Arrowverse Elseworld Chapter 15: Canary

An original story with alternate versions of Arrowverse characters.

You know what's so cool about archeology? It's a chance to see a lot of things you've never seen before. Whether it's a foreign nation you've never visited or an ancient tomb that's remained sealed for centuries, you never know what you're going to expect.

But this fortress Tara Nim-El has in Antarctica is nothing like anything I've ever seen.

The crystalline walls shine and, somehow, they provide enough warmth from the ice cold temperatures outside. Throughout the fortress, translucent spikes — sort of like stalactites and stalagmites you find in a cave — either stick out of the ground or hang from the ceiling. Toward the center is a large chair, which looks like it's made of the same material that lines the walls and spikes.

Tara sits in the chair in front of a lighted panel, running her fingers over the buttons. The monitor above the panel flashes symbols that resemble hieroglyphics. A tablet leans against the panel, showing news broadcasts from all over the world. She told me the technology absorbs solar power and there's no need for electricity. Of course, she only told me that because I wouldn't stop asking her about it.

A small, black spaceship sits in a corner of the fortress and I wonder if it still works — though if I asked Tara, she'd probably tell me not to interrupt her while she's researching. So I examine the fortress' walls and come upon a device that resembles a large microwave oven. Next to it, I notice the lines in the wall marking an oblong door. Grabbing the handle, I'm about to open it when I hear Tara speak. "You don't need to snoop around, you know."

I spin my head toward her. She still has her back to me. Though I'm prepared to ask her why I can't help her out more with this research, I don't want to start another argument. "How do you know what I'm doing?" I ask.

She never turns away from the monitor. "I have super hearing. I could hear you touch the door."

Super hearing. That to go with super strength, the ability to fly, and being impervious to bullets. All that from switching from a planet with a red sun to a yellow sun? Yeah, she told me a lot while we flew to her fortress — of course, I couldn't stop asking questions about her and her home world. "Just curious how you survived here for three years."

She's still running her fingers along that panel. "I lived off penguin meat."

I pull my hand away from the oblong door. Is that what she's stored in there? Cute little penguins for meals? Wonder if I could ever convince her of the many reasons I switched to a vegetarian diet.

My hand goes up, a finger extended toward her. "If I find out you were eating baby seals, I will have to kick your butt."

"Yes, you're going to kick the butt of the woman with super strength." Tara keeps staring at the monitor. "Now if you're done joking around, would you mind coming over here?"

So she wants some help after all. I shrug and walk back toward where she is working. Pulling my smartphone from my pocket, I press the button, swipe my finger across the screen and check my messages again. No bars, of course, but I want to read what Doug had to say earlier. I select the last exchange we had and stare at the phone.

You're going down to where? Doug asked.

Antarctica, with this girl of steel from Krypton, I replied.

Girl of steel?

Yeah, she's that alien who helped me save the Hub City mayor.

I can picture the admonishing look on his face when I read his reply. May I ask why you are headed to Antarctica?

Helping her do some research. Don't worry, I'll be all right. Might be out of touch for a while. Doubt the cell service at the South Pole is any good.

Well, you be careful and you better let me know when you get back.

I tap the phone a couple of times to bring the home screen back up, then slip it into my pocket and step next to Tara. She's stopped running her fingers over the buttons long enough to face me. "You still texting? I thought you said wouldn't be able to do that here."

I study the monitors that flash these strange symbols. "Just looking again at what my partner told me. He worries a lot about me, that's all."

"Well, if you love each other, why wouldn't he?"

I fold my arms. "I do love him, but he's too protective for his own good. Ever since I got this amulet and found ways that I could use it to take down the bad guys, he keeps thinking I'm gonna wind up in the hospital one of these days."

Tara cocks her head to the side. "There's nothing wrong with somebody you love looking out for you."

I glance to my right and notice her stare. Reminds me of that admonishing look my partner often directs at me. "I get that, but I can take care of myself. Besides, I've got you with me — you can take all the bullets in the world for me."

