15322/Kandor: Into the Bottle

Kandor: Into the Bottle
Date of Scene:	15 July 2023
Location:	The Bottled City of Kandor
Synopsis:	The Kryptonians and friends head in to the bottled city of Kandor to learn of the struggles there-in and a dictator who serves Brainiac. A flame is lit and hope begins to spread.
Cast of Characters:	Alura In-Ze, Monet St. Croix, Jon Kent, Gabby Kinney, Conner Kent, Kara Danvers, Clark Kent

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Alura In-Ze has posed:
Resting upon a pillar of crystal is the bottled city of Kandor. An archway of crystal sits before it like a lens focused upon it. A shimmering light dances inside that archway. This is their way in and out of the bottle. It was a miracle of science but that's what the supers do.

Alura aka Superwoman stares at it intently. This was dangerous but they needed to know what was going on inside that bottle. Hanging over her arms are thick cloak like garments in rich blues reds and whites which she offers to everyone. "This is a /thron/. It's the garb of a traveller and given we don't know what the local fashion will be this might just do..."

"Remember this is a recon mission. We're going to see what's happened to Kandor and its people - this may just be the first of many trips until we've restored the city to its full size on a new world."

After the thron's are distributed, next comes the little crystal piece for the ear. "And this will translate for you. No one in there is going to speak any Earth languages. Just talk normally and it'll change your words and change the words you hear to English."

She pauses in front of Gabby, "And this is particularly important. Absolutely no demonstration of powers what so ever." Despite this warning, Alura is wearing a sunbelt - a device that will give a burst of Sol radiation to enable the use of powers even in red sunlight.

"Is everyone ready to step through the looking glass?" An Earth reference. She's been absorbing the culture here. Especially since it seems Earth will remain her home even after they found New Krypton. Where Kara goes, she goes.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Alura, "Yes, I am ready." In the interim, she's read several books on philosophy, psychology, adn what data the X-Men have on first contact with the Shi'Ar and other races from space. And those books of Amazon diplomacy that she's had access to over in the Themysciran Embassy. She's been trying to find the right tone, what to expect, and how to approach things from the best possible diplomatic angle. Her reference is mostly.. Stay quiet. Let those fluent with the culture do the speaking.

They are not making first contact with a fully isolated culture. They are making it with an advanced civilization that has spent an extensive period of time locked away. It will have done a great many difficult things to them. So it is best to remain quiet and let those that know them speak up. "Understood. What is the way to explain the rest of us?" She would gesture over at the non-Kryptonians in the group. "So that we have a ready reason why we are along and to help them accept our presence when we are not of their kind?"

Jon Kent has posed:
Jon wasn't sure what to wear for this excursion, so he decided to leave his Superboy costume at home. Instead, he wears simple khaki cargo pants, brown hiking boots, and a snug, long-sleeved, black T-shirt devoid of any emblems or logos. Best not to risk offending a people who live, well, in a bottle.

He accepts the thron and ear piece from Alura. "Thanks, cuz," he murmurs as he dons both items. He seems to be equal parts nervous and excited. Playfully, he nudges Gabby's shoulder with one elbow. "I make this look *good*." He grins and winks.

Drawing a deep breath, Jon nods to Alura, "I'm ready."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney was perhaps an odd addition to the crew going to Kandor given her own 'lineage'. However, many of her friends were affected by this situation. She had also had some close, personal experience with the Genosha incident back when Brainiac had shrunk them as well. It wasn't entirely unfamiliar territory to her even though she had never been *in* such a shrunken area, so she wanted to help however she could. Even if it was just recon--She was good at recon.

Her attire had been carefully chosen so that it was just a black bodysuit with black boots. There were no logos on the simple t-shirt she wore, no flashy colors or glittery fabric she might add for flair. Simple, basic, and of a dark color to hide if necessary. The colorful garments handed out were the only color to add in for her attire at least.

She'd just taken the thron and ear piece from Alura when advised of such and her breath hitches. "I'll try not to get injured. I can't control that. But, if it's similar to your people, I *do* have nanomachines in me... If that might help explain any rapid healing." The suggestion is made quickly, seriously, before Jon nudges her causing her to grin again releasing the tension of anticipation she'd felt building up. "Show off," she retorts with a chuckle, and the ear piece is put on. "Oh are there any hairstyles I should consider doing real quick? I mean. I usually leave it hanging but if there's some kind of particular style once we get there, might not hurt to fix that up real quick."

Conner Kent has posed:
"You think there are still 'travellers' in the bottled city? Uh, I guess it won't hurt to try," Conner dons the robe. So much not his style. Oh well. "No powers and disguises, so this is a recon mission and not just... well, go there and tell them we are working in restoring the city?"

