Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Life Equation

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 28:

Argo City

Alex stepped through the ripple behind Kara and gasped at her surroundings.

“Where are we?” Alex asked quietly, in an almost reverent tone.

“This is my lab.” Kara answered, a wistful smile on her face as she looked around. “My sanctuary, my favorite place in the Universe. I reconstructed it exactly as it was before the destruction. This was where I took my first steps, said my first word, held onto my Father’s back while he carried me around, pacing and mumbling to himself. This is where my tutors educated me, teaching me history, art, dancing, singing, proper grammar skills. It is here that my Father taught me about the beauty of the Universe, the mysteries waiting to be uncovered, the possibilities that were just waiting to be explored. Almost every important lesson I have learned in my life, I learned it here. This laboratory is my most precious possession.”

Alex walked slowly around the room. It was huge, much larger than she had expected it to be. The walls were made of some type of smooth crystal, resembling the ones at the Fortress of Solitude only flat. There were a few crystal banks but nowhere near the amount found in Kal El’s Fortress.

Different glass-like benches rose, some glowing, some not. Small structures resembling aquariums were scattered around, some with strange machines hung above them, unlike anything Alex had ever seen. One crystal stood out, only three-feet tall but placed almost directly in the center of the large circular room and glowing a bright blue.

Alex’s mind was in overload as she stared at that lone crystal, even more so than when she visited the Fortress. Kara’s lab was, quite simply, breathtaking.

Kara saw where Alex’s attention was and spoke up. “That’s my main databank. It’s not a knowledge crystal in the same manner as those Uncle Jor had, but it is made of a sunstone composite and holds the collected knowledge of Krypton inside it. It may look like an ordinary crystal, but it as close to a living computer as ever created.”

“Father and I made it together. Every experiment I have ever conducted, every research study, every bioengineering project, all information Krypton had on a species or planet, every alloy, every battle cruiser design, basically the sum of all our knowledge… it’s all stored in that one databank. Unlike cell phones, it won’t run out of memory when there are too many pictures or videos inside it.” Kara explained. “Its capacity is practically infinite. I have seven others placed around the city and in the Cruisers as back up.”

Alex took in the clear boxes that pressed against half the circular room, different drawers in each one, strange tools, glowing balls floating in the air about the size of a basketball, machines she had no idea what they could possibly be for. Near one wall was a tall, glass tank that was filled with a fluid Alex doubted was water despite being crystal clear.

“Where are the monitors, keyboards?” she asked quietly.

Kara smiled. “Keyboards are old school, Alex. Necessary on ships but not in my house.” The blonde raised her hands and the room lit up, causing Alex to jump back as a holographic screen opened inches from her face among several others in the room. “This entire lab is programmed to recognize my DNA and respond to my movements. It can practically read my mind.”

Alex gazed around the lab and saw several monitors, perhaps over twenty screens of the same type had popped up at a wave of Kara’s hand. The blonde barely moved her finger and the screens began to move, changing positions as she easily called the ones she needed without a word. The screen in front of her was filled with Kryptonian letters that caught Kara’s attention.

Kara began speaking Kryptonese and the planet Earth appeared in the center of the room. A few more words and several strange symbols appeared, the arrangements making Alex believe they were equations.

Suddenly a burst of light shot from the bottom of the planet model and the Earth was covered in a globe of light. She noticed Kara was frowning.

“There is only a 30% probability that the Rao Particle shield could be generated by the power of the Fortress alone to cover the entire planet. Look at the spots that are slightly red, glowing across the planetary shield. Those are weak spots. Break one and the integrity of the entire shield fails. I’m going to need a massive power source to make this work on our new planet, so it’s a good thing the planets we are exploring are smaller than Earth.” Kara said, her voice trailing off as her eyes unfocused before she snapped back to the problem at hand.

“Anyway, there is absolutely no way we can do this on your planet. Even if the shield isn’t breached, the satellite communications around the planet would be crushed… no Direct TV or weather reports in other words. In fact, no communications at all would be available… at least not anything that would be beneficial if Brainiac invaded.”

“So, if he comes, we fight on the ground.” Alex realized. “He will send more of those things. We won’t be able to stop his primary weapon… or any of his weapons.”

Kara shrugged her shoulders. “His primary weapon will be the Anti-Life Equation and he won’t need to be on the planet to use it. We will have to force his ship to Earth somehow. If he has to broadcast from land, we can invade the ship and I can stop him. If he broadcasts from space, I am screwed… unless I build Myriad… no. I can’t build that unless there isn’t any other way. The good news is, he is afraid of the Green Lanterns which tells me he won’t just show up before he believes he has a weapon that can take control of them like the Equation.”

“It also means his ship is not impossible to breach.” She said confidently.

