I'm posting the next few chapters all at once, 3 through chapter 5, which is that last I have completed so far. Enjoy. Who knows when I'll finish, as I'm more invested in my new Ahsoka story atm, and my investment in Supercorp has flagged since season 5.
Securely strapped into the shuttle Kodiak Lena glances over the details of Cadmus' rumoured activities on Harvest, looking for anything she's missed. A second review of the information isn't revealing anything new however, leaving them less prepared for the mission than she would like.
The Kodiak rocks gently as it enters the planet's atmosphere, the spatial dampeners keeping it relatively steady. Jess and Eli sit across from Lena & Kara, whispering to each other. All four of them wearing clothing that will get them pegged as smugglers rather than Spaceforce officers. Kara sits where once Luke would have, his lack of presence reaching out over this assignment like a dark cloud. Somehow Lena knows, this will go very differently than if he was still with them. She makes a mental note to contact him later, before returning her attention to the room.
"Find anything new?" Kara asks, the first words she's spoken since leaving the Venture. Unable to read the Kryptonian's emotions psychically, Lena has to resort to the much less well honed technique of reading facial expressions and body language. Kara is betraying very little in her face, yet once again, her fists are clenched tight. Something must be bothering her.
"Nothing, only the old rumors that the Titanian's mining operation's manager achieved her position with the help of Cadmus. Other than that, SpaceForce has very little info on this Sloane Kelly. There's a wait time of a month for most audiences with the so-called "Harvest Queen", not something Command usually has the patience for."
Kara sighs. "She got that title defending her people from mine."
Lena watches Kara relax her fists and ball them up again. "Whatever happens down there, however we feel about what happened during the war, we have to be careful. Horizon is outside Alliance jurisdiction, there's no back up out here."
Kara scoffs. "If there is trouble I'm not sure the Alliance would care much."
Lena knows Kara's right, though she hates to admit it. The Alliance cares very little for those not already in the fold.
The whispering across from them quiets as Jess speaks up. "The people here might not take kindly to you if they realize you're Kryptonian, especially if anyone recognizes Flamebird."
Lena looks at Kara, her long blonde hair and physical stature will be recognizable anywhere certainly…
"I almost forgot." Lena pulls out an unassuming pair of glasses and hands them to Kara. "Here, put these on."
"What are pair of glasses going to do?" Kara slides them on despite her question. "Hide my identity?"
No. But I know who you are now. Lena suppresses a smirk, presenting what she knows to be her sincerest smile. "It all depends on how familiar people are with you. Some plastic and glass aren't enough to hide you are."
Lena taps the sides of the frames. "What they will do is send out a low level psychic pulse that directs attention away from you. You'll be unremarkable in the eyes of the people."
"Thank You."
Lena meets Kara's eyes as her stiff posture relaxes and rigid breathing slows, and the Kryptonian almost smiles. Kara reaches up and adjusts the glasses. "I've, uh, never worn anything like these before."
Hmm. "Just think of them like a mask, you're used to wearing those." Ms Danvers. Lena's response is calculated, she may not know what Kara wants but she's not going to be unsettled by her deception.
"...True." Kara's smile fades even as her posture remains relaxed.
"You still look like a murderer to me." Eli's harsh voice pipes in.
"That was uncalled for." Jess snaps at him.
He crosses his arms over his chest. "Hmmph."
From the front of the shuttle the pilot's voice announces their arrival. "Brace yourselves for landing."
Lena checks her seat restraints and looks over at Kara as the rumbling of the shuttle increases. Whatever relaxing effect giving her the glasses had seems to have passed, Kara's fists are once again clenched tightly, hiding in her eyes is something akin to apprehension.
Despite her pledge never to read her friends without permission or cause, Lena is always aware of their mental presence. She can always tell the nature of any distress they're feeling, and while not being able sense Kara is a relief to some extent, there's a part of her that is maddened by knowing so little about what she's thinking and feeling.
As the shuttle takes off behind them, Lena pulls Eli aside and gestures for Jess and Kara to walk ahead. "You promised me that if I brought you along, you weren't gonna be a problem."
"I did. It's just, this place. If she hadn't been here… if the war hadn't… my family died here and her's is responsible." Eli's face crinkles with barely suppressed anger and sadness.
"I understand Eli. But one more crack like the last one and when were done here, disciplinary action will be taken. Am I clear?"
"Yes Captain."
"Good. Now do your thing and get us into see Sloane."
