A/N - This chapter is written as a flashback so I want to take a moment to establish the timeline. Based on the canon of the show Krypton exploded 24 years before Kara's pod made it to Earth. She was 13 when she left Krypton and because of her pod's unfortunate detour to the Phantom Zone she was still biologically 13 when she arrived on Earth (making her chronologically 37 when Kal-El found her). She lived 13 years as Kara Danvers before revealing her powers to the world and becoming Supergirl (this is based on her comment to J'onn in Season 3, Episode 1 that she had tried to be Kara Danvers for 15 years). That made her biologically 26 and chronologically 50 when she first became Supergirl. In the series finale she told her family how amazing the last 6 years had been and, if we assume this wasn't Melissa breaking the fourth wall, that makes Kara biologically 32 and chronologically 56 when she reveals her identity to the world. This "Kara Authentic" series has, so far, taken place over approximately an 18 month post-series timeframe so in the present day of the story Kara is biologically 33 and chronologically 57. This chapter begins 54 years before the main story's present at which point Kara is 3 years old.

Fifty-four years ago.

The light of a new day is slowly starting to break over the horizon. The darkness of early morning begins to give way to the red glow of Rao's shining light over the majestic Kryptonian city of Kandor. Clouds ploddingly roll across the sky while in the distance in the rural, outlying villages, families of the Artists and Labor Guilds start to stir in their rustic dwellings as they prepare for the endeavors of another beautiful and hopefully rewarding day. In the heart of central Kandor, surrounded by a sprawling cityscape of magnificently designed structures and gorgeous landscaping stands the towering silver spire of the Science Guild.

High up upon the impressive looking skyscraper, a lone man, clad in a black outfit adorned with a silver crest of the House of El, a silver belt, and silver clasps securing a flowing black cape, stands on an observation platform outside of a labortory. Lost deep in contemplation… he stares out blankly in the distance as lines of stress, concern, and fear fill his forehead. As moisture starts to gather in the corners of his eyes a noise behind him stirs him from his daze. He turns and begins to walk back inside as he hears the lab door slide closed and a voice calls out, "Ue, are you here?"

With an exhausted look in his eyes the man steps over the threshold from the observation platform and says wearily, "Zor-El… what are you doing here?"

"Jor-El!", his brother responds, "Lara sent me. She said you haven't been home in three days." Zor-El gets a good look at his brother's face, noticing the stress and worry in his eyes. "What's going on? You look troubled."

Jor-El walks past his brother stoically, placing a hand on his shoulder as he walks by, makes his way to a stool at his work station, and sits down. "I'm sorry she pulled you away from Alura and Kara, Ue. I didn't mean to worry her. I just got so wrapped up…". He closes his eyes, looks down, and shakes his head dejectedly.

Zor-El walks over and places a hand on his brother's shoulder. Having never seen Jor-El so distraught before, a look of measured concern fills his face as he asks, "Jor-El, what has you so rattled?"

Jor-El lifts his head, opens his eyes, and takes a deep breath to try and compose himself. "Brother… I believe…", he closes his eyes again and shakes his head. "I'm not quite sure how to say this…".

Zor-El looks at him compassionately and interjects, "Best just to say whatever it is as plainly and directly as possible."

"Okay," Jor-El replies distraughtly. "Based on my latest anaylsis of the ongoing core mining data… Krypton's core has begun to destabilize at an alarming, and irreversible, rate. By my calculations the planet has only a generation or less of life left before the rate of degradation results in the destruction of our world."

Zor-El's eyes widen in terror as the weight of his brother's words register in his heart. He stumbles over to a stool not far from where Jor-El is and carefully takes a seat. With a stunned expression on his face he looks at his brother and painfully asks, "How certain of this are you?"

Jor-El lifts a crystal from the table next to him and places it into his lab station's command console. As the crystal slides into place and lights up the holographic projector hums to life. A holographic projection of Krypton fills the space between them as Jor-El walks his brother through the horrifying facts of the situation.

"I don't believe it," Zor-El remarks with exasperation. "We've been warning them for years that continuing to pursue this course of action could have catastrophic consequences for our world, but the Council of Elders has chosen to turn a blind eye."

Jor-El nods in agreement. "I know."

Zor-El stands up from his stool, walks toward the opening of the observation platform, and looks out over the glowing horizon of what he now knows to be a world marching blindly toward its inevitable doom. As tears begin to form in his eyes he turns back to look at his brother and asks, "What do we do?"

