Chapter Twelve: Mirror.

Kara flew at her demented double at the speed of light. Both of her fists cracked against Galatea's face. She pushed back and was knocked down onto the ground.

"You know, just admit it, I'm better and more evolved than you are," Galatea said. She slammed Kara down to the ground. The blonde's determination, both of them, were extremely scary. Kara pulled herself up to a standing position and hitched a breath.

"You know, no matter what I'll never stop fighting," Kara whispered. There was something harsh about her tone.

"And I'm proud of you for that, honey, I really am," Galatea commented. She wrapped her arms tightly around Kara's head and started to squeeze her. Kara struggled, gasping for air. It seemed no matter what, she couldn't get this tight grip out from around her head. "But, you got to admit, that I'm just a little bit stronger."

Clark rushed forward and grabbed Galatea, pulling her away from two handfuls of hair. She was hurled down to the ground.

"Oh, that's nice," Galatea said. "Kara, you really need to learn how to train your pets. Here let me show you."

She went at Clark with a flying kick. She flew at the speed of light at him. The very last second before she connected, Clark grabbed her leg. Clark whipped her hard down onto the ground and went for her.

He tried to nail a pressure point on the side of her neck. Galatea blocked it.

"Lara, teach you that one," Galatea commented. There was a condescending tone to her voice. She smiled and headbutted Kal in the ribs which doubled him over. "Don't worry, she taught me that as well, along with this one."

Galatea screamed when Kara nailed her from behind with heat vision. The blonde turned around and fired her heat vision back in kind.

"I don't break that easily," Galatea whispered. She closed her hand and opened it. She lifted it high in the air and sent a whirling punch down into Kara's chest.

Kara felt herself doubled over and the wind was completely knocked out of her body.

"I don't break that easily at all," Galatea commented, practically taunting Kara. There was a sinister look flashing through her eyes.

Clark grabbed Galatea by the hair from behind and pulled her through the entrance of the Fortress. Both of them crashed into the water through it.

Kara coughed. She shook her head.

"Raya, get the portal ready, Kal's in position, but we've got complications," Kara said.

Raya's nervous tone came through. "Exactly what complications."

"Well remember the one thing that wasn't supposed to happen?" Kara asked. She sighed. "Yeah that did, that really did."

"I was really afraid of that," Raya whispered.

Kara followed Clark towards the entrance. She didn't see her demented double anyway. The blonde took a deep breath and sighed.

"Clark?" Kara asked nervously. The extremely unsettling silence was unsettling.

Galatea smiled when she looked around the corner.

"You know, you shouldn't have followed me in the first place," Galatea commented.

She rushed Kara but Kara dodged the attack.

"What did you do with Clark?" Kara asked.

"Don't worry, I didn't kill him," Galatea commented. She lazily blocked all of Kara's attacks. It was almost like she saw Galatea's attacks coming before Galatea even delivered them. "I wouldn't have killed him, trust me on that."

"I find that hard to believe," Kara said through extremely gritted teeth. She aimed a punch at Galatea's head.

Galatea grabbed her arm and flipped over the back of her head. She sent a double knee strike to the back of Kara's head. She folded Kara's arm behind her back and pushed her down onto the ground.

"Sorry, you lose," Galatea whispered.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Raya turned up and held a glowing piece of Kryptonite in her hand. Galatea laughed at that.

"Well, that's the right idea, but it doesn't work that way because that particular flaw has been ironed out of my system," Galatea said. She grabbed Raya's hand and twisted it.

Raya dropped down to one knee and Galatea slammed him in the stomach. The blonde dropped down onto the ground.

Clark returned and grabbed Galatea around the back of the head. He tried to launch her over.

"Oh, you're going to send me back," Galatea said. There was a smug grin on her face. "Is that how you deal with all of your commitment issues?"

She used her heat vision to destroy the power supply to the Phantom Zone portal. There was an anguished scream from within the Fortress.

"Guess you're stuck with me," Galatea said. She brushed her fingers out of her hand.

Kara crawled forward and looked at her demented double. That plan was down the toilet and they had to find another way to deal with her.