"Yeah, yeah."
Lena and Eli walk off the landing platform to join the other two women, whatever conversation they were having dying off at their approach.
"Alright Eli, show us what growing up in the Outer Rim did for ya." Jess's slaps him hard on the back.
"Ow. Don't expect any miracles. And stay close, until we're with Captain Ma'lorn anything can happen."
Lena keeps her eye on Eli as they progress through the Port, barely registering the halfhearted glances thrown their way.
The Port's Docking Ring is an organized mess by SpaceForce standards and remarkably packed with people for what Lena assumed was just the dock for a mining operation. The buildings are all draped with various banners, some emblazoned with writing and symbols to indicate the purpose of the building, others are simply decoration. Lena isn't familiar with Titanian architecture, overall it resembles what she imagines would be a fusion of medieval and modern earth architecture.
The sounds of shuttles landing and departing drown out most other noise, and for the most part they aren't drawing much attention. The air around Lena feels tense the masks, helmets, and casual demeanor all hiding the deep concern underriding the interactions going on in the ring. She takes a deep breath, focusing on the calm of Kara's thoughts, letting the unfamiliarity of their quiet push away the noise of the crowds.
Eli leads them through the crowds past a series of armed guards whose eyes are trained on the chaos of the docks. Lena notices Eli avoiding looking their direction, while Kara has positioned herself between Lena and Jess where few if any eyes will fall on her.
"I spent a lot of time here before the war." Eli points towards a building that lays about a hundred feet ahead of them, banners draped on either side of wide open doors.
"Where's here?" Jess asks.
Eli gestures to the insignia on the banners, a crossed sword and laser-rifle. "That's where the Port Guard operates out of. And where we're going to get what we need."
"Were you law enforcement?" Kara asks.
"I was the one the law was being enforced against, if you can believe it."
"Young Eli here was a troublemaker before Sinclair found him and he enlisted in SpaceForce." Jess nudges Eli with her elbow. "We straightened him out of course."
"Of course." Kara nods. Of the features of Kara's face it's not the strong jaw, or wise and curious eyes that hold Lena's attention at the moment. It's her lips, no doubt practiced in the ways of war, much like the rest of her, the subtle movement of her twisting smile is enough to completely draw Lena's focus long enough for her not to notice the building anger around her, the raised voices, and the sound of laser fire.
The second blast pulls Lena back to her surroundings and the anger emanating from the crowd.
On the ground between them and the security building lies the dead body of a Titanian, weapons are drawn and pointed every which way, and confusion as to the identity of the attacker takes over as the crowd's prevailing emotion.
"Holy..." Jess's distressed voice calls out from behind. Lena takes in the chaos around her and can't help but agree.
Kara stands unmoving beside her, shock registering on her face. Jess rushes forward, to help the wounded person , Lena senses, when Eli grabs her arm. "Stay back. There's a … way these things are handled here."
Jess's protests are drowned out by the angry shouts and yells of the crowd. Shouts which die down as a tall Titanian woman with four eyes, red skin, and black hair braided down her back emerges from the security office. She wears a red and black uniform emblazoned with the same insignia as the banner hanging behind her.
"Everyone scatter." She bellows. "You know the drill, you'll receive a visit from us if CCTV connects you to the shooting."
She motions for two nearby guards to attend the body who rush to obey.. "Get this out of here." With a huff she turns back here she came from.
"Karva" Lena hears Eli's voice behind her.
The Titanian officer stops, turns her head back to the group, and blinks.
"Karva, it's me! You recognize me right?"
She turns completely now, facing Eli and the others head on.
"Well, I be damned. Eli Wessler? Only a matter of time before you came waltzing back home."
"Just dropping by, thought I'd show some friends where I grew up."
Lena feels Karva's senses turn toward her before her she sees her eyes rest on her. Something registers in her eyes as she speaks again.
"Hah. Back in with the old crowds, I knew you'd never last in Spaceforce. Should I arrest you now and save myself the trouble?."
"No." Eli laughs, a genuine laugh. The kinda Lena hasn't heard since Kara came aboard. "We would like to talk in private.
Karva nods and turns back toward the security office and the four of them follow her in, once inside they pass a Martian secretary before entering a small office. In the corner is a desk that Karva perches herself on.
"Karva this is Captain Lena Thorul. Lena this is Guard Captain Karva Ma'lorn. Second toughest woman on Harvest."
