CHAPTER 118

"Brain Interactive Construct… you mean Brainiac?" Clark's tone was heavy, his knowledge of Krypton's history coming to the forefront. His father, Jor-El, had mentioned the infamous artificial intelligence in passing, though never in detail.

Kara nodded solemnly. "Yes, Brainiac. He wasn't the direct cause of Krypton's destruction, but he was responsible for planting the seeds of its downfall."

Clark's brow furrowed as Kara elaborated. "When Brainiac first invaded Krypton, he deployed his mechanical drones and his fleet of ships, attacking with ruthless precision. Our people fought back with everything they had. We won that war, but at a tremendous cost. Krypton's military might was shattered, and Brainiac's core was critically damaged, forcing him to retreat to his homeworld of Colu for repairs."

"But the damage was done," Kara continued, her voice tinged with sorrow. "That war left Krypton vulnerable, weakened, and divided. And when Krypton's own hubris—its greed and disregard for its planet's resources—pushed us toward the brink of destruction, Brainiac returned. This time, it was one of his replicas, offering salvation in exchange for the planet becoming part of his collection."

Clark's jaw tightened. "He came to collect Krypton, to shrink it like one of his trophies…"

Kara nodded again, her eyes glistening with emotion. "Yes. My parents and many others rejected his offer, but his drones began slaughtering civilians, preventing them from escaping. Those who might have survived… were taken from us."

Clark stepped forward and pulled Kara into a hug. "Kara, I'm sorry for everything you've been through. But you're here now. Krypton may be gone, but we're not. We have each other."

Tears welled up in Kara's eyes as she embraced her cousin tightly. "Thank you, Kal. I never thought I'd see family again. Knowing you're here… it gives me hope."

In Kryptonian culture, family was a cornerstone of resilience. Even amidst the ruins of their home, the presence of loved ones was enough to face any challenge.

Fiora, standing beside Kaius, gave a rare smile and performed the Kryptonian military salute. "Welcome to Earth, young lady of the House of El."

Kara's eyes brightened at the sight of Fiora. She stepped closer, studying Fiora carefully. "You're Kryptonian too? But… I don't see a family crest. Which house do you belong to?"

Fiora responded respectfully, "I was once a soldier in General Zod's army, an adjunct to the General himself. As a soldier born into the ranks, I do not carry a family crest."

Kara's expression lit up with curiosity. "General Zod? Is he on Earth too?"

At this, Clark's expression darkened. "He was. But Zod tried to terraform Earth into a new Krypton. To stop him, we… had to defeat him."

Kara understood the implications immediately. Her scientific upbringing on Krypton had taught her what terraforming Earth would mean: the extinction of humanity, unable to survive Krypton's harsh conditions. A pained expression crossed her face. "I see. That… that would have been devastating for Earth. I'm sorry it came to that."

Kara's gaze shifted back to Fiora. "But if Zod is gone… why are you still here? How did you, his lieutenant, come to stand with Kal and his friends?"

Before Fiora could answer, Kaius interjected with an exaggerated grin. "Simple! Fiora was so taken by my charm and sense of justice that she decided to switch sides. She swore eternal loyalty to the Justice League on the spot!"

Clark and Bruce simultaneously rolled their eyes at Kaius's audacity, their expressions dripping with skepticism.

However, Kara turned to Fiora with genuine curiosity. "Is that true? Did he really convince you to give up Zod's plan to destroy Earth?"

Fiora, bound by her disciplined loyalty and Kryptonian honor, nodded with unwavering sincerity. "Yes. The Avenger told the truth. His actions—and the Justice League's—showed me a better path. Earth deserved protection, not destruction."

Kaius couldn't help but give Fiora a mental thumbs-up. Definitely adding an extra chicken leg to her dinner tonight!

Kara looked at Kaius with a gleam of admiration in her eyes, her curiosity clearly piqued. Meanwhile, Batman crossed his arms, his patience wearing thin. Although Kara appeared older due to her Kryptonian physiology, her demeanor screamed "teenager," and Bruce found Kaius's playful banter with her borderline suspicious.

Clearing his throat, Batman interrupted, "Excuse me, but let's focus on the important matter at hand. Kara, you mentioned the Phantom Zone and mechanical zombies. You're referring to Brainiac and his drones, correct? Should we be concerned about them becoming a threat to Earth?"