Her eyes narrow and she snaps, "You can't behave like nothing will happen to you. You could lose your partner, or he could lose you, just like I lost..." Her voice trails off. She raises her hand to her eye and rubs it, then takes a deep breath.

I study her for a moment. Now I'm reminded about what she told me on the way here — that when Krypton exploded, she escaped but her husband couldn't join her and she never saw him again. A sigh escapes my lips and I nod toward her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

She takes another breath. "It's all right." Her eyes go back to the monitor and she studies the symbols that scroll about. "It's still hard for me to talk about it." She stares toward the panel. "I wish I was out there right now with Arrow and Flash."

I step closer to her. My hand is about to touch her shoulder, but I pull her back. Maybe we aren't at that stage where we consider each other friends. "You're not the only one who wants to be out there. But I..." I bite my lip, thinking about how to phrase this. Sometimes I wish I was better with words than I pretend to be. "I sort of get why Arrow wanted us to do this work. Maybe we do need a better idea about what we are up against."

She flips her head back up. "I don't want to keep hiding all the time. First Arrow made me assume another identity, blend in with the rest of these beings, after I had spent three years at this fortress in seclusion." She pushes away strands of hair from her face. "Then I got to go out there and save everyone and it felt so good, knowing what I had done. The next thing you know, when I have another chance to go out and help the people, Arrow sends me back to this fortress." She leans back in her chair. "I just want to be out in the world giving people hope."

I press a hand to my chin. My eyes cast upon that big red "S" on her chest. She calls it a symbol of hope. Makes sense that she'd want to provide that for everyone. Biting my lip again, I'm not sure if I should say the things I'm about to, but here goes. "Hey, I understand what you want to do. But you can't just walk out there — well, fly out there, I guess in your case — and expect everyone's going to embrace you. It takes time to adjust to a new place. I had to do that all the time when I was on archeological trips."

She tilts her head toward me. "Yeah, I've kind of noticed how your world is. It's like there's hundreds, even thousands, of cultures. It's so strange, because everyone on Krypton, we lived the same ways, spoke the same language." She goes back to staring at the monitor. "I guess I've just been alone for too long."

"Well, you can learn a lot from being around other people, whether it's visiting another nation or just chatting up with somebody at the coffee bar."

She glances at me again, a small smile on her face for the first time. "I actually did talk to somebody at a place like that. Somebody from National City, who worked for what they called a media company."

I gesture toward her. "Really? Who was it?"

She clasps her hands in front of her. "She said she was..."

A beeping noise goes off and Tara stops talking and switches her gaze back to the monitor.

"Hold on." She runs her fingers over the panel again. "Forgot I had this to show you."

I move in closer. "What is it?"

"The file about Brainiac." She motions to the symbols scrolling along the monitor.

I gesture toward them. "What does that all say?"

"It's Kryptonian writing." Her eyes remain focused on the screen. "It says here that they developed Brainiac to be more than a system that could monitor all planetary defenses and environmental controls. It could possibly evolve toward becoming an intelligent being."

I lean in closer, as if that will allow me to understand these symbols. Force of habit from all the times I uncovered ancient writing on those trips to Qurac and Bialya. "You mean it could be more than just that hunk of technology we left back at Mortensen Industries?"

She scratches her chin. "It could be. Perhaps we should get back to Star City and let the others know what's going on." She grabs the tablet and stares at it. "Wait a minute — look at this."

"What now?" I ask.

She leans toward me and shows me the broadcast on the tablet. The chyron says "Breaking News." The location is Hub City.

That's more than enough to focus my attention on the news broadcast seated behind the desk and reading what must be on a prompter. "We've just received word that Intergang has struck Hub City's government hall once again. Reports are that they are holding the mayor and other city officials hostage. And word is that Congressman Mark Gregory is nowhere to be found. Though police have given no statement, the belief is that the congressman may be missing."

A pit forms in my stomach. "Intergang again? Don't they ever learn?"

