"Hmm?"
The Old Wizard raised an eyebrow when he saw Liam return, not alone, but with the girl and the small cat tucked safely at his side.
He studied Kara for a long, unnerving moment, causing her to shrink instinctively behind Liam. The little girl peeked out from behind him, while Streaky crouched low, cautiously observing the strange old man.
The Old Wizard's long, gnarled fingers stroked his beard as he chuckled.
"Interesting," he murmured, "you've picked up another outsider. It seems I've been out of touch with the world for far too many years—ignorant and ill-informed."
Even at a glance, the old man's perceptive eyes discerned that Kara was not human. Liam, meanwhile, simply smiled beneath his helmet, unconcerned.
Not long after returning, Kara's stomach began to rumble. At the same time, Streaky gave two weak, plaintive meows, the tiny creature clearly exhausted and hungry. Both girl and cat turned to Liam with pleading, wide eyes.
While Kryptonians and cats eventually gained superpowers from Earth's sun, the process was slow. Superman himself had gained abilities incrementally over decades, and even then, different Kryptonians matured at different rates. Zod, for instance, had achieved in a few days what took Superman thirty years.
Liam mused briefly on these differences. Age and developmental stage mattered, and while genetics played a role, environmental factors could accelerate—or hinder—growth.
For now, though, the first priority was nourishment.
"Let's get you something to eat," Liam said politely, turning to the Old Wizard. "Could you make a portion of french fries and a hamburger?"
Kara's eyes lit up, and even Streaky perked up slightly, sensing the promise of food.
True enough, the small meal worked almost instantaneously: happiness came in the form of carbohydrates, and even Kryptonians were not immune. Kara devoured the burger and fries in large bites, white sauce smudged across her delicate mouth.
Taking advantage of the moment, Liam quietly scanned her from head to toe with his portable scanner. The data streamed directly into his private terminal, linked to the Trans-dimensional Bracelet, giving him the first invaluable Kryptonian body scan.
Later, he would need her cooperation to draw some blood for research. Waiting too long would be unwise—once she fully matured into her physical prime, with steel-like bones and heightened cellular defenses, simple procedures could become impossible.
Perhaps it was because she hadn't eaten in a while—or simply due to her first taste of Earth food—that Kara's eyes filled with tears.
"Delicious… this is so delicious," she murmured between bites.
"Eat slowly," Liam said with a gentle smile. "No one's going to fight you for it."
Her gaze softened as she looked down at Streaky. "Can I share some with him? He's my good friend."
"Don't worry," Liam said casually. "I'll get him proper cat food soon."
Kara blinked at the fried food before her, confused. "But… this is delicious! Can't he try it too?"
"This isn't healthy for cats," Liam explained.
Her chewing stopped instantly, as if the appeal of the burger had evaporated. She frowned, looking at Liam for guidance, then returned to nibbling reluctantly, glancing occasionally at the cat.
Once satisfied, the next step was hygiene. Kara's pristine white dress had long since turned streaked and muddy from the forest trek.
"You should take a shower first," Liam said kindly. "I don't have clothes for you here, but I can borrow a few from Auntie Ye next door. Her daughter has plenty of spare outfits."
Kara nodded, clearly understanding, and Liam led her by the hand to the bathroom. He demonstrated the showerhead and controls, things utterly alien to her—Krypton, after all, was a Level Eleven civilization. But she quickly caught on.
Then she noticed the toilet. Her small hand tugged on Liam's sleeve.
"What is that for?" she asked, genuinely curious.
He explained the basics abstractly: sit, relieve oneself, flush, large or small flush. He suspected that Kryptonian methods for such matters were fundamentally different, but for now, it would suffice.
She tugged his sleeve again, innocent eyes wide. "Can you demonstrate it?"
Liam froze, glanced down, then chuckled silently. Not yet, he thought, and diverted her attention. He led her to his own prepared room, tidy and empty from renovation foresight, and settled Kara and Streaky inside.
Meanwhile, Kara's spaceship had been moved under stealth cover by the mobile armor. Two hours prior, Pal had attempted to interface with its AI. Kryptonian technology was notoriously secure, with protocols Liam had never seen before. The ship's system was completely locked; no unauthorized access allowed.
Fortunately, Liam didn't need to hack anything. He coaxed Kara to touch the hull, and the security system instantly recognized her presence. A melodious female voice sounded from inside:
"Kara Zor-El, welcome, Star-Child, last daughter of Krypton."
Every file and database unlocked: Kryptonian science, history, culture, even alien bestiaries. Clearly, Kara's parents had intended to save not just their daughter, but the accumulated knowledge and treasures of their civilization.
Liam reviewed the logs, understanding Kara's journey to Earth. She had left Krypton slightly later than Superman, her ship caught in the explosion's aftershocks, misrouted into the Phantom Zone for twenty years before landing.
He also cross-referenced the Mantis-man he had killed earlier: Li-Bagu, an Atrilonian sentenced to life imprisonment in the Phantom Zone. Now that Kara had emerged, it was likely others—criminals of Krypton—might also have escaped.
"Sir, that young alien lady seems to be looking for you," Pal reminded.
"Hmm?"
Liam exited the lab to find Kara in a lace nightgown, standing hesitantly.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" he asked.
"No, no… I was just looking out the window, and then I saw…" Her voice faltered, eyes wide.
"Calm down, tell me what you saw," Liam encouraged.
Cautiously, Kara asked, "Do… do people here sometimes dress like Batman and sleep in trash cans?"
Liam paused, raising an eyebrow, unsure whether to laugh or just sigh.