind. You know I can destroy this place, send it back in time, before the singularity, back to a space that was overrun and twisted into what is now mine. You won’t be able to break our shields and stop me before it is too late.”

Kara swore she could hear a sigh in her head. She knew this was dangerous and frankly out of her ballpark. She knew it would work but actually talking to a Celestial being, using her mind and threatening it, was a surreal experience.

“Should I open a gate, I could allow the Universe to overrun my dimension. I do not want you here, but I cannot help you.” The being told her.

“I don’t need your help escaping this dimension. I need your help communicating with my ships. You are in my head. You know I can open a door, one that we can navigate through and close it quickly behind us. Or I can destroy your last haven of safety and kill us all. Whose light do celestial beings enter when they are gone? No one’s. You are in my head. I cannot hide anything from you, and you will not hide anything from me. How do I communicate with my cruisers? Tell me and my people will leave, and you will remain with your pocket dimension.”

Kara heard nothing but silence. She was not sure how long the silence had stretched. Forever or a second were possible guesses.

“I cannot guarantee what time period you will exit in.” the voice said.

“I’ll worry about that. Whatever time period, we will be back in our timeline, our universe, where we belong. Will you show me? Or do I destroy us all and allow Rao to take us into his light once this place is gone? You cannot keep my god from finding me. Rao’s will shall be done.”

A soft sigh echoed through her mind. “I will help you. You must learn to open your mind; connect to those you wish to speak to mentally. They may not be susceptible to open mental communication. You may use their communication devices, make them believe you are using equipment to speak. This will allow them to accept it much easier. This will not be an easy task to perform. I will help you though, if you promise not to destroy my dimension.”

“I promise.” Kara assured the being. “I just want my people free, one way or another. You know my name. What shall I call you?”

“I am Aethry.”

Smallville, Present Day

Kara opened her eyes in the morning, curled into Kell who had been sleeping in a sitting position.

They had both been woken, not by the position they were in or the sunlight but rather Lois Lane yelling.

“Lois, calm down.” Clark told her, as Kara and Kell peeked over the couch to determine what had Lois riled up.

The two Kryptonians saw her with a phone in hand before she threw it on the counter.

“It’s degrading! I post an online article about Supergirl, the last daughter of Krypton, and Cat Grant calls her a sidekick! She is pissed off that she didn’t know first and doesn’t have a photo. Jimmy has left seven texts and three voicemails since last night, begging for you to get him a photo op. He got scooped by preteens in a school bus with camera phones.”

Clark looked around, then patted his pockets. “I didn’t see any texts from Jimmy.”

“Because I answered, called him a traitor and told him to get Cat Grant’s coffee. Have you seen what she is posting? Look at her site! Superman and new sidekick help National City during Earthquake. I named her Supergirl on the Planet’s website last night and Cat is trying to diminish her because she didn’t get the scoop.”

Kara cleared her throat, hoping to get their attention if she could be heard over Lois. The two looked over at her and Kell from the kitchen, Clark seeming a bit humored at their position on the couch and Lois a bit embarrassed that her loud voice had woken them.

“Good morning, you two. Glad you slept in.” Clark said. “Gave me a chance to run some errands.”

Clark handed Kara a card. “A card for my account. I put ten thousand in it for you to spend. That’s what I was able to trade your gold for. I also picked up two cell phones with mine, Alex and Lois’s numbers programmed in. I also programmed two other numbers, one is Diana and the other is Bruce. If you two run into any trouble and I am not near for some reason call one then the other. I have an unlimited data plan so use it as much as you wish. It’s not as good as a hologram communicator that can reach the other side of the Universe but there is an iTunes account where you can stream whatever music you like. And finally, Kara, I picked these up for you.”

Clark reached back into the bag and pulled out a pair of eyeglasses.

“Put your hair into a ponytail, wear these and you can explore Metropolis without being bothered.” he told her.

Kara gently put the glasses on, tied her hair back with a hair tie Lois gave her and looked at Kell who was not buying the disguise.

“She still has the most beautiful eyes in the Universe. A pair of glasses won’t hide them. Nothing could.” Kell told Clark.

Kara pushed him gently on his shoulder, ducking her head, a shy grin on her face. “Stop it, Kell. I think they will work great. It may just take me a while to get used to them. So, we are going to Metropolis. When will we leave?”