His brother stands from his stool, walks over to join him looking out over their dying world, intertwinds his fingers behind his back, and says, "We have a duty to take this information to the council and try to make them see reason. We have some time to prepare our people for this, but we're going to need some help to sway the elders."

"Help?", Zor-El looks at him with a incredulous stare. "Please tell me you do not mean who I think you mean."

Jor-El looks at him with a resigned expression on his face. "We need him, Ue. I know you and Zod have had your differences, but the council trusts him. If he stands with us… shows them that he agrees with these findings… it will carry much weight with them. It might be just what we need to get them to take this seriously."

"Do you think he'll believe it?", Zor-El asks in an agitated tone.

Jor-El nods affirmatively. "I've already presented my findings to him and Ursa. They both reacted to it much as you did. Zod has also been voicing his concerns to me about the potential damage the core mining could be causing, but was unwilling to challenge the council without verifiable data… now we have it."

"Very well," Zor-El agrees, "but what do we do if the coucil continues to ignore the reality of our plight?"

Jor-El turns, walks back toward his lab station command console and taps the center control. As his brother turns and walks back to join him the hologram of Krypton dematerializes and new holograms materialize in its place… a grouping of small silver space pods.

"If our leaders are unwilling to do what must be done to save our people," Jor-El notes, "then we will begin to make preparations to take our families far from this world before we are consumed by their hubris and ignorance."

A few weeks later a council guard leads three men down a wide, long hall. At the far end he opens a set of large marble doors to the inner chamber of the Council of Elders. The guard steps to the side, Jor-El, Zod, and Zor-El walk past him into the chamber, and as he exits the guard pulls the doors closed behind him. The three men step forward and bow in greeting to the five members of the council seated in large ornamented chamber chairs.

The council member seated in the center chair leans foward, smiles, and addresses them. "Jor-El of Kryptonopolis, General Zod of Kandor, Jor-El of Argo… you have requested an audience today with this council and we are all curious as to why."

General Zod steps forward. "Ro-Zar… we come before you and the rest of this council today on a matter of planetary urgency. For too long, this council has imperiled the future of this world because of its overwhelming fear of exploration of the stars. This council shuttered our deep space exploration program following the disaster at Wegthor with the hopes of finding a better, safer way to secure the future of our world… but all that your fear has accomplished is to set our world on an accelerated path towards its inevitable destruction. Over the course of the past several months I have tasked Jor-El with the responsibility of examining the safety and viability of Krypton's continued reliance on mining the core of our planet. Today, he shall…"

The council member seated to the left of Ro-Zar lifts a hand and interjects. "May I ask… on whose authority were you acting when you set Jor-El to this task?"

With a look of increasing arrogance and and disdain, Zod responds, "Whose authority? Dug-Les, this council has tasked me with the responsibility of leading this planet's defense forces to ensure the safety and security of all our citizens. Implicit in these duties is the authority to take whatever steps I believe are necessary to determine if our world is at risk from either external or internal influences. I believe, as do both Jor-El and Zor-El, that our reliance upon mining the core of Krypton is the most immediate and imminent threat to the safety of our world and, as such, I saw no need to seek permission to exercise the authority already vested in me as the commanding General of Krypton's defense force." Zod turns his head, looks at Jor-El, and nods toward a command pylon to their right.

Jor-El steps forward, removes a command crystal from a pocket beneath the House of El crest on his chest, and inserts it into the command pylon. As the holographic information begins to matrerialize in the space between the council members and the three men, Jor-El walks them through his analysis of the data and the horrific conclusion he has reached.

As Jor-El reaches the conclusion of his presentation, Zor-El steps forward and adds, "As you can plainly see from the information my brother has presented, the stability of our planet has been irrevocably damaged. The core of this planet can no longer withstand the abuse we have inflicted upon it, and even if we cease mining operations immediately… the rate of deterioration cannot be curbed. The fate of this world is no longer in question. Our planet is dying. We have a responsibility to the safety and survival of our race to recommission our exploratory fleet and find a new home someplace out among the stars."

Ro-Zar looks to the chairs on her left… each of these council members giving her a cursory, acknowledging nod. She repeats this exercise to her right with identical results. She turns her head back to face the three men standing before her and then motions to one of the chamber guards. The chamber guard nods, walks over to the command pylon, removes Jor-El's crystal, drops it on the floor, and crushes it with the butt of his staff. Zor-El's eyes widen with shock as Zod and Jor-El give each other resigned, understanding nods.

