Astra watched Kara fly around the city saving people for weeks. She had her own responsibilities to the other Rozz survivors and she was trying to keep on top of those while she kept a close eye on the girl's heroics. Kara was making her proud. She was refusing to look away from the unjust and though she didn't take in the role of judge, jury and executioner, she did make sure they received proper punishment for their actions. Only Kara made sure that they were punished by the law, the human's law, and that had Astra questioning her intentions.

Astra didn't want to see another world burn, and while Earth was not as far gone as Krypton had been it was heading in the same direction. But she was beginning to wonder if the methods she had planned for the end of Krypton were necessary here. There were many other options available and the people of Earth were not in the dark or in denial about the state of their world. There were even a few groups committed to saving and protecting the world, a few government's that had passed laws protecting and restricting natural recourses. She just wondered if that was enough.

Non didn't seem to think so. He wanted to use Myriad. He thought their plan for Krypton would succeed here because humans were less advanced and they were powerful and intelligent, something humanity should follow and obey. He believed they should take their place as leaders of the world, he wanted to enslave the human race. They had fought many times over her plans after Myriad.

Astra wanted to achieve their goal, save the planet from destruction, and then release the human minds Myriad would enslave. Non fought with her on it constantly. She wanted a city, only a city, to focus on the problem; he wanted the world. And he had no desire to release the human minds after. He wanted to make Earth a refuge for any Kryptonians that could possibly exist in the universe. Astra had no intention of allowing him. She refused to enslave a race. It went against every moral she had.

Using Myriad went against every moral she had. On Krypton, with the end practically barreling at them, she had given in to his methods. They had killed people, something that had never been part of her goals. She had wanted only to save lives not take them. Non had said it was inevitable. She had let if slide, only because Kara's life was in danger and their government was doing nothing. Her desperation to save the child had allowed her to turn away from her conscience, allowed her to do what was necessary for their survival.

Only she was starting to think it wasn't necessary here. And she had Non breathing in her ear that it was; telling her the humans couldn't be trusted to do it on their own that they needed to step in. But every time she turned on the news she saw Kara. Her Kara flying around the city giving people hope and more importantly believing in the people.

Her Kara believed in the people. Astra wondered if that kind of belief, that kind of hope, couldn't have saved them. Empowered the people to stand up to their government and seek answers about the earthquakes and disasters that had so catastrophically heralded their end.

She sighed at the heavy thoughts and leaned against the sleekly curved window of her desert home. A home separate from Fort Rozz, something she had needed when they first arrived. Non refused to share it with her, not that she had been upset with his decision. He despised all things human and he rarely ever left the crashed ship. She enjoyed humanity. It was so different than Krypton. The architecture and landscapes fascinated her and her home had been built keeping both in mind.

It was remotely located yet had the best views of the red Nevada desert. It was worth all the work she had put in to create it. All the studying she had done to find a way to quickly earn the funds she needed to build it. She wasn't rich, but she had become adept at investing and had more than enough money to legally pay for her home and purchase most of the components for their plan. She had also managed to have legal documents forged. Non had refused her offer of doing the same for him. He did not want to assimilate into the populace.

She tugged her silky wrap closer around her body, troubled by thought of her husband. Non wasn't very agreeable to begin with but he was becoming increasingly exasperating since Kara's discovery. She knew why, he hated the girl, hated what she was and now he hated the very idea she represented. One day she was going to have to choose between her husband and Kara. She had made the choice before on Krypton and she'd been forced to choose him, she wasn't going to make the same decision again. She couldn't.

Her eyes scanned the horizon as the sun rose, bathing the beautiful red Rock and dirt in glorious reds and golds that reminded her aching heart of home. In the early morning she rose to this sight, it always gave her peace. Clarification. It was no different this morning. She shut her eyes and breathed deeply. "Thank Rao." She breathed softly, thinking of the miracle he'd bestowed upon her.

"Praise to Rao." Non echoed behind her. She turned slowly, opening her eyes and fixing him with a steady and cold gaze.

"What are you doing here?"

He cocked an eyebrow. She had never encouraged him to come, offering to share the residence had always been symbolic on her part. Neither wanted to share the space, though they separated on the reasons. Her glare encouraged him to answer. "General, the agents have captured Kar-Vel. They have taken him to their base at National City." Astra sighed irritably. That man had been key to their operation. He was in deep cover with the government and kept a crucial eye on the movements of the D.E.O. If he had been discovered somehow it didn't pose well for the other operatives they had within the military branches. It had taken patience and a lot of money to get those men in positions they needed. Loosing them so close the end game was a brutal blow.

"There isn't anything we can do." She told him quietly, sitting on the small window ledge that framed the picture window. She pulled the silk wrap closer when her husband's eyes made a quick appreciative trip down the length of her figure. She was beginning to wish she'd put on more than the short silky night gown. At least she had grabbed it's accompanying shawl on her way out of her room.

Non sighed in irritation, whether it was from her actions or words Astra wasn't sure. "So you want to leave him at the human's mercy." He demanded.

"Is he being tortured?" she asked calmly, already knowing the answer was no. He shook his head. "Then yes, we leave him. He is no use to us with his cover blown and if we mount a rescue we risk exposing more than just our numbers." She stood and turned back to stare out at the landscape. Her peaceful morning had been interrupted and the colors were no longer the soothing reds of Argo. "More than just our lives would be risked if we assaulted that facility."

Non growled. "Not this again." She tensed as he grabbed her shoulders. He didn't bother turning her to face him. "We have talked of this. The humans are not worth our concern. The planet is the reason for doing what we are doing, it should be our main priority."

"We will not risk innocent lives." She frowned at his refusal to understand. "We will not risk any lives unnecessarily, ours or theirs. Is that clear?" She felt his hands tense tightly before he released her and stepped back.

"Yes, General." She noted the reluctance in his tone but ignored it. As long as they followed her they would follow her rules, she felt slight comfort in the knowledge the others would not follow Non. He was not a leader and the others would fall to disarray if he removed her from power. "There is another matter."

"It is not your concern." She told him harshly, knowing full well what, or rather who, he was speaking of.

"She will not let us continue should she discover our intentions. She will fight."

"Do you expect our man will simply tell them all our plans? Had he not been loyal and trained?" She spun back around to confront her husband. Her eyes spit fire and the hatred he saw reflected in them cut him to the quick. If ever he needed a reminder of her true feelings for him he needed only bring up Kara. She could never hide the pain his part in that memory recalled for her.

"It is as you say, General." He said quietly.

"Then leave me be, I gave you your orders. Do nothing. And you leave Kara to me."

"Will you do what is necessary, should she get in our way?"

Astra's eyes didn't waver, the hatred didn't dim. "I will do whatever I think is necessary to see to the continuation of this planet. Of it's inhabitants and their way of life." She saw the muscle in his jaw flex again. "Leave." He nodded, bowed slightly with his hands behind his backs and walked briskly toward the exit.

She knew he was going angry, the rigid stance and barely restrained anger couldn't be missed. He had no right to tell her how to handle Kara. And no right to make demands of her. And she could tell he was beginning to lose faith in her, he had never questioned her commitment so openly before. She was losing his trust and he had already lost hers. She was worried for Kara's safety. Worried he wouldn't keep his word and leave the girl be. She wasn't going to be able to remain in the shadows much longer. Kara needed to know she was alive and she needed to make a decision about the future and what her actions were going to be.

She had the flight to National City to think about it.

A/N: I really don't like Non.