India
The Mughal Empire quickly collapsed after Brainiac 5 had assassinated key leaders including the emperor. Brainiac 5 spared the Maratha Empire which quickly took advantage of the situation and sacked nearly the entirety of Mughal territory. What was left of the Mughal Empire was in the northwest section of the country. A treaty of cooperation was signed between Brainiac 5 and the Maratha Empire giving them control of the west and east coast of central India. The Mysore Kingdom and other smaller kingdoms still existed in the south independently. Bengali became solidly British as Brainiac 5 either negotiated or killed off uncooperative leaders. Factories continued to expand across all of India. Drone production in India soon surpassed that of England in relative and absolute numbers. With the situation in India still unstable, most of those drones were shipped out of India to other areas. Occasionally, English would move to India and Indians would move to England for permanent or temporary positions.
In London, Kara had to be assisted out of bed by her servants after a long night of partying. Her servants kept her standing as they dressed her in her black Supergirl uniform. She held up her arms as the cape was attached to her shoulders. Brainiac 5 then came forth as her personal secretary in this context. "9:00, breakfast in London, quarter to 10:00, changing of the guard, 11:00, meeting with the Swedish Ambassador, 12:00, luncheon with Oscar XXII, King of Sweden and Norway, the Norwegian Ambassador, the Chief Under-Secretary of State for the Southern Norwegian Provinces, the Junior Under-Secretary of State for the Northern Norwegian Provinces, 2:00, ceremonial shopping in the Mall, half past 2:00, a tea party at Mr. Hyde Park for 30,000 children, half past 4:00, household departs on the Royal train for Windsor, half past 6:00, dinner in the Great Hall."
"God damn," Kara said stunned.
The servants finished stylizing Kara's hair and perfecting her make-up. "Way too much lipstick. I look like a fucking vampire," Kara said looking at a mirror.
"A what...Your Majesty?" a servant asked confused.
"Just...fix it," Kara rolled her eyes.
At her meeting with the Swedish ambassador, Kara made her plans clear. "The GDP of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Greenland combined is appropriate for one nation and one regional governor. Should the GDP of these individual nations go up significantly, it will be broken up. The standard is the GDP of Metropolis, to be honest. The entire Scandinavian landmass has the same GDP as Metropolis," Kara said.
"Your Majesty, Finland is still considered a part of Russia currently," the Swedish ambassador said delicately.
"Yeah, well, I made the Russians an offer they can't refuse. Finland is and will always be Scandinavian," Kara replied.
"There have been issues in the past in uniting all of these countries together," the Swedish ambassador reminded her.
"Issues of religion and ethnicity have been done away with. It's just a matter of resources now and all resources in Scandinavia are now mine. So, you can either cooperate with me and take a piece of my pie...or you can have it just taken from you," Kara said bluntly.
"And what of the Emperor of France?" the Swedish ambassador asked concernedly.
"He's an Insane savage that needs to be put down. He's an embarrassment to civilized society. You are to side with me over him," Kara said jealously.
"And we shall," the Swedish ambassador assured her.
When it came to dinner later in the day, Kara was fashionably late. The Lords and Ladies of Parliament were present. Kara was the first to sit down at the front of a long table and was given a plate of soup. Kara smirked knowing she could finish within a second. The protocol dictated that after the queen was done with a meal course, everyone else had to also finish for the purposes of orderly uniformity. After several dinners where she starved her guests, Kara became wise to do this and finished slower. When it came to these dinners, Kara always ordered something that could be eaten with silverware. Eating baked chicken or buffalo wings with her hands would have been scandalizing. At first, Kara didn't give a fuck but was persuaded by Brainiac 5 to be civilized during these special dinners.
Kara did, however, race to finish her glasses of wine in a teasing manner forcing everyone else to gulp down within a second. It always amused her to make her guests totally wasted by the early evening. Kara was then given her favorite dessert, a cruller. Kara gave the dessert a wide eye and then quickly consumed it. An Indian then came forth to present Kara with a ceremonial coin.
