“Where is the blasted girl?” Reed Richards paced back and forth in the room Tony Stark had sit aside for personal guests during the media event. “The press conference starts in two hours and she decides to take off.” He turned a glare towards Rogue.
“She said she needed some time alone to think.” Rogue shrugged off the glare. She glanced down at her costume smiling. Still her traditional green and yellow, it had been altered slightly. Where, above the left breast, there had been a symbol representing the X-men there was now new symbol. Roughly the same size as the old, Rogue now wore the S symbol so well known in that other Reality. Now it would become known in this one and she and Kara would make it known.
“She’s a big girl, Reed.” Sue spoke up. She was reclining in a chair, looking over a program of the coming event.
“Don’t worry so much, stretch-o.” Ben Grim put his two cents in. He had been talking old times with Jennifer Walters. He was also trying to ride herd on Johnny Storm. Johnny was, at least in Ben’s opinion, just one step from drooling over himself as he tried to hold a conversation with Storm and Jubilee, the representatives of the X-men. They were close on either side of Rogue, talking in low tones. While Jubilee did not look happy at all, Storm was the picture of serenity.
Reed gave every one a final disgusted look and stepped outside.
“And so it comes to an ending.” Reed turned as Dr. Strange stepped out of the shadows. “Our child is growing up and setting out on her own.”
“Our child?” Reed looked at Stephen then grinned. “Yeah, I guess in a way she is.” He sighed. “And now we get to see what we have unleashed on the world.”
“Still worried that we did the wrong thing?” Stephen shook his head. “We did what was right for us to do. Now Kara must take responsibility.”
“I just wish I knew where she was.” Reed groused.
“In that, at least, I can ease your mind.” Strange said. “She has gone to put memories to rest and to come to peace with her past.” He looked at Reed and smiled ever so slightly. “She has gone to seek out Access.”
“Oh that’s just wonderful.” Reed’s voice dripped sarcasm. “Thank you so very much for putting my mind at ease.”
“Think nothing of it.” Strange hid his smile as turned and entered the waiting room, leaving a fuming Reed Richards glaring at his back.
The Rebirth
“I am still not sure that his is such a good idea.” Access worried. Kara glanced at him and stepped away, looking around.
“Probably not.” She agreed. “But it is something I needed to do.” She stepped out of the alley, glancing up and down the street. Leeville! A few passersby saw her, did a double take, and then smiled. She was wearing the costume, or rather a copy of the costume that she had worn at the time of her battle with the Anti-Monitor.
“Wait here.” She called back in to the alley. “I won’t be long.” Her knees bent and, before Access could protest, she was airborne.
She flew over the sleepy town, making sure that she was extremely visible. She looked around, noting subtle differences here and there. Over all, this Leeville was larger than the Leeville she had called home for so many years.
After just a few moments she got the reaction she had been looking for. Streaking up from the town was another blue and red clothed figure. Kara nodded and swung around on a heading towards Metropolis. She kept her speed down so as not to loose the figure trailing her, but going fast enough to keep her from catching up before she had attracted the attention of the next person she needed to see.
The trip to Metropolis was not a long one. The huge city, at first glance, looked no different than the Metropolis she had known. And there, there was her destination. She angled down and swung a few tight orbits around the Daily Planet building.
“Superman, I need to talk.” She sub-vocalized, hoping that this Superman’s hearing was on par with her own. She then shot straight up, coming to a hovering stop well above the city. She kept an eye on the blue and red figure that had trailed her from Leeville. She wanted no violent confrontation.
The other Supergirl closed and came to a hover a good distance from Kara. Kara nodded approvingly. She had not come in too close, but had come in close enough to size up the situation and had put herself in a position to attack if the situation warranted it.
“Okay, who the hell are you and what are you doing dressed like me….” The other Supergirl paused, getting a good look at the costume. “Not bad. Though I would loose the headband.”
“Supergirl. Hold on!” Both women glanced down as Superman rose to meet them. He moved in, placing himself somewhat between the two. His gave Kara a searching glance and then nodded to this Reality’s Supergirl. Kara kept silent until Superman had filled Supergirl in on Kara’s story. By the end, Supergirl’s face was a mask of horror.
“You….you’re Kryptonian?” She asked of Kara. “Like Superman?”
“Similar.” Kara answered, swallowing the lump in her throat. This was harder than she thought it would be. “There are some small differences.”
“Small.” Superman smiled. “The Superboy I met in the Alternate reality that our Supergirl came from was more powerful than me. You are more his match than mine.” Kara shrugged.
