Bridges - Paradise City
by JoyfulTemplar
Prologue - A Thief in the Night
Kryptonopolis, 6 months prior to K-Day, Non's POV
"Go go go!" An explosion rocked the building ledge Non and his team was perched on. His helmet display lit up, showing him the path forward. Non didn't hesitate and jumped.
The nitrous scent of the dry Kryptonian spring air filtered through his helmet as he plunged past the ash and smoke. Lights of the buildings next to him flickered as explosions continued to rock the city. Non kicked his legs forward so that he was falling head first to the rapidly approaching ground.
"Intercept in three, two, one!" He called through their secure communications channel. At one, Non's arm snaked out and caught the speeder bike zooming past them at high speeds. The speeder shuddered at the added weight, as the knife in his hand dug into the metal circuitry and Non's momentum knocked the police rider into the low hanging cloth tent covers protecting the street from Rao's overpowering high noon radiation. The speeder bike sparked dangerously as five other bikes formed up in a V formation with him.
"The High Council building will be surrounded soon; we have to keep them off of the General's back as she takes the Council chamber. Quickly now, on my count! Stick to the plan!" He called again over the coms.
"Defend and distract, dismount in three, two …" Another explosion's blast range caught their formation and sent Non careening into the glass walls of the looming building. Blaster fire grazed his armor as a shower of glass rained down in the Lower Council chamber. People screamed as the power flickered and his team crashed forward with him.
Punch-drunk from the explosion, Non gasped from where he fell on the floor.
"Surrender!" a lone guard leveled a blaster gun at Non's exposed face where the explosion had cracked his helmet. Gasping for breath, Non glared at the boy in front of him, who was practically shaking in his boots.
With a sickening crack the boy slumped to the ground and the gathered officials began to scream again as his youngest team member dropped the heavy piece of pipe she just bashed across the guard's head. Kara.
"Lieutenant General, we have to move!" Kara called, her voice heavily altered by the voice chip in her helmet. Non removed the remains of his own helmet and drew himself up to his full height.
"Sir, we have to hurry before the reinforcements get here!" another of his team shouted as if he couldn't hear himself over the wailing alarms. Non took Kara's hand and lifted himself up as the red sunset light in the chamber shifted into an unnatural sickly green.
"Too late," came a deadly furious voice behind them.
Non turned, shoving Kara behind him facing the floating Green Lantern. She hovered just inside the building, a backdrop of chaos behind her. She was wearing broken pieces of glowing green armor and was dripping blood from tears in her suit. A full squad of dust covered police stood behind her, their weapons drawn and aimed at the members of his squad.
"Join us, Rena! Revolution is amoung us! It's not too late for Krypton!" Non tried to convince her.
Rena was a long time friend of his wife's - she had stood among them at his wedding, had supported Astra's advancement through the military ranks. He had to try. Having a Green Lantern on their side would only further legitimize their coup.
"What have you done, Non?" The fury in Rena's voice faded, bleeding into sorrow.
"We're doing what the Supreme and the Council fails to do! We're taking back our planet!" Non answered. "Join us or die with the rest." His solarium sword flared to life in his off hand. The glow surrounding the Green Lantern brightened as a large green light-mallet formed in the air and began to sweep toward him.
"Traitor!" he called. That's right Rena, eyes on me. Everyone watch my ascension. Non dodged the deadly blow and raced toward the Lantern. The Lantern's police reinforcements began to fire, trying in vain to repel the insurgents' occupation of the Council building. The Lower Council members were still sheltering behind the far rails of the chamber, completely trapped.
His sword caught the glowing green armor and sliced through it, the yellow light of his sword helping to neutralize the power ring's advantage over him. Blood splattered across his face from where he landed a lucky strike at the vulnerable tissue where the shoulder met the neck. The mallet caught him unawares while he exited his swing and sent him flying into a large support pillar. That cracked a few ribs, he thought.
