They materialized in the grand hall of Sanctuary.

"Kolex, seal the chamber," Kara snapped.

Heavy Sunstone doors slammed down, sealing the room, locking out Eliza and Lois. Kara turned to face Kal.

"You brought this on yourself," she said. "I love you, but when I fight you, I will not be your cousin. I will be your enemy. I will not be kind. I will not show mercy. I will hurt you. I will break you. And I will make you yield. I love you, Kal, but I will not yield, not to spare your life, not to spare my own. In order to win, you will have to kill me. Decide now if you want Lois to see either of those outcomes, because she will be in here the moment I open the doors, and I have too much respect for her to send her away."

She turned away from him before he could answer. "Kolex, lift seal, and prepare two sets of dueling robes. One in my size, one for Kal-El."

"Yes, Lady Kara," Kolex replied as the doors slid open.

Kara looked at Astra. "Kolex will show you to the dueling chamber. I have things to attend too."

Astra bowed slightly, and Kara could see it in her eyes that she wanted to say more but couldn't. Her role as judge prevented her from offering support of comfort to either of them. Kara turned to Diana.

"This was Leslie's first fight," Kara said.

Diana gave her a simple nod. It was all Kara need to know Diana would handle things. She turned to Leslie.

"Stick close to Diana," she said. "I need to take care of a few things, just in case."

"I can take care of myself," Leslie said.

"I know," Kara said, giving her a smile that was only half forced. "But just because you can, doesn't mean you should have too. I'd stay with you myself if I could, but I can't. It would make me feel better if Diana stayed with you."

Leslie nodded.

"Good," Kara said. She looked up as Eliza and Lois came into the room.

"What's going on?" Lois asked.

"Kal can explain," Kara said. "I'll be in the medical hall. Eliza, please send Alex my way when she gets here."

"Of course," Eliza said.

Kara turned and headed for the medical hall.

"Konex, I need you," she said once she was out of the grand hall. There was a flash of the transmat system and Konex was floating beside her.

"How can I be of assistance?"

"Fire up the fabbers," she said. "We have a lot to do, and very little time to do it in."

General Braxton looked up at the sound of a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said, and Phillip opened the door.

"Sir, you said you wanted to be apprised of any incidents regarding direct attacks on Supergirl," Phillip said.

"What's happened?" Braxton asked.

"Unclear, sir, but initial reports suggest she just threw down with Henshaw and a second, unknown individual in Siegel stadium," Phillip said.

"Thank you, Major," Braxton said. "Would you be so kind as to get SecDef on the line?"

"Of course, sir," Phillip said.

Phillip disappeared, and Braxton waited a few minutes before his phone rang. He picked it up.

"Hey, Winston," Braxton said.

"Hey, Abe," Secretary Lewis replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen the news from National City?" Braxton asked.

"Supergirl fighting Cyborgs," Lewis said. "Sounds pretty routine for a city with a cape."

"Except one of those Cyborgs was supposed to belong to us," Braxton said. "Hank Henshaw was part of the Cyborg Superman program approved for Project Cadmus."

"I see," Lewis said. "What are you suggesting?"

"We need to cut Cadmus loose before this splashes back on us," Braxton said.

"We agreed that Cadmus is still vital," Lewis said.

"We need something like Cadmus," Braxton said, "but we've clearly lost control of the existing project."

"The last yard of the race is not the time to change horses," Lewis replied.

"Winston-"

"No," Lewis replied. "Just give Lane whatever support he asks for."

"Yes, sir," Braxton said. "Good night."

He hung up without waiting for a response and leaned back in his seat, staring ahead without really seeing. This was bad. Lane was enough of a bigot that he should never have been let near Project Cadmus. Unfortunately, when Braxton had taken over from his predecessor, Lane was too embedded. Oh, he didn't have any connection on paper, but Braxton could read between the lines well enough to know who'd been setting the agenda. It didn't help that Lillian Luthor had half the senators on the appropriations committee in her pocket.

