"/ .,rao, khehth , pahdh sokaoewushodh w gehd/" Kara muttered as she reached up, rubbing her head. "/ .sem :dhehrivodh/" She slowly forced herself up into a sitting position. "/ ?tafadahzh rrehd w khap/"

"You were struck by a modified TOW Missile fitted with a Nth Metal projectile," Kolex said.

"/ .zha ulahdho/" Kara said, clutching her head. She winced slightly at a pinching feeling in her neck, but almost instantly the pounding went away. "/ .:divilusi ,rao, w rraop osh/"

"You're awake," Alex said.

Kara turned her head towards the sound, smiling weakly as she saw Alex standing in the door to the medlab. "I wish I wasn't," she said. "Wait," she said, as what Kolex said started to sink in. "I got shot with an anti-tank missile?"

"No," Alex said as she walked towards Kara. "You got shot in the head with a magic anti-Kryptonian missile."

"I'd pretend I was shocked, but the way this week has been going, I'm more surprised I'm alive than anything."

"You can thank Zatanna for that," Alex said. "Her wards are the only thing that kept the Nth Metal from taking your head off."

"Oh," Kara said. "Well, remind me to introduce her to Kate Kane then."

"Bruce Wayne's cousin?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Kara said.

"Well, aren't you just a one-woman match making service," Alex said.

"I don't see you complaining," Kara said, grinning.

"I wouldn't be, if I'd seen my girlfriend in the last two days."

"Two days? But… How long was I out?" Kara asked.

"Let's see," Alex said. "You got shot around 2:00 PM Friday afternoon, and it's about eleven AM on Sunday, so about forty-five hours."

"Oh, crap," Kara said. "Did you tell Cat I'm okay?"

"Yeah," Alex said, laying a hand on Kara's shoulder. "Winn is staying with her."

"Winn?" Kara asked.

"Yeah," Alex said. "Look, Kara, she didn't take what happened well at all. James said she had some sort of panic attack, and Winn was the only one who could calm her down."

"Help me up," Kara said, trying to lift herself off the bed.

"What? No! Kara, the regeneration matrix had to rebuild half your damn spine."

"I can't-" She didn't finish her sentence, because her arm gave out and she dropped back onto the bed.

"Look, Kara, Kolex says the light in here is helping feed your powers, but without the regeneration matrix, they would have taken months to restore the damage. You need a few more hours."

"/ !shisir/" Kara spat, slamming her hand down on the bed.

"Feel better?" Alex asked.

"No," Kara said.

"Then now's probably a good time to mention the hair," Alex said.

"What?" Kara said, as she reached up to check on her hair, most of which was missing. "Oh."

Alex gave her a sympathetic look. "Your hair got tangled up with molten Nth metal," she said. "Clark tried to melt it out, but he ended up trashing your hair, so I had Kolex cut it."

"Kolex, mirror protocol," Kara said, and a hologram of herself appeared in front of her. She reached up and made a small gesture which caused the hologram to rotate around. "I have a crew cut."

"Yeah," Alex said. "It's very 'Legend of Billy Jean'."

Kara sighed. "End mirror," she said, and leaned back. "I'm alive, so I can't complain too much."

Alex reached up, putting a hand on Kara's shoulder. "Everyone is out there looking for who did this," Alex said.

"Lillian Luthor, Sam Lane, and Simon Tycho did this," Kara said.

"You sound pretty sure of that," Alex said. "Did this happen before?"

"No," Kara said. "The first we heard of Cadmus in the other timeline was when Jim Harper showed up to investigate who knew about J'onn before the Red K incident."

"Right," Alex said. "That's when J'onn and I went on the run?"

"Yeah. You're a terrible fugitive, by the way. You ran straight home to Midvale."

Alex winced. "That does sound bad."

"Did you catch the shooter?" Kara asked.

Alex shook her head. "The shooter was long gone. They'd rigged the launched for radio control and strung a line of repeaters across the city. We've traced them to the industrial parks, but both Lord Technologies and TychoTech are in range of the last repeater in the string, and since we're now a legitimate law enforcement agency... Thanks for that... we can't do shit without a warrant."

"That doesn't make sense," Kara said. "We didn't announce the press conference until the last minute, and something like that would take hours to set up."

"Yeah," Alex said. "J'onn thinks we have a leak, but even with all the secrecy, we're not sure if we should be looking at CatCo, the President' s security detail, or the DEO."

