The One With the Explanation
“What?” Kara and Lena both say simultaneously.
Kara sounds surprised, but Lena just sounds annoyed. Lydia sighs and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Is this a joke?” Lena asks scrutinizing Lydia.
Kara steps forward to stand beside Lena, her curiosity overcoming her wariness.
“Why do you need to talk to Supergirl?”
Lydia eyes her distastefully and addresses Lena.
“This really is a private matter, Lena. Does she have to be here?” Her voice is pleading, and Kara shifts uncomfortably, but Lena doesn’t relent.
“Answer her question, Lydia. What’s going on?”
Lydia hesitates for a few moments her eyes moving between Lena and Kara as she seems to accept the situation. Then with a sigh she says
“Fine. Can we at least sit down?” she gestures in the general direction of the kitchen.
Lena gestures her forward reluctantly. As Lydia moves away from them, Lena reaches out and gives Kara’s hand a brief squeeze. They make eye contact, both alarmed at the mention of their mutual superfriend. Of course, little do Lena and Lydia know, Supergirl is already here, and Lydia certainly has her attention.
Lena clears the half empty plates from their meal, and they all takes seats at the island, Kara and Lydia as far apart as possible.
Once they’re settled, Lena wastes no time.
“For the last time, what the fuck is going on, Lydia?” Kara places a hand on Lena’s knee under the table, trying to calm her.
Lydia takes a deep breath.
“I need to get in touch with Supergirl, because my grandfather is...sick. And I’ve come to the conclusion that the Supers may be the only one that can help him.”
Lena’s demeanor instantly softens at the mention of Marshall Tate. Her shoulders slump, and she leans forward slightly as if she means to take Lydia’s hand, but thinks better of it.
“What’s wrong with Marshall? Didn’t he run a marathon last month?” Lena asks, concern clear in her voice. She remembers seeing pictures of the event on Tate Industries' social media accounts. Lydia’s voice is very tight when she replies.
“He was...infected two weeks ago.”
“Infected?” Kara finally chimes in, her voice even. “Infected by what? With what?” Lena recognizes Kara’s reporter tone.
Lydia glares at Kara and hesitates to respond.
“Well, that’s the thing, Ms. Danvers, I don’t really know.”
Lena and Kara share a confused glance. Lena does lean forward now, placing her hand over Lydia’s hands on the table.
“Why don’t you just start at the beginning?” she says, gently. Lydia looks at their conjoined hands and leans forward.
“This is all off the record, Ms. Danvers. If I read about any of this in your glorified tabloid-”
“You won’t.” Kara asserts, ignoring the insult.
“Fine. You are both well aware that our world has seen a great deal of change these last several years. Ever since the appearance of Superman, our world seems to be rapidly filling with aliens and their superior technology, superior weapons.” Lena sighs and pulls back.
“You sound like Lex.” she sighs.
Lydia laughs, a hard disingenuous sound.
“Yes, well your brother, while quite theatrical, wasn’t entirely wrong now was he? These aliens not only have superior abilities to humans, but also superior weapons. It’s the latter my grandfather is concerned with.”
“Concerned how?” Kara asks, carefully. Lydia seems less annoyed with her this time.
“Unlike Lex, my grandfather harbors no ill will towards aliens. He’s a businessman, not a xenophobe. He was always less interested in the alien’s superhuman abilities, because those are nearly impossible to replicate. No, he cared about their technology, their weapons.” Lydia stands up and begins pacing.
“Lena, as I’m sure you’re aware, there is something of an arms race going on at the moment among companies like ours all over the world.” Lena nods.
“Yes, of course, everyone is struggling to acquire or duplicate alien weaponry. It’s the next big step in the industry. The next A-bomb.”
Lydia is nodding, wringing her hands nervously. Nervous is a strange look on her. Like watching a dog walk upright.
“So, because of this, my grandfather may have made a few...questionable business connections in order to acquire some alien tech.”
One of Lena’s eyebrows arches, skeptically. “Questionable business connections?” she says slowly.
“Marshall Tate was buying illegal alien weaponry.” Kara concludes.
“Yes.” Lydia hisses, though Kara thinks she’s more annoyed with the fact than with her. “He was. I didn’t know anything about it until it was too late, otherwise I would have stopped him.”
“So what happened?” Lena asks, growing impatient.
“He was working with some group of aliens in Midway, who are known to deal in that sort of thing. He made a deal to buy a large variety of weapons from them. But apparently...the situation went south some how. He went to pick up the shipment in person, and in the resulting struggle two of his body guards were killed and he was...stung or something.”
“Stung? By an alien or a weapon?” Kara asks.
Lydia shakes her head, frustrated.
“An alien. The remaining bodyguards were too busy not dying to get a good look.”
“How is Marshall?” Lena asks, meeting Lydia’s eyes. Lydia’s shoulders stiffen and her hands shake slightly.
“Not well. When it first happened he insisted that I keep it a secret. Wouldn’t let me tell anyone outside the company. Our own doctors and scientists have been working around the clock, trying to figure out what it is, or at least what it’s like, but…” Lydia’s voice cracks. And for a moment, it seems like she might cry. But she swiftly pulls herself together, her expression going blank. It’s similar to something Kara has seen Lena do before when she’s getting emotional.
“He slipped into a coma this morning. The doctors say his organs will begin failing in a matter of days. But they aren’t any closer to a solution.” Kara has heard enough. She stands abruptly.
“How can Supergirl help?” she asks, resisting the urge to put her hands on her hips. Lydia eyes her strangely, suspicious of her enthusiasm.
“I’m not so sure she can.” Lydia tells her, sadly “But she and her cousin are the only friendly aliens I know of. I thought if anyone could at least figure out what’s killing him, it would be them. Maybe they even know of a cure.”
Lena stands up, placing a hand on Kara’s arm to stop her from saying anything else. She doesn’t want Lydia to know about Kara's connection to Supergirl. It could be dangerous information in the wrong hands.
“That’s why you asked me about her the other day?”
Lydia nods and sighs.
“Yes, I needed to know how close you too were.”
“I’m not sure we’re close enough to ask for favors, right now…” Lena says thinking of their last conversation before the Medusa incident, and the heroine’s silence since then. “But for Marshall. I’ll see what I can do.” Lydia moves forward tentatively, and takes one of Lena’s hands.
“I know, I’ve been a bitch, okay? I know, I…” she glances at Kara briefly “I should have done some things differently. And I’m sorry. Thank you for doing this.” She sounds genuine to Kara, but Lena pulls her hand away and walks toward the elevator saying.
“You’re always sorry when you want something, Lydia. I’m doing this for Marshall and because Supergirl’s purpose is to help people. Not for you.” She presses a button and calls the elevator. Lydia looks hurt for only a moment before nodding and making her way over to the elevator.
“I probably deserve that.”
“I’ll be in touch.” Lena tells her coldly. As the elevator dings and the doors slide open. Lydia nods as she steps inside.
“And, Lena…?” she asks, her voice is small. “Please hurry.”