Alex weaved through grey corridors with absolute confidence and Lena ensured she remained on her heals. The cement walls and floor left no demarcation which could be used to navigate the maze of corridors unless you knew exactly where you were going. Lena couldn't help but be impressed and a little nervous. Impressed at the obvious forethought which had gone into the DEO's sub levels, and their potential to repel and confuse hostile individuals. Nervous, because on these lower levels of the DEO, Lena didn't want to consider the dangerous beings which could escape, and that these corridors were intended to keep such beings contained.
Alex didn't speak as she walked quickly to her destination and only gave militarily sharp nods of acknowledgment to any of the agents who greeted her with a mix of awe, fear and respect.
Eventually, they came to a nondescript door and Alex knocked with short, sharp precision.
"Come!" came the deep and growly voice of J'onn Jonzz.
Alex slipped into the office and Lena followed.
The office was the epitome of nondescript. There was tacky government issue furniture, a PC and stacks of papers seemingly besieging the dark figure at the centre of it all. The only personal features in the room seemed to be a pack of half eaten Oreos and a black mug of coffee which had been personalised with the obscure words, "Last but not alone," printed on the outside in dull green. Lena immediately recognised Kara's handwriting, whether in elegant penmanship or the feather strokes of her paintbrush. The words holding a deeper meaning between J'onn and Kara than many would ever truly grasp and which most others in this building who saw the mug would dismiss as nonsensical or some military motto.
Lena tried to not flinch when J'onn looked up at her. While Lena had no problem with Kara's 'space dad,' as she fondly called him, Lena could not help her subconscious tensing every time she saw the man in his Hank Henshaw form. His natural Martian form was much less intimidating to Lena than the form of a man who had kidnapped and threatened to kill her.
J'onn's usually passive face betrayed the smallest of tightenings around his eyes, the only outward sign of his surprise at being greeted by the united front of Alex Danvers and Lena Luthor in his very secret base.
J'onn leaned back in his seat and surveyed the two women before his eyes flicked deliberately from Lena to Alex.
"I assume there is a very good reason you are breaking protocol by bringing Miss Luthor here Agent Danvers?" His gravelly voice asked. The question hinted that if the answer to that question was in any way lacking then J'onn would be displeased in the extreme.
Alex straightened even more if possible. Lena always found the interactions between J'onn and Alex fascinating. Alex followed J'onn around like a baby duck…a baby duck that was dressed in tactical armour and carrying an M4.
Alex was always confident and cuttingly blunt, able to dissect and intimidate with a linguistic skill that rivalled Lena's own. Yet, around J'onn, Alex always seemed to be extra professional, as though even a hint of unprofessional behaviour or anything that could cause him to reprimand her would break the stoic agent.
"We need access to the Alura hologram sir." Alex said bluntly. Lena would have built up to the request but she supposed directness was Alex and her space father's methodology.
The phrasing of the request as: "we" however, really caught J'onn and Lena off guard. Lena couldn't help but glance at Alex in shock as she stood stoically like her admittance of herself and Lena working on anything together wasn't a titanic shift.
"You know that Kara is the only person who can extract advanced technological schematics and information from the hologram and the DEO has agreed with her that humanity is not ready for the can of worms doing so could cause. Considering you knew that, what could you and Miss Luthor both want which the Alura program could give you without Kara's voice authorisation bypassing the higher levels of security?" J'onn asked, leaning further back in his chair and allowing true curiosity to steal over his normally stoic expression.
Lena couldn't stand quiet anymore, "Shouldn't you know that already ?" She asked with dry sarcasm.
Alex swivelled to glare at her and harshly grit out between her teeth in a whisper which J'onn could obviously still hear, "I told you to let me do the talking!"
J'onn looked almost amused by Lena's barb and a small smile overtook his face as he looked at Lena like she was a suspect who had said something particularly funny.
