Chapter 147: Krypton

Forgive me, Kara.

Such were Astra's thoughts as she felt Reign let go of the grip on her arm, her hand slipping through the open palm of her conqueror as she began her gradually cratering descent from the sky to the ground below. She had been completely and utterly defeated. She had failed to protect her niece's home. Astra closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.

But it didn't. She soon felt herself land onto something soft but enclosed. The former general used what little of her strength she had left to see what happened, and saw, from the corner of her, the familiar color of glowing green. Help had come.

"Astra!" Hal Jordan called out, forgetting himself momentarily in the wake of seeing his friend so heavily brutalized. He had sped his way from Coast City all the way to here once he realized the fight was not going in Astra's favor, and had been glad he had acted on his instincts. A second later, and he would've been scraping the broken woman off the pavement. "Come on, stay awake! Don't close your eyes!"

"Do not bother, Green Lantern," the superhero whipped his head upwards to glare at the villain who had spoken. "She has already fallen to Reign. All of you so-called heroes will, should you stand in my way like she did."

Hal snarled. "I'd like to see you try," he shot back.

Reign smirked at his words, and darted forwards. It was only pure instinct that Hal was able to dodge, unable to retaliate thanks to still having to carry Astra with him using his ring. I need to get Astra out of here, the man thought to himself as he wearily began to circle Reign in the air. If she doesn't get treatment soon… but if I let Reign go, who knows what she'll do? It was a conundrum: Hal had a duty to his teammate but also a duty to the people of Star City. Astra would never forgive him if he abandoned her niece's city to save her life; at the same time, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself he couldn't save her.

Suddenly, the answer came in a familiar blue and red uniform. "Go, Green Lantern!" Martian Manhunter shouted as he wrapped his arms around the struggling villain, his invisibility dissipating away. "Get Archangel out of here!"

Hal didn't bother shouting back. He just flew away at top speed, heading straight for A.R.G.U.S.'s Star City base.

When Hal got to the base, he saw Barry already waiting anxiously there, side-by-side with the medical team. With him was Caitlin Snow, all of them dressed and ready for major surgery. Hal didn't bother asking how they had gotten there so fast, Cisco was undoubtedly involved, and instead passed off Astra's limp body to the waiting stretcher, where it was quickly rolled into the operating room. Once he was sure Astra was safe, he was about to leave to aid J'onn in fighting Reign, until one of the surrounding agents informed him that Amanda was ordering him to stay behind and guard the base in case Reign managed to follow and/or find Astra and him. If J'onn needed help then she would rescind the order, but for now, he was to play bodyguard. Hal was furious but didn't dare argue with the logic and stayed behind.

About an hour later, J'onn appeared at the base himself, a little worse for wear but still alive and whole. "I wasn't able to pin her down or capture her," the Martian explain. "She's fled, probably to avoid retaliation from the rest of the JL for the attack on Astra."

"Damn," Hal cursed, punching a nearby wall. "The entire world is going to be on eggshells after this. First Kara, then Astra. Our two biggest heavy-hitters, taken out in the space of a week. What rotten luck."

J'onn nodded, scarlet eyes glowing. "Indeed. Though I wonder…" He hummed, adopting a thinking pose.

The Lantern glanced at him. "Something cooking in there?"

"Did you get a good look at the emblem on Reign's chest?"

"A little. Looked kind of ominous."

"Yes. And yet it was also shaped like a Kryptonian symbol. Such as the one Kara wears on her costume."

Hal blinked. "She's Kryptonian," he said, mind also beginning to run. "You think she's connected to Purity and Pestilence?"

"It cannot be a coincidence she shows up wearing a symbol like that so closely after they appeared," J'onn pointed out. "She might not have had esoteric powers like they did, but she was far stronger than the average Kryptonian. She'd have to be, to overwhelm a skilled warrior like Astra."

The pilot sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No offense to Kara and Astra, but what the hell was wrong with their planet?"