“What can we do for you, Kara?” Superman asked.
“Information.” Kara answered, somewhat curtly. She had to wind this up and get back where she belonged….if she really belonged anywhere. “Any thing you have in the way of Kryptonian physiology, plans for some of the equipment in your Fortress of Solitude, and a star chart.”
“Done.” Superman nodded. He looked close at Kara. “It will take some time to get what you want together, but I don’t think you have the time.” Kara looked down at her hand, startled to see that she was starting to fade.
“I need to get back to Leeville and Access.” She said. “I can’t stay in this Reality. If I do, I’ll fade into non-existence.”
“Go.” Superman ordered. “I’ll get what you need together.” He paused. “It is apparent that we should have a communications system.”
“Reed Richards has said much the same thing.” Kara nodded. “A way for the heroes of both Realities to communicate in case of emergencies that might require their combined forces.”
“He is correct.” Superman nodded. “Get going. When I get what you need, I’ll bring it to Leeville and leave it with Supergirl. Access can get it from her and deliver it to you.” Kara nodded and started to take off. “Kara?” She turned as Superman put his arms around her, pulling her close. “I told you once that I would be proud to call you cousin.” He tilted her face up to look at him. “I am proud and, though we come from different realities, I would be honored if you would consider me your family."
“And me.” Supergirl put a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “Now you must go, you are really starting to fade.” She turned to Superman. “Go. I’ll make sure she gets to Leeville.”
“Right.” Superman sped off, arcing up and to the north.
“Come on.” Supergirl urged Kara. Kara nodded and, taking Supergirl by the hand, poured on the speed as she headed back to Leeville and Access.
“Wow!” Supergirl breathed, astonished at their velocity. “You were letting me follow you! You could have left me in the dust at any time!”
The Rebirth
“You sure like cutting it close!” Access griped as Kara and Supergirl landed at the entrance to the alley. Passersby gaped at the sight of two Supergirls, side by side. Access looked from one to the other then shrugged. “We have to get you outta here.” He continued. Both women nodded. Kara turned to Supergirl, holding out her hand. Supergirl ignored the hand and pulled Kara into a close embrace.
“Take care, Kara.” She whispered. “maybe someday I can visit you and we can get to know each other. I would love to hear about your life.” Kara smiled weakly and stepped closer to Access.
“Maybe.” She said. “Someday.”
The Rebirth
Having agreed to return and pick up the things Superman was gathering for her and deliver them to Tony Stark, Access faded back out, leaving her standing in a small clearing….alone.
“Is this where I belong?” She whispered to herself. The fading had stopped the instant she had been returned to this reality. Yet still, in her heart, she wasn’t sure that she belonged here. “Perhaps I should have stayed there and just faded away.” She bent her knees and pushed off, gaining speed as she soared straight up. Within moments, she was punching out of the upper atmosphere, the darkness of space closing around her. Turning, she regarded the blue green globe before her. For a long moment she looked over this Earth that was so much like the Earth she remembered and yet, at the same time, was so much different.
A flash of light off to her right interrupted her contemplation of her situation. She activated her x-ray vision and focused in on the area of space from which the light had originated. On this earth, as on her own, a noted French scientist had theorized that any thing placed in orbit in certain points would tend to remain in those positions; neither drawing closer nor drawing away. There were five of these points, called LaGrange Points, in the Earth Moon system; One between the Earth and moon, one on the farside of the Earth and one on the farside of the Moon. The remaining two points trailed and preceded the Earth in her orbit, remaining equal distances from both the Earth and Moon. These two, LaGrange had further theorized, would be the most stable of the five. His theories had proven to be fact and now, over a century later, man had begun construction of human habitats in both the L4 and L5 positions. It was the habitat under construction in the L4 position that she was focusing on. Fires, obviously feeding upon the oxygen within the habitat, ran rampant. Without thinking, Kara kicked it in gear. Fire, she knew, was even more dangerous in space than on the planet surface. Though it would die quickly due to lack of oxygen, it would first use up what there was, leaving anyone not in emergency gear suffocating. That is if the intense heat of the flash fires didn’t kill them first.
All of this ran through Kara’s head as she zipped in. First things first, she would need to gain entrance into the main torus of the station with out damaging it’s integrity. A huge, gaping hole in the outward facing shell answered that dilemma. From the looks of it, an explosion had occurred, blowing outwards.
“Damn” Kara thought. She looked around quickly, her gaze resting on an abandoned construction shack. “Time to patch the tire.” She aimed herself at the shack, her heat vision slicing it into chunks.