“As soon as you two are ready. I’ll make breakfast. The drive is about six hours so we should be in the city before nightfall.” Kal El explained.

Kara was not fond of that idea. “We can take the ship and be there in minutes.” she pointed out.

“I have to take my car back home and I don’t want to drive back alone and miss quality time with you and Kell.” Lois explained. “Besides this will give you a view of the country that you cannot get zipping over it in a spaceship.”

Kara thought for a moment. Kelex would not be happy staying here. She had no doubt he would take control of the ship and follow her regardless. “Kelex will not want to be far away from me. Perhaps he could pilot the ship and land outside of Metropolis, cloak the craft and use that as our base of operations. Can I ask why you are upset this morning, Lois? You said this Cat Grant lady has labeled me as a sidekick? What is a sidekick?”

Lois and Clark looked at each other, Clark raising an eyebrow indicating that Lois would be taking this one.

Lois cleared her throat. “You… you see, some people, besides Clark, are considered heroes on Earth. Many of them have had helpers I suppose you would call them, men or women who would follow the lead of the more popular, older, or stronger hero.”

Kara nodded her head somewhat understanding. “So a sidekick follows the hero’s lead rather than making tactical decisions themselves?”

“Exactly!” Lois agreed, glad that Kara was picking up on why this was not a good thing.

Kara nodded; she understood this concept. “So by that definition, I would be considered a sidekick. This is his planet and I would naturally take direction from him in regards to helping others or on any number of other things like streaming music and operating cell phones. Were we on Argo City, I have no doubt he would follow my lead. If we were facing an invasion or boarding enemy ships we would follow Kell’s lead. Kell follows my uncle’s lead and my uncle follows my aunt’s lead. By that definition we would all be her sidekicks. What is so bad about being a sidekick? The good work still gets done. That is all that matters, right?”

Clark looked at Lois with a big smile.

“I should have named her Superwoman.” Lois mumbled instead of answering Kara’s question.

“What difference would it make?” the blonde asked. “My name is Kara Zor El. Humans may call me whatever they wish. It won’t change who I am or how I perceive myself.”

“You don’t get it.” Lois told her throwing her hands up in surrender and frustration. “On Earth, most superheroes are males. There is only one famous female superhero and she is a half-naked Amazon with a sword and a rope from a magical island. The world needs more female superheroes. Cat is painting you to be less because she didn’t discover you first.”

Kara could sort of see Lois’s point. “Lois… I’m not here for long. I’m not Kal El. I won’t be a hero to this planet for the rest of my life. This isn’t my home. Being a sidekick for a few weeks and helping Kal El out when the people of this world need help sounds pretty awesome to me. Let her call me whatever she wants. Sidekick is a human term.”

She paused a moment before shifting the subject slightly, but it made her point without diminishing Lois’s concerns. “While Krypton was exploding around us, Kell risked his life to save one child. He almost didn’t make it back. My Uncle ran to him, helped him and the boy back in the ship before the ground erupted below their feet. Kell was fourteen. I don’t think anyone that day considered themselves to be heroes or sidekicks. No one cared. It was about saving as many lives as possible, not who got the credit.

“Lois, I understand you want more female superheroes on this planet, but do not put your hope in me. I already have the hopes and expectations of my people to deal with. My father was a hero. He used to call me his little assistant and taught me everything I know about the beauty of science. If that is what a sidekick is, then I desperately wish I were still his.”

She smiled at the woman, shaking off the onset of melancholy. “Now, relax and let’s have fun. How many places can we stop to take selfies along the way?”

Argo City

Alura sat at her place in the council chamber with Astra on her right and Councilor Vor on her left, the other eight members circling the table. Non remained in the front row after the audience had been requested to leave due to a sensitive issue the High Councilor needed to discuss with her members.

The move caused quite a stir in the crowd as they exited. Citizens had never been asked to leave the chambers during a meeting before, even when Argo was still a part of Krypton.

The fact that it was Alura who requested the privacy further fueled the soon to be rumor mill. It had been four days, and no one had seen Kara Zor El. The scientists who worked under her reported her lab was sealed but doubted she was inside. Soldiers from both battle cruisers had told friends who were citizens that she had not been in either ship. She had not been seen in the city and no healer had arrived at her residence.

The biggest topic of discussion among Kryptonians was the whereabouts of Kara Zor El.