J'onn's eyes flashed. "I believe that once they wake up, they will be asking the same question as you."

The operation continued throughout the night. Neither of them were surprised; considering the state Astra had been found in, Barry and Caitlin and the host of doctors A.R.G.U.S. had assigned to help them had their work cut out for them. Hal had eventually ended up falling asleep in his waiting room chair, nodding off after he turned off his ring to conserve charge.

When he woke up, he found someone had put a pillow beneath his head and a blanket over him. A concerned Oliver and Laurel were in front of him, the latter holding out a cup of coffee. Hal yawned and stretched out his arms before taking it, taking in that wonderful, familiar scent. "Laurel, you are an absolute treasure," he said in complete seriousness.

The young woman blushed while her boyfriend gave him a flat look. Hal couldn't help but shoot the archer a smirk; while he was never serious in his flirtations with the Black Canary, it was just too much fun at times getting on the Green Arrow's nerves. He just made it too easy.

"We would've come earlier," Oliver said, quickly changing the subject, "but we had one of Kal's friend staying with us and had to drop her off at her mom's this morning."

Hal's joking mood evaporated immediately upon hearing that. "How's he taking it?"

Oliver glanced to the side, Hal following his gaze to see Kal sitting in another chair, in front of the doors to the operating room. His eyes were squarely focused on what was in front of him, without a single blink. "Hard. Astra might not be related to him by blood like Kara is, but she's become something of an aunt to him anyway ever since Kara and her reconciled. And for this to happen so soon after Kara was taken out…"

He didn't say anything more, and he didn't have to. Hal could connect the dots. "Where's J'onn?" the Green Lantern asked instead.

"Out in the city." This time it was Laurel who answered. "He's on the lookout for Reign. Nothing so far, but we can't be too careful."

No, Hal thought. He supposed they couldn't be. "I'm going to get some food," he decided. He glanced at his fellow heroes. "Want anything?"

"We're good," Laurel waved him off. "We ate before we came here."

Hal nodded, and made a beeline for what functioned as the base's mess hall. He was starving.

When Hal got back, his teammates were still waiting in front of the operating room. He settled back into his seat and waited with them, occasionally munching on the extra breakfast sandwich he had taken with him. By the time he was done with the sandwich, the operating light at the top of the doors finally flickered off, and the doctors began to exit, all of them heading towards different directions.

The last to come out were Barry and Caitlin, both of whom looked tired. Kal practically shot out of his seat when he saw them and headed directly towards his brother. Barry didn't look surprised to see him, and pulled him in for a hug.

The younger man clutched his coat but no sounds escaped him. After a minute or so, he pulled away, looking up at the speedster. A silent question that Barry answered. "She's alive," the medic said. "And she'll make a recovery."

Hal briefly felt the clutch around his heart loosen, and saw that Laurel also looked relieved. However, whatever respite they felt faded when they saw that neither Oliver nor Kal looked absolved by this admission. "But?" Oliver prompted.

"She's in a coma," Barry sighed. "And unlike Kara's, this isn't medically-induced. We don't know when she'll wake up." If she'll wake up, was what he didn't say, but he didn't have to. They were all smart enough to read between the lines.

At that, everyone's faces fell, Kal's most of all. "I'm sorry," Barry said softly to his little brother.

The young Kryptonian shook his head. "Don't be; you did your best."

After the conversation concluded, the two doctors walked off to clean up from the operation, while everyone else visited Astra's new room to see her condition for themselves. The woman in question was covered in bandages and other medical patches, what skin that was showing pale and bruised. She wasn't as bad as when Hal first saw her, but she still looked terrible. He didn't know how Kal had managed to keep himself together when he saw his surrogate aunt like that; maybe the emotional control from his childhood in the murder cult that had raised him and his siblings had to do with it.

He didn't know how long the four of them stayed there. But eventually, Barry returned, and asked them to come outside so they could speak. "Where's Caitlin?" Laurel asked as they followed through the door.