Because Conner is curious. And most curious of all, how many Kryptonians would prefer to live in a world under a yellow sun? Now he knows the whole race had powers millennia ago it seems unfair to keep them limited again. "I guess Monet and Gabby look Kryptonian enough, I doubt they have things like genetic scanners at hand, since they have been, well, bottled for about fifty years. Right?"

Alura In-Ze has posed:
As Conner answers Monet's question about blending in, she nods in agreement. "Exactly. Kal and Kara blend in to human society well enough, I see no reason why they'd think M or Gabby aren't Kryptonian too. Unless they're put under the microscope that is. Though it's been bottled for more like 90 years. I was a child when it was taken."

"Kandor is a large city - if anybody asks just say you're from the other side." Realising that Gabby doesn't know the whole situation she explains a little more. "Brainiac wants to preserve these cities so the odds are inside there will be red sun light. That means no superpowers for us. No rapid healing, no super speed, no flying." She looks to M who will likely be able to fly.

"The less we give away the better and.... may be it will be as simple as walking up to the central tower and saying 'Hey, we're going to set you free'.. but.." But Kryptonians are notoriously political creatures. "..we keep our cards close to our chest."

Alura is the first to step through the archway which flashes like something out of the original series on Star Trek. On the other side she observes what has become of the edge of Kandor, the edge of the bottle.

An endless curving corridor made of crystal under foot, above, and to its walls. The crystal seems to have bonded with the bottle wall - an opaque blackness. Pulses of energy are slowly being drawn from it - it seems the Kandorians managed to tap in to the power of the bottle as a source of renewable energy.

There's evidence of cracks and fissures in the crystal. She walks around with echoed steps. Not a soul here. This is a good point of entrance. She waits for the others to come through.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Alura, "Very well." She'll take the cue to not use her powers as to also not utilize her telepathy unless indicated. She's thoughtful. Getting reads on an alien is very difficult anyways. While she can to some degree read Kryptonian minds.. If they're thinking in another language and have no real frame of reference beyond their own culture that's been locked away for nearly a human century, then it would take her a great while to translate thier thoughts to her own semblance of rationality anyways. And risk alerting them.

So she gets herself ready as they enter in to try and evaluate them based on facial expressions, quirks, and other displays of mood and emotion. She had spent time with Alura, Kara, and others. They couldn't be that different hopefully. She would look around over and pause, glancing at the energy. She's completely fascinated by it for those few moments even as the technology goes far beyond her ken. She's not Doctor McCoy whom can figure out nearlya nything instantly, or Forge that could have instincts on how to improve it. Or Cypher that could somehow understand it. So she just settles for watching and murmurs..

"Why is something so central to their society not monitored?"

Jon Kent has posed:
When Conner makes his sharp observations, Jon blinks a few times and scratches his head. That overloaded his brain. Oh well, thankfully he's pretty.

"Oh man, bro, you're totally right!" Jon says, whapping Conner's shoulder with the back of one hand. "No way they're going to buy the traveler story." He peers briefly at Alura's belt and lets out a soft sigh.

Jon has never been without his powers. He's never even been in the vicinity of kryptonite. He definitely seems nervous. He jumps up and down on the balls of his feet a few times and shake-shake-shakes his arms for a moment. With an O-shape to his lips he exhales hard. "Alright, let's do this. I'm ready." He peers to Gabby. "I'm ready, right, G?"

Conner Kent has posed:
"Right, ninety..." Conner really thought it was less time, Alura doesn't seem so old! "Not many will remember old Krypton. But I think the society was pretty static," glance to Alura to confirm. But she is going through the portal, and he hurries to follow, directing an amused glance to Jon. "Don't worry about the powers, I still have my TK, I can protect you, or... Gabby will." He snickers.

Woah, this looks pretty alien, even compared to the Fortress. Conner plays cool, but looks around warily. Not creepy at all, nope.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Then we just say it's washing day, or that we're preparing to TRY and travel," Gabby suggests in the hopes that would work. Maybe? Maybe not. Even she seems uncertain, and with Alura already stepping through she has to pause a moment.

"That is a great point though, Conner," she adds quieter knowing that he could hear easily. A grin is flashed his way as he makes that suggestion and she nods in agreement. "Right, we got you covered, Jon. Just pretend you're having to act human and not use powers? Or... heck for all we know, being part human means you get to keep SOME--" Her line of thought trails off. "Sorry. I ramble when stressed." A deep breath is taken, and she offers her hand out to Jon. "Ready when you are." And off she goes! Really it was no different than half the leaps of faith she's taken through strange portals, or out of planes.

