Supergirl – The Real Story

Part 1

The future is not the bright, wondrous place everyone expects it to be. It is a place of darkness and overreaching government control. It's not the place of Star Trek that portrays humankind as being a benevolent, tolerant, evolutionarily evolved society. Sure, we figured out space travel and could travel throughout the galaxy, but we did so more to exploit natural resources and to spread the festering cancer which our society had become. You may wonder how I know these things. I'm not a modern day prophet writing down visions of the future yet to happen, I grew up, lived, and worked there, over four hundred years from now. How I came to be here, in your present, is a story that I believe is worth telling.

My name is, or more appropriately, was, Samuel McAllister. I was born in the year 2375, in City 12, of Earth District 15. You would know this general location as somewhere in rural Nebraska. Of course where there is nothing but flat farmland now, City 12 stood as a large domed city spanning nearly fifty miles in diameter. Cities, like this one, were distributed throughout the world and housed the majority of the twelve billion or so people living on the planet. The cities are self-sustaining environments, protected from the outside wasteland, and connected with high-speed magnetic levitation trains that travelled through underground tunnels.

You may think that we chose to live in these domed cities because we had devastated the environment, eroded the soils, or made the planet unsupportive of life through war, but you'd be wrong. The world government built these cities to control the people. Every aspect of our lives was scrutinized, recorded, and vilified to ensure compliance with the laws, which were many. If you broke a law, there was only one penalty; expulsion from the global community and being sent to one of many penal colony planets. It was into this world that I was born. A world filled with darkness and rules. One where it was forbidden to travel, to speak out against the government, or to choose your own path in life. We were all born, raised by, educated, and our professions chosen under the strict authority and oversight of the government.

I remember the day I was to receive my work assignment, the career that the government chose for me in my eighteenth year. I stood in line with a thousand other eligible men. I knew I could be given a career in anything from cleaning the underground sanitation systems to being an interplanetary explorer. Women were excluded from careers as over many years they had become a commodity to be bought and sold for the pleasure of men; mere slaves that were kept around for breeding and doing men's bidding. I was grateful I had never been born a woman into this world, as their lives were beyond anything I could comprehend.

As I waited for my turn to receive my assignment, I thought about my life up until this momentous milestone. Everyday of my life had been carefully plotted by the government. The education I had received was designed to prepare me for this day. The girl I was given for the night when I turned sixteen was also a gift from the government. I remember how frail and frightened she had been and how I was expected and trained to treat her. Something inside rebelled for the first time when I looked into her wide, frightened, tear stained eyes. When the authorities came to my room the next morning, they slapped the girl and knocked her to the ground. I saw her bleeding from her mouth, her lips quivering, and the intense fear that permeated her shaking body. I told them that I didn't want to hurt her, that it didn't feel right to me. Because I was still young they were lenient on me. I was given special sensitivity training and reminded that my actions and beliefs could lead to future ramifications, up to and including expulsion. You did what you were told to do, and you thought what they told you to think. That was the way it was.

My name had finally been listed on the wall display returning me back to the present. I walked to the computer system that scanned my iris. My electronic document reader, that was ever present on my hip, beeped indicating a new message had arrived. That was all the pomp and ceremony I would get for my new assignment and now being deemed a man. As I walked away I glanced at the reader. I was to report immediately to police headquarters where I would be assigned my own sleeping quarters and begin training. I was to be a policeman, sworn to uphold the laws of the land that I had secretly questioned everyday since I was sixteen.

Over the years I had done my duty. The alternative was being sent to a penal colony, a fate which was deemed to be worse than death. I had my allotted quota of women, but I only enjoyed those brief moments if the woman seemed interested in me and there was a mutual attraction. I never forced myself on them which generally did not sit well with my coworkers. They assumed I was more of a man that liked men which was the furthest thing from the truth. I adored everything about women; their soft skin, their delicate bodies, and their compassionate nature.

My job periodically allowed me access to material that was deemed illegal. Old books and documents would sometimes surface. These were considered a threat to the established government and required confiscation and destruction. On occasion, I would hide some of them and read them in the little free time I had. The books painted a picture of a world far different. One where men and women were more equal and how the now outdated institution of marriage was considered normal. I longed for the world of the past these books spoke about.

Part 2

It was in the year 2430 that things changed dramatically for me. My new supervisor, Arturus Campbell, was a ruthless, heartless, brute of a man. I got the impression he did not like me much as he tended to assign me the worst jobs. He was cruel and used his larger size to bully and intimidate. One day he had sent me to arrest a woman that was not registered, meaning she was most likely illegally born or had never been marked by the government and likely lived in the wasteland. I searched for a few days through the dark and wretched city until I found her. When I did, she stood proud and defiant in the corner of the musty smelling, dingy, pest-infested room that I found her in. She was beautiful and her dignity caused me to hesitate. I'd never seen a woman that hadn't been emotionally and physically broken. Her skin was darker, which led me to believe she must have come from the wasteland outside the city. I lowered my weapon and closed the door behind me hoping that no one else could hear or see us.

"I've been assigned to take you in."

"I assume you will deliver me to Arturus, who will in turn sell me."

My ears picked up when I heard my supervisor's name. "I'm not sure I understand. You realize you're unregistered?"

"Arturus has men roaming the wasteland looking for women to steal. He took me away from my husband and my children. You wouldn't understand. Do what you have to do."

I thought back to my sixteenth birthday and how I wanted to help the girl but couldn't. I was much older now and I'd seen and done things I was not proud of. What if I was caught and sent to a penal colony? Oddly enough that thought didn't bother me so much. I was fit and well trained to handle myself if that eventuality happened. Perhaps I could make a difference for just one person in this crazy and demented world? "What's it like; the wasteland and having a family?"

She looked at me like I was strange. "We live a simple life, without the technologies of the rest of the world. We're peaceful, keep to ourselves, and live off the land. I couldn't imagine living my life here, in these squalid cities. The air is oppressive and the city is filled with waste and filth. I feel so closed in. My family is everything to me. I'd die for them, which is likely to be my fate."

I looked into her eyes. I was drawn to her. Inexplicably drawn, but not in a sexual way. I saw strength in her that contradicted everything I'd been told about women. "Do you know where you entered the city? I might be able to help you."

For the first time she offered a hint of hope in the sparkle of her eyes. "The train tunnels. There's a door that leads to the wasteland not far within them."

"I'm pretty sure I can get you back to the train tunnel, but if I go beyond the entrance, an alarm will sound as they track my location at all times. You would be on your own from there. You must trust me."

"You're my only hope. I have to trust you. I'm Kara."

"Samuel. Tell me, how'd you escape and wind up here?"

"I was brought in with ten other women. Arturus' men bribed the tunnel guards to let us into the city. At one point they took the bracers off our wrists and I was able to run and get away."

"I won't take you back to them. Hold out your hands. I have to put these bracers on. It'll make it look like I've arrested you. People won't question a police officer."

She had so much courage. She put her chin up high and held out her arms without question. I found myself admiring this woman and detesting myself. What had we done as a society to place such low value on such beautiful and regal beings?

I walked her to the nearest transport station. We weren't stopped or even considered suspicious. No one bothered me for fear of becoming a target themselves. We travelled through the dirty and garbage strewn city streets to the main train tunnels. I was well beyond any place I should have gone, but I felt compelled to help the woman. When we were in sight of the tunnels I took off the bracers that bound her wrists together.

She looked into my eyes, moisture suggesting at the emotions that lay within. "You're a good man in a world with mostly bad people. You are welcome in my home, such as it is, should you ever choose to need a place. You could come with me, you know?"

I shook my head. "You'll only have one chance at this. My presence in the tunnel would set off alarms and I can’t risk your life that way. I'll go first and draw the guards into a conversation allowing you an opportunity to sneak past them and get into the tunnels."

"Thank you, Samuel!" She pulled me into a hug. It was the first time I had ever been held such. I felt her emotions radiate through her touch and into my body. I almost began weeping. Again I questioned where had we gone so wrong as a society? How could we have ever treated these women like we have?

I wiped a tear from my face as she let me go. I took a moment to compose myself and walked out boldly towards the guards. Two guards were all that protected the tunnel. I waved at them and indicated that I needed to speak with them. "I'm looking for an unregistered woman. I was told she may have been in the area of the tunnel. Have you seen anything?" I watched the woman from the corner of my eye sneak into the darkness of the tunnel. I continued the conversation for a while until I knew she was deeper inside. "Thank you both for your time. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

I headed back to the station in a daze. I'd never felt like I truly fit into this society and within the past few hours I now felt completely alienated. Something deep within me stirred. I needed to be free. When I got back to my desk I opened a communications channel for anonymous reporting of individuals that were involved in criminal behavior. I sent my supervisor's name and information and listed the various laws he had broken in his illegal human trafficking operation. Only government sponsored human trafficking was legal.

I left my desk and got my things to head back to my sleeping quarters when Arturus ordered me to his office. A heavy weight felt like it had been placed on my chest as I walked with a heavy sense of foreboding. When I arrived I saw armed guards and several government officials. Arturus sat comfortably behind his desk with a smirk on his face.

"Samuel McAllister. It has come to my attention that you protected an illegal and unregistered female that was to be sent to the Altarin Penal Colony as a sex slave." On the wall was displayed a recording of me in the room with the woman. My voice was muffled but clear enough to hear. "I might be able to help you..." Arturus replayed that portion of the recording several times to make emphasis for those standing in the room. "You violated our law and we can no longer find the woman. I hereby place you under arrest for conspiracy. You violated your oath to uphold the laws and you aided and abetted a wanted criminal. Take him to Processing Cell D!"

A disgraced police officer was always held to a different standard. Punishment was quick and severe. I would be lucky to get away with simple expulsion. The guards tore my clothing from me and cuffed me in bracers. They led me through the busy station naked as an example to other officers that would consider breaking the law. People I worked with for years turned their backs to me, knowing better than to show any kind of sympathy. I thought of the woman, Kara, and her tremendous courage and spirit. I'd do my best to show no fear. I held my head high and put my shoulders back as I was led away.

Part 3

Processing Cell D was a large room in the basement of a government office building a few blocks away. There were no judges and juries that I'd go before to plead my cause. The government officials dealt punishment in the most efficient way possible by being the judge, jury, and, at times, executioner. I was strapped down on a cold metal table perforated with an abundance of drainage holes. I wondered what kind of torture they'd do to me that warranted their use. There were bright lights that shone down upon me. The room had a sterile feeling to it and smelled of disinfectant. I lay there naked and cold, fearful of what I had brought upon myself.

Arturus, along with medical personnel, arrived a short time later. He leaned down and whispered into my ear. "You stole something from me. It's only fitting you replace what I've lost." He then stood fully and announced to the people in the room. "This man, Samuel McAllister, a veteran of the police force, was found guilty of conspiracy against the global government and for aiding a criminal. His punishment is expulsion to the Altarin Penal Colony. Due to the severity and nature of his crimes, an additional punishment is deserved. Doctor? Are you ready?"

At this point I lost all bravado and sweat broke out on my forehead. I struggled against the restraints to no avail, their metal cutting into my wrists and ankles. The doctor pulled out an injection gun and hesitated a moment. Arturus looked pleased with himself as he spoke to me. "This procedure is still experimental. I'm told it's usually done under sedatives as it's very painful. There've been no successful attempts to date, but the doctor feels he has perfected his procedure. If it doesn't work, we lose nothing other than a piece of traitorous trash. Proceed."

I wasn't going to give Arturus the satisfaction of saying anything to make him change his mind. He would enjoy my pleading too much and do what he was planning on doing anyway. The doctor pressed the device against my neck and injected something into my body. It wasn't long until I began feeling a burning sensation course through my blood veins. The burning increased more and more and my muscles began to contract involuntarily. The convulsions were so strong my bones began to break. As much as I tried to be strong, the pain became too intense and I began screaming. The heat and burning intensified making me feel like I was on fire from the inside out. I looked down towards my body. I could see wisps of smoke or steam rising from my convulsing chest and arms. I finally and thankfully slipped into unconsciousness when my skin began to dissolve and slide away from my muscles.

Part 4

When I came to I was in a different room and found I was still strapped down. The pain was mercifully gone and I actually felt quite well. I could not move or look upon what was left of my body, as even my head was immobilized. Eventually the doctor came into the room. "What did you do to me?" My voice sounded all wrong.

"You don't speak to me in that tone! I'm going to let you up so that you can see the miracle that I've performed. There are guards just outside the door. If you run or try to harm me in any way, you'll be severely punished."

"You mean punished worse than I already was or just more punishment?"

"Again, you don't have the right to question me! I should've already beaten you for your insubordination but I've been given a directive to make sure you remain unsullied."

I tried to grasp what he was saying as I felt his hands removing the straps holding me down. When I sat up I saw a young naked woman staring back at me. At first I was mesmerized by her beauty until I realized I was staring at my own reflection in a mirror. I gasped and looked down at myself. Large breasts protruded from my chest. My hand went to my face but I stopped it to stare at how small and delicate it looked. I got off the bed and walked to the mirror, my body feeling uncoordinated at first. I stared at myself, fear immobilizing me. Somehow, they'd turned me into a young woman. A woman with no rights. A woman that could be legally raped by any man. A woman that would be beaten into submission until she would sit demurely and never question any man.

I looked back at the doctor who smiled as if he realized he'd just finished a magnificent piece of artwork. "You're the first to survive the procedure."

I looked back at the mystery person who was reflected back at me. I'd guess I was only eighteen or nineteen years of age, far from the fifty-five years I'd been. Long, full, and lush blonde hair cascaded from my head to the middle of my back. It had a slight natural wave to it. My face was extraordinarily beautiful with large, bright, blue eyes and full, red lips. I was lean and slender with a perfectly flat stomach and long, smooth legs. My breasts were large, my waist narrow, and my hips flared. I was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen and that frightened me even more. A woman like me would be highly sought after, fought over, and would be a prized submissive sex slave.

Arturus strode into the room and took one look at me and laughed. He sent the doctor away. I looked up at him and realized I was now close to six inches shorter than I'd been and close to half my previous weight. I was probably five foot eight and weighed around one hundred and fifteen pounds. Arturus was nearly six foot five and weighed close to three hundred pounds; most of that solid muscle. "Well, well, well. Look how you turned out. I'm going to have to stop spending money on finding women in the wasteland and simply start making them." He reached for me and grabbed my breast with his massive hand. It hurt but I wouldn't cry out. "Very nice. It is unfortunate that we've such little time and I need to keep you unblemished. I promised the administrator of the Altarin Penal Colony a slut beyond compare. You helped the one I was going to give him get away. You'll be her replacement and I dare say you'll bring more credits to my account than all the rest combined. He may keep you for himself or sell you to the highest bidder. I'd love to be there when they deflower you."

A fearful courage built up in me and I lashed out at him, throwing my fist towards his face. Before my fist could connect, his hand grabbed my forearm and stopped any momentum my arm had. I looked with shock at how his hand wrapped fully around my forearm and how little strength I had compared to him. I suddenly felt very frail and weak.

"Guards!" The guards rushed in. "Get this slut to the Galactic Transit Station. She is to be sent to the Altarin Penal Colony right away."

Bracers were once again placed on my wrists. The guards grip on my biceps hurt my arms as I was led away.

When I got to the Galactic Transit Station I was unbound and given a filmy metal dress to wear. The fabric was a light, bluish gray color and made of a combination of titanium threads and synthetics which would be strong enough to withstand the duration and effects of space flight. I slipped it on eagerly as walking around naked was generating many frightening reactions from the men that worked here. Even though it was made of metal, it felt like silk and clung to my new curves, the length stopping at my mid thigh. I was quickly shuffled from one room to the next and given injections and asked to drink horrible tasting fluids. I didn't ask any questions. I assumed these were all to help with suspended animation during the long flight to the penal colony, twelve light-years away.

Whatever they had given me was starting to take affect. My vision began to blur and I was losing my coordination. I recall being taken to the craft that would take me to the penal colony. It was smaller than I expected, looking rather like an arrowhead. I was stuffed into the single seat and wires and tube connected to me. The lid of the craft closed and sealed me in.

I don't recall much after that. I knew the craft would be launched into initial orbit by use of magnetic railgun technology. From there I would pass through a series of accelerator gates at key positions within the solar system that would ultimately lead to wormholes and onwards to the final destination. Unbeknownst to me or to the people back on earth a spacial anomaly had entered the flight path of the spacecraft. Perhaps it was a black hole or something entirely new and unknown, but the craft veered off course and accelerated into the anomaly, moving faster than any known craft had ever travelled and being exposed to a broad spectrum of radiation. After passing through the anomaly the craft used its navigation systems to automatically redirect itself back towards earth as part of a failsafe mechanism in case it encountered any problems in its flight.

Part 5

I'm not sure how long I was in space for. It could have been hours, days, or many, many years. All I knew was that I woke up as the craft was plummeting through an atmosphere. I could see the flames, hear the alarms, and felt the shuddering of the craft as it began to tear apart. The craft did its best to try to level off and reduce the descent speed. At the last moment the spacecraft's nose rose causing it to hit the surface of the planet at a low angle of trajectory. Even with the automatic features to avoid a perpendicular crash, the subsequent skipping of the craft across the surface of the planet tore it apart and sent me flying through air, fire, and debris.

