Of Courses [DCU]
For caia_comica, who wanted Amanda Waller/Supergirl.
Of Courses
The comet hurtles through the solar system, 500 megatons of space debris moving towards the Earth at the leisurely pace of 20,000 kilometers per second.
Kara stares at it for a few minutes, mildly fascinated. Embedded throughout the rock and ice are a few trillion crystal-based microbes, organized into proto-social patterns. The microbes are waking up as the comet moves further into the star system, using solar energy to help them move faster. They mine the environment around them, trading carbon atoms for oxygen, building new silicon dioxide creatures and hydrocarbon roads.
If the comet remains on course, it will hit the Earth within two weeks. Most of the tiny crystal creatures would be destroyed, as well as the planet's biosphere and population. Kara moves alongside the comet, picks a trajectory clear of most space debris, and pushes. It takes even less effort than she'd thought it would, and then the comet is moving on its new path. Kara watches it for an extra moment to be sure it's heading out of the solar system, but she'd picked her angle well.
In a hundred billion years, perhaps the microbes will evolve into something more worthy of the term 'life'. Or perhaps the comet will be caught again in the gravity pull of a planet, one with less defensive resources than Earth.
Whatever; it'll be someone else's problem.
Kara turns back to the Earth and speeds downwards, flying through the atmosphere faster than human eyes can follow. She comes to a stop in one of Checkmate's command rooms, filled with computer screens and operatives of various status. The air behind her cracks, belatedly announcing her presence.
Amanda Waller turns calmly towards her. For a fraction of a second, Waller's eyes narrow in calculation, but she catches herself - or decides how to deal with Kara - quickly. Waller nods to the others in the room, and they leave without comment. She and Kara are alone, save for the dozens of recording devices hidden and not throughout the room.
Waller is shorter than Kara and as fragile as any human, but Kara finds she has to keep reminding herself of this fact. Kara has seen Waller in meeting with powers enough to destroy her planet, but Waller always has the presence of one who knows that there is no one more powerful than herself.
"It's done," Kara tells her.
Waller smiles back at Kara, open and parental and proud. "You did well," she says, and rests a hand on Kara's arm. Kara feels warmed by the gesture, although the yellow rays of the sun are blocked by the walls of the building, specially made. She's left with only the strength she already holds inside her.
It's enough.
Waller steps closer. She says, softly, "You saved us all."
"I saved you from having to call up one of your hundreds of other operatives to take care of it, you mean," Kara says.
Amanda Waller's smile sharpens into something more honest. "Oh," she says. "But I'd never replace you, my dear girl." Waller slides her hand over Kara's shoulder, and Kara shudders when Waller's fingertips brush the nape of her neck. She runs a thumb over a lock of Kara's hair.
"Oh?" Kara says.
Waller guides Kara's head forward and, because Kara tells herself that she's the strong one, she could resist if she wanted, Kara lets her.
"No," Waller tells Kara. "You're special." Kara starts to look away, but Waller tightens her fingers against the back of Kara's neck, pulls her closer, and kisses her.
Of Courses
The comet hurtles through the solar system, 500 megatons of space debris moving towards the Earth at the leisurely pace of 20,000 kilometers per second.
Kara stares at it for a few minutes, mildly fascinated. Embedded throughout the rock and ice are a few trillion crystal-based microbes, organized into proto-social patterns. The microbes are waking up as the comet moves further into the star system, using solar energy to help them move faster. They mine the environment around them, trading carbon atoms for oxygen, building new silicon dioxide creatures and hydrocarbon roads.
If the comet remains on course, it will hit the Earth within two weeks. Most of the tiny crystal creatures would be destroyed, as well as the planet's biosphere and population. Kara moves alongside the comet, picks a trajectory clear of most space debris, and pushes. It takes even less effort than she'd thought it would, and then the comet is moving on its new path. Kara watches it for an extra moment to be sure it's heading out of the solar system, but she'd picked her angle well.
In a hundred billion years, perhaps the microbes will evolve into something more worthy of the term 'life'. Or perhaps the comet will be caught again in the gravity pull of a planet, one with less defensive resources than Earth.
Whatever; it'll be someone else's problem.
Kara turns back to the Earth and speeds downwards, flying through the atmosphere faster than human eyes can follow. She comes to a stop in one of Checkmate's command rooms, filled with computer screens and operatives of various status. The air behind her cracks, belatedly announcing her presence.
Amanda Waller turns calmly towards her. For a fraction of a second, Waller's eyes narrow in calculation, but she catches herself - or decides how to deal with Kara - quickly. Waller nods to the others in the room, and they leave without comment. She and Kara are alone, save for the dozens of recording devices hidden and not throughout the room.
Waller is shorter than Kara and as fragile as any human, but Kara finds she has to keep reminding herself of this fact. Kara has seen Waller in meeting with powers enough to destroy her planet, but Waller always has the presence of one who knows that there is no one more powerful than herself.
"It's done," Kara tells her.
Waller smiles back at Kara, open and parental and proud. "You did well," she says, and rests a hand on Kara's arm. Kara feels warmed by the gesture, although the yellow rays of the sun are blocked by the walls of the building, specially made. She's left with only the strength she already holds inside her.
It's enough.
Waller steps closer. She says, softly, "You saved us all."
"I saved you from having to call up one of your hundreds of other operatives to take care of it, you mean," Kara says.
Amanda Waller's smile sharpens into something more honest. "Oh," she says. "But I'd never replace you, my dear girl." Waller slides her hand over Kara's shoulder, and Kara shudders when Waller's fingertips brush the nape of her neck. She runs a thumb over a lock of Kara's hair.
"Oh?" Kara says.
Waller guides Kara's head forward and, because Kara tells herself that she's the strong one, she could resist if she wanted, Kara lets her.
"No," Waller tells Kara. "You're special." Kara starts to look away, but Waller tightens her fingers against the back of Kara's neck, pulls her closer, and kisses her.