Lena attempts a smile and nods to Karva. "Captain. This is Kara, my first officer. And Jess Oh, ship's doctor."
"Right. And what ship is that?." Karva's response is gruff. "Eli wasn't known for his good behavior, I can't imagine you are either."
"You're not far off. We're from the Delmast a small, but fast, cargo ship. We have procured some cargo that needs to be unloaded quickly. Eli indicated you could help us conclude our business."
"What business might an officer of the law be able to expedite that one of the many upstanding merchants here can't?"
Lena senses Eli is prepared to handle the conversation when Kara's voice comes unannounced from her left.
She's not used to how off-putting it is to hear someone speak without any indication there were going to do so… Kara just might force her to get used to it.
"I'm sure nothing unusual Captain, we only need you to grease the wheels…"
Karva's eyes harden as she focuses solely on Kara. Kara seems to notice as Lena hears confusion in her next words.
"I mean only, if you aren't too busy. We need to talk with your boss, and well, we don't have weeks to wait."
It almost looks like Kara is about to wink before she thinks better of it.
"Oh is that all? Well, I don't know how possible that's going to be. At least, not if you want to see her soon. What with work being slow and all, I have mountains of paperwork I need to catch up on."
"Name your price and ... maybe that paperwork can be made to disappear." Kara waves her fingers over Karva's desk with a vanishing motion.
Lena is captivated by Kara's utterly obvious attempts at bribery, attempts that are clearly failing. Yet Lena can't quite bring herself to intervene because flustered Kara is... adorable.
"Are you implying what I think you're implying? Is she implying what I think she's implying?" Karva glances at Eli, incredulity lacing her voice.
"Not at all. We just…" Kara puts her hands up defensively.
"This is painful." Lena senses from the surface of Eli's thoughts just as he cuts in, saving Kara from saying anything else. "Ignore her. And my Captain. These two are not very good at this, that's why I'm here."
Eli walks up to Karva and the two exchange hushed whispers. Karva glances back to Lena and Kara, and a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth as she and Eli shake hands.
"It seems I have finished all this paperwork early." Karva's voice is free of its earlier gruffness. "Give me five minutes and I'll have an appointment scheduled for you.
Back on the Venture Lena sits at lunch in the dining hall. As much as she would welcome the relief of her hoverchair after the two jostling shuttle rides, she can't be worrying about her hangups regarding her ability.
The meeting with Sloane was arranged for ten-hundred hours tomorrow. Enough time to put aside what's she's going to do and say for a while and put her mind to other matters.
Lena activates her comm device, "Commander Zor-El, please join me in the mess hall." Whatever Lena is going to do about Harvest, and the two Kara's, the first thing on her agenda is the matter of the Kryptonians and ensuring their place aboard the Venture.
Lena passes the time between Kara's response and her arrival by twisting her fork around in her pasta, glancing up every so often to put faces to the thoughts she's taking in. Normally Lena avoids being mentally open in a crowded space without her suppressant, but if she's going to understand what the two crews need she's going to need all her resources about her.
The crews are mingling, not everyone's happy about it, but they aren't self-segregating as explicitly as before. Kara's display in engineering seems to have put a stop to that, but it is still there, simmering under the surface.
After what seems like ages, when Lena is beginning to wonder if Kara is coming at all, she senses the familiar calm down right outside the dining hall. Lena takes a deep breath and returns to eating her food, pushing aside her questions regarding Kara's identity so they can deal with business.
Lena manages a smile when Kara enters and invites her over to her table. "I took the liberty of ordering for you, I'm sorry if you're not hungry, but I need you to eat."
Kara sits across from Lena, the two women now the center of attention for most of, if not everyone, in the dining hall. "So, this is some Kryptonian-Alliance solidarity thing? We eat lunch together to show we're not enemies?"
"In part. I'm not naive enough to think us being friendly will be enough by any stretch, it would be nice if some of the hostility could be mitigated."
"It would." Kara has a faraway look in her eye, one that Lena feels a strong desire to understand. Lena watches as Kara starts eating, soaking in the image of the Kryptonian hero. Now that she's seen the commander with glasses on, she's of two minds regarding her. Confusion as to the deception, and also a near inability to see the cute and bumbling reporter and the stern woman in front of her as the same person.
"What's your assessment of the situation on Harvest?"
"Harvest is different than I expected. That they are outside Alliance control shouldn't mean they have no laws or regulations, but the place seems … wild. I just can't shake the feeling that everyone there has some secret they're keeping close."
