Last Daughter of Krypton: Legion IC

[ChasNicollette]

Shadow Lass, Phantom Girl, Lightning Lass. The Galtos. Supply Dock A.

"Good Shady, if I get my way we'll see how far they let you go," she grinned, "Me? I'd let you have your own head."

Shadow Lass smiled a wistful, almost hopeful smile. "Oh, wouldn't that be nice. Skulls make such lovely conversation pieces. And if all else fails, you can have a conversation with the skull."

Lifting her ring again she said "Cos, Jo here. Nass has hit the fan here, but it's under control. Getting intel on Saturn girl's sit. Galtos is back under control." Liar she thought to herself.

Tinya arched an eyebrow at this embroidery of the truth, but Ayla made a wibbly-wobbly gesture with her hand, suggesting it wasn't entirely untrue.

"One point of import. Looks like a bunch of LSV sprocks have gotten away." She shook her head again. "They've left UP space for some sort of Lantern hideout. You want us back or you want us to follow them?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

GL 2261, Zor-Sen, Raya Var-Sen. North.

Liz Greystone pressed the assault, but Aethyr rose to meet the challenge.

Not for nothing was she Zod's left hand, in a former life and in this one.

The Lantern gave as good as she got, but even with the reinforced construct armor her head rang from Aethyr's blows like a church bell shot by a machine gun.

Her jaw ached, the knuckles of her Ring hand bled, a shiner formed around the shadow-cloaked cornea of her right eye.

But still she withstood, giving little ground.

...and then, all of a sudden...

...one of her father's concussive darkbolts blew Aethyr ass over teakettle and far far away.

Liz hesitated, quirked an eyebrow. Huh.

I suppose you've had 10,000 years to miss out on being a protective father, Dad, but between you and The Good Samaritan it's a wonder I have any bad-nass cred left at all.

...not to seem ungrateful.

Her black eye faded just a little, her accelerated healing combined with Ring-enhanced injury resistance having brought down some of the swelling.

...and not to waste the advantage...

Gold and green streaked across the sky as she pursued Aethyr to that collapsed cliff face.

********​

Zor-Sen nodded gratefully at his Uncle J'onn, and at this mysterious legend wreathed in dark power.

Grateful for J'onn's speaking as to his parents' legacy. Grateful for the bond he shared with The Dark One, because a J'onn unmoored by rage could rattle the stars from their sockets.

"When you are quite finished your Earthling bonding ritual," he added, with a dash of his mother's sardonic wit, "perhaps you could use your darkness to wrap up this war criminal? Before he heals himself in what passes for sunlight beneath this thunderhead."

Rose Var-Sen drifted from the sky to land beside J'onn, a sadly thoughtful expression on her face.

"Do not think you're lost, Uncle J'onn."

"Sanctuary had a Blue Lantern, for a few days, and we talked."

"Just as Green Lanterns are chosen for their ability to overcome fear, so too are Blue Lanterns chosen, in part, for their ability to overcome despair. And isn't anger just despair with enthusiasm?"

"It's not that you're without despair. But that you can rise above it."

She gestured to The Fortress. "Look, look into The Fortress, deep in the middle, with your powerful eyes. See what they're doing?"

"Look, here is Hope."

*********​

Liz powered towards that cave-in with justice aforethought.

And, forethinking as she was, she knew her Ring's reserves were not infinite. She would not lament the loss of J'onn's enhancement-- grateful as she had been for it, she had also been a Lantern for the better part of a millennium and had not survived by being weak, or without resourcefulness.

"Scan," she told her Ring, and it did so.

Specifically, her Ring scanned Aethyr's biological structure, the solar-powered force-aura that enhanced Aethyr's already-robust molecular density. Scanned the bio-electric frequency at which the field operated.

Before Liz could reach, even at her impossible speed, the mountain against which Aethyr had crashed, Aethyr exploded back out from under that avalanche with a raptor's shriek: "HAAAAAAAAAH!"

But Liz had a rejoinder ready.

Rather than overmuch further deplete a battery already low, Liz harnessed existing, present energies, reaching up with Ring-power and bringing together bolt after bolt of lightning, amping up that electrical power... retuning it...

...and when Aethyr launched herself after the dark-haired, dark-eyed creature that so vexed her, Liz launched that lightning at Aethyr.

All at once.

Frequency-matched to Aethyr's own invulnerability.

Liz bellowed at the top of her lungs, with all the ferocity of a prophetess calling down fire from Heaven: "SHAZAM!"

...and a bolt as thick as a redwood trunk stormed into Aethyr full force.

Kyle Greystone's attack had driven Aethyr into the mountain.

Liz Greystone's attack drove Aethyr down through it, clean out the other side at the crag's very base.

Speaking, as we were, of Liz Greystone's wrath.

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

Caroline turned sharply to the side when she heard The Doctor's voice, and she seemed just as surprised to see him inside The Fortress as she did the crystal that he produced from his pocket. The Kryptonian hybrid recognized him as one of the men she'd been fighting to protect outside, and when he offered a smile she pleasantly returned the gesture.

"I'm called The Doctor. Pleased as Punch. Big fan of your work, actually. I'm a friend, and a friend of a friend, and an enemy of your enemies."

Caroline followed his gaze to the dome, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Well here goes n-"

As Caroline started to hold up the crystal, it flew out of her hands and hovered over the appropriate slot for it to fit into.

"That is all that is required," Kelex stated, his visor aimed at the dome.

