At her desk at the palace, Kara, Mon, and Brainiac 5 discussed a potentially explosive scandal to the Crown. Kara looked over several hologram windows showing the evidence. "When I first met her, I suspected it. I mean...the whole homosexual thing," Kara sighed.

"This must not see the light of day," Mon said obviously.

"The publication of which could do great harm to galactic interests," Brainiac 5 agreed.

"What is written here could bring great shame on the family. My people would rightfully never forgive us," Kara said anxiously.

Paris, France

Oblivious to the situation, Alex kept up her routine in France. She did target practice with plasma rifles, read books, and enjoyed parties with the locals. The Vindicator Corps members were all present wearing ocean-themed costumes. Kelly wore a green shiny dress, a red wig, a see-through top, and a purple shell bra over her top to make her look like Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Alex wore a princely uniform to make her appear as Eric. As the Vindicators got totally sloshed while supposedly protecting Alex from harm, Alex declined any drinks.

Still, Alex found it difficult to enjoy herself and sat by herself outside. Kelly noticed Alex was missing and sat down next to her. "Do you want to know what my day consisted of?" Kelly asked brightly.

"What?" Alex humored her

"Well, I inspected the gardens, had lunch with some interesting future people, and made love to the most dashing prince in the room," Kelly smiled.

"That last part didn't happen," Alex corrected.

"The day is not over," Kelly teased.

"I need a job," Alex determined.

"Why?" Kelly asked surprised.

"Deeply rooted in me is a desire to serve. I need purpose," Alex said.

"What kind of job?" Kelly entertained.

"I'll talk to Kara and set things in motion," Alex said simply.

"Still seeking her approval," Kelly sensed.

"Look, I know there must be others...like us, allies, advocates for social justice. If I can be forgiven for my so-called indiscretion then others like us can as well," Alex said resolved.

"Well, okay then," Kelly smiled and then gave Alex a kiss.

Metropolis

Kara discussed with Brainiac 5 a concern of hers with Mon in the room. "This Willy Gram, this preacher, is very popular. We should arrest him, put him on trial, scourge him, and then crucify him like all the other evangelists," Kara said.

"It can be arranged," Brainiac 5 replied.

"God damn, Barney, I was merely joking...this time," Kara said darkly. "I want to invite him to the palace."

"An invitation to preach at your private chapel, and a private luncheon to follow," Brainiac 5 suggested.

"Sounds good, make it happen," Kara ordered.

"We must be careful that an invitation to Willy Gram not be interpreted as an endorsement of his crusades which would not be compatible with your role as Head of the Church of England," Brainiac 5 said delicately.

"Yeah, whatever," Kara said dismissively. "Anything else?"

"Her Imperial Highness, Princess Alexandra has requested...," Brainiac 5 began.

"Denied," Mon said rudely from the corner of the room.

"...to come to Metropolis to research for her new book," Brainiac 5 finished.

"What for?" Kara asked curiously.

"Lesbian Princesses for Dummies," Mon mocked.

"Just keep her out of the public eye," Kara allowed.

"So, that's a yes," Brainiac 5 assumed.

"No," Mon said argumentatively.

"Yes," Kara shot back.

The two bickered back and forth for a good minute. "Let her come," Kara said finally.

Reverend Willy Gram arrived at the palace escorted by Secret Service drones. "Do you really think this is wise?" Mon asked as Willy's vehicle pulled up.

"Indulge me," Kara glared.

At Kara's private chapel, Kara and Mon gawked as Willy conducted a service. "I have a simple question for you all. What is a Christian?" he asked rhetorically. "It's a person where Christ dwells. Is Christ in you? Do you have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you received Christ as your savior? Because if you have, that is what a Christian is."

After the service, Kara entertained Willy for a meeting. "You speak with such clarity and it's very reassuring. And it's not just me but the whole world," Kara complimented.

"Yes, we are surprised by the turnout," Willy nodded.