I was lying in a grassy field, shaken, but oddly unhurt. I stared up into the blue sky and took a cautious first breath. Since I never died from my first breath I assumed the air was safe, I stood unsteadily to my feet and looked around me. I was in the middle of a rolling plain, grasses tickled my lower legs and bare feet. The sun felt warm and refreshing on my skin. A light breeze caught my long blonde hair and blew some of it into my eyes. I turned back towards the crash site. For miles I could see blackened scorch marks in the soft earth, flames, chunks of metal, and smoke billowed up into the cloud-free sky. I looked down at my hands and exposed legs. There was not a scratch on them. I didn't know where I was, but I smiled knowing I was likely not on Altarin. I was still a woman, there was no changing that. To me, that change had been only a few hours ago. I'd no idea how long I'd been in space, or what planet I was now on. I breathed in deeply, having never experienced the fresh air of the outside world before. I could smell the soil and the fresh grasses. It was wonderful.

I continued to stand there taking in all the sights and more than a few sensations from my new body when I heard the increasing sounds of distant thumping. Within minutes, multiple strange aircraft were visible and coming straight for me. Fearful of what or who might be inside I looked around to find some form of shelter. Unfortunately there was nothing but gently rolling terrain covered in the same grasses I stood in. There was no place to run or hide. I took a few more deep breaths of the sweet smelling air anticipating they might be my last.

Five aircraft hovered and surrounded me. Two slowly dropped to the ground. I could see into the strange hovering machines to see what looked like humanoid people. I shouldn't be surprised as in all our exploration of the galaxy we never found any other life forms. "Put your hands in the air!" Came a sound from the belly of the aircraft. It was a man's voice. I cringed and did as complied. I did not want to be around men.

Men poured out of the side of the whirling machine. They were covered in some sort of body armor, wore goggles, and were holding weapons, lots of weapons. A man that looked to be in charge strode forward towards me. He stopped a few feet away and looked me up and down appraising me. Did he appear somewhat frightened of me? "Who are you? Do you speak English?"

At least they spoke English. Who was I? That was a good question. I glanced down at myself in a young woman's body. Samuel didn't sound right. I then thought of the beautiful and proud woman from the wasteland. "Yes, I speak English. My name is Kara. Kara Samuels." I threw in my rightful first name as a way to somehow bind myself to my old life.

The man softened his expression slightly. "Where did you come from? We tracked your spacecraft from the time it past the outer planets."

"May I ask a question first?" He nodded. "Where am I? What planet is this?"

"You came here and you do not know where you are? I find that hard to believe. This is the planet earth."

"Earth? This does not look like the earth I know. May I ask what year this is?"

"2016."

I fell to my knees, the sounds of weapons shifting at the same time made it clear they followed my position carefully. If it truly had been earth, I'd at least expected it to be further in the future. "I'm not sure how to explain this. I came from earth. I'm from your future. The year 2430 to be exact."

The man turned to another man on his right. "I need every scrap of that spacecraft found and collected." He then turned back to me. "I'm going to ask you for your cooperation. We have many questions for you and I'm sure our medical teams will need to validate you are indeed from earth. Will you come with us willingly?"

"I don't seem to be in any position to negotiate. Yes, I'll come."

I stood up and the men with weapons surrounded me and walked me to one of the strange aircraft. I was helped inside, the man who seemed to be their leader sat across from me. I had so many questions. "What's your name?"

"I'm General Markus Williams of the United States Air Force."

"What do you call this aircraft?"

"For someone claiming to be from the future, you sure don’t know much, do you?"

"I think you'd be surprised what the future is like."

"This is a helicopter."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"That depends on many things. If you're deemed a threat to our national security you could be imprisoned. If you're cooperative and prove to be what you say, then that's something we'll need to decide at a later date."

"Am I a prisoner?"

"Yes. However, you'll be treated fairly and with respect."

I sat back and stared out the window at the changing landscapes below. I could see the odd building and what looked like some small cities without domes over them. "Is this the wasteland we are flying over?"

"I'm not sure what you are asking, Ms. Samuels. We are currently flying over the state of Nebraska, heading southwest into Colorado."

Within two hours the helicopter landed in what appeared to be a military base. I could see mountains in the distance. I was ushered into a large building. Suddenly I had the urge to go to the bathroom. "Mr. General Markus Williams sir? I'm not really sure how long I was in that spacecraft. I could certainly use a bathroom."

He frowned. "Lieutenant Harlow! Please escort Ms. Samuels to the bathroom. Make sure she doesn't go anywhere but where she's supposed to. Bring her to the main conference room when she's done."

"Yes, sir!" I was surprised to see a woman of rank here. "Right this way Ms. Samuels." She professionally guided me to the women's bathroom and stood outside the stall while I went. It was a pretty straightforward affair for my first attempt as a woman. Since all I was wearing was the short metallic dress I simply pulled the dress up a little, sat down, relieved myself, and pondered my current circumstances. Was it possible that in the year 2016 women truly were more accepted? Whatever had happened, I was certainly much better off here, in this time, than at some penal colony as a sex slave, even if I was a prisoner. I glanced down at my new body and all the new sensations it brought. My urine had sort of gone everywhere. I found some paper in the stall to dry myself up with. I got up expecting something to happen, but nothing did. I was unsure what to do. I opened the stall door to see the Lieutenant standing close by with her hand close to her weapon.

"Isn't it supposed to do something?"

"What, you've never seen a toilet before? Just flush it. Push down on the silver lever for Pete's sake."

"Who's Pete?" The Lieutenant rolled her eyes in exasperation as I reached in to flush the toilet. I grabbed the lever and it broke in my hand. Water began spraying all over. "I'm so sorry. It doesn't seem to be working correctly."

The Lieutenant spoke into a communication device. "We need cleanup and plumbing in ladies room 212." She looked at me like I was wasting her time. "Do you need to be told how to use a sink to wash your hands?"

"I think I can figure it out." I moved to the sinks and looked at the rounded knobs. I touched one first and nothing happened so I twisted it. I was pleased to see water coming out and I managed to wash and find paper to dry my hands with. I went to turn off the water, but I must have turned too far or too hard and I broke the faucet, water spraying everywhere there as well. "I'm really sorry. I would've thought they'd be built stronger. I'll be more gentle next time."

Obviously frustrated, the Lieutenant huffed and escorted me out of the bathroom. On our way to the conference room I asked a few questions. "Lieutenant? What's it like being a woman on earth in this year?"

She looked at me like I was the stupidest person on earth, which, at the moment, I actually felt like I was. "I don't understand your question. It's as it has always been."

"I've never seen a woman working in a career job before. Do the men treat you badly?" I saw the look again. "I guess they never told you about me. I'm from the future. It's very different there, how they treat women, or even how you flush a toilet."

"It's my opinion that you're just a demented young woman. Where did you get that hideous dress? Was that from the asylum?"

"You think I'm crazy. I guess I can understand that. It's clear you wouldn't believe anything I tell you then."

The Lieutenant simply huffed again and brought me to the conference room. There were many people in the room. "Any problems Lieutenant?"

"Other than she doesn't know how to flush a toilet, she breaks everything she touches, and talks like she's insane? No problem at all, sir."

"Good to hear. You're dismissed. Ms. Samuels, please have a seat. I want you to explain to these men and women how you came to be here."

Part 6

I looked around the room and a feeling of apprehension rose up in me. "Sir?"

"Yes, Ms. Samuels?"

"I promise I'll tell you the truth to the best of my ability. The Lieutenant thinks I am insane and I suspect you all might feel the same after I tell you what I know. I only ask you consider it a possibility."

"We'll keep an open mind, Ms. Samuels, after all, we found you in the middle of a wheat field that had been decimated by some form of a spacecraft that plummeted to earth and had come from outside the solar system."

"I'm from the year 2430. I was a police officer for the city in which I lived. All law enforcement positions report directly to the global government. In the future, the government strictly controls what every citizen does. Most live in large domed cities, although some live in the wasteland outside. I was ordered to track and find a woman that had entered the city from the wasteland. I found her, but chose not to arrest her. My supervisor had been involved in illegal human trafficking and had taken the woman from her family in the wasteland and was planning on selling her as a sex slave to a remote planet called Altarin. The planet was used as a penal colony for criminals. I helped the woman escape but in the process my supervisor found out I had helped her and I was punished with torture and expulsion."

"I was stripped, required to wear this metal dress, put in the spacecraft and placed in suspended animation for the journey. Since I had let the woman escape, my supervisor decided he'd sell me as a replacement for the other woman. The spacecraft is automatically controlled. It either reaches its destination or returns to earth if something happened in transit. When I woke from suspended animation, the spacecraft was entering earth's atmosphere and then crashed."

"How is it that you were uninjured?"

"I've no idea, sir. I don't understand that myself."

"You say you were tortured before they put you in the spacecraft yet you have no marks on you. How do you explain that?"

I had no idea what to say. As I spoke I realized how unbelievable my story must be to them. "I told you I would be truthful. If nothing else, at least I know I was honest. I was born in the year 2375, as a male. I had served as a police officer since I turned eighteen. I was fifty-five years old in 2430. Women in the future have no rights. They're bought and sold for profit. This..." I looked down at myself. "This was my torture. Since I let the woman escape I was transformed to become her replacement. When I said torture, you cannot imagine the physical pain having your body reformed. The emotional pain comes with the knowledge that as a woman I had no rights and couldn't even question what they were planning to do to me."

"I'm trying to keep an open mind, Ms. Samuels, but this all sounds like the Lieutenant suggested. Mindless ramblings. Guards, take her down to the medical team waiting by."

As I was escorted out, one of the women spoke loud enough for me to overhear. "General, what if she's telling the truth?"

"Does it really matter? This whole thing is giving me a headache."

The medical facility was one floor down. A group of doctors were in the room and asked me to sit on the edge of a bed. "Ms. Samuels, we are going to run a few tests on you." I nodded and they checked my eyes, ears, nose, and throat. A woman came over with a vial and what looked like an ancient injection device.

"I'm just going to get a few samples of your blood, Ms. Samuels. This might hurt just a bit." She tried to push the needle into my arm but it wouldn’t penetrate the skin. The needle actually bent. "That's odd. I'll get another needle." She tried again with the same results. Frowning, she grabbed a scalpel from a tray nearby. "I'm just going to try a very small incision." I watched her move the blade across my skin and nothing happened. "Doctors? Could you please come over here?"

"What seems to be the problem?"

"I can't get a needle in her arm and even a scalpel won’t cut her."

"Let me see that." He grabbed the scalpel and gently slid it across my skin with no results. He then pressed harder and again nothing. "Get me another scalpel." As he pulled away, the scalpel slipped in his hand and cut his palm. He grabbed a towel and held it against his cut then looked at me again. "Get a DNA sample from her mouth using a swab and I want a spectrum analyzer brought in to test her skin."

The nurse came back and pressed the swab into my mouth as another man wheeled in a rather bulky looking machine. "Put your hand on this plate and please keep still." The machine's fans whirred as a bright light hit the back of my hand. "Doctor? Take a look at these results. Here and here, you can see everything is totally normal, but here, there are unknown elements in her skin."

"Anything on the DNA results yet?"

"First pass is done, Doctor, but details won't be available for twenty-four hours. Similar to the spectrum analyzer, DNA appears perfectly normal human, but there are hints of things I've never seen before. There are also very few male chromosomes but as we find them they seem to be disappearing, or changing into female chromosomes. It's very odd."

"Get her fingerprints and photos of her face and run them through everything we have. Someone get the General down here and get this poor girl some clothes."

Everyone was running around and not paying much attention to me. I looked at the steel tray beside me. It appeared to be solidly built. I reached out and pinched the edge of it between my fingers. It squished easily, like soft lead and left behind an imprint of my fingers. I stared at my hand in disbelief and started to panic. What happened to me? After I became female, I remember how Arturus and the guards had hurt me so easily. Something must have happened during the space flight. It was how I survived the crash.

I stood up and spotted a wicked looking device I'd later learn was an electric saw used for cutting bone during an autopsy. I found a switch on the side and turned it on, the saw spinning quickly. The noise caused some of the staff in the room to look in my direction. Not knowing what I was planning to do, they immediately called the guards. I looked at the spinning blade, closed my eyes, and lowered it into my other hand. I felt a light touch against my hand and I slowly opened my eyes. Nothing was happening. The saw did not cut my hand at all. I pressed it harder and the saw blade broke, not a scratch was on my hand. I dropped the saw, my hands shaking. I had ignored what was going on around me, but the noise of running feet brought me back to my senses.

"Put your hands above your head and walk away from the saw!"

I raised my hands and turned toward the guards. I saw the General strolling into the room. I started to cry. "I don't know what's happened to me."

"Guards, lower your weapons. Ms. Samuels, are you all right?"

"I... I don’t know... Something has happened to me. I... I'm different. I wasn't even scratched in the crash. Can you explain that? The scalpel, the needles, the saw. They couldn't puncture my skin."

"Doctor, what have you found out?"

"She's human, but there are unknown elements in her skin and DNA."

"What do you mean, unknown elements?"

"Elements that do not exist on earth. There is something else very odd. She seems to have a few male chromosomes, but even as we spot them, they are changing before our eyes to female chromosomes."

"Ms. Samuels, please follow me." The General took me back upstairs to what I assumed was his private office. "Sit down."

"Initial surveys of the remains of the spacecraft are inconclusive. The metal is an alloy we have never seen before. Spectral analysis showed common earth elements but also some unknown substances. We found writing in the craft that was English and one tag referenced the global government. Let's assume I may begin to believe some parts of your story. What are your intentions?"

"My intentions? I just want to live, sir."

"You may be able to help us, and perhaps we can help you."

"How so?"

"Your knowledge of the future may help us develop new technologies that would give us an edge militarily. We have resources here that could also help you understand what changes you are experiencing."

"What are my options?"

"I'll be honest with you, Ms. Samuels, you're considered a potential threat to the security of the United States and the world. I can't let you leave here. At least not yet. Your cooperation will be crucial to your future."

I thought of how brave Kara had been. "I'm a good person, sir. I hope someday to prove to you that I'm not a threat."

"I'm glad to hear it. You'll have armed guards posted near you at all times. We've arranged quarters for you, and I've ordered clothing to be brought to you as well. The guards will take you to your room. Welcome to earth, 2016."

"Thank you, sir."

Part 7

My room felt luxurious and spacious compared to my old sleeping quarters that had been shared with a half dozen other men. Everything about this place was clean and orderly. I'd never had a lot of privacy before. This room had its own bathroom, dresser, closet, bed, and even a window. Granted the window had bars on it and the door was guarded, but still, it was mine for now. On the bed were some women's clothing. Undergarments to cover my new unmentionables, a dress, and some shoes. All this time I had been barefoot and I hadn't even noticed.

I went into the bathroom and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I now had a little time to myself to get familiar with my own new body. For starters, I was dirty. My face had dirt and soot stains from the crash, my tears had left dark streaks as they had fallen, my hair was matted and had grasses stuck in it. The rest of my body was not much better off. I was a sight and that must have contributed to their thinking I was crazy. My first order of business would be to get cleaned up so that I could better evaluate myself. I found a towel, what appeared to be soap, and some bottles of hair shampoo, or at least that's what it said on the bottle anyways. I figured out the 'H' was for hot and 'C' was for cold. You'd think that would be obvious, but shower water in the future turned on and off with the wave of a hand and was always the same temperature.

Being very gentle with the knobs this time, I turned on the water and adjusted the temperature. I then pulled off my metal dress and stepped inside. I admit that I'd never had such a nice time in a shower before. The sensations my body produced were so much more heightened than my old male body. My body was so smooth. Every touch and every reaction was new to me. The two parts of my body that I noticed the most was the weight of my breasts as I shifted and moved, and my hair. I also found it somewhat pleasant to not have stuff between my legs, odd as that seemed.

When I felt like I had cleaned myself as best that I could, I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off. I stood looking at myself in the mirror again, and I definitely appeared much more human this time. I got up close to the mirror and examined my eyes and face, touching my lips and cheeks with my fingers. I smiled, exposing a beautiful set of teeth. It felt so much easier to smile and show my teeth than before. I turned my head from side to side and examined my ears. My hair was still wet. I never saw a woman actually do her thing in a bathroom before so I was unsure how to care for hair like I had. I was tempted to cut it short but realized that it had not been burned or torn in the crash, it most likely would be the way it is forever.

I took a step back and stared at my ample breasts. I moved my hands to them and felt their size, suppleness, and weight. They were extremely sensitive to my touch and sent waves and warm, pleasurable feelings coursing through my body. I noted how lean my body looked. I moved my eyes across my flat stomach and to the noticeable missing parts between my legs. My thighs did not touch and I could easily see my new vagina. I noticed I was without any hair below my neck. I raised my arms, felt my legs, and could feel no stubble or hairs at all. I turned, looking at my back and butt. My skin was flawless, without any blemish, freckles, or moles. My butt was firm and not flabby and when I bent over I could clearly see my vaginal lips between my legs. My legs were long and lean, even athletic looking.

