Chapter 1
“And it looks like everything is ready for the historic launch of the Genesis Mark 1 Space Shuttle,” The news woman announced live from the airfield on TV, “As you can see behind me, the shuttle is securely attached to this retrofitted 747 passenger plane. It will carry the shuttle and this reporter, along with some select passengers in to the air before it will detach and continue its journey to the stars.”
“Still can’t believe NASA is finally getting back in to the space shuttle program,” mom stated amazed as she came in from the kitchen, handing me a glass of fresh lemonade.
“Sure is going to be nice having other things up there besides GPS and spy satellites. Along with the odd space station and telescope,” I laughed, taking a sip of the lemonade as we continued to watch the news feed.
“The Genesis Mark 1 is a combination from both NASA and Stark Industries. The three man vehicle is equipped with the latest technology and advanced systems ever conceived. It is the first in hopefully a new generation of shuttles that will help us explore more of the vastness of space. Tony Stark stated that ever since the Battle of New York, realizing how small our world is among so many, that it is time that earth once again looked to the stars and made its presence known.”
“Pretty sure we did that, or I should say the Avengers did that after the invasion.”
“Kara honey,” mom breathed in a soothing tone.
“I know,” I sighed, “It’s just…with the alien invasion. All the death and destruction it caused and the way people still talk about the Avengers, blaming them for some of it. How can I ever hope to be accepted if I do decide to show myself to the public?”
Mom ran a hand over my head and down through my hair before leaning in close to my side. She rested her head on my shoulder and threaded her arms through mine.
“Despite everything your father and I feared would happen if people ever did find out about you. We always believed, especially him that you were sent here for a reason. You’ve already done a lot of good and helped people while keeping yourself hidden. But sooner or later, someone will figure it out. When that day happens you are going to have to decide what you are going to do. Hide from the world or face it regardless of how people might treat and see you.”
“And as you can see, we’ve even got a few special passengers joining the flight. Tony Stark and the Avengers, minus Dr. Banner of course. Along with a few children from the Stark Space Cadet Starters Club. The flight itself will be taking off right here in Smallville, Kansas; where only 25 years ago was the site of one of the largest meteor showers in American history.”
“A meteor shower that concealed a small space craft that carried little old me right in to your loving arms,” I added, turning and placing a kiss to the top of my mom’s head. Mom laughed and snuggled in to me, but before I could snuggle back my sharp ears heard the sound of a car approaching. “I thought Laura and the kids weren’t coming over for another hour or so?”
“Maybe Laura decided to come over sooner.”
“Without calling?” I questioned getting up and quickly retrieving my glasses, putting them on and doing up my hair in a ponytail, my golden blonde locks quickly turning a chestnut brown.
“Kara?”
“Just being cautious. There are a lot of big wig government types around,” I replied as we both headed out of the house.
A beautiful classic cherry red convertible sports car pulled in to the driveway behind mom’s station wagon. A balding man in a nice suit stepped out of the driver’s seat, followed by an attractive Asian looking middle aged woman in jeans and a nice short leather jacket. She pulled the passenger seat down so a younger woman with very familiar looking hair and eyes could get out. She looked over at us and smiled brightly, stepping in front of the others and putting her hands in her jean pockets nervously.
“Hi, Martha. Kara. It’s been a while,” she greeted us anxiously.
Mom and I looked quizzically at each other before looking the girl over again. Then it hit me at the same time it did mom. She gasped and placed a hand over her mouth in shock as she stepped forward, reaching out to run a hand through the girl’s long hair.
“Skye. Oh Skye. Look at you. You’ve grown up so much. You’re beautiful.” Mom quickly pulled her in to a fierce hug, clinging to her almost as tight as Skye was to her.
Skye was an orphan whose case worker thought a change of scenery outside of the suburbs and city scene might be best for her; after her last placement ended with a trip to the emergency room when her foster father threw her down the stairs. She was only ten at the time when mom and dad agreed to take in the scared and nervous little girl.
It took a while, but after she met me and got used to the beautiful country side, she began to relax and slowly open up to us. I had a sister and she had a home for five years, the longest she’s stayed in one place according to her. She was so wanting us to keep her and make this her forever home, but sadly her new case worker came to take her back. Something about her old one passing away and him just getting to her file, noting there’s something in it that he wasn’t at liberty to discuss with us. Skye was heartbroken and so was I. Mom and dad argued with the man, wanting to know what they had to do in order to become Skye’s permanent foster parents. Even going so far as to follow them to New York, leaving me at home to tend the farm with some family friends looking out for me while they were away.