To the few observers, it seemed as if a blue and red blur had appeared out of nowhere. As they watched, the blur increased speed until there seemed to be a solid blue and red line linking the habitat at the explosion point to the construction shack.
Holding each chunk of the shack in place, her strength greater than the force of the air being blown and pulled out of the habitat, Kara built up a temporary patch over the hole, welding each piece in place with her heat vision. The last piece she held and welded from the inside. She then turned her attention to the fires. Already groups of people were battling the blazes, bringing them under control now that they no longer had to worry about the gaping hole. Letting them handle the fires, she turned here x-ray vision through the wreckage, locating those too injured to extract themselves. These Kara retrieved from the mess, depositing them in clear corridors before heading back for more.
She worked for several minutes until she could no longer detect any that remained alive. Again using her x-ray vision, she scanned nearby space for any that had been blown out. She discovered several bodies, but no one in any kind of suit that could withstand the vacuum of space.
She located a person that seemed to be organizing the emergency efforts.
“You seem to have things under control here.” She told him. His face was streaked with sweat and smoke and he appeared exhausted, yet he offered a smile.
“Thank you.” He said. “With out you we would have all died.” Kara waved that away.
“I just patched the leak, you and your people did and are still doing all the hard work. Is there anything else I can do for you?” The man shook his head.
“I think we can handle it from here, Miss…” He paused expectantly.
“Not Miss.” Kara smiled. “Just call me Supergirl.” She turned and then halfway turned back. “I’m going to reinforce my patchwork, but it’s still only temporary. You’ll have to get a work crew to make more permanent repairs.” And she was gone. The man rushed to a view port and, after a few moments, saw a blue and red streak heading back towards the surface of the planet.
“Communications. Get in touch with headquarters and tell them what happened.” He ordered. “And get a line directly to the boss. Tell Mr. Stark that she just saved the station and almost everyone on board.”
“Tell him who saved us?” The Comm tech asked. The supervisor turned and looked at her then looked back out the portal. Though he could no longer see her, he could envision her entering the atmosphere about now.
“Tell him…Tell him that it was Supergirl.” He answered the tech after a moment. “Supergirl just saved our butts!”
There was a soft tapping at the door to the waiting room and an agitated Reed Richards flung the door open. Somewhat surprised, he looked down at the mousy brown haired teen standing there.
“Uh, hi.” The girl spoke hesitantly. “I, uh, have a delivery. It’s in care of a Tony Stark or Reed Richards.”
“I’m Reed Richards.” Reed groused. He stepped back, startled, as a huge bundle of items floated in through the door.
“Where do you want it?” The girl asked, stepping in behind the bundle.
Sue Richards looked up and smiled.
“Telekinesis?” She asked. Her question was more than an inquiry. It also served to alert the others in the room that something was up.
Rogue looked away from her conversation with Storm and Jubilee, gasping as she took in the girl by the door. She rushed forward.
“You!” She blurted. “It’s...Linda Danvers, right?”
“How?” The girl looked at Rogue, taking in the Super symbol over the right breast. “I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I.” Reed broke in. “Rogue, do you know this girl?” He looked at the girl. “And why does that name seem familiar?”
“Because, Reed, it is the name of Kara’s secret identity.” Dr. Strange stepped up. “Unless I am mistaken, we have the honor of addressing the current Supergirl of the Other Reality.”
The girl smiled, shyly, and her features seemed to flow, blend and rearrange themselves. Within a matter of seconds, where once a mousy brown haired girl had stood, there now stood a young blond woman wearing a variation of the blue and red costume that Kara wore.
“Wow!” Jubilee piped up from the back of the room. Supergirl’s features once again blurred and once again she was Linda Danvers.
“Superman got some things together that Kara had asked for.” She indicated the pile. “And then threw in some things that he thought she might want.”
“And you delivered it, for him?” Reed asked, still a bit bewildered.
“Well, actually, I was going to, until Access told us what was happening today.”
“You mean this event?”
“Right.” Linda nodded. “Superman felt that this was probably your way of introducing Kara to your world. So we felt that it would be gesture of good will to sorta help out.”
“Help out how?” Rogue asked. Linda smiled.
“Well, it’s supposed to be a secret, but I’ll tell you if you promise not to tell Kara.” She leaned closer. “Superman is here too. Along with some other members of the Justice League and a few members of the Legion of Super-Heroes.”