"Your Majesty, a ceremonial coin for your great service to India," Brainiac 5 introduced acting as her Prime Minister.
"A coin? I thought we did away with currency?" Kara asked confused.
"It's only ceremonial. It has your face on it," Brainiac 5 pointed out.
"Are we finished?" Kara asked impatiently totally dismissive of the coin and the Indian presenting it.
"We still have coffee, Your Majesty," Brainiac 5 reminded her.
As the Indian backed up towards the exit, he made eye contact with Kara. Noticing this, Kara stared at him back. There was a long pause between them as the Kryptonian queen and Indian human stared into each other's souls. Finally, the Indian exited the hall greatly intriguing Kara.
The next morning, Kara was woken up by servants. Brainiac 5, acting as her personal secretary, gave her the royal schedule. "Breakfast with the Royal Princes of Belgium, 11:00, an audience with the Sultan of Dubai where Her Majesty will be presented with a diamond, Garden party where Her Majesty will receive Oscar XXII, King of Sweden and Norway, again."
"Oscar the Grouch must be a glutton for punishment after all the shit-talking I gave him at that luncheon," Kara smiled amused.
"And Queen Lili'uokalani," Brainiac 5 finished.
"Who the fuck is she?" Kara wondered.
"Queen of Hawaii," Brainiac 5 reminded her. "Your Majesty, she has composed a song for you. But we have managed to put her off. Then you will eat with the Prime Minister, and, at 7:00, the banquet in the State Dining Room."
"I feel history is repeating itself with the British and later the Americans sacking the Hawaiian islands and turning their culture into a tourist trap," Kara considered.
"Indeed," Brainiac 5 recognized.
"We should have the Australians do it this time," Kara concluded.
Kara went to her breakfast room to eat toast with jam. "How are your movements, Your Majesty?" Brainiac 5 asked before she could take her first bite.
"Nothing to speak of. I am a queen. Everything I eat is incinerated inside my body," Kara lied.
"Were you pleased with your ceremonial coin?" Brainiac 5 asked.
"What?" Kara asked confused.
"The coin that was presented by the Indian servant?" Brainiac 5 reminded her. "We shipped him all the way from India, put him in ceremonial clothes, taught him court protocol and manners, and rehearsed his role several times."
"Oh," Kara recalled. "Yes, I do remember he was tall and very sexy."
At the picnic party, Kara sat with Brainiac 5, acting as her Prime Minister. "There's another famine in India. More trouble in Ireland, I'm afraid. Suez is a perennial nightmare. And I'm afraid the South African rebels are at it again."
"You have any good news?" Kara asked pissed off.
"We have annexed the Zulu land," Brainiac 5 replied.
"Ah, sandwiches," Kara said disinterestedly in the current subject. She took several PB and J sandwiches for herself. The Indian servant then arrived and presented Kara with a tower of Jell-O.
"Enjoy, Your Majesty," the Indian servant said and then got down as he kissed Kara's black boot much to the dismay of everyone around her.
Kara was moved by the Indian's respect and submission toward her. "I suddenly feel much better," Kara admitted. "You, Sir, shall be my personal...footman," she decreed.
"I'm incredibly honored you have selected me for this position, Your Majesty. I will not fail you," the Indian said bowing to her.
Amused by her Indian servant, Kara placed him in her office where he stood at attention for her unless she needed him to do something for her. Kara's fingers rapidly went over her tablet as she informed Brainiac 5 that her movements were none of his business and for him to fuck off. As she did, she read out loud her email before she was about to send it. She hesitated to press enter thinking she might be a little rude. He just wanted to help, after all. The Indian then pressed the enter button sending it off.
Kara was both pissed and amused at the same time. "What is your name?" she asked him.
"It's Abdul Kareem," he replied. "I write all the time, every day. I'm writing a very big book," he said proudly.
"About?" Kara asked curiously.
"Everyone's name and what they have done. This is my life. Every day, I'm writing, from morning to night," he said.
