The world changed as Koriand'r glided through the portal. She left the cool and hot space to find herself back in a world with proper gravity, and air to breathe.

The dozens of soldiers saluted her as they lowered their guns. She saluted them back, her usually cheer absent from her face.

She walked out of the tent and immediately flew high in the open skies. It muted the usual beautiful blue skyline as her focus was on one thing, and one thing only.

The Type-3.

Her body crackled with power. The sun had charged her reserves up, though she was going to be near useless after this. Experience from when the Psions had done extensive testing on her and her sister.

She grunted at the memory of her traitorous sister. She was about to let the thoughts go but hesitated. No. This was good.

She thought about her elder sister. Her traitorous sibling. The one who allowed Tamaran to fall to the enslaving Citidal race. To then sell her to the Psions as a ‘pure’ blooded test subject.

Though Komand’r had a taste of betrayal as well. She had gotten sold along with her.

Energy surged as her rage and hatred streamlined her powers. With a Tamarain War-cry, Koriand'r shot across the sky. A boom echoed as she broke the sound barrier.

The world blurred as she streaked across the sky. The short distance between the Mansion and the city center got traversed in moments.

There it was. The giant form of the Type-3. Its skin was much darker in most places, though it was also spotted with fresh regenerated flesh.

It didn’t matter. Its regeneration didn’t matter. What did matter was that it was currently not touching any of the Red Guard.

Koriand'r flew low to the ground and charged in to tackle the monster. Her shoulder checked as she rose, forcing to ride along as they were both carried up.

Her trajectory changed until they were both moving straight up. It tried to punch at her. Her now glowing body. Its flesh hissed at any contact with her.

Higher they went, and brighter she became.

The Type-3 let out a howl as it wrapped its hands around her. Its tentacle head tried to choke her out. All its senses screamed as they signaled pain and death.

Koriand'r gathered it. The energy was deep within her, and as much as she could pull from the surrounding air.

If there was any truth in the Psions’ evil experiments, it was that they knew how to make a living weapon. On how to ensure the biology of their subject would not only survive, but grow.

As she redirected her energy, she lost the power to keep them both up. So she adjusted her hold. She rotated them until she was on top and placed both palms over its pulsating and charred chest.

It all came to a point between her hands. A tiny, marble-like ball of energy. It was the sum of all the solar and ultraviolet energy she had.

“Say the Hello to my little Boom-Boom!” Koriand'r screamed out as she tried to quote the crime movie she had watched the other night.

Then the world went white, and all senses lost meaning.

—

Kara held him to her.

If one was cruel, then he was a fool and a hypocrite.

If one was kind, then he was a dreamer and a patient man.

If it was her, then he was a simpleton and a faithful of the Greater Good.

These criticisms were him, and he would not deny it. He knew his limitations. It’s what attracted her back to the island without fail.

A structured nation that resembled a young Krypton. Not strong enough to stand on its own. Not yet.

Like a small Seluuk undergoing a metamorphosis, Val Verde would emerge as something new. Stronger, and more resilient.

It was compelling her to help. To stay and ensure it did not share the same fate as her home-world. Though her heart got conflicted about leaving the farm.

Kal’s family, the Kents, were wonderful people. In some ways, they were superior to the family unit she had back home. It was a warm home that got filled with love and care.

She of course missed her father and mother. Yet the Kryptonian society was all about efficiency. That and understanding your role in society.

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Johnny understood his role. He was a leader that directed his people towards the future. A place where he saw the brightest outcome for those who followed.

It was much like Kryptonian society, unlike the mess in the Americas. A land of freedom and corruption. Where the uneducated fortified themselves in trenches and did war with their fellows.

It was like her history books given life. She recalled learning about a piece of history in her own past. A time before Krypton got unified under a single organization. A period before they could even dream about reaching out towards and exploring the stars.

“Thank you, Kara,” Johnny whispered as he leaned back and straightened himself.

She smiled and adjusted his crooked tie. Now that he was fine, she took the moment to look at what the explosion had entailed.

It felt familiar… “Kori!” she hissed out as she spied her friend free-falling from the upper stratosphere.

She looked back at the three people before her. Her mind cataloging their appearance. They were fine.

She zipped up and through the convenient hole. It got formed when the Type-3 had thrown a metal desk through when they had reached the lobby.

They seemed to slow down as she reached her friend. Her mind calculating the correct angle to approach her friend. This was so she would cause the least amount of issues. The last thing she wanted to do was cause further injuries.

She had to circle up and fall down to match her friend’s speed. This way she could prevent excessive jarring. Sudden stops had the tendency to snap joints and break necks.

Though, to be fair, even a Tamaranian would be sore after such a shock. An improper catch would break a regular human.

