Set on Krypton. All characters remain the property of DC. Disclaimer, this bares little or no resemblance to canon events, it's just my interpretation of how things should have happened.
"I cannot believe you are pursuing this, Jur-El!" a tall, well-built man shouted loudly. "How can you say this will happen when all of the evidence points to the contrary?"
"All of the evidence?" Jur-El, a taller, marginally slighter man said, one jet black brow raised and ice blue eyes pinning the younger man where he stood. "Have you reviewed my findings, brother?"
Zor-El sighed deeply, pinching between his eyes. His long, shaggy blonde hair framed a face that was clearly younger than the older man but with more worry and laughter lines. "I reviewed it. The Council appointed me as advisor... I have to look at both sides of the argument, you know that. The other evidence is compelling, more compelling than the fear that the sun will go nova."
"Then that is what you must tell the Council," Jur-El said easily. "It is not accurate but if you believe it is then you must stand by your beliefs." The older man returned to the construction of the ship, small and sleek with barely enough room for a child.
After a long silence where the younger man watched his brother work he said, "The Council is ordering that no ships can leave."
"Then they are fools and I will have to defy them."
It was said so matter-of-factly that it shocked Zor-El to his core. "You really are serious, aren't you, brother?"
"Our planet is dying," Jor-El said firmly, the fire of belief in his eyes. "I will not allow my son to die with it. He will live and grow strong, he is our legacy."
"Where are you sending him?" Zor-El asked softly.
"Earth."
Zor-El blinked, his face paling. "They're savages! You cannot send him there as a defenseless baby. They will tear him apart or worse, use him as a scientific experiment. Brother, please, there must be somewhere better."
With a soft, sad smile, Jor-El shook his head. "No, brother, Earth is the best place I can find. Humans have such capacity for love and evolution, above and beyond any other species we have ever encountered."
"They have the same capacity for cruelty and destruction, brother," Zor-El said softly.
Jor-El looked up at that and was surprised to see real fear in his brother's eyes. They had been known to have quite vocal disagreements, the last ending in a two year silence. Since the threat, the Council had asked Zor-El to investigate if the threat was real and the silence had ended. Now he realised that his brother was truly scared for Kal-El's safety. "What other option to I have?"
"Go with him," Zor-El offered.
A sad smirk crossed Jor-El's lips and he shook his head. "No, my absense would be noticed too quickly and they would call the ship back. He must escape, I cannot jeopardise this by my selfish need to see my son grow up."
"Send someone else with him then. Someone no one will notice?"
"But who?"
There was a general sense of fear throughout the people as Kara made her way home. People had listened to the assurances from the Council but they still feared what her uncle Jor-El had predicted. They trusted their leaders though. They would be safe. Kara offered her mother a sweet smile as she stepped into their home.
Crystals shimmered around her and she slipped out of her white robe, placing it on the side. "Is father home from Uncle Jor-El's lab yet?"
"Not yet, Kara," Allura said with a soft smile. "How were lessons today?"
"Frustrating," Kara shrugged. "I find the subjects simplified and the tuition too restrictive. Next term, I would like to work with father at the Science Institute. I believe I would get more out of it."
Allura didn't add that this was assuming there was a next term. Their daughter was always the optimist. She was sweet and caring, the kind of girl any parent would be proud of. "I will speak to your father about it."
"Thank you, mother," Kara said solemnly. Her serious expression lasted all of five seconds before she grinned widely and bounced over to her mother, throwing her arms around her.
Laughing lightly, Allura returned the embrace and kissed her cheek. "Silly girl. Besides, if you worked with your father, it would free up your time to help more at home."
"True!" Kara grinned. "Which is an even better reason."
Zor-El paused in the doorway to observe his wife and daughter. They looked so happy and relaxed. It tore him apart to know what he was going to do. "An even better reason to do what?"
"Work with you!" Kara declared brightly as she let her mother go to embrace her father just as fiercely. "If I may, next term."
Holding his daughter close, he met his wife's eyes and knew she saw the fear in his own. "Kara... ah, my sweet Kara, there won't be a next term."
It took a moment for his words to sink in and then Kara felt coldness seep into her bones. "W... why not?"