"You're a journalist," Kara realized now very interested. "If you're an author, why the fuck are you here presenting me with a coin?"
"It is my humble privilege to serve you, Your Majesty," he replied. "I picked out your Indian carpets. The governor took credit but it was me. I have a very good eye for carpets. This one, for example, has very tight knots. The skill of the carpet is to bring all kinds of different threads together and weave something together we can all stand on."
Kara nodded wide-eyed. "You seem to know a great deal about carpets."
"My family were carpet makers, but now I write in the book. Life is like a carpet. We weave in and out to make a pattern," he explained.
"The weaving of my life is...a bit erratic," Kara admitted.
"Maybe create a carpet about someone else's life then," he suggested.
Kara simply stared at him and then got up as she remembered she needed to keep her schedule.
The next day, Kara worked on her datapad outside with Abdul by her side. "What part of India are you from?" Kara asked conversationally.
"Agra," he replied.
"Ah, the Taj Mahal," Kara recalled.
"The what, Your Majesty?" Abdul asked confused.
"It is the most marvelous building in the entire world. The Crown of Palaces. It was built by Shah Jahan to remember his dead wife who died at childbirth during their fourteenth child," Kara told him. "I guess it's gone now."
"Goodness, Your Majesty," Abdul said impressed.
"He was so upset with grief, he brought the greatest architects from Persia, Afghanistan, to build the Taj Mahal," Kara continued.
"Unfortunately, I'll never see it. Nothing of what you speak exists there," Abdul said.
"It does give me an idea," Kara said as the wheels in her brain turned.
Kara and Abdul went for a walk. "What happened to Shah Jahan?" Abdul asked curiously.
"He was overthrown by his son and died in Agra Fort," Kara answered.
"The wickedness of children," Abdul frowned.
"They buried him in the Taj Mahal with his wife, Mumtaz," Kara continued.
"They also wrote an inscription, 'Here lies Shah Jahan who left this world for the Banquet Hall of Eternity,'" Kara added.
"You seem very well informed about Indian history, Your Majesty," Abdul said impressed.
"A thousand years ago, I was a journalist. It was my job to be informed," Kara said. "I promise you now, I will build a new Taj Muhal. I may actually build several of them."
"For Shah Jahan's wife?" Abdul asked confused.
"No...for my...sister," Kara replied.
In her office, Kara looked over all of her emails and got bored. She turned to Abdul. "It has come to my attention, the entire world now speaks English."
"Yes, Your Majesty. The Science Councils made English the official language of the world and persecuted anyone who spoke anything else," Abdul replied.
"I'm not going to divide the world by language like the Tower of Babel but...I think it would be fun for you to learn your old language," Kara said.
"You are fluent in Hindi?" Abdul asked curiously.
"I'm fluent in most languages. I'm a journalist, after all," Kara said and then proceeded to give Abdul a language lesson. "Forgive me but my pronunciation is going to be shit. You'll just have to bear it since no one else knows the language."
"It's quite alright, Your Majesty. You honor me by teaching me my own old language," Abdul said gratefully.
"You're a far better student than when I tried to teach French to...," Kara said and then let it hang. She then noticed a familiar presence behind her door. She got up and opened the door to Mon-El. "You spying on me?" Kara asked crossly.
"You teaching this savage Indian? Good luck with that," he said disrespectfully.
"He'll learn it faster than you," Kara shot back.
"Is that entirely appropriate?" Mon asked skeptically.
"I'm Empress of India. How the fuck is it not appropriate?" Kara asked angrily.
"Tower of Babel all over again," Mon accused.
"You exaggerate," Kara said dismissively. "I'm taking Abdul with me to Midvale...alone."
"Well...shit," Mon said jealously.
Midvale
Kara brought Abdul to her mansion in Midvale. "Oh, to be by oneself and live a simple, rudimentary existence. It's all I ever wanted. They don't understand anything, those stupid aristocratic fools. Toadying around. Jockeying for position," Kara remarked.