Tara sets the tablet aside and rises from her chair. "We need to get to your city right now." She walks right past me.

I hurry to catch up with her. "Don't leave without me."

She stops and turns to face me. "Sorry. But if the congressman is missing, we can't waste time."

I drape my left arm over her shoulder. "Be gentle with your takeoff, okay?"

She takes a couple of steps and leaps into the air. The force is a bit jarring, but she has her left arm behind my back and doesn't let go. Cold air pushes against my face and I shut my eyes for a moment. But it isn't long before I open them and feel the adrenaline rush through my veins while I watch the ground below zip past me. Makes me wish I could experience the joy of flight like Tara can.

"I better contact Flash and Arrow," I say. Placing a finger to my right ear, I push the communicator. "Arrow, you there? Flash, what about you?"

No response. I put my finger against my ear again. "Arrow, Flash, are you there?"

Tara glances at me. "Maybe you're not in range yet. Try again when we get to Hub City."

I lower my arm. "Perhaps you're right." At least, I hope she's right. Never bothered to ask anyone about the range of these comms, but for some reason, the lack of response worries me.

It isn't long before Tara and I are soaring over Hub City. She draws closer to the ground and the big government hall comes within sight. We land in the plaza before the building, my feet gently touching the ground. This Supergirl sure knows how to make a soft landing.

Sure enough, there are multiple members of Intergang surrounding the front of the building. There's not a police officer to be found, though. I don't have time to wonder why, though, because a couple of the Intergang members spot us and march forward, their eyes fixed upon us and their rifles raised upward.

Before I can make a move, Tara stares hard at them. Next thing I know, what looks like streaks of white light with blue highlights pulses from her eyes. The streaks hit the rifles and force the Intergang members back a step. Their grasps loosen and the rifles fall from their hands.

But the Intergang members don't step back any further. They are frozen in place for a moment, then march forward, like losing their guns wasn't a big deal. And then I hear one speak, "You organics will be subdued."

Tara launches herself at both members and knocks them down. That only draws other members away from the building and toward her.

I'm about to join in, but I remember that I need to try to reach the others. Pressing my hand to my ear, I speak, "Arrow, Flash, are you there?"

Silence again. Now I'm worried. Can't reach Arrow or Flash and there's no cops around here, when they were all over the place earlier. There's no way they wouldn't at least be surrounding the building.

I want to mention this to Tara, but she is holding off the Intergang members, driving them back with repeated fists. It seems each time she knocks one down, another takes that member's place. Or, in some cases, that member just gets back up again.

My hand stays up by my ear and I speak again, "Arrow? Flash? Anyone?"

Then I hear a voice — but it's Cissie's. "Canary? I can't reach Arrow or Flash. Where are you and Supergirl?"

"We're in Hub City. What do you mean you can't..."

I don't get to finish that sentence, because a big blast of energy soars from the sky and I'm forced to leap backward. My eyes blink and it takes me a moment to adjust my vision to that light from the blast. What I see next, I'm not prepared for.

Coming down from the sky is a figure with blue and green skin — almost resembles a robot. Its back is turned to me and it appears to be moving toward Tara, who is getting to her feet. I can only assume the impact from that blast caught her off guard and knocked her to the ground.

She stares back at this figure, whatever it is. "What are you?" Then I can make out enough of her eyes to notice they have grown wider, like she recognizes this thing.

The next thing I hear is a metallic voice. "You should know who I am, Kryptonian. I am from your world. I am Brainiac."

A lump forms in my throat. When Tara learned that Brainiac could evolve into something more powerful, I imagine she couldn't have dreamed it would turn into this. I know I wouldn't have. Always thought any talk of killer robots was limited to the movies and, in real life, they weren't going to do anything more than menial tasks.

But I can't worry about that now. I run toward both of them, prepared to do whatever it takes to bring this robot down. That's when a couple of Intergang members charge toward me. Looks like I'll have to take care of these guys first.