There was no question I was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I realized that I was actually becoming aroused by my own body but the feelings were so foreign I did not know what to do with them. As a man in the future, lacking privacy, self-satisfaction was curtailed and frowned upon. My hair was still wet after almost thirty minutes of self-examination. I looked around the bathroom and found various devices. There was a brush which helped me get rid of any tangles, but also an odd weapon-like thing that when turned on blew hot or cool air. It would've helped had I read the side that said 'hair dryer'. I used that on my hair and in combination with the brush produced a beautiful, dry, and shiny set of hair.

I pondered my predicament as I continued to stare at my reflection. I felt less fearful about being a woman, knowing I was now living in a time that was more accepting and protective of women. I was still concerned that my new beauty might attract unwelcome advances. All-in-all, considering the shock of being transformed into another gender, I felt exhilarated. I seemed to be in a state of continual arousal. Every move I made reminded me of who I now was.

I went back to the bed and put on the clothing that was there. I struggled with the thing they gave me to hold my breasts. I wondered how they knew the right size. When I was all done, I looked at myself again in the mirror. The clothes were so much different than in the future, but they were very flattering of my body. I enjoyed the way the hem of the dress brushed against my knees. This felt far better than the rough pants and shirts I had been given to wear everyday.

I went to the door and opened it, the two guards outside immediately moved to block my way. "Sorry, ma'am. We are not authorized to let you leave your room." They both gave me a look I would consider nothing less than admiring.

"I'm hungry and thirsty."

I noticed the General was walking by. He actually stopped and looked at me.

"Ms. Samuels. You do clean up nicely. I almost didn't recognize you. I overheard that you're hungry. Perhaps I can escort you to the mess hall."

"You get food in a messy hall?"

He nodded to the guards to follow us and they took their place a few steps behind. The mess hall was large and noisy but it went silent when the General and I entered the room. The way I was being looked at with a mixture of awe, lust, and 'hey, there's that crazy girl that thinks she is from the future' kind of look, was a little disconcerting. The General led me to the start of a line and had me take a tray. "Pick what you want. Most of the vegetables are fresh from local farms, so is the meat."

"It looks and smells delicious!" I was, perhaps, a little over zealous in my choices. By the time I'd reached the end of the line my tray was overflowing.

"Are you really going to eat all of that?"

"I'm famished and it all looks so good."

"I'm not sure what kind of food you are used to, but if you like this food, you'll be an easy date to please. Military food is not considered very good by anyone's standards."

"My food ration was comprised of digestive proteins and simple carbohydrates that sort of looked a little like that stuff there. I didn't take any of it because it reminded me of what I used to eat."

He laughed. "That's cream corn."

"What's a date?"

He led me to a remote table, the guards standing close by. "You really don’t know what a date is? How did a man and woman get to know each other?"

"I'm not sure what it was like for some, but as a police officer, I was given an allotment of women. Usually once or twice per year. I would be assigned a room for the night and they would bring a woman to me."

He looked at me as if shocked. I started sampling the various foods on my plate. "If a person wants to get to know another better, one or the other can ask to have a date."

"This food is the best I've ever tasted. What's this?"

"That's chicken."

"It's wonderful. Do they grow chickens?"

"I think I need to introduce you to the Internet. That way you can research whatever you like."

I took a bite out of a piece of pie and my mouth exploded with the sweet taste. "Mmm. I'm sorry. I'm sure I'm making a fool out of myself. It's just all so good. Except for that."

"That would be turnips. Nobody likes turnips, so you are fine. I actually must excuse myself for the evening. My family is waiting for me. The guards will escort you back to your room when you are done."

"You have a family?"

"Most everyone does here."

I started to tear up with a sudden yearning. "I'm sorry for keeping you from them."

The hard-looking General softened his expression. "Maybe I'll introduce you one day. Good night Ms. Samuels."

"Thank you, sir. For everything."

I continued to sample all the sumptuous foods when a pretty young woman came by and stood by my table. "May I?"

She seemed to be asking my permission to sit. "Please."

"So you're the one people are talking about."

"Kara. My name is Kara."

"Lois. Pleased to meet you, Kara. Is it true what they are saying?"

"I'm not sure what they are saying."

"That you arrived in a spacecraft from the future."

"Yes, that's true. Much better than the alternative; that I'm a crazy person from an asylum, whatever an asylum is."

"Aside from being the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, you look normal enough. Assuming you are telling the truth, what's the world like? I mean it must be filled with beautiful people like yourself, world peace, fantastic technologies?"

I blushed a little then frowned thinking about what it was like.

"There are few beautiful people. It's a world unlike anything here. It's dark and dirty. People have almost no privacy. If I were to try and describe it in one sentence, it would be 'a world that consists of lonely, isolated, and controlled people, in an oppressive environment that restricts freedoms and exploits resources.' I might also add, it's not a place you would want to be a woman."

"Wow. I hope we can change the future."

"If I get the chance, I will."

"You're not as unintelligent as some people are saying."

"I'll take that as a compliment. This world is so different. Everything is new to me. Even trying to figure out how to dry my hair with that weapon that blows air."

She laughed. "You're smart and will get used to things very quickly."

"What is this called?"

"That would be chocolate cake."

"This is so good!"

"It was very nice meeting you, Kara. I work as a journalist liaison to the military. I'm sure I'll see you around."

"That would be nice. I'd like to get to know you better. Maybe we could have a date?" Lois raised an eyebrow and gave me an appreciative smile. "The General told me a date is how people get to know each other better."

"Did he now? Just be cautious tossing around the 'date' word. A date would be more considered as something leading to romance, or even to marriage."

"Marriage? I've read about that. It's illegal in the future. Marriage that is. Are you married?"

"No, haven't met the right person yet."

"Maybe the right one will come along soon."

She looked at me appraisingly. "Maybe. About that date. Shall I take you to dinner tomorrow night at 6:00 pm?"

"I would enjoy that."

"Goodnight, Kara. Don’t eat too much, you'll lose that pretty figure of yours."

"Goodnight, Lois."

I was definitely full but satisfied I did some damage to the food that had been on my tray. I was escorted back to my room and found several items had been left there for me. One was a computer that looked like it should have been in a museum but was likely state of the art. There was a sheet of instructions for me. The second item looked like another dress, but it was almost see through. There was a note on it. 'These sheets are rough. Wear this to have a better night's sleep. Looking forward to our 'date.' Lois.'

I washed up and read the instructions for the computer carefully. After turning it on and trying to figure out the mouse and keyboard I quickly got the hang of things. Within a few searches I learned Google was my friend. I looked up everything I could think of. Current news, marriage, date, chicken. I gasped when I saw what a chicken was and that I had eaten a bird, but it did taste very good. I looked up topics like hair care, feminine hygiene, and helicopters. I probably spent five hours researching and learning. This world was amazing. I was so pleased to see how well women were regarded.

It was late when I slipped out of my clothes, carefully putting them aside. I had read what Lois had left me was called a nightgown. I put that on and climbed into the oversized bed. I was too exhausted to explore my body more and unsure as to what to do with it anyways.

Part 8

At 6:00 am sharp there was a knock on the door. I sleepily got out of bed and opened the door, not realizing that the nightgown was rather revealing. Lieutenant Harlow was at the door and had a small bundle of clothes in her hands. "You should really cover up before opening the door, Ms. Samuels." When I realized what I had done I pulled my hands over myself and blushed.

"I'm sorry. I guess I was still rather sleepy."

"These are for you. Please put them on and meet me at the mess hall. The guards will escort you. There's a hair scrunchie so you can put your hair in a ponytail. I'll be evaluating your fitness level this morning. You've exactly ten minutes." With that she promptly turned on her heels and left.

I closed the door, ran to the bathroom to clean up then ran to the computer and looked up 'hair scrunchie' and 'ponytail' to figure out what she was talking about. I put on the clothes she gave me. There was a sports bra and the top and bottoms were made of a stretchy material that hugged every bit of my body. There were different shoes and socks as well. When I exited the room the guards looked at me and looked at each other and nodded appreciatively. I felt a little more exposed in this outfit than in the dress as it left nothing to the imagination.

I found the Lieutenant in the mess hall. She always appeared rather stoic and controlled. She suggested that I not eat too much as she was going to 'put me through the paces'. I grabbed five or six plates of food noting that the Lieutenant merely rolled her eyes at me. We sat down together and I started eating.

"The food here is so amazing! What are these brown strips? They're incredible."

She pointed to each of the items and curtly spoke their names. "Bacon, fried eggs, hash browns, toast, grapefruit. Are you seriously going to eat all of that?"

"I took a lot less than last night."

"The General owes me big time for babysitting you."

"I get the feeling you don’t think very highly of me. I understand. After all, I broke your bathroom."

"It's not that. I think you're a fraud. There, I've said it."

"I don’t blame you, Lieutenant. It's a pretty far-fetched story. I'd probably feel the same way if I were you."

"So you're saying you agree? That you're lying?"

"Oh no! That's not what I meant at all. I'm not lying. It just must seem that way from your perspective."

She did the 'hmmmff' thing again.

"Are you finished?"

"Yes, thank you. It was delicious. You must compliment the chefs for me."

"Do it yourself."

"Oh, yes. Good idea!" I got up and walked over to the people working in behind the counter where the food was served. My guards shadowed my every move. "Excuse me? Mr. Chefs?" The workers turned and looked at me. I don’t think many people speak with them, much less a pretty blonde girl. They stood there with their mouths open. "I just wanted to tell you all that you cook the best food. Thank you!" They all smiled and waved at me. I looked back at the Lieutenant who had a hand to her face and was shaking her head.

"Ms. Samuels, please come with me. We'll start with a ten mile run."

"Where do we get to run?"

"Outside of course."

"I'm not sure I've ever run that far. As a policeman I had to maintain my fitness, but we only ran on machines."

She opened the door to the outside. I took in a deep breath. The outside air was wondrous. It smelled so nice. I squinted at the bright sun. "What a gorgeous day!"

"Are you ready, little miss sunshine?"

"Yes, but please call me Kara."

The Lieutenant started running. I ran to catch up and I noticed a Jeep with guards driving behind us. "Do you get to go outside like this everyday?"

"Yes!" She seemed to be getting upset with me so I decided not to ask her many more questions. I noticed she kept speeding up almost as if she was trying to make a point. I felt I could easily run faster and faster and I wasn't breathing hard at all. I noticed the weight on my chest bouncing in rhythm to my running. I pushed the tantalizing feelings aside and focused on the run. At five miles she stopped and was breathing hard.

"Is that it? I'd like to run some more if I could. I've never run outside like this before. It's wonderful!"

Through gasping breaths she pointed to a flag on a hill. It was perhaps a mile away. "Why... Why don't you run to that flag? Run as fast as you can, then come back. If you get tired the guards who will follow you can bring you back."

"As fast as I can?"

"Yes, that's what I said."

"Alright. This should be fun!"

I started off slow, but just felt like I could go faster and faster and so I did. The ground began to blur beneath me. It was incredibly exhilarating. The flag appeared in front of me in only moments and I felt a little disappointed. The Jeep had fallen way behind but I could see them moving quickly and bouncing around. I ran back even faster, arriving back at the Lieutenant before the Jeep could even turn around.

"That was amazing! Can I run further? I feel so great!"

She looked at me like I was some kind of monster which frightened me a little. "General. This is Lieutenant Harlow. We've got a problem. I need you at the mile five marker immediately." She looked me over again. "I guess I owe you an apology. Is everyone from the future as fast as you?"

"Oh, no! Everyone there is just like everyone here. Something happened to me while I was in the spacecraft. I'm not sure what it was, but I like it!"

The Jeep with the guards finally arrived. The men had stunned looks on their faces. I could see another Jeep coming towards us in the distance. If I concentrated, I could see every detail of the Jeep, even though it was still a few miles away. "The General is coming. He seems to be a nice man. He is bringing Lois with him too."

"You can see them from here?"

"Yes!"

A few minutes later the Jeep pulled up and the General and Lois stepped out. Lois was dressed in a business skirt and had her long brunette hair pulled up. She was very pretty. I realized I was doing a very girlish thing by biting my lower lip as I looked at her.

"What's all this about, Lieutenant? Oh, Lois, this is Kara."

"We met last night and we have a date tonight."

He gave Lois a questioning look.

"Sir, she is not normal."

"Yes, Lieutenant. I believe we've already established that."

"No, sir. I mean really not normal. Ms. Samuels, run to the flag and back again. Faster this time."

"Yes! Thank you!" I took off, got to the flag and ran back to them all in under thirty seconds. "I know I can run faster. It almost feels like I could fly."

Lois had a huge smile on her face and the General looked pale. "Lieutenant, what would you say is the distance from here to the flag?"

"At least a mile, sir."

"Then Ms. Samuels was running at over one hundred miles per hour. I'm getting another headache. Ms. Samuels, do you think you could lift the front of this Jeep?"

"I don't know." I walked over to the empty Jeep and put my hands under the front. I decided I better not lift very hard. The front of the Jeep lifted easily. "It seems very light to me. On one hand, I feel amazing, on the other, I'm sort of frightened."

"You said you think you could fly. Do I dare ask you to try?"

I thought for a moment about how I propelled myself forward as I ran. I closed my eyes and in my mind, I pictured myself pushing away from the ground. I opened my eyes and frowned. "I guess it was wishful thinking."

Lois pointed at my feet and I looked down. I was hovering a few inches above the ground. "Do you mind if I try something?"

"Go ahead. It's not like we could stop you anyways."

I looked up into the sky and burst upwards into the air. Nothing in my life had compared to that moment. I felt free for the first time in my life. I laughed and smiled as I spun and twirled in the air feeling the wind buffet my hair. I hovered for a moment a thousand feet above them. A thought crossed my mind that I was free to do whatever I wanted. I had the power. I looked down at them standing there. I'd given them my word and I'd honor that word. I slowly descended until my feet touched the ground.

"Walk with me a moment." The General took my arm in his and we started walking away from the others. "I suspect we are only just seeing the first glimpses of your capabilities. Even with what I've seen today, you could be a significant threat to the world. You could go anywhere, do anything. I'm not sure we could even stop you. I must ask you again. What are your intentions?"

I stopped and looked at him. "Sir, I never want to be controlled by another person or government ever again. I can’t let the future happen and as long as I have breath within me and I'll do whatever it takes to stop it from happening." He looked warily at me. "I don't believe you're my enemy. I've been treated fairly and I honor my word. I willingly put myself in your hands until you deem me worthy to be free."

"The president might disagree with me, but you're free as long as you do no harm to us. I would ask that we work together to learn all that you can do and to test your limits. Our earth, our nation, needs you more than ever, even though some people might disagree. There are factions in the Middle-East..."

"You're speaking about ISIS?" He looked with surprise. "Google is now my friend. Thank you for the computer. I read a lot last night. It seems like whatever I read I memorize. Something changed in my brain as well."

He nodded. "Yes, ISIS. They're raping young girls, beheading our citizens, and are out of control. We have other terrorism events happening on a regular basis around the world. Our cities have a dark side of crime. I think there's much you can do if you chose to help us."

I stretched out my hand and gently took his in mine in a handshake. "I saw this on Google too. I'll do what I can, General. Earth is my home and I'm a defender at heart. Uhm... the Lieutenant thinks I'm an alien now. At least I'm off the crazy list."

"She said that to you?"

"No, she is speaking now with Lois."

"You can hear them?"

"Yes, and if I concentrate, I can hear the chefs talking about making me something special for lunch. Food here is so incredible."

He laughed. "I have an idea. Do you mind if borrow your dress from the spacecraft?"

"I'm not sure it would fit you, but feel free." I joked with him. "What's next, besides lunch that is?"

"That's the nice thing about delegation, Ms. Samuels, I surround myself with the best and the brightest for a reason. I'll ask them that question."

We walked back to the others. "An alien, Lieutenant? Really?" Lois laughed and the Lieutenant stood with her mouth open.

I pointed to my ears. "Sorry, I didn't mean to listen in on your conversation."

"Lieutenant, I want the whole team to meet us in the conference room in fifteen minutes. We have some planning to do. Guards, you are dismissed. Ms. Samuels has said she will cooperate with us and I'm not sure you guards could stop her if she wanted ill will on us anyways. Lois, I will remind you that none of this can reach the public's attention. At least not yet. We've got to figure out the best way to ease them into the idea we have some supergirl from the future living amongst us."

"Supergirl... Can I use that?" Lois winked at me.

The General got in his Jeep and drove off leaving Lois, the Lieutenant, and myself. The Lieutenant got on the radio. "Can we get a Jeep out at the five mile marker please? Also, I need team BRAVO in the conference room in fifteen minutes."

"Do you mind if I go clean up a little before the meeting?"

The Lieutenant sighed. "Go on..."

"Supergirl... I mean Kara?"

"Yes?"

"Are we still on for tonight. I mean... if you're still interested?"

"You said something about dinner, right?" She nodded. I knew she knew I was playing with her. I smiled. "Someone told me dating leads to romance and marriage."

"You never know, Kara."

"I'm looking forward to it. I'll even read more about dating on the Internet so I know what to expect."

With that I concentrated and rose up from the ground. I pushed myself towards the buildings and flew low over a Jeep and a driver heading out to the Lieutenant and Lois. I could fly like this all day long and never tire of it. I went straight to my room and splashed some water on my face. I looked in the mirror, my smile dazzling. It might be on me permanently the way I currently felt. I realized that I hadn't thought about being a woman much all day. Perhaps I was getting used to things. I grabbed the metal dress and walked down to the conference room. The General was already there.