"Well, in a complex galaxy, we all need a little certainty," Kara said wide-eyed.

"I don't provide the certainty, the scriptures do," Willy downplayed.

"But you illuminate them so well," Kara gushed. "You reminded me of my teenage years as a simple congregant being taught but now, I outrank everyone within the Church of England. Above me...is only God."

"Must be lonely sometimes," Willy humored her narcissism.

"Which is why it's nice to disappear and be a simple Christian sometimes," Kara replied. "You know, above all things, I really am just a simple Christian. It's the values of Christian living that root me, guide me, define me."

"I do have a few things against you, Your Majesty," Willy said boldly.

"Oh, really?" Kara asked curiously.

"You may be the Head of the Church of England, but you have, on many occasions, submitted yourself to a cybernetic pope who claims jurisdiction over all Christendom," he began.

"Well...you know, it's just a matter of practicality," Kara excused.

"We both believe in Once Saved Always Saved," Willy brought up.

"That's right," Kara agreed.

"And yet, this pope says otherwise," Willy pointed out.

"I think it's just a matter of semantics," Kara said dismissively.

"But it's not," Willy shook his head. "You believe your sister, Princess Alexandra, is a Christian woman?"

"Yes, probably, maybe," Kara said uncomfortably.

"And yet, she's living in a sinful lifestyle," Willy brought up.

"We all commit sins every day. It's part of our fallen nature," Kara said defensively.

"It's one thing to impulsively sin and it's another to shake one's fist at God's plan in nature," Willy objected.

"Well, even if that's true, she's already saved so...fuck it," Kara shrugged.

"Unless, of course, she was never saved, to begin with," Willy said concernedly. "You see, when you're saved, you become transformed into a new creature and you stop practicing sinful lifestyles. That doesn't mean we stop sinning, but we do have a change of heart."

Kara merely stared at him as doubt started to creep in.

Later that day, Brainiac 5 gave Kara some bad news. "The Titans intend to publish an article about Alex," he said grimly.

"I always knew this would come back to bite me," Kara said annoyed.

"I have been able to contain the files on Earth, but the Titans managed to get a copy, presumably from disgruntled historians at the Daily Planet," Brainiac 5 said.

At the same time, Alex had a meeting with another Brainiac 5 drone in Metropolis. "We have several options for you."

Kara and Alex finally met inside the palace. "Princess Alexandra, Your Majesty," Brainiac 5 announced Alex into the room. Alex looked around the room and saw several giant paintings of her family, friends, and herself on the walls in Renaissance painting style.

"I heard you're writing a book," Kara began.

"Actually, I want a job. Any chance of that?" Alex asked.

"I think the ship has sailed on you having a job. It's not necessary. You're going to be a mother soon," Kara said dismissively.

"I still want to serve my world," Alex insisted. "Anyway, Barney gave me some suggestions, but they require approval from the government and the Crown. Barney has already assured me government support."

"What jobs?" Kara asked concernedly.

"Ambassador to Titan, Special Liaison to Galactic Trade, and Director of Earth Tourism to alien worlds," Alex listed off.

"Well, I'm fairly certain you're not qualified for any of these jobs and that you wouldn't enjoy them even if I gave them to you," Kara shut her down. "So, you trying to test my nepotism?"

"And if I am?" Alex stared at her.

"There is another matter. The Titans have discovered files detailing our plan to have you impregnated with James' sperm. They're threatening to publish it," Kara said.

"So what?" Alex shrugged.

"In some cultures, that's incestuous and it reminds everyone that you're gay," Kara said obviously. "You're supposed to be in rehab."

"This is nonsense," Alex threw up her hands.

"I have additional intelligence that suggests you intend to promote your views to the public, here, in Metropolis. How about, I make you a lieutenant governor of the Bahamas for an indefinite period of time with no Internet to distract you?" Kara offered.

"I am committed to the idea that straights and gays should never be enemies again," Alex said passionately.