Alura In-Ze has posed:
"I don't know Monet. May be it's not so central. Also, hair styles? i always wore mine down." She looks down the long curving hall way in either direction. "Perhaps it does the full loop." This is not the time to study some technological marvel created by the captured Kandorians.

Outside the vastness of the city is evident. One giant central spire - the arcology of Kandor, sits glimmering in reflective purples. The sky above is a dull red. The nearest smaller tower is cracked near its base and toppled over creating a barrier that stretches off to the edge where it collided with the bottles edge.

Nestled in this alcove there is soil and fields. There are no hovering crystalline robots working the fields. There are no kelex. There are, however, people tilling it. Weird alien pink plants grow up from it like twisted vines hugging nothing.

Near by a person is chopping one done with an axe. It's so.. primitive. A society that was so advanced is doing manual field work. Alura looks confused and shocked. Near by a white circle sits upon the ground and she approaches that first. A hand is waved over to it and nothing happens.

She crouches down and feels the disc and shakes her head. "Transport system seems to be offline. These discs would allow fast movement across the city. The flew. I can't tell if it's been disabled or if it's broken."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
It makes sense to Monet - where technology is limited and they have only small amounts of natural resources and limited manufacturing ability, then of course manual labor will go for as many things as possible to try and preserve precious resources for infrastructure. She focuses on the logistical aspects of societal switch in her mind. Without knowing exactly what is considered a standard Kryptonian generation length and age, they've likely had multiple generations in thisindex.. Of course, that presumes that they've had children naturally and raised them. Another thing to consider.

But all this makes sense to her so far purely for saving limited resources. And also depending on how long a lifespan is here of dropping knowledge on how to preserve said technology and keep it running. If the people are losing the skills to keep it going.. That's also left unsaid. She goes to glance down at the soil..

Trying to assess it's quality and the amount of nutrients it puts out. How effective is the farming? Do they have a full calorie loadout or is their survival very borderline? Important things to know. But left unvocalized.

Jon Kent has posed:
Jon points at Conner and gives his brother a mock glare. "If I get burned as a witch, Imma blame you, bro!" Then his usual good-natured expression and smile erupts onto his face.

"Cuz," he says to Alura. "What our emergency exit strategy? What if this goes south and they get hostile with us? How do we get out?"

He leans his shoulder against Gabby's supportively. It's clear the two of them are good friends. Jon's calm veneer is a bit forced, as evidenced by one foot tap-tap-tapping on the ground.

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner grunts softly as the red light seems to drain the energy of his body, and with it most of his powers. Contrarily to Jon, he remembers quite well living without Kryptonian abilities, as it took him months to start developing them, and over a year for them to make his telekinesis something secondary. Only negative thing of having super-speed and super-senses is that video games became boring.

"Don't worry, I am pretty sure they'll have disintegrators for that, not bonfires," he tells Jon, patting his shoulder. Although... this city seems less super-tech he expected. He loses the smile. "This looks bad. Maybe Brainiac cut down most of the power to make sure the inhabitants wouldn't use it to break the bottle?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Probably put offline," Gabby suggests quietly as she regards the circle Alura was waving her hand over. She tips her head back to squint at the damaged tower, and the odd bottle around it trapping them inside. "It would make sense to cut out non-essential items to protect what resources they have for as long as they can. They had no timeline of if, or when, they might get rescued after all."

She lowers her gaze back to look around at the rest before shrugging. "What? It's like in Star Trek, they cut all non-essentials to preserve the life support when there's damage to the ship." She blames Tim on that one. Late night Star Trek reruns was a thing.

A little snort comes at mention of being burned at the stake. has her gently nudge Jon in the side with her elbow. "Don't be silly. You'd probably be made into Soylent Green or something." Even as she says it her nose crinkles. "Okay less thoughts on that, more thoughts on exploring."

Alura In-Ze has posed:
Perhaps Kal would be right at home in these alien fields. He's a country boy after all. Alura certainly isn't. These fields were -outside- the cities in separate domes. They had to sacrifice land to make this possible. They've had to sacrifice a lot. So much for preservation - this is imprisonment.

"We exit the way we came in. Minimal use of powers in emergencies so long as no one can see us doing it. That's why I brought my sunbelt with me." Alura looks around and picks a direction. "This way..."

Underfoot there's a seam in the crystal. There's a subtle pulse of cyan to it. It leads them to what looks like a shackled together market space. There's dozens of Kandorians milling about attending to the stalls. Crates of alien looking fruits and vegetables. The tarps used to create cover from the red light above are tattered. The sharp angles of Kryptonian script are everywhere.