“Why would you say that?” Alex asked, still a bit dazed.

Seeing how Alex was still overwhelmed from seeing her lab and not seeing the bigger picture, Kara explained. “If he thought he could take out the Green Lantern Corp easily, why would he have wasted time and resources sending androids at Earth to draw the Lanterns away from Apokolips? One or two Green Lanterns he may not fear… but the power of hundreds? Hundreds of power rings are almost as powerful as the Solar Storm cannons on our cruisers.

“I wouldn’t worry about his shield or breaching his ship. Aunt Astra and Uncle Non will figure out a way to trap him and bring him down. With the satellite warning system, he will have to enter the solar system away from Earth which will give us time to prepare.”

“And what is a Solar Storm cannon?” Alex asked carefully.

“A primary weapon of mass destruction on our Battle Cruisers, another one of my creations. Think about the blast from the Death Star only on a slightly smaller scale. We have never used it in battle, but it has been tested. When it is used, nothing is left behind.”

Kara barely tilted her head and another screen opened in front of her. This reminded Alex of the Matrix, lines of Kryptonian codes running down constantly.

“What is that?” Alex asked.

“Water system. I thought I would check it since I am here. Everything looks fine. We are still retaining ninety percent moisture and converting it back into water filling our central tower. If we drop below eighty percent, I begin splicing and cloning more molecules to make water, but I’ve only had to do it twice since we left the Phantom Zone. The agriculture moisture units are fine, rain distributors are working, and the atmosphere is perfect. We could live in this city forever if we needed to. Luckily, we won’t. These are the four planets we are looking at for possible terraforming.”

Kara turned and every screen in the room was gone, and four huge planet images surrounded them.

“That one is our goal.” Kara pointed one out to her. “Smaller than Earth or Krypton so it will be easier to colonize and protect. It once had life and I can tell where there were oceans. The planet will be covered in 70% water. A bit high for my liking but it will do.”

“I believe this planet was hit by a massive meteor that essentially scorched the planet of life and evaporated the oceans. The atmosphere is off the charts in humidity and the surface is still extremely hot. Once our terraformer cools the atmosphere and surface, the water will return to its natural state. The extinction level event most likely happened less than two hundred years ago. I’ll need to place a Rao Particle shield around the planet to ensure it never happens again. I will have more power available to me there so it will be fine.” Waving to the information on another screen as it popped up off to her right, Kara said, “As you can see, I am already getting reports back from the Green Lanterns who have flown ahead of our ships concerning elements and minerals found in the system… I can work with these to build and strengthen our defenses among other uses.”

Alex shook her head, amazed at how she nonchalantly talked about rebuilding a planet and manipulating power from new elements. It was a massive undertaking, but the blonde didn’t appear concerned. Alex had seen Kara funny, dignified, embarrassed and happy but this Kara was different. Here in her lab she was the epitome of confidence. When she spoke about something there was no doubt in her voice about anything.

Alex realized that Kara Zor El actually could do anything she wanted.

She continued walking around the room and saw a clearer section of crystal that allowed sight into another room.

“Explosion containment room.” Kara told her. Alex turned and saw Kara was sitting at a work bench that hadn’t been there before… at least she though it hadn’t.

Shaking her head, Alex took this in and realized something shocking. “When you go into one of your… meditation sessions, you are creating this entire lab in your head aren’t you? You can walk around it, pull up all these screens, remember everything in that crystal databank? How is that possible?”

Kara grinned and began playing with a red shimmering tool that resembled a pen, scratching on top of the work bench. “I have a really good memory, I guess. I only need to see something once and it is there. I’ve always been able to do that. Being here is where I am at my clearest. So if I have a problem I can’t solve, I come back here. Father will help me if I need it. I know he isn’t real. He doesn’t have the answers, but he is good at asking the right questions. It feels good to imagine him in the laboratory in my head.”

She motioned Alex over. “Come look at this.”

Alex walked to the glass-like bench Kara stood in front of. On it, or rather in it, she saw a rather plain looking square block of some sort.

“It’s just a rock.” Kara told her. “But I wanted to show you something and it’s a good example.”

Kara looked up and once again Alex nearly jumped as a small glass cylinder descended from the roof. It stopped three feet over the table and lit up.

“Now watch.” Kara told her. Kara moved her hands, pinching her finger and the block appeared different, rockier somehow. Kara continued to wave her hands over it and the image of the grains gave way as if she were looking through the rock somehow.

Then Alex realized what she was seeing. “What are… are those molecules?”

Kara nodded. “Yeah but we are going way deeper. You are about to be the first human to see the Rao Particle. They are beautiful, aren’t they? The attraction, the pull, the spark… wow I hope sex is this good.”