He reached down and opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out the bottle of Dewar's Blended Scotch he kept there. It was cheap, not the kind of stuff he'd serve a guest, but he'd picked up a taste for it back when he'd been a lowly Second Lieutenant, and he always went back to it when shit was about to hit the fan.

He just wondered how badly he was going to get sprayed.

"Lady Kara, Lady Alex is outside the medical hall," Konex said.

"Is anyone with her?" Kara asked.

"Agent Sawyer," Konex said.

"Let them in," Kara said.

The door to the medical hall slid open as Kara stood up, the motion making her head throb. Alex marched right across the room and threw her arms around Kara in a fierce hug, and Kara hugged her back, just as tightly as she dared.

"I'm sorry," Alex said. "I can't believe he's being this big an asshole."

Kara sighed as she let go of Alex and stepped back. "I should have told him what's going on," Kara said. "I knew that it would come to this if I didn't, but I just haven't had a single moment since Cat texted Kaldur'ahm on Thursday."

"Are you okay?" Maggie asked. "You look rough."

"No," Kara said. "I'm exhausted. I want to go home and sleep for a month, but I can't, because everything's gone to shit."

"Hey," Alex said, "we're here. We'll get through this."

Kara nodded. "Sorry," she said. "I keep flying off the handle today."

"You've got a good excuse," Maggie said. "The last few days have been one pile of shit after another."

"And now I've got to go beat my baby cousin until he begs for his life," Kara said. She looked at Alex. "This is what I meant when I said sometimes I think it would have been better if I hadn't made it off Krypton."

"Hey!" Maggie said, stepping closer and putting a hand on Kara's shoulder. "None of that. You're having a rough time, but we're here. We're your family, Kara, and we love you."

Kara looked at Maggie for a moment, then looked at Alex, seeing the agreement and determination on her face, and it was all too much. The attack, seeing Barry and Oliver again, the moments she'd managed to steal with Cat, the declaration at the bar, and the attack that morning, the argument with Kal, seeing Lena again, talking to Lucy and Leslie, going to see Eliza, the decision to tell everybody about her future timeline, the fight with Henshaw and Metallo, and the challenge from Kal. Tears welled up, and before she could stop it, they were spilling down her cheeks, and she was crying in exhaustion, anguish and fear.

Alex immediately pulled her into a hug. "I've got you," she said.

"It's too much," Kara said, squeezing her eyes shut, trying her best to stop the tears. She felt Maggie's arms wrap around her as well.

"We've got you, Kara," Maggie said.

"We don't have time for this," Kara said.

"That asshole can wait," Alex said.

"I can't," Kara said. "If I'm not in the dueling chamber at the end of the hour, I forfeit the challenge. I'll be expelled from the House of El."

"I'm going to kill him," Alex said.

Kara took a deep breath and pulled out of the impromptu group hug. "You might not get the chance," she said, reaching up and wiping her eyes. "If he won't yield, I'll have to kill him."

"Kara, you can't," Alex said.

"I might not have a choice," she said.

"Kara, if you kill him, you'll spend the rest of your life in a cell," Maggie said.

"No," she said. "The resolution that the UN passed to protect the Fortress of Solitude is a little broad. It says, 'any enclave or refuge established beyond national borders by a descendant of Krypton shall hence forth be considered native Kryptonian soil.' That's why I convinced Kal to move the duel here. Sanctuary is governed by Kryptonian law. If I kill him in the Challenge of Strength, I'm protected."

"Thank God for small favors," Alex said.

"This is ridiculous," Cat said, making Kara, Alex and Maggie all jump in shock.

Kara turned towards the entrance to the medical hall, where Cat and Winn stood.

"I tried to tell her she should wait with everyone else," Winn said, "but…"

"But she's Cat Grant," Kara said, half exasperated, half amused.

"Yeah, that," Winn said.

