TOMORROW'S ANCESTORS, PART 2

She knew it was a dream, but it didn't make it any less painful.

She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open in the pod. She was in nothing more than a white dress, watching her parent's wave goodbye to her as the city outside was in peril of the large skull ship baring over them. She tried to push against the glass but it wouldn't move. It had locked her in.

"We love you, Kara," her mother was crying, "remember us."

Like she could ever forget them. Her pod directed its angle up, and she was shot out of the building, into the sky as a large glass dome overcame her city. In another moment she was outside the atmosphere, watching the large ship suck the city up. And then it was gone, and as she flew off, Krypton exploded into a million pieces. She wanted to cry, but she was too tired. She slowly felt her eyes droop closed…


"No!"

Supergirl had not meant to call out, but at least it had woken her up. She found herself wrapped in thick wire in a tube made of kryptonite glass. It was a room inside some kind of ship, two of C.O.M.P.U.T.O – or rather, Brainiac's – robot soldiers, guarding the only exit as they watched over a small console of buttons.

"Brainiac…I can't face someone like that." She shut her eyes again. She knew how Querl Dox had felt. She had seen the power of Brainiac, and it scared her.


Light static echoed from the distance. Querl slowly opened his eyes. He was sitting on a thick metal throne, his arms and legs strapped down by cuffs. There were screens before him on a console, where he could see Imperiex taking on Kel-el and Saturn Girl back in New Metropolis. Between him and the screens stood a robotic figure.

"…And you?"

"That should be obvious," he turned to face Querl, "or have your human emotions clouded your judgment so much, that the obvious is beyond your organic comprehension?"

It was Brainiac, he knew it all too well, but his body had been transformed. He had a green head and chest, black arms and legs with orange circles on them. His face and hands were light purple, his Brainiac forehead sigil orange, and his eyes were now yellow and glowing.

"…So this is what you became when you merged with my technology."

"As you once told Superman, the Brainiac you knew no longer exists. I am the truth," he stepped towards Querl menacingly, "I am Brainiac 6."

"This doesn't make any sense," he was still sore as he tried to wrap his mind around everything, "I took out your main server. There should be nothing left. Why show up after all these years? What point was there waiting for me?"

"I may have your technology integrated into me, but it takes two minds to activate the digitization process. I have waited this long because I could not find you. That does not mean that our paths are not aligned."

"What are you talking about? I'm not a robot anymore…unless," his eyes widened, "technological metamorphosis."

"I have the tools to make you a god," Brainiac 6 replied, "you underestimate me. So long as there is technology, I will live. And soon, so will you."

He had taken a guess as to what "technological metamorphosis" meant when C.O.M.P.U.T.O had told him, and he was afraid that he was right. "You intend to turn me back into a robot."

"Once the final legionnaires have been dealt with. Watch with me, Querl Dox," Brainiac 6 turned back to the screens, "as the one thing that stands in our way comes crashing down before us."

"Even as a robot," Querl was so very tempted to spit on his ancestor, "I will never follow your orders."

"My only mistake the last time we met," the robot glanced back at him, a cold glare visible in his peering eyes, "was letting you keep your…humanity. I will not be making the same mistake twice."


"The Legion has made you soft, Kel-el!" Imperiex locked swords with the legionnaire as they pushed against each other, keeping them still. "Where is the bloodlust you once had for me?"

"You're not really here," Kel-el shoved him back, "the real Imperiex was destroyed years ago. Now you're nothing but a shell!"

Imperiex went to strike him again, but his mind became blocked with past memories. "Argh," he glanced at Saturn Girl who was by the side, her hands on her head, "this isn't your fight, telepath!"

"You challenged the entire Legion when you attacked our city," she firmly replied, " so you made this everyone's fight."

His chest cannon opened up and fired at her, sending her right into the arms of a soldier. It held her down against the ground and gave a shrill screech into her ears. "Your fight has been over for a while, Saturn Girl," C.O.M.P.U.T.O taunted her, "it is time to join your comrades."

The soldier over her took its other hand and formed it into a laser. It placed it against her head as it began to glow. Kel-el turned her way, only for Imperiex to pin him on the ground and hold him down with his foot. "She is only the first of many, Kel-el."


"Stop this, Brainiac," Querl couldn't look away as the computer screens zoomed in on Saturn Girl, about to be shot, "don't hurt her!"

Brainiac 6 didn't reply, silent as he watched the screens, backed turn to his ancestor.

"Listen to me, you don't have to involve them! Face me!"

"…Once we are connected, everyone will be involved," Brainiac finally turned to him, "until their time comes, and we download them into our programming. For eternity."

"You're obsessed with this idea of control that you seem to think I need to be a part of," Querl had nothing else but reasoning on his side, "but for once in your life, can't you admit that you're wrong? You can't keep order in the universe forever."

Brainiac 6 said nothing again, turning away to the screens. The robot soldier was done charging, and Querl could do nothing as it readied to fire down on Saturn Girl.

To start the nightmare all over again.

Dun-dun-DUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHH! Things are getting a little too hairy for the Legion's comforts now. Yeah, so we can all thank Brainiac...6 for the unwarranted invasion of New Metropolis. I mean, I'll be honest, he did sort of just show up in the second season of the show, and suddenly began taking over Brainy, thus stealing the spotlight from the main villain of the series that far...but he's also really cool and menacing, and Imperiex was still...you know, there, so...all's well that end well, right?

Until the next chapter!