One newer looking banner hangs in the center of the market space. The words on it say 'Submit to Survive'. "What the..." Alura stares at it. She turns around slowly noting the style of clothing is faded, old, like clothing put through too many manual washes. She takes note too of what looks like weapons scorch marks on building walls.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would glance over at the wall and the writing and her eyes would narrow to very thin slits. She would glance over to Gabby and then to the scorch marks. What sort of weapons are they? What are the blast patterns? Are they from fighting or demonstrations? Gabby is the one with the enhanced senses and by far the most knowledgable on weapons thanks to her upbringing.

Monet goes to finally speak over. "Society had to survive in a very dictated method." By which she means likely authoritarian. Whomever had the food adn the means to monopolize it had the power. So if presuming things -were- kept so low tech.. Then strugglign to survive made for an effective way of keeping control. HOpefully things weren't that bad.

"Did Kryptonian society lend itself to heavy centralization of authority in times of crisis?" That's a question for Alura. Are they like humans and look for someone strong to take charge when things go wrong?

Jon Kent has posed:
There is a frown that slides uncomfortably into place on Jon's face when he sees the banner. Even though Monet's question was aimed at Alura, Jon can't help but look at her helplessly and shrug his ignorance. He murmurs, "Looks like they have fascists everywhere, even in bottles."

The young half-Kryptonian seems to be the most comfortable near Conner and Gabby, so he stays close to them. He peers down at his hands, which he opens and closes and opens and closes. "I feel like a baby," he says, also murmured. "Cuz, are we using our Kryptonian names? Jon-El, Con-El, etc.?"

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner studies the banner, "surrender to survive? No, wait, submit?" His Kryptonian is not great, particularly the reading. "That is not a nice thing to have hanging around. Do you think they science council might have be replaced by something worse? If it has been almost a century many things might have passed." So much for the static society he expected.

Uh, names? Monet and Gabby might need new ones! Or not, they are females so they don't have the family name automatically attached to their first monosyllabic name. Patriarchal society and all that. Still, "good question for Alura, I guess."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney finds herself frowning at the scorch marks that seem so very pervasive. The 'new' banner compared to the frayed fabrics everywhere else was concerning as well. A deep breath is drawn in scenting the air for signs of recent fighting.

"What does the sign say?" She questions quietly just in time for Conner to translate it earning another frown that furrows her brows together in consternation.

Jon's unconcious flexing of his hands earns a sympathetic pat on his shoulder from her as she tries to filter out the dust, the odd alien fruit, the smell of sweat seeking... something to give answers.

"Heh, my first name is Gabrielle. Maybe stick to the shortened version." Gabri-El would be odd as heck.

A small bit of humor offered before she relaxes marginally. "The marks are old," she finally determines. "I do smell kids nearby so life is going on. Just..."

Here she pauses, worried, "What if the Kandorians aren't the *only* ones stuck in this bottle, too?"

Alura In-Ze has posed:
"Let's not over complicate this." Alura looks at the group, "Con-El, Jon-El, .. Gab Zor-El and Mon Zor-El..." Not too far away a man stares at them with his mouth dropped slightly open. Alura looks over to him and gives a gesture of her hand across her chest.

He shakes his head quickly and grabs the nearest person near him and whispers to them. That person runs off and he starts walking over to the group with hurried steps. He has the hands of a worker and the facial lines of age.

"If this is some kind of joke, or test," he begins, "it's not funny."

Alura offers her forearm to him and asks, "I'm sorry, we're from the far side of the city. Could you tell me what you mean? I'm Alura."

"I don't know what things are like on the.. far side." He doesn't sound too thrilled by that description. "But you can't go around here using that name. You'll draw the wrong kind of attention."

Alura looks confused, "El?"

The man frowns and offers a direction for the group - one of the smaller buildings. "Come on, you're drawing attention to yourselves." It's true - several others are stopping and staring at the well dressed 'travellers' who throw around the name El so casually.

Alura glances at the others, then heads to where the man has suggested. Inside the small building is a table, a cook top, some chairs. Much of it seems to have been constructed from a kind of wood rather than crystal like Kryptonian architecture usually is.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Well, this gets better and better. THis is what the point of reconaissance is.. And Monet is inwardly chiding herself for having not put on something more appropriate to the scenario. She's smart, she should have thought about this ahead of time. She quickly goes to analyse things while looking over at Alura with a.. Very, very light amused expression. That quickly vanishes.