"You just want to grandstand, pat yourself on the back, and celebrate your diversity," Kara shot back.

"Peace between our kind is all that matters to me," Alex insisted.

"Yeah, bullshit," Kara doubted.

"No one is going to believe these claims. Sometimes, the truth is even stranger than fiction," Alex said.

"This is the truth, Alex. Aside from you and Kelly, there are no homosexuals on this planet. You're alone and no one will join your cause," Kara said seriously.

After her disastrous meeting with Alex, Kara contemplated the power of forgiveness. "You, good?" Mon asked as he entered the room.

"Can I ask your honest opinion without mockery or sass?" Kara asked.

"Tall order," Mon admitted.

"Forgiveness," Kara said.

"Fuck, what have I done now?" Mon rolled his eyes.

"Not you, Alex," Kara clarified. "I think it's time I forgave her for being terribly inconvenient to my galactic imperial order."

"Are you mad? You can't forgive that woman," Mon objected.

"Why?" Kara asked.

"The damage she did to her country," Mon pointed out.

"Those were different times. I don't give a shit about the 21st century any longer," Kara said dismissively. "Forgiveness is very important to me."

"It's not often I say this but maybe you'll pay attention if I do: Ask Imra," Mon deflected.

Kara went to the Titan embassy and met with Imra. She couldn't help but notice a detailed map of Metropolis, Titan ship figurines, and Titan action figures in formations around the city as if preparing for an invasion. Kara glanced at the diorama with a WTF look but quickly recovered.

"So...how can I help you?" Imra asked as she entered the room.

"I'm thinking of allowing Alex into public life. As a Christian, on a Christian world, in a Christian Galactic Federation, I should forgive her," Kara assumed.

"Supreme Leader, in my view, that would be a mistake," Imra said delicately.

"Why?" Kara pressed.

"I think before you make your decision, you should be aware of all the facts," Imra said condescendingly as they sat down across from each other.

"I'm aware that Alex is homosexual and is using my best friend's sperm to get pregnant. It's not a big deal," Kara said dismissively.

"All the facts," Imra corrected.

"What do you got?" Kara asked impatiently.

"When I read her mind, her memories, it became obvious that Alex's loyalties are clear. She surrounded herself with a new breed of feminists and alien amnesty sympathizers. She shared classified DEO documents with Kelly Olsen, who was, herself, sharing a bed...forgive me...countless female alien ambassadors. It became so bad the Trump administration had to stop sending secret and sensitive emails to her. No worries, though. She only lasted a year as the DEO Director, having promised to never disclose her work to the public," Imra began.

"Right," Kara nodded.

"But we both know that she had no such intention. Why else would she visit Joe Biden for ice cream in Delaware? It was, of course, unofficial and off-the-record but a plan was hatched between them. A plan to reinstate herself as the DEO Director, effectively betraying and dethroning you in return for alien forces being given free rein to settle on the planet. These aliens were even promised to quell a human rebellion, if necessary," Imra continued.

Kara simply stared at Imra in total shock. "Now, of course, the full horrors were yet to come. Plans were in the works to indoctrinate children to become transgender or homosexual, sterilization, abortion on demand, the persecution of heterosexual cisgender males, and the eventual demise of the human race as fertility rates dropped to nothing. The total extinction of the human race was her plan all along and still is," Imra concluded.

Kara went back to the palace mightily befuddled and then listened to Willy Gram's crusade speeches on TV. "The problems of the world can be summed up in one three-letter word: S-I-N. The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. God looks deep down inside of you. God sees how you really are down inside. Even if you make yourself appear gentle, refined, cultured, a churchgoer of good standing in the community, you're still fucked."

Kara frowned but let him continue. "Only through Christ are you saved, not through works, not through the law. Only in Christ," Willy concluded.

Kara summoned Alex to the palace to consider her job search. "I've had some time to think about getting you a job and I was keen to help you, considering the time we've spent together, my affection for you personally, but...I think not," Kara rejected. "And like every other Galactic Federation citizen, your occupation, if anything, is at the pleasure of the sovereign."

