Chapter 4
"Is that all you’ve got, Aunt Astra?" Kara taunted, her voice sharp and cocky as she launched a flurry of punches toward the taller woman.
Astra In-Ze remained calm, her movements fluid and efficient as she effortlessly blocked each strike. "You’re quick," she remarked evenly, sidestepping Kara’s next attack. "But speed without focus is meaningless."
Kara grinned, bouncing back on her heels. "Focus is for people who can’t win with talent alone." She darted forward again, feinting to the left before throwing a kick aimed at Astra’s midsection.
Astra’s hand snapped out, catching Kara’s ankle mid-kick. "And arrogance," she said coolly, "is for people who don’t realize how far they still have to go."
Kara yelped as Astra twisted her leg gently but firmly, throwing her off balance and sending her tumbling to the mat. She scrambled back to her feet, her cheeks flushed but her pride unshaken. "You just got lucky that time!" she snapped, brushing dust from her training suit.
Astra raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she stepped back, giving Kara room to recover. "Luck has nothing to do with it, little one. Combat is about control. Discipline. You have neither.”
Kara rolled her eyes, brushing her golden hair out of her face. "I don’t need discipline when I’ve got raw power." She clenched her fists, her muscles tensing as she prepared to charge again.
Astra sighed softly. "Then show me," she said, her tone carrying an edge of challenge.
With a fierce yell, Kara surged forward, throwing every ounce of her strength into a wild barrage of strikes. Astra didn’t even flinch. She stepped aside, her movements measured and precise, letting Kara’s momentum carry her forward until she overextended.
That’s when Astra struck. A light tap to Kara’s wrist sent her arm spiraling off target, and a subtle shift of her weight swept Kara’s legs out from under her. In an instant, the younger girl was flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling in disbelief.
"You’re predictable," Astra said, her voice calm but firm. "And reckless. If you fight like this outside these walls, you’ll lose every time."
Kara groaned, sitting up and glaring at her aunt. "I’m not predictable! I just wasn’t trying my hardest!"
"Trying your hardest won’t matter if you don’t use your head," Astra replied, extending a hand to help Kara up. "Power is only part of the equation, Kara. The rest is knowing how to use it."
Kara ignored the hand, pushing herself to her feet with a scowl. "I’ll prove it to you," she muttered. "I’ll beat you, and then you’ll see how strong I really am."
Astra tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "Strength is meaningless without strategy. But if you insist, little one, I’ll wait until you’re ready to prove me wrong."
Kara clenched her fists, her determination burning brighter than ever. "Fine," she said, her voice filled with defiance. "Next time, I’ll win."
Astra shook her head, grabbing Kara some fluids. “You are a true El; arrogant and unrelenting,” Astra said, handing Kara the bottle with a steady hand. “But if you don’t learn to temper that arrogance with wisdom, it will be your undoing.”
Kara huffed, taking the bottle with a defiant glance. "I’m not arrogant. I just know what I’m capable of."
Astra’s gaze softened, but her tone remained firm. "Knowing your worth is one thing, Kara. Believing you’re invincible because of it is another. True strength isn’t about confidence in your abilities—it’s about knowing when to use them and when to hold back."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Kara flopped down next to Revena under the sprawling tree in the Var estate's courtyard, her legs stretched out in front of her as she crossed her arms, clearly irritated. The warm sun filtered through the leaves above, casting dappled shadows across her face, but her expression was anything but peaceful.
"Can you believe her?" Kara muttered, staring at the sky. "Aunt Astra is impossible! She treated me like I was some kind of kid who couldn't handle basic combat!"
Revena, sitting cross-legged beside her, raised an eyebrow she played with Kara's hair. "You're saying that like you’re not a kid. You are nine, Kara.”
Kara shot her a glare. "I’m not just a kid, Revena. I’m Kara Zor-El. I don’t need to be babied."
Revena shrugged, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "She’s just trying to teach you to be more careful. I mean, you did almost knock yourself out trying to show off."
Kara groaned, flopping back on the grass dramatically. "It’s not like I don’t know what I’m doing! She just doesn’t get it. I can take on any challenge, but she’s so obsessed with ‘controlling the power’ and all that. I’m ready!"
Revena rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, knowing it was useless. "Yeah, sure. But maybe you should listen to her a little. I mean, it's Aunt Astra. She knows what she’s talking about, right?"
Kara let out a frustrated sigh, staring up at the sky. "I know, I know. But it’s like she doesn’t trust me to make my own decisions. Like I’m not capable of handling my own strength." She kicked her legs out in irritation. "I just want to show her I’m not a little kid anymore!"
