27th July 2013
01:36 GMT -5
"I could push it!"
I sigh, and mentally curse my colleagues for leaving me on Kara-wrangling duty. To be fair, she did destroy the lion's share of the Eradicator androids excavating what Har-Zod tells us is called the Doomsday. For some reason they didn't register her as a kryptonian, which… Given that she appears to be this universe's Power Girl appears to be because kryptonians from her universe are different enough not to match their profile… Or given what ended up happening to Power Girl, it could be because she's slightly out of tune with reality.
Hm.
"I know you could, Kara, and-.
"
"Supergirl!"
I nod.
"She could too, but it would take about five million years and that's not accounting for time dilation because she'd be flying through normal space.
"
"I could do it in
half that!"
"Which is still.. two and a half million years, and that's assuming that you don't eat, sleep or relieve yourself,
and assuming that you get sufficient sunlight on the way.
"
She frowns, looking down at the Earth as she considers the issue.
"Oh,
phooey!"
"You can be the one who pushes it through the boom tube if you want.
"
"
That's not the
same!"
"No, it-.
" In the corner of my eye I catch sight of an approaching
orange speck.
"It wouldn't take millions of years. Lantern Taranna.
" I raise my right hand in greeting.
"What brings you here?
"
"Sir-. Hey Kara!"
"Supergirl!"
"Huh?" Taranna looks around in confusion. "Where?"
"Not you
too!" Kara turns to me. "This is totally
your fault!"
"You snoozed, you lost, Super
woman.
" She pouts at me.
"Lantern Taranna?
"
"Did something..
weird.. happen with you and my mum?"
Watching Kara's expression is an education on kryptonian facial muscle control. She goes from watching me with a mild frown, to a flattening of her brow when she understands the implication -that takes several seconds- to a gradual widening of her eyes and descending of her jaw in astonished horror. It's like something I'd expect on a melodramatic stage play where expressions had to be exaggerated so that the audience could see them.
"She mistakenly thought that I was… Ah, what's the word?
"
"Ah…" Lantern Taranna looks me over cautiously. "'Domitoring'?"
"Yes. Taking her as a concubine. I'm not, I told her that, so… No.
"
She doesn't look entirely convinced. "And you didn't say..?
Anything else?"
"Ah, we mostly talked about your brother? Are you going somewhere with this?
"
"I… Suppose not?"
We watch each other for a moment.
"Okay? Ah, anyway, Kara, as one of four kryptonians from Krypton that we have around, what do you think should happen to the Doomsday?
"
"We should put it back together!"
"And then do what with it?
"
"None of us know how to fly it, so I guess we just park it somewhere! Ooh, and we should study it!"
"To what end?
"
"I just think it's neat!"
I sigh.
"I do too. It's just that it's rather
extremely dangerous, and-.
" My ring shimmers.
"Excuse me. Yes?
"
Alan's head appears.
"Paul, did you say something.. weird.. to Lantern Coutara?"
"W-?
" I look from him to Taranna, but she doesn't appear to know what he's talking about either.
"Could you please define 'weird', because Lantern Taranna asked me the same thing.
"
"Apparently, you betrothed us. Now, I-."
"I
most certainly did not. I just gave you a favourable reference!
"
Taranna silently mouths 'oh' and nods her head.
"Okay." He sighs.
"Paul, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I need you to stop. Completely. Do you understand?"
I nod.
"Yes. I'm.. sorry for the inconvenience, whatever it is.
"
He sighs again, nodding.
"I can handle it. Just… Not again." I nod solemnly.
"Arisia's just about finished talking to the daxamites, if there's anything you want to say to 'em, now's the time."
"I'll be right-
"
I see you.
"-here.
"
I nod as Alan lowers his ring, and then walk towards the red-lit cell where Cara Yat is being held. I'm not sure if it's her remaining injuries or her mental state, but her grip on her emotions is much weaker than it
was. She sees me, but it seems that I barely warrant a scowl.
"Hello there!
"
"I have nothing to say to you."
"'No 'thank you for overthrowing our robot overlords'?
"
"They were there only because of
you."
"Oh, take some responsibility for yourself. You say that you don't like aliens or technology and your decision got you more of
both. If you were a better person this would be time for self-reflection.
" Her jaw tightens, but she doesn't otherwise react.
"I wanted to let you know that after discussion with Lantern Coutara we won't be pressing charges, because I can't imagine-.
"
"'Charges'? From the one who abducted my
son?"
"Yes. I've never charged someone with Perfidy before, and it might have been interesting to tick it off-.
"
"
What?"
"Perfidy.
It usually comes up when someone surrenders during a war and then tries to kill the people accepting it. You entered into a negotiation and then tried to kill the people you were negotiating with. I checked and it counts, because if people like you got away with it then no one would negotiate again. But the thing is, your crime doesn't warrant anything-.
"
"We were
prisoners! The Eradicators-."
"Weren't there, yes. You had plenty of opportunity to warn us, and…
" I
narrow my eyes.
"You don't actually want Lantern Yat back.
"
She scowls. "You know
nothing."
"No… I
do.
" I turn away from the cell.
"Enjoy Daxam. Hopefully we'll never see each other again.
"