Kara frowned as Alex's words tickled some memory in the back of her brain. Something to do with Lillian Luthor.

"Kolex, search the data archive. Key words Cadmus, security breach, traitor, double agent," Kara said.

"Working," Kolex said.

"Kara?" Alex asked.

"Cadmus was a long time ago," Kara said. "Ten years at least by my personal timeline. Some of the details are fuzzy, and there's almost five hundred zettabytes in the archive."

"Search complete. Twelve thousand, four hundred sixty-two primary incidents found."

"Oh, fuck me sideways," Kara muttered.

"Kara?" Alex asked, taking a small step back from the shock of hearing Kara actually curse in English.

Kara ignored her. "Kolex, exclude results from Earth Zero prime timeline."

"Search complete, one primary incident found, seven related reports. Reporting agents, Danvers, Alex; Schott, Winn; J'onzz, J'onn; Vasquez, Susan; Danvers, Kara; Copeland, Michael; McGill, Steven. Related incidents, Metallo, Kryptonite shipment Kilo Alpha Zulu one nine five."

"McGill," Kara said. "Alex, I completely forgot. I'm sorry."

"McGill? Agent McGill? He's the mole?" Alex asked.

"He's been working for Cadmus," Kara said. "A few months from now he would have diverted a Kryptonite shipment to them."

"And you forgot?" Alex said.

Kara shook her head. "It was like, a week after Myriad," Kara said. "The whole Metallo thing."

"Metallo? The cyborg with the Kryptonite heart? That Metallo?"

"Yeah. John Corben," Kara said, stopping when she saw all the color drain from Alex's face. "What?"

"John Corben is the man who tried to kill Maggie."

"Kolex," Kara said, "Get J'onn on the line!"

There was a moment of silence, before J'onn's voice filled the room. "Supergirl, how are you feeling?"

"Terrible, J'onn. Are any of the Kryptonians in the field?"

"Just Superman and your aunt."

"Pull them back!" Kara said. "Pull them back now!"

"Why?" J'onn asked.

"Just do it, sir," Alex said. "Code word, adult supervision."

"Understood!" J'onn said. The line was silent for a moment. "They are on their way back now, and we're on a private channel."

"J'onn, do you remember me describing Metallo?" Kara asked.

"Cyborg with a Kryptonite heart," J'onn asked. "Got blown up when Lillian tried to fuel him with synthetic Kryptonite."

"His real name was John Corben," Kara said. "Cadmus modified him after he was killed during a failed assassination attempt."

"John Corben? As in the man who tried to kill Agent Sawyer?" J'onn asked.

"Yes," Kara replied.

"You think Metallo is active?" J'onn asked.

"I don't know," Kara said. "It took almost a week for him to show up in the old timeline, and Corben's only been down two days."

"But it's still not worth the risk," J'onn said.

"Not until we have everyone outfitted with Kryptonite shields and war suits." Kara said.

"Are you sure you want to take that step?" J'onn asked.

"Yeah," Kara said. "And J'onn, there's one more thing. Agent McGill is working for Cadmus."

"You're sure?" J'onn asked.

"Yeah," Kara said. "In the other timeline he was stealing Kryptonite for Cadmus and led Alex into a trap so Lillian could try to recruit her."

"You're just telling me this now?"

"I know, J'onn," Kara said. "I'm sorry. For me, this was all more than a decade ago. There are things I just don't remember. I tried going through the old mission reports, but there are five-hundred zettabytes of data in the archive I brought with me. I've tried having Konex and Kolex go through it, but as good as they are at data analysis, they just aren't built for that kind of predictive intuition. If I don't tell them what I'm looking for, they're not going to point something like this out to me. The thing with McGill never stuck in my mind. It was minor at the time. Lillian Luthor murdered him before Cadmus was declared a rogue organization by the government, so they were still getting most of their intel by reading our reports. He was just diverting the odd shipment. By the time I even found out about it, he was dead, and I was too busy protecting Alex from a Cadmus goon squad to give it much thought."

"Understood. I'll take care of McGill, but we've got to find a way to start making that data work for us before something like this bites us in the ass again."

"I know," Kara said. "We need a better AI to process the data."

"What about the AI your mother sent along with you?" Alex said. "Could you hook that into the systems here?"

"Yes, but it's actually dumber than Konex and Kolex," Kara said. "Besides, I loved my mother, but I don't trust her. Even if I could take the imprint from the AI she sent along and lay it over a better AI substrate, we can't be sure it would be honest with us."

