Chapter 85: To the Stars
Disclaimer: All things Supergirl/Superman belong to DC. No infringement is intended.
There was no atmosphere on the moon, thus the entire event took place in total silence. Kara merely felt the vibrations in the ground as the main module was set down. Dust was kicked up and briefly obscured the scene as the great metal box came to rest on the surface of Earth's companion. About a mile away, a pole with a United States flag proudly displayed briefly wobbled before becoming still again.
"Trailblazer 1 reporting: Tranquility Module 1 is in place," a voice crackled across the com in her ear. "Repeat, Tranquility Module 1 is in place. Everything looks good."
Kara smiled, watching the scene from a safe distance. She could have flown over to help, of course, but it was neither necessary nor her place. This was humanity's moment. They were doing this all by themselves.
"Copy, Trailblazer 1," another voice answered over the com. "Connection is steady, we are getting your signal loud and clear. Proceed!"
Kara looked up, her eyes easily spotting the transport ship that had set the first module of Tranquility Base down. Its large thrusters were blazing now, carrying it back up into orbit. The low gravity of the moon made it a lot easier, of course. Even as the first ship climbed back out of the shallow gravity well, though, a second ship appeared over the horizon, another large module fastened to its underbelly.
"Trailblazer 2 in position," the second ship called in. "Preparing to set down Tranquility Module 2."
Focusing her eyes, Kara spotted another three ships lined up behind the second one, each carrying a module of the first permanent moon base that would soon begin operations. There was an immense swelling of pride in her breast. Not just because it was – at least in part – the technology developed by K-Solutions that made all this possible. The largest part was seeing the sheer ingenuity and passion on display here. The drive to go forward and outward, to conquer new frontiers and boldly go out into the dark.
Her own people had once done the same. They had conquered the stars, they had settled under dozens of different stars, but then it had all fallen apart. Faced with obstacles and adversity, they had retreated and huddled down on their own world, and in the end that had been their doom. Humanity would not make the same mistake. She would not allow it.
As she continued to watch, her mind drifted back half a year.
United Nations, New York, six months ago
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak here," Kara said, stepping up to the speaker's podium before the United Nations General Assembly. She let her eyes sweep across the assembled politicians and diplomats and was happy to see that, in many cases, the actual heads of state were present, not merely their delegates. She had hoped that would be the case when she had requested this opportunity a few weeks ago. Being the most famous person on Earth did have its privileges now and then.
"I wished to speak to you because we stand on the cusp of a new age. In roughly half a year the foundations for Tranquility Base will be laid, the first permanent outpost of humanity outside your own world. I remember reading about my own people's first small steps to the stars back in school and I am so very happy to be a witness to so monumental an occasion.
"This is a time of great joy, but also a time where humanity becomes part of a much greater cosmos. You are all aware, of course, that there are alien races out there. My son and I have been here for years. The Martian Manhunter is known to you all and the intergalactic police force, the Green Lanterns, also count an Earthman among their numbers now.
"This is merely the beginning, though. Earth has only just begun to get in touch with the galactic community. Our galaxy alone is filled with dozens of alien races who have mastered interplanetary travel. Some of them are thousands of light years away, others are close enough that visiting Earth would be nothing more than a short hop for them. Many of them are friendly. Some of them are not. This is a reality that humanity will have to deal with now."
She paused for a moment, once again sweeping her eyes among the many people assembled. She could see that some of them had not really pondered this notion yet. They knew they were not alone in the cosmos, yes, but they had yet to consider what this might mean for them.
"In my time on this planet, I have come to greatly appreciate the immense diversity of your people. Different point of views, different ways of doing things, different ways of thinking, all these are the hallmarks of progress and have allowed your people to advance at a pace that other, less diverse races would find surprising.
"This diversity should never, must never be lost, but as humanity begins this new age, it is now more important than ever that you stand together and speak with one voice as one people. You can and should be proud of the country of your birth, but when you journey to the stars and speak with other races, you will need to meet them as humans, as citizens of Earth.