Revena thought for a moment, then nudged Kara’s arm lightly. "You will show her. But maybe, just maybe, you don’t have to prove everything in one go. You’ve got time. Even Aunt Astra had to learn how to hold back at some point."
Kara looked at her, pouting. "I hate waiting."
Revena laughed softly. "Yeah, I know that pretty well. But you just have to love with it.”
Kara sighed again, giving Revena her infamous pout. "Sometimes, I don't know which side you're on."
Revena rolled her eyes and pinched Kara's side, making the blonde yelp in surprise. "The side of reason, which you clearly need more of." She grinned mischievously, dodging Kara’s swat. "Someone has to keep you from doing… anything at this point."
Kara huffed, rubbing her side where Revena had pinched her. “You’re the worst,” she grumbled, but there was no real heat behind it.
Revena smirked. “And yet, you love me. Don't deny it.”
Kara rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, she had a smile on her face when Revena said that. Instead, she let her head fall against Revena’s shoulder, staring up at the swaying leaves. The air smelled crisp and fresh, the hum of the estate’s energy fields barely noticeable.
“This is nice, y'know,” Kara hummed, her hands coming to the ravenette’s waist. Revena was a bit slimmer and shorter than her—only a few inches but Kara makes it seem more—which the blonde adored, and loved teasing about her.
Revena chuckled, her cheeks tinting pink when Kara’s hand lingered at her waist. “Get used to it. We’re probably going to be stuck with each other for a long time.”
Kara smirked, tightening her hold just slightly. “Oh, you say that like it’s a bad thing.”
Revena rolled her eyes, but the small smile on her lips betrayed her. “More like an inevitability. You’re like a starstorm—impossible to ignore, impossible to escape.”
Kara grinned. “Admit it, you love it.”
Revena huffed, looking away as if she wasn’t suppressing a smile. “I tolerate it.”
Kara laughed, pulling her closer. “That’s just fancy talk for I love it.”
Revena laughed as Kara pulled her in, her hand going to the blonde's shoulder and pushing her as far as she could. But Kara only pulled her closer until they were laughing—wrestling under the tree.
“Kara! Get off me!” Revena squealed, struggling to get free, but Kara only grinned wider, her hold unshakable.
“Oh, come on! I’m not that heavy,” Kara teased, her voice full of playful challenge.
Revena tried to squirm, pushing at Kara's chest with both hands. “You're impossible!”
"
Kara smirked, leaning in just enough to stay out of reach. "Impossible? No, just too quick for you." She dodged her next attempt and gave a teasing grin. "You’ve got to do better than that, Rev."
Revena huffed, narrowing her eyes as she threw another playful slap. "Shut up!"
Kara chuckled, her grin widening as she leaned even closer, her voice a challenge. “Make me.”
Revena’s eyes twinkled with a spark of genius. Instead of swinging at Kara again, she leaned in suddenly, pulling the blonde down for a kiss, her lips brushing just beside Kara’s mouth, lingering for a heartbeat.
Kara froze, her eyes wide, the confident smirk slipping off her face. Her brain scrambled to catch up as she processed what just happened. “Wh—what the—” she stammered, her voice cracking for a split second.
Revena pulled away, her face flushed, but she held her teasing grin. “Didn’t see that coming, huh?”
Kara blinked, her mouth opening and closing as if words were failing her. Her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of pink, and she flustered, glancing around in a desperate attempt to regain some composure. "I—uh—Revena, you… you—what—"
Revena couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of Kara, a proud smirk on her lips as she watched the usually confident blonde stutter and stumble over her own words.
“Guess you’re speechless now,” Revena teased, leaning in just a little closer, relishing the sight of Kara completely flustered.
Kara, now a blubbering mess, could only shake her head helplessly, unable to get a single coherent thought to form. “I—uh, no fair!” she managed, her words barely audible as her face burned.
Kara stumbled back slightly, her hand fumbling at her hair in a poor attempt to regain some dignity. Her cheeks were on fire, and the usual confident, cocky air she always wore was nowhere to be found. “You—” she paused, trying to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions running through her. “You can’t just—”
Revena’s teasing grin never wavered, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Oh, I totally can. You just didn’t see it coming. Don’t look so surprised, Kara.”
Kara finally managed to collect herself enough to shoot a half-hearted glare at her friend, though it lacked any real bite. “I’m not surprised. Just… flustered. You—you actually did it.”