"You could have told me that would happen," she said, but despite shooting him a look the robot was not watching her. Caroline returned her gaze to Kara's bed chamber and watched as the crystal sink down into the slot. It glowed bright blue for a moment and cast a soft glow on their faces. Once more The Fortress shook, but this time it wasn't from the fighting outside.

"Is... is that a good thing?" Caroline asked.

She was invulnerable, but the way the room shook made her want to take a step back.

When the quaking finally subsided, one of the largest crystals behind the dome started to glow, only this time the crystal shone through with a brilliant light. It did not affect the young Legionairres vision, however, but she was surprised when the light that came from the crystal started to spread out and swirl around, becoming like the vortex of a tornado. All of a sudden the light shot upwards rather violently, and as the beam struck the ceiling above them it continued upwards, piercing through it like a sword to push outside of the fortress and reach up to the darkened skies above.

The vortex of light continued to swirl in a counter-clockwise motion, drawing the dark clouds into it. Even when compared to the storm outside, the cyclone seemed incredibly violent and fierce.

This was Kara Zor-El's power.

The storm fought on for as long as it could, as if it were trying to stave off its own destruction.

But it would not last for long.

The power coming from within The Fortress would not be denied.

Lightning ceased to streak across the sky, and the rolling thunder quieted down until it was no more.

The dark clouds were dispersed, and warm sunlight shone down on the cool Arctic surface and those gathered around The Fortress of Solitude.

Even Aethyr and Nam-Ek, battered and bruised and broken, could feel some strength returning to their cells as they were bathed in yellow sunlight.

Inside the Central Chamber, Kara Zor-El stirred awake, and she felt strong.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Rose Var-Sen. North.

Rose Var-Sen gazed upwards in wonder, touched J'onn's arm, as even the firmament had Hope once more.

"Look," she murmured.

"Up in the sky."

 

[ChasNicollette]

The Doctor. The Fortress.

Caroline followed his gaze to the dome, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Well here goes n-"

As Caroline started to hold up the crystal, it flew out of her hands and hovered over the appropriate slot for it to fit into.

"That is all that is required," Kelex stated, his visor aimed at the dome.

"You could have told me that would happen," she said, but despite shooting him a look the robot was not watching her.

The Doctor closed his umbrella and leaned on it like a cane, scritching absently at his cheek with his other hand. "Kryptonian technology; it's very user-friendly." He paused. "Well. Depends on the user."

Caroline returned her gaze to Kara's bed chamber and watched as the crystal sink down into the slot. It glowed bright blue for a moment and cast a soft glow on their faces. Once more The Fortress shook, but this time it wasn't from the fighting outside.

"Is... is that a good thing?" Caroline asked.

She was invulnerable, but the way the room shook made her want to take a step back.

"I... think..." The Doctor considered, as he did take a step back, because invulnerable he wasn't, "so long as it doesn't turn green, we're aces."

When the quaking finally subsided, one of the largest crystals behind the dome started to glow, only this time the crystal shone through with a brilliant light.

The Doctor hurriedly donned his "brainy specs," sonicking them so that their lenses were darkened like sunglasses. His corneas and optic nerves had greater sensitivity than your average human, but on the other hand, they didn't have the resiliency of a Kryptonian's.

It did not affect the young Legionairres vision, however, but she was surprised when the light that came from the crystal started to spread out and swirl around, becoming like the vortex of a tornado. All of a sudden the light shot upwards rather violently, and as the beam struck the ceiling above them it continued upwards, piercing through it like a sword to push outside of the fortress and reach up to the darkened skies above.

The Doctor whooped, and punched the air in front of him, jumping up and down with his excitement, his gaze following the column of light up up up...

"WAHEY! COME ON, YOU BYOO-TAY!"

The vortex of light continued to swirl in a counter-clockwise motion, drawing the dark clouds into it. Even when compared to the storm outside, the cyclone seemed incredibly violent and fierce.

This was Kara Zor-El's power.

The storm fought on for as long as it could, as if it were trying to stave off its own destruction.

But it would not last for long.

The power coming from within The Fortress would not be denied.

Lightning ceased to streak across the sky, and the rolling thunder quieted down until it was no more.

The dark clouds were dispersed, and warm sunlight shone down on the cool Arctic surface and those gathered around The Fortress of Solitude.

Even Aethyr and Nam-Ek, battered and bruised and broken, could feel some strength returning to their cells as they were bathed in yellow sunlight.

Inside the Central Chamber, Kara Zor-El stirred awake, and she felt strong.

The Doctor murmured, softly, in Moroccan Arabic: "Desi Desi Basara."

Come quickly, or, perhaps more apropos: Rise.

 

[ChasNicollette]

GL 2261. North

All of a sudden the light shot upwards rather violently, and as the beam struck the ceiling above them it continued upwards, piercing through it like a sword to push outside of the fortress and reach up to the darkened skies above.

The vortex of light continued to swirl in a counter-clockwise motion, drawing the dark clouds into it. Even when compared to the storm outside, the cyclone seemed incredibly violent and fierce.

This was Kara Zor-El's power.

The storm fought on for as long as it could, as if it were trying to stave off its own destruction.

But it would not last for long.

The power coming from within The Fortress would not be denied.

Lightning ceased to streak across the sky, and the rolling thunder quieted down until it was no more.

The dark clouds were dispersed, and warm sunlight shone down on the cool Arctic surface and those gathered around The Fortress of Solitude.

Even Aethyr and Nam-Ek, battered and bruised and broken, could feel some strength returning to their cells as they were bathed in yellow sunlight.

