Solidarity
a Supergirl fanfic
On AO3 here
There’s someone new in the bar, that night, when Maggie visits.
She hasn’t been in there for a while, since she left to go traveling, but she figured nine months was enough for a vacation, and she had to get back to work at some point.
So she was returning to the alien dive bar that night, and though it was probably expected, she saw someone who, she thought, she’d never seen before.
It’s a man, at first appearing with dark hair and brown skin, and Maggie normally wouldn’t have paid attention to him.
Except he looks around, with caution, before lightly pressing his forehead, and suddenly his hair becomes white, his skin blue, and there’s what looks like lightbulbs on his face, three of them, in a sort of upside down triangle. She can honestly say she’s never seen that before.
Though she orders her usual, and sits back down at her table to drink it, she can’t keep from looking at the new man while she’s doing so. He doesn’t seem to want anything- he’s only keeping a cautious eye on everyone there, as though he expects them to notice him at any second, and take action.
Maggie doesn’t know what to do about him. He’s not doing anything illegal- rather; he’s practically waiting for someone to do something illegal to him. He’s just… strange. But she figures, whatever he’s doing there, the bartenders will take notice, and take action if he ends up hurting people.
He moves around, after a while, taking slow, cautious steps. When he reaches the bar itself, he sits on a stool that he quickly turns away from it, discouraging any attempt at conversation.
Then, when Maggie orders her second drink of the night, and he hears the bartender speak her name, he speaks up.
“I apologize.” He says, holding one hand up in a halting gesture. Maggie stares at him, meeting his eyes for the first time since he’d arrived. “Forgive me for the intrusion, but…your name is Maggie?”
“Yeah, it’s a pretty common name.” Maggie answers, placing the glass on the counter. “What about it?”
“I… my boss, as you would probably say- her ex-girlfriend has the same name.”
Maggie doesn’t stop staring. There’s no way. She’s sure it must be a coincidence… but then again, in a town like this, coincidences aren’t too common. So she decides to ask.
“Is your boss, by any chance, named Alex?”
“Yes!” says the blue man, almost hopping off the stool, looking at her in surprise. “Director Alex Danvers. Of the- never mind. I am likely not supposed to reveal that information.”
“It’s okay, I already know where she works.” Maggie says, reassuring. He has his hands behind his back, and she can tell that he’s tense, still guarded. But at least he’s making eye contact with her. “But, she’s a director now, huh?”
“Yes. Just before Director J’onzz left, he appointed Alex the new director. And since I was responsible for Agent Schott leaving, he believed I was the best candidate to replace him, as a field agent and as mission control.”
Maggie can only let out a low whistle at first, and absorb the information, still curious about everything that’s happened since she left. She’s heard things, on the news, but they’re all about the aftermath. There’s nothing describing how things started, or anything going on at the DEO since she last visited it.
“And your name is…?”
“Right! I never mentioned that. Agent Querl Dox. From Colu. Pleased to meet you.”
“Maggie Sawyer.” She says, quickly shaking his hand. “Detective. From Earth. And, same.”
“Thank you.” He answers, looking down at the floor. “Most people are not that kind, when they first come into contact with me.”
She gives him a sympathetic expression, as they sit down together. She’s not quite sure how it happened- again, she’d never do this in a normal situation- but he knows Alex. And the way he looks at people… she recognizes it.
After all, she knows she did the same thing once. She still does, sometimes.
“I’m sorry.” She says, genuinely. “Can I ask why?”
“My family.” He answers. “In all of their history with Earth, they have never treated it with anything but hostility. Naturally, such a history reflects negatively on their one descendant who intends to do good in the universe, and atone for their deeds.”
“And that’d be you, right?”
Querl nods. “You may have heard of Brainiac?”
Maggie stares at him. “You mean the evil living computer, who tried to take Metropolis a while back?”
“The very same.” Querl answers. “I am directly descended from him- as well as Indigo, otherwise known as Brainiac 8, who attempted to set off a nuclear bomb over this city two years ago.”
“Right.” Maggie says. She never saw Indigo’s face, but she knows about what she did- and that someone related to her really wouldn’t have an easy time getting along with other aliens in this city.