Revena shrugged nonchalantly, though her heart was pounding in her chest, knowing full well the effect she had on Kara. “Well, someone had to keep you on your toes. You’re always messing with me, so it’s only fair.”
Kara opened her mouth, then shut it, her face still red but a mixture of amusement and annoyance creeping through. She glared at Revena for a long moment, but it was clear she didn’t know how to properly respond to this new dynamic between them.
“I’m never going to let you live this down,” Kara muttered, her voice more playful now, though the slight stammer still remained.
Revena leaned in a little, her tone quieter but teasing. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”
Kara’s flustered expression deepened, and for the first time, she didn’t have a witty comeback, her mind still tangled in the unexpected kiss. “You’re… you’re impossible,” she managed weakly, but even that sounded more endearing than usual.
Revena smirked, running a hand through her hair casually. “Guess I’ve learned from the best.”
Kara huffed, looking away, though the smallest smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She was still blushing, still trying to wrap her head around the turn of events, but she couldn’t stay annoyed for long. “You’re lucky I like you.”
“Oh, I know,” Revena grinned, slipping into a more comfortable silence with her friend, both of them lost in the moment, their playful banter momentarily fading as the warm sun filtered through the leaves above.
Kara couldn’t help but glance at her again, the thoughts swirling in her head feeling a little less chaotic now, replaced with a lightness she couldn’t quite shake off. "You really think that’s all it’ll take to get me off guard?"
Revena laughed softly, turning her head to face her. "Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?"
A few hours later…
Kara sat on the stone steps leading up to Revena’s house, her arms resting casually on her knees. The evening air was cool, but she wasn’t bothered by it. Her gaze was lost in thought as she glanced around the courtyard, absently twirling a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers.
She wasn’t really upset that her ride was late; in fact, she almost didn’t mind. There was something calming about being here with Revena. The usual rush of her life seemed to slow down when she was around her friend, and for once, she didn’t feel like she needed to be somewhere or do something. The quiet of the moment was just... nice.
Revena was sitting across from her on the stone bench, sipping from a steaming mug. She looked up and caught Kara’s eye, giving her a half-smirk. “You’re awfully calm for someone who’s usually itching to leave,” she teased, her voice light and casual.
Kara’s lips twitched into a grin, though she didn’t immediately respond. “Maybe I’m just getting used to hanging out with you,” she shrugged, her tone playful but sincere.
Revena raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “That’s a first. Usually, you’re all about avoiding me the moment it’s time for you to leave.”
Kara gave her a sideways glance, her grin turning mischievous. “Maybe I'm thinking about the kiss,” she said casually, as if it were a passing thought.
Revena froze, her hand halfway to her mouth as she nearly dropped her mug. “What?” she sputtered, blinking at Kara in surprise. “You’re still on about that?”
Kara smirked, leaning back slightly with a relaxed expression. “Well, it’s your fault. You kissed me.”
Revena’s face flushed a bit, but she quickly recovered, her tone teasing. “Oh, please. We’re betrothed. It’ll be normal in the future.”
Kara raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin spreading across her face. “Oh? And who’s to say you’re the one I’ll end up with?”
Revena’s lips curled into a smirk, setting her mug down with a quiet clink. “Oh are you questioning about that? I'm the only one who can actually handle you. Trust me, it’ll be the ‘normal thing,’ sooner or later. You can’t run from it forever.”
Kara shook her head but couldn’t stop the grin tugging at her lips. “You’re lucky I like you, or this would be way more awkward than it already is.”
Revena laughed softly, leaning back on the bench and stretching her legs out in front of her. “You say that now, but I bet you’ll get used to it. Who else would put up with you?”
Kara shrugged nonchalantly, the playful edge still in her voice. “True. I am pretty great to be around.”
Revena rolled her eyes. “Yeah, if by ‘great’ you mean ‘a handful.’”
Kara shrugged with a grin. “Still, a handful you can’t get rid of.”
Revena shook her head but couldn’t hide the smile. “You really are something else.”
The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, the tension from earlier now replaced by easy camaraderie. Kara glanced up at the sky, watching the first stars appear, a soft smile playing on her lips.
“So... what now?” Kara asked, still leaning against the steps, her fingers tracing patterns in the air.
“We wait for your ride, obviously,” Revena replied with a half-smirk. “Not like you’d leave without saying goodbye.”
Kara grinned at her, standing up as she heard the sound of a car pulling up to the gate. “Well, looks like my escape has arrived,” she said, stretching. “But don’t worry, I’ll be back. You know where to find me.”