"As no doubt are you."
Kara's smile falters at the implication. "Nothing that would jeopardize you or our mission."
"I trust not."
Kara's eyebrow raises at Lena's comment, and it looks to Lena like a question is forming in Kara's mind.
"Captain..." Kara starts, apprehension showing in her features. "Do you ever regret making Kryptonite?"
"Do I regret…?" The question is the last one Lena expected. Does she? Her and Lionel's work led to the end of the war. The leveling of a playing field between the vulnerable Alliance and the near invincible Kryptonians.
"No. I don't. It was necessary. I saved lives that would have otherwise been lost. I'm not a villain, no matter how your people see me."
Kara nods. "That's good. As I said before, I'm glad for it. It has changed things with my people, or at least it's begun to. I'm thankful for it at least."
"No other Kryptonian has ever had that reaction."
"I'm not like other Kryptonians."
That's certainly true. Other Kryptonians haven't saved my life, or flirted with me, or whatever Kara "Danvers" was doing…
Having flustered herself, Lena decides to end the conversation. Afterall she achieved her goal, they were seen together. "Well, unless you have other concerns, you are dismissed."
Kara tilts her head toward Lena. "Thank you captain."
Lena watches Kara leave, admiring the tightly built frame of the Kryptonian warrior. When the door closes behind Kara, Lena laughs. Whatever else is going on here, at least Lena knows she's not unaffected by a strong and beautiful woman.
After getting changed for the night, Lena sits down in her hoverchair and finally shuts off her implant. Relief floods her body as she is able to relax for the first time all day. Taking a deep breath Lena moves to her desk and voices a command for Marina. After a few moments of staring at a loading screen, Luke's face appears and smiles at her. It takes only a second for Lena to realize she's reached Luke's inbox greeting, rather than the man himself. She lets the video play anyway, eager to hear his voice.
"Luke Perec, of the E.S.F Venture, currently on assignment aboard the K.M.C Flower of Heaven. Leave your info, and I will return your call when possible."
Lena sighs. It wasn't a lot, but it's better than the void caused by his departure so shortly after Roulette's death. If there wasn't a whole galaxy between them… but there is.
"Luke, it's me. Stay out of trouble, and call me back. I need to talk to you." You better not be letting me down Mr. Perec. She smiles at the thought, unable to picture Luke failing her in anyway. She hits send on her brief message and terminates the app.
By the time Lena is laying in bed with the lights out, at twenty-hundred hours, her brain and body are exhausted. Her call to Luke the last thing on her agenda.
It's been a long day of walking and of being fully open to people's thoughts. A long day of worry about Cadmus, Harvest, and the two crews. A day long enough to completely wipe her out.
Her eyes close and with very little effort Lena falls asleep.
Lena emerges onto the bridge, every station empty, outside the bridge crew's bodies float lifelessly, displayed for Lena on the view screen. She takes a step toward the screen and everything whirls around her in wisps of smoke, she's standing in the hangar bay again screaming as her Captain's shuttle is destroyed in a bright burst of red laser fire. The explosion knocks her back and she blinks, opening her eyes to find she's not aboard the Venture anymore.
Her room at the Luthor Science Academy looks different than she remembered, filled with evidence of not just one, but two lives. In the bed next to her Kara sleeps soundly, the rise of fall of chest as she breathes easing Lena's memory. "Of course. How could I forget you?" Lena reaches out to stroke her hair ...
Only for her arm to become encased in blue-black armor that stretches up and around her body, in a tight fit she's only seen on Flamebird before. Kara's eyes blink and she grips Lena's arm with her own. "Khutov Wedhinzil"
Light flashes behind Lena, casting her shadow on the wall, her shadow, but with wings…
Kara's grip on her arms loosens and the walls around Lena start to crumble, and for a brief moment she's sitting in the ruins of her family's legacy, and then everything whirls around her...
An unknown city fills the space around her, and an unknown figure wearing Kryptonian military garb stands above a crowd of millions calling for an end to peace. He sees her and stretches out his arm towards her, every eye follows and she's swallowed in the gaze of a million Kryptonians all chanting "Death to Peace, Death to the Alliance." The mob descends on her and then is gone, and Lena is floating in space, orbiting the red-sunned planet. Hundreds of ships fly past her from the planet's surface, each of a design decidedly not Kryptonian yet somehow familiar. They speed past her yet she can see aboard each one thousands of scared people, each one bearing a look of desperation on their face and their thoughts resonating hopelessness and fear. For every ship that makes it safely past her ten are shot down, their contents exploding all around her. In a haze of fire and smoke the sky clears and all Lena sees is the planet below her. All she hears is his voice.