She can tell that the man has had a life of heavy physical labor. Questions form in the back of her mind which are pushed away. She's not using her powers.. But she does give a glance at Gabby and then over at the man.

If the man is lying.. Hopefully Gab-El's senses would be able to pick up how truthful he was being.

She remains quiet and goes to look over at the man, taking in the setting and the layout of the area. Would those scorch marks look more like.. The sort of way that a staged execution would go? And a plasma armed firing squad?

Jon Kent has posed:
Looking even more uncomfortable now, Jon looks at his brother and whispers, "They know our house here? They don't seem to like it very much. You might want to make sure your T-shirt doesn't accidentally show under this traveler robe thingy."

After Alura introduces herself, he *starts* to say, "Hello. I'm Jon-El." But he hears how the man react to his cousin, so he gets out, "Hello, I'm Jon-Eh." He folds his arms over his chest, adding to his already closed-off body language." Thanks to how his Kryptonian heritage mixes with his human blood, he looks like a scrawny 15-year-old despite the fact that he's almost 20, and that closed off posture adds another layer of vulnerability to his appearance.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney probably looked the second youngest next to Jon with Conner next, and Monet... Well Monet always did look rather elegant and adult-ish in her mind. When the man comes closer to regard them she focuses her green eyes on him drinking in everything she could. Not just him though--The reaction of those around who had begun to shift uneasily and whisper among themselves.

When Jon introduces himself and cuts it off, she reaches out to lightly bap him in the side with her hand. "We're newcomers to this part of the city, we should listen to him," she suggests. Sure she shouldn't speak likely but it was a small enough thing. She hopes.

Conner Kent has posed:
"How is grandfather Jor had so few fans, he was like a Nobel prize equivalent," mutters Conner to Jon's side. And the El's like the Kennedys of Krypton. Oh, right. That is probably not great for many people.

And... they just stumbled into some mysterious dissident-like person. Totally their fault for not making more detailed plans beforehand. Tim would be disappointed! But look, they are scientists and super-heroes, not spies.

"Yeah, we uh... do things differently in the far side," which is not even a lie. They are probably wearing too nice clothes. Even if they are just robes.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara has been quiet, dressed in the clothes she was provided, she kept herself from standing out for the vast majority of the trip thus far. Sticking close to her mother, with her hair worn in the style they'd determined was appropriate for the Kandor. Hands fixed together at her waist, over the robes she's wearing, with the occational glance at the companies who had joined them on this adventure...

Into a city in a bottle.

Clark Kent has posed:
Kal-El has been quiet as well. He was there in a support role, considering the matriarch for the family was Alura. He felt it best to remain in the background, and watch as events unfold. After all, he was a lost son, and he felt, not as important as others in the group. His modesty had taken over.

Alura In-Ze has posed:
The man shuts the door behind him and looks at the strangers before him. "I haven't seen clothes that nice since I was a little boy." He tosses a dirt rag down on the table and folds his arms looking very unimpressed with the group before him. "Kind of a sore point in these parts. El. But I don't suppose you know much about that now do you."

He sneers at them and then rolls up his sleeves. Burned in to his skin is the symbol for the house of El. "Marked as a traitor for supporting the uprising that brought down Brainiac's wraith. But I never stopped believing we could break out of this hell hole."

His sneer turns in to a stern look. "You stop lying to me, all of you. You're from outside ain't you. Outside the bottle." His eyes glance over each of them in turn to see who will break first. "I've never stopped believing. The rebellion may have failed but I've never stopped believing. It's illegal to talk about going out - but I've _never_ _stopped_ _believing_."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
If this man is a failed rebel, then why is he talking to them so openly? It reeks of desperation. But given the circumstances if one has already seen everything rended about them.. Then it's a hope to cling onto. But the man's desperation also means that he'll be willing to do almost anything to get it.. Which may not go well for them. Ther'es a quick look over her shoulder at Kal and Kara. A quick inquiry as to whether she should read his mind or not to confirm things.

This is the backup as Alura will have her full focus likely on the man and talking to him. So approaching her risks getting the man's attention away. She doesn't particularly trust these events.

Jon Kent has posed:
Jonathan Samuel Kent is not nearly as smart or talented as the other members of his family who are here with him. But what he lacks in experience and formal training, he compensates for with unadulterated, raw passion. It has been said by some that Superman's greatest power is the power of being a friend, and of the various Kryptonian gifts that have been bestowed on Jon from his father's line, that is the one he is the strongest in.

He glances for just a moment at Alura because she is the one who is probably going to be the most pissed at what he's about to do, but he can't contain it.