Even though Aethyr now lay in a crater shaped by her own body's impact, even though billows of stone dust and chips of ice occluded and refracted the light that shone bright above, even she felt the power surge up in her, her cells soaking up that energy like a sponge.

Her ribs knitted. Her side sutured itself shut.

And even the muscle spasms and nerve damage and bone fractures brought on by that massive electrical attack and the subsequent plowing through solid rock faded like a shadow in the noonday sun.

Liz Greystone, on the other hand, was at this point running dangerously close to fumes.

*Power Levels 10.66%.*

Even lower than when she'd been siphoned by The Emerald Eye.

And yet she didn't flinch from battle.

When Aethyr spun like a whirlwind and blew shrapnel out away from her in a storm, Liz snapped the visor down on her armor's helmet and kept on keeping on--

Glowing dull, brackish green, The Witch-King of Angmar powered down at Aethyr astride a Fell-Beast, but Aethyr simply reached up and snapped the long neck of the steed and backhanded The Witch-King himself aside in a crumpled heap. She was no man.

A craggy green golem with an Ouroboros carved into his chest and the Hebrew "Emet" carved into his forehead fell like a ton of bricks with fists upheld, attempting to bash Aethyr beneath the surface of The Earth.

Sniffing archly, she punched a fist through the center of the Ouroboros' ring and, with a flash of heat vision, seared the Hebrew rune off of his forehead... he popped like a balloon into plasmic residue.

As the cloud of green dispersed, Liz' golden sword cleaved through it and swept in a blurring arc for Aethyr's midsection. Without blinking, without flinching, Aethyr simply parried this blade with her forearm... the mystic, blessed weapon bit deeply into her, cutting halfway through the bone, but Aethyr simply hauled off and slammed her other fist into the side of Liz' head.

Even that holy armor shattered under the force of Aethyr's ungodly strength, armor and sword and all...

Liz found herself hurtling, disoriented, her head was ringing and her mouth tasted like pennies.

When she landed, hard, in the snow and stone, Aethyr was upon her with blinding speed, standing atop Liz as Liz lay sprawled on her back. Her boot pressed with impossible weight down upon the radius and ulna of Liz' left arm, her Ring arm, and even as Aethyr leaned down to take hold of Liz' throat, Liz felt her arm crack... and snap.

Liz did not cry out, only a hiss escaped her gritted teeth.

But her neck would be next to snap, and there would be no coming back from that.

"I have broken all your toys," Aethyr purred. "What do you think comes next?"

*Power Levels critical. Shut-down imminent.*

 

[AmenRa]

Martian Manhunter - Shining Blue

Rose Var-Sen gazed upwards in wonder, touched J'onn's arm, as even the firmament had Hope once more.

"Look," she murmured.

"Up in the sky."

J'onn saw it.

And Rose had asked J'onn to use his powerful eyes to look within the Fortress. But, instead of looking, he turned his powerful mind to inside the structure. He felt Caroline's presence and the strange presence of the Doctor.

And, he touched lightly the presence of Kara Zor-El.

The sleeper has awakened.

J'onn's Ring sparked and shown the brightest blue.

He turned to Rose Var-Sen and winked.

The Martian Manhunter's hearing picked up the sounds of distant battle. Now did he focus his powerful eyes and he saw Liz in mortal combat still with the Kryptonian female. He saw Liz on her back, Aethyr atop her.

"Liz!" he shouted as he took to the air, blurring red and blue and green as he caused a sonic shock wave to reverberate from the valley walls.

He was to them in seconds. J'onn slowed just enough to re-position himself in mid-air and delivered a roundhouse kick that knocked Aethyr off Liz and well onto her back.

He knelt beside his beloved, and he cradled her head so very gently in his hands.

He sensed the Kryptonian bitch standing.

Without looking, J'onn raised his right fist towards Aethyr. His Ring hand. A burst of blue energy pulsed forth and passed right beside Aethyr, to which she smiled and smirked because she thought the Martian had missed.

But this blue evanescence coalesced once it was behind Aethyr. It turned from a loose ball of energy to a swirling vortex, a maelstrom with a pull of force not unlike that of a black hole.

It wouldn't suck her in and take her anywhere, but it would be enough to hold her.

J'onn's eyes had never left Liz's face the entire time.

Hope was alive.

J'onn J'onzz had hope.

And he had the power of a Blue Lantern.

And he gave Liz the faintest hint of a smile.

 

[ChasNicollette]

The Doctor, Rose Var-Sen, GL 2261. North.

And Rose had asked J'onn to use his powerful eyes to look within the Fortress. But, instead of looking, he turned his powerful mind to inside the structure. He felt Caroline's presence and the strange presence of the Doctor.

The Doctor, too, registered J'onn's presence in his thoughts. He, too, had some degree of telepathy, though he didn't make a habit of using it, and its amplitude couldn't hold a candle to a Martian's.

Still, he noted J'onn's mind winding sinuously past his, in the manner of one glancing over his shoulder.

Wotcher, J'onnboy. Carry on, oul' son.

And, he touched lightly the presence of Kara Zor-El.

The sleeper has awakened.

J'onn's Ring sparked and shown the brightest blue.

He turned to Rose Var-Sen and winked.

Rose Var-Sen grinned brightly up at him, watched him light up figuratively as his Ring lit up literally, and it was an awe-inspiring moment, enough of one to dampen her own mourning, at least for now.

Some things you just can't put into words.