"You mind explaining what the hell you're thinking?" Cat said. "A duel to the death? With Superman?"

"It doesn't have to be," Kara said. "If he yields control of the House to me, we can both walk away from this."

Cat walked forward, anger clear on her face. "Please tell me this isn't some macho pissing contest over who's in charge," Cat said. "I thought you were better than that."

"It's not," Kara said, feeling her temper start to rise again.

"Well, that's what it looks like," Cat said.

"Those Kryptonians out there are willing to follow me," Kara said. "If I let Kal take over as the Head of House El, I will have to answer to him."

"Oh, for god sake, Kara, this isn't Krypton," Cat said. "This is Earth. You don't have to listen to Clark Fucking Kent if you don't want to."

Kara closed her eyes, feeling the exhaustion and anger wash over her like an incoming tide. "There are twenty-nine Kryptonians out there who don't care if we're on Earth," she said through gritted teeth. "They haven't spent the last twelve years assimilating. They won't follow Kal because he's too human, but if I turn my back on the traditions of my people, they won't follow me for the same reason."

"I don't care," Cat said. "Not as long as you're safe."

"You don't understand, Cat," Kara said, opening her eyes to look at Cat, and feeling a fresh batch of tears roll down her face.

"Then explain it to me!" Cat said, stopping right on the edge of Kara's personal space. "Explain why you're willing to throw your life away?"

"To protect you!" Kara shouted. "I can't watch you die. I can't let you die. Not again."

"What?" Cat asked. "What do you mean, 'not again'?"

Kara closed her eyes, feeling herself start to sway. Alex and Maggie both grabbed her as her legs started to give out.

"Kara?" Alex said.

"I'm fine," she said, a moment before she pitched forward and threw up.

"The hell you are," Alex said. "Kolex, bring me the medical scanner. Maggie, help me get her onto the bed."

Kara felt Alex and Maggie pulling her across the room to the diagnostic bed, lifting her up. She opened her eyes and saw Cat above her, speaking softly. Saw her crying. She reached up, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, but her hand felt heavy, and it was getting dark.

Alex glanced up as J'onn entered the medical hall, followed by Clark, Winn, Eliza, Astra, Bruce, Diana and Leslie.

"Kolex informed us there was a problem," J'onn said.

"What's wrong?" Eliza asked.

"Kara passed out," Alex said.

"Did the Kryptonite penetrate her shield?" J'onn asked.

"No," Alex said. "She's got a severe concussion."

"That shouldn't be possible," Eliza said. "Her regenerative powers-"

"Are the only reason she was on her feet at all," Alex said. "She burned out her powers."

"What do you mean" Cat asked.

Alex looked over at Cat, who hadn't left Kara's side since she collapsed.

"Tell her," Maggie said.

Alex turned to Maggie. "What?"

"Kara would want her to know," Maggie said.

Alex wanted to ask what Maggie meant, because every instinct in her was screaming to pick up a weapon and run everyone except her mother as far away from Kara as possible, but there was a tiny little voice that kept reminding her that Maggie was almost as close to Kara as she was, and that there were things Kara might have told a friend that she might not have told her over protective big sister.

"She's right," Clark said.

Alex turned towards Clark, and only the fact that her mother stepped between them kept Alex from breaking her hand punching the asshole in the face.

"Don't you dare come in here pretending you know a god damned thing about my sister," Alex said.

"Alex," Clark said, "I-"

"Shut up," Eliza said without turning around. "You don't get to speak to either of my children right now."

Alex smiled as Eliza gave her a small nod and turned back to Cat.

"Kryptonians are basically big solar batteries. Their bodies collect sunlight and store it for later use. But the light of a yellow sun carries more energy than the light of a red sun. Kryptonians have superpowers because they are designed to run on a watch battery, and under a yellow sun, they are hooked up to a ten-megawatt reactor."

