<"We are going to stop you!"> Flamebird shouted to Blackflame, who had just revealed her plan to detonate a 200 mega-ton bomb in the Wastelands south of Argo City. A bomb of that magnitude would destroy the government and science buildings that were responsible for the day-to-day operations of Argo City, as well as create earthquakes, atmospheric storms, and other natural disasters. Of course, Blackflame had no way of knowing that her bomb would also cause Krypton's already unstable planetary core to explode before Jor-El and Zor-El expected.

Supergirl was speechless, listening to Flamebird's proclamations of victory-and Blackflame's insane cackling, knowing that if she stopped Blackflame she would alter history and prevent the destruction of Krypton that had resulted in Kal-El being sent to Earth where he would eventually become Superman. But, if she allowed Blackflame to follow through, all of Krypton was doomed save Kal-El.

<"I would not count on it."> Blackflame dismissed Flamebird with a casual wave of her hand. She turned to the black robed man who had come in to tell her the bomb was ready. <"Dar-Ev load the bomb onto my sky-cruiser and set the coordinates for the Wastelands.">

<"Yes, Blackflame."> Dar-Ev said. He and the other three men left the massive chamber accompanied only by the sound of their robes swishing.

<"Surely not even you are cold-hearted enough to kill so many people!"> Flamebird cried out, her eyes resting worriedly on the prone form of Nightwing.

<"I will kill however many it takes to further our goal."> Blackflame shrugged, <"And really, who is going to miss a bunch of bureaucrats and scientists? Not I. Nor will the average citizen of Argo City. Most of them will just be pleased that they are suddenly free from the regulations and policies that keep them in a stranglehold and prevent them from living their lives to the fullest. Their liberation will seem a small price in comparison to the lives of two to three thousand individuals who spend their days keeping the populace in chains of slavery.">

<"You are mad Blackflame."> Supergirl said, <"To think so many lives are insignificant to your cause… you do not truly understand freedom and liberty. Freedom should extend to even those you claim have the citizens of Argo City in chains. To take their lives shows your own lack of respect for life and freedom.">

<"Oh spare me your sanctimonious drivel Supergirl."> Blackflame snorted, <"We are at war. And unfortunately in war-time, there are casualties.">

Toward the front of the room the man with the scarred face who had captured Nightwing and forced Supergirl and Flamebird to surrender removed, for just a brief instant, the ray gun placed against Nightwing's temple. And that moment was all that Supergirl needed.

Once she saw that the ray gun was pointed away from Nightwing, Supergirl let loose a TK blast that slammed into the scar-faced man's back and knocked him off his feet. He cried out in pain, but Supergirl paid no heed to his discomfort as she flew at top speed to where Nightwing had fallen to the floor once the scar-faced man's grip on him was loosened.

Supergirl scooped Nightwing up in her arms and streaked away, flying toward Flamebird and landing.

<"Impressive display Supergirl,"> Blackflame complimented her. <"But, you are still in my lair. And my guards and loyal subjects will make short work of you.">

From all directions the room filled with soldiers and guards. They all brandished ray guns and taser staffs.

<"This looks pretty bad."> Flamebird said, holding her unconscious partner. <"I'm glad Nightwing is passed out for this, so that he doesn't have to see our deaths live and in person.">

<"I wouldn't write us off yet."> Supergirl cautioned Flamebird.

<"What would writing have to do with this situation?">

<"It's just an expression."> Supergirl shook her head, <"Never mind. Some things are lost in translation.">

Supergirl watched the advancing legion of Blackflame's goons. They were mostly young adults, both male and female, and they looked scared just beneath their bravado. That made them even more dangerous, since scared kids were more likely to act erratically than a seasoned soldier would.

<"I'll give you all one chance to surrender and give up Blackflame's insane and misguided crusade."> Supergirl said to the advancing goons.

<"They are loyal to me Supergirl."> Blackflame said warmly, <"They will not betray our cause. Nor will they listen to a mouth-piece of the establishment that keeps us chained in archaic procedure and stifling laws.">

<"We will never betray Blackflame."> A girl in the front of the group said, an anti-matter taser pointed in Supergirl's direction.

With one well-aimed TK bolt, Supergirl smashed the taser in the girl's hands to pieces. The girl cried out in surprise backing away from Supergirl and looking at her hand as though it had betrayed her.

Supergirl looked up at the ceiling, which was about fifty feet above them. She turned to Flamebird, taking Nightwing's prone form from the girl hero.