He drums one foot on the ground as his anxiety mounts. Then he quickly steps forward and blurts out, "We *are* from outside the bottle. We can help you. You haven't been abandoned! You haven't been forgotten. We have been fighting for you for a while now!"

He has no doubt overstepped. His sheepish expression and flushed cheeks and neck speak to the fact that he knows it. He glances apologetically first at his cousin, Alura, and then at his father. He murmurs, "I'm sorry."

Conner Kent has posed:
"Busted," admits Conner. Disguises were a good idea, but the assumptions on the state of Kandor were really, really off mark. "Yeah, good news is Kandor is no longer in Brainiac's hands. But we have not figured out how to restore it to normal size." Also, bad news start with Krypton blowing up, but he will leave that for later. "So, where are we getting into? Because we expected a more advanced city, to be honest. Was there some kind of civil war?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney glances toward Alura, Kara, and Superman himself because really this was their operation. There were a lot of variables that didn't yet sit well with her as this new revelation comes out.

Before she can even decide what to do herself Jon speaks causing her to grimace a bit, only to let out a sigh. "Ah, fudge it. You guys keep talking," she insists as she steps toward the door where she pauses to peel her tandor off overhead, and throw it on the ground. It's stomped upon a few times to dust it up dulling the color off the dirt on the ground. As satisfied as she was going to get it's grabbed to pull on again as she keeps her ears peeled for the door.

"If there was a civil war that means some of those people out there are probably off to tattle about our arrival," she explains looking back to the group. "Monet, Conner, we should be on guard," she suggests to the few she knew still had powers of any sort.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara's jaw tightens when the old man suggests they're from outside the bottle, glancing over at her mother, then back. Her inclination to keep this secret mission a secret aside, there's no way she's going to be able to lie with a straight face. So instead she crosses her arms over her chest and lets someone who is better at deception handle the deceptive portions that this situation will call for.

Because she's here to save her people.

Just the thought of suggesting otherwise has her fidgeting ever so slightly. Tugging at the collar of the robes she's wearing. Making anyone who choses to lie's job that much more difficult by looking like she's hiding something.

Kara the truth teller, that's what the call her round these parts.

Kara the Honest.

Clark Kent has posed:
Kal El listens to the man, but doesn't say a word. Especially when he sneers at them and then figures out where they are from. Kal frowns. The man was a fanatic. Believing in a rebellion.

As Jon speaks up, Kal almost smiles. It would be Jon of course. Shaking his head, Kal's look goes first to Jon, raising a hand to let him know it was okay, then to Conner, then Alura, a slight smile for Gabby, a look at Kara and Monet, and lastly to the man in front of them for a response.

Clark Kent has posed:
Kal then moves back, quiet once more, and lets the more vocal members of the tea, take over. A support role once more, as he watches and waits to see if he was needed.

Alura In-Ze has posed:
Gabby can hear. People are gathering outside the building. Quiet whispers and murmurs. Alura is rather curious too at this man and his odd reactions to the name El. "What happened. After Kandor was abducted?" Clearly a lot.

Hearing what Jon says the man seems to break a little. His eyes become wet and he leans against the table. A soft sob before he sniffles and rises back up again.

"It's illegal to talk about the outside, outside the bottle. Hope. It's a poison. That's what we're taught. That's what the overseer says. That's what lead to the rebellion."

He pulls up a seat and sits down. "I wasn't born when the city was taken by Brainiac. But I remember the stories of my father. The house of EL - they were the ones who riled up everyone to break out of the bottle. We used all our technological prowess to beat the barrier but nothing worked."

"Brainiac sent in his troops. That's when the tower fell. The mood changed after that. The fight went underground. We knew if we fought against him openly Brainiac would send in more of his robots to beat us down. But the fight went on."

"For the good of the city, the people, laws were passed forbidding outright descent against Brainiac. But the rebellion against that grew and we had a civil war. It was a mess. And nothing was resolved because Brainiac sent in his robots once more to put a stop to it."

"Hope... and you're just handing it to me on a platter. It's dangerous. It's corrosive. But you're in the right quadrant. Most of the rebels who survived work the fields here."

The doors open and several people with weapons point through the door way. The man waves a hand to them. "They're with us." The weapons are lowered. "If what you say is true, then we don't need to fear Brainiac sending in troops again - and you're working on a way to get us out of this place?"

Alura clears her throat and looks at the others. They've sparked a flame here whether they intended to or not, "Con-El is mistaken." She glances at the others again, "I have found a way to restore the city to its full size and release it from the bottle. But there are risks. We came to assess the city and its people."