"Normally, there's no chance Kara could burn all the energy she's collecting faster than she can take more in, but some abilities take more energy than others. Like rebuilding damaged tissue. Kara was hurt so badly when the missile hit her that her powers normally would have been spent entirely on cellular regeneration for months. We sped up the process using Kryptonian medical equipment."

"You let her go before she was fully healed," Cat said.

"Yes," Alex said. "It shouldn't have been a problem. She was mostly healed, and her normal regeneration should have taken care of the rest within a day or two."

"But…" Cat said.

"But she got of out bed, flew all over the place at night, went to another universe for a few hours, then come home and spent the morning getting cats out of trees before getting in two fights, and this is the tricky part, using her heat vision, which is one of her most energy-intensive powers," Alex said. "Kara is a big solar battery, and right now, she's completely empty. The regenerative powers, which were holding back the worst of the symptoms, are out of juice, and until she's recharged, she's going to exhibit all the symptoms of a concussion."

"Is there anything we can do?" Cat asked.

"I can put her back in the regeneration matrix," Alex said.

"I sense a 'but' coming," Cat said.

"There's a reason we do not use the regeneration for minor injuries," Astra said. "The regeneration matrix accelerates a body's natural reparative abilities. Too much time in it could permanently damage Kara's ability to heal on her own."

"So, what do we do?" Cat asked.

"She just needs time," Alex said.

"She needs to get to the dueling chamber," Kara said from the bed, making everyone in the room jump.

Alex looked down at her and watched as Kara forced her eyes open. "You need a few days bed rest," she said.

"I need to get to the dueling chamber," Kara said.

"Kara, we're not going to do this," Kal said.

Kara tried to sit up and would have failed miserably if Leslie, of all people, hadn't stepped up and helped her. "You didn't give me a choice," she said. "If I don't, I forfeit the challenge."

"I'm not going to fight you while you're like this," Kal said.

"So you will yield the Challenge to Kara?" Astra asked.

"No" Kal said.

"Then you will have to fight her," Astra said.

"Are you out of your mind?" Cat and Alex both asked at once.

"Kara invoked Challenge," Astra said. "If she does not fight, she forfeits. She will lose all standing as a member of the House of El. She will be / vrazhium/. An exile with no House."

"Wait, what about the other Houses Kara belongs too?" Alex asked, running the list in her head. "She's a member of fifteen houses through her mother's line."

"And seventeen through her father's," Astra said. "It does not matter. She has Challenged the head of her Prime House. If she loses the Challenge, she will be a traitor. She will be banished and expelled from all her houses."

"I'll lift the banishment," Kal said.

"I'll still be expelled from the other houses," Kara said. "Even the House of Danvers."

"We're not a Kryptonian House," Eliza said.

"Yes, you are," Kara said. "Kal only claimed the House of El, so until the Challenge is resolved, I still hold fourteen of the twenty-five seats on the Ruling Counsel. I created Danvers as a Great Houseof Krypton about five minutes after we transmatted back from the Stadium."

"Why would you do that?" Alex asked.

"Eliza adopted me," Kara said. "So, I'm a member of House Danvers. I transferred ownership of everything from Kara Zor-El, to Kara Danvers. Under Kryptonian law, they are legally distinct. If I die, Sanctuary, Konex, Kolex, and the new computer, along with the contents of the armory, the hanger, and a little over a trillion dollars in assets all belong to you, Alex. I also issued formal, unconditional pardons for all of Astra's followers except Non. You'll have everything I can give you. The new computer, the data archive, the war suits, the armory, and a couple of other, special little surprises."

"You sound like you're giving up," Alex said.

"Konex, bucket," Kara said urgently. A bucket appeared in her lap in a flash of light, and Kara wrapped her arms around it and vomited into it.

"Oh, I have not missed this," Kara said. She looked over at Diana. "Will you carry me to the dueling chamber? I promise I'll do my best not to vomit on you."

"You don't have your powers," Diana said.