Kara pushed back those thoughts as she had to focus on Kori. For the first time since she came here, she had to concentrate on flying. Everything felt heavier. Slower. She was slower.

Catching her in a bridal carry, Kara grunted as she concentrated. She took seconds before they slowed down the decent.

Kara’s brain cataloged Kori's current injuries. Her usually tanned skin was darker, and her hands were a furious black and red.

The skin had boiled and popped, leaking blood and plasma fluid as her body tried to heal itself. Kara frowned she worried about the long-term effects of her currently crippled arms.

No wonder the energy blast had felt familiar. Kori had shown her the Starbolt. The simple energy projection. Then the Starnova, the bomb type attack.

In the sea, and at a low yield, it was impressive. For this to happen, she must have used up most, if not all, of her energy. The energy that helped maintain invulnerability like her own.

“Hello friend Kara,” Kori whispered as her eyes fluttered open. Her soft smile immediately had Kara relaxing.

“Kori… you are really foolish,” Kara admonished as the two were now falling at a pace one would call a brisk walk.

“It is… how does one say… you should see the other guy,” Kori laughed. She then groaned as that laughter moved things that didn’t want to move.

Kara eyed her friend’s arms. “You going to be alright?” worse comes to worst, the Justice League had some very good healing bay that she knew she could use.

“Oh yes. A little sun and meat, and I will be the a-o-kay!” Kori tried to yell out, but the wind almost drowned out her words.

[Roar!]

The two looked down, and Kara had to tilt forward to let Kori see easier. A new Type-3 broke through the ground and crawled up.

Was that from the sewers?

“As the locals say, fuck,” Kori whispered and went limp in her arms.

Kara nodded, wondering how they were going to deal with this. Missiles were the next step and the obliteration of the city’s scorched town square.

[Vreeeee!]

A jet flew beneath them. The iconic red circle and bold A announced their visitors.

The two girls shared a surprised look. Why were they here, and not the Justice League?

[Avengers!] came the magnified call, and heroes jumped to the ground.

[Assemble!]

Thor. Vision. Wonder Man. Scarlet Witch. Iron Man.

Those were the five present as they stared at the monster before them.

The fight, if one could call it that, was as swift as it was brutal.

Scarlet Witch held the monster in place as it fired its Gatling gun. The shots going wide as it couldn’t aim the weapon.

Vision and Iron Man focused on the Gatling gun. They melted the weapon into molten slag as Wonder Man and Thor began the melee.

The two powerhouses began to beat the monster into submission. Their every blow smashing down flesh and cracking or breaking bones.

The Type-3 tried to hit back, but it's every strike against the closest two men were like punching a mountain. It only forced them back a little before Scarlet Witch steadied them. Then they would be back into the fray.

The end was as simple. Wonder Man held the monster in place by hold its waist, while the other four charged up their energy attacks.

“Pull!” Iron Man ordered, and Wonder Man tossed the monster into the sky. It tried to run in the air but did little for its survival.

Mystic energy, two types of high-intensity lasers, and a bolt of raw thunder struck the Type-3. The resulting impact was blinding.

They struck it once. twice. Thrice.

[Thud!]

A mass roughly a third of the Type-3, and the size of a motorcycle, fell onto the pavement. It was a blackened lump of Charred flesh. Steam rose out of it and everyone watched it for signs of movement.

Iron Man and Vision communicated as they got close in a spiral pattern. They were analyzing it.

The lump did not move, though it sagged a little as pus and blood leaked out in a gooey pool of green fluids.

Kara caught Kori’s eyes, and she saw her narrow them. Was she seeing her friend's jealous side?

She understood that feeling well. These were seasoned heroes who were on par with her cousin’s Justice League. They were matured in their powers and techniques. All sharing trust and teamwork that took years, if not decades, to build.

The two landed and she saw the Vision glance at them. Kori waved and the man waved in return.

Iron Man broke off his flight, and Vision kept his eyes on the lump.

The Quinn Jet came back into view and began a vertical landing. Wonder Man and Thor were joking as they walked back to the jet for a couple of cans of beer.

“Want me to put you down?” Kara asked and Kori smiled at her.

“I am comfortable,” Kori teased as she leaned into her friend’s arms.

Kara snorted and made her way towards Johnny. This was the worst man to show up right now.

Johnny was currently tired, frustrated, and angry. It was plain to see. The situation with Cobra and Umbrella was awful.

Kara would bet her family business that Iron Man’s presence was only going to make it worse.

She spied Johnny walking out of the lobby and Iron Man flying down to land before him. The mask flipped open to reveal one Tony Stark.

The two stared at each other.

Shit.

Kara didn’t know if it was her, or Kori that said it. It was a very nice summary of this moment.

————

Chapter 41: Heroes Assembled