The Martian Manhunter's hearing picked up the sounds of distant battle. Now did he focus his powerful eyes and he saw Liz in mortal combat still with the Kryptonian female. He saw Liz on her back, Aethyr atop her.

"Liz!" he shouted as he took to the air, blurring red and blue and green as he caused a sonic shock wave to reverberate from the valley walls.

He was to them in seconds. J'onn slowed just enough to re-position himself in mid-air and delivered a roundhouse kick that knocked Aethyr off Liz and well onto her back.

Air rushed back into Liz' lungs as that chokehold was torn away, and she gasped clutching--

He knelt beside his beloved, and he cradled her head so very gently in his hands.

She found J'onn's arm with her undamaged hand and clung to it tightly.

He sensed the Kryptonian bitch standing.

Without looking, J'onn raised his right fist towards Aethyr. His Ring hand. A burst of blue energy pulsed forth and passed right beside Aethyr, to which she smiled and smirked because she thought the Martian had missed.

But this blue evanescence coalesced once it was behind Aethyr. It turned from a loose ball of energy to a swirling vortex, a maelstrom with a pull of force not unlike that of a black hole.

It wouldn't suck her in and take her anywhere, but it would be enough to hold her.

J'onn's eyes had never left Liz's face the entire time.

Hope was alive.

J'onn J'onzz had hope.

And he had the power of a Blue Lantern.

And he gave Liz the faintest hint of a smile.

And Liz smiled right back, that tiny wisp of a smile.

...J'onn J'onzz had hope.

...which meant that Elizabeth Kara Greystone had power.

*Power Levels--*

*...working.*

*Power Levels 1066%.*

Liz' Ring flashed, and a metallic green brace folded around her broken arm like something born of Cybertron.

With a billow of energy and displaced air, she levitated to her feet, and leveled her Ring at Aethyr, pinned there as she was by the gravitational flux.

"Thank you, dear."

"You've just given me an idea."

Instead, she pointed her Ring skyward, gritted her teeth... and summoned a massive portion of her newly charged power levels...

...just as she'd created non-Euclidean wormholes, earlier, to bridge herself and Brainiac 5 across the trackless gulfs of interstellar space, now she tore open another gateway through spacetime.

...a portal to The Phantom Zone.

Aethyr's eyes widened. "No. NO! I will not submit! I will not-- I will die before you send me into that howling void..."

"Yeah," Liz growled, wiping blood off her lip with the back of her gloved right hand. "Didn't my mother already kill you one time?"

She glanced at J'onn.

"Let her stew in her fear, Beloved. For a moment."

"I want her to clap eyes on She who gives us Hope."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

"Good Shady, if I get my way we'll see how far they let you go," she grinned, "Me? I'd let you have your own head."

Shadow Lass smiled a wistful, almost hopeful smile. "Oh, wouldn't that be nice. Skulls make such lovely conversation pieces. And if all else fails, you can have a conversation with the skull."

Lifting her ring again she said "Cos, Jo here. Nass has hit the fan here, but it's under control. Getting intel on Saturn girl's sit. Galtos is back under control." Liar she thought to herself.

Tinya arched an eyebrow at this embroidery of the truth, but Ayla made a wibbly-wobbly gesture with her hand, suggesting it wasn't entirely untrue.

"One point of import. Looks like a bunch of LSV sprocks have gotten away." She shook her head again. "They've left UP space for some sort of Lantern hideout. You want us back or you want us to follow them?"

Cosmic Boy frowned sown at his ring, then lifted it to his mouth.
"Get a read on Irma, then go kick the crap out of those sprocks! If you need backup let me know, I have people ready and willing to go."

 

[Wyldfire]

Cosmic Boy frowned sown at his ring, then lifted it to his mouth.
"Get a read on Irma, then go kick the crap out of those sprocks! If you need backup let me know, I have people ready and willing to go."

"Got it. We've got a pretty good team here," Jo answered. "But, it looks like we've got some big guns on the loose. Lightning Lord and Saturn Queen are unaccounted for here so it's safe to say they're out there."

Jo took to the air signalling for the rest to follow. "Some of the better equiped for space combat wouldn't be turned away. We'll put ourselves in a stationary position to receive back up from a threshhold gate once we get out of the atmo here."

 

[Wyldfire]

The quiet of the cruiser was broken as Jenni blurred to stop. "Imrawhereareyouareyouokay?" Okay okay, slow it down Ognats. She looked about and found Imra slumped on the deck.

In an instant Imra was in a bunk, vitals checked, and apparently simply in a deep sleep. Like the inmates. Someone less bright might not make the connection. Her hand raised to her lips, "Jo, think I found the answer to what made the prisoners go night night. I think Imra over did it a bit and managed to snag herself in the same sleepy net she caught the baddies with."

She sealed up the cruiser and set up the automated defenses. Diagnostics begun and fuel levels checked. Jenni lifted the cruiser up and slowly shifted towards the fuel depot. "Bringing the cruiser to the gas station, Jo. If we're gonna play run down we'll need to get the cruiser ready."

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

Everlasting - Two Steps From Hell

Inside her resting chamber, Kara Zor-El slowly stirred awake. After such a long, deep sleep, the Kryptonian woman felt refreshed, as if the worries of her former life had been removed, or at the very least lessened. The dome hadn't yet opened, but it did glow for a moment, and the great beam of light that had reached up to the heavens drew itself in, becoming a tighter swirl until it faded completely.

Caroline took a step back as the great dome started to life up, and her soft eyes focused on her ancestor as she slowly sat up from the silvery pillows that she'd been resting on.