Revena flashed her a knowing smile, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Alright, alright, we'll see each other tomorrow anyway. Bye, Kar.”
Kara grinned mischievously, stepping back but pausing just long enough to plant a quick kiss on Revena's cheek—not just for payback, but because she couldn't resist. She gave her one last teasing glance over her shoulder before slipping into the back seat of the vehicle. "Later, you. I’ll be back before you know it.”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Zor-El watched the exchange from the cavalcade, arms crossed over his chest and a bemused look on his face. He’d been looking out the window, taking in the playful atmosphere between the two girls. It was a far cry from the rigid, duty-bound relationships he was used to seeing. His gaze flicked between Kara and Revena, his expression unreadable, before finally settling on his daughter as she climbed into the vehicle.
With a soft sigh, he stepped looked behind his shoulder, giving Kara a raised brow. “You know, you could at least try to pretend you’re not enjoying yourself.”
Kara rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Oh, I’m pretending,” she said with mock seriousness. “It’s all part of the act.”
Zor-El snorted, shaking his head. “Just don’t get too comfortable, Kara. You might find that sometimes, those ‘acts’ tend to get a little too real.” His tone was light, but there was an edge of fatherly wisdom behind it.
Kara gave him a look that clearly said she wasn’t buying it, but she didn't argue. Instead, she settled into the seat of the vehicle, her thoughts drifting back to Revena’s playful kiss and the strange, inexplicable feeling that lingered.
Zor-El watched her, his gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary. There was something about the way Kara carried herself with Revena that seemed to be changing her, in a way he hadn’t anticipated. Something that, despite his usual reservations, he couldn’t help but find... promising.
Zor set the controls on the ship’s console, his fingers moving with practiced ease over the interface. "Oh, and Kara, I tweaked some of the parts in your atmospheric synthesizer. We can go bigger now," he added casually, giving the ship a once-over as it adjusted to autopilot. His eyes went to Kara in the back seat as she took her data pad.
Kara, still half-focused on her screen, perked up slightly. “Bigger? You mean we’re actually going to have air that doesn’t make me feel like I’m breathing through a sock?”
Zor-El chuckled softly, his tone laced with amusement. “Not quite. Just... a more expansive version of what you already have. It’ll make the area more stable, but be careful. It's still a bit of a prototype."
Kara grinned. “So, what, it’s like an air upgrade?”
"Something like that." Zor-El paused, his fingers lingering on the console as he fought the urge to reveal too much. "But I wouldn’t push it too far. The system's not perfect, and the longer you try to sustain a replicated environment, the harder it becomes to maintain. It’ll degrade, especially if you try to expand it too much. Not built for long-term use—yet."
Kara looked up, arching an eyebrow. "So, what? I get to play with my new, ‘bigger’ atmosphere, but for a limited time before it falls apart? Does it need an energy source?"
"Exactly," Zor-El said smoothly, still keeping the true extent of his plans hidden. "It’s not foolproof. You’ll need to monitor the stability regularly. The more terrain you try to replicate, the more resources it drains. But, in a pinch, it could come in handy."
Kara shrugged, unfazed. "I can deal with temporary, as long as it's fine."
Zor-El’s gaze flickered toward her for a moment, but he quickly returned to his work, carefully adjusting the settings on the ship's systems. A temporary fix, he thought. That’s all it could ever be. But maybe it’s enough for now.
There was something in his eyes that Kara missed, as always. He wanted more than just a temporary solution, more than what he was letting on. But for now, the tinkering was enough to keep his plans under wraps—at least until the next phase was ready to be set into motion.
"Just don’t push it too far, Kara," Zor-El said lightly, shifting in his seat, his voice sounding a little more serious. "Things like this always come with... consequences."
Kara grinned and nodded, too distracted by the idea of her "bigger" atmosphere to consider anything deeper. “I’ll be fine. Just make sure I don’t end up inhaling something weird again, yeah?”
Zor-El allowed himself a small, knowing smile as he pressed a few final buttons, his voice barely above a whisper, “Just be careful.”
But he didn’t need to tell her more. Not yet. The experiment was still in its early stages, and the less she knew, the better.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In the Military Guild…
In the shadowed corners of the Military Guild, the faint hum of distant machinery buzzed through the air as Astra and Dru-Zod stood together, the heavy doors of the lab slowly closing behind them. They had just returned from Zor-El’s private laboratory, their minds reeling from the data they’d accidental uncovered.