"I brought the metal dress for you. I believe it is made of titanium thread and other synthetic polymers. That's all I know about it."

"Thank you. I will get our labs to analyze it."

A few minutes later, the Lieutenant and Lois arrived as well as the rest of the team.

"Thank you all for coming so quickly. As of now, you are all full-time on one project and one project only. Before I explain, I want to put to rest some rumors. All of our research indicates Ms. Samuels' story is true. She came to us from the future. Her spacecraft did come from earth. We don’t know what happened in space that propelled her into the past to us now but the theory is she might have entered a black hole. Regardless of that event, she is with us today. Ms. Samuels is a guest of the United States military. She is to be treated as a guest, not as a criminal, or a prisoner. You'll know why in a minute. She has agreed to let us test her abilities and to aid us. Understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"You each have your assigned sub-teams. Red Team, you will be responsible for testing the limits of her strength. Blue Team, you will test her speed. Green Team, I need you to analyze this dress and see if we can synthesize something similar to it. Orange Team, we need plans in case Ms. Samuels is not the only one to arrive from the future. We can't assume any others from the future would be as cooperative. Questions?"

Someone piped up from the back. "Is she single?" Everyone laughed. "Really. I'm serious."

"If there are no legitimate questions, then get to work. Ms. Samuels, perhaps you can stay here with the Red Team. We've some time before lunch for them to begin testing."

I nodded and all the others left the room. Lois stayed behind. "Sir? I think we need to document as much as we can. I promise I won’t send anything to anyone. We need photos and video."

"Agreed."

Part 9

The Red Team led me from the conference room and to a gym. The gym had a musty, sweaty smell that permeated the air. As the group discussed what weights I should try first, I spotted a deadlift bar in the corner. It had approximately five hundred pounds on it. I grabbed it and lifted it over my head with one hand. "Guys? We might need to find some heavier things." They looked at me with astonished eyes.

"We can go to the firing range. There are some old cars, busses, and even an old tank there." They led me back outside and to the range.

"See if you can move this car." I grabbed the car and lifted it over my head and tossed it several hundred feet away. "How about the bus?" I wanted to try something different so I lifted the bus from one end, then tried to fly. Even this didn't seem to be a problem for me. I gently placed the bus back down and flew over to an M1 Abrams tank.

"How much does this weigh?"

"Sixty-two tons."

"Do you need it?"

"What do you mean, do we need it?"

"Is it still of value?"

"It's long since retired and only used for target practice now."

I wanted to really test my strength so I picked up the tank from the front corner, raised myself off the ground, and spun to throw the tank. I still wasn't using all my strength, but the tank flew close to a mile before it crashed into the dirt.

Lois was watching with a wide smile on her face as she took video and pictures.

I went to retrieve the tank just as a new group of men came to the firing range for practice with their weapons. They most likely hadn't heard about me yet as when I dropped the tank back into the firing range they must have considered me a threat and began firing at me. I could feel bullets hit me, but as I looked down, my clothing was tearing but I was perfectly fine. Finally someone had called a ceasefire. I dropped to the ground and walked over to the team. The men that fired on me stepped back away from me in horror. Lois ran up and checked me over.

"She doesn't have a scratch on her. What size of rounds were you using?"

"5.56mm, ma'am."

Lois looked at me. "Do you have anything larger?"

"We have an SSK .950 JDJ. It is strictly a prototype for us."

Lois again looked at me. "You think you are up to it?"

"I didn't even feel these. I guess we could try."

"Go get it."

A few minutes later a soldier brought out one of the biggest weapons I had ever seen. In the future we used different types of projectiles than bullets so the weapons were much smaller. I had no idea how much force something like this gun could produce.

"Take a shot at the front of the car over there first."

The noise from the rifle was very loud, but the result was impressive as the entire front of the vehicle pushed back a foot.

I was hesitant, but decided to give it a try. "Aim for my left shoulder."

I moved back towards where the car was and stood. I signaled I was ready. The soldier lined up the shot and squeezed the trigger. Everything happened in slow motion. I could see the bullet coming towards me. I watched as it hit my shoulder, the lead shattered and bounced off, my shoulder pushed back a little from the blow.

The soldiers ran forward. "Did it hit you?"

"Yes. I actually felt it and it pushed my shoulder back a bit. Look at the tear in the clothing. Try one more. I want to test something."

They shook their heads and backed away. The rifle was prepared and the shot taken. As before, I could see the bullet coming towards me as if in very slow motion. I reached for it and grabbed it out of the air.

"I must have missed that time."

"No, your aim was perfect. I held out my hand to show them the bullet. I'm hungry. Anyone ready for lunch yet?"

Several of us went together into the mess hall. I waved at the chefs who all smiled back at me. One approached with something on a plate and handed it to me. "We all worked on this together for you. We don't get many compliments around here and yours were very appreciated. It is a chocolate molten cake."

I felt humbled and grateful. "Thank you all so much. No one has ever cooked me something special before." I grabbed more items and found a table with Lois and the General.

"You seem to be gathering some fans, Ms. Samuels." He nodded towards the special cake that I had already started eating. "You really did hear them talking, didn't you?"

"This is the most incredible thing I've ever eaten. Yes. It's like I can focus my hearing at different distances."

He looked at Lois who seemed not to be able to keep her eyes off of me. "How did the strength assessment go?"

Lois pulled out her camera and searched for one of her recordings. "I think it's safe to say she's pretty strong." She hit the play button of me throwing the tank, bringing it back, and being shot.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side, Ms. Samuels. I can't believe they shot you."

"The bullets sort of ruined my clothing. I'm sorry."

Lois reached over and slipped her finger in the large torn hole at my left shoulder. When her finger touched my skin I let out a little gasp. Her touch was almost electric. "This hole, was from an SSK .950."

"There's not a scratch on her."

"We actually took two shots at her with it. The first one bounced off."

"What happened to the second shot?"

"She caught it." Lois put the spent bullet on the table.

"Damn. My headache just keeps getting worse and worse. We need to get you more clothes. Maybe Lois would be willing to take you shopping."

"Shopping?"

"Don't tell me, you didn't shop in the future?"

"All my clothing was given to me by the government. How do you shop?"

"I'd be happy to take her, General. Do you have a credit card we could use?"

He sighed. "I'll make up a requisition to get you something you can use. Excuse me ladies."

He got up and left, his hand rubbing his head. "He seems to be a nice man. Could shopping be considered another date?"

"Possibly, it all depends on how we do tonight. You're an amazing woman, Kara. You have this lovely blend of sweetness and naivety, yet you could likely take on an entire army single handedly. It's like all these special powers aren't going to your head at all. In the wrong hands, those powers would be lethal."

"Perhaps I just grew up as a government servant and that's gotten into my psyche. For once, however, I think I really might have a chance to really help people and to prevent the future."

"You're destined for great things, Kara. I hope you don't become changed by it all."

"For all my strength and abilities, I'm still me. Just before I was sentenced to a planetary penal colony as a sex slave, I met a woman from the wasteland that I tried to help. She hugged me. I'd never been hugged before in my entire life. All I wanted was to stay in her arms. It made me feel safe. She was thanking me for helping her escape. Can you imagine what it must be like to be held like that by someone that loved you? I just can't fathom what that would feel like."

Lois reached over and grabbed my hand in hers. It was so warm and soft. "It's the most wonderful thing in the world. It'll happen for you. I'll see you tonight. I've got some work to do yet today and will miss your speed tests. I'm looking forward to spending time getting to know you better at dinner."

"Me too. Thank you for the nightgown last night. I forgot to do that earlier today."

Lois squeezed my hand and left.

"Ms. Samuels? We are ready when you are for your speed assessment." The Blue Team stood nearby.

"Just one more bite and I'm ready to go."

I thanked the chefs one more time. They seemed to thrive on my appreciation and oddly enough, I thrived on giving it. I'd never thought much about other people before and how a little encouragement could go a long ways. Perhaps it was also this new body that had an effect on people. Either way I was enjoying it.

The Blue Team led me back outside to where a helicopter was standing by. "We have a radio for you that you can slip into your ear. We'll be able to speak with you and you can talk to us. We'll start with you trying to keep up with the helicopter." They gave me a form fitting jumpsuit that I could step into. This would prevent any more tears in the workout clothing. When we were ready to go the helicopter lifted off. "Ms. Samuels. We'll begin by flying east. If you run into problems just let us know."

"I will." I did a slight push with my mind and my feet left the ground. The helicopter hovered a few hundred feet above the ground. When I got close, the pilot shook his head in disbelief, then started moving forward.

"We're at fifty miles per hour. You doing all right, Ms. Samuels?"

"Yes, faster please. I can run faster than this."

They moved faster and faster until they reached their maximum speed. "We're tapped out here, one hundred fifty-five. We've scrambled an F-14 jet to take over from here. Head back towards the base Ms. Samuels. The jet should be along any minute. When you see it, try to keep up."

I turned back and flew to the base. Just as I arrived, I spotted the F-14 in the distance. "This is Bravo-Charlie-Delta 1339. We are about to pass over the base. I'm currently at around four hundred miles per hour. No sign of Ms. Samuels. Belay that last message. She is just outside my cockpit window. You ready to see just how fast you can go?"

"Yes! You just go as fast as you can. I'll see if I can keep up."

"Pushing throttle up to mach 1."

I heard a loud boom as the jet passed the speed of sound. When I hit that speed, my body shook a little, but then everything smoothed out again.

"Full thrust, approaching mach 2."

I smiled and caught up the pilot and waved, then pushed faster and faster, leaving him well behind.

"Sirs, I've lost sight of her. I'd say she's well over mach 6. I'm heading home."

I went faster and faster and watched the ground and landscape change beneath me until I came to a magnificent ocean. My sense of location seemed heightened and I could feel my way back to the base. I turned back, but continued to keep going faster and at the same time I rose higher and higher until I could see the curvature of space. I angled back down and slowed my speed when I came back to the base.

"Ms. Samuels? We lost radio contact for a while. Do you know where you went?"

"I'm pretty sure I was out over the Atlantic Ocean. That's when I turned around and came back. That was exhilarating!"

"I think we are done for the day. I must say, Ms. Samuels, that I've never seen anything like that before."

"What time is it?"

"It's 2:13 pm"

"Thank you!" I rushed back to my room and looked in the mirror. My hair was still clean and shiny looking. It also seemed to have held its shape well. I looked at the hole from the rifle in my clothing and remembered Lois touching my shoulder. I felt a warmth spread through my body. I needed to learn about dates so I went to the computer. I researched 'date' and 'etiquette for women' and smiled at the results I got. I read as much as I could find, then switched to other topics. I looked up a map of the world and found pictures of places I wanted to see one day. I reviewed current news and was very interested in weather. In a domed city, the weather had always been the same. Before I realized, I found I had spent a number of hours researching. I looked at the clock and it was only an hour before Lois said she was coming by. I had an urge to look nice for her.

I quickly took a shower and washed my hair. Once again, I was tantalized by the sensations of my hands sliding over my body. This time, I noticed a few intense waves of pleasure when my hand went between my legs. For a few moments I lingered with my hand there. I closed my eyes and emitted a soft moan. This was truly an amazing feeling, but I was still unsure of what to do with it. Eventually I got out of the shower and dried myself and my hair. I put on the dress once more and checked myself out in the mirror. I was certainly beautiful.

Part 10

A knock sounded and I met Lois at the door. "You look breathtaking, Kara. Of course it does not seem to matter what you are wearing. You always look stunning. Are you ready?"

Lois was dressed in a black dress that accentuated her narrow waist, long smooth legs, and her ample breasts. "Very much. You look very pretty this evening." Lois blushed at that and took my arm in hers.

"I hope you're hungry."

"Always."

"We don't have time to go into the city, but I know a little place nearby that's off-base. They make a great steak." She led me outside into the parking lot. "I heard a little about your speed tests this afternoon. They said you were faster than an F-14."

"I don't know how fast I was going. I saw the most beautiful sights. I love flying. I've never felt so free before." She opened the car door for me and I carefully got into the seat, remembering the videos I saw online about proper etiquette for a lady. "I've never been in a car before. They don't have them in the cities of the future. This is much nicer looking than the Jeeps they have around here."

"Let's just say I like things that go fast." She smiled at me and started the car. As we drove, Lois began to ask me questions. "How are you doing, Kara? I imagine this must be a huge change for you. Not only your new abilities, but being taken from the future and arriving in the past. Everyone you knew hasn't even been born yet."

"I'm adapting quickly. It helps that everyone is being so accommodating and the world today is so much nicer than the future. I never really had people that I knew well."

"What about your parents?"

"I never knew my parents. Women are given to men for a night at a time. If they became pregnant, the government would assess the genetic makeup of the mother and father to determine whether the baby would be aborted or allowed to go full term. Once the baby was born, it was given to the government to raise."

"That's horrible on so many counts. The women put up with that?"

"Women have no say on anything in the future. They are considered a lower class of life form."

"I'm very glad you are free from that. Here, with your looks, you will find men will do anything for you."

"I want nothing from men. I've seen what they do to people. They destroyed the world."

"What about sex, family, and having your own children?"

I thought of the training I had been given on how a man was to treat women. I imagined what the receiving end of that training would be like now that I was a woman. "I never want a man to touch me that way. I do wish for a family one day. Marriage sounds so wonderful. Don't get me wrong, men have their place. I'm not a man hater, rather, I dislike what they are capable of."

"What are your thoughts about women?"

"I adore women. They are the most beautiful and wondrous beings."

"I think you and I will get along very well. Here we are. Stay in the car, let me get the door for you."

The place was run down looking, but the smells coming from it were truly amazing. Lois opened the door at the entrance for me to enter first. The place was busy. There were some sort of shells on the old, worn, and stained wooden floor. Everything looked very rustic and the smokey smell of wood fire was in the air. Lois joined me at my side as a young woman asked her how many we were. "Looks like it will be about twenty minutes before we can seat you. Feel free to wait at the bar."

Lois looked at me. "Is that all right? Would you like to have a drink first?"

"I'm all yours. I've no idea what to do in here."

She took my hand in hers and I felt the telltale warmth and electric feeling from her touch. She led me to a large, open room where we found a few tall stool seats. It was noisy and boisterous in there. I looked around as we got settled and there were many men drinking an amber liquid. Fewer women had the same, but most had green, red, or yellow drinks. Music was playing. "What kind of music is that?" I had to raise my voice a little for Lois to hear me.

"Country. Do you like it?"

"It has a nice rhythm to it. Nothing like we used to have."

"What can I get you two pretty ladies?"

I was startled by the bartender that leaned over the bar towards us. Lois ordered two margaritas for us. "I hope you don’t mind, but they make the best margaritas here."

"I need to see her I.D." He was pointing to me.

"We work together over at the base. She forgot her purse. Trust me, she's fine." The bartender looked at Lois' smile and brought us the drinks.

"What was all that about I.D.?"

"You have to be older than twenty to drink alcohol in this state. An I.D. tells people where you live and how old you are. How old are you?"

"I'm fifty-five, but In reality, I'm not even born yet."

Lois laughed and held up her drink. "To the most beautiful woman in the bar."

I looked around at all the pretty women in the bar and back at Lois. "That would be you, Lois."

She smiled. "I was talking about you, Kara. This is called a toast. We say something we want to celebrate, and touch our glasses together before we drink."

She touched her glass to mine and indicated I should drink. I tasted the salt on the rim and swallowed a sip of the rich amber fluid. It warmed my insides on the way down. "Wow, that's a wonderful drink. It makes me feel all warm inside. Similar to the feeling I get when you touch me."

Lois nearly choked when I said that. "You get all warm inside when I touch you? Does that happen when anyone else touches you?"

"No. That's strange isn't it?"

A pair of large men approached us. "You two are the finest ladies I've ever seen in here. Why don't you join us?" They looked like they were up to no good to me. I forgot all about my abilities and was suddenly scared. I reached for Lois' hand and I looked at her pleadingly with wide, fearful eyes.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen. We just want to be alone tonight."

"What's the matter with us? Neither of you are wearing a wedding ring. You both look like you could use a good romp."

"You're both drunk and that's not going to happen."

One of the men reached over and grabbed my leg. I sort of freaked out, grabbed his arm and pulled his hand from my leg. I wasn't considering my strength and he went flying and crashed on a table. "I'm so sorry... I forgot... I..."

The second man looked at his buddy, then at me. "You're a crazy bitch!" He grabbed his friend and went back to his seat. Luckily it had not caused enough commotion to get us in trouble.

"That was amazing, Kara! I know you're still getting used to things, but you, of all people, don’t ever need to be scared." She raised her glass again. "To not only the most beautiful woman in the bar, but also the best bodyguard anyone could ever have." I sniffed, still concerned, then tapped my glass to hers and smiled. "Where were we? Oh, yes. We were talking about being touched. When the man touched your leg, you didn't feel all warm inside?"

"No!"

"And when I touch your leg, what do you feel?" Lois fingers slipped under the hem of my dress and touched the skin of my thigh, just above my knee. I immediately flushed with warmth, my breasts tingled and the area between my legs felt moist. I let out a little gasp and blushed, suddenly feeling slightly embarrassed. Lois smiled again, reassuring me. "Touch me."

I hesitantly reached out and put my hand on her leg. "Mmm. Yes, I see what you mean, Kara. I feel the same thing."