"They've done this before, and they will do it again. To us. You have a choice. End their reign before they end ours."
Again she hers herself responding. "Tell me how Brother."
Lex's voice is soothing, and the gloved hand he places on her shoulder comforts her. "You'll know what to do, when it's time."
And Lex is gone replaced first by her dead father and then by Flamebird, and what was a comforting hand on her shoulder becomes a heavy grip on her neck, squeezing and squeezing until almost all the life is gone, and just when Lena can't breath anymore Flamebird's grip relaxes, her eyes turn red and Lena lets out a scream that is cut off as blue fire burns through her skull.
The last thing she hears is Flamebird's voice, "Dhehriv Wedhinzil"
Lena jerks to the sound of her own scream, tears blurring her vision. Shakily she reaches out to her bedside stand and grabs her inhaler. Her ragged breath chokes her, relief coming when she's finally able to place the inhaler in her mouth and breathe.
Lena squeezes her eyes shut and calls for the lights to come on. A moment passes as Lena adjusts to the brightness and makes the decision to page Jess to her quarters.
Lena glances at the time display on her bedside. It's zero four hundred. At least she's gotten some sleep.
It isn't long before she hears a voice outside her door and the computerized response Medical Override Acknowledged. The doors open and Jess enters.
Jess sits on the edge of Lena's bed, taking in the sight of the disheveled Captain and the inhaler gripped in her hand.
"Was it the nightmares again?" The concern is etched in Jess's voice, a small comfort as her thoughts are at the edge of Lena's reach, pushed away by the inhaler.
Lena cups her forehead with her hands. "I think so." Tears well up in her eyes. "...Yes? The more I think about it the less I recall. I don't know why I screamed. All I remember I was back at the academy and Kara was there."
"At the academy?"
"I think so. I'm not one-hundred percent sure." Lena let's her head flop back into the pillows. "Can you get me some water."
Jess nods and walks over to the replicator terminal, exchanges a few words, and returns with a cool glass of water. Lena takes it and quickly downs it.
"Do you need me to stay?"
"Just a little longer." Lena's breathing is easier, even though her voice is still small and quiet.
"Okay. In addition to reminding you to actually take it, I'm going to increase the dosage of your mental suppressant. You haven't had a nightmare wake you like this in years. Whatever mental activity is going that's causing this, its stronger than before. I'd feel better if you could try and identify what's different now."
"Thanks Jess. I … think I may have overdone it today with my attempts to reach out to the new crew members. Unlike Kara, the other Kryptonians' thoughts are very intense. I wanted to try reading them, to see if I could learn from what they aren't saying … but maybe it's better if I stick to talking to them."
"Let's do that." A twinkle appears in Jess's eyes, and Lena sense a complete subject change approaching." Now, do you have any idea why you'd be dreaming about Kara in your bed? Are you that desperate?"
Lena blinks. "I haven't told you yet have I?"
"Told me what?"
Lena sighs. "This is going to sound ridiculous, but I think that Kara Danvers, the reporter, is our Commander, Kara Zor-El."
"What? That doesn't make any sense."
"I know. But Captain Sawyer seemed convinced, and while I haven't had a chance to confirm it with her directly… I have gathered some evidence."
"So, the reporter who followed you around for days at school before asking for an interview while you were changing , who you almost kissed, is actually the Kryptonian who saved your life and is currently the executive officer of this ship."
"Yes." Lena grimaces. "It sounds bad doesn't it.
"Yes it does. Do you have any idea why she did this?"
"No."
"Lena." Jess doesn't try to hide the concern in her voice.
"What?"
"You're gonna work with this woman with a landmine like this just hanging around?"
"She saved my life." Lena hopes that will be the end of it, but knowing Jess...
"Which was only possible because she followed you across the galaxy."
"And I need to know why. I want to trust her. I have to play this play out in order to find the truth."
"Why don't you just read her?"
"I can't."
"I know it's not your favorite thing to do, but…"
Lena cuts Jess off before she can finish. "No Jess, I can't. I literally cannot sense her thoughts. From day one she's been a blank to me. I don't know why, none of the other Kryptonians are. Just her."