Kara looked up at the glowing column above the table. “Quit screwing around. Go subatomic. You know what I want.”

Alex watched the image on the desk top go deeper, atoms, even to what she considered quarks.

“Here we go. One more step.” Kara mumbled to herself.

And there it was… the Higgs Boson particle.

Alex was wide-eyed and rendered speechless once again.

Something rose from the ground, surprising Alex, though she should have been used to it by now. A clear substance covered Kara’s hands then ran from her fingers to the screen.

“Time for Mama to get to work. See the arrangement of these beauties? Everything has a pattern. These are the start. Move one even a plank and it starts a chain reaction. Once you can manipulate it, changing the arrangement, you change everything. Computer, scan the gold necklace my friend is wearing and place subatomic design on screen.”

“That’s amazing. But how do you move them around?” Alex asked quietly, her eyes drawn to the large subatomic microscope.

Kara flexed her fingers, causing the clear substance to move from the screen to the block that was now under the main screen.

“Not very easily. The space between is not a vacuum, it’s energy. Energy straight from the source of this universe, right after the singularity. The strongest field in the Universe. Watch.”

The smallest particles on screen began to move as Kara slightly twitched her fingers. Another diagram appeared and Kara began switching the arrangement up to match the new diagram.

“It’s all connected. Change one, you change everything. It’s important not to screw up or you could cause a huge explosion. I mean huge. I have a failsafe to prevent that from happening so don’t worry… much. I was working on rearranging protons in Uncle Jor’s lab and splitting atoms to change matter when I nearly caused a nuclear explosion.”

“You were five when that happened. You were trying to change one substance into another when you were five?” Alex asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, almost screwed up too.” Kara replied, concentration never wavering as she elaborated. “I’m kind of glad he stopped me, but I am certain the explosion containment room would have held a simple nuclear blast. When I was seven, I was delving deeper into subatomic levels and nearly opened a blackhole, but it was so tiny. He made such a big deal out of that. There, now look at the block. Screens off, magnifier at rest .”

Alex was stunned. Where before there had been a simple cube of rock, now it was a golden bar. The bar rose from under the screen and Alex picked it up.

“Pretty cool, huh? Once you figure out the patterns you can make anything happen. It’s all so beautiful, isn’t it? Biology is fun but changing matter will always be what gives me the most kick. My father was more into living cell manipulation. Other than changing the color of flower petals, it just wasn’t as fun for me as physics but really, they are all connected. The Universe is so perfect. Even so called imperfections like blackholes serve a purpose. Have you ever seen anything more gorgeous? But there are still so many mysteries. The soul, the spark of Rao’s light, it is somewhere we cannot see, only feel. What else is there that we will never know about until we pass to the next life?”

Alex took in Kara’s face. The blonde was talking to her, but it seemed as if she were in a world of her own. Her eyes were huge and the smile on her face was just as big.

“Want to see my Father?” she asked suddenly. “He may have been more into living cells, but he was a genius at everything. Once I discovered the Rao Particle, he is the one who learned to manipulate the energy field, replicate it and expand it to protect Argo City.”

Kara looked to her right and waved her hand. An image of Alura with arms wrapped around a tall, thin man with a bright smile and shaggy blonde hair carrying a little girl between them appeared. They looked so happy. While Kara somewhat resembled her Mother, mostly her nose, cheekbones, build… she obviously got her blue eyes and bright blonde hair from her Father.

“So that’s Zor El.” Alex said aloud.

Kara explained, an almost dreamy look on her face. “I was six and we were at a ball. They were so deeply in love, even more than most Kryptonian mates. At least that was my opinion. There was never a day that went by without them telling me how much they loved me.

“My Father was such a kind man and so much fun… I wish he were still alive, I miss him so much. He made me feel more alive than anyone ever has. We had so many adventures, I know he must have told my guards to stand down and let us be alone on excursions. He was not afraid to take me into dangerous situations. He taught me to be brave despite fear. When we were together, I felt like there was nothing we couldn’t accomplish. He was my hero. He always will be.”

Alex walked over to Kara and placed a hand on her shoulder, seeing the girl’s eyes begin to well with tears.

Instead of crying, Kara shook her head and smiled, looking gratefully at her friend. “And if he were here he would tell me to stop crying and get to work saving Earth. As dire as the threat is, he would be having the time of his life.

“He was always upset that Uncle Jor didn’t let him go to Oa to defeat Parallax… but Uncle Jor didn’t want to lose his little brother. He actually sedated my father and had him locked in his room until he’d left the planet. Uncle Jor loved him so much. He was never good with showing emotions, but you just knew watching the two of them together. They were complete opposites in personality, but the love was strong.”