"I try not to invade the minds of those around me Miss Luthor, unless there is a specific need related to safety and security or if I am directly given permission to do so. Humans are surprisingly sensitive about their mental privacy," J'onn dryly answered.
In a rare show of embarrassment Lena could feel her cheeks heating at the subtle reprimand. She had essentially insulted J'onn who had been nothing but quietly supportive of her relationship with Kara.
"Oh, uh..My apologies," Lena nervously began to try and apologise. Another thing she was unused to doing.
Alex, thank the gods, cut her off with another blunt bombshell. "Little Luthor needs information on Kryptonian weddings. She thinks it may offer an insight into why Kara has been delaying picking a wedding dress."
J'onn's joviality slid off him like water and he sat forward with utmost seriousness and a small frown returned to his brows.
Lena panicked thinking that J'onn was about to shut down the idea as a frivolous misuse of a piece of advanced technology.
"It's more than that. Kara has lost so much and I have been driving this wedding with such a focus on how we humans do it, I had completely overlooked that Kara might have had other dreams for her own wedding. I don't know anything about Kryptonian wedding customs, their vows, what they wear…anything. I want this to be a day that Kara feels is hers, not just something she is going along with for me. I never really dreamt of weddings as a child, or even thought I would get married. I am a Luthor, we were taught love was a weakness. Kara obviously has dreamed of her wedding though and I want to make this wedding something she loves. I don't care about the ceremony, only that I have Kara and if making it more Kryptonian makes it mean more to her, makes it more like what she dreamed of as a child…then that's what I want. Please, I need to speak with Alura!"
Lena's words flowed in a mad rush from her, her tone verging on begging. Luthor's didn't beg though. Hell, who was she kidding? For Kara, she would beg.
J'onn's burgeoning frown had frozen and transformed into a softer look which Lena couldn't really judge, but looked suspiciously like indulgent care.
"I wasn't going to refuse outright Miss Luthor. I am just unsure if the Alura program will answer to about something so sacred to their culture. Kara has ordered the Alura hologram to answer any query short of technological advancement that is not immediately necessary for Kara's well being which Alex and I ask of it. That may not be enough though for questions about the marriage ceremony. Some of the religious information of Krypton are still held sacred and are protected against non Kryptonians. This level of protection for the sacred is despite Kryptonians being a scientific society, who we would objectively believe would not care about such religious things. That was a brick wall we already ran into when we encountered the World killers and their cult. The Alura hologram has confusing limits on what it will provide information on."
Lena's brows furrowed. She had not considered that, was in fact shocked that the highly scientific race would place such protections on their matrimonial practices. It only went another step to proving how very important marriage vows and ceremonies must be to Kryptonians and therefore to Kara.
"We can still try though?" Alex asked with hesitant hope.
"You can. You know that I empathise with Kara's situation and this would make her happy. It is a great thing you seek to do Miss Luthor." J'onn said with the gravity of a magistrate passing judgement.
Lena couldn't repress her blush this time as she absorbed the acceptance of yet another person important to Kara. "Thank you," she said in relief, "and you must call me Lena."
J'onn offered an honest smile and for a moment Lena could see the kind Martian beneath the Henshaw form and her shoulders eased.
"Then you must call me J'onn. There may be another source of information in any case. Kryptonians were an ancient race who expanded out across the known Universe. They made contact with Green Martian society many years ago and even had a small diplomatic outpost on our world for a time before they retreated to their home planet during the closing centuries of their insular social shift. My father may know something, " J'onn said.
Lena's face scrunched in confusion, her mind trying futilely to make sense of what J'onn was saying. She knew of M'yrnn was a Martian holy man but she couldn't fathom how he could know anything of use.
"The Kryptonian retreat to their home world began over 1500 years ago, how could your father possibly know anything? His knowledge would be third of forth hand at best. I understand no records escaped the White Martian…purge." Lena asked hesitantly, aware J'onn was sensitive to any mention of his people's destruction.
