video;

[notdreaming]

[ Kara spends some time familiarizing herself with her surroundings before trying to send a message. It's all very strange, very alien, but no more so than Earth is. Once she feels collected enough to do so she turns her attention to the console. It isn’t quite like anything she’s ever used before, but the technology is close enough to what she’s used to on Krypton that after a bit of fiddling around she manages to get the video feed on and recording. She takes a deep breath and addresses the network. ]

I’m told that people are brought here from all over the place. If that’s true, and you can all understand me… [ She doesn’t really get how that works, but she sincerely hopes that it does. Otherwise, she’s on her own. Again. ]

I need to know. How many of you know the planet Krypton? And what do you know about it?

[ She almost adds a ‘please’, because if nobody here has answers for her then she won’t know anything until she returns home. If she returns home. But instead she clenches her jaw and turns off the feed. ]

Comments

→ perma: audio; anonymous; encrypted 90%

[controlledvariable]

Kara, sorry. [Okay, so either she's not Supergirl (yet?) or she doesn't want to be associated with that name, which is... fair.]

I'm... a friend. [there's a pause, and then she quickly continues] I know that's kind of unnecessarily mysterious, but this is a weird situation, I'll try to clear things up in a bit.

What do you know about alternate universes?

[It's not the first time she's though of it. For all she knows, even her friends here - Bruce, Cass, Damian - could be from slightly different variations of her Earth. The multiverse isn't an entirely new concept, and she's pretty sure this Kara isn't the one she knows, not even a past version of her]

[notdreaming]

[ That is pretty sketchy, which while being fairly par for the course for her life lately still puts her on edge. Just because she claims to be a friend doesn't mean this mystery girl isn't planning to use her for one thing or another. But as long as she's only asking vague, general questions, she supposes there isn't any harm. ]

I know about the Phantom Zone. And theories that there are other, proper universes separate from our own.

[ That doesn't help her solve the mystery that her life has become lately, but she has no illusions that this conversation is about helping her. ]

[controlledvariable]

[Steph sighs in relief] Awesome, okay, that saves me having to try to be sciencey at you.

[She's seen Kon's attempt at an explanation, and hopes hers will go over a little better]

I think I might know you, but... from a different universe. You look like her but you don't - talk like her, if that makes sense? The Kara I'm friends with goes by Supergirl sometimes, and she's closer to Superman.

[notdreaming]

You... think we're from two different universes? [ That's a little insane. Alternate universes are only a theory. And she could have heard those names on the TV, that doesn't prove anything at all.

Of course, the Phantom Zone was only a theory too. So it doesn't really disprove anything either. ]

Is that something that happens a lot here?

[controlledvariable]

That's my current theory. You could be from the past, but I'm not so sure on that one.

[because of Reasons]

Well, this places seems to kind of grab people from all sorts of universes, some of them more similar than others, though Earth is a pretty common theme. And back home it wasn't entirely unheard of for people to travel between universes. [Jason did it, even if Steph doesn't know the exact details on that one]

[notdreaming]

[ So now there's time travel as well as alternate universes. They passed insane a while back, apparently. She may never get used to her new life. ]

So if you knew anything about Krypton, it might not apply to my Krypton.

[controlledvariable]

Yeah, it's hard to tell exactly what's changed between universes.

I've heard of Krypton, and the Kara I know has told me a little about it, but-- [a pause as she considers how to frame what she wants to say] I don't think she likes talking about it much.

[Especially after everything that happened with New Krypton, but she's definitely not going to mention that too soon]

[notdreaming]

I see. [ So nothing useful. She hasn't really learned anything here. So what is she supposed to do now? ]

Thanks anyway.

[controlledvariable]

Sorry I can't tell you more. [She hopes Clark will be able to help out, even if Kara seems a little hostile towards him]

If there's anything you wanna ask about this place, I can try to help with that.

[Kara is still her friend, even if it's not the right Kara]

[notdreaming]

I haven't been here very long. [ Although it's certainly not that much like Krypton. Maybe it's like Earth. ]

Is it a lot like Earth here?

[controlledvariable]

In some ways it is. A lot of the culture - the clothes, food, architecture, that sorta thing - is similar to China on my Earth. Or, well, more like China a century ago, since it's not really up to date in a lot of ways.

The technology is a bit all over the place, which can be frustrating, but I tihnk that's mostly due to a lack of resources.

[notdreaming]

I've seen China, but I don't know much about Earth culture. [ She's circled the globe, but Siobhan only had time to teach her so much. ]

[controlledvariable]

Don't worry, a lot of the Earth folk here are Americans, and we wouldn't know culture if it bit us in the ass.

[Jokes! She's good at those (not really)]

Oh, and we don't have giant turtles on Earth.

[notdreaming]

[ She does get a smile, even if it's a small one. ]

We don't have turtles at all on Krypton.

[controlledvariable]

Turtles are pretty cool, and apparently they make a good foundation for a city. [Who woulda thought]

Do you have anything similar?

[notdreaming]

We have animals with shells, but nothing quite like a turtle. The ecology is very different.

[controlledvariable]

I can imagine. At least you got some practice coping with strange animals before you showed up here? [Since. Earth animals.] I still do a doubletake at some of the Keeliai fauna.

[notdreaming]

I saw a lot of animals around the world, but not up close. It's stranger to walk through a city. And louder. [ She winces at the memory. Super hearing is not really fun. ]

[controlledvariable]

Oh, yeah. [She sounds sympathetic; her Kara had a handle on the superhearing by the time Steph met her, but she can imagine it mustn't have been great.

The mention of it makes something else occur to her] Apparently the dunk in the ocean tends to mess with people's powers, but they'll be back to normal within a few days. Just - thought I should let you know.

[she's a helper???]

[notdreaming]

They said I might feel weak for a while. That must be why it's so quiet. [ She had kind of been hoping it was just going to stay that way. Oh well. ]

[controlledvariable]

Probably. But, hey, if you're having trouble with your hearing, I'm sure Superman will be happy to teach you how to control it.

[Batman probably could too, but she's not sure if she should be telling people that he's here]

[notdreaming]

[ She's not sure spending more time with the man will help her figure out the truth about what happened in the time she lost. So. ]

I think I'd rather figure it out for myself. But thank you.

[controlledvariable]

[She's pretty sure it's going to break Clark's heart to have a Kara that doesn't seem to trust him. She's trying not to let it bother her that one of her best friends doesn't even know her]

No problem. Good luck working it out, and with everything else here.

I'm Batgirl, by the way.

[She doesn't like using that name on the network, but it's only fair she give Kara something]

[notdreaming]

It's nice to meet you, Batgirl. [ Even if that's kind of a weird name. What does she know about human names anyway? ]

[controlledvariable]

You too, Supergirl. [Because it does feel like meeting an entirely new person, even if she looks the same as Kara] I can't - give you the number of my suite's console, secret identities and all that, but I'll keep an eye on the network and I can be reached through Superman, if you need me.

[Just in case Kara ever wants help with anything. Not that Steph thinks she can manage on her own, it's just... nice to offer, anyway]