"They couldn't bear me bringing my dear Mr. Brown here. Yet I was happier here than anywhere in the entire world. Oh, I miss him, Abdul. And...Alex," Kara said mournfully. "It's only been a few months but I miss her every day. I'm so lonely. Everyone I've really loved is dead and I just go on and on," she said tearfully. "No one really knows what it's like to be me, a Kryptonian, a superhero, a queen."
"You are loved by millions all over the world. You're going to have nine children and they will all make you proud," Abdul told her.
"I'm not sure about all that," Kara chuckled.
"Look at yourself. Your beautiful, slender, fit, fertile, intelligent young woman," Abdul complimented.
"What's the point of it all?" Kara asked him.
"I think we are not here to worry about ourselves. We are here for a greater purpose. In the Bible, it says we are here for the good of others," Abdul told her.
"Don't I know it? I memorized the entire Bible," Kara said. "I know every word. The Bible came from my recollection. Don't tell anyone though," Kara said.
"Who taught you it?" Abdul asked curiously.
"My adopted father," Kara replied. "He was my teacher."
"Perhaps you can teach us then," Abdul encouraged.
"I'm just an empress, a queen. I'm not the pope," Kara said dismissively.
"You are a messenger from God, a prophetess," Abdul told her.
"Yeah...yeah," Kara nodded her head. "I am the last prophet, the law-giver, the messiah," Kara said of herself. "I will teach you and all Indians everything I know."
London
After a stay at Midvale, Kara came back to London and met with Mon, Brainiac 5, and her household staff. After dinner, Mon confronted Kara on the matter. "What the fuck are you doing with that...thing?" he asked disrespectfully. "Imra was scandalized to be sitting next to a servant."
"I don't give a shit. He's no longer a servant but the queen's apprentice," Kara told him off.
"You're treating him like a member of the royal family," Mon protested.
"I like Abdul so Imra better get used to it. He's coming with me as a member of the household," Kara said dismissively.
"You sleeping with him?" Mon asked bluntly.
Kara walked up to him with a glare. "Jealous?"
"I just want to know the score. For every man you sleep with, I'll sleep with a hundred women," Mon told her.
"Is that the Insane way?" Kara asked skeptically.
"It is," Mon confirmed.
"Go back to France...and do whatever the fuck you want," Kara said scornfully and then went up the stairs to her bedroom.
"I'm coming with you," Mon told her.
Kara, Mon, and her household took a train to Florence. Kara invited Abdul into her personal car which had two beds. "I'm so glad you're with us," Kara said pleased.
Mon then entered her car and gave Abdul a WTF look. "What the fuck is he doing here? Why are we on this fucking train? Why am I sharing your bathroom?" he complained.
"I shared a bedroom with Alex for a good year. It's not a big deal," Kara said dismissively.
"The apprentice has his own bathroom," Mon pointed out.
"And it's very good, Your Majesty," Abdul said gratefully.
"Goodnight," Mon huffed away.
"Close the damn door behind you," Kara ordered.
Mon ignored her and went on his merry way to his car. Abdul closed the door instead. "I have something for you," Kara said giving him a locket with her photo on it. It was gold with jewels on it.
"How can I ever thank you, Your Majesty?" Abdul asked stunned.
"Keep me safe by sleeping in my car tonight," Kara told him. "You're going to love Florence with all of its views."
Florence, Italy
Upon arriving, the city was in ruins and the cathedrals were destroyed long ago. All the collected artwork had also been destroyed. "Alex loved it here. She so admired the greatest artists of history that left astonishing things behind. In India, also, you commissioned great artists. Each emperor would bring the greatest craftsmen to make great glories for their durbar room."
"Durbar room?" Abdul asked curiously.
"Yes. Every emperor had a durbar room, full of the finest things known to man. Well, I'm the Empress of India, I should have a durbar room," Kara determined.
"Some might call that cultural appropriation," Abdul warned.
