tushanshu | video;

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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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah, like a police force. That makes sense.

She sounds very different from me if she was on a police force.

Not... exactly. There are situations that the police force is not equipped to handle. Enhanced abilities - such as the super strength, hearing, laser vision, flight that you possess under a yellow sun - are needed to meet some of the dangers.

A police force is limited by legislation and by physical possibilities. The kind of work Supergirl does - Supergirl, Superman, Superboy, as well as others, like the Flash, Aquaman, and more, alongside people without metahuman abilities, but skills that exceed any that the police can reach - is the next line of defense, the one that is called when the police force, the army, the 'usual' mechanisms of protection fail irrecoverably.

The rules that bind such crimefighters are the ones they make themselves, and that... those rules make the difference between them and the villains. What they do with the power they have.

[His voice has gone quiet, almost contemplative, the explanation to her as well as to himself, in a way.]

Edited (Hit post too soon....) 2012-11-25 21:07 (UTC)

[ She listens closely, trying to comprehend the bits that do make sense while leaving the bits that don't for another time. ]

I think that's what Zatanna was trying to explain. Why you need more than one police force.

[... Zatanna would, have, wouldn't she.]

Because there are threats that are too rare for an entire regularly employed force to be trained for them, but too big to be handled by the regular force.

Those who fight such threats... usually have other work to do, too. Or find other work. But when they are needed, they do what needs to be done.

[He. Kind of almost believes it. Maybe if he repeats it to himself enough time. But it's as close to logical explanation for the whole thing as he can come up with.]

Because they can, they're morally obligated to.

[ Superman may have mentioned that. And it's something that makes sense, a moral code they talk about on Krypton too, but it's not something she's ever had to apply to herself. ]

But you said ordinary humans do it too. How can they help? [ That's not derisive, she's honestly curious. Back home those who are especially intelligent do what they can to advance science. She figures this is the same idea, only those with exceptional strength. So if humans who don't have exceptional strength do it...? ]

[Now, that Damian outright scoffs at. A little unhappily, too.]

>Tt.< There is no code other than what they decide they are going to allow themselves to do or not. A lot of rules that they make - nobody can possibly enforce them.

[And Damian considers them arbitrary, but... well.]

They help because they've decided to. Each for their own reasons. Those who are baseline humans usually have some skill or set of skills that surpasses most people, and they can react and fight in ways that are fast enough and smart enough to be able to come up against forces that outmatch them, whether in number or in brute force. Intelligence, paired with superb physical shape in training. They can actually do quite a lot.

In fact, as often as not, it's Batman who sets the plans and strategy for the League.

[If nothing else, that's what this Robin tells himself.]

[ She thinks those humans should probably be a part of the human force, if they're so great, but he does say they have their own reasons. There must be other differences she just doesn't understand yet. Culture isn't something that's so easy to explain.

And, well, she's heard of the League today. ]

Batman. Is he related to Batgirl?

[The fact that Damian doesn't sputter at that is testament to his training. Really.]

[Also the fact that he manages to swallow the first response, which is not to the current one.]

Metaphorically. Batgirl was modeled to emulate Batman, some years after he became operational.

You mean to say she was genetically altered?

[ She doesn't get it. ]

No!

[That would be him. Not... any of them.]

[Damian takes a moment to phrase it... in a way that he imagines that might be understandable.]

Superhero - vigilante - identities usually are a second personality of somebody who has a - a life that is registered and subjected to the laws. There are names, and addresses, and day jobs, or school for the younger ones. In that way, both Batman and Batgirl are identities. The identity of Batgirl is modeled after Batman's. The person wearing the mask - or cape, or whatever - is not affected by those choices. Not on a biological level.

Other than the scars, of course.

So they're codenames?

[ That makes a little more sense, in a semi-military context. Although it does make her frown. ]

She didn't tell me her real name.

What would be the purpose of a codename if one went around and said it along with his - or her - real name?

[Yeah, sort of like that...]

I didn't ask for her codename.

[ Her frown deepens. ]

Is that what "Supergirl" is? Is that my codename?

It is.

Keeping the vigilante personality separate from the civilian one requires some strange choices.

[No, he isn't a little bit grumpy about that... still. At all.]

I would not presume to interpret Batgirl's actions, but it is highly probable that she was using the name you are more likely to recognize.

[ Kara is quite obviously grumpy. But she'll let it go. That does sort of make sense. ]

What are you then? Batboy?

[Small snort.]

Batgirl was modeled after Batman. What I am is something entirely else. Meant to complement Batman, be his usual partner. Not a copycat.

It's Robin.

If that is supposed to be some sort of connection, I don't understand it.

[ What the heck is a bat, even? ]

Nope. The first Robin was Robin first, Batman's partner and all that came with that, second. Not by very long, but still. He became a hero on his own, and then was part of the team.

[There might be a hint of capitalization to that last 't,' there.]

"Robin" doesn't fit the pattern.

[Slight smirk.]

Predictability is dangerous.

Even in names? [ She thought Earth was weird, apparently vigilantes are a whole lot weirder. ]

If you say so.

>Tt.< Patterns are dangerous. You get used to them, you forget how to avoid them.

[Well. That is not at all incorrect.]

Also, it is a name that somebody else came up with. The logic of everything becomes more complicated with time.

An inherited codename? So the roles are assigned to the names then given to the people. That would increase the secrecy as well. It sounds effective in theory. [ See, she's very intelligent if you just explain things so they make sense. ]

[But how do you make things make sense when they... don't?]

In places where one can blend in, yes. I suppose it is.

[ Obviously you confuse them with organized military programs! ]

I suppose I'll learn about all of this if I'm on Earth long enough.

[ She still hopes she'll go back to Krypton. ]

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