"And?" Alex rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to grant you that permission," Kara said bluntly.

"And who's been feeding you poison about me? Is it Mon?" Alex assumed.

"No, I came to this conclusion on my own," Kara said miffed.

Alex stood up pissed off. "Fine, I'll go back to Kelly but tell me this, who has done more damage to your monarchy, my willfulness or your lack of humanity?"

Kara stood up and stared her down. "We all closed our eyes to what was said about you. We dismissed it as cruel bigoted homophobic chatter. But now the truth has come out. It makes a mockery of the tenets of Christianity, as an American, as a citizen of humanity. You put your own social agenda ahead of everything else. You abused the office of the DEO Director. You gave aid and comfort to alien invaders. You sold humanity out while promoting alien interests. You betrayed your oath to protect your country from foreign and domestic enemies. There's no possibility of forgiveness between us. The question remains: How the fuck can you forgive yourself?"

"Well, okay then," Alex scoffed and then left the room.

Shaken and a little stirred, Kara summoned Willy Gram to the palace. "You're very kind to meet with me again," Kara said with false sincerity.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Willy replied.

The two sat down across from each other. "I have asked you to come by because, believe it or not, we have come to very similar conclusions about faith and morality. We're not the same as Pope Barney and his ilk," Kara began.

"Yes, Ma'am," Willy agreed.

"Forgiveness: Is there a loophole somewhere in scripture where one can be saved and not forgive?" Kara asked.

"Christian teaching is very clear on this: Once you're saved, you're saved," Willy replied.

"Nice," Kara smiled.

"But you're asking the wrong question. Is someone who is incapable of forgiveness really saved?" Willy asked rhetorically. Kara merely stared at him. "When Jesus was hung on the cross, he forgave those who killed him. That's the standard."

"Yes, but even there, I feel there's a loophole. You see, those that killed Jesus didn't know what the fuck they were doing. I mean, no sane person would crucify the Son of God knowingly," Kara said.

"True, but there is another passage where Jesus tells Peter to forgive not just seven times but seven times seventy times," Willy reminded her.

"Is that 490 times a day, month, year?" Kara wondered.

"In a day," Willy clarified.

"Damn," Kara said stunned. "So, if someone pisses me off more than 490 times in one day, I don't have to forgive them?"

"You wouldn't have to forgive the 491st time but you would have to forgive the other 490 times," Willy joked. Kara smiled back amused by that. "But, in all seriousness, seven is a Biblically perfect number. What it really means is that you must forgive perfectly just as God forgives us perfectly," Willy said.

Kara stood up, completely flustered. "How can I forgive someone who betrayed their own family, their own nation, their world, their species for their own pleasure and acceptance? She sold her species out. Kal-El said my people had their chance when given the opportunity to revive our species. Am I the only sane one here?!"

"When you find yourself incapable of forgiveness, you must pray for yourself. Only through God can you forgive. You must invite Him to take control," Willy suggested.

Kara went to the chapel to pray. It was bare of any stained-glass windows, statues, or decorations. It was entirely simple like her old church. Mon then stumbled into the chapel like a total asshole. "Save one for me," he mocked.

"On this occasion, fuck yourself," Kara refused.

"Come on, get in a good word for me," Mon pressed.

"You're drunk," Kara detected.

"I don't deny it," Mon said unconcernedly. "Really heroic how you banished your sister from the city, tail between her legs. You protected your world and the reputation of the royal family. You banished Satan from the Garden of Eden. That's some Christ business, right there. Jesus is going to give you a gold star for this."

Kara stood up, finding herself very uncomfortable with Mon's comments. "Barney, summon Alex back to the palace."

Alex came back to the palace the next day with no expression on her face. "I have decided...to forgive you," Kara said with a deep breath.

"For what? Humans aren't even your species," Alex pointed out.