"Eating," Barry answered. "She hasn't had breakfast. Neither have I, but we've got pressing business to deal with. Besides, I've got these." He took out one of his infamous calorie bars and waved them around, unwrapping one and taking a bite of it.

"What's going on, Barry?" Oliver asked, his business face on.

His little brother made a few more chews and then swallowed before speaking. "We need to talk about Reign."

Almost immediately, the atmosphere around them grew ten times more tense. "J'onn's searching for her," Hal noted.

"But it's not likely he's going to find her," Barry pointed out. "She had a mask on; we don't know what she looks like beyond the fact that she has long dark hair and tanned skin."

"So what do we do then?" Laurel asked. "Do we have anything on her?"

To everyone's surprise, Barry grinned at her words. "Indeed we do," he declared, and pulled out a folded up photo from his other pocket. He unfolded it to reveal it was clear picture of Reign in all her glory. "Thanks to the footage the news got, we have a clear shot of the symbol on her chest. Hal?"

Hal dutifully took out his ring and scanned the image. He frowned, and shook his head. "Sorry. Nothing."

There were disappointed looks, but as for Barry, he shrugged. "That's fine — we still have one place we can look."

Oliver frowned. "You mean the Fortress? Jor-El didn't find anything on Purity or Pestilence."

"Yeah, but we didn't have something like this before. Words are one thing, but an actual image? That's a lot easier to find." Barry crossed his arms. "As for clearance, I'll bring Kal with me in case we need a primary user's authority to access the data."

"Is that okay?" Laurel asked. "Considering the conditions of both Kara and Astra…"

"The two are stable for now," Barry reassured her. "If anything does happen, Caitlin is just as capable and has access to all my notes on Kryptonian biology."

Then, he smirked. "Besides," he said, gesturing to the side where a breach was beginning to open, "we're not going the long way."

"Have I ever told you how much I love coming here?" Cisco asked Barry as the two of them and Kal stepped through the breach and onto the waiting, ice-like foundations that made up the Fortress of Solitude. "Because I really love coming here."

"We've noticed, Cisco," Barry chuckled. He idly glanced to the side, where Kal was remaining quiet and withdrawn, and frowned.

Kal had become so much livelier ever since they finally left the League behind. It was something they were all grateful for, considering how shy and introverted he had been growing up. It wasn't unexpected, really; despite all their efforts, Kal had a very atypical childhood. First he was raised on the death trap known as Lian Yu, then amongst the emotional repressed, cutthroat League of Assassins — two environments that discouraged any sort of expression, where you were constantly looking over your shoulder, expecting someone to spot one of your weaknesses and stab you in the back. All while knowing that he was anything but a normal child, that he was more powerful than the vast majority of the world, descended from a dead planet.

Kara had been right. The League was no place to raise a child. Kal needed to have something of a normal life if he was ever going to grow up well-adjusted and functional, instead of a weapon for the League like Ra's had no doubt hoped he one day would be. Leaving them behind, bringing Kal to Star City, letting him go to school and have friends, all of that had been for the best. Barry had never seen him so happy.

And now all of that was gone. Their sister, his youngest brother's greatest protector and longest caretaker, was laid up in bed, trying to fight off a deadly disease. Kal's surrogate aunt, so recently connected with and the last of their race besides himself and the aforementioned sister, was in a coma and might never wake up. He still had Oliver and Barry and Slade, but some part of him must've been preparing himself for the possibility that something could take them away too. It would explain why Kal had become so withdrawn; he was trying to shield himself away from the potential pain.

Kara, Barry thought to himself, you need to wake up soon. You and Astra both. For Kal's sake if no one else's.

"Kal, Barry, Cisco," the projection of Jor-El's image greeted them as they approached the fortress's computer console. "Welcome back."

"Hi, Jor-El," Barry greeted the AI. "Unfortunately, this isn't a social visit. We need your help identifying an image that may be Kryptonian in origin."