"Then what do you suggest?" J'onn asked.

"We need at least a tier nine AI," Kara said. "Ideally, I'd rip the computer core out of a Time Master's ship, but that would cause all sorts of problems."

"You can't just have Kolex build one?" Alex asked.

"Kryptonians hired Coluans for anything tier eight or above," Kara said. "The Sanctuary Sunstone doesn't have patterns in the fabrication matrix for anything higher than tier seven. Short of asking one of the Green Lanterns to pick something up the next time they are off world, which we will *not* be doing, I don't know any way we could get one. I only know of two systems with the level of processing power we need. The Gideon aboard the Waverider and the Gideon… Oh." Kara stopped. "Yeah. Yeah, that might actually work, and it would save me a lot of trouble later."

"Care to share with the class, Ms. Danvers?" J'onn said.

"I know where there's a level twelve AI. The person who owns it wouldn't let us have it, but I think I can convince him to let me pull a copy of the AI substrate, and do a detailed enough hardware scan that Kolex could build a copy of the hardware. Can you spare me, Alex and Maggie for a few hours?"

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this plan?" J'onn asked.

"Because it involves breaching to a parallel universe and asking someone who hasn't met me yet to borrow a computer he won't invent for ten years?"

"Yeah. That sounds like one of your plans. J'onzz out."

Kara looked at Alex. "You think he's upset?"

"Hard to tell with him."

Kara laughed and shook her head. "Kolex given you a tour of the place?"

"He offered," Alex said, "but I didn't want to get too far away from you."

Kara smiled and reached out, taking Alex's hand. "Still taking care of me?" she asked.

"Always," Alex said. "Next time, though, dodge the missile."

"I'll try," Kara said. "Kolex, get me a float chair."

"Yes, lady Kara."

"Kara, you need to stay in bed," Alex said.

"Even if I want to show you the armory?"

"Okay, but not one foot out of that chair young lady," Alex said.

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

Good news everybody. My head is harder than tank armor. (a)VickiVale (a)LoisLane any advice on getting bombs stains out of hair? #supergirllives

Vicki Vale (a)VickiVale 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl I feel so called out right now. I'm glad you're okay, sweetie. Try tea tree oil deep cleansing shampoo for the hair, unless (a)LoisLane has any ideas. #supergirllives

Lois Lane (a)LoisLane 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl Activated charcoal shampoo. It works miracles. #supergirllives

President Marsdin (a)POTUS 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl Welcome back, Supergirl. Glad to hear you're okay. #supergirllives

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)POTUS Thank you, President Marsdin. Back in action in a day or two. Just waiting for my tailor. #thesuitdidntmakeit #supergirllives

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl If you need a new suit, call me. I know people. #thesuitdidntmakeit #supergirllives

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant Thanks for the offer, but I've got it covered. I might need a recommendation for a good stylist though #thesuitdidntmakeit #supergirllives #thehairdidntmakeiteither

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl How bad is it? #supergirllives #thehairdidntmakeiteither

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant Invincible by Pat Benatar has been on loop since I woke up #supergirllives #thehairdidntmakeiteither

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl I'm afraid to ask how you know that movie #supergirllives #thehairdidntmakeiteither

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant I spent my teen years in the house with a Helen Slater fan #supergirllives #thehairdidntmakeiteither #patbenatarisawesome

Benatar and Giraldo (a)benatargiraldo 29 Nov 2015

(a) SupergirlZorEl Thank you, Sweetie! I'm flattered. Sorry about the hair. #supergirllives #thehairdidntmakeiteither #patbenatarisawesome

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant (a)benatargiraldo I'll get used to it. I've just never been butch before #supergirllives #thehairdidntmakeiteither #gonnaneedmoreflannel

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl If you show up wearing flannel, I will light it on fire

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant You'd really set me on fire?

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl No, I'd set the flannel on fire. You're fireproof, remember.

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant You're no fun. How am I supposed to be butch without flannel? #butchofsteel

Rachel Maddow (a)maddow 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl I can make some suggestions #butchofsteel

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)maddow Get your own Superhero. If (a)SupergirlZorEl wants a butch look, I have an entire fashion department that can help.

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)maddow Better not risk it. (a)CatGrant is the jealous type. She scares off all the girls.

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl Shouldn't you be saving kittens?

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant My hair dresser says no flying for at least 48 hours after taking a missile to the hair. The tailor says no flying without a suit. I think the tailor has a better argument, but the hair dresser is hotter.