The man rises up and places his arm across his chest, "My name is Faran-Vor. You... should go. Word will have spread and not everyone here is sympathetic to the cause. Come back with better disguises - I'll be waiting. There are people in the central spire you need to meet if you're really going to get us out of here."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would resist the temptation to twitch as first Jon spekas up, and then some of the others do. So much for the point of going in the direction of subterfuge. She goes to mutter over to hereslf in an obscenity in a language that is smooth and almost melodious in exchange. Like, as whomever coined the phrase first, wiping one's arse with silk. It did not however change her rising levels of annoyance which were quickly smothered over.

These were paragons. Dishonesty did not fit them. Nor was her paranoia served here by this man that had sacrificed so much and for even the hope of them lending aid was willing to sacrifice much more. She remains quiet now after her very, very short snip to herslf is finished and goes to just remain in position.

Next time she comes here she'll have to make a point of speaking with the others and having more of a sense of coordination and making sure they're all on teh same parchment. Or crystal, with all that's currently going on.

Jon Kent has posed:
The look from his father lends Jon some renewed vigor. He stands straighter, prouder. There is very little that he treasures more than his father's approval. And yes, technically this Clark is identical but not precisely *is* Jon's father. But years ago, Jon abandoned any hope of even identifying which universe he was from, much less return to it. And so this Clark is, for all purposes, his father now.

"We are a people of our word, sir," Jon says to Faran-Vor. "When we say we will return, we will return. Let that hope take root and grow. You have my word -- the word of the House of El -- that we won't stop fighting for you."

Monet St. Croix is correct, they are paragon. And Jon can no more be deceptive or let the weak be crushed than a river could stop running or a tree could stop growing. And with his newly rekindled optimism, he smiles broadly at his friend, Gabby, and gives her another of his well-known elbow nudges to the shoulder.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney stands beside the door, back to the wall, tension in her very figure. While the man might have been broken down over the mere thought of hope she was ready to fight if needed. And she's prepared to do so as those voices gather outside earning a sharp nod. "Lots of people," she remarks quietly in warning well before the door ever opens.

When they enter she reachees to grasp one of the weapons in a whip-like strike pointing the business end down toward the floor so none would be harmed. At least until the man calls them off, and she releases her hold stepping back. "Sorry. Can't be too careful." Something of which they likely knew very well if what he says is true.

It was the family of 'Els' here that were good with hope, but she had some knowledge of that, too.

"Hope is a thing with feathers / that perches in the soul / and sings the tune without the words / and never stops at all." An Earth poem. One she held in high regard, that these people likely had never heard, but perhaps it would hold them over a bit longer. The little elbow nudge from Jon earns a grin in response. Taking a chance she fixes her gaze back to the man.

"My people were also imprisoned by Brainiac, and we've escaped. All that he sought to do we're working to undo." Of course she doesn't say her people are not Kryptonian because... well that might be a bit much right now.

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner frowns hearing Faran-Vor's story. That is actually even worse than just imprisonment. Brainiac kept watch over the bottled cities and cared pretty much nothing about the welfare of the people there. He also blinks surprised when Alura explains she has figured out how to restore the city. She hadn't last time they talked.

"Well... we can do as you say, I guess," glance to the older Kryptonians. "But why not let everyone know the good news and go on deciding they whens and wheres? Is there going to be anyone opposing the restoration of the city?"

He tilts his head to Monet when she swears. That wasn't French. Will ask later.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Those who know Kara, really know her can see that the conversation is starting to frustrate her. The circular logic of how the old man is deflecting them away from their purpose are standing directly in the face of how much work they've all put into coming here... For the singular purpose of saving everyone in this bottle. They'd braved things, including an attack by Brainiac to acquire this bottle. She'd nearly lost her mother for it.

And they're being turned away?

For what?

Some discontents who would rather remain subservent to a psychopath?

Her jaw tightened before, but now the muscles are standing out visible on her cheeks. With her fists coiling into pistons. She was going from frustrated to pissed off very quickly. Which is where the closest allies and family come in.

Kara has a temper.

"There's a story from the planet where I settled.. Of a great storm that swept a city where a man was given warning by long range communication to evacuate, but said 'no, my savior will come and protect me'. Later, law officers came and tried to evacuate him personally, but he told them 'no, my savior will come.' Then, as he reset upon the roof of his home, an air car flew over trying to take him to safety, but he waved them off shouting 'no, my savior is coming.'" SHe speaks with her hands, moving them to try and relax her temper.

"When he died, standing before his savior, he asked... why did you not come for me? And his savior sighed, stared at him, and asked 'what more could I have done?'." Her head tilts, "What more can we possibly do, Faran-Vor?"