Jess grunts. "That's great, she's a stalker and is immune to your mind reading powers."
"Jess, that's not it at all. Her mind feels safe. I feel calmer when I'm around her, less like I'm going to drown. I need to let her reveal her truth on her own time."
"And what if you don't like it?"
"I'll deal with that if and when I need to. Thanks for your concern, but this topic is closed."
"Okay, I get it. You want me to leave."
"I didn't say that. But yes, please leave." Lena smiles weakly at Jess.
"Goodnight Lena."
"Goodnight."
Lena waits for Jess to leave before easing herself into her chair. She finds herself moving across the room towards her Kryptonian chess set. The blue and red stained pieces an old comfort from when her dreams used to constantly overwhelm her. She reaches out to the Nightwing piece, her favorite due to the Kryptonian myth it represents.
Before Kara's arrival on her ship Lena had never given much thought to the fact her favorite myth was from Krypton rather than Earth, she had always chalked it up to Lex's lingering influence, the result of the stories he told her when she was ill. But now?
In the myth the Kryptonian Goddess Flamebird reincarnates throughout time, searching for her love, the Nightwing. Their love is tumultuous, fierce, and burns down empires, and Lena had often imagined herself as the object of the Goddess Flamebird's affection, sought out by someone whose sole purpose was to love her, not to humiliate, use, or control her.
What does it mean that the Kryptonian calling herself Flamebird has sought out Lena, and now works with her?
Lena takes the piece in her hand, running her thumb over its wings. Flashes from the dream run across her eyes, her winged shadow, Flamebird choking her. Lena quickly sets the piece down and the flashes stop. Again, leaving only a sense of unease.
Whatever it means, Lena can't help but wonder if her Flamebird is at all related to the one from legend.
The morning comes without further interruption, for which Lena is immensely grateful. Today she has to go back to Harvest and put her job before her curiosity about the woman with three names.
The trip to Horizon Port is quicker this time, having gained permission to use the transporters and beam down. Once again Lena and Kara are accompanied by Eli and Jess, the latter of whom keeps casting glances at Kara that Lena hopes are going unnoticed.
Whatever is going on with Flamebird, Lena has chosen to wait to ask for an answer. So the only thing to do now is to focus on the mission. Which right now means leveraging Kara to gain information from this Sloane.
Karva is there to meet them as they step off the Port's transportation pad, greeting them with an air of disdain. "Follow me."
Before any of them can respond, Karva turns her back and is marching ahead of them. Lena nods to her companions in Karva's direction, and they all follow. In short order they reach the wall that separates the docking ring from the rest of the Port, Karva leads them through the doors out into the larger Harvest Port.
One striking similarity between the Docking Ring and Market districts of Harvest Port is the people, everyone seems exceptionally healthy, and their minds are filled with thoughts of relief. From what though Lena can't determine.
Outside the immediate area of the Port's docking ring the impact of the war is much more visible, the debris from the Battle of Scorched Skies scattered everywhere like wounds in the fabric of the city itself.
Lena is grateful that their group draws little attention from those crowded in the Port's market district.
Jess's speaks up from behind her. "What happened here?"
Karva spits. "Kara Zor-El did. Do you know why they call it the Battle of Scorched Skies?"
Lena hears Kara respond. "Yes."
Lena can feel Karva's anger, but as usual she's left to decipher clues when it comes to Kara. Is that guilt in her voice? She looks almost small, her usual strong stance diminished.
"It was the first time the war felt real to most of us, a year of fighting "out there" means very little when your life is characterized by everyday hardship of some kind. But when your fleet arrived, the battle was over almost before it began. Our meagre defenses fought hard and as long as they could, but within an hour the sky was so full of ships exploding and debris burning up in the atmosphere that all we could see was fire from horizon to horizon."
Whatever Kara is feeling, Lena senses nothing, her only clue the way Kara stares at the ground.
"And then broken ship pieces full of people began to crash into buildings full of people." Eli's voice is tinged with anger. "And into the gathered crowds of people staring into the sky. You see that there?"
Eli points to a nearby crater, a golden tower emerging from its center. Engraved with markings Lena can't make out from this distance, people stand around it crying, their distress one of the more palpable senses in the Port.
"That one wasn't caused by any crashing ship or burning debris…"
"That's where she landed." Kara cuts in. "That's where Kara Zor-El landed and demanded your surrender."