Instead of closing down, J'onn smiled, "You forget I am an Alien Lena. My people age very differently to most other species because we are shapeshifters. Our bodies constantly break themselves down and reform so aging for a shapeshifter is a very different concept. Kryptonians under a red sun would live barely 180 earth years and be considered ancient. I am almost 400 earth years old and by green Martian standards I am still relatively young. A green Martian can live over 3000 years if they take care of themselves and as a holy man my father has lived a very good life. He met my mother and had me quite late in life by our standards and is 2400 years old."
Lena goggled and was pleased to see that Alex was similarly gobsmacked.
"So he might have first hand knowledge?" Alex asked in awe.
J'onn nodded as he stood and walked around his desk.
"Yes he might. My father was always curious about the faiths of those who visited us on Mars. I wold be surprised if he did not know something. I will ask him later. But first we will visit the Alura Hologram and see if it can offer us any first hand knowledge before we go bothering my father," J'onn said.
Without waiting for their consent or further questions to the bombshell he had dropped about Martian's ages, J'onn strode between the two women and into the labyrinth of grey halls. Alex spun to follow and Lena rushed after her.
The halls passed in a blur and Lena struggled to keep up with J'onn's quick military steps in her tall heels.
They came to a steal door which was located in a dead end corridor behind a blind corner. The door was obviously reinforced and had a hand and retinal scanner, as well as a keypad lock. The security was impressive, but considering the contents Lena wasn't surprised.
J'onn's right hand shimmered and turned green for a moment as he pressed it to the scanner and he keyed in a code which seemed to go on for almost a minute. The door let out a series of dull clunks and a hiss as it unlocked and began to swing open on powered hinges, revealing it to be at least 3 feet thick. A dim blue light spilt out across the floor.
J'onn simply stepped inside with a gruff "come."
Alex immediately went inside and skirted a raised blue octagonal platform. The striped concrete walls glowed a vivid blue and a set of crystals in the centre of the octagon on the floor matched a corresponding set on the ceiling. Alex came to a small console off to the side and lifted a long thin white crystal with obvious care and reverence.
"Are you ready?" Alex asked, looking to Lena and then J'onn.
J'onn nodded, "Yes. Lena, stand back. The hologram will not respond to a stranger which Kara has not keyed it to recognise. I will ask the questions you seek answered about Kryptonian wedding customs, but you must not speak. If you do, the hologram may believe you to be coercing me into asking it questions and will shut down as a security measure."
Lena nodded sharply. The disappointment that she would not be able to ask what she wanted tasted bitter on her tongue but she understood the necessity of it. If she had asked Kara to bring her then she would have had to admit why.
Lena stepped back and Alex inserted the crystal. There was a lyrical hum and then the room darkened. The blue lights becoming more intense before a beautiful brunette woman in a blue gown with clasped hands appeared before J'onn.
"J'onn Jonzz." The hologram spoke in a monotone. The image looked so life like but the voice showed it was nothing more than a sophisticated A.I mimicking a personality engram.
Lena couldn't help but examine the woman, seeing Kara in her cheekbones and the proud tilt of her chin.
"Hello Alura. I have a query regarding kryptonian marriages," J'onn said.
"zhyrin" Alura said in the lyrical accent that Kara used when she spoke in her native language.
The utterance of the word, which Lena assumed meant marriage, in an accent so like her Kara's made Lena suck in a soft gasp.
The small sound drew the hologram's attention and after briefly glancing at Lena the hologram blinked out of existence.
Lena immediately stumbled forward, "What happened? I didn't say anything!"
"It must have detected you and determined the unknown person being present while I was asking about something sacred to Kryptonian culture was suspicious." John growled out before softening when Alex cut in, "It should come out of lock down in 24 hours and we can try again, when…"
But Alex herself was cut off with a small gasp as the Alura hologram materialized again, but this time it did so facing Lena rather than J'onn.