"Guess you're going to have to kill me," Galatea said, and she kicked Clark in the ribs. "But how can you kill someone you love?"

Clark was placed with his back against the wall. He needed to get the leverage on Galatea. His breath rose and fell through his body.

"Are you going to kill me, Kal-El?" Galatea asked him. She spoke in a slightly sweet and demented little girl voice.

Kara dove down next to her and fired a kick to the back of her head. Galatea did a forward roll and she went behind her. The two blonde Kryptonians went face to face with each other and fired some shots at each other.

Galatea allowed a breath to leave her body. These attacks were rocking her back and she wondered why she felt so weak.

The yellow sunlight hit her body. She screamed when it felt like her skin got blistered.

"What's the matter, can't take a little sun?" Kara asked. She swung a fist into her face.

Galatea grabbed Kara around the arm. The younger blonde flipped her down onto her back. Now it was Kara who got the advantage.

"No, please," Galatea begged.

Kara wasn't about ready to fall for this. She knew better than to not take her eye off of the ball. If she did, there would be an insane problem. Her foot placed on Galatea's arm socket when she pushed her down onto the ground.

"The sunlight hurts her, just like it empowers us," Kara commented.

"Yes, I'm going to die, aren't I?" Galatea asked. She seemed weak and vunerable for a second. This was an about face from her normal smug attitude.

"You tried to kill us."

"That was my nature," Galatea said. "That's what I was created for. I was a weapon, I was a monster."

Galatea felt the sunlight leave her. She collapsed down onto the ground. Her breathing caused her body to return back to life. The strength returned.

"If you try and kill us….."

Galatea got to her feet and staggered. She slumped against the wall of the Fortress. There was a ringing in her head.

"I was the first, I was the prototype, you know that, don't you?" Galatea asked. Her face looked worn and battered. "And now if any of them escaped the planet, you're going to be the ones that are going to be killed. There can only be one, you know."

"What are you talking about?" Kara asked.

"I was supposed to be the dry run for it," Galatea commented after a moment.

There was a loud ringing in the back of her head. It was really hard for her to keep her head up. Her breathing increased for a second.

"They didn't escape, but if one of them did….or if someone adapted the research, it would be bad, bad for the world," Galatea said. Her lips curled into a wicked grin. "Just like I'm bad for the world."

She picked up the piece of broken crystal and tried to stab Kara with it. Kara blocked the crystal in both of her hands and she kicked Galatea in the ribs.

"You can't help yourself, you think it's in your nature," Kara said, and she had the crystal at Galatea's throat.

"Just like it's in your nature to be a hero, a little girl scout that rescues kittens from trees," Galatea said. "I guess I'm the cracked mirror version of you."

Galatea slackened in Kara's grip. The entire group in the Fortress was on pins and needles. Raya got down to her feet. She shook her head and gave a labored sigh.

"By all means, repair the portal, try and send me back, twenty eight scientists died trying to send me back the first time," Galatea said. "I have all of your powers and none of your weaknesses."

Clark activated the simulated yellow solar lamps. Galatea winced underneath the lights. She breathed heavily and her knees nearly buckled underneath her.

"You have your own weaknesses, don't you, what gives us life, will weaken you," Clark commented to her. "But you can be something other than what they made you."

"You are an idealistic idiot if you think I can be anything what they made me," Galatea said. "If you're the hero that this world needs, then this world is doomed. Do you hear me, you're doomed?"

"We'll see how doomed the world is when we're done with you," Clark commented. Galatea gave him a smile.

"Send be back, kill me, fuck me, just do something," Galatea said. She dropped to her knees in front of Kal.

Kara lifted her up to her feet by her hair.

"So, you thought that you can't be anything but what you were made for," Kara said.

"I don't think, Supergirl, I know," Galatea said and Kara turned her around. The two of them looked face to face with each other.

"I disagree." Kara commented. There was a moment where she held her in place.

"You do, don't you?"

Galatea broke away from her suddenly. She wondered what the hell was happening to her. Her mind was messed up because of the DNA she absorbed and turned her into this. She couldn't, she wouldn't, and more importantly she shouldn't.