<"Take my hand,"> Supergirl reached out to the girl. <"And hold on tight!">

Once Flamebird had a firm grip on Supergirl's hand, Supergirl took off at top speed-streaking directly toward the ceiling.

<"GREAT AND MERCIFUL RAO!"> Flamebird shrieked as the world sped by a velocity she could have never before imagined. The rays streaking toward them from the goons down below seemed to be moving in slow motion. As the ceiling rushed toward them, Flamebird felt a heavy brick of fear lurch in her stomach.

Just before they hit, a TK blast from Supergirl punched a wide-hole through the ceiling, giving them ample room to fly out and away.

<"Oh Rao."> Flamebird moaned as Supergirl set them down several miles away from Blackflame's headquarters. She found the ground wobbly beneath her unsteady feet. <"Hold on tight is barely sufficient for something like that.">

<"Sorry."> Supergirl grinned sheepishly, <"I very rarely fly that fast… in fact, I didn't know that I could fly that fast… I was nearly in league with Superman or Wonder Woman.">

<"There's a Superman?"> Flamebird asked tending to Nightwing.

<"Yeah. He's my mentor. And… my cousin."> Supergirl smiled brightly, realizing again that she was now for real Superman's cousin. It wasn't some imagined relationship that the media and other heroes perceived. It was now a fact. She was Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El of Krypton.

<"He must be very proud of you."> Flamebird checked Nightwing's pulse.

<"I don't know if he is. He and I haven't spoken much lately… not even before I got stuck here."> Supergirl said softly, <"I hope he is. I just hope I get to see him again.">

<"I hope you do too. Family is very important. Nightwing is all I have now. With our parents gone and my fiancé…"> Flamebird shook her head sadly.

<"Nightwing is your brother?">

<"Yes. He became Nightwing before I became Flamebird. Ironically I was inspired to become Flamebird by the vigilante my colleagues whispered about. The mysterious Nightwing. Some thought him lore, or legend. And for the first year of our careers as partners, we had no idea of one another's true identities. And then one night I was wounded by one of Blackflame's goons and my mask came off while Nightwing was performing resuscitation. He didn't say anything for a long time. He let me keep my secret for some time.">

<"My parents did not know that I was Supergirl for awhile."> Supergirl remembered telling the Danvers the truth. <"They did not take it well at first. After a while they relaxed about it. My father was a police officer. He was very proud.">

<"Is a police officer like a Security officer here?">

<"Yes."> Supergirl nodded.

<"How did they die?"> Flamebird asked.

<"My entire hometown was destroyed during a planetary war. They were killed when it was obliterated. Them and all of my friends."> Supergirl looked at the brilliant emerald sky with it's red sun a blustery orange-hue in the late evening.

<"And you were unable to save them?">

Supergirl turned and looked at Flamebird, her clear blue eyes dark and troubled. <"With all my power, and all the power of my friends, we could not save them.">

Flamebird looked at Supergirl for several moments, <"And that is what keeps you fighting. In your heart you know that you can never save them, but you are going to fight until the very end to protect and save as many people as you possibly can. It is like that for my brother and I. Our family and loved ones will never come back. But each person we save. Each crime we stop. Each one of Blackflame's goons that we leave for the Security Forces to take away eases the pain somewhat.">

<"Once I fought the good fight because I knew nothing else and I was so empty that I felt I had to feel that emptiness with goodness."> Supergirl said, remembering when Supergirl was just Matrix. <"And later I fought because I felt there was some darkness within me that had to be balanced out. Now I just fight because I do not want any one else to feel the way this loss has made me feel.">

<"I pray to the great mother Baro you find peace Supergirl."> Flamebird said.

<"Thank you Flamebird. And please, call me by my real name. Kara.">

Flamebird's face showed surprise at the name, but she did not comment on it. <"And you must please call me Kir.">

<"Does this mean you can call me Tel?">

<"Nightwing!"> Supergirl exclaimed.

<"Oh you had me scared there dear brother."> Flamebird sighed.

<"Well, I had myself scared there."> Nightwing looked at Supergirl, smiled at her. <"The look on your face nearly makes me think you might have missed me.">

<"Oh don't be insufferable."> Flamebird groaned. <"My brother would seem to have a bit of a crush on your Kara.">

Nightwing blushed fiercely, <"I don't know what she's talking about!">

Supergirl had no time to participate in their sibling teasing.

<"Look!"> Supergirl pointed toward Blackflame's stronghold where a fleet of sky-cycles shot from behind the structure, looking like a flock of birds as it sped in their direction.