"Lena Lutessa Luthor of House Luthor. You are the sworn of Kara Zor-El, last daughter of Krypton and Lady of the Ancient and Noble House of El." Alura's monotone voice stated with certainty. Her hands which before were neutrally clasped before her now appeared behind her back.
Lena stood frozen. The hologram recognised her. How was that possible?
J'onn sped over to the console by Alex. "What is going on? How does it know her?"
"I don't know!" Alex cried as she tried to pull crystals from the console.
Alura's form flickered out and appeared facing the console, "Security protocol Theta initiated. Inquiry of suitability of House matching takes precedence." Alura stated and a blue flickering force field sparked into life over the console shocking Alex away from the controls with a sharp squeak.
"Alura Zor-El, command override shutdown! Authorisation Kara Zor-El Space Dad 1" J'onn bit out.
Lena would have laughed at the silly authorisation code Kara had programmed for J'onn but she was too shocked.
"Denied! Theta protocol takes primacy by order of engram's progenitor" The hologram lazily stated before it flickered out of existence again and reappeared facing Lena with eyes that moments ago had seemed hollow but now appeared to spark as they measured her.
"Confirm identity," the Alura hologram commanded and Lena's inherent Luthor pride kicked in.
"I am Lena Luthor. Head of L-corp, only daughter of the Luthor bloodline and as far as it matters, the only Luthor left in good standing," Lena answered sharply, her jaw tight and voice proud.
Alex made a hand gesture to keep the hologram talking and J'onn was watching the interaction with undisguised wariness.
"You are the sworn intended of Kara Zor-el? You don not wear a betrothal cuff?" The hologram questioned, its eyes zeroing in on Lena's wrist.
Lena suddenly had the horrible realisation that her worth as a suitor for Kara was being judged by the hologram of Kara's long dead mother. They had somehow initiated some kind of latent programming. The personality matrix was far more complex than Lena…or anyone it seems, had thought. It was capable of seeking information and making judgements as well as offering information.
Lena was essentially meeting her future mother in law, and she thought meeting Eliza was nerve wracking.
"I am Kara's intended. I am human and so I wear an engagement ring, the human method of showing betrothal," Lena said as she flashed the modest diamond on her left ring finger which Kara had given her. She tilted her chin in challenge to Alura, proud of her humanity.
"Kara is unsure if you will accept the bracelet of Our House. It was one of only three personal items in her pod. Kara wore the necklace of her matriarchal line and unlike her blanket the cuff is hidden in a compartment only she can open inside her pod. Kara is unsure you will accept it. It is not….fashionable…by human standards." The hologram said, the blank face seeming to tighten.
Lena's eyes widened. The hologram's voice almost sounded like it had shifted from monotone to haughty annoyance as it uttered the alien word. This Theta protocol had infused the hologram with a much more dynamic personality and reactive component. If Lena was not seeing nd hearing it, she would have said it was impossible.
Lena's mind was tumbling over revelations which the hologram had made. Kara had a bracelet for her but was concerned Lena wouldn't wear it because of something as silly as fashion. Lena knows she can be quite snobbish about her labels and clothes but surely Kara knows she would be honoured to wear her bracelet. No matter what it looked like, it would be worth wearing just to please Kara. If seeing it on Lena's wrist would make Kara feel how Lena feels seeing Kara wearing the bracelet she gave her…well, just the thought makes Lena's chest feel warm.
It seemed by the wide eyes of J'onn and Alex, that they too were shocked. Lena knew the entire DEO had been over Kara's pod with a fine tooth comb and no one had ever even seen a hint of a hidden compartment.
Well, no one makes 'em like aliens it seems.
"I would be honoured to wear Kara's bracelet. She sometimes lacks confidence in her personal life. It is something we are working on," Lena answered hesitantly, unsure if the hologram could understand the sentiment.
The hologram nodded and before she could speak again Lena intervened. "How do you recognise me?"