Kara walked to the rows of shelves and a drawer opened for her. Inside was a rectangular black device that seemed to be made of smooth rock. She gently squeezed the device and it began to glow, the end of one side changing into a triangular shape, the tip blue.

“Is that what you needed?” Alex asked.

Kara nodded and squeezed once again, the device returning to its previous state. “One of the devices. It will allow me to make a small solar converter, use the light rays reflected from the Earth to power the satellites, basically a power source that cannot be cut off or destroyed by a magnetic pulse unless the sun explodes. An Omegahedron is overkill and will cause the satellites to stand out. This will be perfect. I just need this and about fourteen other tools and I will be set.”

The blonde was looking around the room indecisively when she suddenly slapped her head and took out her communicator. A second later Astra’s image appeared. Her hologram was walking quickly.

“ Hey, please let Mother know I made it to my lab.”

“ I already have. I picked up your tracker the second you arrived along with all your guards left behind in Argo. I told them I was conducting a test. No one needs to know you are here or there will be a revolt to keep you here. I am at your door now .” Astra told her and the hologram was gone.

The girls turned to the door to see Astra marching in quickly and wrapping Kara in a tight hug.

Alex stood by awkwardly, not sure what to do. The woman hadn’t let Kara go and her eyes were puffy.

“ It is so good to see you, Little One.” Astra finally whispered, her hands on both of Kara’s cheeks . “I don’t suppose I can talk you into staying?”

Kara shook her head and smiled, responding in English. “Too much to do. I will be back soon.”

“At your allotted time, right? You gave your word. We should have pulled you back already, but the Council has not been informed about the recent events on Earth. However, you must come back by your allotted time. I can’t change that. You understand?” Astra asked, speaking English as well and Alex suspected it was so she could understand them.

Kara nodded her head. “I miss home but I still have much to do, not just saving the planet. But no matter what, I will return when my time is up.”

Astra nodded, then directed her attention to Alex, reaching out her hand. “Alex Danvers, I am Astra. It is a pleasure to meet you. You must be even braver than my husband said to step into an interdimensional breach with my Little One.”

Alex smiled warmly, taking the General’s hand in her own. “It was the kind of opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Astra looked at her and matched her smile, her eyes locking onto Alex’s. “There are many opportunities a scientist and warrior could not pass up in our world. Being a part of creating a new planet, the scientific advancements, the adventure, the sense of being part of something that will change the Universe and save an entire race. It is an exciting time to be a Kryptonian… or an intellect from any planet invited to live among us. It’s a shame Earth has claimed you. Someone with your abilities would be so valuable and the knowledge and technology you would have access to, I can imagine it would be difficult seeing this now and knowing it isn’t available to you on Earth.

“Anyway, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Turning to her niece, she asked, “Kara, do you have to return right away?”

Kara looked a little confused. “I shouldn’t be seen.”

Astra nodded, but waved away her concerns. “I’ve brought you an image inducer and a dress for you and your friend. I know inducers aren’t allowed but I have a few lying around in my personal quarters. You could give Alex a tour of Argo City. I would give her a personal tour myself but if I am with the two of you, people will notice. What do you think, Alex? Would you enjoy seeing our city?”

Alex looked towards Kara and she didn’t see any deference on the blonde’s face.

“I’m not sure how much I can take. This lab, the beauty, the knowledge… something tells me I could spend a lifetime in here and never learn or see everything.” Alex turned towards Kara. “But if you wouldn’t mind, Kara, I don’t think an hour or two would matter. What do you think?”

Kara grinned and took her hand. “I think we should get dressed and I will show you the most amazing city you will ever set foot in.”

“Excellent.” Astra said, obviously pleased. “After the tour, bring Alex to our home. I will give you both armor and helmets so you can come with me to the Nightwing. It would take days to see the entire ship, but Alex may enjoy the bridge, the combat training areas and perhaps the armory. Be careful going into our home, Kara. It is not under guard, but someone will notice you entering. You should probably sneak in the back the same way you have always snuck out.”

Kara’s disguise had her looking quite different from her normal appearance: red hair and green eyes wearing a simple grey dress with no house markings. Alex maintained her normal appearance but had changed her clothes to a simple, silver Kryptonian dress. Both were outfitted with a cloak and hood which they had pulled over their heads as they strolled leisurely through the city.

Alex stopped for a moment, her mouth open, taking in everything. “Wow.”

Kara laughed. “We haven’t even gotten to the good parts yet.”

“There are no lights on the dome.” Alex remarked. “I see darkness up there but it’s light inside. How is this possible?”

“I engineered microbots.” Kara explained. “Each one gives a distinct glow. Alone you wouldn’t notice but with over a hundred thousand in the ground they are able to emit enough solar rays to charge the four towers around the city, which absorb the light and disperse it evenly twelve hours a day. It begins to dim at 10 hours and goes very dark at twelve hours, but still allows some soft light. It’s our version of night and day.”