"Won't need them," Kara said.

"Are you sure?" Diana asked.

"No," Cat said. "This is insane."

"Cat," Kara said, "it will be okay. I got this."

"You can't even sit up on your own," Cat said.

"And yet, I'm going to win," Kara said.

"Kara," Kal said, "at least name a Champion."

"I'll do it," Leslie said.

Kara shook her head, which was a mistake, because it immediately made her vomit again. "No," she said. "I'm going to beat him, just like this." She turned back to Diana. "Let's go."

"I will stand as your champion, if you wish," Diana said as she carried Kara to the dueling chamber. The entire crowd from the medical hall followed and all of them except Bruce were giving Kal dirty looks, which made Kara smile. She didn't care much for being on the injured list, but this was actually going to work in her favor.

"No, need," Kara said. "Just help me stand in the starting position, and hand me a sword."

"As you will," Diana said. "I hope I do not lose three friends today."

"Not sure I follow your math," Kara said.

"I do not believe you will yield," Diana said. "Were you well, I believe you could defeat your cousin. In your current state, I do not believe you could defeat a napping kitten. But if you will not yield, and your cousin will not yield, he will be forced to kill you, and then I believe your aunt will kill Clark and Bruce both, and I will let her, because they have brought this on themselves."

"If I die, take care of Cat for me?" Kara asked.

"If she will let me," Diana said.

"She'll try not to," Kara said, "but it would hurt her."

"You love her?" Diana asked.

"Yes," Kara said. "Deeply."

"Does she know?" Diana asked.

"No," Kara said. "I'm not ready, and she's not interested."

"You are wrong about the latter, but I defer to your judgement on the former. Grief keeps its own schedule."

"If it's any comfort, I've seen universes where you and Steve lived a long, happy life together," Kara said.

"I did not realize I'd told you about Steve," Diana said.

"You haven't," Kara said. "But you did, years from now, on a clear night, when I'd just lost someone I loved."

"Ah. Time travel, then," Diana said. "Why did you not tell us?"

"Bruce and Clark would have screwed it up," Kara said.

"Men often do," Diana said. "Your Sara, she was from the future?"

"And another universe," Kara said. "You two liked each other."

"Perhaps we shall meet each other someday," Diana said.

"You won't," Kara said. "I've changed the timeline too much. If you meet Sara, she won't be my Sara. But that's a good thing, because my Sara had suffered almost as much as I have."

They stepped through the threshold of the dueling chamber, and Diana carried Kara forward, placing her on the Challenger's mark. It took a moment for Kara to steady herself enough to stand without Diana's help, but eventually, Diana left her long enough to fetch a sword from the weapon's rack. Kara took the blade, and rested it point down on the floor in front of her, leaning on it like a crutch as she took in the room.

It was crowded. There were over sixty people there, and to her surprise, almost all of them were seated in the Challenger's Gallery. Only Bruce sat in the defender's gallery.

She watched as Kal selected a sword from the weapon's rack and took up the defender's position. Both of them had changed, Kal out of his costume, Kara out of her war suit. They wore the loose pants and wrap-around vests of dueling robes, which offered no protection from the sharp edges of Kryptonian swords.

"J'onn," Kara said.

"Yes?" J'onn asked.

"If I die here, see to it that Astra knows why, and that Marsdin doesn't back out of our deal," Kara said.

"I'll see to it," J'onn said.

"Astra," Kara said.

"Yes, Little One?" Astra asked.

"If I die, don't kill Kal," Kara said. "Please."

"Do not ask me to make a promise I will not keep," Astra said.

Kara sighed. "Will you promise me you will at least listen to what J'onn and Alex have to tell you before you make your decision?"

"I promise I will listen to what they say before I kill Kal and his friend," Astra said.

"Well," Kara said, "I suppose that's the best I'm going to get. Kolex."

"Yes, Lady Kara?" Kolex asked.

