"Brainy?"
Saturn girl knocked again on the hard metal door to Brainiac 5's room and waited. After a few moments she heard a loud crash from within, and then slowly the door opened.
Brainiac 5 stepped into the light rubbing his eyes and frowning. "Yes?" he asked irritably.
"I was just coming to check you were okay" Saturn girl said, "You weren't at this morning's briefing…"
Saturn girl watched as Brainy rubbed his eyes sleepily, "Is everything alright?"
"Everything is fine Saturn girl, no need to worry… I am just working on something important. Would you tell the others not to disturb me?" Brainy hinted, leaning against the doorframe, his eyes starting to close.
"Did you sleep okay last night Brainy? You look a little…" her voice trailed off, "Worn out"
"I'm fine" Brainy yawned, "Just remember to tell the others"
Saturn girl nodded, "Of course, but if you need anything..." She began to approach the door.
"No!" Brainy said quickly, slipping back into the room and closing the door until it was open only a small crack, "Just leave me alone. Please."
Brainy's eyes glowed slightly as he peered out from the darkness of the room at Saturn girl. She smiled sadly as she watched him disappear into the dark room and shut the door behind him.
Once Brainy had checked the door was firmly closed, he turned back to the machine behind him.
It was a large dome-like structure, with a small circular door in the centre and a glowing control panel beside it.
Brainy walked across the dark room and stepped into the dome. Once inside he moved over to a corner where the ceiling was uncompleted and began to weld the metal sheets so that they covered the network of wires underneath.
Once he had done that, he connected a few wires and turned on the power. The lighting lit up the inside the dome with dim ghostly blue light, which rippled across the silvery metal walls like waves of a calm ocean.
Brainy smiled to himself as he paused to watch the lights dance across the walls and ceiling. He placed a hand on the cold metal and watched as the wires in his fingers reshaped themselves from the welder into a normal hand. He then exited the dome, flexing his robotic fingers and began programming controls into the device.
"You think Brainy is depressed?" Lightning Lad sniggered at Saturn girl, who sat across from him in the Legion Headquarters canteen.
"Can't you see the signs?" Saturn girl said angrily, watching Lightning Lad stuff salad into his already full mouth. "He hasn't eaten in days, he hasn't slept and he hasn't even been out of his room! Not since…"
"Superman left" Lightning Lad nodded.
Saturn girl nodded too, "He must really miss him, they were good friends"
"I was good friends with Superman and I'm still eating" Lightning Lad replied, through a mouthful of spinach leaves.
Saturn girl sighed and watched as Phantom girl came over to join them.
"Hey" she said, sitting down beside Lightning Lad, "What are you two talking about over here on your own" She raised her eyebrows.
"It's nothing like that!" Lightning Lad laughed, "Saturn girl thinks Brainy is depressed!"
"Is just he hasn't been sleeping much and I haven't seen him much all week" Saturn girl cut in hurriedly.
Phantom girl nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I haven't seen him about the place much either. What do you think the problem is?"
"He's missing Superman" Lightning Lad answered, before taking another mouthful of salad.
"I'm worried about him" Saturn girl sighed, fiddling with her own food, "He can't work for the Legion if he isn't up to it. Maybe we should give him some sick leave or some thing."
"Or maybe he just needs something to take his mind of things" Phantom girl said, a smile spreading across her face, "And I know just the mission…"