"Well, I don't give a shit. I'm going to make Buckingham Palace like Epcot, Disneyworld," Kara said resolved.
"I'm sorry. I don't get the reference," Abdul admitted.
"I will soon be the empress of this entire world, so I'm going to make every room a different national style from how I remember it a thousand years ago. I'm going to bring back everything artistically unique without the political, religious, and sociological divisions."
"That's a wonderful idea, Your Majesty," Abdul agreed.
"I know it is," Kara smiled.
That evening, Kara, Mon, and her household watched an Italian opera performance. Mon was bored to tears as was everyone else but Kara and Abdul remained attentive. "What was it about?" Kara asked. She was fluent in Italian but not opera Italian.
"About two lovers who are separated by the class divide," he said.
"Damn," Kara said sympathetically.
"But they run away together," he continued.
"How marvelous," Kara said pleased.
"But she is imprisoned for her love," he added.
"Oh, no," Kara realized.
"But they escape," the opera singing explained.
"Bravo," Kara smiled.
"But finally she dies, and he is utterly bereft," he said finally.
"Well...shit. I'm feeling a roller coaster of emotion right now," Kara frowned.
"Hilarious!" Mon applauded earning a dirty look from Kara.
"Perhaps, Your Majesty can sing a song," Abdul invited.
"Oh, maybe for just one hour," Kara said getting up. Kara and Abdul then perfectly sang "You're all I need to get by" "We've got tonight" and "Anything could happen." Mon was progressively more and more pissed off during their singing. To add insult to injury, Kara had a private dancing session with Abdul outside afterward.
"When I first came to England, I was very terrified of you. But you're a very kind lady, very unique lady, to me," Abdul said of her.
"I know, right?" Kara agreed. "In this century, you, humans, now look all the same, but you're very unique to me, Abdul. Not for your appearance, your skin color, gender, or sexuality but for your mind and beliefs."
"You are the most special person in my whole life," Abdul said sincerely. "Even more than my wives."
"Wait...the fuck?" Kara wondered. "Where are your...wives?"
"In India," he said obviously.
"Well...no shit. Why didn't you tell me you were married?" Kara asked crossly.
"I didn't think it mattered," Abdul shrugged.
"Of course, it matters. If you're married, you are entitled to a family house allowance and family separation benefits. You must bring them to England at once and talk to finances," Kara ordered.
London
Abdul came back with his two wives and teenage son. His two wives were completely covered in a black burqa. Kara eyed the two wives with her X-ray vision and discovered them to be unattractive and fat. Feeling more assured, Kara called over Brainiac 5. "I don't recall this being a Biblical teaching," she said of their attire.
"Female modesty can be interpreted many different ways," Brainiac 5 allowed. "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart," he recited. "Therefore, we must protect men from this sin."
"Oh, come on! Really?" Kara shook her head dismayed. "Write an encyclical on a universal standard," she ordered.
"I feel it's a low priority and of little importance to mankind," Brainiac 5 said dismissively.
"It's a pretty fucking big deal to women," Kara argued.
"As I said, mankind," Brainiac 5 repeated.
"Ass," Kara said displeased. "In the meantime, we'll have to hide them away, or else this fashion choice might catch on."
Abdul and his family were sent away to a cottage in the middle of nowhere where they would sit there until Kara and her party arrived for social visits. Kara brought Mon, Brainiac 5, and a dozen lords and ladies to his cottage. "I hope it's not inconvenient. I'm just here for tea," Kara said and then brought her aristocratic army inside the small house.
"This is Imra Ardeen of Titan. This is Nura Nal from Naltoria," Kara introduced them.
"I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of myself, my wife, and my other wife, to thank Her Majesty for accommodating us. We are very grateful for her infinite kindness and interior decoration. The gift of hospitality and friendship to strangers is of very high importance in our culture. And so we are honored to repay it in our own small way. What is ours is yours," Abdul said humbly.
"Quite literally," Mon said snarkily.
