Chapter Five

Of Origins Resurgent

"Welcome to Gotham Tonight. Our main story, the testing of the first manned FTL vessel by WayneTech. In a statement yesterday, the ship's pilot Clark Wayne had this to say.

"We know, from the Green Lanterns, and other powered individuals, that there are many species in the universe. Some are friendly, some, less so. So my brother and I believe thatit is time and past that we find a way to reach beyond our solar system and prove that humans are a race worthy of respect. We maychoose to not join the intersteller community, but if that is the case, all will know it was indeed choice and not merely lack of ability. Thank you."

"Clark Kent will be joined by Green Lantern Hal Jordan, a former test pilot and the first human to join the intersteller peacekeeping force known as the Green Lanterns..."

"Javelin Mk one, all systems checked and confirmed. Ready for liftoff."

"All systems confirmed." repeated Hal. "Power core stable and engines hot, ready for lift-off. This is one sweet ship. Maybe I can get one for my own use, way more comfy than simply flying round in a green bubble."

"You realise you're live?" Bruce laughed from mission control and Hal grinned at the camera.

"Yep. Can you make another one of these sweet craft? In green?"

"It'll cost." Bruce warned. "I can do it, but in exchange, we'll need some of the Lantern Corps tech."

Hal galanced at Clark, who only grinned back at him and nodded.

"I'll see what I can pry from the Guardians. Heck, they may wish to buy a fleet of these from you. This is one sweet ship."

"It's also a prototype, which is why you were asked for aid." Bruce said. Okay, all systems reading green from this end. You got your destination laid in?"

"According to Hal here, it's a system named Krypton." Clark said. "No longer inhabited, the planet destabilised. As such, it'll make a good destination point since no-one will be there."

"Ready to launch." Hal interrupted, one hand on the throttle. "Clark, any words before we launch?"

"To the stars we come." Clark grinned. "Let's go!"

Hal pushed the throttle forwards and the Javelin seemed to leap forwards, powering down the runway then hurling itself into the sky.

The ripple of FTL shimmered outside the viewport and Clark sat down in the co-pilot's chair.

"I have this shift. You can get some rest."

Hal nodded slowly, his attention on his ring. A moment later, he looked up, his expression confused.

"What is it?"

"I just did a scan of the ship. Most of the tech on board registers as Kryptonian."

Clark blinked. "I can assure you that every piece of tech on this ship was made on Earth."

"I know." Hal mused. "That's not all. You register as Kryptonian. I thought they were all extinct, they died when their planet destabilised."

"Does that matter?" Clark asked, scanning the readouts.

"Well, the Guardians hated the Kryptonians. Krypton refused to co-operate with the Corps and threatened to destroy Oa if the Guardians kept intruding. They were a really insular race."

"Kryptonians or Guardians?" Clark asked, causing Hal to laugh.

"Anyway, I haven't sent a report in, yet, but how come you're Kryptonian? And is Bruce one too?"

"It's a long story." Clark said. "Grab me a coffee and I'll tell you."

x

The Javelin dropped out of FTL and both Hal and Clark turned their attention to the displays.

"Local area, no significant debris. Navigation shielding holding."

"Low levels ambient solar radiation, no threat."

"Mapping system now. Asteroid field located, looks like it was Krypton."

"...energy signal detected, faint. It's from... setting co-ordinates now."

"Co-ordinates received." Clark said. "Power to engines, course set. Let's see what that thing is."

x

The Javelin landed gently on the ice sheet and a moment later two figured emerged, one in an environment suit, the other wrapped in a green aura.

"Signal is coming from over there, seems to be a hatch of some sort."

Clark nodded and flew over and looked at the hatch. A moment later Hal landed beside him. "I didn't know you could fly."

"It's a secret." Clark shrugged. "I don't do it much, I prefer being human and if my past became widely known, it would cause trouble for Bruce."

"I ain't telling." Hal said. "The Guardians don't need to know that. They probably don't want to know. How do we open thi... show-off."

Clark grinned as he finished prising open the hatchway, then he glided inside, Hal following closely.

"The signal's over there."

Clark nodded and the two of them flew into a large chamber with a half-dozen pods in it. As they landed in the middle, a hologram sparked into life and a voice sounded.

"What language is that?" Hal asked. "My ring isn't translating it..."

"Kryptonian." Clark said. "Bruce and I both speak it fluently, we're teaching Dick it as well... Krypton destroyed... main colony destroyed by debris... four of us left... stasis pods... house of El?"

"This pod malfunctioned." Hal said from the left, beams from his ring scanning the first pod. "This one too, what the..? This one's still active! There's someone in there!"

"Can we move it?"

"We'll need a power core and I don't know how to rig Krypton-tech." Hal said in frustration.

"Don't worry." Clark replied. "I do. Hal, we have to..."

