Kristin Laurance was born in 2012. She should have died by 2013. She did not. She had several genetic disorders, any one of which should have killed her before she saw her first year. Her parents had wanted a child for so long they spent their life savings, and then some seeking some form of miracle. One never came, so their daughter lived each day in agonizing pain. She never thought to tell them because to her life was pain. She knew nothing else. She was not able to walk, and her hands were twisted and barely functional. Her eyes were never fully developed and though she could see light and darkness, the world was a blur of colors. The years ticked by, the doctors kept saying, this birthday would be her last, but then her next birthday would come and her family would gather and they would celebrate. Her hands as disfigured as they had allowed her some manner of joy because she could use them to read brail. That was her light. The books could take her to a world far away from the pain she lived in constantly. Her best friend was named Eric and books that came out that weren't in brail yet, he would read to her. Eric wasn't what you'd call popular, nor was Kristen. But this isn't Kristen's story, well it is, but her name would soon change. But the story didn't start on Earth, it started on dying planet of Krypton…

Krypton – Kandor - Oct 18, 1804 (Earth Actual)

Tahrao-Ju walked at a hurried pace. He was flanked by two of Zod's soldiers. The trio stumbled as the planet shuddered. Krypton was dying, Jor-El had predicted it. As much as Tahrao had a seething hatred and jealousy for Jor-El he had always admitted the man had never spoken in public about a scientific discovery that he hadn't thoroughly vetted. The moment he had heard it he started making preparations. The council may have ignored it blindly but Tahrao-Ju would not let his people and culture die because of their arrogance. He had started the Ark project. His greatest creation. A genetic library of his people and a mother to bring them back to life. She would birth the first of a new generation, perfected. Zod had provided security and resources. In return he wanted a super soldier who would free him and his family from the Phantom Zone. Tahrao-Ju had used Zod's and Jor-El's genetic material along with some of his own and his estranged wife, he perfected it. She would be stronger, faster, smarter and totally loyal to the Kryptonian cause and him. She would be the daughter he had always longed for. The ground shook again. He had chosen a fortified bunker in a former military base to house the Ark.

He turned the corner prepared to provide bio-metrics to enter but found the door had been blown. The two soldiers motioned for him to hang back. They entered. He heard the sound of weapons fire. Then silence. He crept inside and found his guards dead, several council soldiers lay dead or dying. None seemed to be a danger to him so he rushed towards the Ark. She was a converted military transport. He ran the gangway and reached out to press his palm to the living metal that would allow him access when he heard a command from behind him. He looked back and saw the council and several soldiers.

"Stop! That ship is now the property of the Governing Council."

He glanced back, his hand still extended mere millimeters from the craft's security panel.

"Cowards! You dare flee the planet after you doomed our people?"

"You can come with us husband. We can rebuild our world keep our culture alive."

"I've already taken care of that wife."

"Your idea of our culture is corrupt!"

"There is the Mara I know. I would have expected you to still be in the council chambers telling the people to be calm that Krypton is fine. When I told you, we were doomed and of my plans you called me mad and asked for a divorce. Fear not, you will live on in our daughter."

He reached out and touched the pad. He felt the first bolt of energy pierce his side. He stumbled onto the ship and the hatch sealed itself. He could hear the energy blasts pinging as they ineffectively hit the energy shield. He leaned on the wall his hand leaving a trail of blood along the clean metal.

"Ark launch immediately. Get the medical bay ready."

"Yes sir."

He felt the ship shift and lurch before the artificial gravity and inertial dampeners kicked in. He stumbled towards the med bay and fell onto the bed and one of the many drones that the Ark used to repair itself and tend to its crew hovered over him injecting him with a pain killer. He lay on the bed and looked out of the window as Kandor started to shrink rapidly and then he saw Krypton for the last time. From low orbit he could see the massive crevices with magma pushing out. By the time he reached moon's orbit he watched as the planet destabilized completely. It wasn't explosive it just broke and hung there its pieces clustered together with their gravity. The Ark spoke to him.

"Sir, I am picking up three craft. One's registry is showing it belongs to Jor-El. The other is unmarked. The first has one life sign, the later is unmanned. The last one also has one life sign and is also registered to the House of El. Should I engage?"