Alura paid no mind to the gossips of the residents concerning her daughter. She was more concerned about getting Kara back in one piece. “Councilors, I have news concerning my daughter.”

The Council Room became very quiet as Alura smiled and continued. “Kell Ur has asked her to be his mate and she has accepted. They will be bonded in six weeks and be husband and wife.”

The relief was palpable in the room.

“Congratulations, Alura. Could we see the head of the Science Guild and congratulate her in person?” Miza Nex asked. “Perhaps it is time we fill our twelfth Council spot. I would be interested in hearing her thoughts on…”

“She isn’t ready to be on the Council.” another Councilor spoke up. “Until she stops dreaming about exploring worlds and flying under yellow suns, she can continue to do the work she has been doing. At least for now the Council can focus her energy…”

“Shut up!” Alura snapped, glaring at the man who stopped talking immediately, quickly looking away from her. “My daughter will be placed on the Council when I feel she is ready, and that time is coming soon. As far as Kara being here personally, she cannot do so because she is not on Argo City.”

Despite there only being councilors and Non in the room and with three of those occupants being silent, the noise and outrage that erupted could be heard outside the Council chamber.

“Quiet!” Astra shouted, green eyes flashing as she stood, causing the more vocal protestors to flinch and fall silent immediately.

The irate General looked over them, not one meeting her eyes. “Alura said Kara is not on Argo City and instead of waiting for an explanation you all cry like toddlers! You believe Kara is not ready for the Council? Your childish behavior leads me to believe that none of you are! The fate of our people is in the hands of those in this room and at this moment that fate is looking dire!”

Noting she had their subdued but undivided attention, she continued calmly, “Now, my husband will explain what is going on. You will listen, and you will not speak. Kara’s Mating will be announced to the general public as well as her mission. We are telling you first as a courtesy.”

“And if this mission is not approved?” another asked quietly, daring much in the face of the irate General.

Astra narrowed her eyes at the offender. “Which part of ‘Kara is not on Argo City’ did you not understand? The mission has already commenced and cannot be stopped now. Husband?”

Non stood up and walked before the Council.

“Lady Kara Zor El, head of the Science Guild, has undertaken an important mission. She has gone to Earth…”

The roar began once again, some members standing up until Astra yelled, “Silence! The next person that interrupts, I will personally escort from this room. Now, am I clear or do any of you need a demonstration?”

Non cleared his throat and smiled. “Thank you, Wife. I would request silence for the remainder of my time on the floor. I am here to relay information, not be interrogated. We did not ask the Council for permission because we feel this is strictly a matter of security that falls under our military’s authority.”

“Authority granted by the Council!” A councilman said when Alura stood, grabbing Astra’s arm before the General could move toward the man and carry out her previous threat.

“Sit down and shut up! All of you!” The High Councilor ordered. When they finally complied, she released her sister’s arm and continued. “In a normal situation, I would agree. However, we knew the Council’s position on the importance of Kara Zor El remaining under protection in Argo City, but there are two reasons why she had to be the one to go to Earth.

“The first is to find and offer Kal El a chance to return to his people if he desires. As his last blood relative, she has that right. The second is to contact a Green Lantern. We have always been apprehensive regarding sending a message to Oa, due to the danger of the transmission being picked up and traced by unknown aliens. Kara discovered that a Green Lantern is on Earth, a human in fact. She will contact this Lantern and ask him to personally approach the Guardians on our behalf in secrecy to ask for assistance and protection in our efforts to build a new world. She is not alone. Her Kelex unit and pending Mate are with her. The people may be told of her whereabouts.”

“The people will panic.” Vor pointed out. “She could be lost in space, she could be dead, or stuck in… sorry, Alura. I’m sure she is fine.”

“Kara has made it to Earth.” Astra informed the group. “She has a Kryptonian transmitter and has been checking in with us every 24 hours. She has made contact with Kal El and plans to meet with the Green Lantern as soon as possible.”

“Every 24 hours?” Dih Lu asked. “She was seen in the Flamebird Gymnasium four days ago. How is she on Earth already? She didn’t… please tell me the military did not send her into the asteroid belt in front of the ‘Wormhole of Death’ in that small fighter craft of hers.”