"Don't worry." Hal said. "I won't tell anyone, not even the Corps. Who is she?"

"According to this list, her name is Kara." Clark said slowly. "Kara of the House of El. I think she's my cousin."

x

"Your cousin?" Bruce asked, looking up from the pod that Clark had placed in the middle of the Batcave. Clark nodded.

"You're better with this tech than I am, can we wake her?"

Bruce turned his attention back to the pod as Alfred and Dick watched from one side. "Yeah, looks like it's almost automatic. You realise that she won't speak english, at first, anyway."

Clark nodded. "Yeah, but we both speak Kryptonian, so we can teach her. Bruce..."

"Yeah." Bruce said, determination suffusing his voice. "She's family. Clark, she'll be confused when she comes out. She may not be solar-charged like you, but she's probably going to be stronger than I am. You'll have to be ready to restrain her if she panics until we can calm her down."

x

Light.

Kara inhaled gratefully as the pod released herand she sat up, rubbing at her eyes.

"Kara of the house of El?"

Kara blinked as the oddly-accented voice.

"Yes?"

"My name is Bruce Wayne, brother of Clark Wayne who was born as Kal-El. You are safe here."

Kara blinked to try and force the surroundings into focus.

"Where... where am I? And where are the others?"

A sigh answered her. "You are on the planet Earth. As for the others, I am sorry. When Clark found you, yours was the only pod still operating."

For a moment it failed to register, then Kara burst into tears. A pair of strong arms enfolded her and she buried her face against the figure's shoulder.

"Let it out." the figure said. "Bruce?"

"I'll have her room prepared." the first voice said. "Bring her up when she's recovered enough to move."

"I will."

x

The beam of sunlight caught her across the face and Kara stirred as she slowly awoke. Sitting up, she looked round at the alien room she was in, then a knock sounded on the door and a grey-haired man entered carrying a tray. Unfolding the short legs attached to the underside of it, he placed it above her lap and removed the cover, revealing a cup of a liquid she had never seen before, but which smelled wonderful, and several unrecognisable things that seemed to be food. A rustle caught her attention and she looked up as the man handed her a white sheet of something, then he bowed and left the room. Frowning, she looked at the sheet, seeing writing on it in formal Kryptonian.

"Kara of El.

The man who has given you this note and the food before you is Alfred, he is to be trusted. The food will provide you with sustenance. When you are finished, please put on the over-robe hanging on the back of the door and join us downstairs so that we can talk.

Kal-El."

Kara blinked. Kal? The baby son of Jor-El? Alive?

Suddenly determined to find out what was going on, Kara picked up the tined utensil and started to eat.

x

"Welcome back."

Kara paused as the voice spoke and she looked round.

"Kal..?"

"Bruce." The man said. "Kal is this way. Did you sleep well? How was breakfast."

"I... slept fine, thank you." Kara said. "Breakfast was... interesting. I really liked the drink."

"We call it tea." Bruce said. "We have much to discuss. Kal is waiting for you in the conservatory... and so are Dick and Hal."

Kara looked quizzically at him and he smiled. "Dick is family. Clark... I mean Kal and I are his guardians. Kal is my brother, my parents adopted him and he and I grew up thinking we were twins. Even after we discovered his origin, we still think of ourselves that way. Hal... he was with Kal on the mission that found you. He's sworn to secrecy, even from his bosses. He's a Green Lantern."

Kara blinked several times. "A Green Lantern?"

"I know." Bruce said. "Come on, kid. This way. Let's get you introduced, then we'll see about teaching you english."

x

"Well," Clark said as he watched Dick showing Kara around the gardens, "That's another piece of tech explained. A language induction device. Shame it only works on Kryptonians."

"I agree." Bruce said, handing a mug of tea to his brother. "It would have been nice to have been able to simply download all those languages into my head. How many did you give her?"

"Just english." Clark said as Kara pointed out something in the pond. "What do we do with her now?"

"Adopt her." Bruce said. "She's our cousin, but we need a cover story... Perhaps we could claim she's Dick's cousin, come to stay with her remaining family after her parent died? Since she's... how old is she?"

"By our terms, about seventeen." Clark said. "That could work... Kara agrees."

Bruce blinked, then smiled. "You're no longer the only one with super-hearing, Clark. Hmmm, I wonder..."

"Not at once, but yeah." Clark said, effortlessly following his brother's thought processes. "It'll be good having a female on the team."

"First we need to get her fully educated." Bruce said. "I don't know how much reading skill your device imparted, but there's also history, geography..."

"I'll see to it." Clark said. "Remember, super-speed. And I'll teach her how to use her powers, and how to avoid using them where possible. Yes Kara, avoid. I'll explain later, promise. Good."

"That'll take getting used to." Bruce grumbled.