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[ 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. ]

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I would like to learn more English, but this is much easier. [ She's learned 'hello'. That's literally it.

She's a little confused by that introduction, and a touch mistrustful, but after everything everyone else has told her she's starting to get an idea of what she's dealing with here. ]

I'm Kara Zor-el. Do you... know me? [ Alternate universes, people who look similar, some sort of mind control, she isn't sure yet. But she can at least identify a pattern. ]

[Lois is guessing she's getting the gist from what everyone else is saying. So at least she can be blunt about it.

And hopefully she can do something before Clark ends up in another long cycle of 'little supposed-to-be-big cousin who is avoiding him and he is afraid (this time justifiably) hates him.' The last time was bad enough.]

I know two girls named Kara Zor-El, back home. One is from my universe--she dresses a lot like you. The other is from a universe that got nuked. She wound up on our Earth too.

[No need to mention the costume or bra size difference.]

[ That's lucky because they don't wear bras on Krypton. ~~They wear weird swimsuit undies~~.

She frowns at the explanation. Alternate universes is one thing to consider when you're in a place 'between life and death'. But they weren't supposed to overlap, not in the same world. So who's this other girl who has her name? And what does 'nuked' mean? ]

I didn't think it was a very common name. [ Or surname. ]

It-- isn't.

[Lois feels bad that this conversation is going to be really, really the opposite of comforting.

Oh well.]

They have almost identical histories. Details differ, but they're close. Same girl, different universe.

Probably like you.

How is that possible? Alternate universes are only a theory, you shouldn't be able to go between them.

I'm not the science geek, I couldn't tell you. But we've seen it happen, where I come from. Not long ago our entire set of alternate universes nearly ended and the heroes had to stop it.

[And they thought Bruce died. So that sucked.]

I see what Zatanna means by 'superheroes'.

[ And she thinks her uncle probably counts as one too, considering he was right about the whole end of the world thing. ]

More or less.

[Lois is of the opinion Jonathan and Martha are more superheroes than Jor-El and Lara. They saved Kal, but the Kents raised Clark--raised Superman.

The world could have been much different without them.]

I probably can't tell you anything new about Krypton, but I've seen how hard this mess is on you--especially dealing with Superman. If you need to talk about anything [obviously meaning Kal] come find me.

I can't promise my answers will be helpful, but you'll get them.

Thank you, but I think those answers are ones I have to find for myself. [ Maybe eventually she'll reconcile the Kal of her memory with Superman, but it will take time. ]

I hope you'll come talk soon anyway. He and I go way back--you're both practically family in some ways.

[And as Kal will probably explain the secret identity to her, she'll understand what Lois means by 'in some ways' once they've talked.]

I already have a family. [ And she doesn't want a new one. That would feel too much like admitting that her real family is dead. ]

[Well, Lois didn't expect that to sting her quite so much--Clark, absolutely, but...]

Yeah. I just like knowing you guys are okay. Kon, too.

[ 'Kon'. It's going to take a lot of adjustment to not hear that as an insult. ]

It's sweet of you to worry, but I can take care of myself. I'll be alright.

I get that from him all the time. [She rolls her eyes.] Usually right before he walks into something he's not prepared for.

I'm not doing anything, I'm just settling in to a new home.

[ What could possibly go wrong? ]

[Dryly:] And that always goes well. [Considering what she told Zatanna...]

Nobody is going to attack me here, are they?

[Lois almost says something snarky.

But then she closes her mouth, lips thinning.]

There's a man. Bald, arrogant, and you've mentioned you're from Krypton. His name's Lex Luthor.

He has a special hatred for aliens in general, especially Kryptonians and most particularly Superman. Be careful of him, okay? I don't know if he's got kryptonite or not, but if he's got it, he'll use it.

[ It never ends, does it? She huffs. ]

I will, thank you. I don't ever want to see Kryptonite again in my life.

[For the House of El, or any superhero? Never.]

I hope you don't have to, here--but in your life?

[She seems noticeably irritated, almost like it's personal.] Not with the way so many know it'll hurt you guys.

But why? I haven't done anything! [ Except to the Worldkillers, but they came after her first. Just. Like everyone else. ]

Some people because just because you're different--on Earth, alien, literally. We don't get many non-Terrans. And our sun gives you all those powers. As many people as see you three in action, see all the good you do, there are those who fear that. Some out there can't believe you wouldn't use it to dominate the planet--because it's what they would do. Or else they're just insanely paranoid and-or prejudiced.

And... Superman was one the first superheroes we saw. [She smiles softly.] He can't stop himself from helping and protecting the innocent, and his ethics aren't for sale. It puts him squarely in the way of what some particularly nasty types want--people like Luthor. Then, too, criminals and the larger supervillains end up carrying grudges because he stopped them from hurting others.

So they want to hurt him. And because people like to generalize, and because all three of you keep helping, you're in the cross-hairs too.

It isn't fair. I never asked for any of this.

[ But if what Lois says is true, it doesn't matter. People are either afraid of her or they hate her for no fault of her own. 'Unfair' is sort of the definition here.

She just wants so badly to go home. There's nothing else she can say. ]

I know. [For a moment Lois actually looks tired.] Things aren't much different here. Some kedan hate the foreigners on the same principle.

Besides, apparently we were drawn here by a spell to protect... something. I was hoping for a vacation too, but it doesn't seem likely.

How are we supposed to protect something if we don't know what it is?

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