"Mon, shut the fuck up, God damn," Kara scolded. "I can't wait to show you my durbar room."
"Of course, I will be sure to bring the whole family," Abdul said.
"About that...let's...make it just you for now until your family adjusts to this place," Kara said delicately.
At Buckingham Palace, Kara showed off a corridor dedicated to past Indian heroes' paintings. Finally, Abdul was given a self-portrait of his own on the wall. Mon rolled his eyes as he went through the hallway. "And this is the Durbar Room," Kara invited inside.
The room was of Indian style with carpets, sculptures, and a peacock throne. "Now, I feel like the Empress of India," Kara said as she sat down on the throne.
"A remarkable addition to the palace, Your Majesty," Brainiac 5, acting as her Prime Minister, remarked.
"We have Abdul to thank for the whole idea," Kara said.
A servant then came in and gave Kara a mango cocktail. "Oh, this is good. Have some?" Kara offered to Abdul.
"My religion prevents me from drinking alcohol," he declined.
"The religion came from me. It's okay," Kara told him.
"It has to come from the Holy Father," Abdul declined.
"Another thing to talk to Barney about," Kara said as she typed a quick message to herself. "Now, time for a play."
Kara compelled her entire household staff to put on Indian costumes and put on a play with Abdul as the lead actor. The Lords and Ladies present were in a state of confusion as this was not only not English but not even Indian present-day but from ancient Indian history from their perspective. After the play, Mon confronted Kara on the matter.
"What is this shit?" he asked her.
"You have a problem with Abdul? I thought he was rather good," Kara said referring to the play.
"It's his prominent role in the household," Mon clarified.
"He's my apprentice," Kara said obviously.
"We're still at war with India. We aim to conquer it. This sends the wrong message," Mon told her.
"This is the right message to send, one of tolerance and cultural diversity that comes from my recollection of their cultural diversity," Kara argued.
"You should just keep this race one culture, one identity, or you'll have what you had before," Mon told her.
"Like the Insane? You're all boring as fuck with your same attitude towards everything," Kara chided.
"He's from the Mughal area. That makes him an enemy," Mon said.
"I'm trying to unite the whole planet. That means no one is an enemy," Kara told him off.
"Until you unite this world, you will have allies and enemies. By giving this man status, you betray every Bengali that stands for our side," Mon argued.
"The only sides that exist are the common people with me and the elites against me and that goes for every region of this planet. Abdul was a commoner, that means he's on my side," Kara said.
"You're hopelessly naïve," Mon told her. "I'll end up conquering India with the French before you do with the British."
"Fuck out of here," Kara doubted.
"He has radical religious views. If you are seen with him in public, you will be endorsing those views," Mon said.
"Like you give a fuck," Kara rolled her eyes.
"I know how to conquer worlds. You do not," Mon reminded her.
Kara gave him an uncertain look and then Abdul entered the room. Going back and forth between Mon and Abdul, she finally took Abdul aside away from the others. "As someone who simply gave me a coin or even as a footman, no one gave a shit. But now that I have promoted you repeatedly to high-status positions, it threatens the stability of my dominion. You have to go home."
"What have I done, Your Majesty?" Abdul asked stunned.
"You're from the Mughal area that is still rebelling against me. You're a religious ultra-conservative with your wives," Kara pointed out.
"So, we're different," Abdul said dismissively.
"You don't get it. This new religion came from me, my memorization of the Bible. The Holy Father is my colleague. He's a fucking machine with no soul. I don't even know if half this shit is actually true. I just want to unite this world in one religion and spirituality. So, get with the program and just conform," Kara said to him.
"That's not how I nor my wives feel when we pray to God," Abdul disagreed.
"I am your God!" Kara spat.
"With all due respect, you are merely a messenger, and how my family worships God is up to us," Abdul replied.
"I respect that but as long as you are here in my court, you represent me. So, I have to send you back. You will be well-compensated and given everything you require," Kara told him.