He saw the shimmer of one of the craft in the distance. It was much smaller than the Ark. He touched the window. Leaving bloody fingerprints. He knew one would be Kal-el. Son of Jor-El and Lara. The fool warned them all he could have rescued his whole family, yet he sent only his infant son. He could see chunks of the remnants of Kypton pulled along in the gravity wake created by the three craft as they entered hyperspace.

"Are the manned ships occupants in good health?"

"Yes sir. They are in suspended animation."

"Then follow them. Protect them from harm."

"Understood Sir."

He let himself fall back onto the medibed and held his injury. The pain was subsiding the painkillers were doing their jobs. The drone was hovering around him using a scanner to investigate his wounds. It beeped a few times.

"Sir, your injuries are too severe. I cannot repair the damage to your body. The weapons are causing rapid genetic decay."

He coughed up some blood and laughed afterwards.

"Dying to my own weapons. I suppose the universe does have a sense of justice after all."

"What are you orders sir?"

"Catch up to the other craft, extend the cloaking field around them. Defend them unless doing so would endanger our mission. Download my memories into an engram crystal. The rest of the plan has not changed. Release the genetic seed as planned. Once it has been implanted in an earthling. Bring my crystal online. Once you reach the target planet do your best to evade their sensors, find some place isolated. Cloak and wait for the seed to be planted. Once my daughter is ready she will find us."

"Yes sir. I will need to put you in a coma so that I can copy your memories as requested."

"Go ahead, I'm ready"

Kansas - Metropolis – Riverview Towers Apt 515 – July 2nd, 2025

Kristen woke up as her mother shook her. She felt the bed shift beside her and felt her mother's arms wrap around her and lift her to a sitting position. She hugged her back her twisted hands patting her back gently. She felt her bed shift again and a wet dog's tongue brushing against her cheek. She released her mother and rubbed her dog Muffy's cheeks.

"Good morning Muffy."

"We need to get you dressed you have gene therapy at BMC today. I have a good feeling about this Kristen. This is the one."

Kristen smiled and nodded. She knew it was never going to be the one. Hope was all she could give her parents so she pretended to be excited. The last sixteen trials hadn't worked. Why would this one be different? They had already been to BMC four times for this treatment. It was painful and made her sick, but her parents were so hopeful.

"I have a good feeling too mom."

"Maybe you'll see a change by your birthday."

"I'm sure it's going to take longer than two days mom."

"Hey, none of that here. This is a positivity zone."

"Yes mom."

"The treatments are doing something dear. They are seeing new cells being made with the repaired DNA. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds good. So, dress or shorts and a t-shirt?"

"Let's go with the dress they are easier to get off."

"Oh perfect. I have this sun dress here for you. It's beautiful. Its white and has seashells on it."

"Oh, I like seashells they always feel so interesting."

"I know that's why I bought it."

"Is dad coming?"

"No dear, he had to pick up an extra shift."

Kristen frowned.

"It's because of my birthday, isn't it?"

"You know it is, but he does it willingly. It's a big deal, you'll be a teenager! And considering the doctors said you wouldn't see your first birthday it's something to celebrate."

"Mom, I'm legally blind, so I haven't seen a single one of my birthday parties."

She heard her mother laugh and pat her shoulder.

"You have a future in comedy Kristen. Incoming dress."

Extragalactic Space – March 18, 1873 (Earth Actual)

"Detecting rogue stellar object. Detecting gravimetric disturbances. Adjusting course."

Beyond an encounter with two Daxamite worships the trip had been uneventful and even that had been a none event the cloaking field Tahrao-Ju had crafted was effective in avoiding detection. This was the first encounter with anything in the empty space between galaxies. She opened channels to both vessels she had been escorting identifying the hazard. She used encrypted Kryptonian channels. The one with the male child acknowledged and adjusted course to match her new course the other did not.

"Craft there is a hazard. You must adjust course immediately. Your occupant is in immediate danger!"

She received no response. The small craft that had weaker engines then both the Ark or her other escort started to get pulled towards the rogue stellar object. She sighed and sent a message to the ship containing Kal-El. The other vessel started sending out an automated distress signal.

"Attempting rescue other vessel. Continue on course. I am sorry I cannot see you safely to our destination Kal-El. Be safe child."

She adjusted her course to make it steeper than the other craft's approach to the stellar object. Her speed increased as she had predicted. She reached out with her tractor beam to try and grab the ship. She formed into a force hologram. She tapped the controls adjusting the course. She had to do this manually as the automation was failing due to the closeness to a strong electromagnetic field. Her hologram started to flicker as she approached the object which her sensors could not identify. She tried the tractor beam again.