Turns out Skye ran away shortly after he dropped her off at the orphanage and disappeared. She was always handy with a computer, even if the Wi-Fi through the barn was banded together from an old dial up service and satellite dish we pieced together to pick up nearby signals. Skye spent a lot of time in the barn, in our special clubhouse up top of the hay loft. But she also spent time helping out and was always willing to hang out with me.
I was afraid I’d lost the only real friend I had in the world, the only sister I ever had and wanted. Yet here she is, grown up and with two people who mom may not realize, but stick out as government types to me.
“Hey country mouse,” Skye greeted me, using my old nickname after she and mom parted, “What happened to the smart blonde tomboy I knew and loved?”
“She grew up and decided to change her look, tech rat,” I replied, smiling softly at her as I stepped forwards and pulled her in to my arms, burring my face in her neck and breathing her in as I closed my eyes.
“I missed you so much,” Skye cried, “I have so much to tell you. And I know you have a few things to tell me. Just…just please be nice. Everything is ok…I promise.”
She clearly could tell I sensed something about the two she came with, offering me fair warning they had an idea about me. But she seemed to trust them and wanted me to trust them to.
“I missed you too. I love you and trust you. That has not or will ever change no matter what,” I told her.
Skye gave me a squeeze and stepped back, wiping at her eyes as I used the sleeve of my flannel shirt to wipe at mine behind my glasses. She smiled warmly at mom and me as she went over to stand next to the two people she came with. “Martha and Kara Kent, I’d like to introduce you to Agent Phil Coulson and Agent Melinda May-Coulson. My parents.”
I was shocked stupid. Not at her coming out and telling us they’re agents, but that they’re her parents too. Mom was equally shocked as she came forward, tears of joy running down her face as she hugged both of them in turn. The agents were a little surprised at the impromptu hug, but recovered and returned it before mom went over and stood beside Skye, taking hold of her hands excitedly.
“They found you. I’m so happy for you Skye. While I wish we could have been your parents…I’m so relieved to know you finally have them back in your life.”
“Actually, I found them. Kinda by accident, but a happy accident,” Skye laughed, looking over and smiling at her mom and dad, who smiled softly and nodded at her, “And you and Johnathan were the closest things I’d had to real parents. After they took me away and I ran away…I thought about coming back. I wanted to, but I knew it would be the first place they looked for me.”
Mom nodded understandingly, having had to tell the police and Social Services Skye has made no contact with us. Even going so far as to chew them out for losing her. Skye suddenly pulled mom in to a hug and kissed the side of her head before pulling back.
“I am so sorry to hear what happened to…pa,” she said with a fond smile, “He was a great man. Tough but fair and always there for me. I hope he knew how much he meant to me.”
“He knew,” I told her with a soft sad smile, “He never once stopped referring to you as his other daughter.”
Skye looked over and smiled back at me as Phil and Melinda came up behind her, placing comforting hands on both her and mom.
“I’m sorry about your loss, Mrs. Kent. You have no idea how grateful we are for what you did for Skye. Taking her in after what happened at her last home, giving her love and support and a sense of family. She told us all about her time here and how much the three of you mean to her,” Phil said in warm soothing tone.
“Thank you so much for taking care of our daughter,” Melinda added in a choked up tone. Mom smiled over at her and hugged her again, this time Melinda relaxed and returned the hug with equal affection.
“It was our honor and great pleasure,” mom replied smiling at them, “Now please, come inside. We can all catch up and watch the grand event that prompted this little visit.”
My ma doesn’t miss a thing. She may be all warm and welcoming, but she clearly knows the same thing I do. That part of the reason for them being here is half about a reunion with Skye and half about me.
***
The four of us sat down in the living room, drinking the lemonade mom brought a pitcher of and talked about Skye’s time here with us and how she found them. Turns out Skye has grown in skill, becoming a genuine first rate hacker. She got picked up by Coulson and his new found team, after it was discovered she hacked SHIELD from her van on a laptop she won in a poker game. She joined the team, not to gain information for the Rising Tide that she helps out occasionally, but to find the truth regarding a redacted file she found about her. Turns out only ten months after she was born, Skye was taken from the Coulson’s and somehow ended up in a small village in China. There she was discovered by a SHIELD team amidst the ruins of said village. Classified as an 0-8-4 and for her own protection, given how the agents of the team were being killed off by whatever destroyed the village, the last two survivors rigged up an order in her file that made sure she never stayed with a family for longer than six months. That she was always moved for her own safety.