“But.” Rogue was confused now. “Why? And I thought the Legion was in your 30th century. At least that’s what Kara’s told me.”
“It’s a long story. But to shorten it, some of the Legion are sorta trapped in our time.” She looked at Reed. “In fact sir, one of them wants to talk with you and see if you can give him some ideas about constructing a device to get them back home.” She turned back to Rogue. “As to why. Well, they are sorta helping out Tony Stark’s people in the Arctic. You see, Superman guessed that Kara would construct her fortress in roughly the same place he built his. So he and the others have gone there to finish the construction and to add some, well, Kryptonian touches.”
“Wow!” Jubilee breathed.
“You said that, already.” Jennifer Walters told the girl.
Further conversation was impossible as an attendant rushed in.
“It’s time sir.” He told Reed. “Mr. Stark wants you all out there now.”
“Great. Just great.” Reed growled.
“Ladies and Gentlemen.” Tony Stark stood behind the podium set up on the stage and waited for some semblance of order. Already reporters were shouting questions. Stark simply waited. When a relative quite had descended over the crowd he spoke up again. “First, There will be no questions answered until later.”
The reporters glanced at each other and then back at Stark. Earlier, some had seen the man and he had been in a cheery mood. Now that had changed.
“I am afraid that our original purpose of this conference has changed.” Tony held up a sheet of paper. “I have here a memo from a group calling themselves Earth Firsters. They claim to have inserted an explosive device on one of the space colonies funded by Stark Industries.” He consulted the sheet. “They gave precise measurements and details that leave us with no choice but to believe that they have done as they claim.” He put the sheet on the podium. “And explosion at the place indicated would basically rupture the hull of the colony, allowing the entire atmosphere to escape, dooming the people and livestock already living there.”
There was a stunned silence for a moment. Looking at over the crowd, Tony had seen both Rogue and a brown haired girl rise to their feet. A reporter that had been sitting between them had placed a hand on each of their arms, as if to stop them. For some reason the reporter, vaguely familiar, despite the glasses, was smiling, as if enjoying some secret knowledge.
Glancing to the wings of the stage, Tony noticed Mrs. Arbogast beckoning to him frantically.
“Excuse me for a moment.” He walked over and glanced at the sheet of paper she handed him, his face transforming with undisguised glee.
“Ladies and Gentlemen.” He returned to the podium and once again waited until he had everyone’s attention. “I have here a communiqué from the Colony’s Manager. It appears there was, indeed, an explosive device and, approximately thirty minutes ago, it detonated.”
The uproar was instantaneous. Reporters, with the exception of the one between Rogue and the brown haired girl, were on their feet, shouting questions. He held up a hand, not saying anything until quiet once again returned.
“The explosion blew a sizeable hole in the outer hull.” He paused. “Though there was some loss of life, a majority of the stations personnel and livestock survived and repairs are already underway.” He set the paper down. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my honor to announce that the survival of a Stark Industries colony and the original purpose of this event coincide.” He placed both hands on the podium and leaned forward. Behind him, on a series of screens pictures of a multitude of individuals began to appear.
“Over the years, it has been the privilege and honor of Stark Industries to fund individuals it was felt could and would contribute to the well being of humanity. From scientists to metaphysical researchers to persons with unique abilities.” He paused, taking a sip from a glass of water on the podium. “So it was with great pleasure that we continue that tradition today. Today, Stark Industries would like to announce that we have asked and been allowed to fund not one, but two individuals. Both of these young ladies have unique abilities that we feel could be used to benefit humanity.”
Rogue’s eyes flew wide at Tony Stark’s announcement. She looked around to find the reporter next to her and Linda beyond him smiling at her. A touch on the shoulder from Storm who had taken a seat behind hers and a whispered “You go, Rogue” from Jubilee only added to her confusion.
“The first of these young ladies may be known to some of you as having, until recently, been a member of the group known as the X-Men. Due to some incredible events, her abilities have changed considerably. For reasons that are not relevant to the current situation, she has admittedly run afoul of law enforcement officials. At the urging of Stark Industries and with the guarantee that we shall assume full responsibility, the government of the United States has agreed to grant her a conditional pardon that will, in a matter of two years, become a full pardon. Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Rogue.”
At the prodding of those around her Rogue got to her feet. She looked around for a way to get through the crowd to the stage.
“Fly.” The reporter whispered. She looked at him, confused. She gasped in astonishment as he removed his glasses and allowed his features to change ever so slightly. The change was not in the manner of Linda’s metamorphing, but rather a simple matter of facial muscle control.
