Luthor's New World Order

Chapter 11: Rebellion

Dates: June 1 2005-June 4 2005

"Ms. Danvers? My office," the principal of Midvale Middle spoke to Kara, voice soft but firm. In another time, Kara might've been terrified at the prospect of needing to go to the principal's office, but now?

"Yes sir," her voice was empty, as were her eyes, and she obediently walked towards the principal's outstretched hand, face sullen as each step seemed to weigh a million pounds upon her. The principal cocked an eyebrow, unused to seeing such a long face on one of the school's brightest (emotionally and intellectually) students. But here she was, looking dreary, despondent, depressed and defeated.

He welcomed the sullen, miserable girl into his office and over to his desk.

"Ms. Danvers," he began. "It has come to my attention that your grades are slipping. Some of your teachers have filed reports to me that talk about your academic failings and several behavioral misdemeanours. Would you please shed some light on what is the matter? You used to be one of my top students! What's eating at you now?" there was nothing but compassion, understanding and openness in his voice as he tried to gently coax an explanation out of Kara. Kara, meanwhile, could only sigh, finding it laborious just to answer his question.

"It's nothing, sir, nothing serious at least," she began tiredly, miserably. "I've just been worrying over all of these attacks and raids over the past couple of months."

"Ah," the principal nodded sagely. "Lex's presidency has been quite... exciting, has it not?"

"I don't know if "exciting" is the word I would've used, sir," Kara muttered. If the principal had heard her, he chose not to address this remark and instead focus back on Kara's slipping grades.

"I understand what a volatile time we are going through right now," he began sympathetically. "But I implore you to keep your head held high. You are too bright, too smart, too full of potential to let it all waste away now in the face of danger. If there is any help that I or anyone else at the school can offer you, please don't hesitate to ask for it. Reach out! And we will answer. I promise!"

His words were sincere, but they rung hollowly in Kara's ears. Reach out? Yeah right. Hadn't she been taught that hiding was the only way to survive in a world like this? And helping? Forget it! Unless the principal could somehow destroy Lex and all of his anti-alien ideas and supporters, there was nothing he could do to help.

Heck, she couldn't even confess to him the real root of her problem, or else she'd out herself as an alien to him! What normal human got that worked up by alien dissection, unless the person in question either was an alien, or who knew someone that was? Either way, it would've been a huge risk for Kara to come clean to her principal, so she didn't. She didn't reach out. She didn't ask for help. She just stayed quiet. Once again, Kara found it safer to suffer in silence, than risk reaching out and outing herself, even to someone as kind, gentle and understanding as the principal.

The only good thing to come out of all the turmoil was the fact that people were finally stepping up their game and starting to organize a full-scale rebellion against Lex Luthor. It was no longer random protests or riots. It was a highly-refined, highly-organized, highly-skilled, highly-run rebellion. And quite a few people were in on it, militarizing themselves or training in order to actually stand a chance against Lex in combat. They really were taking this new rebellion seriously! But it still wasn't large, stable, powerful or popular enough to stand against Lex, so for the time being, it continued to operate in the shadows.

"I should be home by now, someone will come for me," Kara whispered to herself as she sat alone on the roof of her house, staring brokenly into the night sky. Even though the heavens were beautiful, aglow with magnificent stars, Kara could only stare at them with longing. There was no wonder in her eyes anymore, just sorrow and desire.