A bright light blinded him for a moment, Rena towering over him power ring out stretched, her other arm clutching her badly bleeding wound. Before Rena could say anything an explosion rocked the room and the support beam Non had weakened careened dangerously into a group of civilians.
"No!"
It all happened in an instant. One moment Rena was before him, the next she was shoving a young council member out of the way of the collapsing pillar, sealing her fate.
The dust settled, the eery green glow that normally accompanied the Green Lantern faded as Non limped to the fallen pillar. An unnatural silence filled the room.
Then a feminine groan alerted him that she was still alive, Kara rushing to her side trying in vain to lift the pillar off the woman.
"Idai," he said, trying not to spook his niece who at this point was babbling nonsense to the injured woman.
"...we'll get you out, you'll be fine and Aunt Astra will take care of you..." Non could tell by the disjointed way the mechanical voice changer in Kara's helmet sounded that his niece was crying.
"Kara, stop," he commanded. Kara's armored hand clutched Rena's untrapped arm, her power ring crushed beneath the pillar. Non approached, his sword dragging beside him.
"Non." Rena choked, blood dribbling down her chin, her eyes the only thing left that was glowing in Green Light.
"You brought the girl into this. Just when I thought you could sink no lower," she whispered painfully. Non peered down at her.
"My niece is a good soldier; she understands that this is for the Glory of Krypton."
"Uncle please, she needs a hospital!" Kara cried, and Non felt his face tighten into a severe expression.
"A Green Lantern is a powerful enemy, Kara. She is in pain..."
"Please Uncle! Spare her!" Kara cried throwing herself in between them. Non grabbed her by the back of her armor and hauled her off the fallen woman.
"Listen carefully, Kara. Sometimes, death is the greatest mercy."
"Uncle," Kara whimpered, her hands struggling against his tight grip. Rena looked resigned and stared into his eyes.
"May Rao forgive you, Non of Krypton," she murmured.
"May we see each other again in Rao's Light, Rena Tor-Van." Non stabbed downwards into the woman's chest, killing her instantly. The glowing green light immediately faded from her eyes.
Earth, Downtown National City, Kara's Apartment Building, past Midnight
Non knew his wayward niece would never forgive him for killing Rena. She had become very attached to the Green Lantern after the investigation into her cousin's death. Kara's attachments always tended to hold her back.
Non sighed deeply as he hauled the squirming box through his niece's apartment window. The place smelled fresh like the rooms of the El fortress. The only light on was the dim glow of a reading lamp from the bedroom down the hall. Non paused and listened, just to make sure.
Nothing stirred.
Satisfied, he rose from the ground until he was close to the ceiling. Lifting the box over his head, he placed it on the ceiling. The box locked into place with a few flashing light sequences before going into camouflage mode. Floating back down to the ground, Non made his way into the bedroom.
He paused for a moment to stare at the painting on the wall, startled at the intimacy of the dancing figures in matching Kryptonian formal wear. So they are bonded. Astra was right. Non felt the stirrings of pity for the human woman - once Kara was gone she would surely succumb to the depth of her grief. It was better this way, he reminded himself.
Entering the bathroom, he found his prize. Non checked to make sure the hair in the brush was long and blonde before taking a few strands from it. He quickly returned to the almost unnoticeable box and placed the hairs in front of the sensor. The subtle laser fire sampled the genetic blueprint and flashed green, ready to be activated. Satisfied with his work, Non left the apartment as silently as he entered, flying high into the night sky.
For you my niece, I offer you the sweetest death. This is my greatest mercy.
END PROLOGUE
Author's Note: Writing Non's POV was an interesting experiment. His whole thought process is a little twisted but he truly believes this is the best thing he could do for his family. Next we'll see what Kara and Alex have been up to since the events of People Gonna Talk. You can check for additional content and story updates on my tumblr at bridges. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review it helps me write and update faster. Thanks for reading! - JT