Skye’s case worker dying suddenly from a heart attack and all her files being dumped on that fresh faced guy was how she managed to stay with us for five years. It took him that long to get through to her file and come get her.
“That certainly must have been a lot for you to handle,” I offered after they got done explaining things.
“It was. Kinda still is,” Skye laughed nodding at me, “But it does put everything in perspective for me now. And hey, not only did I manage to make a family for myself, but I found my real one. That’s something that doesn’t happen to most orphans. But I don’t need to explain Fate’s crazy ways to you do I. Miss country mouse with three soulmarks.”
“Three soulmarks?” May, as she preferred to be called, exclaimed in awe, “You’re part of a quad?”
“But there hasn’t been a recorded quad in over two hundred years,” Phil added.
“Kara was born with two already. The last came when she was about three," mom explained looking to me with a warm smile.
“Have you met any of them yet?” May asked.
“No,” I sighed shaking my head, “But there’s still time. I just hope they’ll want me once they learn I’m…”
But before I could finish the TV suddenly cut off and the refrigerator stopped running. Pulling out their phones to find them dead as well as all our watches meant whatever just happened, happened to everyone and not just the house. Getting to my feet I quickly went outside, closing my eyes and sifting through all the neighboring voices, exclaiming and questioning why they all lost power also.
“What is it?” Skye asked as everyone filed out of the house.
“Power’s out nearly all over the town it sounds like,” I answered when a familiar voice suddenly filled my ears, trying to comfort a pair of younger equally familiar voices, “Oh no.”
“What?” mom asked worried.
“Laura and the kids,” I breathed turning to look up at her on the porch, then to our guests and finally to Skye. She smiled reassuringly and gave me a firm nod. Looking back up at mom I saw she was also smiling down at me, silently telling me whatever I do she’ll support.
Without another word I sped off like a bat out of hell. I ran faster than a train in fact till I reached Laura Barton and her two kids, Lila and Cooper. Their car was dead on the side of the road, thankfully for me all alone. But not so much for the beginning to show pregnant woman and her young kids. I stepped out of the field next to the car and leaned in through the passenger side window. "Everyone alright in here?"
“Kara,” Laura breathed, both shocked at what she just saw and grateful for my presence.
“Kara, the car won’t start and Lila’s getting scared,” Cooper told me.
“So are you,” Lila shot back at her only slightly older brother.
“Well everything’s going to be ok. I’m here now and I’m going to get you guys to our farm. We got some surprise company, but it’s probably the safest place for you three to be right now,” I explained, looking to Laura, “Skye’s back. She found her parents. They’re with SHIELD.”
Laura’s eyes grew wider at that. See Mom and I know the truth about her husband, they told us about it one holiday night after dad died. The Barton’s have always been friends of the family, closest thing I have to an aunt, uncle and cousins. While I was still nervous to tell them the truth about me Uncle Clint sort of suspected something was different about me. Them sharing their secret was a way to tell us they could be trusted with mine. When I was ready of course.
Today seems to be the day for big reveals.
“I outed myself to them getting here and promise I’ll explain everything. But if you want me to keep hush about you guys and what Fury did for Uncle Clint you tell me now.”
“I’d feel better coming clean to them if Clint was…oh god. Clint!” Laura breathed fearfully.
“One thing at a time. Let’s get you guys to the farm for now,” I told her calmly, also worried that whatever happened to the town also might have affected the launch flight, “Put it in drive, strap in and hold on tight. That goes double for you two munchkins.”
Laura quickly buckled up after making sure the kids were strapped in tight. She gripped the wheel as I went behind the car and placed my hands on the trunk.
“You steer I’ll push,” I called out, beginning a more sedate but still fast pace run, moving the car off the side of the road and on to a nearby dirt road that would lead to the house.
***
I got us back to the house, stopping the car just off to the side. Mom came out followed by May just as I went over and helped get Laura out of the car. Lila and Cooper were are ready out bouncing in front of us excited and hyper. “Again! Again! Again!” they chanted in unison.
“Sorry munchkins. One ride to a customer,” I told them smiling as I let Laura lean on me.
“Laura,” mom greeted coming over and hugging her happily, “Are you okay?”
“Little shaken up from the drive over, but I’ll live,” she answered smiling over at me, “Thank you, Kara.”
I smiled back and nodded, leaving her and the kids in mom’s care as I headed over to speak with May. “Any news yet on what happened or the condition of the Genesis flight?”
“Phil and Skye are working on it. Power just came back on, as well as our phones. Best guess it was some sort of EMP. High enough that it only temporarily affected things on the ground.”