“But…but…” Rogue stammered.
“Go, Rogue.” He put the glasses back on and once again he was a simple reporter. “Go on.”
Shaking her head, Rogue pushed up and over the heads of the crowd, landing lightly beside Tony Stark on the stage. Tony, she noticed was looking at the reporter. He had seen. With a small nod to the reporter, he then turned to her. He spoke to her for a moment and then, positioning her to his right, turned back to the crowd.
“He doesn’t know that Kara isn’t here!” Reed whispered to his wife.
“There was no time to tell him.” Sue responded. She was looking around, for the first time feeling a touch of worry.
“Our other young lady comes to us from another world. The soul survivor of a world that has died.” Tony was saying.
“In a way, it’s true.” The reporter whispered to Linda. “She IS the only survivor from HER krypton.”
“God’s Clark. I feel so sorry for her.” Linda whispered back. “I can’t even imagine.”
“This young lady has adopted our world, wishing to call it home and has pledged to protect it.” Tony continued. “And, Ladies and Gentlemen, she has already begun.” He held up the paper Mrs. Arbogast had handed him. “It seems our young lady, within moments of the explosion on the colony, had patched the rupture and then aided in the recovery of the wounded from the damaged sections. Without her quick action, it is likely that every living being on the colony, close to 10,000 individuals, would have perished.” He paused as the reporters buzzed among themselves. “And so, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great honor and our most sincere gratitude that we introduce Kara Zorel. Ladies and Gentlemen…I give you…Supergirl!”
There was a moment of silence and then, with a rush of wind that sent loose papers flying helter-skelter, a dark blue figure moved from the rear of the auditorium to the stage. She was dressed in the costume that Stark Industries had created for her. Dark blue hip huggers, open and laced along the outer thighs until they reached the knee high boots. A dark blue leather style jacket over a light blue halter that sported the traditional S symbol.
Clark looked at the figure on the stage and then at Linda.
“You gave her that, didn’t you?” He demanded.
“No.” She smiled, though. “It does look damn good, doesn’t it?”
The Rebirth
“Yes. Formidable indeed.” Victor Von Doom leaned back in his throne, studying the final images from his spy spider. The little mechanical device had sent it’s final transmission, the last picture transmitted as a pair of red beams from those blue eyes all but vaporized it.
Doom had no idea how the spy had been discovered, but it really didn’t matter. It had gathered enough information over the months to convince him that an encounter with either Kara or Rogue was not advisable. Not yet anyway.
Some might think that Doom’s decision had been one of cowardice. Such persons thinking this would be fools indeed. Doom was no coward, but he was cautious. Very cautious. For the time being, he would avoid any direct confrontation with either young lady. But, being cautious, he had prepared for the unexpected. Should either young lady pay him a visit, he would be ready. The little spy had done its work well, tapping into Reed Richards files, gaining the information Doom needed. He glanced to the left of his throne at the new pedestal there. It’s flattened top covered with a handled glass dome. Beneath the glass, a fist sized chunk of greenish, glowing matter. Working from the information gathered from Richards’ files, it had not taken him long to synthesize the material. Yes, should either lady visit he would be ready. He placed a hand on the dome of glass over the green Kryptonite. Ready indeed.
The Rebirth
The Watcher watched. He had seen the beginning of this story. And if either of the Brothers had noticed the comings and goings between their Realities, neither gave a sign. Perhaps they had decided to allow this lost child a second chance at a life that had, for all purposes, been stolen from her.
It would be interesting indeed to see what would come of this. To Watch as this young lady made a new life for herself.
Interesting indeed.
-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 1999 by Dylan Clearbrook
-- and may not be reprinted without permission.
-- The Continuum Worlds Concept is a joint creation of
-- Dylan Clearbrook and Eldric. Otherverse, Dark Earth,
-- and Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes, as depicted in the
-- Continuum Worlds, are original creations of Dylan Clearbrook.
-- Alterverse and The Inheritors, as depicted in the Continuum Worlds,
-- are original creations of Eldric.
-- The Realm and Shadowverse, as depicted in the Continuum Worlds,
-- are original creations of John P. and Jason G respectively.
-- Some characters in Continuum Worlds stories are original creations
-- of Dylan Clearbrook, Eldric, Michael Liebhart, Jake H., Jason G.,
-- Andrew Shields, Kyle M., Brian, or Jason Froikin and may not
-- be used without express permission of the respective author.
-- All DC characters are property of D.C. Comics.
-- All Marvel characters are property of Marvel Comics.