"It is good to see you awake, Kara Zor-El," Kelex said Kara stood up and stepped out onto the floor of The Fortress. "Even if the building is not on fire," the robot added.

"I can see that," she responded.

Kara looked first to Caroline, then towards Jamie and then back to the young Legionairre.

It was almost like she was looking at a younger version of herself. She noticed the symbol for power on Caroline's uniform, and it made her smile. It was the first time Kara had met her descendant, and she was pleased to see that the young woman had grown up nice and strong. Kara herself seemed to glow, and her eyes were a much cooler blue than they were when she was younger.

Absorbing so much artificial sunlight without expending it had made her incredibly strong, which was something that Kara had counted on when she first made the device.

"It's nice to meet you," Kara said to her descendent, and she offered a bright smile before turning to look at The Doctor.

"Nice to see you too," she said.

Rose's father...

Kara missed her friend.

A lot.

"So... would someone like to tell me what the story is?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

The Doctor. The Fortress.

Inside her resting chamber, Kara Zor-El slowly stirred awake. After such a long, deep sleep, the Kryptonian woman felt refreshed, as if the worries of her former life had been removed, or at the very least lessened. The dome hadn't yet opened, but it did glow for a moment, and the great beam of light that had reached up to the heavens drew itself in, becoming a tighter swirl until it faded completely.

Caroline took a step back as the great dome started to life up, and her soft eyes focused on her ancestor as she slowly sat up from the silvery pillows that she'd been resting on.

The Doctor slid his sunglasses off of his face and placed them reverently in the side pocket of his suit coat, just as he slid the umbrella, impossibly, into the same inside suit coat pocket he'd impossibly drawn it from.

Kara looked first to Caroline, then towards Jamie and then back to the young Legionairre.

It was almost like she was looking at a younger version of herself. She noticed the symbol for power on Caroline's uniform, and it made her smile. It was the first time Kara had met her descendant, and she was pleased to see that the young woman had grown up nice and strong. Kara herself seemed to glow, and her eyes were a much cooler blue than they were when she was younger.

It was not every day, even for The Doctor, that he got to witness a Once and Future become a Once and Again.

And he couldn't help but take a moment to reflect on this fact, on the new new blue blue of Kara's eyes, on the scent of swift sunrise that rolled off of her invulnerable skin. Sometimes prophecies come true.

Sometimes, when they do, they're the good ones.

"It's nice to meet you," Kara said to her descendent, and she offered a bright smile before turning to look at The Doctor.

"Nice to see you too," she said.

"Nice to see you too," The Doctor grinned, bright as could be. "Very nice, brilliant. Pleased as Punch."

"So... would someone like to tell me what the story is?"

The Doctor held up one finger.

"Lemme explain."

He hesitated, searched inwardly for a moment.

"No, there's too much."

"Let me sum up."

"It's been centuries since you last walked The Waking World."

"Zod is back, geometrically more deadly than before, with all the powers of actual Hell inside him. He's sent to your very doorstep two enemies we thought dead when you were a young woman, and they make war outside."

"At the same time, the darkest forces of this present 3010 are aligning against the inheritors of The Justice League, the lovely Powergirl's own Legion of Superheroes."

"And this is to say nothing of the darker things yet to come."

"Kara Zor-El. Supergirl. Last Daughter of Krypton, Scion of Earth."

"You are needed."

"Now, more than ever."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Lightning Lass, Shadow Lass, Phantom Girl. The Galtos. En route.

Jo took to the air signalling for the rest to follow. "Some of the better equiped for space combat wouldn't be turned away. We'll put ourselves in a stationary position to receive back up from a threshhold gate once we get out of the atmo here."

The three others soared up after Jo, grimly determined, though Ayla did glance down and back to the dock as they flew away.

So much death. Yes, these represented a significant portion of the worst scum of The Universe-- some of them literally, depending on the species.

Such a waste.

She felt fingers lace with hers, and glanced over in surprise to find Tasmia. Of all people.

Giving her hand a sympathetic squeeze.

Tasmia didn't look at Ayla. Just squeezed her hand. And that was all the reassurance she offered before letting go and powering ahead to fly up next to Ultra Girl.

Ayla caught Tinya's gaze, and Tinya was as surprised as Lightning Lass. Phantom Girl shrugged, and they kept flying.

Her hand raised to her lips, "Jo, think I found the answer to what made the prisoners go night night. I think Imra over did it a bit and managed to snag herself in the same sleepy net she caught the baddies with."

"A worthy enough sacrifice, I suppose," Tasmia allowed. Apparently she was all heart today.

She sealed up the cruiser and set up the automated defenses. Diagnostics begun and fuel levels checked. Jenni lifted the cruiser up and slowly shifted towards the fuel depot. "Bringing the cruiser to the gas station, Jo. If we're gonna play run down we'll need to get the cruiser ready."

"Keep the engine warm," Ayla replied. "We're on our way, and we know how much speedsters hate waiting."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Cosmic Lad

Rokk looked over the assembled Legionarres.

"We have a threat, one which we have never faced. But this threat, like all others we have faced,

We.

Will.

Overcome!!"

His gaze hardened.

"Wildfire, Sun Boy, go assist Lightning lass and the others. Take down the LSV, and take them down hard!"

He then looked at garth.

"Garth, I want you to..."
He never finished that sentence, for at that moment half of the earth went dark. Completely. No vision could penetrate this blackness, until seven seconds later, it went away in a blink.


"What the sprock was THAT????

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

"Lemme explain. No, there's too much. Let me sum up.