“What about things in the air?”
“Well that’s the good news,” Skye picked up coming out and leaning over the side railing of the porch to look down at us, “Power was temporarily cut off on the plane, shuttle and their fighter escorts. They’re back on-line now, but sadly that’s where the good news ends. Hey, Laura. These must be the new members of the Barton Clan.”
“Hey Skye. Welcome back. This is Cooper and Lila. Kids this is Kara’s sister, Skye,” Laura told them.
“The one that went away?” Lila asked coming over and taking hold of my hand in both of hers.
“Yeah. But she’s back now and I’m happy,” I assured her.
“Does that mean she’s our cousin too?” Cooper asked curiously as he came over to my other side.
Skye looked surprised and a little unsure of how to answer that. So I decided to take care of that for her. “She can be. Skye found her real mommy and daddy. But she’s still my sister as far as I’m concerned. But it’s up to her if she wants to add you two munchkins to the family.”
Skye shook her head at me, but smiled gratefully for the save. Phil came out and looked rather pale, instantly causing May to move up to his side and Skye to turn around and face him. “What’s wrong dad?” she asked, her tone full of concern.
Hearing Skye call him dad returned some of the color to his face as he reached out and ran a hand over her arm. He then nodded reassuringly at May before looking down at me. “They scrapped the mission, the plane was planning on heading back but it looks like they were unable to stop the launch countdown or disengage the locking clamps. Genesis’ boosters just fired, sending both crafts in to a rapid ascent.”
“Good lord,” mom breathed as Laura looked ready to faint.
“It gets worse,” he sighed, “Stark is working on it from the cockpit, but so far has had no luck overriding the system. If he can’t get the shuttle disengaged before its main booster fires…it’ll send both ships in to space. And only one of them is designed for that.”
“No…Clint,” Laura breathed fearfully.
“Clint?” Phil repeated with a raised eyebrow as his eyes locked on Laura.
“Kara you have to save our daddy,” Cooper pleaded just as Lila pulled down on my hand. I knelt down in front of her, seeing the fear and panic in her watery eyes.
“Please…you…you have to…you’re special. You can save him…can’t you?” she stuttered out.
Closing my eyes and taking in a long deep breath, I let it out then smiled brightly at her. Pulling her in to my arms I hugged her close, running a hand through her hair. “I’ll try sweetpea. I promise I’ll try my hardest.”
Letting her go I looked to Laura who was latched on to mom, the same fearful look her kids had in her eyes. But she nodded at me, knowing if I make the kids a promise I always keep it. And I have every intention of keeping this one.
“Skye, look after the munchkins for me.”
Skye came down and instantly picked Lila up, settling the girl on her hip before taking hold of Cooper’s hand. I smiled and gave them a wink before dashing off to the barn and the hidden storage chamber underneath it. Not five seconds later I whisked back, standing in front of everyone in a new outfit.
The top was long sleeved in a dark navy blue color that stopped just past the end of my ribs. Revealing my flat yet tones abs. There was dark blue like patches around the cuffs that looked different, more leather like then the tight knit weave structure of the top. In the center of my chest was a red/maroon like diamond shaped shield, with a faded yellow internal color and an S in the center.
The pants were the same color and make as the top, also with dark leather patches going down the outside of the legs. The belt was the same faded yellow as the inside of the shield, with a smaller version of it on the buckle. A pair of knee high crimson leather heeled boots and a long flowing red cape that connected at the shoulders finished off the ensemble. I had taken off my glasses and freed my hair from the ponytail, allowing it to blow free past my shoulders.
“This look more like the smart blonde tomboy you remember?” I asked Skye, crossing my arms under my chest.
“Oh yeah. That’s the sister I know and love,” Skye laughed looking at my boots and working her way up, “Love the boots, but honestly, would it kill you to wear a skirt?”
Mom laughed, but nodded in agreement. Knowing from experience that ever since I was old enough to dress myself, the only time I’d wear frilly dresses or anything resembling a skirt is to special functions.
“It just might,” I retorted shaking my head before looking up, trying to gauge where the plane is but couldn’t get even a glimpse of it or even hear it.
“Northeast following a straight though rising trajectory,” Phil informed me.
“Thanks,” I replied taking a few steps back away from the house and them. I closed my eyes and crouched down on a lone knee. Lowering my head I focused my senses and power until the air around me seemed to swirl, lifting up the stray bit of gravel and leaves. I then shot up in to the air like a rocket, flying fast and hard in the direction of the plane.