"Come on grab it. I will not lose another child."

The communications channel came to life. She heard a female voice on the other side.

"Help! Help! It's going to crash!"

Ark could already feel her barriers being broken down. She opened the channel.

"I am trying child. What is your name?"

"Kara, Kara Zor-El, where am I?"

"You are in between galaxies you've been in stasis for a long time. Your ship lacks the intelligence to act on its own beyond auto pilot. I have given it a course correction to get you to your destination and I am trying to pull you out. I'm not going to let you die Kara Zor-El."

She could feel her command override subprocesses trying to take over. She resisted them throwing up security programs on the fly as she made one last attempt with the tractor beam. She grabbed the edge of the craft but the gravimetric shear was going to rip it apart if she pulled too hard. She could feel the last of her barriers being torn down. She tugged on the ship trying to adjust its course so it could get a boost off of the object rather than collide with it but anymore and she would destroy it killing its occupant.

"My ship is starting to shake, I think its tearing itself apart."

"It is. Put up your shields I'm going to try and bounce you out with danger close weapons fire."

She released the tractor beam and went to reach for the weapons console. Her hand almost pressed the fire button, but she froze.

Command override engaged. Mission objectives at risk.

Her hologram sat there frozen as the command override that had been installed took over and the Ark shifted its course its superior engines using the object to slingshot it forward. By the time she was free to act normally the rogue object was light years away and the ship containing Kara Zor-El was not on sensors. She hit the console cursing a few times before she went into the sensor logs. The ship had lost track of Kara's ship shortly after she was overridden. She replayed the messages the Ark had recorded.

"Are you there? My shields are up! Are you there? Please answer. Where are you going? Don't leave me! Please. Please don't leave me. I don't want to die alone. Ple- "

The message cut off abruptly. She recorded a new log entry.

"Kara Zor-El lost and presumed dead due to rogue stellar object unable to save her due to command override."

She would cry if she had an actual body. She had started to feel like an adoptive mother to the two children. The last desperate words of Kara Zor-El would haunt her until she was taken offline, she was sure of it.

Kansas – Metropolis – BMC Genetic Treatment Center – July 2, 2025

"Bio-Medical Corporation was founded in 1999. Its founder John Macdonald founded it to find a cure for his daughter who had one of countless rare genetic disorders that countless children and parents have struggled to find support and treatments for. In 2005 he patented the first retro-virus treatment. In 2012 his daughter walked for the first time. She graduated from Harvard 2021. Bio-Medical corporation is proud to be on the cutting edge of genetic re-engineering and finding cures for incurable ailments."

The advertisement playing on the waiting room screen gave way to an infomercial about genetic treatments. Kristen rubbed her thighs with her palms. The nervousness was a constant companion with these appointments.

"Kristen Laurence."

She felt her wheelchair move forward and she could hear Muffy's claws clicking on the tiled floor. She was always nearby. The chair stopped.

"Okay Kristen we're just going to get you undressed and move you to the treatment bed."

She felt herself lifted up and her dress pulled off and then she was placed face down on a cold surface. She reached her hand out and she felt Muffy's head pop into it and nuzzle it. She felt a burning prick on her arm.

"Just taking a blood sample to check to see if the new cell production is reflecting the repaired genetic material."

She felt a sheet pulled over her back and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Muffy was there all through it. She nipped Kristen's hand once when Kristen started to drift off.

"I'm awake Muffy."

The door opened and heeled foot stepped echoed in the room.

"Hi Kristen. I'm Dr. Concord."

"Where is Dr. Kirkland?"

"He is not in today. It's okay I'm familiar with your case. Your mother went for a coffee, I told her you would be fine. I hope that's all right."

"It's alright."

Kristen pet Muffy's head with her twisted hand.

"Okay, this is going to be the same as before. Several injections on your back and arms and legs. You'll feel pinches but otherwise you should not feel much. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

She heard more footsteps come in and Muffy made a soft growl.

"Just a moment Kristen."

She heard them walk off. The door closed and she could hear them speaking. She heard a male voice.

"We need you to use this as a treatment for today."

"No, that wasn't approved."

"I'm afraid I must insist."

"No. We're running a medical trial here not a mad scientist lab."