<"It looks like Blackflame is sending her hordes after us."> Nightwing said. <"Looks like about twelve.">

<"That should be easy enough."> Supergirl said.

<"Wait!"> Flamebird said, <"It looks as though they may be a decoy for us. Look at the back of the monastery.">

A mid-sized sky-cruiser was taking off, heading away from the monastery.

<"Blackflame is leaving with her bomb."> Flamebird said.

<"What bomb?"> Nightwing asked.

Supergirl watched the sky-cruiser streak away in the darkening day, knowing that Blackflame was heading toward the Wastelands where she would detonate her bomb-planning to destroy the bureaucratic section of Argo City. Without any knowledge that her bomb would result in the early destruction of Krypton's planetary core. If they stopped her, then history would be changed.

But, if we don't stop her, an entire planet dies.

Supergirl weighed it all in her mind. If she did what she was thinking she would change history. Kal-El would not be sent to Earth when he was. Would he even be sent to Earth? If more time was gotten, Jor-El and Lara could make it to Earth as well. What would the difference be in Kal's upbringing if you substituted his birth parents for his adopted parents? How would that effect Superman? Would there even be a Superman? And if there was never a Superman what would that do to Earth's destiny as she'd known it? He had stopped so many brushes with utter destruction. There was no hero quite like him. Would she cease to be if such a thing happened? Since without Superman there would have never been a Superboy or a Pocket Universe and therefore no Matrix. And no Supergirl to save Linda Danvers's soul.

Her head was beginning to hurt as she thought about it.

"What would Superman do?" She asked herself.

It took her only a minute to decide.

<"We have to stop her."> Supergirl said finally. They would stop Blackflame, and hope the universe corrected and smoothed over anything she ruined by stopping Blackflame.

<"Our rocket boots are dead."> Nightwing said flatly.

Supergirl turned to him, <"Wait here just a minute.">

Taking to the sky, Supergirl sped off in a blurry comet of red and blue. Several seconds later she had returned handing them both two power cells each.

<"I hope those are the right kind. I left them back where we were fighting Blackflame's goons earlier.">

<"Those will work just fine."> Flamebird said, loading the fresh cells into her boots as Nightwing did the same.

<"Let's go."> Nightwing said.

The three heroes flew off in pursuit of Blackflame's ship, avoiding the decoys she'd sent out to look from them.

<"So what is the plan?"> Flamebird asked, both she and Nightwing flew on either side of Supergirl. Both of them had realized that the maid of might was not flying as quickly as she could have on their account.

<"I'm going to grab the bomb and take it into space. Hopefully I'll have more than enough time to get it out of Krypton's atmosphere and orbit before it detonates. It's up to you two to keep Blackflame and her goons suitably distracted so that they can't stop me."> Supergirl said, her eyes focused intently on the silver sky-cruiser not far ahead of them.

<"I don't think anything could stop you Kara.">

<"Do not make me into an infallible god Nightwing. I am human and capable of failing just as well as anyone. Just because I have awesome powers, it does not mean I am perfect."> Supergirl paid no attention to Nightwing's bruised ego or the expression it brought on his face.

<"I was just saying."> He grumbled.

<"We should expect something when they land. Their radars obviously have picked us up by now. It's not as though there is much out this way.">

The Wastelands were filled with stone and rock, occasionally white rock outcroppings stood tall as solitary steeples throughout the ravaged cracked ground. Zor-El had explained to her that once, in the distant past, the Wastelands had been a beautiful expanse of lush vegetation and rivers and lakes filled with amazing animal and insect life. The Last Great War had changed all of that, and left the one time paradise barren and dead. Before the people of Krypton had become too intelligent and sensible for superstition, it was believed that the Wastelands were haunted by the spirits of the species left extinct by the Last Great War.

<"The sky-cruiser is coming to a stop!"> Flamebird exclaimed.

<"There is another sky-cruiser up there."> Nightwing said. <"Did Blackflame send a scouting party ahead?">

<"No."> Supergirl said, her heart growing cold as she saw the sky-cruiser. It belonged to her adopted father Zor-El. <"I'll meet you two up there.">

Supergirl sped up, shooting away from Nightwing and Flamebird and zipping past Blackflame's ship, landing in front of Zor-El's ship where she found her father with the Universal Key he had shown her in his lab earlier.