"She declared victory in a voice that echoed through the whole city, and staked her claim here with murder." Karva gestures to the golden tower. "The names engraved their are the names of the people she crushed when she flew from the sky like a god, and the people she cut down with the fire from her eyes when they refused to give in."
Kara nods slowly and then walks away from the group towards the memorial. Lena glances at the rest of L-Corp, and then follows after her.
Lena keeps her distance, not wanting to crowd Kara as she steps into the shadow of the gilded tower. Kara kneels in front of the engraved names, reaches out and touches the markings, resting her hand there. The other mourners take no notice, both caught up in their own grief and pushed away by the psychic glasses..
"Stay here" Lena whispers to the group before quietly stepping into the memorial's shadow just next to Kara.
Kara's hand drops from the engravings into her lap and she bows her head,her hair hanging down and hiding her face. Lena hears Kara speaking, she doesn't understand the words yet they sound reverential, almost prayer like, pained and raw.
"Ukr-kah zwa nahn mishidh vot
Sokao-nahn raop i threv wau khehth
.sokao-zhgam-odh raop i bythtahn
.ton sokao-rriv-odh raop i fehr wa rth vot vahdhah mishidh vot
.kao-chad-odh gemzeht w krytiv zehtiahr gehdiv shpagh
.kao-:zhalish-odh w kryp i olishehd-o vahdhah :zhalish-odh kryp w krytiv olishehd-ium
;zov kao-zha-krym-u w uzrheg-ehd vav
;zuhne kao-voikir-u w kryp tiv udol-ium nahv."
Kara's voice grows silent and in this moment of vulnerability, Lena's upset at Kara's deception melts. In its place a sense of sadness flooding her. Lena too has made choices that have made her a feared figure, though she hasn't yet had to directly face those whose lives she may have destroyed.
Lena kneels down on Kara left, her eyes drawn to the tears dotting Kara's hands. Gently, Lena reaches out and tucks Kara's hair over her ear. Kara startles at the touch and turns to look at Lena.
"Are you alright?" As she asks Lena feels the foolishness of the question. She rests her hand on Kara's shoulder, instinctively reaching out psychically to find in Kara's emotions what will offer the most comfort, rather than the storm with the calm center that has kept her out before, Lena feels her mind touch Kara's. The connection lasts only for a moment, but it's long enough for Lena to discover that the emotion Kara is showing is only a fraction of the sadness and anger and guilt that seems to burn within her.
Kara glances between Lena's face and her hand on her shoulder, before pulling away, breaking the connection between their minds. "I will be." Kara takes a deep breath and stands.
"Let's go see Sloane."
Karva introduces the quartet to Sloane's personal security forces, three guards in blue cloaks and masks. Lena senses a strong sense of duty from them, one that hides any other surface thoughts from a cursory probing. They are led together, past three security details, to stand just outside the back room of the Port's largest building.
"Wait here." Karva walks through a pair of glass doors into the back room. The three guards training their weapons on the group.
"You all." A human voice pipes out from under one of the masks as the guard motions to Lena, Eli, and Jess." Remove your weapons. Place them in the bin."
"What bin?" Eli's question is cut off when a metal crate slides out of the wall.
"That one." The guard's voice is terse.
Karva returns just as they've all disarmed.
"If you're ready, she'll see you now."
Eli walks in with Karva, whispering something Lena can't quite overhear. Lena, Kara, and Jess follow them across the threshold, glancing at the Holographic displays adorning the walls, each portraying a different piece of motion art.
At the far end of the room a woman, presumably Sloane, reclines on what appears to be a throne, flanked by Titanian guards. Her blonde hair pulled back in tight braids, Lena senses no joy at their arrival, only amusement.
When Lena makes eye contact with Sloane, she leans forward resting her arms on her legs.
"Welcome to Port Harvest. My backyard. What do you want?"
"You must be Sloane Kelly, I'm…"
"I know who you are. What brings the Alliance's savior to our humble port?"
"Am I that recognizable? Even out here?"
"Not to most. You stopped a war that could have been a genocide. I make it my business to know the faces of people who save human lives. But that doesn't answer my question. Why're you here?"
"Cadmus. No doubt you've heard of it?"
"So what if I have?" Sloane's tone is casual, almost too casual. "What're they to you?"
"I need information on their activities. I have reason to believe they might be connected to a recent attack that resulted in human casualties."
"Right. Maybe they have been… expanding recently. That doesn't change the fact that during the war, they're the ones who helped us repel the kryps, not you and yours. The fact of the matter is I only deal in trade, and well… you have nothing I want."
