Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 124

by

Jason Richard

Superman flew to the Ark of Krypton to talk to Kara. He'd had a lot on his mind when she'd woken up, but now that things had calmed down he really needed to talk to her. They had to figure out where exactly she was going to stay, one of many issues brought about by her suddenly appearing in a culture that was alien to her. Where she would live, how he could help her adjust to Earth culture, it all had to be dealt with sooner or later.

In truth it was good he had something else to think about. Edward Lytener had been on his mind lately. He just kept thinking that if he'd done things differently, he could have stopped Edward from getting hurt. It was starting to drive him crazy, so he pushed it away and focused on Kara.

Superman flew over the arctic waste, into the Ark of Krypton, through the many hallways and found his cousin hunched over a computer screen, going over equations in Kryptonian script.

"Hey," said Superman.

"Hello," said Kara.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Research," said Kara. "We need to make sure the Phantom Zone stays closed for good this time."

"Well, that's good I suppose," said Superman uncertainly. "But things have calmed down for now. You should probably take a break. Also if you're going to be living on Earth, you should really get to know how things work around here. I can show you around a little. You know, introduce you to people and help you get settled."

Kara paused, but only for a second before saying, "I don't have any time. Lot's of research to do."

Superman sighed and said, "Kara, I know we technically just met and I don't know you that well, but you can't stay here in this giant ship all by yourself with no one but an AI for company. No offense Brainiac."

"None taken sir," said Brainiac. "You are correct. Socialization with other sentient carbon-based life forms is critical for psychological development. Besides, the point of the modulator we designed was to close the portal and keep it shut. We have plenty of time to make a more permanent solution. Kal-El is right. It isn't healthy for you to stay here."

Kara finally stopped, then she swiveled her chair around turned around and looked Superman in the eye.

"Kal-El," said Kara nervously. "I...I scared. Scarred something else is going to go wrong."

Superman nodded and said, "It's alright. Go on."

Kara fidgeted for a second then said, "One day I was just minding my own business, and then my entire world is about to be destroyed. I get in the escape pod and find myself in another dimension. To top that off I was in stasis between dimensions and over twenty years have past and a bunch of criminals were about to escape. I build something to stop them but it's only temporary, then on a world where my baby cousin is now older than I am the criminals are going to break out again and...well...you were there for the rest."

Superman didn't say anything, but just let her talk.

"It's just," she continued. "I know it's technically been a long time since this all began, but for me, it all happened so fast. Now that the dust has settled I can't shake this feeling that it's not really over, that some other catastrophe is about to happen. I...if I don't start trying to do something about it I start thinking about Krypton, about...my parents..."

Superman nodded.

"I think I understand," said Superman. "Honestly, I'm surprised you managed to hold yourself together for this long. You were a big help back there."

Kara fidgeted for a moment, then added, "Maybe. I wish I could have done more."

"More?" asked Superman in surprise. "You closed the portal."

"Any of JLAI 13's probes could have done that," said Kara. "I took the dimensional shifter myself because I though I could protect it...but after it was closed, and Ursa got her hands on me I...I just froze. I had no idea what I should do."

"I'm sorry," said Superman. "I didn't even notice."

"Since then," said Kara. "I just keep thinking that if I'd done more maybe your friend wouldn't have gotten hurt...if I'd done a better job with that first device the Phantom Zone wouldn't have opened a second time...if I'd made my parents get onto escape pods with me..."

She trailed off, but she didn't need to answer. Superman just nodded.

"Kara," said Superman. "It's not your fault. None of it is. Bad things happen, even to me. We'll always do our best to prevent them, but we can't dwell on them when they do happen. Can't keep fighting the good fight if we give ourselves over to despair after all."

Superman chuckled quietly. He should probably take his own advice where Lytener was concerned.

"So," asked Kara. "What do you think we should do?"

Superman sighed, giving it some serious thought, and then he said, "Learn what we can from how things went wrong so we'll do better next time, but also be thankful for what we did accomplish so we don't forget why we're fighting in the first place."

Kara nodded, smiling faintly, "Yeah. That sounds like good advice."

"Anyway," said Superman. "The dust has settled. We can afford to rest for a little while and then get back to keeping the world safe. I would very much like to show you this world and help you learn to use these new powers of yours. But first, I think there's something you should probably get off your chest.

Kara just looked at him inquisitively.

Brainiac's synthesizers were able to reconstruct a metal slab inscribed with the words, "In loving memory of Zor-El and Alura." And above those words lay the picture of the couple, smiling as they held hands. As they stood there in the arctic tundra, snow falling all around them, she stared at the stone tablet in the ground with mixed feelings. She looked at Superman, who just nodded, and then turned back.

"Mother," she began. "Father, I miss you. I wish you were here with me now. I miss you so much. I just wanted to say...thank you for supporting me...for being there when I really needed you. I guess all I can say now is...Goodbye."

She wiped a tear from her eye and just stood there in silence. Superman waited patiently, knowing she needed to let these feelings out. Finally, Kara turned and walked away, letting the memorial stand, slowly fading from visibility within the falling snow.