I stop in my tracks, take up a defensive stance and block attempts by both to punch me. Their eyes appears to be glazed over, like they were in a trance. No matter, because I can still match them blow for blow. My kicks catch them in the ribs and stomach, my fists connect with their faces and knock them backward. I grab both by their heads and ram them together. They fall to the ground.

Taking a few steps forward, I spot something out of the corner of my eye. My head pivots toward a single police officer. At first, I wonder why they'd send just one officer to the scene, but that's when he reaches for his gun — and he's aiming it at me.

I hold up my hand. "Officer, hold on. I'm on your side!"

He pulls the trigger and I dive toward the ground. Scrambling to my hands and knees, I look back at the officer and notice a glazed look in his eyes. The same look the Intergang members have. My thoughts go back to this Brainiac thing. Tara never mentioned it would have the power to control minds. But what if it evolved to that point?

The officer fires the gun again and I drop and roll across the concrete. Realizing I don't have a choice, I get to my knees and open my mouth. A sonic scream pierces through the air, knocking the officer backward. He drops his gun and falls down.

I get to my feet and take in my surroundings. Most of the Intergang members have regrouped and are advancing. A couple more police officers have appeared, taking the same deliberate steps as the Intergang members. I open my mouth once more and let loose a cry. The sonic waves pulse toward them and force them back.

After about a minute, I stop and catch my breath. That's when I realize I've lost track of Tara and Brainiac. My head swivels and I spot them trading blows. Tara appears to be getting the better of the robot. Excitement and relief flood through me at the same time, grateful to have this girl of steel by my side.

Until Brainiac raises an arm and a big flash of green light fills the air. Next thing I know, Tara cries out in pain. She falls about 10 feet to the concrete below and it cracks when she lands.

I hear Cissie's voice over the communicator. "Canary, what's going on?"

I can't stop staring at Tara, who is barely moving on the ground. "Cissie, I'll call you back." I race toward the woman Cissie calls Supergirl, my heart beating faster. If this robot can hurt the girl of steel, the whole world could be in trouble.

Brainiac sails toward her and she pushes herself to her knees. The robot raises its arm again.

I shout, "Leave the lady alone!" Then I open my mouth and let another sonic cry rip through the air, a cry louder than I've ever unleashed before. Brainiac is pushed away from her and toward the building. My pace quickens as I draw closer to Tara, who pushes herself to her knees.

I drop beside her. "What happened? Are you all right?"

She shakes her head. "I don't know. Whatever he blasted me with, it's weakening me."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Brainiac soaring toward us again. My mouth opens up, ready to let loose another cry, but he's quicker than I am.

The energy blast propels me through the air and I'm lucky to land on a patch of grass, but I still feel a sharp pain in my ribs when I hit the ground. Pushing myself up, I see Tara leaping toward the strange robot and hitting it with several blows. But this time, her punches have less effect.

Then I see the robot draw back his right hand and raise it toward her chest. I make out what looks like a large chunk of a green substance — like a rock in the shape of a knife. Brainiac takes the rock and thrusts it at Tara, who screams. I gulp. Whatever Brainiac has, it's hurting her, maybe even killing her.

"Supergirl!" I shout.

Brainiac withdraws his right hand and she plummets toward the ground, landing in a heap.

I want to get up, help her before it's too late. I force myself to my knees and ignore the throbbing sensation in my ribs. Stumbling along, I raise my head and lock eyes with this robot. His face has these empty black eyes, a mouth that forms neither a smile or a frown, and this strange pattern atop his bald head, three yellow dots with black lines that form a triangle.

But before I can make another move, I feel a sharp blow in the back of my head and I fall against the sidewalk. Dizzy, I roll over onto my back and notice a police officer standing above me, a baton in his hand

Brainiac floats beside him and stares downward, not a trace of emotion on this robot's face. "You will come with us."

I want to respond, say something in defiance, but no words come out. Next thing I know, there's nothing but darkness.