“As for me, my title is Brainiac 5.” Querl says. “Though, my friends- well, your former friends- Alex included- usually refer to me as “Brainy”.”
“Okay then.” She answers. “So, Brainy, what exactly brings you here?”
“To National City?”
“Well, yeah. What else?”
“I suppose I should have also told you that I am from the thirty-first century.”
That, honestly, Maggie wasn’t expecting.
“Really?”
“Yes. Though, I was forced to stay in this time, several months ago, when an artificial plague created by my ancestor began to wipe out my species. Mon-El and Agent Schott- Winn, probably, to you- along with one of my other teammates, Imra Ardeen- were sent to the future in order to put an end to this threat.”
“You’re a refugee.” Maggie says, nodding. “I respect that.”
“Right.” Brainy answers. He’s more relaxed now, especially after talking to her, but still uneasy. “And they decided to heroically sacrifice their lives- potentially, of course- for my own good.”
Maggie studies him, his face especially, and the tenseness in his posture.
“You’re really worried about your friends.” She says.
“I am.” Brainy confirms. “They knew what they were getting into, and I trust that they will be able to carry out their mission with success… but nothing is certain. And I do regret not being able to tell Winslow how I truly feel about him. I admire him, I know that, and he knows as well- yet, my feelings for him also run deeper.”
She doesn’t bother translating that particular thought, as much as he’s said about it- she already knows what he means.
“You know, Brainy, I think we’re gonna get along.” She says. “And why are you here at this bar?”
“Truth be told, I was only attempting to find the personal residence of Kara Danvers.” He answers. “I was staying in her loft, and I had to work late- so, she assumed I would be able to go from the DEO to her apartment, with no problem. She, on this occasion, was incorrect.”
“I’m not exactly a GPS, Brainy…” Maggie starts. “But I definitely know where Kara’s place is. Come on. I’ll take you there, and on the way we can talk more. Sound good?”
Brainy smiles, more relaxed than ever. “Definitely.”
The two of them walk out of the bar side by side. Brainy has his image inducer turned off, and Maggie stares down passersby, daring them to say or do anything to the person she now knows as her new friend.
~
“Kara!” Maggie says, a very nervous-looking Brainy at her side as she stands in front of Kara’s apartment, greeting her. “I heard you lost someone?”
Kara stares at the two of them- first, at Maggie, because after she and Alex broke up it seemed like she’d cut them all out of her life completely, and then at Brainy, who she hadn’t seen since before she left the DEO for the day. And that was hours ago.
“I apologize.” Brainy says, before Kara can ask about where he’s been. “I intended to be at your apartment, so that we could eat dinner together…but I was lost. In my own thoughts, which ended up making me lost in a directional sense.”
“We met at the alien bar.” Maggie says, in explanation. “He ended up in there, somehow. But he didn’t even eat anything.”
“Oh, excuse me if I was too nervous to even consider eating!”
Note to self, definitely taking him there at some point. Kara thinks. And this time, I’m making sure he eats something. For his own sake.
“It’s okay.” Maggie answers, gently patting him on the back. “And you’re gonna be okay, too.”
“I will be.” Brainy agrees. “Thank you, Detective Sawyer.”
She first nods at Brainy, in appreciation, then turns to Kara. “But seriously, he’s all yours now. Take good care of him.”
Kara smiles, as Brainy steps forward, now standing by Kara’s side.
“I will.” Kara says. “Really, though, thanks for this. I got worried about him, but I’m glad to hear that he was in good hands.”
“Right. He’s really lucky that he met me. Aren’t you?”
Brainy nods, completely unable to disagree. He hadn’t expected to make any friends, when he went out alone, but it was amazing that he had met her- a good person in her own right, who would’ve helped him anyway, and not only that but a friend of the Danvers sisters, who’d been especially close to Alex.
“And tell your sister I said hello.” Maggie continues. “Maybe…maybe she and I could text, sometime. Catch up on what we’ve been up to lately- as friends.”
“Yeah.” Kara says, smiling. “I think she’d like that.”
Then, Maggie closes the door, and she’s left with Brainy- finally- and even more questions than before she’d gotten there.