Astra’s voice was low, though it carried an undeniable edge of concern. “Dru, the core readings... I’ve never seen anything like them. Krypton’s instability is unclear. Zor has been hiding this for a while” She crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze narrowing. “This can’t just be a coincidence. The way his markings... his notes, they all point to something worse.”
Dru-Zod leaned casually against the wall, his posture relaxed, though there was a flicker of something darker in his eyes. His expression was unreadable, a slight smirk tugging at his lips as if the whole situation amused him more than it should have. “You’re overreacting, Astra. Maybe Zor's just... cautious. He’s always had a flair for dramatics, you know.”
Astra shook her head, frustration building. “You didn’t see what I saw. The core is unstable—unpredictable. This is beyond his theatrics. We’re talking about Krypton’s future.” Her voice softened, just a hint of panic slipping through. “If Zor is right, and he knows what I saw, we don’t have much time. We have to warn the people—prepare them.”
Dru-Zod’s eyes flickered with a mix of calculation and restraint. “Warn them? About a potential instability that no one’s even sure of? What will that do? Panic. Fear. Chaos.” His tone was smooth, almost dismissive. “And what would that accomplish for us? The people don’t need to know. They don’t need to panic. What we need is control.”
Astra looked at him sharply, sensing the undercurrent of something far more dangerous in his words. She narrowed her eyes, but Dru-Zod’s expression remained cool, like a mask carefully constructed to hide his true intentions. His posture, confident and almost too self-assured, made Astra uneasy, but she couldn’t quite place why. She brushed it off, this was Dru, one of her blood and friend.
“Zor and Alura would want us to keep quiet about this,” Astra said, her voice stiffening as she forced herself to trust the words of her twin and brother-in-law. “They’ve kept this secret for a reason. They’ve always been protective.”
“Protective, or controlling?” Dru-Zod muttered under his breath, though his voice was barely audible. He straightened up, his demeanor shifting slightly. “Look, I get it. You’re worried. But nothing’s going to change by just talking about it, Astra. Zor’s devices... his tinkering, they might be unstable, but they’re not a death sentence. Not yet.”
Astra, still not fully trusting his words, stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. “What are you saying, Dru?”
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he casually walked over to a nearby table, picking up a device—an unassuming piece of Kryptonian technology—and twirling it between his fingers. “What I’m saying is that we’re too close to this, Astra. Too close to the family... to the politics. You want to save Krypton, to warn the people? I’d suggest you rethink how you go about it.”
Astra’s gut tightened, sensing a shift in his tone. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice shaking slightly now.
Dru-Zod turned to face her, his smile sharp, almost predatory. “I’m talking about the power of knowledge, Astra. Power that the people don’t understand, that they shouldn’t. Zor and Alura can keep their secrets, but you and I… We can see what they refuse to. And in the right hands, this knowledge isn’t just about saving Krypton... It’s about controlling it.”
Astra blinked, the weight of his words settling in her chest. “That’s not the way. We should warn them—help them.”
Dru-Zod laughed softly, a sound that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Helping them? You’re more like your parents and sister than you think. You’ve got that noble streak in you, Astra. But you’ll learn soon enough that the world doesn’t work on ideals. It works on power.”
Astra stood frozen, unsure whether to challenge him or retreat. His words struck a chord, something she didn’t fully understand but couldn’t ignore. She had always trusted Alura’s words, she was her sister for Rao's sake, but Dru-Zod’s calm, dangerous demeanor had a way of making her doubt. “What are you saying, Dru?”
Dru-Zod leaned in, his gaze hardening. “I’m saying that we’re on the edge of something much bigger than you and I. Something bigger than the entire Military Guild. And what you do next could change everything. We don’t need to warn anyone. We just need to make sure we’re in control when it happens.”
Astra stepped back, her head swimming with conflicting thoughts. There was no clear answer. All she knew was that Zor’s tinkering wasn’t just about atmosphere—it was a much deeper issue, one that threatened the very foundation of Krypton’s survival. She didn’t know what Dru-Zod’s true intentions were, but she could sense that this path, this conversation, was a slippery slope.
And deep down, a voice in her head whispered that things might never be the same again.
“You’re wrong,” Astra muttered under her breath, though she wasn’t entirely sure anymore. “We’re doing this the right way.”
Dru-Zod watched her, his gaze unwavering. “Are we?”
The question lingered in the air as Astra turned away, trying to quiet the unease gnawing at her insides. She didn’t have all the answers yet, but she knew one thing: they were heading toward something that could change everything for Krypton. And whether they were ready or not, it was already too late to turn back.