"You already knew," Jor-El sighs deeply and shakes his head in disgust.

Ro-Zar stands up from her chair, steps down towards the three men, stops directly in front of Jor-El, and eyes him sternly. "You shall turn over all the data you've collected and the analysis you've performed to this council immediately."

Zod interjects, "You disgust me!"

"General," Ro-Zar turns to face him with look of arrogance rivaling his own. "Whether you choose to believe it or not, this council does know what's best for Krypton. This data… these conclusions… they are laughable." She turns, walks back to her chair, sits down, and continues, "Let me make something perfectly clear… this council will not tolerate insubordination or insurrection… as such you are forbidden from discussing this subject with anyone. If we believe you are doing anything that could jeopardize the stability and wellbeing of Krypton or its people… you… and your loved ones… will be sent to The Phantom Zone."

Zod glares at the council members… a murderous glare that sends shivers down the spines of Jor-El and Zor-El. Jor-El puts a hand on Zod's arm, looks at him with a worried expression, and says, "This is wasted effort. Let's…"

Zod shakes Jor-El's hand off his arm, turns abruptly, and marches authoritatively towards the chamber doors. As he reaches the door Ro-Zar exclaims, "General!"

Zod turns his head, looks at her with a controlled anger in his eyes, and grumbles, "I… shall not speak of this… to anyone." Ro-Zar nods her head and the guards at the rear of the chamber open the doors. Zod storms out. Jor-El and Zor-El give the counsel curt, disgusted bows, turn, and follow Zod out of the chamber.

Two months later.

It's early morning in Argo. In the basement laboratory of the El household, Zor-El is hard at work while an adorable blonde toddler is playing quietly at her Father's feet below his command console. A hologram of a large power generator is visible above the console as Zor-El exams componets of the hologram intently, but his concentration is suddenly interrupted when a communication ping sounds in the lab.

He presses a button on the command station and says, "Morning, :zhao i."

"Is Kara down there with you, :divi i?", Alura asks.

Zor-El looks down at his daughter contently playing on the floor. A wide, loving smile fills his face. "Yes, she is."

"You should probably send her up to eat," Alura suggests. "Your brother is here to see you. He's heading down."

"Okay," Zor-El responds. He bends down, looks into Kara's beautiful blue eyes, picks her up, smiles, and says, "Inah, Ieiu says it's time to go upstairs and eat your morning meal."

Kara hugs him tightly around the neck, kisses his cheek, and replies, "Okay, Ukr." Zor-El sets her down. She picks up the toy she was playing with, walks over to the stairs, and slowly makes her way out of the lab just as her uncle walks past.

Jor-El smiles at the young girl and says, "Good morning, Kara!"

Kara looks at him with a bright, shining smile and replies, "Hello, Odhoz!"

Zor-El removes the command crystal from his work station as his brother enters. "Good morning, Ue. What brings you to Argo so early in the day?"

Jor-El turns his head to make sure that Kara has made it a sufficient way up the stairs to be out of earshot. Once he's certain, he turns to his brother with an uneasy look. "I need your help."

"With what?", Zor-El inquires.

"I heard from Tor-Ze last evening," Jor-El mutters quietly. "He's been keeping tabs on Zod for me since…".

"The elders threatened to send us to The Phantom Zone," Zor-El interjects with a decided hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Yes," Jor-El nods. "I've been concerned since that day that Zod may be amassing support within the defense force ranks to try and stage a coup to overthrow the council."

Zor-El gives his brother a sardonic grin. "Really!?! I told you involving him in this was a bad idea. He's always struck me as power hungry and arrogant. Getting dressed down like that by Ro-Zar had to be a bitter pill for him to swallow which makes him even more dangerous."

"You were right," Jor-El genuinely admits. "Now Tor-Ze believes that Zod is going to make his move… today. He sent me this security recording of Zod he says he was able to pull from the Military Guild armory yesterday. I need your help to access it. I need to make sure what's on it before I take it to the elders."

Jor-El hands his brother a small device that Zor-El inserts into a slot on the side of his workstation. As the information downloads Zor-El presses some of the buttons on his command console to try break the file's encryption. As he looks intently at the readout of the information he mumbles, "Just… about… got it!"

A projection of the video materializes in front of the brothers. As it plays back, Zod can be heard spelling out the entirety of his plan to a few select members of his forces that appear willing and ready to follow him. Once the video concludes they look at each other anxiously.