It's been centuries since you last walked The Waking World. Zod is back, geometrically more deadly than before, with all the powers of actual Hell inside him. He's sent to your very doorstep two enemies we thought dead when you were a young woman, and they make war outside."

"At the same time, the darkest forces of this present 3010 are aligning against the inheritors of The Justice League, the lovely Powergirl's own Legion of Superheroes. And this is to say nothing of the darker things yet to come."

"Kara Zor-El. Supergirl. Last Daughter of Krypton, Scion of Earth. You are needed."

"Now, more than ever."

Kara Zor-El nodded thoughtfully, even as her hands clenched tightly into fists.

Zod was back...

Escaping from the Phantom Zone was impossible.

He had to have been set free.

"That doesn't leave much time for dilly-dallying," Supergirl said, then folded her arms across her chest as she thought for a moment.

"Time for w-"

"Now if only we had a wheelbarrow, that would be something."

"I'm not sure I get it," Caroline fussed.

Kara Zor-El smiled and unfolded her arms..

"It's before your time," she explained. With her incredible sense of hearing, Kara didn't even need to ask whether Zod's warriors had been dispatched or not. She could hear them, along with the others gathered outside The Fortress. Kara walked over to one side of the room, and she pulled out a small crystal from a power console that rose to meet her. She replaced the crystal into another slot, and a portion of the wall slid down to reveal the uniform she'd once worn.

Caroline couldn't help but focus on the iconic emblem... the very symbol of the House of El she had every right to wear.

She had been afraid of the responsibility that came with wearing it.

Kara Zor-El, as if sensing the thoughts of her descendent, turned and smiled.

"This is your heritage," she said.

"With great power... well... you get the idea," she said.

Kara turned around once more, then pulled another crystal out of its spot, and placed it in another. A second panel slid down, revealing a suit she'd worn when she was even younger. It was similar to the one she'd wear, except the top of the uniform ended just a bit below the chest, leaving the stomach bare.

"I think it should fit," Kara said, then turned her attention on the hole in the ceiling. It didn't long at all for the two Kryptonian females to change into their uniforms, and both looked at each other and smiled as their red and gold-trimmed capes fluttered down by their feet.

"This looks like a job for S-"

"Please don't finish that sentence," Caroline pleaded, still feeling a bit jittery at having the symbol of the House of El on her chest.

Kara couldn't help but playfully sigh.

"I never get to use that line," she said, shaking her head before lifting up off the ground to shoot out of The Fortress, bathing herself in the warm embrace of The Sun.

Compared to the artificial light she'd been soaking in, the warm rays of Earth's star felt... indescribable.

She truly missed it.

Floating high above The Fortress, joined shortly by Caroline, Kara could see her allies bearing down on the two Kryptonian warriors, but what alarmed the first Supergirl the most was the sight of Rose Var-Sen and her brother. The last time she saw them they were like small children, but when last she checked they were with their parents on Sanctuary.

Perhaps, as Jamie had accounted, the dark times they were facing required a bit more punch.

Much had changed during her absence.

Kara Zor-El descended towards the ground, landing near her closest friends.

 

[ChasNicollette]

The Northern Hemisphere.

For seven seconds, the "upper" half of the world was in darkness.

Astrophysics labs had a panic, frenziedly checking for unscheduled eclipses.

The sub-Atlantic mer-adapted survivors of the sinking of The British Isles momentarily had to navigate by sonar.

Certain religious types increased their own fretting about The End of The Worlds, whilst others merely amended their sermons to touch upon Joshua 10:13.

A certain Xanthan cabbie coming to the end of his shift on Theodore Knight Boulevard in Metropolis narrowly avoided crashing into a 100-car pile-up over New Bakerline. (It seemed even anticollision transponder signals couldn't penetrate this darkness, and this cabbie would later credit his evasion to the Zen audiobook he'd downloaded much earlier in the day.)

But the darkness passed.

As it did. As it always did.

And people picked up the pieces and moved on with their lives.

People began new branches of theoretical physics to explain the spontaneous darkmatter flux. People said prayers of thanks for salvation and/or revelation. People continued their swim to The Channel Islands to engage in commerce with the land-dwellers. People exchanged insurance information and then activated roadside assistance autorepair protocols.

The people of Earth had come to trust, trust in the heroes who had saved them and would always save them.

Little knowing that before too very much longer, it would be their turn to save the heroes.

 

[Wyldfire]

Jo took to the air signalling for the rest to follow. "Some of the better equiped for space combat wouldn't be turned away. We'll put ourselves in a stationary position to receive back up from a threshhold gate once we get out of the atmo here."

The three others soared up after Jo, grimly determined, though Ayla did glance down and back to the dock as they flew away.

So much death. Yes, these represented a significant portion of the worst scum of The Universe-- some of them literally, depending on the species.

Such a waste.

She felt fingers lace with hers, and glanced over in surprise to find Tasmia. Of all people.

Giving her hand a sympathetic squeeze.

Tasmia didn't look at Ayla. Just squeezed her hand. And that was all the reassurance she offered before letting go and powering ahead to fly up next to Ultra Girl.

Ayla caught Tinya's gaze, and Tinya was as surprised as Lightning Lass. Phantom Girl shrugged, and they kept flying.

Her hand raised to her lips, "Jo, think I found the answer to what made the prisoners go night night. I think Imra over did it a bit and managed to snag herself in the same sleepy net she caught the baddies with."

"A worthy enough sacrifice, I suppose," Tasmia allowed. Apparently she was all heart today.