"I am aware that this will be a difficult process. All too often it is easier to see the things that divide us, rather than those that unite us. Which is why I am asking you to start now. Earth has become my second home and it is the only home my son has ever known. A home that we wish to see endure, prosper, and thrive. A home that is not held back and divided by its differences but pushed forward and united by common purpose and the strength of its diversity.
"Thank you very much."
Kara left the podium to thunderous applause.
The Moon, the Present
Kara's thoughts returned to the present as the final Trailblazer ship set down its cargo and the five modules of Tranquility Base connected to each other. Lights went on and the humming of great generators could be felt through the ground. The com in her ear crackled again.
"This is Tranquility Base calling Earth. The lights are on and we are open for business!"
Whoops of joy and cheers could be heard across various channels and Kara smiled. Her smile grew even broader, though, when a metal pole began to extend from the center module of Tranquility base and a flag unrolled. The modules of the base had been built on numerous different countries and their flags could be seen in various places. But the great flag in the center, the one everyone would see first, was not the flag of any individual nation. It was the flag of the United Nations.
She chuckled, remembering the length of discussions about which country's Trailblazer ship should be Trailblazer 1, which country's base module should be module 1, and so on. Thankfully the arguing had now slowed down the development at all. If anything, it had sped it up as everyone wanted to lay claim to being the first. Friendly competition, driving each other forward, motivating each other to be better, that was what she had talked about in front of the United Nations and she could see it on display here now.
She could not be any prouder.
Carefully floating away from the base, she looked up to the stars and felt her thoughts drift once more. Like a phantom image seared into her eyes, the great statue appeared before her, the one standing in front of the Superwoman Museum in 30th century Metropolis. Architect of the Future, it had said. Seeder of Worlds.
"Is this what you meant?" she asked no one in particular, her words lost in the vacuum.
No one answered, of course. It was not like she had not had ample opportunity to find out what was supposed to happen in her own future. Two times she had been in the future, once as a damaged, despondent 16-year-old Supergirl, and once more years later as an adult, somewhat emotionally stable Superwoman. She could have gone into the Superwoman Museum to learn of her own future at either time; the Legionnaires could not have stopped her.
She briefly considered the notion that she might actually have done so, only for Saturn Girl to suppress her memories of the event. She discarded the idea a moment later, though. She liked to think that she was smart enough not to do it.
Her encounter with the Ring of Fear had shown her that the image of that statue and what it represented in regard to her own personal future and destiny had left a lasting impression on her mind. Every time she did something to further her plans for humanity's future, she could not help but wonder whether she was moving closer to becoming this historic figure that was revered in the Legion's time or moving away from it.
Maybe she should have asked Saturn Girl to suppress her memories of her two visits to the future after all. Would that have made her life easier? Maybe. Well, water under the bridge. She had long ago resolved to put the whole "Seeder of Worlds" question aside as best as she could and not let it impact her actions. The future would take care of itself.
Turning back around, she once again gazed at Tranquility Base and smiled. Right now, the future was looking to shape up pretty good.
Guy Gardner, Green Lantern of sector 2814, aka the Milky Way Galaxy, took one last glance behind him as his ring carried him further and further out into space. The tiny sphere that was Earth was no longer visible to the naked eye and he knew it would be weeks, possibly months, before he would see it again. This was the lot of a Green Lantern, he mused. An entire galaxy to protect, not just one little planet. Even with the wondrous Green Lantern ring on his finger, a simple walk around his beat, so to speak, took a long time.
It could not be helped, though. As much as he hated to admit it, Sinestro had pounded the responsibilities and duties of a Green Lantern into his thick head with gusto. And though he would never admit it to another living soul, he fully intended to make his mentor proud of him. If for no other reason than to force something better than "adequate" out of his purple mouth. Guy chuckled. It would probably make Sin's head explode if he were forced to name him as a great Green Lantern.
He had not heard back from Sinestro since his mentor had travelled to Oa to bring the Yellow Bauble of Fear and Loathing to the Guardians and present himself for judgment regarding his actions. Guy's experience with the Guardians was limited, so he could but hope the little blue midgets would not overreact. Sinestro was a Green Lantern through and through, maybe more than ever now after his experiences with the yellow ring.