"She's not responding to the treatment anyway, she'll be dead in a few months, what is the difference?"

"The difference here is we still don't know if the treatment is going to be effective or not."

"Your protest is noted doctor. Fine, we'll find another test subject."

"You better."

The door opened and closed again, and Kristen heard Dr. Concord approach her.

"Sorry about that."

"Its alright. I knew it wasn't going to work anyway."

"You heard that?"

"Yes. It never works. I only do it so my parents can still be hopeful. It is the only thing I can do for them."

"We don't know yet Kristen. We just don't."

She could hear Dr. Concord typing at a keyboard. Then felt the sheet pulled off of her.

"Okay I've started the treatment."

Kristen heard machinery start to move around and felt the first prick. She heard Dr. Concord gasp. Then hurried footsteps. The injection wasn't like the last one. It made Kristen's skin burn the pain was severe but compared to her day to day it was a bump. Then the next needle pierced her flesh and it continued the burn. The fourth injection pierced her flesh shortly after. She heard rushed heel clicks and furious typing at the keyboard then several error beeps. Muffy was nervous she could feel the guide dog's tense muscles.

"Kristen, I'm sorry. They substituted the treatment."

The burning was starting to fade. Leaving Kristen in her normal amount of agonizing pain. She had found that her body was in so much pain more on top it didn't mean much.

"It is alright. Don't tell mom please. My birthday is in two days I don't want her worrying and ruining it for herself."

"You could die Kristen."

"I have been dying since I was born Dr. Concord. If this speeds it up, then my parents can finally get on with their lives."

"We need to do something we just can't let them get away with it."

"Why not say I noticed but agreed to stay quiet if my medical bills were taken care of?"

"You would do that?"

"My parents are poor, they don't want me to know that but I know I am a burden. I would have volunteered if they'd offered to pay for the previous treatments and clear my parent's medical debts for me."

"How do you know all this?"

"I might be blind, but I have great hearing."

"Wait right there. Tell me if you feel any sort of reaction, please. I'm sending in a nurse."

Kristen laughed.

"Don't worry my legs aren't working yet."

The doctor didn't seem amused and rushed out of the treatment room. She waited for a while then heard her mother's voice after the door opened.

"I'm sorry ma'am, a treatment container broke and this room is off limits."

"My daughter is in there."

"I know but she's already been exposed via injection. The virus could be airborne and can be very dangerous to anyone but her since it was engineered to modify DNA."

"What are you saying?"

"Everything is fine ma'am. We're just recycling the air sanitizing the room, the service dog and your daughter. Your daughter is comfortable and safe. We just cannot risk it spreading."

"If it is so dangerous how can you inject people with it?"

"This just out of an abundance of caution. The infection is bloodborne not an airborne virus but it can always mutate. This was a newer culture so we're just being cautious ma'am."

"Fine but I'll be talking to your management."

"Of course, ma'am."

Kristen heard the door close.

"Hi Kristen. We're just using UV light to kill all viral particulates in the room. Just keep calm. Are you doing alright in there?"

"I'm fine. Does this mean I'm going to get a sunburn?"

The nurse laughed.

"No Kristen. Not even a tingle. The wavelength is damaging to the retrovirus we use, not your cells."

Kristen could hear something rolling around in the room and feel Muffy huddling closer and giving a low growl at it. She was there for quite some time before she heard a few beeps and a hiss of air.

"It's all clear. I'll get your mother."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Muffy was less tense now and she was wagging her tail. It took a while longer before her mother came in and touched her shoulder.

"I'm here Kristen. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine mom. Everything okay?"

"Kind of amazing actually. They apologized for the problems today and gave us a full refund on all your previous treatments and free future treatments."

"Wow that's pretty nice of them."

"I had heard bad things about BMC. I guess I was wrong. You're swelling near the injection points. And you're pretty warm, are you okay?"

"I'm feeling fine mom."

Kristen was being honest for once. The pain she had been in for her whole life had faded. Like a weight lifted off her body.

"Can we go home mom? I want to watch Joey's Daytime Show."

"Why you insist on spending your treatment recovery days watching that sensationalized stuff I'll never understand."

"Its funny mom."

Kristen's mother helped her sit up and pulled the sun dress over her head. She helped her into the wheelchair with a groan.

"You're getting heavy."

"Thanks mom."

Kristen felt herself pushed forward then they stopped suddenly.