“So there are thousands of tiny robots in the ground?” Alex asked.

Kara nodded. “Yes. They do more than just produce solar radiation. They also manage the soil moisture, fertilization, grass, flowers… they know what areas to stay away from at certain times. For instance, when the produce is picked the robots… ‘scram’, I guess you could say, and move on to other tasks. They are probably one of my favorite creations. You could think of them like bug-sized Kelex’s that handle our soil and light.”

“And you made these?” Alex asked, not sure why she was really surprised. “Of course you did… wait… are those birds?!”

Kara looked up at the sky and saw her Remnas flying above them.

“Yes, we had a version on Krypton but those were hairless, featherless and much larger. They also had very sharp teeth. I engineered these to be warm, friendly and herbivores. They like their fur to be ruffled.”

“Oh.” Alex said, not sure how to take furry birds.

“They also taste good.” Kara went on to explain. “We have land on the far eighteenth quadrant where our stock is grown for meat. I have a special division of scientists dedicated to that along with the Agriculture Guild. The produce gardens are there as well. I will show you those one day, but they are not much different than the farms of Earth, simply different vegetables and animals.

“I see an open transport. Let’s go to the city’s center.” Kara told her, pulling Alex into an open floating craft on the sidewalk. It reminded Alex of a convertible without wheels, but she saw no power source or evidence of fuel.

“Is this your car? They all look the same… and they are all going slow.”

“We can’t be too fast.” Kara replied, “Wouldn’t want to hit children and we don’t want to fly over children… safety protocols and all. They are designed to stop when any object is within 20 feet of them from the ground to fifty feet up.”

Alex began noticing more details of the city. Children played on streets, the slow moving transports wove in and out, trying to stay on a path but avoiding pedestrians who walked in the middle of the crystal-like streets without worry.

“Argo City has many of these vehicles. When one is available, if you are traveling somewhere too far to walk you enter one, give a destination and it will take you there. They are like cabs without the horrible smell, sticky floors and grumpy drivers.”

Kara gave the vehicle a destination and Alex relaxed in the incredibly comfortable seat. A flash of green caught her eye and she looked upward. In the dark of space, outside of Argo’s protective shield, she saw two Green Lanterns flying in an orderly pattern above the city.

“I believe they take shifts.” Kara explained, noticing the direction her friend was looking. “It must be so boring for them. I know many of them are staying on the Nightwing and Flamebird then patrolling on alternating schedules. They should make the citizens feel safer.”

Her eyes seem to lose focus as she smiled and said, “You should see Oa, Alex. On arrival, hundreds of Green Lanterns stand by the gate with their arms raised, rings emitting glowing beams reaching high into the atmosphere. It is a beautiful sight.”

“We are almost to the park. You would call it a ‘central park’… it’s our city center.” Kara told her.

Throughout the ride, Alex had marveled at the homes, the dwellings that appeared to be shopping centers, the produce stands where citizens were given groceries and sent on their way with no monetary exchange. The one story dwellings were of different sizes, but all seemed to be made of some material resembling quartz of different shades.

While Alex was still trying to take everything in, the ride stopped. Alex slowly stepped out with Kara and saw a sight that left her speechless.

While the rest of the city looked like an advanced sci-fi village, the park was a shining jewel at its center. The area was larger than she would have expected, filled with open, grassy areas where glittering sculptures and floating fountains were spread evenly throughout. Amongst these varied works of art were vendors and artists, each offering their wares and services to their fellow citizens.

Kelexes roamed around, children played games with floating balls, some adults walked the park talking while others sat against trees with leaves of a color and texture Alex had never observed before. Even the wood of the tree trunks seemed different, smoother, with a blueish tint to the bark. Hundreds of people were present but despite that, it seemed peaceful. The air was clean, not a hint of pollution and the smells of the food from the bakeries and eateries were heavenly.

Kara walked past the trees, avoided children playing and citizens reclined on the grass reading from holopads and entered a large, Stonehenge-like monument at the center of the park.

“Oh. My. God.” Alex whispered, seeing a wonder of sculpture and architecture combined rising up from the monument’s center.

Kara giggled. “I think Argo City is to my God’s credit but if you ever want to invite yours, Rao is always welcoming.”

Before them stood a magnificent, fifteen-foot crystal statue. Despite the crystalline appearance, it was obvious who the man depicted was… if not from the hologram Alex had seen in the lab, then by the House of El symbol on his chest.

