A Million Reasons | K. Danvers ✔

[80] Unexpected Reunion

• January 03, 2018 •

When he gained consciousness, there was nothing but smoke all around him. He coughed as he sat up, inhaling and exhaling to get his lungs used to the smoke. Unlike humans, he could survive in drastic environments so the suffocation created due to the smoke would fade once he got accustomed to it.

The fumes had some lead content but he had received treatment for his lead poisoning after getting recruited in the Legion. So the lead did not affect him as adversely as it had done so earlier.

Soon as he got stable, he stood up and searched for his companions among the debris of the partially crashed space pod. He found Brainiac close to him and unconscious, so he checked to see if he was alive or not.

The faint pulse and the breathing indicated that he wasn't hurt badly and was only passed out. The one who had been terribly hurt out of them was Imra. 

Trying to find the power cell, Mon scoured the remains and his heart jolted to see the cell crushed. Rushing to the power cell, he lifted off the debris fallen on top.

The indestructible glass case was intact and Imra wasn't hurt further but the system connection was of the cell was destructed, unable to provide her any sustenance. If he didn't get her out soon, she would die in there.

As he struggled to get the cell to open up, he couldn't do so because the system had been damaged. Horrified that he would not be able to get Imra out, he started to search for something he could use to break open the glass.

Though he knew himself that it would be near impossible.

By then, he was cursing himself for putting Imra in the power cell in the first place but if he hadn't done so earlier, chances were that she might not have survived the explosion. But not being able to get her out of the cell could result in her losing her life as well.

He decided to wake Brainiac up and try to break open the cell together but when he reached the other end, he heard voices as if someone had broken into the space pod.

Being cautious, he grabbed the closest weapon, hoping it would work in case the intruders meant any harm. He could see that the sonic gun was broken and if he used it, it would propel a heavy beam and then extinguish.

The recoil would be harmful to him as well so he would have to be twice careful with it.

The voices drew closer so he lifted up the gun and cautiously stepped out. The sight that met his eyes was shocking, to say the least.

At first, he saw silhouettes but then as the smoke had started to clear up, he could make out a caped figure in red and blue with a gleaming S logo. It was Kara and as a result, he froze in his place.

"Drop your weapons, we do not mean you any harm," the familiar voice of Nightwing reached him and along with that caped figure he had first seen, the remaining six members also came into view.

The Young Justice was standing in front of him.

"Mon-El?" Kara recognized him immediately though he looked a lot different from how they had last seen him. But she could not mistake the blue pendant he was wearing because it was indeed the necklace she had given him.

Right next moment, Connor had reached him despite the fact that the sonic gun was still pointed at them. "Mon, you're back!"

He dropped the sonic gun as Superboy engulfed him in a hug. Mon-El had missed that warm comfort his friends had offered and he felt relieved that it was them and not some other threat that had found him.

But the moment was short-lived because Imra's life was at stake. So he pulled apart from Connor and before the rest of them could hug him too or ask him what had happened, he spoke up, "I need your help. Urgently."

He told them that his companions were injured and Artemis nodded, "yeah, we found one and Wally took him outside. Are there any more people here with you?"

"Yes, she's in a power cell and I can't break it open."

"What's a power cell?" Tim spoke up, an intrigued spark in his eyes but then seeing the grave expression on Mon's face, he quickly added, "okay, we'll break it open. Tell us where it is."

To know that Tim had no idea about a power cell meant the tech-genius couldn't break it open using his means. And even if he could, it would take some time for him to understand the mechanism first.

But right then, they had no time to spare.

Mon took them to the place where the power cell was stuck and his anxiety increased to see that Imra's vitals were dropping. She looked as if she was struggling to breathe but her eyes were still shut as she hadn't gained consciousness yet.

Tim was observing the system that had stopped working and then spoke up, "Kara, Connor, you guys will have to break open the glass. The rest of you step back."

Kara could see that whoever the woman in the cell was, she was extremely important to Mon. So she spoke up, "don't worry, we won't let her get hurt. I promise."

Together, Kara and Connor used their laser vision to melt the glass from the side where the internal lock was located. The power cell could be opened up from the inside but as Imra wasn't conscious, she couldn't do it herself. So they decided to melt that portion of the glass and then reach inside to pull open the lock.

The Young Justice and Mon had stepped back, the heat in the space pod increasing due to the melting glass. A considerable while passed until a hole was created near the internal lock handle.

But before Kara or Connor could pull it open, Mon stepped up, "let me do it. I know how to open it from the inside and we can't take any risks."

"But it's not enough for your hand to pass through..."

However, Connor's voice drifted off as Mon had already squeezed his hand through that very tight opening, not caring in the least that the hot melted shards were searing his skin. His hand had turned red from the deep cuts but he pulled open the lock and the cell let out a hiss, the glass case opening up at last.

Kara quickly got his hand out of the way, worried at the crushed state it was in. But Mon was focused on getting Imra out of the cell, not caring for himself in the least. But he couldn't possibly lift her out of the cell as he was injured himself.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll take up from here," Richard assured him and stepped forward, taking Imra out, "we've shifted your other companion to Mount Justice already. Wally is there with your other partner and by now the med bay would be ready too."

"Get her there first," he spoke up, "she'll die otherwise..."

Kara volunteered immediately, "I'll take her."

Since she could fly, it would be faster if she took Imra rather than the rest of them. Mon trusted Kara so he didn't object and Nightwing handed Imra over to her. The second Kara had taken off and Mon was sure that Imra would be safe, all the fatigue and pain kicked in and he almost collapsed against Connor.

"Hey, buddy, hang in there," Connor supported him and looked at Richard who nodded, conveying him to get Mon to the med bay as well.

"We'll look around for any other survivors just in case," he instructed, "the rest of the team will stay with me. You get Mon to the med bay as soon as possible."

***