We stared into each other's eyes for a few moments. I took another sip of my drink. I knew what alcohol was and felt my new heightened metabolism would burn it off quickly, but perhaps it helped me relax a little. I looked over Lois' beautiful body. I had a desire to know her more. As I thought these things my vision became strange as if it was unfocused. One moment I was looking at her dress, the next her dress was gone. I blinked and put my hand to my eyes. When I opened them again everything was normal again.

"Are you alright, Kara?"

"My vision. I was looking at you when all of a sudden it was as if I was seeing you and your dress was no longer there. You're so beautiful."

Lois blushed, smiled, then looked into my eyes with a more serious look. "Do you think this is a new ability emerging? Try to concentrate and do it again. What color panties am I wearing?"

I looked at Lois' waist and in a similar way to how I flew by willing myself to look deeper. At first I saw right through Lois, then I slowly pulled my vision back. I saw her internal organs, her bones, then her skin. I gasped and blushed again.

"Black. I'm sorry, that must feel like a horrible violation to you. I won’t do it again. I saw through you at first, then I saw your bones and muscles."

"That's amazing! A little unfair that you get to see me and I don’t get to see you."

The woman from the front came at that moment, rescuing me. "Lois? We have a table now for you both. Please follow me." She led us to a quiet, corner booth.

I tried to change the subject. "What are these things on the floor?"

"You changed the topic on me." She smiled mischievously. "They're peanut shells. In the bucket on the table, are peanuts. You take one, crack it open, then eat what is inside and toss the shell on the ground. It's sort of a country thing. Let me show you." She took a peanut, cracked the shell between her fingers, and pulled out the peanut. "Open up." I hesitated a moment then opened my mouth. I felt her place the peanut between my lips, the touch of her fingers against my lips sent a huge wave of pleasurable warmth through my body. I barely tasted the salty, crunchy peanut.

"It's my turn." I grabbed a peanut from the bucket and squeezed it between my fingers. The poor peanut was crushed to dust. "Uhm... Hmmm... Let me try that again." This time I was much more careful and got the peanut out. "Open up." Lois opened her luscious lip. I plopped the peanut in her mouth, but she reached up to hold my hand near her lips. She smiled while looking in my eyes and gently kissed my finger.

"I want you to know, Kara, that I'm finding myself quite drawn to you. Of course, it helps that you are drop dead gorgeous, but it's more than that. You are smart and capable, incredibly strong, yet fragile. You make me see our world with fresh eyes. You're very special."

I turned to mush at her touch, the kiss on my finger, and the romantic words. This was new territory for me. My body felt hot to me. "I enjoy being with you, Lois. I don't even know what to say."

"You don’t need to say anything. I like being up front with my feelings. I hope you do or will feel the same about me."

The waitress came by and brought a basket of warm bread and butter. She handed us menus.

"Do you trust me to order dinner for you?"

"Yes, of course!"

"We'll have two New York strip steaks, medium rare, baked potatoes with everything on them, and a house salad."

"I'm not sure what that is, but it all sounds wonderful." We talked back and forth until our meals came. Our conversation ranging across every topic. Lois was so easy to talk to. Our server came with our meals. Everything looked and smelled heavenly.

"Another toast. To getting to know each other better." I smiled and touched my glass to Lois' and took a sip.

"This smells incredible." I followed Lois' lead and sampled and ate what she ate. I took my time, deliberately savoring each bite. "Don't tell the chefs back at the mess hall, but this is even better than anything I've had yet, with the exception of the chocolate molten cake."

After our meals were finished we continued to relax and enjoy an extended conversation. "Tell me about your life, Lois."

"Let's see... I grew up on a farm, not too far from here. My parents still live there. I was sort of a tomboy."

"What's a tomboy?"

"A tomboy is a girl that enjoys doing not so girly things. I liked to play sports and be outdoors climbing trees, where other girls my age were playing inside."

"What was it like to grow up with parents?"

"It's hard to explain as that was my paradigm just as yours was to grow up without parents. My father was a hard working man, but he would come home everyday and spend time with me. He would throw catch with me or read me a story. My mother stayed at home to take care of me and my two brothers; one older and one younger than me. She was very nurturing. There was never a day that went by where I wasn't told I was loved and cherished."

A tear slipped from my eye. Lois placed her hand against my cheek and brushed my tear away with her thumb. "I'm sorry, Lois. It sounds so beautiful. I want that."

"And I want more of that as well. Come on, let's get you back to the base. Tomorrow, I'll take you into the city so we can go shopping. I have an office and my apartment there. I don’t get to be there that often with this latest assignment, but I still call it home."

"I'm looking forward to it."

The drive back to the base took too little time. It seemed only moments before we were back at my door. I took Lois' hand in mine and looked her in the eyes. "Thank you. I had a wonderful time."

She pulled me close, hugged me tight, and kissed my cheek. I was overwhelmed by the pure emotions that were flooding me. Her body pressed up against mine caused me to gasp. My breasts became extra sensitive and the warmth and moistness between my legs increased moment by moment.

"It was my pleasure, Kara. We'll leave after breakfast. I'll meet you here at 8:00 am. Sleep well, sweetie."

I watched her leave and fought the urge to run after her. I'd never felt so much warmth, compassion, and desire all mingled together. I forced a smile reminding myself I would get to spend an entire day with her tomorrow. I turned and went into my room.

I went to the computer and researched love, marriage, and family. My research on love brought up many side topics, pictures, and videos. Some even showed women doing things to themselves. I was intrigued and could use a release from all the built-up emotions and sensations throughout the day. I got ready for bed and slid under the covers.

I moved a hand to my breast and gently began massaging it. My nipples became extra sensitive and hard as my fingers moved over them. With each stroke, I felt a warmth spread through my body. Each gentle squeeze increasing my breathing into short, light gasps. I felt moisture between my legs and brought one hand there. I used my whole hand at first and lightly moved it back and forth over my vagina. This greatly increased the pleasure I was feeling. I felt my hips push towards my hand and my breasts rose and fell in rhythm. Soon the moisture between my legs became wetness and I found my fingers sliding easily between my vaginal lips. My middle finger brushed up against something that sent a gasp and a shudder through my body. It felt so wonderful.

I continued to massage my breast and slide my finger back and forth across the sensitive spot. Each stroke making me more wet and my finger moving deeper within me. I moaned softly with the sensations and my hips began to rock with the motion of my finger. The feeling of my finger penetrating me was such a wonderful feeling that I pressed it further and further inside with each stroke. The tip of my finger caressed and slid gently around the sensitive spot then back inside me. The pleasure built and built, my breathing coming now in quick bursts, my breasts heaving, and my hips rocking. All of a sudden my body began to shake and I could feel my vaginal muscles clamping down on my finger. I rolled onto my side as the waves of pleasure continued, my hand trapped between my legs as I shook. I gasped and moaned loudly several times.

As the waves began to subside, I was left with a warm and dreamy calm that I'd never experienced before. I'd experienced orgasms before as a man, but nothing could compare to what I had just experienced. This orgasm was felt by my entire body. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world. If this was what it was like to be a woman, then I had no regrets being transformed into one. The warm feeling continued as I drifted off to sleep.

Part 11

I woke up early the next morning with a lot of extra energy. I had showered, dressed, and finished breakfast by 6:00 am. No tests were scheduled for the day as Lois was taking me to see the city and shop for some clothes. I sat and fidgeted while waiting for Lois. Google helped me kill some time. I researched about cars, shopping, and brought up a map of Denver, the city Lois would be taking me. The drive from the base would take about ninety minutes. I was still anxious and spent time testing my new vision and hearing hoping to possibly see Lois before she arrived at my door.

I tried looking through the wall into the hall beyond. That was pretty easy. I sent my vision further and further looking through the base complex. If I tuned my hearing, I could focus on a spot with my eyes and hear what was happening in that specific location, almost as if I had a camera and microphone wandering through the building. I continued to push my vision and hearing until I stopped when I heard my name. I was focused on an area near the barracks.

"… you seen Kara? She's hot."

"Yeah, but what a waste. All the abilities she has and what good will they do us. They dote and waste money on her. At the end of the day, it'll be you and me being sent to be killed on the front line somewhere. Maybe they should just dissect her so that they can figure out what makes her so special. We're the ones that need powers like that, not her. Can you imagine what it would be like to be invulnerable?..."

I was startled by a knock at my door. I could see Lois standing there before I opened the door. My excitement was there to see her, but overhearing what the men were saying about me was sombering. Lois gave me another warm hug as I greeted her. "Is something wrong, Kara?"

"No... Yes... I overheard some men on the base talking about me. They think I am a waste of time and money and suggested I should just be dissected to figure out how I work. I don't want to be a burden on anyone. Are they right?"

"Absolutely not! And if I ever caught people talking like that I'd punch them in the nose. The world is made up of many people, some good and some bad. Some are just greedy and some won’t like it that you are special. But you need to know, people might say bad things about you. Don't give control over to anyone else because of what they say to you." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I want you to know I'll never hurt you, but others might choose to try to hurt you. I want to warn you not to expose the fullness of your abilities, not even to me. The more people know about you, the more chances they may have to find a weakness and exploit it. I don’t want anything to ever happen to you."

"You're scaring me. You think people may try to hurt me?"

"There are governments and people in this world that would not hesitate to dissect you if they could benefit from it. You need to choose your own way. I feel that deep down, in the core of who you are, you're a very good person. I know you'll make the right choices. You'll find your own way. I only hope that your way and mine are going the same direction. Come on. The're stores waiting. Don’t worry about this."

"You're right, Lois. Thank you."

Part 12

Denver was a beautiful and bustling city with snow capped mountains in the distance and lots of people. I stared up at the height of the skyscrapers and was amazed at how clean the city appeared. Lois took me first to a large shopping mall as she said I needed a change from the same dress I'd been wearing for the past three days. At the first store we looked for a few pairs of pants and blouses. Lois found me a pair of comfortable yet snug jeans. In her words they were painted on me and that if I was any sexier she have to take valium. Whatever valium was.

I think that Lois was enjoying seeing me in different clothes as much as I was enjoying trying them on and seeing myself in them. I'd never given a thought to what I or other women wore. I was amazed at all the selections and options available. I began taking pride in how I looked as I wanted to impress Lois. We went to a second store that had several dresses she wanted me to try on. "Every woman needs a black dress and you, with your beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes, need a red dress as well." She whistled at me when I showed her what I looked like in them. The more I tried on, the more I enjoyed the feel of the clothing. The pants were fun and functional, but the dresses and skirts made me feel special. I loved the way they felt.

"Kara, you need some lingerie." She pulled me into another shop called Victoria's Secret. "You need some panties, bras, a nightgown, and maybe something special that would excite your partner."

"My partner?"

"Eventually, you will get close enough to someone, maybe with brunette hair, that you want to impress."

"Alright, but I'll definitely need your help here."

Lois smiled. "My thoughts exactly." She pulled me through the store and started grabbing things from the racks of clothing then sent me into a change room. "Just let me know when you have something on you want me to see."

I tried on a red, mostly see-through dress-like thing. It had thin straps that went over my shoulders, and plunged open down my front and back. The hem was very high on my thighs. The dress came with red laced panties as well. "Let me know if this outfit produces the right impressions." I opened the door some for Lois to peek inside.

"Oh my God! That outfit is giving me heart palpitations."

At first I was worried for Lois so I looked at her heart and checked her pulse rate. "Your heart's not palpitating, but your pulse has sped up. I think you're fine."

Lois laughed. "It's a figure of speech, sweetie, but it's nice to know my heart is working well and yes, my pulse is racing a little. I'm holding myself back from coming in there and helping you take it off. I think I'll step outside for a bit to cool down while you change. Those will do nicely."

"Three more stops for clothing. You need shoes, athletic clothing, and a jacket."

By the time shopping was all finished, we had a dozen large bags and some boxes. I had changed from my dress to a pair of jeans with a wide white belt and a white blouse with white low-heeled shoes that Lois insisted I start getting used to. I felt very pretty and I was getting many stares from men and women in the mall.

"It's getting late. Why don’t we get these clothes to the car and we'll get some dinner. After that, I can show you my apartment. Have you ever had pizza?"

I was always ready for food. Lois drove us to a restaurant that was nearby where we ordered a pepperoni pizza to split between the two of us. "Oh my! I'm adding this to my list of favorite foods."

"Just how big is your list? It seems everything you eat is your new favorite."

"Actually, my list is only the things I don’t want again. Only turnips and cream corn are on it. Everything else is my favorite."

Lois reached over and held my hand, lightly caressing the top. "I was wondering if you would like to go on a real date?"

"A real date? Would it be different than what we did today or yesterday?"

"Yes. I'm thinking nice clothing, a more formal dinner, dancing. A date with the intent of becoming more romantically inclined."

"I read about dates like that. You mean a date where I would get a kiss at the end of the night or where you would invite me in for a nightcap?" I smiled at Lois. She was trying hard and I was fooling with her. "I'd love to. I researched love last night. I'm pretty sure I am in the early stages of love according to Google. I'm feeling something more than a crush for sure. You don't know what you do to me. I was awake at 4:00 am this morning and could not stop thinking about you. I know, according to Google, that deep feelings of love generally don't happen for several weeks and since I've never been in love before I'm not sure where I'm on the scale. All I can tell you is that I yearn for your touch, I crave your presence, and I think you are the most beautiful and nicest person I have ever known or seen."

"You're going to make me cry. I've never heard more wonderful words in my life. Let's get out of here."

We left the restaurant and stepped outside into a rainstorm. Lightning lit up the sky. I was mesmerized. I looked up into the rain, letting it soak my hair and clothing, and I spun around with my arms out wide. "I've never been in the rain before! It's beautiful."

Lois was watching me and I paused to look at her. Her hair was plastered to her head as mine was. Raindrops dripped from her eyelashes and nose. She stared into my eyes and walked slowly towards me. She raised her hands to my face and ran her fingers through my wet hair. She pulled me to her and kissed me. A fire instantly ignited within me. My body responded automatically with my hands pulling her to me. Her soft lips pressed against mine, the rain now completely ignored.

She pulled her lips away, her eyes looking into mine, our arms still wrapped around each other. My lips were tingling. "What's beautiful, is you." She moved to kiss me again when her phone rang. "Yes, sir... She's here with me now... I'll ask her right away." She pulled the phone away. "That's the General, Kara. There is a tornado on the ground about fifty miles southwest of the base, that would be over a hundred miles from here. It's heading for a small town there. The General's family is directly in it's path. He's hoping you might be able to help as they can't get to the town before the tornado tears through it. You're their only hope."

"Of course I'll help! I'll get there as fast as I can. I just don’t know what I can do."

She put the phone back to her ear. "She's on her way, sir." She ended the call and looked into my eyes. "Here's your chance to prove your worth. Just don't get hurt or I won’t forgive you. You'll know what to do when you get there. Trust your instincts." She kissed me again. "Now go. I'll meet you back at the base later tonight." I reached out and touched her face, looked up into the sky and rocketed into the air.

Part 13

It took no time at all to fly to the area and spot the tornado. The wind and noise created by the storm was tremendous and frightening. I moved ahead and into the path of the tornado and hovered over the homes at the edge of the town. A young girl was standing several hundred feet from the house, staring at the storm as it bore down upon her. An older woman, likely her mother, was running from the house towards the girl but I knew she would never get to the girl in time. I flew down, grabbing the girl into my arms, her teddy bear ripped from her hands by the swirling winds. I flew a few feet above the ground, the girl clasped tightly to me. I reached for her mother and carried them both up and beyond the reach of the storm placing them on a nearby road. The mother was in shock, not knowing what to think of me or what had just happened.

"Get her to cover. I'll see what else I can do." I flew back up into the air and towards the tornado. A barn was being torn apart and debris was flying everywhere. The howling wind and driving rain buffeted me. I looked back towards the town. It would be a total loss if I couldn't figure out something to stop the tornado. Perhaps, if I flew around the tornado fast enough in the opposite direction, I could collapse the funnel. I flew into the maelstrom and circled around it. Wooden beams and branches tore at me and shattered against my body, yet I flew faster and faster. At first I didn’t think anything was happening, but then slowly, the funnel began to collapse in on itself. Moments later the tornado was gone.

I looked back towards the town. I saw people on the streets and more coming out of their homes. Military vehicles were rushing into the area. I looked around and spotted something wedged into a tree below me. I flew down and rescued the teddy bear the girl had been holding. It was a little worse for wear, missing an eye and with some stuffing coming out of it, but I was sure the girl would still want it back. I looked down at myself. My shoes were missing and my new blouse and jeans were torn. They did, however, still function enough to cover the important parts of my body. I lowered myself to the ground and walked towards the road where the people were congregating. A man I recognized as the General jumped from one of the vehicles and ran into the people. I saw him pull the woman and the little girl into his arms. I waited nearby, letting them have a moment.

"It's her! She flew into the tornado! She saved us!" They were pointing at me. I had a sudden urge to leave when I heard the General call my name.

"Kara! Ms. Samuels. You made it in time!"

His daughter tugged on his arm. "Is she an angel, daddy?"

His wife looked at me and pulled me into a hug. "You saved our little girl!" She wept into the remains of my soaked and dirty blouse. I looked to the General to see moisture in his eyes.