<"Dad! You have to get out of here! Blackflame has brought a massive bomb and plans on detonating it! The charge is enough to ignite the planetary core earlier than you and Jor-El expect!"> Supergirl's words tumbled out quickly and breathlessly; she looked to where Blackflame's ship was landing only a few yards away.

<"Kara!"> Zor-El embraced his daughter, his Universal Key humming behind him. The console on it was blinking as it went through it's warm-up phase. <"Surely you can stop her with your great power.">

<"I can try Dad."> Supergirl spun just as Blackflame and a squadron of her men came spilling from the sky-cruiser.

<"Ah, Supergirl. I was hoping you would show up."> Blackflame smiled, pointing an anti-matter phaser at Supergirl and Zor-El. <"I guess you didn't bring Nightwing and Flamebird along. They aren't much more than mere mortals. Not anything spectacular like you.">

<"Wrong Blackflame!"> Nightwing's voice was haughty as he drop-kicked one of Blackflame's guards.

<"And this is for my fiancé!"> Flamebird said, punching Blackflame directly in the face.

<"Dad, I'm going to try for the bomb… if I don't make it… tell mom I love her. And get off Krypton as soon as you can."> Supergirl turned, but before she could lift off Zor-El grabbed her by the wrist.

<"Kara. You have only been our daughter for a short time. But, we love you.">

Tears welled up in Supergirl's eyes.

<"Please be safe and come back to us.">

<"I'll do my best.">

With those words, Supergirl flew to Blackflame's sky-cruiser-knocking over several of Blackflame's guards in the backlash of her trail. Her hands tore through the metal hull, not bothering with doors or hatches, just tearing hunks of metal away and tossing them aside heading straight for the bomb.

Standing before it, Supergirl knew this was the moment of truth. Where she had to decide if she was going to change the entire fabric of existence in her world or if she was going to let things go on. Although she'd come off in pursuit and told Zor-El that she was going to get rid of the bomb, she realized in this moment that she was still undecided.

An entire planet's fate hung in the balance. All the people who had taken her in and given her a home and a family here would be gone. An entire race would become obsolete save one child-one who was not yet born, only housed in a birthing matrix.

"Get away from the bomb Supergirl."

"Why do I feel like I know you?" Supergirl turned around, looking at the person standing there.

"Because I suppose in some ways you do. Even if you don't really remember."

The man was dressed in a gold metal bodysuit with longish red hair. His face was sad, drawn, and although he looked young, there was something about him that seemed really old.

"That makes no sense." Supergirl sighed, "Of course, with everything considered it makes perfect sense."

"If you prevent the bomb from detonating here you will wipe out the future. And there are great forces of evil coming. You have been given an idea of your role in the great battle coming, however, that great enemy that you will face has stepped in. That is why you are here, about to prevent that bomb. He wants you to change the future. If there is no Superman, then he will surely win when he makes his big move."

"But I am sentencing all of these people to death." Supergirl said feeling hopeless.

"They were sentenced to that fate long before you arrived here. The universe is trying to correct the balance that was thrown off when Supergirl's creation was preventing. That is why you are here. That is why you were stuck in the past. The enemy cannot act deliberately against you; he is far too weak. But, he can throw an obstacle such as this in your way. A choice to change everything."

"Your name is Alexander." Supergirl said, "Alexander Luthor. I don't know how I know, but I do. And somehow I know that you shouldn't be here. You shouldn't exist either anymore."

The young man smiled at her. "You are correct in some ways. In others you are not. The universe is not what it once was."

"I do not wish to loose another set of parents." Supergirl whispered mournfully.

Alexander Luthor looked at her and smiled sadly, "As you have learned, and as you will continue to learn, very seldom do heroes get what they want."

Supergirl looked at the bomb and then at Alexander.

"Damn you." She whispered.

<"That was a lucky shot Flamebird!"> Blackflame said, wiping blood from her nose and mouth. She pulled herself to her feet, aiming her anti-matter phaser at the heroine. Flamebird was busy smashing the skulls of Blackflame's goons and did not realize that she was in Blackflame's cross hairs.

Before Blackflame could fire a shot, Zor-El threw himself into the woman, knocking her aside. As Zor-El and Blackflame tumbled to the ground, a single shot blazed from the phaser-streaking straight toward Zor-El's Universal Key.

There was a crackling sound as the anti-matter blast sizzled through wiring on the Universal Key-which was supposed to lead to the anti-matter universe.

The Universal Key began throwing off bolts of black and purple energy dancing with electrical bolts.