She sealed up the cruiser and set up the automated defenses. Diagnostics begun and fuel levels checked. Jenni lifted the cruiser up and slowly shifted towards the fuel depot. "Bringing the cruiser to the gas station, Jo. If we're gonna play run down we'll need to get the cruiser ready."

"Keep the engine warm," Ayla replied. "We're on our way, and we know how much speedsters hate waiting."

The cruiser rose up to meet them, shining like it had just come off of one of Brande's assembly lines. "No problem, Ayla. Engines warm, fueled, all systems updated and all consumables replenished," Jenni answered.

"Also had the time to detail her too."

As Jo landed in the airlock she shook her head and sighed. She adored Jenni, but the speedster was enough frustrate a saint at times. "Okay everyone, let's get up into orbit till we get our reinforcements."

As the last of the team entered the cruiser Jo looked towards Tinya. "Take a quick peek in on Imra please? When she wakes up let me know. If Jen's right, it might be nice to give the Galtos people fair warning."

As the cruiser rose it was passed by SP relief ships descending to aid the Warden and his people. Jenni whistled as she manuevered the cruiser out of atmo. "Man, that's a lot of SPs. I hope nothing else comes up, those guys are stretched pretty thin if this many of them are here."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Shadow Lass, Phantom Girl, Lightning Lass. The Galtos. Weighing anchor.

The cruiser rose up to meet them, shining like it had just come off of one of Brande's assembly lines. "No problem, Ayla. Engines warm, fueled, all systems updated and all consumables replenished," Jenni answered.

"Also had the time to detail her too."

Lightning Lass grinned. "Showoff."

"Nice work, though. Garth would say that cruiser looks good enough to crash into Korbal."

As Jo landed in the airlock she shook her head and sighed. She adored Jenni, but the speedster was enough frustrate a saint at times. "Okay everyone, let's get up into orbit till we get our reinforcements."

As the last of the team entered the cruiser Jo looked towards Tinya. "Take a quick peek in on Imra please? When she wakes up let me know. If Jen's right, it might be nice to give the Galtos people fair warning."

Tinya seemed to take a moment to decide whether or not she should bristle at Jo telling her what to do. But then, belatedly, she noted the presence of that "please."

Jo Nah of Rimbor was being polite. Might wonders never cease.

She nodded, instead. "I get it. The whammy wears off on her, it's worn off on the rank and file. I'm on it."

She silked through the wall to find Imra, pulling up a seat beside that bunk and holding the beautiful blonde's hand.

As the cruiser rose it was passed by SP relief ships descending to aid the Warden and his people. Jenni whistled as she manuevered the cruiser out of atmo. "Man, that's a lot of SPs. I hope nothing else comes up, those guys are stretched pretty thin if this many of them are here."

"I am necessarily a pessimist," Shadow Lass grimaced, "and even I know better than to declare Famous Last Words like those."

 

[ChasNicollette]

The Doctor. The Fortress.


Kara Zor-El nodded thoughtfully.

"That doesn't leave much time for dilly-dallying," Supergirl said, then folded her arms across her chest as she thought for a moment.

The Doctor grinned madly.

"Time for w-"

"Now if only we had a wheelbarrow, that would be something."

The Doctor snapped his fingers, tutted. "Oh, blimey, left it under the albino. Could I interest you in a Holocaust Cloak?"

"I'm not sure I get it," Caroline fussed.

Kara Zor-El smiled and unfolded her arms..

"It's before your time," she explained.

The Doctor grinned madly. "I don't care how many evildoers you've punched in the face with both fists, dearie-duck, you haven't lived 'till you've read Morgernstern in the original Florinese."

Kara took a moment to suit up, and to provide Caroline with attire suited, aheh, to the occasion. The Doctor averted his gaze, he wasn't always especially polite, but he knew how to be a gentleman when the time came.

And then, he held his breath, as--

"This looks like a job for S-"

"Please don't finish that sentence," Caroline pleaded, still feeling a bit jittery at having the symbol of the House of El on her chest.

--she almost said it.

The Doctor frowned. "Ah, swizz. I've been burgled."

Kara couldn't help but playfully sigh.

"I never get to use that line," she said, shaking her head before lifting up off the ground to shoot out of The Fortress, bathing herself in the warm embrace of The Sun.

Watching the two Supergirls rise to meet the sunlight and their shared destiny, The Doctor slid his hands into his pockets and smiled faintly. But not for long.

For then he slid his gaze over to Kelex. "Soz, mate, hate to ruin the moment, but d'you mind showing me out? Only I think they've locked me in and I don't think me door skills are quite up to snuff."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Wraith

It had been a long time, a very long time since I had seen those colors.

Too long.

I ignored the enraged psychopathic Kryptonian in the planar vortex, pretty much ignored the other great hunk of supercharged meat getting up from having his body crushed into matchsticks.

I only had eyes for one of my oldest friends, my wife's best friend. Godmother to my children.

"Hello Kara. It's been a long time.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Rose Var-Sen, Zor-Sen, GL 2261. North.

Compared to the artificial light she'd been soaking in, the warm rays of Earth's star felt... indescribable.

She truly missed it.

Floating high above The Fortress, joined shortly by Caroline, Kara could see her allies bearing down on the two Kryptonian warriors, but what alarmed the first Supergirl the most was the sight of Rose Var-Sen and her brother. The last time she saw them they were like small children, but when last she checked they were with their parents on Sanctuary.

Perhaps, as Jamie had accounted, the dark times they were facing required a bit more punch.