"You know, we should go after her, "Raya commented. Her injuries, as grave as they seemed, did heal a little bit.

"We should go after her," Clark agreed.

Kara frowned suddenly. She hoped that she was right. If she was wrong, they would be screwed and they would no longer be having this conversation now or ever again.

"Are you okay, Kara?"

"Yeah, Clark, I'm fine, we better keep an eye on her," Kara said. She spoke of it like it was a person.

"I know it's hard, but don't forget that she might beyond your help," Raya said gently.

"Maybe we're all beyond help," Kara commented. She didn't really say much more than that. The blonde was fairly distracted when she turned around.

They were all beyond help and now she would have had to find her doppleganger. Put her down if she needed to but Kara was all about exploring her options. She tagged her when she was in the Fortress, so she wouldn't be so hard to trace.


Galatea had to get away from that place and clear her head. The monster that was in her was threatening to break out but there was something else inside her that was pushing it down. She had access to all of Kara's powers, all of Kara's abilities, and all of her memories. Those memories tainted her, distracted her, blinded her.

She collapsed halfway out into the Arctic. The winds continued to blow and she panted. Her face was reddened. Thankfully there was no sun here. She was weakened.

"Is this how it ends for me?" Galatea asked. "I survived the Phantom Zone, and now…..I'm here."

Galatea shook her head for a moment. She ignored the ringing in her ears. There was something that she had to do and she had to do it before the sun came out again.

There were answers she needed. What was her place in the world? Galatea shook her head. There was a ship hidden. The same ship brought Kara here.

She rose up and shot out like a cork. She went up, up, and away. The blonde felt the wind nastily assault her.

Her face might have blistered because of the light. Galatea held up the piece of Kryptonite she swiped. It allowed her to feed off of the energy. It killed her.

Her DNA was warped and dare she say that it was bizzare. She couldn't hold on much longer. The wicked wind caused her hands to clutch around the fragment nervously.

She crashed in the middle of a field. She rolled over and breathed heavily.

"This is where it all started, you know."

Galatea looked up and saw Clark standing there before her.

"You know, you followed me all the way here, for what?" Galatea asked.

"Because I want to know what you think that you are," Clark said.

Galatea sighed. They were really kind of thick. She told them what she thought that she was. It didn't matter what she thought. All that mattered was that she was here and she was here now. A monster, a monster that was too dangerous to live.

"I am, what I am," Galatea said.

"You've found humanity, haven't you?" Clark asked.

"I'm not human and neither are you," Galatea said. She lashed out towards him and tried to punc him.

Weak, something this weak deserved to be put down.

"We'll find a way to fix you," Clark said.

"Oh, wonderful, the son of Jor-El thinks of me as his science project," Galatea said bitingly. Kara and Raya dropped down next to her. "I suppose that your family always plays with things that weren't never meant to be tampered with. If they didn't, how could you explain me standing right here?"

"I'm sure that there's a pretty good explanation for you standing there," Clark commented. Galatea laughed and she seemed to be extremely amused for many reasons.

"The reason is that they created their perfect weapon and now….it's broken, by the same thing that gives Kryptonians life and strength," Galatea said. Her skin slowly cracked underneath the sunlight.

"Let's get you inside, we'll figure this out," Kara said. She picked up Galatea.

"You've always wanted a sister, but I'm sure you never expected it to be a hideous Phantom Zone monster, did you?" Galatea asked.

"How are you feeling?" Raya asked.

Galatea snorted at that. She was led inside, away from the light. She nearly collapsed.

"I shouldn't have destroyed the portal, I am going to die now, aren't I?" Galatea asked. "If you would have sent me back, I would have had a fighting chance. I just committed suicide. That's where your crusade ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper."

Galatea grew grim and accepting of her fate. There was a second where she flicked her eyes open.

"Kill me or let nature take its course," Galatea said. She got to her feet suddenly. Her strength was rather weakened and shaky. Her knees looked like they were going to knock together.

Clark didn't know what to do now. He could sense the desperation going through her voice. There was also the wanting for something else.