I bent down and handed the teddy bear to his daughter. She hugged me, her tiny arms squeezing tightly. "You found, Binny! Thank you!" It was all too much for me. Seeing how close this family had been to losing each other. I wiped the tears from my eyes, turned, and walked back towards the base. When I got further away, I flew straight up above the towering storm clouds and into the sparkling night sky. I breathed deeply and let my emotions settle down. One day I'd have a family on my own. I flew back to the base and received many stares as I headed towards my room. I must have looked like quite the sight. I stripped off my clothes and tried to take the larger chunks of debris from my hair. I found sticks and bits of glass, even a piece of a beam with a nail in it. I checked myself over in the mirror. I didn’t have a single scratch on me.

I stepped into the shower, the water reminding me of the rain and Lois. My fingers went to my lips. I could still feel her kiss against them. She believed in me so much, even more than I did myself. I thought of her eyes and her touch, my mood brightening by the second. I washed my hair and climbed out of the shower and dried off. I used the blow dryer and brush to make my hair presentable again, then picked up Lois' nightgown. I held it to my face and inhaled. I was able to pick up her sweet scent that still lingered. I didn't care what Google said, I was sure I was in love, as impossible as that might sound.

I put on the nightgown and heard running feet outside my door followed by a rapid knocking. I knew it was Lois. I opened the door and she paused, looking me over up and down before throwing herself into my arms.

"The General called me a few minutes ago. He said you saved his wife and daughter and somehow stopped the tornado from hitting the town. You're a hero! He wanted to thank you, but you left too soon. He's worried about you."

"I'm fine. My new clothes, however, didn't fare nearly as well as me."

"Clothes are replaceable, you're not." She lifted her face towards mine and kissed me. "Give me a moment to call the General to let him know you are alright." She dialed the number on her phone and began speaking. "Yes, General... She is fine... First thing in the morning?.. Yes, sir." She hung up and came into my room, closing the door behind her. "He wants to see you first thing in the morning to thank you personally." I nodded, not knowing exactly what to do. "You're gorgeous, talented, compassionate, and deeply caring for others. My heart is yours, Kara. I see you standing there in my old nightgown and I want nothing more than to take it off of you and explore every inch of your body. I think that we both need to go slow so that we truly understand what we want and need from each other."

I wanted to crush her to me, to lose myself in her eyes and lips, but I knew she was right. It had been less than a week that I'd been living a different life. I didn’t know if my new body was tricking me. I recalled the words of the men this morning and some of the looks people gave me in the town after the tornado. I could understand if she might want to distance herself from me. I'm a monster in many ways. I held back the tears and put on a brave face. "I think you are being wise. You may not want to be with a monster like me. I understand."

"Oh my God! No! That is not what I meant at all. I feel myself being drawn to you like a moth to a flame. My heart is laid open, freely given to you. What I am saying, Kara, is that I am falling in love with you. I want to be with you every second of every day. I still want our romantic date. All I'm suggesting is that we take time to validate our feelings for each other."

I blushed brightly at this. Lois' declaration of her feelings for me was far more than I ever could have expected or hoped for. I reached for her and pulled her close. "I don’t know what I would do if I suddenly lost you and I thought that's what you were saying."

"I'm not going anywhere. You're mine and I don’t intend on letting you go."

"There is one thing. I hope you brought the clothes with you as what I am wearing is all I have left." I held up the tattered remains of the jeans and blouse. "Tornadoes are strong storms."

"I'll go get them." She turned to head back to her car, then stopped, smiled, and kissed me.

A short while later, Lois had gone and I was alone in my room once more. It had been a busy day. I lay in bed, hearing Lois' words and feeling her lips against mine, my body responding with warmth and I had an insatiable energy bubbling up within me. It took me a long time to get to sleep that night.

Part 14

The next morning I put on an outfit Lois had purchased for me. It was a blouse with a short skirt. I was enjoying wearing these clothes more and more. The feel of the air on my legs felt so nice. I just needed to remember how to sit properly.

I walked to the mess hall and received a standing ovation. I wasn't exactly sure why they did that. Perhaps it was my new clothes. I was about to get in line for some food when the General came in. He headed straight for me and in front of everyone, hugged me.

"You saved my little girl and my wife last night. Hell, you saved the whole damn town. I want you to know you've earned my trust. If there's ever anything I can do for you, you just need to name it. We do however, have one small problem."

"What's that?"

"Someone turn on the TV." A few moments later the TV turned on.

"...and now more on what's being called the tornado miracle. Sir, you were here last night. Can you describe what you saw... Yes. It was amazing. The tornado was bearing down on the city when this very pretty young woman flew into the tornado and caused the tornado to go away. It was amazing... Wait, you're saying a woman flew?... Yes, ma'am."

"Change the channel for me."

"...here's the latest footage of what some people are calling an angel and others are calling supergirl..." A shaky phone video of me flying into the tornado could be seen. "… we don’t know who or what she is, but the people of this town are calling her nothing other than a miracle..."

"Turn it off please. It's on every channel. I've got my team coming up with a media plan. After breakfast, I would like to meet with you and our team to discuss some ideas. I've got something for you as well that might help us with the media."

The conference room was busy with people running around everywhere. Lois came in and stood by my side, reached for my hand and squeezed it gently. The General came in carrying a large box and placed it on the table.

"I want to start off this morning by once again thanking Ms. Samuels for saving my family and the town from the tornado yesterday." Everyone stood and clapped for me again. I'd always been a behind the scenes type of person and now, being the center of attention was a challenge. I took a deep breath to calm myself. "What's the status on the news and social media sites?"

"All news stations are playing clips of Ms. Samuels flying into the tornado and interviews of the people of the town. She's being called an angel, supergirl, the flying model, even an alien succubus. YouTube hits of the video clips have swamped their site. Comments on social media are generally positive. Conspiracy theories abound, of course, but surprisingly little negative press."

"What's an alien succubus?"

Lois started laughing and whispered in my ear. "An alien would be some living being not from earth. A succubus is a mythical creature known for having sex with men as they sleep." I blushed, much to everyone's delight.

"Suggestions?"

"We hold a news conference. Let them ask questions of Ms. Samuels directly."

"Have Lois do an exclusive report that is distributed to the media."

"Make a social media page for supergirl."

"Uhm... Excuse me... Before I'm exposed to the world, perhaps it would be best to know what your intentions are towards me. In the past few days I've been doing a lot of research and I've read the histories of the United States and many other countries around the world. I believe in freedom, that no man or woman should be oppressed and controlled by another. I want a home..." I looked at Lois. "I want a family. I want to change the future, to keep it from becoming the horrible place that I came from. Is this what you all want and believe in as well?"

The General stepped to my side. "I believe I can speak of all of us. Yes, that's why we joined the military, to defend our freedoms."

"Then I propose an alliance. I'm willing to fight alongside all of you, to achieve this. In a way, I am already an American citizen. I was born not far from here, just in the future. Lois warned me that there may be people and governments that would choose to exploit me. I suggest that I live a dual life to protect those that I love. A regular citizen, and, hopefully not an alien succubus but a traveler from the future here to protect the freedoms of everyone. I just read about five Americans, two women and three men, that were taken hostage by ISIS in Syria. ISIS has given the United States five days to comply with their demands or these people will be beheaded. What if you let me rescue those people? We can document it and then use that to shed a positive light on my being here."

Everyone in the room was silent.

"I think it's a brilliant plan. I want a mockup of the Syrian facility created within twenty-four hours. If you're going to do this, then you'll need to know as much as possible to avoid civilian casualties. I need to also see you in action against live munitions before I feel comfortable allowing you to do a mission of this nature. I have something for you that might also work well with your thoughts of leading a dual life." The General walked back to the box and pulled out some clothing. "We've managed to come close to synthesizing the material from your original dress. We even made some modifications of our own. I'm sorry about the colors as we didn’t have a lot of time."

He lifted up a dark blue long sleeved top. It had a slight shimmer to it. On the front was a large 'S' symbol. "Someone thought the 'S' symbol was more for a joke, but I like it. It can represent you in two ways. 'S' for Samuels, or 'S' for Supergirl. We'd already been playing with titanium fiber, but when we combined it with carbon fiber and kevlar, we came up with this material. It should withstand everything we throw at it. There's a red cape, a red skirt, and red boots. The boots will make it easier to stay on your feet. I noticed the tornado ripped the shoes off your feet last night and boots would prevent that from happening. Would you like to try it on?"

He handed me the box of clothing and I asked Lois to come with me to my room. "We'll be back in a few minutes."

We got back to my room and Lois leaned into me and kissed me. "You're just full of surprises. I like it. Where did all that come from?"

"From you."

"Me?"

"Your talk about me finding my own way, your belief in me beyond what I had in myself, your warnings about people that might want to hurt me. It greatly helped me find my way when the General's daughter hugged me last night. I want to protect that way of life. I need to protect you. I will fight to my last breath to protect you and this way of life so that, at the end of the day, I too can have a family. I want to come home to be a loving wife, be held, touched, and loved."

"And I want to be that person you come home to. To hold you, to touch you, and to love you. Let's get you changed. I'm dying to see you in this revealing outfit!"

Lois stepped outside to give me some privacy as I changed. I stripped down and pulled on the top and cape combination. It was skin tight and held my breasts in place very well. The skirt had built-in shorts which would protect my vanity as the skirt length was very short. I pulled on the boots and looked at myself in the mirror. The combination of the blue with the red, the 'S', and the bits of yellow trim made for a bold statement. I opened the door to let Lois back in.

"I love it! It makes you look patriotic yet sexy." She pulled me close and kissed me again, letting her hand slide against the skin of my upper thigh.

"Mmm. I love your kisses and your touch. Shall we show them what it looks like?"

"You sure I can’t just lock you in my apartment and keep you all to myself?"

"I'd like that."

We walked back into the conference room and the conversations immediately stopped. I heard many 'Wow's, and a few whistles.

The General looked me over. "If we want to make a statement, it will be easy in that outfit. There's not a camera in the world that won’t latch on to you wearing that. I've also thought about separating your 'work' life and your home life. I'll speak with the authorities to get you some documentation under the name Kara Samuels. For your working relationships when wearing this outfit, I think the name Supergirl is befitting of you."

"If you can, try to make my age twenty-one. Lois introduced me to margaritas the other night."

The General looked at Lois and she shrugged. "You could call it a test to see how well she processes alcohol."

"That's all we need for now everyone."

"I'd like to take Kara back into the city for the night if that's alright with you General."

"Ms. Samuels is free to make her own choices. You don't need to ask me."

Part 15

Lois and I walked back to my room so I could grab a few things. Lois hinted I should take my red dress and in case anything came up, since the outfit was so skin tight, I could wear the supergirl outfit underneath a simple dress. I wasn't quite sure what she was up to, but I was excited to be with her and going back to the city.

We drove to her apartment and rode an elevator to the top floor of a high rise building. She opened the door to a beautiful space with clean white furniture and a view that was unbelievable.

"The real reason I wanted to bring you back here was to give us a chance to spend some time alone and have another date tonight. We've got a few hours before we need to leave for dinner. Come, sit with me on the couch for a bit."

I went over and sat down, but as I did, the television turned on. I felt around and found an object pressed into the cushion near my thigh.

"Sorry about that, Kara. Hey, look at that."

Lois turned up the volume. "… We're here live at the MidFirst Bank on the corner of 17th Street and Glenarm Place where an active bank robbery is underway. We're two blocks away, but if we zoom in, we can see one police officer lying in the street wounded. We can hear gunfire. We don't know much more at this point, but we'll keep you posted. If you are downtown Denver, please avoid this area."

"That's not too far from here. What's this world coming to?"

"I think I can help."

"What? No!"

"Lois, that police officer may be alive. Bullets can't hurt me. I can get him to safety."

"But there are likely to be hostages."

"You forget that I was trained as a police officer. With my strength, speed, and my special vision, I can do this."

"Alright, but use your Supergirl outfit. I don't want you to ruin anymore clothes." She kissed me. "Just promise you'll be back in time for our date and in one piece."

"I promise."

I slipped out of the dress I was wearing and since I had the outfit on underneath all I needed to do was put on my boots to be ready to go. I had memorized the map of Denver so I knew exactly where to go. Moments later I descended into the street in front of the bank. My cape fluttered in the breeze. Gunshots were ricocheting all around and several had hit me already. I protected the injured officer as best I could. He looked up at me as I checked his vitals. "What're you doing here? Get away, you'll get hurt."

"You're injured and I won’t get hurt." I bent over him and shielded his body as I became a target for both police and bank robbers.

"It's my leg."

"I see the wound and where the bullet is lodged. It is in the muscle and not near an artery. You should be fine. I'm going to get you to the waiting ambulance."

"But, how?"

I picked him up and walked him over to safety, placing him on a gurney. The medical team quickly moving to take care of him. "He's got a bullet lodged in his leg and it is not near any arteries. He's fine otherwise. Please take care of him." The attendants nodded not knowing what else to do. A police officer came over to me.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I was just saving the officer here and I am planning to go in there and get the bank robbers."

"You're crazy woman! I'm not letting you anywhere near there. Officers! Take this woman away."

"Sorry, sir. I can't let you do that." I lifted myself off the ground and landed in front of the bank. The bank robbers were shooting at me as I walked forward toward the entrance. I pulled the door open and walked inside. There were three robbers, all heavily armed. One had taken a female hostage and had a gun held up to her while the others opened fire on me, the bullets bouncing harmlessly off my body. "Those bullets won't do anything to me. I'm here to ask you to give yourselves up."

"What are you, some kind of freak?"

"I'll ask you one more time. Surrender peacefully or risk injury."

"That's not going to happen!"

"Wrong answer." I rushed forward and in the blink of an eye I had grabbed the gun from the man holding the woman hostage. I crushed the gun in my hand before his eyes. I grabbed him and tossed him towards the other two robbers rendering him unconscious in the process. The remaining robbers continued to fire as I closed the distance. When I was within reach they both struck out at me. I blocked their attacks and knocked their heads together. I removed their weapons and set them aside. "Is everyone alright?" No one spoke, they just nodded, their eyes a little glazed over in disbelief. I grabbed the three men by their pant legs and dragged them into the street.

The police surrounded me, their weapons at the ready. The officer in charge stepped forward. "Lady, I don’t know who you are, but your actions could have put many lives at risk. I'm placing you under arrest."

"I'm here to help. One day, you'll realize I am on your side."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Supergirl."

Part 16

I flew straight up into the sky and out of sight and landed a few moments later on the roof of Lois' apartment building. When I knocked on Lois' door, she was there immediately. She ran her fingers over my body checking for any signs of injury. She pulled me to her and held me tight.

"I guess I need to start getting used to this. I was so frightened something would happen to you. I watched it all unfold on the TV. You were amazing."

"The police didn't think so."

"Maybe not all of them, but the news reporter just spoke to the man you saved. He has a wife and two children. He wanted to thank you." Lois' phone rang. "Yes, General... I am aware our Supergirl is all over the television again... How did it happen?... Well, it sort of unfolded. There was a police officer down in the street and no one could get to him. Kara wanted to help him... No, sir. I'm not sure what I could have done to stop her anyways... Yes, sir." She hung up the phone. "He's a little upset, but I think he realizes this may be the media break we need. I'm so relieved you're alright. Do you still feel up to our date?"

"Yes. I'm sorry if I messed things up. I just couldn’t leave the officer there injured and I knew I could help."

"You did the right thing, Kara. Why don’t you get changed for dinner? I'm sure your current outfit would draw a little too much attention and I want you all to myself tonight."

I changed into the red dress we had bought the day before. I looked at myself in the mirror, and I noticed myself checking my hair. It dawned on me that I was acting more and more like a woman. The sensations of my new body parts and lack of old ones were feeling more natural to me. I was primping as well, checking to make sure I looked just right. My internal emotional state was linked to how I looked on the outside. I still felt aroused when looking at myself and I was constantly wanting to touch and feel my body, especially after the previous night's explorations. I felt comfortable as a woman and yet I loved and feared the attention my new body created.

Satisfied that I looked acceptable, I walked back into the living room. Lois was there looking absolutely gorgeous in a body hugging dress that seemed to expose more that it covered. I immediately felt my body respond and wondered if I had the same effect on her.

"You look stunning, Kara. I'm fighting off my temptations at the moment, but not sure I'll be able to do that all night long."

I smiled. "I know. I'm feeling the same way."

Lois pressed herself up against me and her fingers went to my ears and slid along my neck towards my breasts. "I was thinking that you are missing a few things. Earrings and a necklace. I doubt anyone could pierce your ears so that will have to wait until we find you some clip ons. I'll be right back." Lois went into her room and came back with a string of pearls. She pressed up against my back and put her arms around me. "Can you pull your hair to the side for me?" I grabbed my hair and exposed the back of my neck. I could feel her fingers working on the clasp of the necklace. Her lips pressed against my neck sending chills down my body. "There you go. Perfect."

As we drove to the restaurant I started to think about the future and my life. "You are a little quiet, Kara. Something on your mind?"

"I've been reading about time paradoxes. What would happen if I changed the future so much, that I was never born? Do I just vanish? Do you forget I ever existed? One theory suggests as much, but others believe in multiple possible timelines. In other words, the events on present day earth are constantly rewriting the future and at one time those events led to my being born and being able to come back in time. If I change the future by being here, it would not negate that a short time ago that other future existed, and I did come here and will be fine. It's all too much to comprehend, but it puts a sense of urgency in me. I want to do all I can to love, live, and change the future while I am still here."