Sloane waves her hand dismissively and the guards move to escort the group out.
Ignoring them, Lena reaches out to Sloane's mind, some people are easier to read than others, and most people have no protections at all, completely unprepared to be interacting with a telepath. Sloane isn't entirely unguarded, yet Lena finds it easy enough to sift through images of pain, anger, pock marked faces, tears, death.
The pieces fall into place. Check.
Having found what she needs Lena turns to Kara and mouths I'm sorry, before reaching up and removing her glasses.
Everyone shifts. Where before Kara seemed to be a blind spot, barely registering in people's minds, Lena senses when each person finally sees the Kryptonian. And she senses their shock. She can only hope that she's read Sloane correctly.
Lena's voice commands attention as she announces. "Sloane Kelly, may I present Commander Kara Zor-El of Krypton, the Flamebird, formerly of the Flower of Heaven and the El Mayarah, the so called "hero" of the Battle of Scorched Skies."
"Alliance. And Kryp. You brought the most wanted woman in the sector into my throne room. Explain."
"She's my executive officer on the U.S.F Venture, as part of the Alliance's Officer Exchange Program with Krypton. And … she's prepared to make a full apology for the loss of life incurred during the battle of scorched skies."
"She is? So she's tame , is what you're telling me?" Sloane laughs. "Great, so I'll just let this well known killer loose on the people of Horizon. Her apology will be well accepted by the families of the people she slaughtered." Her voice drips sarcasm as she reclines on her throne again. "Leave her here with me and I'll let you leave alive."
Lena looks to Kara to gauge her reaction, but with the return of Kara's stoic mask and the general calm of her mind, Lena's at a loss as to what the commander is feeling.
Sloane shares a brief glance with Karva before the Titanian nods and turns out of the room.
"She's part of my crew Sloane, I can't just hand her over to you. Tell me what you want with her."
Sloane draws herself up straight. "Nothing that concerns you, Alliance."
Lena senses Karva's return before she hears the whoosh of the doors, disgust and malice flowing from Karva towards Kara.
Lena turns to Karva and looks down at the woman's hands. They grip what is clearly a set of arm restraints. As the captain approaches her and Kara a green glow emanates from the cuffs. A very unique green glow.
Before Lena can do anything other than think this isn't good she sees Kara's body react, in that horrible way Lena is all too familiar with. She watches as Kara falls to her knees, the rest of her body stiff and yet shaking.
Jess moves to intercept Karva, when Lena reaches out and blocks her. Jess blinks, before stepping away.
Lena steps forward, resting a hand on Kara's shoulder. "What will you do with her? It looks like you're hoping for something more than an apology."
"Oh, I'll take her apology. But she'll stand trial first, and her sentence will determine the nature of her apology."
Lena feels Kara shudder under her hand.
"I see." Lena purses her lips. "As her commanding officer I have to insist on details."
"Fine. Since you insist. Before this woman and her kryp army fled our planet, they unleashed a biological weapon that has been eating its way through our population. In five years we have found no cure. It resists every attempt of ours to study it. In two more years most of us will have succumbed. And Kara Zor-El, your tame Kryptonian, gave the order for its release personally."
"Is that true Commander?"
Kara looks up at Lena, pain etched within every feature of her face. When she speaks her voice, cracked and broken, is barely a whisper.
"I… no. I … don't know."
Lena meets her glance, her eyes searching Kara's, hoping that Kara trusts her as her Captain. A flicker of what Lena hopes in acknowledgment passes over Kara's features and Lena turns back to Sloane.
"She's all yours."
Sloane smiles and nods to Karva. "Take her."
Lena steps back, allowing Karva and her guards to grab Kara. They force her arms behind her and with an audible snap and crack the restraints close around Kara's arms. Lena has to keep up the facade. But what good was all that time spent as a Luthor if it didn't give her a backbone?
When Kara is shoved past her, Lena avoids looking at her, keeping her sights on the woman enthroned in front of her.
"As you are no doubt aware Alliance , matters of local justice outweigh whatever claim you have over her as her Captain." Sloane's voice is victorious and haughty. "However, since you insist on getting involved, you can provide her defense, as meager as it will be."
Lena nods. "As you wish." She turns to exit the room, signaling for L-Corp to follow her.
A smile breaks across Lena's face as thinks to herself, Checkmate.