Alura looked a bit sheepish now. “She was told to take… the safest route. Kara is an excellent pilot and obviously did what she felt was right. She will return soon and one of our cruisers will meet her on the other side of that wormhole. She and Kell can safely dock with the Cruiser and be back with our people soon after, three days at the latest. “

“You said she was to be bonded in six weeks. Why wait six weeks?” Lu asked. “If she is on Earth already and has made contact with the son of Jor El and plans to meet with a Green Lantern soon, why wait weeks to retrieve her?”

“Because… she wishes to explore.” Non told the group.

“Explore?” Vor asked in disbelief. “What could she possibly learn from Earth that would help us in building a new Krypton? If this is a military operation, I would strongly suggest you retrieve her as soon as possible.”

Astra spoke up before Alura could unleash her anger on the man to her right. “I would suggest you all remember that Kara is not part of the military and has no oath of duty holding her to Argo City. Even as Head of the Science Guild, she is a citizen of Argo City, not the property of the Council. She has worked tirelessly since the death of our planet and is taking some much needed personal time. There is no law preventing Kryptonians from leaving. Were she a sworn member of this Council, her duty…”

Leaping to his feet, Councilor Lu waved his arm, interrupting her. “Enough, Astra! You are recklessly…”

Lu’s rant was cut short by Astra’s hand on the man’s throat, having finally lost the tenuous hold on her temper. “You will address me as General Astra . Show me the respect of my rank and I will show you the same. If you do not… well, I would suggest we not take that path. Am I clear?” She asked him in a dangerous voice. At his frantic nod, she released his throat and stepped back. “Kara will take the time she has been granted by myself and her mother and then she will return.”

Silence filled the chambers except for Non coughing to hold in his laughter.

Vor finally broke the silence. “General Astra, High Councilor Alura. I understand the need for Lady Kara to take time off. She has worked tirelessly her entire life. I do think we are right to be concerned about her safety. She is our peoples’ best chance to rebuild and defend ourselves. She is not just a scientist; she is our greatest hope and her mind is Krypton’s greatest asset. She has a personal guard here at all times assigned to her, unseen due to Alura’s insistence. Being with only a Mate and a Kelex unit as her protection on a primitive planet is a concern I am sure you can understand. Shouldn’t we have sent at least a squad of elite troops, perhaps the Red Shard squadron and a troop carrier? I have never heard of this Kell Ur before.”

“Kell Ur has been trained personally by my husband and has shown bravery from a young age and Kara can take care of herself on any planet, primitive or otherwise.” Astra told him.

“And the fact that she is alone with a man who she has agreed to be her Mate but not yet bonded?” Vor asked. “They are not yet husband and wife. What will our people think of this breach of mating protocol?”

“Our people can get over it. I am sure Rao understands the unique situation.” Alura told the man, obviously done discussing the issue. “Meeting over. We will reconvene after Kara has contacted the Green Lantern and relayed the information to me. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.”

Metropolis

“So everything is cool with your place?” Kara asked Alex over the phone.

“Yeah. Are you still planning on coming to National City in a few days?”

“Yes, but I want to spend at least three days in Metropolis before I go to National City. I really want some beach time and am hoping Kal El can manage time off work. While I am here I will be contacting the local Lantern and Metropolis is a huge city. I am thinking a few days here, a few days there and then we can come back or perhaps visit other cities. If you would like to come to Metropolis, I can send Kelex to get you. Right now we are on a road trip. We have stopped three times to use the restroom, and six times to take selfies. Pepsi is definitely something I will be reproducing on Argo when I return. I’ll text my selfies to you soon. I convinced Kell to wear something called a ‘cowboy hat’. He looked so adorable.”

Clark smiled, listening to his cousin talk with her new friend as he drove while Lois slept in the passenger’s seat. The stops for pictures had added an hour or two to the trip but it was worth it. His cousin amazed him, and her companion was fun to watch as well. Two people from such an advanced race utterly fascinated by a new planet: dogs, cats, horses, cars, simple things, having fun. The man had so many questions he wanted to ask her but now was not the time. She was having fun with her friend, boyfriend, fiancé, Mate or whatever he was, and it warmed his heart.

“Kal… Clark, sorry.” Kara shouted from the backseat. “Can we find a cottonfield before we leave Ohio? I would love to get a sample and maybe we could take some photos of the two of us? We have photos of the two of us in the wheat field. A cotton field would be awesome.”