"You've got to get this over to the council chambers to warn them," Zor-El extracts the device from his console and hands it back to his brother.

Jor-El takes the devices, places it in the chest pocket below his House of El crest, and nods. "Right… and I need you to reach back out Tor-Ze… see if he has any idea what this grand distraction is that Zod has planned."

A short time later, a hurried chamber guard pulls open the door to the elders' chamber and quickly rushes in with Jor-El at his side.

Agitated at the unannounced presence of the guard and Jor-El, Ro-Zar stands from her chair and exclaims, "What is the meaning of this intrusion?!?"

Jor-El rushes forward, bows politely, but expeditiously, and explains, "Ro-Zar, please excuse the unannounced interruption. I'm here to warn you that General Zod and a small contingent of defense force personnel are in route to this chamber right now to try and kill you all."

"Preposterous!", Dug-Les proclaims. "What proof have you?"

Jor-El walks back down to the command pylon he used during his last visit to their chamber, inserts the device in a slot on the pylon's side, and the recording playback begins. The council members watch intently as Zod lays out the details of his plans to overthrow the council and murder its members. As the playback concludes another guard rushes into chamber.

"Elders!", the guard shouts in a panic. "A large, unusually shaped ship has entered the lower atmosphere. We aren't sure where it came from or who it is, but it's headed for Kandor."

Ro-Zar taps a few buttons on the arm of her council chair and a holographic image appears where the playback of Zod's plan just concluded. Audible gasps fill the chamber at the sight.

Jor-El exclaims, "Is that?!?"

Ro-Zar nods as anger fills her eyes. "Zod's distraction! That skull ship belongs to a dangerous Coluan named Brainiac!" She taps another set of buttons on the other arm of her chair… doors to anti-chambers open on each side of the chamber and a garrison of troops file into the room. The council members each get out of their chairs and make their way to the anti-chamber doors.

Ro-Zar raises from her chair and steps down to command her troops. "A small contingent of defense force personnel… commanded by General Zod… is in route to attempt an assualt on this council. It's time for each of you to step up and perform the duties which you have each sworn an oath to fulfill. Protect this council… defeat Zod and his forces."

The troops acknowledge Ro-Zar's orders and prepare themselves for battle. As she starts to make her way to one of the anti-chamber doors she turns to Jor-El and says, "Come… Jor-El. You'll be safe here with us until Zod and his forces are contained." Jor-El follows her through one of the doors to safety.

A few days later.

Zod stands alone in a dark room, a bright light shining down on him, standing on a raised oval platform with two rings spinning around him. A door opens just behind him and in walks a small contingent of people including Jor-El, the elders, and Jor-El's sister-in-law, Alura Zor-El. The council members take their positions in chairs situated around Zod's platform. Jor-El stands off to one side of Ro-Zar's chair, and Alura walks over to a podium in front of Zod.

"General Zod," Alura begins. "You have been charged with and found gulity of treason and sedition against the Council of Elders and the citizens of Krypton, as well as collusion with the Coluan known as Brainiac to orchestrate an attack on the city of Kandor which resulted in the entire city being shrunk and stolen from our planet. Do you have anything to say for yourself before punishment is pronounced?"

Zod looks coldly around the room at the seven bodies surrounding him. "You are all blind, pathetic fools. This world is dying. Jor-El… dying! I was trying to rid this planet of the cancer that infects it and you… old friend… betrayed me!! This world will parish… whether it be at the hands of someone like Brainiac or because of its own shortsightedness and arrogance. Send me to The Phantom Zone if you wish. Not even that barren wasteland will be able to prevent me from seeking my vengeance. I will return to watch this world burn… to seek my revenge on that damned Coluan for his betrayal in stealing my home, my wife… but most importantly… I will return to seek you out… Jor-El… and make you suffer for turning your back on Krypton and on me."

Alura removes a red crystal from a pouch on the podium, holds it up for all to see, and announces, "General Dru-Zod… you have been found guilty as stated before this tribunal and are hereby sentenced to banishment in The Phantom Zone."

Ro-Zar stands from her chair, walks over to the podium, takes the crystal from Alura, walks over to the command pylon by Zod's platform, and inserts the crystal. A silver beam of energy blasts down from the ceiling area above Zod, engulfing him. He makes no noise as his body pixelates into hundred of pieces and disappears.