Kara then walked away feeling sad and depressed. She entered the "Alex Room" filled with paintings and sculptures of Alex's likeness. She fell to a knee and began to cry uncertain of what to do. A vision of Alex appeared before her. "Be my heart for I have none. Have I done wrong?"
"Really?" Alex shook her head condescendingly at her.
"Shit," Kara said as she realized she fucked up. She then summoned Abdul back to court immediately.
Once Abdul was back, Mon was noticeably pissed off. "I want all the dirt that can be found on him. I'll be king soon so you better do as you're fucking told," he said to the staff. He then came up to Brainiac 5 acting as Kara's personal secretary. "Ask yourself, who is more valuable, me or this Indian?"
"I'll see what I can find," Brainiac 5 replied.
It wasn't long before Brainiac 5 discovered Abdul had the clap and then shared that information with Mon. During an Indian lesson between Kara and Abdul, Mon barged in. "I have some information of a personal nature to share," he said to Kara.
"Spit it out. I trust Abdul to hear it," Kara said impatiently.
"It's alright. I will be just waiting outside," Abdul excused himself.
Once he was gone, it was just Kara, Brainiac 5, and Mon. "What the fuck is this?" Kara asked outraged.
"Abdul Kareem has Gonorrhea," Brainiac 5 reported.
"I knew it! He's a fraud, an imposter, a hypocrite!" Mon listed off.
"I don't give a shit. Abdul is a wise, loyal, sympathetic human being. How dare you spy and research into his past?" Kara scolded. "Let him who has no sin cast the first stone. That's certainly not you, Mon."
"He is a fucking commoner from a common human family," Mon pointed out.
"And what the fuck am I? Am I Empress of Earth because of royal birth?" Kara asked rhetorically.
"Your Kryptonian family is not common. You were elites, advisers to the High Council so don't pull that crap," Mon argued.
"When I came to Earth, no one knew that shit. I was just an adopted white attractive blond girl in a small town with a middle-class family in a...rich state...in the richest country on the planet. You know what? Fuck you," Kara struggled. "I wasn't nearly as elite as you, Mon. That's the point I'm making here."
"It hurts me deeply on a professional level to see someone attempt to conquer a world as incompetently as you have," Mon shook his head.
"You conquered countless worlds only to just sell them off. You had your chance to have a world for yourself many many times. Is it too fucking much for me to conquer one world for myself?" Kara asked angrily. "Abdul, get back in here!"
Abdul awkwardly entered the room. "You will say after me, 'I will be courteous to the Indian,'" Kara ordered Brainiac 5 and Mon.
"I will be courteous to the Indian," Brainiac 5 said without difficulty.
"Fuck off," Mon refused.
"Go back to France...and eat a dick like everyone else there," Kara ordered him away.
Mon rolled his eyes and instantly disappeared. "Now, treat Abdul for his condition," Kara ordered Brainiac 5. To further piss off Mon, Kara decided to make Abdul an official knight equivalent of an O-1 officer, a rare position as humans were not generally given officer ranks.
That evening, Brainiac 5 came back to Kara acting as her Prime Minister. "What is it? I'm terribly busy," Kara said as she worked on her computer.
"The cabinet is threatening to resign in mass if you do not rescind your knighthood of Abdul Kareem," he informed her.
"Why?" Kara asked.
"He is a foreigner, a religious extremist, practices polygamy, and descends from our enemy," Brainiac 5 said simply.
"So let them resign. You can take over their positions easily enough," Kara said dismissively.
"The whole idea was to incorporate humans into the government, to participate in the process," Brainiac 5 said.
"So, find new ministers," Kara said impatiently.
"Parliament may vote overwhelmingly a resolution against it," Brainiac 5 warned.
"Stop it from coming to a vote. You're the damn Prime Minister," Kara said obviously.
"My government could fall if I refuse the vote," Brainiac 5 said obviously.
"This is treason. I am an absolute ruler, am I not?" Kara asked angrily.