Zor-El leaned back to cup his girl's chin in soft fingers. "I have reviewed your Uncle's findings and I agree. I have taken you out of school, we need your help, my daughter."
"Help?" Kara's eyes were filling with tears but she would do anything her father asked her.
"We are building ships to escape. One has already been constructed for your cousin Kal-El and Jor-El has started work on a second for you. We will send you ahead to protect Kal-El when he reaches Earth."
"But you're coming, aren't you?" she asked quickly, her voice hitching.
Zor-El smiled as he brushed his daughter's cheek and prayed she wouldn't see the lie in his eyes as he said, "Of course. We will build a third ship for myself, your mother and your aunt and uncle."
"Then why can't I come with you?" she insisted, fear warring with frustration in her heart.
"Because it is better this way," Zor-El told her firmly in the tone that meant she wasn't to argue any more. "Don't fret, little Kara, everything will be fine. Do you trust me?"
"Yes, father! Of course I trust you."
He smiled as he brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. "Then trust that everything will be fine."
The design for the ship had to be slightly more advanced for Kara because she was that much older than her cousin but once it was agreed, the two brothers wasted no time before constructing it. According to Jor-El's calculations, they had barely a month before the star exploded. As neither man was willing to put their children in danger, they juggled the building of the ship with doing everything as normally as they could. They both continued to go to Council meetings, they both kept up their research and they both lied their way through their last month.
Zor-El slid the final crystal into place then stood back. Kara's ship was finished. He glanced up at his brother and saw the same grim determination that mirrored his own. "Go and get her. Prepare Kal-El."
All Jor-El could do was nod as he touched both ships and sent a prayer to the Gods of Krypton to keep their children safe. Lara and Allura had taken to spending all of their time together with the baby and Kara. It was as if the older women wanted to burn their memories into their children's minds. It was certainly something that Jor-El understood. Recently he had discovered what a sweet, loving child his brother had raised and now he knew he would never see her again.
As he approached the home of Zor-El and his wife Allura In-Ze, Jor-El let his determination fill his mind. Krypton had to continue. The House of El had to go on. There was no other option. He paused in the doorway much the same way his brother had a month ago and watched the family bond as closely as they could. Lara was the first to see him and he smiled sadly for his wife.
"It is time," he said gravely. "We have only a few hours before the nova."
Kara's head shot up and she gasped. No! It couldn't be this close! She frantically begged the Gods to give them more time. Please! Her eyes filled with tears as she hugged her mother tightly, refusing to let the woman go before the launch.
Lara shifted the weight of her baby in her arms so that she could smile down at his sweet face. He was smiling at her and it pulled at something deep inside her. She felt her husband's hand on her shoulder and she let herself be guided away.
He felt as if he was some kind of executioner. He had sentenced his people and now he condemned his family along with them. Judge, jury and executioner... But none of it mattered so long as Kal-El continued, so long as his boy breathed clean, safe air and grew up to be the good man Jur-El knew he would be. Surprisingly it was even quicker back to the launch site where his brother was sorting out the final checks for take-off. Kal-El was to go first, so they knew his ship was clear before they launched Kara.
The moment she entered the crystal hall, Kara froze. "There are only two ships!" she gasped. "Why are there only two?"
Zor-El glanced up and met his daughter's panicked eyes. "Because it only takes two to keep the Kryptonians alive."
"NO!" Kara sobbed. "Please, father, you have to come with me!"
Allura gripped her baby close as she weaved her to the larger of the craft. "Hush now, little Kara. Do you trust us?"
Kara nodded, her cheeks stained with her tears.
"Then trust that you will see us again," Allura promised as she wiped away the tears.
All Kara could do was cry and hug her mother tightly. "I will wait for you on Earth," she promised. As she turned, she saw her Uncle and Aunt put her cousin into his ship. Aunt Lara was crying but both of them seemed to be at peace with it. The hatch closed on the baby and it was as if it had closed on their hearts. Lara turned to her husband and buried her head in his chest, crying softly.
"Come now, my daughter," Zor-El said solemnly. He put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her forehead before guiding her to her own vessel. She slipped off her robe and climbed into the liquid goop that would keep her in suspended annimation for the long journey to Earth. The last thing she saw was the smile of her father as he too sealed the hatch on his only child.
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