"That's a lot for anyone to process. My intuition tells me you will be here, even if you change the future so that you're not born. But, I see what you mean. Maybe we need to take advantage of the time you have here and experience all we can together?" She reached over and put a hand on my knee. I placed my hand on hers.

Dinner was at a quaint, out-of-the-way Italian restaurant. The table was located in a quiet corner and was lit with romantic candle light. "What is it like, Kara? You grew up as a man and now you're a woman."

I winced. This was one conversation I really didn't want to have but if I wanted to get to know Lois on a deeper level, I'd have to talk about this at some point. "Does it bother you that I was a man before?"

"No, surprisingly not. I'm drawn to you, Kara, not the body you now have. Let me rephrase that. I am very attracted to your body, but there are many good-looking people I'm not attracted to because I need to see inside someone's character before I can truly be attracted to them. You're who you are and that's what draws me to you. That you're as old as my father has crossed my mind, but it's not something I dwell upon."

I took a few moments to gather my thoughts. "I was given the name Samuel McAllister by the government. Kara was the name of the woman from the wasteland that I helped escape. I was educated by the government. They taught me what to think, not how to think. The history of the earth as it was taught to us was fictitious and designed to make people believe the future was the way things always had been. As a boy, I was shown how I was to treat women. They emphasized male dominance over them. As I grew older, they tightly controlled the boys to make sure they learned their sexuality 'properly'. I won’t go into a lot of details as it was not an enjoyable experience."

"At the age of sixteen, the government would provide each male a woman for the night. I remember my night vividly. I was led to a small room with a single dim light. The concrete walls, floors, and ceiling gave it a jail-like feel. A bed was in the corner of the room with a bare stained mattress. It smelled musty. I ignored all these things as I was excited to have reached my first milestone towards being considered a man and the other boys that had turned sixteen before me told us younger ones how fun it was to ravage a woman. I knew nothing else. As I stood in the room, the door opened and they pushed a young girl into my room and then closed the door behind them. She was my age and had long brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was wearing a dirty nightgown and had nothing on her feet. She was pretty. She crawled up onto the bed, and pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly. She was crying and shaking."

"I remembered the training I was given and raised my hand to hit her, to make her know who was superior. I looked into her eyes and realized she was just like me. I had a fifty-one percent probability I could've been a girl when I was born. I realized I could've been that terrified girl. I lowered my hand, both ashamed I had even thought of hurting her, and ashamed for not doing what I was supposed to do. I gave her as much space as I could, and sat on the cold cement floor through the night. In the morning, they saw she had not performed and backhanded her across the face. She and I were both dragged from the room. I never knew what happened to her, but I was taken for additional training and threatened."

"You asked what it was like to be a man. I'm not sure I really knew what it was to be a real man. In a way, I was just as much a slave as the women, just my work did not involve being raped every night. The day I met Kara, I saw the depth of her love for a man she called her husband. She stood proudly, willing to die for him and her children. For the first time in my life, I recognized I could be a different person. A real man. One that a woman would want to be with. I helped her escape and within hours I'd become the criminal. Still, even though I was stripped naked and paraded through the streets to a place my punishment would be handed out, I held my head high. If I was going to my death, or to exile, I'd do it as a real man."

"I was strapped down on a cold steel table. My supervisor who had been running an illegal human trafficking ring by stealing women from their families in the wasteland, determined my punishment for letting Kara escape. A doctor that had been experimenting on genetic manipulation was asked to try his latest procedure on me. In the words of my supervisor, if I died, like all the other attempts, it was no loss to the world. If I survived, then he'd be able to replace his losses. There are no words that could describe the pain that I experienced during the transformation. My last moments of a man were everything to make me realize I wanted nothing to do with the likes of men."

""I'd thankfully and blissfully passed out in the middle of the procedure. When I woke up and saw that I was now a young woman, my first thought was sheer terror. It had been bad enough being male, but to be a beautiful female would mean a lifetime of suffering and abuse. The rest, you pretty much know. As the shock of my transformation and arriving here in the past has begun to wear off, I realize I've never felt more free. There are good men here, many more than in the future, but in the depths of my soul, I finally feel the freedom of no longer being a male. Perhaps, I should've been born female all along, or my brain was more female than male. Whatever the situation is, was, or will be, I'm finally alive."

Lois sat in stunned silence for a few minutes. I bowed my head, not wanting to make eye contact and to hide my tears. I felt Lois slide into the seat next to me and pull me to her. Her touch was so tender. She cradled my head to her shoulder. We sat that way for quite a while. I could feel her love and acceptance in her touch. It poured into my broken and battered soul, repairing years of emotional damage. She lifted my chin with her fingers and kissed me. Her other kisses had been filled with passion, but this kiss seemed filled with an energy that was beyond description. I'd now felt love for the first time and it was the most powerful force in the universe.

"Now I understand why you named yourself Kara. I'm so sorry you had to live a life like that, but, in a selfish way, that life brought us to this moment in time. A moment, that I can say unashamedly, that I love you, Kara Samuels."

With those spoken words things changed within my heart. I belonged to something deeper and more true than anything in my life. I finally understood how Kara had been willing to die for her family. I would take on the world to protect that which I now had. I looked into Lois' eyes and smiled. "I love you, Lois, with all that's within me."

When dinner was finished, Lois took me back to her apartment. She put on some soft music and led me by my hand to an open space in the living room. Her hand touched the side of my face and I felt her thumb caress my cheek as she looked into my eyes. Her hand continued into my hair and to the back of my neck, pulling me towards her waiting lips. I felt the lightest brush of her lips against mine. I could feel how soft and moist her lips were as my body tingled with excitement. Her first kiss was followed by a second, this time her lips lingered on mine. She pulled me tightly against her, our breasts and hips touching. She slowly began to rock us back and forth in time with the music. My hands automatically went around Lois' neck as hers went around my narrow waist.

Our cheeks were touching and my face was buried into her long brunette hair. She smelled fresh and wonderful. I inhaled her scent into my soul. I was aware of every touch and how our bodies merged with each other's. I felt her lips kissing my neck just below my ear sending a shiver down my spine. She whispered into my ear. "I love you, Kara." I felt her arms tighten around my waist pulling me even closer.

I let out a soft moan as my emotions entwined with the feelings of my body. "I love you, Lois."

We continued to rock with the music and explore each other's bodies. Her thigh was putting light pressure between my legs. I was becoming more and more aroused by the moment. I wanted release, but Lois was deliberate with each touch making me feel more and more loved. I felt her lean back with my fingers as my lips found hers once again. Her tongue pressed against my lips and I opened mine slightly. I wanted to taste her lips, to savor them. My tongue met Lois'. She tasted sweet and inviting. Her kisses became more passionate, her tongue probing deeper. I moaned again as my breasts seemed to push towards her with each gasping breath.

"Mmmm. You're so beautiful, Kara." She pulled back a little ways to look me in the eyes. "I want to make love to you. Would you like that?"

"I am yours, Lois. Body, mind, and soul. I would like that very much."

Lois pressed her lips against mine as our tongues sought each other's. Her hand moved to my breast and ever so gently traced it with her fingers through the fabric of my dress. I pressed myself harder against her, my hand pulling the small of her back towards my hips. I could feel her thigh press harder between my legs. I let out a soft moan of pleasure. I could feel the wetness in my panties and between my legs. The slight scent of my vaginal juices inflaming our passions. Her hand pressed a little harder as she massaged my breast. I could feel my nipple pressing into her hand. I reached down and squeezed her butt putting even more pressure on her thigh between my leg.

Somehow our slow dancing had been forgotten and I was pressed against the wall. Lois began kissing down my shoulder and neckline. I was breathing heavily now and my breasts rose and fell towards her eager lips. Her one hand continued to massage my breast while her other hand pressed between my legs. She slowly pulled the hem of my dress up so her hand could slip up and underneath. My hand sought Lois' breast and I smiled as I heard her gasp with pleasure. Lois' hand had made its way back to my panties which were embarrassingly wet. I felt her fingers slowly rub back and forth across my vaginal lips. It was all too much and I pulled into a kiss as my body began convulsing in pleasure. I could feel Lois smiling as she kissed me between my moans.

We slowly made our way into the bedroom. Lois laid me down on her bed and climbed on top of me. I lifted my thigh between her legs and moved it back and forth. Lois was kissing me as she used her hips against my thigh. It wasn't long before I felt her body tense and begin to shake. I held her tightly in my embrace through her waves of orgasmic bliss.

Lois kissed me and smiled as she looked into my eyes. "I can’t believe we both came and we haven't even taken our clothes off yet. She pulled me up so we were standing and pressed herself against my back. One hand went to my dress zipper while the other reached around and massaged my breast. I was surprised I was already becoming aroused again so soon after I had my orgasm. This new body seemed insatiable when with Lois. I felt the zipper slide down my back and felt her hand glide across my bare skin. Her lips kissed my neck and shoulder as she pulled the dress away from them. Soon my dress was on the floor but she continued to press into me from behind as she fumbled with my bra hook. I felt it loosen and Lois. Hand reached under to feel my breast as her other hand slipped inside my panties.

I was starting to get overwhelmed by the pleasurable sensations and nearing orgasm again so I turned to face Lois, letting my bra drop to the floor. I reached for the zipper of her dress and pulled it slowly down letting it fall. Lois knelt down in front of me and pulled down my wet panties as I unhooked her bra. I stepped out of my shoes and pulled Lois up to give her a kiss. Then I removed her panties. She spun me around and laid me back down on the bed. She stood back and took a moment to look at me lying there. "God, your beautiful, Kara."

I stared at the glory of Lois' body. Her breasts were perfect and well formed. Her skin flawless. Her pubic hair short cropped and neatly trimmed. "You're gorgeous."

She smiled and lay on top of me, our naked bodies responding to each other's touches. Lois's skin was so soft. She began kissing me and massaging my breast then slowly kissed her way down my chest and placed one of my nipples into her mouth. The feeling was so much better than a simple hand and I moaned and stroked her head with my hand. She kissed her way to my other breast and repeated her sucking with my other nipple. She then kissed her way down my stomach. I was moaning in anticipation. I began massaging my own breasts as Lois licked my vaginal lips. I was so wet, her tongue found no resistance as she slipped it between my folds. She pressed her tongue against my sensitive and swollen clitoris. I gasped with pleasure. She soon found a rhythm and I began to rock my hips against her tongue. Knowing I was close, she pushed her fingers inside me and put more pressure on my clitoris with my tongue. Wave after wave of orgasms hit me. I shook and felt my vaginal muscles clamp down on her fingers as she moved them in and out of me. It was the most glorious orgasm I ever had but Lois did not let up. She continued licking my clitoris and moving her fingers in and out of me until I had another orgasm. It was a little less powerful than the previous, but magnificent all the same.

Lois climbed back up my body and kissed me. Her tongue darting into my mouth. I could taste my own juices on her lips. For the first time of the evening I took the lead and rolled Lois onto her back. I wanted to taste her like she did me. I kissed her and felt her arms around my neck to hold me against her and keep our kiss longer. I began kissing her neck and shoulders and worked my way to her breast. I licked her nipple and took it into my mouth to suck it gently. I could feel it harden and become erect in my mouth. My hand moved between her legs and I slipped a finger between her lips. Lois moaned softly and pressed up against my hand.

I kissed down her stomach and teased her by kissing her thighs before pushing my tongue between her folds. She tasted so wonderful and sweet. She spread her legs apart a little and I moved my hands under her to the small of her back to pull her towards my tongue. I found her clitoris with my tongue and felt it swollen size. I continued to lick her until she was nearly at orgasm. I swirled my tongue around her clitoris and gently pulled it with my lips. Lois screamed out with pleasure, her legs clamping down on my head as she shook and came. I continued to lick her until I felt her hands pull me up her body. We kissed and held each other tightly.

"That was amazing, Kara. You're a natural."

"I've never experienced anything so wonderful in my entire life."

Lois, still on her back, pulled me into her arms. I draped a leg and an arm across her body and rested my head against her chest. She stroked my hair as we fell asleep.

Part 17

I woke the next morning and found myself still entangled in Lois' arms and legs. I watched her sleeping for a long time. She was so beautiful. After a while she stirred and opened her eyes. I watched her smile grow and her eyes dance with emotion. "Good morning my love. How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You look like you just stepped out of a beauty parlor. Your hair is perfect."

"Must be genetic mutation and some form of radiation."

"If you could ever figure what makes it work, you'd make a fortune selling it."

"Last night was the most incredible experience of my life. Sex in the future was always so savage."

"We didn't have sex, which can be rather raw. We made love. There is a huge difference when every touch is an extension of the love you feel for the other person."

We snuggled and kissed for a while until Lois' phone rang. "Lois here... Yes General... You want her there in two hours?... Alright. We're on our way." She put her phone away. "Darn. I was looking forward to a nice shower with you and a leisurely breakfast. We can eat on the way and I'll put my hair up so I don’t look like I had a night of glorious love making. It truly was glorious. I love you so much!"

We arrived back at the base. I had changed into my Supergirl outfit as the General wanted me to try to rescue hostages from the mock-up facility they created. There was an initial briefing and we decided to utilize twice as many soldiers in the trial than would be expected in Syria. Live munitions would be used. An overview of the building layout and compound was provided. It was assumed the hostages were being held in a room that were furthest inside the building with a single door entry to other parts of the building and compound beyond.

When we were all set and ready to go, I hovered in the clouds above the compound and used my x-ray vision to determine where the hostages were. Twelve armed men were inside the compound. One guarded the door to the hostages, and two more were inside other parts of the building.

On my first attempt, I flew down quickly, disabling a stray soldier in the outside compound. Disabling for the exercise was me taking their weapon away and tapping them on their helmet to indicate they had been taken out. Unfortunately the other outside soldiers spotted me and opened fire. I was able to disable those easily enough, but those inside simply took out the hostages as I was not able to get inside fast enough.

Frustrated, I asked the General if I could try a different method. He agreed and we reset for a second try. This time as I hovered above, I spotted the hostages in the back room of the building. One man patrolled just outside their door with several others inside the building and many more on the outside. My thought was that the bullets the soldiers used would not go through the walls of the building. By starting on the inside, I could eliminate the threats closest to them first. I carefully determined the best point of entry into the building to protect the hostages, but also not harm them from debris.

I flew downward and crashed through the ceiling of the building, close enough to disable the soldier outside their door the moment I landed. The other two inside the building were easy to spot and eliminate. I then rushed outside to complete the task. This time all hostages were rescued and safe.

"I never would have thought of going in that way, Supergirl. This was excellent. Next, we need to coordinate the actual event. Once you have eliminated the threats and saved the hostages, two helicopters will land in the compound to collect any prisoners and return with the hostages. I've already spoken to Admiral Johnson of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford. They are stationed just off the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. You will need to meet with him at 1300 hours their time. They are set and ready to expect you. We've an upgrade to your in-ear radio so that we can track you and speak with you the entire time. Surveillance drones will be deployed to capture footage of the rescue attempt. We've got several briefings to cover all the remaining details."

It was around midnight when I stood in the base courtyard ready to leave. Lois stayed by my side the entire time. A small contingency of military and the General were there to see me off.

"Supergirl, I want you to understand how important this mission is for all of us. Not only are you there to save the lived of American hostages, but you're also protecting the lives of military men and women with families. This is not a media stunt. We all feel you are capable of succeeding in this mission and that is why we asked you. We'll be with you all the way." He stood at attention and saluted me. "Godspeed, Supergirl."

Lois pulled me to the side. "Come back to me, Kara. Remember that you are not expendable. You have a family now."

"Nothing on earth would keep me from coming back to you." We kissed and she hugged me close to her.

I nodded to the General and looked into Lois' eyes and flew into the night sky.

Part 18

I'd been in radio communication with the aircraft carrier and the base. I was aware the Admiral was very skeptical of the entire mission and me in particular. As I descended to the ship a large contingency of Navy men and women were on deck to greet me. I landed in the middle of them. Admiral Johnson was there and walked up to greet me.

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't see you with my own eyes flying through the air. General Markus Williams speaks very highly of you. He sent videos of your testing. I'm impressed."

"Thank you, Admiral. I really don’t know how this all happened to me, but it'd be a shame to not use these gifts I've been given to save lives. I'm here to help in any way I can."

"If the General trusts you, then that's good enough for me. We've been surveilling the site for a few days now. The footage we have of the hostages indicates they've likely been beaten and are in rough shape. The ISIS members are well armed. I want you go in at dusk so that once your mission is complete our helicopters can arrive by cover of darkness. We've a few hours before you'd need to leave. You can eat, rest, and, if you are feeling up to it, the crew is very interested in you. Some are skeptical and feel we should be doing the rescue ourselves. It might be a good idea to spend some time with them, showing them some of your abilities to make them feel a little more comfortable."

"As I said before, Admiral. Anything I can do to help."

"Since we have many of the crew on deck, perhaps we can have you address them? We've got a podium over here and you can take some of their questions."

"I'd be happy to."