"You permitted the Parliament to override your orders by a two-thirds vote," Brainiac 5 reminded her.
"Is it that serious? What the fuck am I doing?" Kara wondered.
"I don't believe the dominion should fall over one man," Brainiac 5 said reasonably.
"Alex wouldn't do it. She'd let it all fall before she betrayed a colleague, a friend, or a sister," Kara said resolved.
"Your sister's conscience serves you well but Alex is not the queen, you are. You must balance your intellect with your conscience," Brainiac 5 advised.
The next morning, Mon joined a cabinet meeting to put forth a plan of action. The cabinet reluctantly agreed with Brainiac 5 abstaining to give Kara papers to sign for her abdication. Mon then handed those papers to her at her office. "Enough is enough. You will drop this Abdul business. Do you hear me?"
"I will not be disobeyed," Kara told him off.
"I have lived with your nonsense for one thousand years. You will drop this or...," Mon said to her.
"Or...or...or...? Fuck yourself, Mon," Kara mocked.
"I will have you certified senile and removed from office, immediately," Mon declared. "Sign this," he said handing her a datapad.
"I am cantankerous, boring, greedy, skinny, ill-tempered at times selfish and myopic, both metaphorically and literally. I am perhaps disagreeably attached to power and should not have smashed President Vladimir Putin's egg. But I am anything but senile," Kara declared.
Kara summoned her cabinet to her office to chew them out. "I understand there is some concern over my desires on preferment. I understand feelings have run high. And I understand you have decided to resign, rather than withstand my decision. If any one of you wishes to tender their resignation, it will be accepted without any unfortunate consequences. But at least have the decency to do it to my face! Anyone wishing to resign, please step forward."
Her entire cabinet stepped forward without hesitation. "Fuck me," Kara realized. Without acknowledging or accepting, Kara simply left the room in a huff.
As tensions reached a boiling point in Parliament, Abdul suddenly became ill with multiple organ failures and died without warning. With his death, the issue became moot. A stunned Kara arranged for the funeral and began an investigation to determine if it was poison. Nothing came up either because there was no evidence or it was covered up by someone. Mon and virtually all of Parliament snubbed the funeral. Brainiac 5 was present as a church minister but not as Prime Minister.
Kara then came before the grave. "When I first came to this time, I longed for death. Now, I cling to life with every breath. Thank you, Abdul." Pissed off, Kara met with Mon, Imra, Brainiac 5, and Nura at a new headquarters building in London just for superheroes.
"This isn't going to end well," Nura predicted as Kara and Mon squared off.
"This is the second time in only a few months that a good male friend of mine has perished. Coincidence? I think not," Kara accused.
"Like I would hire a hitman or poison someone? What do you think I am? A woman?" Mon scoffed.
"You push the issue so far that Barney, here, has to assassinate my pals. That makes it your fault," Kara said.
"I deny I had anything to do with either death," Brainiac 5 said quickly.
"I just saved your so-called dominion. A thank you is in order," Mon said condescendingly.
Kara fired heat vision at Mon center-mass. Anticipating her strike, Nura formed a forcefield around Mon's body. The heat vision beam went through the forcefield and sliced Mon through the midsection dropping him. Nura immediately put a forcefield around the hole in Mon's gut to prevent blood loss as Mon went unconscious. Kara then suddenly fell to the floor asleep via Imra's telepathy. Brainiac 5 calmly took out a healing ray device to keep Mon from dying.
"You are a dysfunctional lot," Imra remarked.
"We need to be of one mind," Brainiac 5 agreed.
Author's Notes: So, we have a reverse situation where the white woman is teaching the Indian...about India due to an extreme set of circumstances. With everyone having the same skin pigment and race, the question of race wasn't really an issue here as it was in the movie and in real history. The drama of Kara, Mon, and B5 continues as jealousy appears to be in play here. The death of Abdul along with the death of Mr. Brown is left intentionally ambiguous. The ethics of saving the empire vs loyalty to a personal friend come into play here just as with Mr. Brown.