"Kill me, if you care about me," Galatea whispered. She dropped down to her knees. "My memories, my heart…..they clash with what I've intended to do."

"You're afraid aren't you?" Kara asked.

Galatea lashed out and tried to attack Kara. Her punch stopped short inches away from her face. Her breathing got even more heavy and labored. It was almost like she was trying to fight something deep on the inside.

"No, I don't fear this, I don't fear anything, that's something that you got to believe," Galatea commented. Her eyes narrowed in frustration. She wasn't about ready to die, now yet.

"I believe you," Clark commented.

He grabbed her around the waist and held her up. The door opened and J'onn poked his head in.

"You found it," J'onn commented. His voice was somber when he spoke. From his vantage point, it looked like Clark was going to restrain her.

"I didn't find it, I found her," Clark said suddenly.

"You need to kill it before it…..before it lashes out and kills you, like it did them," J'onn said. He stepped forward.

Kara stepped in front of the Martian Manhunter. Her chest lowered and fell when she looked into his eyes.

"You know, there are other ways, and I don't think that Jor-El, the real Jor-El, would have wanted his son to be a killer," Kara said.

J'onn frowned deeply. "You're right, he wouldn't. And if he lets the Phantom live, he will have killed countless."

"Yes, he's right, you've got to do it, before it overtakes me again," Galatea said. The crystal Clark held from the Fortress clutched in his hand. "Do it if you love anyone in this world. And if you love, Kara, do it…..because there is always this deep seeded…nature to destroy the original."

Clark stabbed her in the chest with the crystal and it caused her to land on the ground. Blood oozed from her mouth when she felt. The damage caused by the yellow sunlight caused her face to splinter.

"Are you happy?" Clark asked. "Is Jor-El happy?"

"Neither of us are happy, but you did the right thing," J'onn said. "Even though you won't be able to live with yourself."

Clark looked at the blood, her blood, which was Kara's blood, soaking the crystal. Galatea laid on the bed.

"I should repair the portal, give her a proper burial along with the rest of them….so no one gets their hands on any of her…..DNA," Clark commented.

"Yes, that would be the wisest course of action," J'onn agreed. "Why don't you take her and I'll clean up here."

"Yes," Clark said. He held Galatea's body in his arms and cradled her up against him.

He could feel her faint breath but it faded. He needed to get her out of here before J'onn found out. Raya and Kara looked at him in a questioning tone.


"I don't deny your heart, but I deny your sense sometimes, Kal-El," Lara said. She sighed and she could see Galatea laid in the Fortress in stasis, underneath a red solar radiation lamp.

"If yellow sun cripples her, than red sun will empower her," Clark said. "It's kind of a reverse matrix…..and if Red Kryptonite screws with our minds, maybe Red Kryptonite….."

"Heals her mind and makes her more sane thanks to constant exposure, and makes her normal," Raya said. "Are you sure, this is a big leap in logic? I don't even know if that's even possible."

Clark didn't really know. Science might not have been his thing all that much.

"Mother, I need to know if there's a chance…"

"It could very well work, but you're taking a huge risk, especially considering the fact that….Jor-El will know of what you're doing," Lara said. Her pause was lengthy and her breath was let out in a heaving sigh.

"He won't know," Clark commented. "She damaged his console. We haven't repaired it yet."

"Are you going to do that?" Lara asked. She was almost amused to hear that answer.

"We'll see," Clark said. He saw Galatea's body bombarded by the red solar radiation. Her vitals were present but rather weak.

"Tea, you'll be okay, I saw it in your eyes, you could have killed me," Kara commented. The fact her mind snapped so fast might have been jarring. "But you didn't."

"She could have and she still might if you remove her weaknesses," Raya said.

"Don't you think that I haven't taken steps to protect my mates," Clark commented.

He pulled out a box with a ring. It was red Kryptonite. Despite being immune to the effects, it still felt like fire in her hand.

"A little more," Kal whispered. He crossed his fingers and hoped.

Galatea's eyes flashed open.


To Be Concluded in the Next Chapter.