"Activate red sun lamps," she said.

Kal staggered slightly, his eyes widening as the room flooded with red sunlight, and his powers vanished.

"Surprised, cousin?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "Though I probably shouldn't be."

"All you had to do was trust me, and we could have avoided all of this," she said.

"You could have told me the truth sooner," Kal said.

"Trust is a choice," Kara said. "I asked for yours."

"It's a choice you didn't make," Kal said.

"I had good reason," Kara said. "Did you?"

"You killed a man," Kal said.

"The man who stands in shadow should not preach the virtue of light," Kara said.

"I've never killed anyone," Kal said.

"But you are responsible for countless deaths," Kara said. "Inaction is its own crime."

"It is time," Astra said as she stepped into the judge's box. "Kara, daughter of Zor of the House of El and Alura of the House of Ze has Challenged Kal, son of Jor of the House of El and Lara of the House of Van for the right to lead the House of El. Kal has selected Strength as his measure."

Astra turned to face Kal. "Kal of the House of El, will you yield at first blood?"

Kal looked at Kara for a moment, and she could see his thinking. He thought it was a way out. A way to end the duel without either of them getting hurt.

"I will," Kal said.

Astra turned to face Kara. "Kara of the House of El, Kal will yield at first blood. Will you also?"

"I will not," Kara said.

"Will you yield at first fall?" Astra asked.

"I will not," Kara said.

"Will you yield when you lack capacity to fight?" Astra asked.

"I will not," Kara said.

"When will you yield?" Astra asked.

"I will not," Kara said.

"Very well," Astra said. "Terms of the Challenge are set. The duel will continue until Kal's blood is drawn, or until Kara is dead, or until one of them shall yield."

There was a brief pause, and the dueling chamber was so quiet Kara could hear her own heartbeat, even without her powers.

"Begin!" Astra said.

Kal raised his blade in a defensive posture, waiting for Kara to make a move. Kara lifted the sword and tossed it aside.

Kal frowned, and Kara could hear whispers and sounds of shock coming from the gallery.

"What are you doing?" Kal asked.

"Winning," Kara said. "You've read every word our parents sent on Kryptonian culture, but you've never lived it, and you don't understand it." She took a step forward. "This is a test of strength." She took another step forward. "I am hurt, and my injury has left me weak." Another step. "I cannot even lift my blade." Another step. "So, I am being strong in the only way I can." With one final step, the tip of Kal's blade came to rest against the House of El Coat of Arms embroidered on her dueling robes. "This is not a test of the strength of body, Kal. It is a test of the strength of our convictions. I'm willing to die for mine. Are you willing to kill me for yours?"

"No," Kal said.

"Then drop the blade," Kara said.

Kal didn't answer, so Kara leaned forward, letting the tip of the blade bite into her skin.

"Kara!" Kal said. He started to pull back the blade, but she reached up and grabbed it, gripping the sword's guard with both hands, pulling it towards her, driving the metal deeper into her chest.

"Stop!" Kal said, trying to pull the blade away from her. She just held on to the guard, letting him drag her along with the blade.

"I'm going to die on your blade, Kal," she said as she dropped her weight forward, impaling herself on his sword.

"Kolex, help her!" Kal screamed.

He wasn't the only one. She could hear Cat, Alex, Eliza, Winn and Maggie, all screaming. She knew someone must be holding them back, keeping them from interfering. She blocked it out and looked up at Kal as she tasted her own blood in her mouth. The sword had pierced her lung, and she was going to drown in her own blood if she didn't finish this.

"He can't," Kara said. "The Challenge isn't over until I'm dead, or you yield."

"I yield!" Kal said. He turned to Astra. "I YIELD!" he screamed. "Somebody help her!"

She saw Kolex and Konex both swoop in, and felt an injector pressed against her neck, and then she saw only darkness.

Translated from the Kryptonian:

vrazhium
exile/rankless. One who has no house.