“Zor El.” Alex whispered. She then turned to a large globe of the same type of material off to the side, a sculpture of a planet that seemed to float above the ground. Below it was a granite-like rock where two words were inscribed in Kryptonian letters Alex didn’t recognize.

“What does that say? Under the… is that even a… it’s floating. How is that big thing floating… that’s Krypton right?” Alex asked.

Kara nodded, moving to the smooth rock base under the floating globe and ran her hand over the letters.

“It says ‘ Krypton Lives’ ” Kara told her friend. “As long as Kryptonians live, Krypton will never die. Our sacred ground will join with another planet soon and we will claim that as our own. Rao will inhabit the sun and we will feel his warmth on our bodies once again and not just in our souls. I long for that day. He is still with us though, lighting our path though we cannot see him.”

Alex shook her head and smiled. “I never imagined the greatest scientist in the Universe would be so deeply religious… it’s beautiful. Most scientists on Earth that I know don’t consider religion a priority or even believe in anything other than science. I guess I would be one of the former.”

Kara shook her head and sighed. “Only a fool thinks that everything can be explained by science, only believing in what we can see and touch. I consider what you would call ‘magic’ on Earth to be an interdimensional force humans have stumbled upon but cannot understand or quantify yet. However, there is the possibility that it is exactly what humans claim. It might just be magic.

“For example, just because I cannot measure my soul does not mean I do not have one. There are things that cannot be explained, things that we don’t need to see to believe.

“I feel Rao in me. I feel him guiding my journey through life. Sometimes when I am having difficulty with a problem, I swear I can feel my Father’s arms around me. It is no coincidence I arrived on Earth days before Brainiac targeted the planet. It is Rao’s will that I be there. It is why I know I will succeed.”

Alex patted Kara’s back. “I’ve got my money on you, too.”

Kara smiled back at Alex. “Thanks, but Rao has also given me an advantage. Brainiac has no god and he has no friends. He does not understand life, he only studies it. I have friends to stand beside me and I have lived life… through the most joyous times and the most painful.”

She reached out and hooked her arm through Alex’s, playfully nudging her slightly distracted friend. “Come, I must show you the most beautiful place in Argo City.”

Alex let herself be pulled away by Kara who was moving at a brisker place. They came to the edge of the park and Alex nearly lost her breath for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

Though all the structures of Argo City were one story, this building was an exception. It rose above them all, at least six stories in height and solid white, a red sun carved into the top tier with sunbeams reaching out to carved images of children below.

“Welcome to the Temple of Rao.” Kara told her. “The Council Hall is the circular building to the right and beyond that, a block away, is our home. Come inside the temple with me. It shouldn’t be too crowded this time of day.”

Alex and Kara walked to the large door that seemingly disappeared when they approached it and reappeared when they entered the large cathedral.

The room was huge, only a slightly elevated platform at the front, no alters or podiums. Unlike a church on Earth, the floor was empty of any seats, but several people were on the floor, their faces looking at the ceiling, arms lay on their crossed legs. Alex recognized the pose from Kara’s episode in Watchtower when she began praying to Rao for wisdom.

The ceiling of the temple was amazing, a sun in the middle, constellations surrounding it, men and women, even some with wings like angels, covered the tall ceiling. Like so much of what she had seen and experienced in Argo City, the temple was simply breathtaking.

The walls on either side of her were covered in what Alex recognized to be the crests of various houses.

“Why are those crests inscribed in the wall? There are thousands of them.” Alex asked.

Kara smiled sadly. “Those are the Houses that have gone into Rao’s light. They are remembered and honored here. Every year on the date of Krypton’s destruction, all citizens gather together in the temple or outside of it in the park. The names of the Houses who have joined Rao are read. We give thanks to Rao for bringing them into His light. One representative from each remaining House will speak the name of a House gone into Rao’s light until all the Houses have been spoken for. It can take 24 hours or more. I did it last year for our family. I believe my Aunt will do it this year.”

Tears welled up in Alex’s eyes, taking in the thousands of symbols on the walls, knowing that each house had many members, the death toll adding up to an unimaginable number.

“There are also walls behind the temple. There wasn’t enough room to place them all inside.” Kara explained, a somber tone to her voice.

Alex took a deep breath and turned around, taking it all in. In the back right corner of the immense room, she was disturbed by something she observed.

“Kara.” Alex whispered.

“Yes?”

“Do your people think you are dead?”

Kara’s eyes immediately met Alex’s in confusion and consternation. “I hope not.”

“Then why is there a hologram of you over there with thousands of sparkling rocks at your feet and a woman kneeling in front of it.” Alex asked, concern in her tone.

Kara turned quickly and pulled her hood lower than before on her forehead, though her hair and eyes made her unrecognizable. She began walking toward the very life-like hologram of herself. The woman kneeling in front of it added a small glowing blue pebble to the large pile of pebbles situated at the hologram’s feet.