Alura In-Ze has posed:
Alura is grateful that Gabby came along. She doesn't know much about her - only a few notes from Kal's writings in their Kryptonian database. Mostly about Logan. But a little muscle can go a long way. She notes the weapons they're wielding. They aren't the sleek designed polymorphic thing that she uses - they look cobbled together. A resistance movement.

As she stands there she has to wonder how it all came to this. Krypton always seemed like it had its shit together but the more she remembers the past the more the cracks become evident. The marches by the Workers Guild for equal rights and representation -- the eagerness for Zod to launch a civil war on the eve of their destruction. The way people dove headfirst in to conspiracies on Argo City.

Despite all their technological advances and claimed spiritual supremacy, the truth was it was all a facade. Kryptonians were merely people. And desperate people are dangerous.

"The overseer holds all the power here. He won't simply believe Brainiac is defeated, or that the city can escape this bottle... and even if that's true he won't give up power because that's just the kind of man he is. His name is Gez-Dur and he is brutal. We must be careful how we spread the news."

Faran-Vor opens up his hands toward Kara. It is a gesture of the Workers Guild. "Have patience with us. We are a broken people. Everyone yearns for freedom, to be native to Krypton once more, to bask under the glad rays of Rao. But fear, mistrust, paranoia. It has spread to every corner of this city. People have chosen sides and drawn lines in the sand."

One of the people by the door says, "5 minutes out, may be less..." Faran-Vor stands up. "Really you must go now. The overseers soldiers approach. Return again soon. We will sneak you to the central spire where we can put in to motion your plan."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix remains quiet, glancing over at the others with a frown on her face. They have incoming shortly and they can't just fight them off. So that means they must take evasion through an unfamiliar city, readying to retreat as soon as they can. She glances over at Alura - not reading her mind but getting a strong sense of worry radiating off of her if only from her expression.

Worry. Something she knows. She looks over her shoulder and speaks very, very quietly to Alura. "It will be all right." She doesn't say anymore. Just wating and readying for the next bit. Concern evident for Alura and her people here. But one thing at a time. They must get out of here before they can plan thier next course of action. So Monet assesses the others quickly. How will they go about this?

Reviewing the way that they came in and the layout of the places they had passed. Trying to think of alternate routes if they needed them.

Jon Kent has posed:
To be native to Krypton? To bask under the glad rays of Rao? Do they...do they not know? Jon gets a little bit of a minor panic in his eyes as he comes to the realization that these people might not know that Krypton is no more.
Heurreptitiously, Jon moves closer to his brother. In a whisper, he says to Conner, "Do they think that Krypton is, you know, still around?" He looks toward Faran-Vor with sympathetic, guilty eyes, as though he, himself, were somehow responsible for all of the woes of Faran-Vor and the others here. It is the curse of the young and passionate to take more than their share of guilt.

Not knowing what else to do, and perhaps afraid he'll say too much again Jon gives Faran-Vor a polite nod and moves toward the door.

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner looks at Alura, "we could fight them off now, you know we can," he states simply. She has the yellow sunlight belt, plus three super-powered helpers. And Conner really wants to beat up some of Brainiac goons, since the evil robot is not around himself.

Now or later, that is the main question. Later, this 'overseer' will be ready for them, but the House of El can bring many more super-powered help. And this was just a recon mission, so... well, the 'adults' are in charge.

Jon gets a warning glance. The people here don't need more bad news. Although he has to wonder if any of them remembers Krypton. They might all have been born here. "Ah, before we go, Faran-Vor. Who were the members of the House of El in Kandor that led the rebellion? Are they still alive?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Not now, not without a plan to avoid as much injury as possible," Gabby suggests with an apologetic look toward Conner. Jon as well gets a tight lipped look as she knew that would be an issue. All the more reason to have a better plan.

Reaching out for each of their arms she starts to tug them toward the door. "Come on. Time's running out-- Let's go! We can deliberate later!"

Alura In-Ze has posed:
As the group starts to leave Faran-Vor answers Conner, "Jen Tor-El, Mar-El, Cor-El, and Ben Jen-El. Those names are burned in to my soul. Be safe."

Alura turns to look at Kal. Her mind is racing. She regards Conners position as they leave the building. So many variables, as Gabby says. The last thing they need is a tyrant to go all scorched-Kandor policy on them.

Back to the bottle edge corridor and through the weak point in the wall - they exit back out the archway in to the Fortress of Solitude. With much on their minds, for now, they can consider and discuss their next course of action.