<"YOU FOOL!"> Blackflame screamed at Zor-El, knocking him aside. She fired at Flamebird again, but again found her shot going wild as Zor-El grabbed her from behind-attempting to wrestle the phaser from her hand.

The bolt struck one of her men, dissolving him into nothingness instantly. It clipped another of her men, severing neatly and cleanly his arm at the shoulder, before finally the weakened bolt hit Flamebird in the chest.

The girl screamed in pain as the bolt ate through her uniform and into her flesh. She fell to the ground.

"KIR!" Nightwing cried out.

<"You will pay for your meddling old man!"> Blackflame said, firing a clean shot directly into Zor-El. The man was gone in an instant.

All around them energy poured from the damaged Universal Key, striking the ground and the various members of Blackflame's gang. Anything the energy touched disappeared in a cackling display.

Nightwing rushed over to his sister and stooped to cradle her.

<"Oh.. Tel.. it hurts."> Flamebird moaned.

Nightwing looked at his sister's wound, seeing how close it was to her heart and the angry dark flesh around it. Knowing the dark anti-matter was seeping down into her body and bloodstream like poison, Nightwing felt a rush of emotion realizing that his sister did not have much longer.

<"It's going to be fine. You'll be OK."> Nightwing said, rocking her, feeling her body growing cold in his arms. <"Supergirl will get you to a doctor in time.">

<"She doesn't have time. She has to get rid of the bomb."> Flamebird's voice was growing weak.

Blackflame looked at the scene around her, her own people rushing around in madness, no longer in control. No longer committed to her cause. She fired her phaser at them, killing several of them. She then removed the detonator from a pouch in her belt and depressed the timer on the bomb. Her sky-cruiser would go down along with everyone else here when the bomb detonated. She looked at Zor-El's sky-cruiser, figuring it would be more than adequate for getting her out of here in time to avoid the blast.

<"Now for you two."> Blackflame hissed, turning her attention to Nightwing and Flamebird.

She leveled the phaser at them, preparing to fire.

An errant bolt of energy from Zor-El's Universal Key struck Blackflame.

The woman screamed out before disappearing into nothingness.

Supergirl came out of the ship, the detonation sequence having begun. She had stood there for several moments watching the timer flashing, Alexander Luthor looking at her silently, his eyes pleading with her to do the right thing. She had walked by him without a word, unaware that once she was past him he stepped into thin air and was swallowed by it.

<"Where is my father?">

<"The scientist?"> Nightwing asked.

<"Yes."> Supergirl nodded, even though she knew the answer. She had witnessed Blackflame's end as she was at the ship's exit.

Energy continued pouring from the Universal Key.

<"Blackflame killed him with an anti-matter ray."> Nightwing replied.

Supergirl felt a surge of tears well up. She walked over to Nightwing and Flamebird, kneeling down.

<"The bomb is going to go off. I was not able to stop it."> Supergirl's voice was hoarse. <"We need to get out of here.">

Nightwing continued to cradle his sister.

<"I cannot leave Kir.">

Supergirl reached over and closed the dead girl's eyes.

<"She is gone Tel. She would want you to live. To continue fighting.">

<"Blackflame is dead. There is nothing left to fight for. I have nothing left to live for."> Nightwing's voice was flat and emotionless.

<"Please do not speak that way.">

Nightwing looked up at her, his blue eyes reaching out to her own light blue eyes, and quietly he said, <"I don't want to leave her.">

Supergirl felt her heart break for him, even though she did not know how much of a heart she had left to break after everything.

Supergirl leaned in and kissed him.

<"Then I will not make you leave her.">

A tear slipped from his eye, <"I love you Kara.">

<"I love you too."> Supergirl replied, meaning it there in that moment.

<"You should go. There is not much time left."> Nightwing said, looking down at his sister's cold body.

<"I will stay here with you."> Supergirl replied, taking Nightwing's hand and holding it tight. <"You should not be alone.">

<"But what about you? The blast will destroy you.">

Supergirl looked at him, <"We shall see.">

It was very silent for several minutes, with Nightwing and Supergirl just staring into one another's eyes with Flamebird's corpse between them.

When the bomb went off, the flash of light was so bright and blinding that the entire world was made up of nothing but blinding white light.

TO BE CONTINUED?

NEXT ISSUE: Death and destruction rain supreme on Krypton... leading Supergirl into the revelation of the identity of the person responsible for her being trapped in time and directly into our double-sized Supergirl: The Maid of Might Annual 2.