The hologram returned in a bland tone, "An image of you was scanned into the system from a crude, and primitive telecommunication device that Kara brought here with a picture of you. Kara has spoken at great length about you and has added you to this holograms list of authorized users with unrestricted access."
Lena's eyebrows rose in shock at Kara's trust and a little offense at the idea of the advanced encrypted smartphone she had made for Kara being primitive.
The Alura hologram dismissed the question immediately and continued, "Do you consent to being examined for worthiness to bond with the Ancient and Noble House of El?"
Alex stepped forward and hissed, "No, don't! We don't know what that means…" but Lena ignored her. Lena had to know, whatever it took, and even if this was only a facsimile of Kara's mother, Lena needed to know if she was worthy.
"Yes," she said without hesitation.
The hologram seemed to freeze, the eyes flickering as though tabulating data and a blue light emanated from the crystals in the ceiling and began flickering over Lena. Lena froze in fear but when no pain came she turned with a raised hand to Alex and J'onn who were quickly running towards her.
"No don't. It doesn't hurt, let it do what it needs!" Lena commanded J'onn and Alex, her resolute tone freezing them in place.
After what felt like eternity, but was less than five minutes, the hologram unfroze and the blue light retreated.
"A full biological scan and examination of the terrestrial telecommunication networks of this planet have been completed," the program said.
Alex cursed loudly and violently off to the side, "That shouldn't be possible, the human body is far too complex to scan so quickly and the crystals shouldn't have that capability. When I examined them they only appeared to be audio visual emitters. And this room is a faraday cage, the system totally air-gapped, there is no way the system was able to scan the internet, especially not so quickly!"
J'onn merely grunted, "Kryptonians were thousands of years ahead of even Martian technology Alex, I have no doubt the hologram has done what it claims."
Lena was too busy absorbing the horror of what she had consented to. If Alura's hologram had searched the internet to judge her then she would be found lacking in the extreme. All the Luthors dirty laundry was online and the number of websites dedicated to the hatred of her family was staggering…what had she consented to?
"You have been judged," The Alura Hologram began, "Biologically, your genes show great potential. You are at the pinnacle of intellectual ability for your species and carry a statistically low number of inheritably non desirable genes, below the 5% threshold. You are in acceptable health for a female of your age and species. From our research and the parameters of this system it has been determined that the House of Luthor is a House of power and prominence. While some of your House have acted with dishonour, no individual member, no individual bloodline is judged by the failures of others, lest we would have been condemned by the actions of Astra. As the defacto leader of your house you have led with honour and integrity. There are many who would scorn you, yet The House of El knows that with great power comes jealousy and great enemies. As an adjudicator there were many who hated me. We note your determination in the face of adversity, a willingness to depend on others when necessary, works to help others with technology and your primitive society's currency system. You have rendered aid to the House of El, Danvers and J'onzz when needed. You, as a member of the House of Luthor are found to be an acceptable partner to be bound in marriage to Kara Zor El, last daughter of Krypton, and the Lady of House of El. So it is said, so it shall be. You will be El Mayarah."
Alex gasped.
Lena stood in silent shock. The only sound in the room was the lyrical hum of the hologram.
Lena swallowed through her dry throat and croaked, "Thank you?" Half question, half a whisper of awed surprise. She was worthy of Kara? Her? A Luthor? How?
Before Lena could get lost in her thoughts and a spiral of confused laments of her own unworthiness, the Alura hologram flickered back to the centre of the platform. The image of Alura returning to the relaxed stance of a woman with hands clasped casually in front of her.
"Theta protocol disengaged," Alura said in a monotone and the force field over the hologram crystal controls flickered out of existence. The hologram's eyes were once again hollow and shallow as they returned to Lena.
"You wished to ask about zhyrin?" The Alura hologram prompted in the cold computerised mimicry of a long dead mother.
Lena's head whipped back up to the hologram and the reason why she had come here returned to her.
"Tell me everything about Kryptonian marriage and wedding customs," Lena commanded.