It was the final lesson Guy had learned from him. And, though he was loath to admit it, from Goldilocks as well. They had all faced their fears that day and, he was sure, had come out stronger for it. Guy had visited his brother's grave shortly afterwards, a place he had avoided going for years. It had felt … good. Like putting down a huge weight he never knew he had carried until it was suddenly gone. And, strange as it may sound, his ring seemed to work better since that day, too. As if something that had inwardly held it back was gone now.
Well, he thought, it was time to show the Milky Way that it had a full-blown, fully charged Green Lantern as a protector now. No more training wheels, no more handholding. He was Guy Gardner, Green Lantern of Sector 2814, and the galaxy better watch out. With a final push of will power, his ring sent him into hyper space.
Guy never noticed the cloaked ship, hovering just outside the Sol system, which recorded his departure.
Kara was about to depart the moon and fly back to Earth when she saw something glinting in the moon dust. Curious, her vision zoomed in on it and found it to be an artificial object, just sitting there. Carefully flying closer, she inspected the metal ball with all her senses. It was no bigger than a football, really, and seemed entirely featureless.
Until it suddenly opened up and she could see three glowing discs, arranged in a triangle shape.
"Brainiac," she hissed under her breath, taking a step back.
"Greetings, Kara-El," the machine's lifeless voice suddenly echoed over her com. "I wish to speak to you."
"I have nothing to say to you, Brainiac," she glared at the offending object, her eyes beginning to glow. "Whatever new game you are playing, I am not interested."
She prepared to incinerate the ball with her heat vision.
"This is merely a communication device," Brainiac said. "It contains no weapons or other means of doing you or anyone else harm."
She hesitated. It would have been wrong to say that Brainiac had never lied to her. The machine had certainly done its very best to manipulate both her and humanity. Still, she could not remember it ever outright lying to her face.
"Talk fast then," she said, hoping she was not making a mistake.
"I simply wish to convey a warning to you, Kara-El. Very soon your adopted world will come under assault. Not by me, before you ask, but by enemies intending to destroy it utterly. And you with it."
She pondered this warning. It might well be a trick, of course, but Brainiac had proven that it was not interested in killing her, nor in destroying the Earth. It wanted her to survive and build a new Kryptonian Empire with Earth at its heart as New Krypton.
"Who will attack us?" she asked. "And when?"
"When the time comes," Brainiac continued, as if she had not spoken, "you will need my help to preserve the legacy of Krypton. Contact me on the following frequency."
The machine transmitted a frequency into her com. A moment later the ball-shaped device glowed and disintegrated into free-flowing atoms. Kara remained standing there, staring at the spot where the device had been, then sighed.
"Miles to go before I sleep," she muttered, then took off and flew back towards Earth, mind awhirl with things to do.
At Metropolis University, a student called Lena Ruthlo returned to her dorm room. It was already dark outside, and a storm was brewing over the city, dark clouds obscuring the moon and the rumble of thunder already audible in the distance.
Throwing her backpack to the floor beside her bed, Lena was about to sit down at her desk when a bolt of lightning flashed outside, throwing a dark shadow against the wall behind her desk. A shadow with the distinctive shape of a bat.
Lena jumped, twisting around to look at the window, where a dark shape was barely visible against the night sky.
"Good evening, Ms. Ruthlo," a gravelly voice echoed through the room. "I believe we must talk!"
End Chapter 85
Author's Note: Brief note on the previous chapter: apparently quite a few of you think that there might be more to Lena Ruthlo than a mere college student. I have no idea where you are getting that from, honestly. Just some harmless college fun for Clark, that's all that is. Promise! Never mind the Batman, he's just paranoid.
Just a short chapter to lay the groundwork for our next multi-part story arc. For reminders: Kara visited the future in chapters 32 and 33. Kara, Sinestro, and Guy faced their fears in chapters 80 and 81. Starting next chapter: Invasion!