"That's true, but...they're like my pets. You betrayed my pets," Kara said peeved.

"I guess I'll take it," Alex rolled her eyes.

"But, you're still blacklisted. You're just going to have to accept this new reality where you're one of the highest-paid people in the entire galaxy but without a job," Kara declared.

"Don't threaten me with a good time," Alex mocked.

"I'm being serious. From now on, you have no position in this family or in government," Kara said resolved.

"And you call this forgiveness?" Alex asked.

"If you were any other person, for what you've done, I'd kill your ass. That's my forgiveness," Kara said seriously.

Alex nodded, deeply touched. "This has been a real eye-opener."

"The fuck you on about?" Kara asked confused.

"False memories, it was part of my inception training at the DEO. I trained with J'onn for hours. You get to a point where you even start to believe it, yourself," Alex revealed.

Kara simply stared at her, disarmed for the moment. "Go on."

"I knew Imra was poking around in my head, so I gave her false memories of my time as Director of the DEO. Then, as I suspected, she snitched on me to you. Then, predictably, you rushed to conclusions. What I didn't expect was your sincere forgiveness. That's a new one for me," Alex said.

The wheels in Kara's brain turned on this and then she touched her rank that acted as a communicator. "Barney, is she telling me the truth?"

"Yes," he replied and signed off.

"So, what have you learned with this little stunt?" Kara asked pissed off.

"That you really care about humanity and that you are capable of forgiveness. That you're capable of now asking for my forgiveness for your false accusations," Alex replied.

Kara struggled with that last one. "Alex...I'm...," she said.

"Sound it out," Alex said condescendingly.

Kara took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," she said painfully.

"Now, about those jobs?" Alex demanded.

"You're still not qualified for them," Kara said, wiping away a happy tear as Alex was now exonerated.

"I didn't even want them anyway," Alex said dismissively.

"What job do you want?" Kara asked impatiently.

"To be a mother," Alex smiled and then showed a hologram emitter showing early test results. Kara quickly scanned the notes and then turned back to Alex.

"I'm finally going to be an aunt!" Kara realized happily.

"That's what you got out of that?" Alex asked incredulously.

"Oh, right, I'm so happy for you. James is the father, right?" Kara smiled jokingly.

"I never thought this would happen to me, knowing who I am, knowing the kind of life I live. I'm so grateful to you, Kara," Alex said sincerely.

"God, I feel really terrible right now," Kara admitted after her false accusation.

"Good, we're going to the bar and you're drinking for both of us," Alex ordered.

Rome

Willy Gram was summoned to Rome in Mara's court. In the Castle of Angels, Mara interrogated him for a bit. Mara eyed Willy, scanning him, and sizing him up. "The man that aspires to be a prophet?" Mara asked.

"I'm just a simple preacher, Ma'am," he replied.

"The Vatican accuses you of preaching perverted doctrine. You speak as if you're an officer, an ordained member of the clergy. Well, are you?" Mara questioned.

"I was born to bear witness to the truth. Those that accept my voice, hear the truth," he replied.

"Your truth," Mara shook her head. "You are not ordained by the Church. You are an enlisted man, Sergeant Major. Do you know that I have to power to demote you, to transfer you, to send you to exile?"

"You would have no power over me if not for it coming to you from above," Willy replied.

"I am not to be trifled with. I am given great latitude by my mother to conduct religious affairs. I am the future of this planet," Mara told him. "You will submit to the Holy Father."

"I submit to him as my professional superior but not to him spiritually," Willy denied.

Mara gave him a crazed expression but then quickly calmed herself down. "Are you not aware that wrongdoers will never inherit the kingdom of God?" she tested.

"Do not be deceived. Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, extortioners, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God," Willy finished for her reciting 1 Corinthians 6:9.

Mara nodded pleased with him and then eyed Pope Barney watching from his own throne in the room. He gave her a simple nod. "Well...I think we can do business together after all."