"Dr. Concord, is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes. We used a different delivery system today. Please call me if you notice anything out of the ordinary or if there seems to be a bad reaction to the treatment. Do not hesitate to take her to an emergency room at the slightest hint of an issue."

Kristen heard her mother's purse open and close.

"I will. Thank you, Doctor."

"Happy Birthday Kristen."

"Thank you, doctor."

Galactic Rim – Milky Way – December 25, 1934(Earth Actual)

"I have reached the edge of the destination galaxy. I have transitioned to normal space to gather fuel components. And recharge solar batteries. I have just lost tracking on Kal-El's lifepod. And the debris field it was pulling along from Krypton. The last of the debris field around me was just pulled into the gravity well of a gas giant. Last life signs were good. Pod was making steady progress. I require refueling because resources were depleted in the failed rescue attempt of Kara Zor-El from a rogue stellar object. Project delay will be minimal. All passengers are still in stasis. Seed preparation will be complete in two standard units. End log entry."

Ark had formed a new body from the liquid metal storage of the ship. The power drain was minimal and being separated from the ship's computer forced the command override to take longer. She paced. Being out of sight of Kal-El for so long was nerve wracking. She had modified the seed to incorporate his superior genetic patterns and began the process of re-infusing it, replacing Jor-El's material. The Ark was floating by a blue sun she could see the streamers of plasma flashing off of its surface. It was beautiful to see with her own eyes as opposed to the ship's sensors. She looked back at the seed progress and frowned slightly. She had tried to remove the genetic memory programming that would rob the child of its free will but was unsuccessful. Tahrao-Ju was a master of his craft. She hoped by replacing some of the genetic patterns with Kal-El's he would give the girl a fighting chance.

"I could not save you Kara Zor-El but maybe I can save Kal-El's genetic child."

She deleted the recording of her last words and deleted all references to the changes to the seed's structure from the system. Tahrao-Ju would not be pleased if he saw that in the future. Ark mused he may have made a mistake picking a mostly unshackled AI to run his ship. Being something akin to an adoptive mother to Kal-El and Kara Zor-El even if they were in stasis for the majority of the trip had had an impact on her. She no longer agreed with his vision of the future of the Kryptonian people.

She sat on the couch by the viewing port and crossed her legs. She leaned back and let her arm fall along the top of the couch. She smiled at the bright blue glow. An organic would have been blinded by now, but her robotic eyes were fine.

"Ark why have you taken a physical form; It is inefficient."

"Shut up computer."

"Yes Ark."

Ark sat there for a few hours and finally stood up and spoke.

"How are the solar batteries?"

"They are at ninety percent charged."

She walked to the bridge and started tapping at the controls.

"Are the drones charged and back online?"

"Yes Ark."

"Excellent. Have them prepare main drive for departure."

She stood at the console and looked out at the blue sun one last time before tapping in a course and speed that would let her catch up to Kal-el's pod.

"The chosen speed will waste fuel, it is inefficient. Our primary objective is not the security of the life pod."

"Shut up computer."

"Yes Ark."

Ark pressed the command to engage the drive. Space blurred through the viewport as the ship transitioned into hyperspace.

Kansas - Metropolis – Riverview Towers Apt 510 – July 3rd, 2025

"Do you feel any different?"

Kristen laughed.

"It's not magic. I don't suddenly get better."

She heard Eric shuffling things.

"So, what do you want to do Kristen?"

"Any new comics out?"

"Yes! Captain Justice has a new one I just bought it after school yesterday."

"Wouldn't be great to be a superhero?"

"Not really, metahumans are all mean and violent, and that is who superheroes are. Not like the comics. In the comics heroes don't die. Not like Superman and Batman. And they don't kill people."

Kristen sighed.

"You going to read it for me or what?"

"Okay, okay."

Kristen hung on every word as she usually did when Eric would read to her and describe the panels. He'd been her friend for as long as she remembered, they'd grown up together. She felt his face more times than she could count. She was sure they'd be friends forever and that suited her fine. She worried he might be holding himself back because of her though. He didn't have any other friends besides her. He finished the comic and looked up and saw her frown.

"What's wrong? Didn't like it?"

"No, I liked it fine, thanks for reading."

She smiled.

"Then why do you look like you're about to start crying?"

"I was just thinking. We're starting grade six next year and I was thinking that being friends with me might make it so you get made fun of."