Much had changed during her absence.

Kara Zor-El descended towards the ground, landing near her closest friends.

It had been a long time, a very long time since I had seen those colors.

Too long.

I ignored the enraged psychopathic Kryptonian in the planar vortex, pretty much ignored the other great hunk of supercharged meat getting up from having his body crushed into matchsticks.

I only had eyes for one of my oldest friends, my wife's best friend. Godmother to my children.

"Hello Kara. It's been a long time.

Rose Var-Sen immediately sank to one knee, head bowed, eyes closed.

"My Ladies of The House of El," she breathed. "We greet you, and give you thanks."

Zor-Sen, meanwhile, glanced at Nam-Ek, who was struggling towards recovery-- the damage done to him by J'onn, internal, extensive, healed itself by surges and lurches --and slammed him face-first into The Earth, one hand on the back of Nam-Ek's head as Zor-Sen, too, took a knee.

"Show some respect, villain."

"As often as you have damaged the honor of our race, even more has she redeemed it."

Across the way, Liz glanced at Aethyr, as Aethyr continued to snarl and froth against the pull of both vortexes.

"This is the future of your people," Elizabeth Kara Greystone pointed out, regarding her namesake. "This. Not the pitch-dark fever dream to which you cling."

 

[AmenRa]

Across the way, Liz glanced at Aethyr, as Aethyr continued to snarl and froth against the pull of both vortexes.

"This is the future of your people," Elizabeth Kara Greystone pointed out, regarding her namesake. "This. Not the pitch-dark fever dream to which you cling."



The Martian Manhunter gazed down to where Kara Zor-El had touched down among the others.

For an instant, a smile spread across his face.

And then J'onn's eyes flared red as he turned his gaze upon Aethyr.

"And this you cling to will fade and fall, just as summer to autumn and autumn to winter," he told her, "and all things will wither and die to be swept away with wind and rain.

"Indeed, for you and your allies it will as the changing of the seasons.

"And winter is coming."

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

"Soz, mate, hate to ruin the moment, but d'you mind showing me out? Only I think they've locked me in and I don't think me door skills are quite up to snuff."

"Affirmative," the ancient robot responded. While certainly not as fast as its Kryptonian master, Kelex was capable of flight, allowing the pair to leave The Fortress and join the others gathered outside.

~ ~ ~

"Hello Kara. It's been a long time," Kyle said.

Kyle Greystone.

Wraith.

Kara Zor-El was a being that relished in the warm embrace of the bright sun, but her close friend was essentially her polar opposite. But that didn't stop her from reaching out to him with her arms, wrapping them around his strong shoulders and neck for a tight hug.

"Too long," she apologized when she pulled away.

They'd both changed.

Even if he looked the same, he looked different.

They were both stronger.

Kara was still smiling when she glanced to side, catching sight of Rose Var-Sen sinking to one knee with her head bowed and her eyes closed. Kara never truly enjoyed being treated like a deity...

Her parents on Earth raised her to be humble and put others first.

That was who she was, and wanted to be still.

Besides, Rose Var-Sen was like family. Kara had last seen her when she was no more than a few feet high off the ground, and she smiled at the children of her closest friends and allies, offering to help her up with an arm extended.

"Please, stand up. It's nice to see you two all grown up. Are your parents doing well? It's been ages since I was last on Sanctuary," Kara said. "Actually, it's been a long time since I've done much of anything."

 

[ChasNicollette]

The Doctor, Rose Var-Sen, Zor-Sen. Top of The World.

"Soz, mate, hate to ruin the moment, but d'you mind showing me out? Only I think they've locked me in and I don't think me door skills are quite up to snuff."

"Affirmative," the ancient robot responded. While certainly not as fast as its Kryptonian master, Kelex was capable of flight, allowing the pair to leave The Fortress and join the others gathered outside.

The Doctor threw his arms around Kelex' neck and whooped with laughter as The Fortress' floor dropped away and then The Arctic rose up to meet them.

"Oh, now, this is how to travel. When you don't have a bus standing by..."

~ ~ ~

Besides, Rose Var-Sen was like family. Kara had last seen her when she was no more than a few feet high off the ground, and she smiled at the children of her closest friends and allies, offering to help her up with an arm extended.

"Please, stand up. It's nice to see you too all grown up. Are your parents doing well? It's been ages since I was last on Sanctuary," Kara said. "Actually, it's been a long time since I've done much of anything."

Rose Var-Sen, well, rose, as Kara bid her to do so. Of course the enemy of Zod would not seek for her allies to kneel, but Kara was as close to a Messiah as Krypton would ever have, and Rose Var-Sen felt the need to express reverence.

But she stood. And when Kara mentioned her family...

...tears brimmed up around her eyes like a cauldron's broth.

"I--" she began, and then darted her gaze away.

The Doctor strode up, looking agonized, easing his hands into his trouser pockets. "It's happened, hasn't it? The Last Dream of Naltor. ...Sanctuary. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Rose Var-Sen nodded helplessly, and covered her face with one hand as her shoulders were wracked with a sob.

Zor-Sen had not risen, choosing instead to keep Nam-Ek pinned to the cratered ground with all his straining strength. His voice threatened to break, just as that ground did, but still he powered on: "...when we were ordered to abandon our world, it was a burning cinder in the night, kindling to Zod's dread and unholy new abilities. Our parents stayed behind to hold the way for us. And we cannot dare to pretend that they still draw breath."

"Few are we in this Universe, the scattered seeds of Krypton. Two fewer, now."