“They are praying to Rao for my safe return.” Kara admitted, shaking her head in frustration and a bit embarrassed. “The glowing rocks are an offering to Rao, a symbol of their light for mine. I can’t believe she did this.”

“Who?” Alex asked.

“Rir Di Gall, High Priestess and Head of the Religious Guild. She is on the Council and I suspect she was not happy about me staying on Earth. I have no doubt she is one who voted for Krypton to abandon Earth. She is a good woman, devoted to Rao and Kryptonians above all else, but… this is taking it too far.” Waving her hand toward the top of the hologram in annoyance, she said, “The letters above my head? They say, ‘ Kara Zor El, Hand of Rao’ . It’s a ridiculous title and has only been used in whispered conversation over the years. She is propagating this myth now.”

Alex heard the frustration in Kara’s voice. “Aren’t you though? Doesn’t Rao work through you, providing life?”

Kara laughed quietly. “I am what my people and Rao need me to be, but I am still just a person. Right now, your people need us on Earth to finish this orbital defense. I may be called ‘Rao’s Hand’ but we, Alex Danvers, are about to become his fist.”

With one last look at the hologram, she sighed and motioned for Alex to follow. “We should go to my home.”

Kara and Alex moved past the Council building, continuing on to Kara’s house.

“I wish we had time to go into the Council building.” Alex said. “I could spend a month or more exploring this city.”

Kara nodded in agreement. “I wish you could have seen it before Krypton’s destruction. The compounds were huge and rose several stories over the streets. Although… I think I like it better this way.”

“We will have to go behind the house, open a gate and sneak in.” Kara told her. “No one should be around this time of day.”

Once they reached the house, Kara saw a group of children standing in front of the residence, almost as if they were daring each other to knock on the door. She stopped when she heard her name and feared she was recognized before she heard what the children were saying. There were two boys and a girl, perhaps ten or eleven years old, the girl was speaking with the most confidence.

“ Father said I could go to her science academy. She will be teaching us, and I will know everything she knows. One day, I will be as intelligent as she is. ” the little girl proclaimed.

One of the boys laughed. “ She won’t teach you. It will be one of her scientist. My uncle is a scientist and he told my Father that Kara Zor El never lets them discover or work on anything important. They are just her assistants. “

The other little boy nodded his head. “ I heard that too. Kara Zor El does not talk to others. She is an angel from Rao. Priestess Dial told us that, but everybody knows it. I heard she left Argo City and that she and another member of the House of El are fighting a monster on some planet called Earth. It’s said that fire comes from her eyes and she can fly. A cousin of mine is a soldier on the Flamebird. He saw her do it! “

The girl shook her head. “ Kara Zor El does have one friend… Thora, the dress maker. “

The little boys laughed. “ She isn’t her friend. She didn’t even know Lady Kara was gone from Argo City until the Council was informed. I heard she just makes dresses for Lady Kara and that the High Councilor approved her when she was a girl to talk to Lady Kara. Do you think Thora is allowed to be near her besides giving her dresses?

“ Priestess Dial said we aren’t allowed to speak to Lady Kara or look at her for too long. She cannot be distracted. She has guards everywhere that don’t allow people near her. It’s a sin against Rao if someone were to touch her. Once, she walked into the gardens and a guard told my mother we had to leave. Mother told me it was because she was an angel and we weren’t allowed to look at her for long. “

“ Lady Kara made the animals. She made the birds, too. ” the little girl agreed. “ My Father said Argo City would have died long ago if not for her. She is going to build our new planet and I am going to help. When I graduate from her academy… “

“ You’ll what? She is the ‘Hand of Rao’. ” one of the boys pointed out. “ She doesn’t need any help. She never does. She fights monsters and fire comes from her eyes and she can fly. Does that sound like someone who needs help? I’m going to be a soldier like her Aunt and Uncle. I heard her mate is a soldier too. Maybe some soldiers are allowed to talk to her. One day, I will meet her. “

The other boy shook his head. “ No you won’t, only a chosen few meet the ‘Hand of Rao’. Good luck getting past her guards, soldier. “

Since Alex couldn’t understand the conversation, she had stopped paying attention to the kids and was watching Kara instead. She saw her sunny companion lose her smile when she began listening and now had what could only be considered a crestfallen expression and watery eyes.

“Kara?” Alex whispered. “Are you okay?”

Kara shook her head then turned to Alex and quietly asked, “Are you my friend, Alex?”

Alex was surprised by the question but answered without hesitation. “Of course, I am… I mean, even though we haven’t known each other that long, I really like spending time with you, talking with you… so yeah, I’d consider us friends.”

