"This isn't good." Supergirl said slowly standing as the Lieutenants neared. Just then she felt a breeze before a she saw a familiar figure, with a red cape standing before her.
"Need some help?" They offered.
"Kal?" Supergirl asked.
"Couldn't let you have all the fun." Superman smiled before adding. "Alex said you might need this." With that he tossed up a small metal cannister moments before they were both bathed in bright light.
"Better?" He asked once the light had disappeared.
Despite the sudden burst of solar power Supergirl still felt her ribs pounding. Knowing there was no option than to fight she looked at her cousin and said.
"Let's do this."
-00-
"I can't begin to imagine how hard it is to watch both Kara and Alex do this so often." Alura said as she watched the news feed with Eliza as the teenagers slept in one of the other rooms.
"They don't make it easy on me." Eliza agreed.
"I take it forbidding them would not work?"
"No." Eliza said. "Forbidding either of them doing anything always ended up with them doing it anyway."
"I believe stubbornness is something that binds all Kryptonians." Alura said.
"Humans are just as bad." Eliza replied.
"I have never thanked you for all that you did for Kara and Clark. I know it can't have been easy for you or your family."
"Kara brought so much love and hope to the family." Eliza said before saying. "I can't imagine how hard it was for you putting her in the pod and believing she had died."
"Not a day has gone by where I have not regretted that decision and the pain I caused Kara. Knowing she found such a good home here on Earth helps me live with some of the guilt, but I don't think anything will help with the sadness and regret."
"Kara never stopped loving you." Eliza assured her. "Everything she has done she has done in the hope you would be proud."
"I am." Alura said. "But it feels like there is a void between us. On Krypton she would share everything. And I know she isn't the twelve year old girl I put in the pod, but it feels like she has grown away from me in ways I could never have imagined."
"I think that is her way of trying to protect you." Eliza said. "When she sent Alex to Earth with J'onn she realised exactly what you went through when you sent her to Earth. And now she has a better appreciation for your feelings I think she is trying to stop you from feeling further guilt." Eliza explained as door opened.
"You okay?" Eliza asked as her eldest grandchild entered the room, quickly turning off the TV.
"I just needed to walk round." Kara said.
"Is your leg hurting?"
"No, not exactly, it just felt a little stiff and I didn't want to pace in there incase I woke up Alex and MJ." Kara explained. "Especially after you tricked her into using her powers so she would get tired."
"That obvious?" Eliza asked.
"Yes. Any news from mom yet?"
"No." Eliza said. "But at this stage I think that is a good thing." She added as the teenager sat down next to her. "I know it is hard, but try not to worry."
"That would be easier if you two didn't look so stressed." Kara pointed out, causing Eliza to pull her in for a hug.
-00-
"Ma'am, the fleet are approaching the optimal position for firing." Harris called over to Alex.
"How many are covered?" Alex asked.
"We think sixty two percent will be hit." He said.
"Is that it?" Alex asked.
"Yes Ma'am. The rest of the fleet are deliberately keeping their spacing, probably waiting to see if it is a trap. None of them are showing any signs of retreating despite Mongul's defeat."
"Get me a radio link to the fleet." Alex ordered.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Ships of the fallen Warlord Mongul. Your leader has been defeated. His Lieutenants will soon be defeated. And if you do not leave now we will destroy you. You may not show mercy, but we do. So I will give you thirty minutes to leave orbit. After that we will destroy your fleet. If you make any aggressive action we will destroy you. We know that most of you are not there by freewill, that you are there as prisoners and slaves. This is your chance to break free." Alex said before ending the link.
"For a moment there it sounded like you were channelling your inner Kara." Lena commented.
"If we shoot, despite all the simulations showing it will be okay, there is a good chance this planet will be bombarded with debris, not to mention the fact that many LEOs will be taken out. Also, once we fire we have no other defence, if they figure that out they will still have enough ships to level us."
"So you are hoping they retreat?" Lena asked.
"If it were up to me I'd fire. But the call lies with the President and he'd prefer not to. Killing that many would be bad for ratings. Plus there could be human prisoners up there." Alex said. "I've done all I can do. Now it is up to everyone out there."
"I know you are maintaining professional distance, but in case you are interested, Ruby is doing fine."
"Thanks." Alex said.
"Kara on the other hand won't last much longer." Lena said grimly.
-00-
Despite Superman's best efforts, only one Lieutenant stayed to fight him, while the other joined the fight on Supergirl who was doing nothing more than trying to block attacks.
As Kara felt her energy and resolve draining she saw a red blur moments before Barry stopped next to her.
"Hey." Barry grinned.
"Not meaning to complain, but for some one who claims to be so fast you have developed a knack of turning up late." Kara said breathlessly.
"I don't claim to be fast. I am the fastest." He pointed out. "Are you okay?"
"I think so." She said, looking anything but okay.
"You aren't healing." He pointed out.
"I've got this." She assured him.
"Which one do you want?" Barry asked.
"Both. You need to take Mongul somewhere secure. I don't know how long he will be out for."
"Ok. I'll be right back." Barry said lifting the body and zooming off, complaining about the weight as he did so.
-00-
"The DEO containment team will be with you in three minutes." Alex said to Kara over the radio a few minutes later. "But there are more of Mongul's troops heading your way."
"That's good. If they come here, they can't hurt civilians." Supergirl said trying to block the latest attacks, only in her weakened state a punch landed and she fell to the ground. Refusing to give up she got to her feet again and tried to punch one of the aliens. As she did so she left herself open to another attack and the other alien tried to exploit it, only for their arm to be grabbed by Superman, who had already subdued his opponent.
"How about we even the odds?" He said.
"Or just have them in our favour?" Barry asked skidding to a stop by Kara. As he looked at his friend he said. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look so good."
"I'm okay. Let's just finish this." She wheezed.
"We will." Clark said. "Now we outnumber them. You two take the weird one?"
"Which in is that?" Barry asked thinking they both looked weird.
"The one on the left." Superman said.
"Really?" Supergirl asked thinking the one on the right was weirder.
"I'll take the other." Superman said flying at the alien on the right.
"Want to distract him?" Barry asked Kara.
"Sure." Kara said moving towards the alien on the right, who charged at her. As she started blocking his punches Barry used his speed to move round behind him before reaching round and ripping the gem out moments before Kara landed a punch on the alien's jaw knocking him out cold.
As the alien fell to the ground Kara glanced over at her cousin to ensure he was okay. Seeing he had just subdued his opponent and the immediate danger was gone, she felt her energy draining.
"We've got this." A DEO agent said as a team ran towards her and secured all three prisoners.
"You okay?" Superman asked.
"Is it over?" Supergirl questioned.
"I don't know. But this battle is. You need to get to the DEO."
"Okay." Kara said before collapsing.