The lighthearted atmosphere quickly shifted. Fiora's usually stoic expression darkened, the memories of Krypton's fall flashing before her eyes. Her parents, along with countless others, had perished in the war against Brainiac. She grew up haunted by the destruction that war had wrought.

Kara's face grew serious as well. "Brainiac is a collector of worlds, a relentless force that targets life-bearing planets. He's a universal enemy to all organic life. However, there's some good news. The Brainiac that attacked Krypton years ago was significantly damaged, and what we're dealing with here is likely just one of his clones. My mother always told me that under the Earth's yellow sun, we Kryptonians are incredibly powerful. Between me, Kal, Fiora, and our combined strength, we can protect Earth."

Kaius, feeling a bit left out, placed his hands on his hips and exclaimed, "Hey, Kara, don't forget about me! I pack quite the punch, too!"

Kara tilted her head, looking at him quizzically. "Right, I meant to ask… Are you Kryptonian? You don't seem like one, and I don't see a family crest on you."

Kaius grinned, enjoying the moment. "Nope, I'm a human. A very special one with superpowers. My abilities are similar to yours, though, so you could say I'm an honorary member of the Kryptonian club."

"Cool!" Kara said, her cheerful demeanor returning. "In that case, you're definitely part of the team!"

Her enthusiasm was contagious, but then her gaze shifted to Batman. She had seemingly only now noticed the stoic figure standing silently in his dark armor. Her wide, curious eyes locked onto him.

"Um… sir, do you have superpowers? Or… are you part of the team too?" Kara asked hesitantly, her voice small, as if worried she'd committed a faux pas.

For a moment, Batman didn't respond. His expression remained unreadable beneath his cowl, but there was a flicker of hesitation. After a pause, he finally muttered in his trademark gravelly voice, "It's fine. I don't need powers."

Kara's innocence and charm were disarming. Even the unshakable Bruce Wayne seemed momentarily thrown off.

Kaius smirked internally. Sure, Bruce, totally fine. We can all tell it bothers you just a little.

Kaius decided it was time to steer the conversation away before Batman's mood soured further. "Alright, Fiora," he said with a conspiratorial wink. "Why don't you take Kara under your wing? She's new to Earth and could use someone to help her adjust to the culture. You're both Kryptonian, and let's face it, you're girls—it's easier for you to bond over this stuff."

"Sure thing," Fiora responded with a curt nod, ever the soldier.

Kaius added casually, "And while you're at it, bring Kara's spaceship back to the Fortress. We'll need to analyze it."

Kara perked up at the mention of her spaceship but didn't question Kaius's suggestion. To her, everything seemed perfectly reasonable.

As Fiora led Kara to retrieve her spaceship, Kaius turned to the others, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Step one of getting Supergirl settled on Earth, complete!

However, when he glanced at Clark, he noticed the Man of Steel's cheerful demeanor had dimmed slightly. Clark folded his arms, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Kaius.

"What?" Kaius asked innocently.

Clark's voice was calm but tinged with suspicion. "You seem awfully eager to keep Kara around. Something you're not telling me?"

Kaius grinned, brushing off the comment. "Relax, Clark. I just think she's a valuable ally and a good kid. Plus, I'm looking out for her—like you asked me to. That's what friends are for, right?"

Clark's gaze lingered on Kaius for a moment longer before softening. "Fair enough. But you'd better not try anything funny, Kaius."

Kaius chuckled, clapping Clark on the shoulder. "Me? Funny? Never."

As the group prepared to part ways, Bruce finally spoke up. "We'll need a plan in case Brainiac becomes a more immediate threat. I'll work on gathering intelligence about his presence in the galaxy. Kaius, you handle things on the ground with Kara and Fiora. And Clark… keep an eye on the skies."

Clark nodded, his confidence returning. "If Brainiac comes anywhere near Earth, we'll stop him."

Kaius smiled, looking at the group. Despite their differences, they were quickly becoming a formidable team. With Kara now part of the fold, the Justice League's strength and unity grew even stronger.

But somewhere in the depths of space, a faint signal from Kara's spacecraft pulsed, carrying a message to its creator. Brainiac's attention was now drawn to Earth.

And he was coming.