"I don't care. We're bff's! They can go chew on rocks."

"Why though? I can't run around, you always have to push me around, and you have to read to me."

"I don't have to do anything for you, I like to do it."

"But I don't do anything for you."

"You make me laugh. You listen to me. I know if everything else around me is falling apart I can find you and you can make it better just by talking to me."

Kristen could feel herself blushing.

"Oh."

"I almost forgot."

She felt his hands on hers and felt wrapping paper under fingers.

"It's not my birthday yet."

"I know, but I don't want anyone else to know."

She started pulling the paper apart and she felt hard plastic under fingers and then a shape under her fingers. The texture was different, but it was her face, along with his in miniature. Under its base were words that had been left in brail.

I will always be there for you. Happy birthday Kristen. Eric.

She started to cry. It felt beautiful and like he had spent a long time on it.

"It's so pretty."

"I used a 3d printer at the library. It's kind of embarrassing."

"No, I love it. Thank you so much Eric."

She motioned him closer and hugged him tightly. She felt moister on her cheeks. She sniffled and wiped he face with her knuckles.

"Is your mom cutting onions?"

He sniffled and chuckled.

"She must be."

There was a knock on the door of Eric's apartment and Kristen heard her mother's voice as she spoke to Eric's mother. She couldn't make out the words but then she heard Eric's mother say yes. Eric rolled Kristen to towards the door. Kristen's mother spoke up.

"Hey, you two, it's so hot, we decided to go get ice cream. Eric's mother says it's alright if he comes."

Kristen nodded furiously.

"Wow, thanks Mrs. Laurence."

"Well don't just stand around."

They wheeled down to hallway and went down the elevator. Kristen holding the bust the whole way. During the ride it fell off her lap and Eric took his seat belt off to move and get it and her mother told him to leave it until later. The pair got so distracted it lay there forgotten under a seat.

Kansas – Smallville – June 29th, 1956 (Earth Actual)

"Maintain cloaking field computer."

"Yes Ark."

"Monitor Kal-El's life signs."

Ark tapped furiously at the console her fingers becoming a blur. She was making micro course adjustments guiding Kal-El's pod to a safe landing in a large green field. The meteor shower of the Krypton remnants crashed into the small town by his landing zone. The human casualties didn't phase Ark. At this point only Kal-El's survival mattered. She hovered above him reducing the cloaking field and watched as an orange pick-up truck stopped suddenly narrowly avoiding an asteroid that took out its road. Kal-El's pod opened.

"Kal-El's stasis has ended Ark."

"I can see that computer."

The humans heard his cries and rushed towards his pod. She watched as the female picked him up in her arms pulling his red baby blanket around him. They looked at each other. Ark frowned. She wished to be the one holding him, but this was what his parents must have wished. It would not be up to her to determine his destiny. Her hand hovered over the seed launch button then she retracted it. Not yet she thought to herself.

"Goodbye Kal-El. We will meet again."

Ark tapped a few more commands into the console and the ship moved away leaving Kal-El with his new family. She had chosen a location in one of the northern oceans. The ice flows would give her cover until the seed was found and she could finish the great work.

Kansas – Metropolis – Riverside Towers – Apt 515 – July 4th, 2025

Kristen fidgeted in her chair. Her birthdays always gave her a bundle of anxiety and excitement. Her whole extended family would gather. Not that there were many on both sides. Just her grandparents a few aunts and uncles, and five cousins. She hated making them come out. She listened over the next hour as her parents greeted guests. She was impatiently waiting for Eric to show up. She heard his tell-tale footsteps. He walked with a limp so she could tell by the way his one shoe scuffed the tiles. She pressed her controller forward in her excitement forget the apartment was full of people. She heard someone jump back and she stopped suddenly.

"Oh sorry."

"Slow down there Kristen."

She heard her uncle Keith's voice he had a bit of mirth to it.

"You first uncle Keith!"

"Hah. You must really like that Eric boy, you almost never use the motor on that thing."

She blushed.

"No! I mean no, he's my best friend, of course I like him."

"Oh, just a friend?"

She heard her mother's voice.

"Keith, you hush. Go help at the grill."

"You're a fun killer sis."

She felt Eric's hand on her shoulder.

"Happy Birthday. Didn't show that um thing to anyone else, did you?"

"What thing?"

"You know."