Clark checked the time and the sun. “We may run out of sunshine before we make it. If we can’t find one before dark, we will come back. We can fly to a cornfield in Nebraska as well if you like.”

“Sounds awesome! I haven’t eaten corn yet. I learned from a short broadcast of M.A.S.H. that corn should defintely be left on the cob. So how long until we reach your Metropolis residence?”

Clark held in a smile. If she has asked ‘if they were there yet’ the Man of Steel may have not been able to contain his laughter. “An hour or so. Depends on traffic when we get into Metropolis.”

Lois woke when Clark’s phone went off, not his normal phone but the other one, the very secure one used by members of the Justice League. This usually meant something big was going on.

Before he could answer, she had the phone to her ear. “Lois Lane. Whatever you need to tell Clark you can tell me.”

Hal Jordan’s voice greeted her, sounding a bit shaky. “Lois, it is very important that I speak to Clark now.”

Lois sighed and handed the phone to Clark. “It’s Hal. Tell him thanks for the help in National City.”

“Stop, Lois.” Clark chided her with a smile. “Hal? How are you? Was Coast City affected by the Earthquake?”

Jordan did not bother to answer. “I found out… I saw the news and went directly to Oa. Clark, is that really… her? Your cousin, the daughter of Zor El?”

“Yep, her name is Kara. She and another visitor want to meet you soon. They have an important topic to speak to you about. How does tomorrow sound?” Clark asked.

Instead of answering, Hal replied, “I’m homing in on your signal and will be above your location in five minutes to provide cover. The Guardians are arranging for the other five Green Lanterns to converge on her location and provide security for her. Take her to Watchtower immediately.”

Clark looked back at Kara and Kell who seemed as confused as he was. “There is another Kryptonian with her. She has excellent control of her powers. I think she is safe, Hal, though I appreciate the concern.”

Clark easily heard the explosive breath of excitement as Hal exclaimed, “So there are others? Zor El’s plan worked?! We can talk about that later. First, she must be secured. Was she really in the Phantom Zone?”

“Yes, why do you ask?” Clark was greatly confused now.

“She did it. She must have. She figured out how to break out of the Phantom Zone.” Hal said almost to himself, obviously awestruck. “Clark, I understand she is safe with you, but there cannot be too much security for her. Do you remember what I told you about the system the Guardians use to measure intelligence?”

Clark rolled his eyes. “How can I forget? Lois was thrilled when I told her the Guardians considered humans to be level 1. I’m considered what? A level 5 or 6? Thanks for that, Hal.”

“I’m considered a 1 too, buddy. It is about the mental capability of the person… the mental capacity, the potential capability, not just the knowledge but the ability to use their brain to unlock secrets no one else would even think to look for.” Hal explained. “Remember that Anti-Life Equation Darkseid was hoping to find the answer to?”

“Hard to forget.” Clark told him. That was a battle that took more out of him than Zod. It was the battle that brought the Justice League together for the first time.

“Only a 12th level intellect would have a chance at solving that equation. The Guardians themselves only consider their most brilliant members to be 10th level intellects. You following me?” Hal asked.

“I’m following you, just not sure where going with this,” Clark said.

“Thirty years ago, the Guardians believed Brainiac 13 was the only remaining 12th level intellect in the universe after the death of Krypton.” Hal replied.

Clark had heard tales of this Brainiac 13 from Hal and hoped never to meet him. The battle could devastate the planet if the stories of this creature’s powers and abilities were true. Regardless, he was still confused with what Hal was driving at. “So, what are you saying?”

Hal paused briefly, taking a breath, “So, he’s not the only one anymore. Now, there are two.”

Clark was shocked. “So you are saying…”

“That you have the only 12th level intellect in the Universe who doesn’t destroy worlds sitting in the back of Lois’s car.” Hal finished for him. “I’m above you now. Please, take her to Watchtower.”

Clark looked once again at a wide-eyed Kara and Kell. “I’m pulling over. I will take to the sky with you and Lois can drive them to Watchtower. Are you bringing in the rest of the League?”

Hal sighed. “I realize this is probably overkill but she needs to be protected whether she thinks so or not. Yes, I called them when I returned. They should all be there when you arrive.”

Hal hung up and Clark pulled to a stop on the side of the road. Turning back to Kara, he saw she was shaken. “Looks like you will get to meet my friends sooner than I planned.”