Kara nodded her head slightly, the frown on her face not leaving. “Would you still be my friend if you didn’t know what I could do? If you didn’t know who I am? Would you be my friend because you like me, just for me? Please be honest.”

Alex placed both hands on the girl’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Kara, I really don’t care what you can do. I just told you that I enjoy spending time with you… and I mean that. I wouldn’t be hanging out with an asshole no matter how smart she was… or that she had her own spaceship. I honestly don’t know if I have ever met anyone kinder or more selfless than you.

“I like the you who feels sadness over the homeless, tries to surf poorly, eats nachos like they are the greatest thing in the universe and the you that was crazy enough to fly through an asteroid belt faster and risked her life for a dream. The smart part of you is kind of annoying to be honest, but I’m a big enough person to admit that’s mostly due to jealousy… which I can get over… eventually.

“But more than anything, I like seeing you have fun, enjoying new experiences, living and loving life… not walking around your imaginary lab and pulling your hair out because you can’t solve a problem.”

Kara smiled a bit and placed her hands over Alex’s. “Thank you. You are one of the kindest people I have ever met as well. I consider you my friend. That means so much to me.

“Everyone in this city knows who I am, but no one knows me, and I want to change that… I want to be a person to them. I’m just not sure if it’s too late. Kell sees the real me now but perhaps that is because Rao chose us to be mates… but the rest of my people… they think I am something I am not.”

From watching Kara’s demeanor as the children spoke, Alex had a suspicion as to what the conversation was concerning, but now she knew for sure. “When you return for good, walk among them. Play games with the children, talk to the adults in the street… let them in… and show them who you really are. Once they truly see you, they will understand… you will become real to them, not some untouchable deity.”

“Are you sure?” the dejected Kryptonian asked.

Alex nodded her head. “I can understand them, your people. I was intimidated by you at first and as I said, a bit jealous. All these powers you had and… I’m used to being the smartest person in any room I enter. It became clear to me when I met you, that wasn’t the case. Still, the more I got to know you, not the superhero or the twelfth level intellect, just you… Kara… you became my friend.”

Seeing Kara’s small smile, Alex continued with a smirk. “But… you became a legend in my mind when you threatened to shove a Green Lantern’s power ring up her ass… that’s the kind of people I like to be around and spend time with. You are many things, Kara, but never doubt that you’re my friend.”

Kara smile grew and she pulled Alex into a tight hug. After about ten seconds, she finally let Alex loose and walked up to the little girl and the two boys.

“ Hello, what is your name?” Kara asked the little girl.

The three looked at the woman with red hair and green eyes nervously. They had been staring at the Hand of Rao’ s home.

“ We didn’t mean to stay. Lady Kara is away, and we just thought…” the girl started.

Kara held up her hand. “ What is your name, Little One ?” she asked again, kindness in her voice.

“ Fin Ra Su, ” the girl answered nervously.

“ I overheard some of your conversation and wondered… why do you want to be a scientist?”

“ Because I want to be like Lady Kara.”

“ Is that the only reason you feel drawn to science? Kara asked her.

The little girl shook her head. “ I want to know how to make life like she does. I want to study the stars, to help our new home grow. I want to be a part of something important. She can show me the secrets of the Universe. I heard she can make space bend to her will, draw on the power of the stars and I want to do that. I think I’d be good at it. My Mother and Father say I am very smart.

“ I… I dug up a microbot from the soil once… but I put it back! I just wanted to see how it worked. I made one in my room. It isn’t as advanced, but it works. I keep it in a jar with water and programmed it to freeze and heat the water whenever I activate it for a specific protocol.

“ There are stories that when Lady Kara was a little girl, she could change the color of flower petals. I’ve tried… I almost had it, but I didn’t have the right chemicals. If I had a lab, I know I could have done it. If I get into the Science Academy, I will have access to the items I need… I can make anything I want beautiful.”

Kara smiled and reached out her hand to touch the girl’s cheek. “ Can Rao be explained by science ?”

The little girl shook her head. “ Rao is our god. Proof is not needed. He just is and always has been .”

Kara grinned at the child, satisfied with her answer. “ I have a good feeling about you. Rao will guide you where you belong. I think your path and Lady Kara’s may cross soon. “

“ Really ?” the girl asked, the shock clear on her face.

Kara nodded her head. “ Yes. You could even be Head of the Science Guild someday. Anything is possible. Run along and play. I see great things for your future. “

Kara and Alex watched the children run off to the park, the little girl’s face was beaming, and the boys were trying to get her attention.

“Whatever you said, just made her day.” Alex remarked.

Kara shrugged her shoulders. “Everything happens for a reason. I don’t believe in random occurrences. Let’s sneak into my home and change. I have a warship to show you.”