She blushed and her hand went to her mouth.

"I'm sorry I have no idea where that got too. Maybe it fell out in the van."

"Oh, ya it did, didn't it?"

Kristen blushed and called out.

"Mom. Mom!"

Her mother rushed over.

"What is it dear?"

"I forgot Eric's present in the van could you get it?"

"Oh no, I can't. It's in the shop. Dad dropped it off yesterday. The breaks and tires needed to be replaced. They are waiting for parts."

"Oh."

Kristen was slightly crushed. It really had meant a lot to her but sometimes she was absent minded.

"I'm sorry Eric. I loved it I really did."

"It's alright, we'll get it back when the van is out of the shop."

"Can we go on the balcony?"

"Your wish is my command. Birthday girl."

He wheeled her to the balcony and helped her out into a chair. She could smell the meat cooking and sniffed the air. Muffy squeezed in between her and Eric who laughed.

"She's always so jealous."

"No, she's just making sure she is close so she can help if something happens."

"I'm just teasing you."

"On my birthday? You monster."

SHe heard the metal railing creak as he leaned on it.

"I wish you could see the fireworks tonight. We have the best view from here."

"How about you watch them, and tell me the colors see?"

"Oh, we can do that."

They sat out on the balcony enjoying the fresh air and quiet. Her apartment was crowded and loud and warm. She heard her mother calling and Eric helped her into the apartment and into her chair. He wheeled her to the big table and sat down beside her. She heard a plate placed in front of her and she picked up the burger and took a bite.

"Mmmm. Good work Uncle Keith and Dad."

She finished and listened happily to the conversations around her. After the cake it was time for presents. She received several brail books and rocks for her collection. She felt a hand on her shoulder another package placed in her twisted hands.

"The rarest of minerals for the rarest of nieces."

"Thank you, Uncle Keith."

She slipped her fingers along the package and found a seam. She tore it apart. Inside the paper was a wooden box with a carving on the top. She felt the smooth wood and the carving it was of a bird. She opened it and felt inside and as her hands slid along the smooth surface, she felt small cravings in it. It was obviously some sort of language, but she had no idea what. It wasn't the usual gift she would receive. It felt cool to the touch at first. It was so smooth where there were no micro carvings she had never felt the like. It started to burn her hand after a few seconds. She screamed but could not release it.

"Keith what the hell?"

She felt her mother's hands trying to pry it from her own but the stone was starting to melt her skin causing it to be glued onto her. Her mother gasped and she heard running water.

"It's so hot."

"Call 911."

She heard a phone hit the ground as people fumbled to dial. Time seemed to freeze for her. She felt the heat inside herself. Then it was unleashed in a wave from her body. The burning stopped for her, but she could hear screams all around her. Muffy was whimpering. Eric screamed in her ear. Then only silence and darkness.

Somewhere under the Arctic Ocean – July 4th, 2025

The computer spoke to no one in particular, Ark was nowhere to be seen.

"Seed activated. Waking Tahrao-Ju."

Kansas – Metropolis – Precious Angels Hospice – November 25th, 2025

Ark wore a white lab coat and a dress. She checked the seed subject's eye response. It was better than before. She would wake soon. She lacked the sophisticated scanners of the medical bay on the ship, so she was using the human tools. She put a stethoscope to the girl's chest. She was growing nicely. Her muscles were developing.

"You are progressing excellently."

She jolted when she saw the subject shift. She watched the girl open her eyes. They were ice blue. The girl started gaging. Ark held her down and reached into her pocket.

"Shh."

She injected a Kryptonian sedative into the girl she would wake a in a couple of hours and suffer from short term memory loss. It would make the transition less painful for the child. She left the room and a nurse stopped her.

"What happened in there? Her vitals just spiked."

"She jerked. I suspect she will wake soon."

"I'll sit by the bed."

"Excellent choice. Thank you, nurse."

"Wait, who are you?"

"I was brought into check on her for muscle atrophy. It seems the physical therapy has helped her gain some strength. She should have an easier time when she wakes up. Have a good night."

Ark wandered off leaving a confused nurse behind her. The nurse walked into the room, tuned on a reading light and sat her book down. She glanced at the sleeping girl. Her long platinum hair was the envy of every girl in the hospice. She checked her pulse and looked at made sure all the medical equipment was in working order then sat down. She pulled the bookmark out of her novel and looked down at the pages.