8210/Cousins Catching Up

Cousins Catching Up
Date of Scene:	12 October 2021
Location:	Skies Above Metropolis
Synopsis:	Kara and Clark meet in the skies over Metropolis, and Kara has a proposal for Clark to consider.
Cast of Characters:	Kara Danvers, Clark Kent

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Kara Danvers has posed:
As the Fall season continues to advance, the climate in Metropolis is getting colder and night is coming sooner. Neither of which really bothers Supergirl. It's not the same as flying with the summer sun kissing her, but nighttime patrolling is still flying; and flying is what Kara loves to do most. she's just floating above Metropolis, really, letting the breeze blow through her hair as she listens for signs of trouble. But so far, all is peaceful, letting Kara have a dreamy smile on her face as she lets her thoughts drift along like the evening wind.

Clark Kent has posed:
It's been a quiet night.

A few muggings, a car accident, a small fire. The most interesting thing was some wanna-be who Clark thought had stolen the Ultra-Humanite's old purple ray. Turned out to just be a flashlight.

"Huh." Superman says, picking up on a familiar heartbeat, and flying over towards Supergirl. "Well!" The Man of Steel says, holding his arms akimbo mid-air like a showoff. "It's been a while, Supergirl!'

Kara Danvers has posed:
The sound of her cousin's voice breaks Kara from her reverie. "Kal!" she says with delight, then rushes in to give him a hug. "It has been a long time," she agrees as she relases him and floats back from him. And it certianly has been a while; Kara's switched costumes since last they met, going from her skirt to a full bodysuit costume. A rather more mature look for her. "How have you been?"

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark laughs a little at the flying hug, giving Kara a warm pat on the back and a thumbs up when she lets go. "I like the new costume, by the way." 'Very grown up' seems a little condescending even if it's the first thing that comes to Clark's mind, so he keeps his mouth shut.

"What have you been doing?" Clark asks, sort of sitting on a passing cloud because he's Superman and that's one of the perks. "I know I've been a little quiet, just getting used to the daily grind again after the whole Shi'ar fiasco."

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara smiles and twirls in mid-air, showing the costume off. "Thanks. I kinda grew tired of...being an eaasily photographed subject? To put it mildly. And those kinds of photos weren't doing the family name any good. So. Time for a change." Smiling, she floats back to Kal, drifting alongside him. "I've been busy too. School's going well. The internship at the Planet. Titans. I helped Nadia with her ship prototype and GIRL went on a raod trip to Raan." She smiles proudly at her friend's accomplishment. "And...Peter and I are back together." A big smile at that news. But Kara still looks like she's holding something back..."

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark looks at his own skintight jumpsuit and sort of shrugs. That's what the cape is for, honestly, but he's not going to tell his cousin how to dress. "Wait, she emulated a Zeta beam? That's fascinating!" Clark pauses a beat. Dating, huh.

"That photographer for that rag, the Bugle?" Superman says, frowning a bit. He actually likes the Parker kid's work, but Jay Jonah Jameson makes his fists itch. He crosses his arms. "Well as long as he's being decent about it. Kid's a bit of a wolf if you ask me."

She is holding something back, clearly, but Clark is busy being irritated about Spider-Man setting spy gear in his city and not telling him he's making out with his cousin.

Kara Danvers has posed:
"No," Kara answers Kal with a proud smile. "Not a Zeta Beam teleport. GIRL created a functional star drive." She pauses to let that sink in. "Interstellar travel, Kal. Humanity's reached it. This changes so much for them..." And it was her freinds that gave this gift to humanity. "New horizons. And new dangers. But they did it."

Moving onto the dating, Kara blushes some. "Peter's a good man, Kal. And I think you two really need to sit down and talk sometime. I know you'll like him, once you get to know him. Regardless, though...It's Kara and Peter now. Supergirl isn't in the dating picture. It's for the best and how it should have happened from the beginning. But, I know better now." Owning up to her mistakes; another sign of maturity for her?"
5rNow comes the really difficult part of the conversation. "Kal." Kara is looking at her cousin with a somber, serious expressoin. "If I told something to Hal or John in confidence...would they automatically tell the Guardians? If it were something major. Something with the potential to threaten the galaxy...I need to know who I can talk to about something, besides you. I'm going to tell you, but I need you to promise you'll hear me out completely before passing any kind of judgement. Okay?"

Clark Kent has posed:
Kara can see the shift.

'Galactic threat' immediately changes her goofy cousin Clark into a tight lipped, hovering Superman, eyes narrow as he takes in the sudden presence of a massive threat he's just hearing about now.

"I'd have to hear about what this threat is before I can say. I certainly don't know either Lantern as well as I thought, I'll admit. Not after our little adventure on Oa." Superman says, carefully neutral.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara nods, noting the tonal shift. She swallows hard, then begins. "There are survivors, Kal. Survivors of Kyrpton. They went intot he Phantom Zone to escape the destruction." She tenses, closing her eyes and clenching her fists. "My mother might be among them."