Cat Grant (a)CatGrant 29 Nov 2015

(a)SupergirlZorEl That one wasn't funny

Supergirl (a)SupergirlZorEl 29 Nov 2015

(a)CatGrant let me have this one. Laughing and crying are my only options, and there aren't enough tears in the world.

Sara watched as Rip paced back and forth across the galley. The other five members of the team were perched around the room. Jax and Martin were sitting together next to her. Ray was sitting at another table, tinkering with a piece of the Atom suit, while Mick and Leonard stood together, leaning against the counter.

"So, walk me through this again," Rip said. "You have been experiencing trans-temporal memories for almost three years."

"Longer if you count the year I was dead," Sara said in an annoyed tone.

"And Gideon knew about it?" Rip said.

"I did," Gideon said.

"So, Sara can remember the future?" Jax asked.

"Or possibly an alternate timeline," Martin supplied helpfully.

"Except Sara has only been a time traveler for six months," Leonard said.

"Two years and six months," Ray said. "You forgot about the two years we got left in the fifties."

"I wish I could," Sara said, doing everything she could not to stare at Leonard, only half sure he was actually there, and wondering why no one else seemed to remember him dying to destroy the Oculus.

Of course, that was part of problem. Sara remembered it both ways. She remembered him dying to save his friend, and she remembered pulling a self-fusing binding clamp out of the small arsenal that came with her war suit and using it to fix the Oculus so it would blow up without them there.

"I don't get what the big deal is," Jax said. "This trans-temporal memory stuff just saved our asses in a big way."

"It's a big deal, Mr. Jackson, because it's almost unheard of for a time traveler to experience trans-temporal memory *before* they enter the temporal zone for the first time," Rip said. "But it's also relevant to our current dilemma."

"The only dilemma I see is that this is boring, and I'm hungry," Mick said.

Sara fingered the war suit cuff wrapped around her wrist, tracing over the geometric symbols that encircled the canary engraved into the metal. Symbols which spelled out the words /.:zhao zhindif w rrip i khehshtom/. Words which meant, 'I will always love you, my Captain' in a language Sara shouldn't know, but could not only read, but spoke with what she knew was a fairly thick accent. One she could remember being gently teased about as soft hands roamed her body in the night.

"Well, Mr. Rory, I'm more concerned with the fact that there has been an enormous change to the timeline," Rip said. "One so massive the temporal shockwave very nearly destroyed the Waverider."

"Have we made any progress on figuring out what the disruption to the timeline was?" Martin asked.

"Negative, Dr. Stein," Gideon said. "However, I have managed to locate the origin of the disruption."

"Excellent, Gideon," Rip said. "Set a course."

"There is a problem, Captain Hunter," Gideon replied.

"What is it?" Ray asked.

"The source of the disruption isn't located in this universe."

"What?" Jax and Ray both asked at the same moment.

"The disruption originated in a parallel universe."

"There are parallel universes?" Ray asked excitedly, which seemed in congruous, because Sara remembered them sitting in the same galley, having an argument over which universe had the best coffee.

"Unfortunately," Rip said. "Gideon, which universe?"

"Universe Thirty-Eight, I believe," Gideon said. "The specific source of the time aberration is difficult to pinpoint, but I believe it occurred sometime around November 30th, 2015."

"Well then, Gideon, set a course," Rip said.

Rip marched out of the galley and headed for the bridge, as everyone else stood up to follow him, but Sara lingered, rubbing the war suit cuff. She remembered things both ways. She remembered returning home to find that Damian Darhk had killed her sister and she remembered returning home and spending hours sitting on a couch, heaping abuse on the name of Oliver Queen after Laurel told her he had a son even before he and Laurel had started dating.

She didn't know what the time aberration was, but she knew that whatever happened, there was no way in hell she was letting Rip fix it.

Translated from the Kryptonian:

,rao, khehth , pahdh sokaoewushodh w gehd
Literal: Honored Rao please make it stop
Semantic: Dear God, please make it stop

sem :dhehrivodh
I want to die.

?tafadahzh rrehd w khap
What hit me?

zha ulahdho
Literal: no noise
Semantic: Shut up!

:divilusi ,rao, w rraop osh
Literal: May Rao shine light on/for you
Semantic: God bless you.

shisir!
God damn it!

.:zhao zhindif w rrip i khehshtom
I will always love you, my captain.