"I see. Please plase the image face down on the center of the console. I shall scan it."

Barry complied with his instructions, taking out the photo he had of Reign and placing it face down on top of the opening in the center of the computer console. A blue, horizontal light slid across the photo, and it was projected onto the screen. The image of Reign herself was removed as the emblem on her chest was highlighted and enlarged for more detail. "Image identified. Now searching databanks for information," Jor-El announced.

They had to wait a few more minutes. Then, "Information found."

Cisco clapped his hands. "Great!" They waited for Jor-El to elaborate.

He didn't.

"Um, aren't you going to tell us what you found?" Cisco asked, this time confused.

"I cannot. I am not authorized to."

The two men and one teenager stared. "What do you mean you're not authorized to? Tell us what you found!" Barry ordered.

"I cannot. You do not have the clearance to access this information, Barry."

Kal stepped forward, looking unusually severe. "Then he does now. I, primary user Kal-El, declare that everyone here has the clearance of a primary user for this information."

And again, Jor-El denied. "I am sorry, Kal-El. Primary users do not have the clearance to access this information either."

The young Kryptonian's jaw dropped. "What?" he practically shouted in uncharacteristic rage.

A pair of hands, comforting but firm, grabbed his shoulders. "Calm, Kal," Barry told him, face now speculative. "Anger isn't going to help here."

Kal grit his teeth but listened to his brother. Barry, satisfied, stepped forward. "On whose authority has this information been restricted?"

"Two core users: Zor-El and Alura Zor-El."

Now everyone was staring again. "What?" Kal said once more, this time much more quiet and confused.

"Core users?" Cisco looked towards Barry questioningly.

"The people who helped create and program the Fortress before sending it with Kara and Kal to Earth," Barry answered him, still transfixed on Jor-El's image. "Four in total: Jor-El and Lara Jor-El, Kal's biological parents, and Zor-El and Alura Zor-El, Kara's biological parents."

"Wait, are you saying that Kara's parents are why we can't access the information about Reign? But why?"

Barry pursed his lips. "Only one reason: they were trying to hide something. What that is and why, however, we don't know. And considering they're dead, we may never know."

The metahuman looked frustrated. "What now, then?"

"We'll have to try and subvert their authority in the system—"

Before Barry could say anything more, he was cut off by an alert that sounded throughout the fortress. The usually blue, almost translucent ice started flashing red. "What's going on?" Cisco shouted over the noise.

"The Fortress's sensors have detected a Kryptonian installation entering our galaxy's quadrant," Jor-El answered.

Well, isn't this a day full of surprises, Barry thought sarcastically as the group once again openly stared at the AI. "Do you know who it is?" Kal asked as the alert ended.

"According to the databanks of the fortress, the signature of the installation is concurrent with that of the Kryptonian city known as Argo."

"Argo?" Barry didn't even try to hide his shock. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay, okay, wait," Cisco interjected. "What's going on? Wasn't all of Krypton destroyed?"

"It should've been, though Kryptonians were colonizers in the past; both Kara and Astra theorized there might be some abandoned Kryptonian installations still out there, waiting to be found," the speedster explained, mind deep in thought. "But Argo shouldn't be one of them — it was on Krypton when it exploded."

Kal was wide-eyed. "When Kara and Astra find out…" he trailed off, but the intention was clear.

"Find out what? What's so special about Argo?"

"It's their hometown," Barry revealed. "The place where Kara was born. And the last place she saw before Kal and her left Krypton and the planet exploded."

And there's Argo. I was wondering how I was going to bring it in, before realizing that the team didn't have to search and accidentally come across Argo — it could find them instead. And as for how… well, you'll see.

Astra survived her battle with Reign, but barely. Now both Kara and her out of commission, making Earth more vulnerable than ever. This was deliberate. There was a lot of stuff that couldn't happen if they were both up at the same time. As for what that stuff is… yeah, you know the drill.

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