And Clark can see the conflict within his cousin. The weight of the knowledge and the burden of her duty. "We can't abandon them, Kal. I *won't* abandon them. But I *will not* put the safety of Earth. The safety of the galaxy. Even the safety of the Universe at stake to bring back Krypton. Not even to save my mother." She takes a deep breath, then opens her eyes back up. "I'm planning. But I won't do anything unless you agree wth it. Unless you think my plans and precautions are sound. The end goal is to build a Phantom Zone projector to allow the refugees to escape. But onto a planet where they can't gain the same powers that we have. A planet that's hbitable and tectonically stable, but orbiting a later stage star. A red giant like Rao. No yellow solar raditaion to fuel Kryptonian powers. We arrange for some kind of interdictoin to prevent outside contact or escape. This New Krypton could be a home for millions of years more. Letting Kryptonians live in peace and isolation, like we chose before." And she looks at her cousin with hopeful eyes. "It's only an outline, I know. But, will you help me make it a feaseable one?"

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark listens, like he promised.

"The last time you were sure there were survivors we all nearly got killed." Superman says, "We nearly started a war. We permanently damaged the foundational relationships that keep the Justice League going, and put our entire sector on the Guardians's bad side. It isn't a coincidence that we had no help when the Shi'ar decided to show up and take over the planet on a whim, Kara."

"And your plan is to, what? Take our people, who we're hoping are just in the Phantom Zone to hide and not a planet's worth of maniacs like every other Kryptonian that's escaped the Zone, and bottle them? Put them on a planet and hope no one finds them? Even though Zod is out there, right now, with a battleship and a small army doing God knows what?"

"What happens when he immediately figures out what we're up to and shows up? And tells these people we're putting out to seed that he'll give them super-powers, freedom, and the glory days back again? And if not him, any of our other enemies? What about Mongul? What about Brainiac?" Superman says, "And even if, by some miracle, none of them find out that still doesn't change the fact that we're just hoping we'll find the planet we need and that they'll stay on it forever."

Kara Danvers has posed:
And Kara listens to Kal. He listend to her, it's only fair that she listens to him. She closes her eyes as he continues, but she still listens. And once he's done, Kara just...sags there in mid-air. Defeated. Not offering any counter argument. Her only reply is a single word.

"Alright."

And that's it for her. She lowers her head and hugs herself, her invulnerable skin suddenly feeling cold.

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark, did you go too far, there?

No, Clark decided, everything he said was true. If there are refugees, they can't do this by half measures.

"We need to start from the beginning." Superman says, crossing his arms and floating around to close the distance between them. He puts a comforting hand on his cousin's shoulder. "Have you made contact with the refugees at all? Where did you learn about this? Because the first thing we need to do, Kara, is talk to these people. Find out what happened to them in the Zone, and why Zod didn't drag them out with him when he escaped. He's wanted an army of Kryptonians for ages."

"Once we figure out how to communicate with them, we can start making real plans." Clark says.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara looks back up at Clark as he speaks. She nods, and the smile returns to her face. "That kind of was the plan, actually. I wanted to pitch the big idea beofre going into the details." She sighs, letting her spirit be lifted again. "And this isn't just going to be an 'open door' policy. There are plenty of inhabitants of the Phantom Zone that were rightfully exiled there for their crimes. There has to be absolutely full screenings to prevent even one exile from escapting." Her smile grows more confident. "I've put a lot of thought into the plan, Kal. I refuse to provide an open portal for the greatest horrors and monsters of Krypton's past to waltz through to freedom. I'm not starting any plan until ever possible angle that can be thought of has been coveed. And after you, Karen, and I have triple checked the plans, I think there should be more people brought in to analyze and critique the plan. I would rather spend th rest of my life over-analyzing this plan and nobody gets free, than risk even one prisoner escaping."

Clark Kent has posed:
"We're already GOT exiles escaped." Superman says, "And that's a problem we'll have to deal with. Hopefully in a more humane way than the Phantom Zone, to be honest." As much as the likes of Jaz-Ur deserve it, no one actually deserves it.

"Any plan can sound perfect on paper, Kara. My point is that it's not our place to decide where these people live. They have to make that decision. It's good to have ideas, but we shouldn't commit to anything until we establish a dialogue with their leadership."

Kara Danvers has posed:
"Absolutely," Kara says with a nod. "That was also a part of the plan. There needs to be a 'first contact'. We need to sell them on the idea. I just think, given the alternatives, given the social preference for isolationism at the time, there won't be much resistance or argument. There's no time table for this, Kal. This is a problem, but not one to make worse by rushing to a solution. The Oans need to be brought inon this too, once we think there's a viable plan. The other civilizations of the galaxy also need to have their concerns taken into account as well. I absolutely realize the gravity of the situation and never wanted this to be a unilateral mandate. You, Karen, and I need to work together to formulate the plan. Because those Kryptonians are our responsibility; regardess of whether we decide to help free them or not intervene. I already pitched the idea to Karen, and she's in the middle ground; she has the optimism that this is feasable, but also your caution in approaching the plan."

Clark Kent has posed:
"I've said my piece." Superman says, flying away with a start as he realizes he is ALSO being wheedled by his cousin. "Before we go any further, I want to make contact. Telling everyone about this before we do that is, I think, a bad idea. Let's pick a day and do it before we go any further with this, alright?"

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara nods and moves to hugs her cousin again. "Okay. And I share your concerns, I really do. And if you think this won't work, for any reason, that's the end of it. I won't argue the point with youm." She gives him a smile with a twinkle in her eyes. "I might debate...But no arguing. You're the leader of the House of El. Your decision is final." She gives him another hug. "And I also want to set up a meeting between you and Peter. I really want you to be able to trust him like I do. Because he is a good man, like you." She starts flying off, waving. "I'll see you around, Kal. Have a good night." And with a final wave, the Girl of Steel goes flying off.