"I was wondering when my entertainment would arrive." Mongul said when he saw Alex and Supergirl approach the cell. "But why are you here?" He asked Supergirl.
"To make sure she doesn't kill you." Supergirl said. "Or harm you. Or do anything she may later regret."
"Has something happened to make you think she might lose control?
"Your former underlings have been talking." Alex said. "The more I hear about you the less I like."
"They would not betray me." Mongul said.
"The problem with ruling by fear is when people realise there is nothing to be afraid of they tend not to be so loyal." Alex pointed out. "Pretty soon, I think you will be down to three, maybe four who are still loyal."
"They will pay for treachery." Mongul snarled.
"Actually they get rewarded for it." Alex said.
"I will make them pay." Mongul said angrily.
"And what would you like to happen to all your Lieutenants who betrayed you?" Alex asked.
"I will decorate my next ship with their heads."
"Very Reaver like." Supergirl said.
"Reaver?" Mongul asked confused.
"They are a breed of cannibal pirates, men that went insane at the edge of space and became savage. They stared into the void beyond and became what they saw: nothing. They gave into their primal nature and all that was civilized was discarded. Now they spend their entire lives aboard their grotesque spacecraft, decorated with the corpses of their victims, floating through the void and setting planetfall only to raid and pillage before leaving for the hunt once more." Supergirl explained.
"I have never heard of these Reavers." Mongul said.
"Which is a shame, you would have liked them." Supergirl replied. "Of course they would have ripped you limb from limb before eating your flesh, and sewing your skin into their clothing."
"I would have heard of such a species." Mongul replied.
"I spent years living on the outskirts of civilised space. A lot goes on out there that never gets reported back. Which is funny, because compared to you, the Reavers are actually worth worrying about." Supergirl said leaving.
"Quoting Firefly?" Alex asked as she and her sister walked away from the cell.
"You lied to him too. Besides I thought Reavers would appeal to him. Plus if he thinks there is a race like that, that he doesn't know about, it will drive him crazy. Also I was thinking last night and the whole red ring thing is like the Pax."
"Okay, you need more sleep and less TV." Alex said. "I thought you had decided not to worry so much."
"Well deciding that and doing that are very different things." Kara pointed out. "Especially when I keep having nightmares."
"Why didn't you call?"
"Because you need to sleep and you have enough on your plate at the moment."
"Next time call." Alex said.
"I will. So which alien are we tormenting next? Krej?"
"No. Let's see what Mongul does. I still want to figure out how they are all talking to each other. Their information network is disturbingly good seeing they are all meant to be in isolation."
-00-
"So I have been thinking." Lena said when she met Kara for lunch.
"Is this going to lead into a lecture on the economics of power plants?" Kara asked.
"No. I have been thinking about your red ring issue."
"And?"
"The only reason you are dangerous is because of your powers." Lena said.
"That's a pretty big reason." Kara pointed out.
"But all we have to do is switch off your powers."
"But we can't guarantee to have red lights."
"You can solar flare on demand." Lena reminded her.
"Yeah, but when you wear the ring you aren't in control you don't think for yourself." Kara argued.
"Even if the ring really did what you described, it wouldn't work instantaneously. It would take time. And if you couldn't take it off because it bonds with your skin or something, during that time you could just solar flare."
"That might work." Kara said. "So all I need do is practice solar flaring. Except Alex will not like that."
"Which one?"
"Well both, but I meant the one who will take me into a DEO training room and spar with me while I have no powers to remind me what a dumb idea it is."
"That could still be either Alex." Lena pointed out. "Hopefully you will never need to do it, but if you do at least you have an out."
"Thank you." Kara said.
"Although I would still go for just taking it off." Lena pointed out before commenting. "You don't seem happy."
"I am. I'm just worried about Alex."
"Is the bully causing issues? I could do something about that."
"That's a disturbing offer. But I meant the older, slightly more grumpy Alex."
"Why?"
"J'onn is investigating the death of Conway's brother in law."
"And?"
"He was killed in a car crash, involving a smart car. The fault was reported to be the GNSS chip."
"Like Kelly and Kara's accident." Lena recalled.
"Exactly. If there is a connection Alex is going to feel so guilty and if there isn't, it is still dredging it all up."
"Alex got through what happened. She'll be okay."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because this time you are here." Lena said.
-00-
"What are you doing?" Kara asked as she entered the apartment and saw her daughter sitting on the couch and objects floated by.
"Just practicing." Alex said carefully using her powers to put all the objects back down.
"Looks like you are getting good."
"Until I actually need to use them and then I just panic and it goes wrong."
"Maybe you need to start competing and get used to some pressure." Kara suggested.
"Competing at what? It's not like sports are hard."
"What about debating?" Kara suggested. "Or what about taking up a musical instrument or dance? Maybe we can go out and look at instruments tonight?"
"Actually I was hoping to go out with MJ and his friends tonight."
"Which friends? Tom?" Kara asked.
"How do you know that?" Alex asked suspiciously.
"Just a guess."
"Yes Tom, Carlos, Jen and Steph."
"And what are you doing?"
"Movie and pizza. Can I go?"
"You'll be in a group all night?" Kara asked.
"Yes. Can I go?"
"Fine."
-00-
"I thought you were taking Alex out tonight?" The adult Alex asked when her sister came into the lounge and sat on the couch.
"She wanted to hang out with MJ and his friends." Kara said. "I have been replaced."
"And that's bad?"
"Yes. No. I mean it's good."
"But?" Alex pressed.
"Tom is there."
"Does Alex know he has a crush on her?"
"I don't know. If she doesn't I don't want to say anything and cause her to freak out. But what if she does know and what if she feels the same? She's too young to date."
"You tell yourself that." Alex said. "I'm surprised you aren't hovering above the bowling alley listening in."
"I am so tempted." Kara said. "But I thought if Alex saw me she might get mad."
"As her mother you can make her mad. The problem lies with when she makes you mad." Alex reminded her as her phone buzzed. "We're needed at the DEO."
-00-
"What's going on?" Alex asked as she and Supergirl landed at the DEO.
"One of Mongul's Lieutenants just turned himself in."
"What do you mean turned himself in?"
"Just that. They turned up at the door and begged for mercy and protection. We scanned them for bombs and other hidden surprises. We didn't find anything, but there are in an iso cell, just in case."
"Protection from who?" Supergirl asked going back to the earlier part of the summary.
"They haven't said. But they were pretty beaten up." Harris said. "They were also missing a gem."
"Are you sure it is one of Mongul's Lieutenants?" Supergirl asked.
"Yes ma'am. We have footage of him killing Reid."
"And he still came here?" Supergirl asked. "He must be running from something bad."
"Or he is a Trojan Horse." Alex pointed out.