The Admiral walked me to the podium and addressed the crew. "Officers and crew of the USS Gerald R Ford. I'd like to introduce you to the United States' latest ally in our fight for democracy and freedom. Please welcome, Supergirl."

A generous but cautious applause spread through the crew. There were lots of wolf whistles. The Admiral indicated for me to take the podium. I was very nervous at first until I imagined myself in their shoes. It was their job to defend the citizens of the United States. How would I feel if suddenly some young woman comes along to take over a portion of their responsibilities. Lives were at stake here. "Thank you all for your hospitality and welcome. I'm sure you have many questions and concerns about me, as I would of me if I were you. If I felt that my being here put the lives of any of you, or American citizens at risk in any way, I wouldn’t be here today. I'm happy to answer whatever questions you have of me."

"Are you an alien from outer space?"

I laughed a little. "No, I'm one hundred percent human, born and raised on earth. It's a little complicated, but I came from the year 2430. I was being sent to another planet when my spacecraft encountered an anomaly that changed my physiology and returned me to earth nearly four hundred years before I left."

"We know you can fly, but what good does that do against bullets."

I turned and whispered to the Admiral. He nodded. "Perhaps a demonstration is in order. Can I get three of you fine gentlemen that are carrying sidearms?" Three men stepped forward and I stepped over to the edge of the deck. "You have my permission to shoot me." They all hesitated.

The Admiral stepped in. "You heard the lady. Shoot her. That's an order."

They all took careful aim and fired. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of me much to the amazement of everyone. I went back to the podium. "Even the highest caliber rifle round will not injure me."

"How fast are you?"

"Count to three for me."

Before the man counted to one I was by his side. "I'm not sure how fast I am yet, but I'm much faster than an F-14. On my flight here, I was tracked at over mach 10. I know I can fly much faster than that."

"How strong are you?"

"In our testing at the base, I threw a sixty-two ton tank a mile."

"With your abilities, you could rule the world. Why help us?"

"Because I believe in freedom. The future is a world of subjugation where practically every person is a slave in one form or another. A ruler implies that they control the actions of others. I lived in a world where there was no freedom, where women were treated as mere objects, and families didn’t exist. You fight for freedom and I am honored to fight alongside you."

A warm cheer arose from everyone. The Admiral thanked me and allowed me a few minutes to mingle with the crew. After that, they fed me, which I was very grateful for, and had one more briefing before it was time to leave.

Part 19

I hovered over the ISIS controlled compound and found all but one of the hostages in the back room of the building as our mock exercise had been. I spotted ten ISIS militants in the area, one of them appeared to have a young woman with him in another room. I suspected that woman was the fifth hostage. I radioed in. "I am seeing all five hostages and ten ISIS militants. It appears as if one militant has one of the female hostages in a separate room."

"We are with you, Supergirl. You are free to engage."

I flew straight down and crashed through the roof of the building, debris taking out an ISIS militant guarding the hostages. I turned to the frightened hostages and quickly looked them over. "Stay here! Don’t move, I'll be right back. I'm here to help you." I crashed through the room's wall and the adjoining room where the single female hostage was. The militant, who had already been getting himself dressed being alerted by my crash through the ceiling, was cursing at me in Arabic. I glanced at the young woman, she was barely a teenager. She had been beaten and likely raped. I pointed to the other room with the rest of the hostages. "Go! Now! Get with the others."

I was furious. My hatred for what they had done to these people burst forth in an uncontrollable energy. The militant reached for his rifle but I stared at him with angry eyes. Light burst forth from my eyes and burned the man to dust. I was momentarily shaken by what I had just done and this new ability I had discovered. I still needed to rescue the hostages. I could hear the militants rushing into the building and shouting. I quickly moved to the outer rooms blocking them from getting near the hostages. One by one I tossed them aside until there were no more inside the building. Using my x-ray vision, I scanned the outside to see four more militants running around. One hoisted an RPG and aimed it at the building. I flew through the wall and straight for him as he launched the RPG. It exploded against my chest, the blast knocking the remaining militants to the ground. Unfazed, I rounded up the militants one by one, rendering them unconscious and breaking their weapons.

"This is Supergirl. The hostages are safe and the compound secure."

I heard a cheer from over the radio. "Excellent work, Supergirl! ETA in two minutes."

I rushed back to the hostages. They shied away from me at first. "I'm Supergirl. I'm working with the U.S. military to rescue you. Helicopters will arrive in two minutes. We'll get you onboard and taken to the USS Gerald R Ford waiting offshore. You're safe now." The young girl that was being attacked by the ISIS militant sobbed and clung to me. I lifted her up and into my arms and led the hostages to freedom.

As we walked outside two helicopters landed in the compound. Armed men jumped out and escorted the hostages into the helicopter. The young girl clung to me but we managed to get her inside. The second team rounded up the militants. One officer asked me about the remains of the one inside the building. I told him it was a long story. In only a few minutes the compound was empty and the helicopters were heading back to the carrier.

I flew along near the helicopters when over the radio I heard an urgent message. "Helicopter one here. We have detected the launch of a surface to air missile."

I hovered and looked around and saw the flames from the incoming missile heading for the front helicopter. "I've got this!" I gave a burst of speed and flew to intercept the missile. I focused on the missile and willed the burning energy from my eyes. A beam of red light struck the missile and it exploded in a fiery blast. Luckily it was far enough away that the helicopters were safe. "Missile is destroyed."

"I'm not sure how you did that, Supergirl, but you sure saved our butts."

The rest of the flight back to the ship was uneventful. I waited for the helicopters to land before I landed. I was immediately surrounded by the recovery team and the hostages thanking me. I lifted the young girl into my arms. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" She nodded. I held her close and took her into the ship where a team of medical doctors awaited.

The Admiral came by to thank me in person. "That was a fine piece of work, Supergirl. You've earned my trust and those of the crew. I look forward to working with you again. I'm not sure how we can thank you."

"You don’t need to thank me, Admiral. I'm just glad I can be of service. Does she have a family?" I looked at the young girl.

"Yes. She was kidnapped from a missionary family on the border of Syria. They're anxious to have her back safe and sound."

"What they did to these poor people made me so angry. When I found the man that was attacking this poor girl, I blasted him out of existence. I wasn't even sure of how I did it."

"What matters is that you saved the girl and the rest of them. I assume you'll be heading back soon?"

"Right away, sir."

"Thank you, again."

I walked over to the young girl and stroked her hair. Tears fell from my eyes as I thought about the injustice of it all. "You'll be okay. They will take good care of you and bring you back to your parents."

I left her there and flew back to the base. It was mid-morning when I arrived. Lois, the General, and the team were there to greet me and congratulate me on a successful mission. After filling in the details of the mission for everyone, Lois finally dragged me back to my room where we fell into each other's arms. I told her about the young girl and how a new ability emerged burning the man that attacked her.

"Do you want children, Lois?"

"Yes! Just not right away."

"I never really thought about it before. But having that young girl in my arms brought out something in me I've never felt. I've this strong desire to nurture. How can I blast a man to death one second and feel nothing but loving compassion the next?"

"What he did was wrong. That girl needed you. She needed your love and compassion just as I need your love."

We fell into each other's arms and made love until we both fell asleep.

Part 20

The next morning the teams were discussing how Supergirl would be announced to the world. There was video footage from the rescue, but the most touching photo was me hugging the girl with tears falling from my eyes. I didn't even realize someone took that picture. Unfortunately the meeting was cut short. The General just announced that another spacecraft had entered the earth's atmosphere, heading close to where mine crashed. We needed to head there right away.

I flew ahead, arriving a few minutes after the craft had crashed. I scanned the area and was suddenly very fearful. My old supervisor, Arturus, was hovering above the crash site. I flew towards him and I saw him recognize me.

"You! What are you doing here? This isn't Altarin. Where are we?"

"You are on earth, four hundred years in the past."

"That's not possible!"

"It's also not possible to fly either. Yet here you and I are floating in the air."

"You did this to me!" He bellowed. "You reported me for human trafficking. They sent me to Altarin a week after I sent you."

An F-14 flew by followed by helicopters arriving from the base.

"You did that to yourself, Arturus. Obviously whatever happened to me happened to you as well."

The helicopters landed nearby and the General and military came out.

"What happened to you? You were nothing more than a cowering worthless slut when I last saw you."

"You may not realize it, but I'm grateful for what you did to me. Not how you did it, but the end result is that you freed me. This world accepts me and treats me well. It is a world far beyond your understanding."

"I'll show you understanding!" He rushed straight at me but my reflexes were much faster and I dodged out of the way. He came at me again, this time I was able to hit him with my fist sending him flying backwards and landing in the soft earth near the helicopters. The men surrounded him and raised their weapons towards him. He got up and rushed the men nearest him, shattering their weapons and tossing the men aside like they were rag dolls. The other men started shooting at him but the bullets bounced harmlessly away. He looked down at his hands, realization dawning upon him.

I flew down to him. "You can't do this, Arturus! These are good people."

"They can't hurt me with their puny weapons. I'm a god!"

"I won't let you hurt these people!"

"You can't stop me." He flew straight at me, tackling me around my waist and sending us both crashing through one of the helicopters which erupted into a ball of fire. I was stunned and dazed by the blow. Arturus turned and fled up into the sky.

I slowly got up and tried to help the injured men. The General stopped me. "You know this man?"

"He's Arturus Campbell. My old supervisor. The meanest person I've ever met. This isn't good for us. He'll destroy the earth as we know it and remake it to his own design, setting himself up as ruler over everyone."

"How do we stop him?"

"It's clear he doesn't yet understand all his abilities. I've more knowledge of mine and that might give us an advantage for a short time. If, however, he and I are equal, he still has his larger size over me. I'm afraid his strength could be greater than mine."

"General! Two of our men are dead. Three more wounded. We've just heard radio chatter from Pueblo City Police. A flying man is destroying the city."

"I'll do what I can, even if it means my death." I flew up into the sky and headed south for Pueblo.

Part 21

I saw the fires and smoke before I even got close to the city. Arturus pick up a bus full of children and threw it. I dove under the bus just in time to set it gently back on the ground. I flew straight at him, anger fueling my speed. I hit him solidly on the chin sending him flying back, crashing into an empty warehouse. I rushed after him, our fight taking us to the outside city limits. We fought back and forth until we were both exhausted. His strength versus my speed and agility. We hovered a hundred feet above the ground and looked at each other. Both of us bruised and battered.

"We can have it all. You and me. We could rule this world! You'd want for nothing and be my mistress."

I stared at him, anger raging within me at what he was suggesting. As we gathered our energy and spoke, rain had begun to fall in heavy torrents. "I won’t let you hurt anyone! You'd bring the world to the despicable future we just left. Even worse!"

"Your downfall will be your mercy for these worthless people! Look at us! We could own everything. Nothing could stand in our way!"

I felt the shockwave first. A massive explosion of fire and heat blew us apart. It was followed by a second that flung me crashing into the ground. A third explosion shattered the earth beneath where I lay dropping me into a deep crater. My lungs burned as if on fire. I lay at the bottom of a crater, beaten and exhausted, the rain pelting me and covering me in mud. I curled myself into a ball and wept with the realization that the people I thought had been my friends had just attacked me. They thought I was a threat. I stood unsteadily to my feet, not knowing or caring what happened to Arturus. The rain splashed against my upturned face, reminding me of my first kiss with Lois. She too must think of me as a horrible creature needing destruction. I'd been so deceived thinking I finally found my place and called this home. I screamed out in despair and flew upward and away from everything.

I'm not sure how long or how far I flew. It no longer mattered. I found an isolated cabin on a lake in the middle of a remote wilderness. No one was around for miles and miles. The cabin was dark and smoke stained wood indicated years of use. Traps hung from the walls and there were cans of food. A small wood burning stove sat in the corner and an old mattress on a rusty spring frame rested against the wall. I fell onto the smokey smelling mattress and shivered and shook. My tears had dried, but my heart was broken. I'd told Lois that nothing could describe the physical pain I had gone through, yet I now knew a pain that was far greater. Having had love, and lost it. At some point I fell into a fitful sleep.

Part 22

The sun that streamed in the cabin window was not what woke me. It was the thumping of a helicopter. Somehow they'd tracked me and were here to finish me off. I sat on the bed and waited for the inevitable. I didn't expect a knock at the door. I didn’t bother to answer it. The General cautiously opened the door and looked inside.

"You're a hard person to find. Your cape has a GPS transmitter built in. May I sit?" I couldn’t even look him in the eyes. I heard him pull up the only chair in the cabin. "Arturus is going to destroy Denver and kill everyone he can if you don’t go to him."

I looked up angrily. The General's face was tired and worn, his eye blackened. It was clear he had not slept for quite some time. "Why should I care what he does?"

The General frowned sadly, obviously in emotional pain. "I can understand how you might be feeling?"

I was still angry. "Can you? I've never lifted a finger to hurt anyone and offered you my help everywhere I could. And yet I was blasted from the sky and left in a crater to die! The very people I had started to call my own family tried to kill me."

"I've not known you long, Kara, but..." I winced at his mentioning my name. "...I consider you like my own daughter. You must believe me in that it wasn't my decision. Orders were given by the president himself. Knowing what you've done for this country already, it pained him to give the order and it devastated me to relay the order. You had Arturus beat. He was worn down. It was our only chance to protect the world from him."

"And obviously from me as well."

"Kara, you need to see something." He waved another man in that had a laptop computer with him. He opened it up and a montage of videos and news headlines appeared. There were videos from the tornado, from the bank, and from the rescue in Syria. There was the photo of me with the young girl. Videos of me battling Arturus and saving the children on the bus. Then there was footage of Arturus destroying and killing, leaving entire towns devastated. Finally headlines. 'Where's Supergirl?' 'We need Supergirl!' The last headline included a picture of the president with his head in his hands, 'What have we done?' "The world loves you, Kara. I'd give my life for you. Try to understand. There's one more thing..."

"What?" My voice cracked with sadness.

"Arturus has Lois. You realize she loves you very much? When the order was given she hit me and raced in her car to go find you. I'm afraid someone leaked a picture of you and Lois to the media. He must have seen that. He hunted her down and took her then went to the media to say if you do not come to him and accept surrender, he would rape and pillage the world, starting with Lois. He's giving you twenty-four hours to come to the Denver stadium."

"I need to go."

"You're going to surrender?"

"No. I'm going to kill him." I started towards the door when his hand grabbed mine.

"Kara. I obeyed my orders. I'd take it back if I could. I should've defended you and protected you. I'm sorry."

My anger at him dissipated. I could see the depth of his sorrow in his eyes. I knelt at his feet and reached for him. My tears once again flowing freely. I felt his arm move protectively around my shoulders. When I pulled back, I saw his tears. "I forgive you." I got up and stepped outside into the morning sunlight.

Part 23

I flew back to Denver not knowing what kind of trap I might be heading into. The stadium was easy enough to find. I hovered above assessing the situation. Lois was tied to one of the goal posts and Arturus was standing nearby. I spotted numerous cameras from the media. He was obviously wanting to make a statement. I landed ten yards away from them.

"So you decided to come and surrender? I hear you go by the name Supergirl now. How fitting considering you were a mere sniveling creature before you got here."

"The only creature here is you, Arturus! Even if Supergirl had no powers, she'd still be a better person than you'd ever be." Lois spat at Arturus.

Arturus ignored her and focused on me. "You're the only person that can give me the slightest resistance to ruling this world. You've three options. Surrender by kneeling in front of me now, and I will spare those that you care about most, including the feisty bitch over here. You can join me as my mistress as we rule the earth. I can just imagine what you would be like in bed. The last option is that you die slowly and before you finally die I'll rape your little girlfriend before tearing her in half before your eyes. Then I'll go ahead and destroy and rebuild the world as I see fit. You know I am much larger than you and am thus much stronger. You don't stand a chance. So what shall it be?"

"The way I see it, Arturus, is that you have two choices. Promise to never come back or harm another person on this earth and you can leave in peace. The alternative is that I kill you."

"You can't kill me, I'm a god!"

"You may be stronger, but you are a coward inside. I fight for the freedom of all people, while you fight for greed. The way I see it, win or lose, I still win. I believe in the people of this world and I believe in their strength. You might kill me, but you'll never destroy their spirit."

He rushed me with a savage roar. I dove to the side then turned towards him and slammed into his back propelling him even faster towards the far end of the stadium. He crashed into the wall on the far side as I rushed to Lois' side and burned away the ropes with my eyes. "Run!"

My momentary delay freeing Lois was all Arturus needed to circle back and slam me into the ground. I flew up to get away but he grabbed my foot and threw me crashing into the stands. I lay there dazed as Arturus ripped a tower of lights from the stadium. He swung it like a cleaver towards me. I gave a burst of speed and pushed away from the stands just as the light pole smashed where I'd been moments before. I had the edge of speed and I needed to use it to my advantage. I also believed that Arturus hadn't discovered all his abilities yet. He swung the light pole at me again as if I was a fly to be swatted from the air. I dodged away then gave a burst of energy from my eyes and burn the pole in two. I sent another burst of energy towards him, burning him across his chest. He howled in pain.

I flew towards him and veered away at the last second doubling back to catch him off-guard with a fist to his nose. He fell back stunned. His countenance changed and I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. He bolted towards the tunnel and into the area under the stands. I went to the goal post and burned a portion of the steel post off with my eyes making it sharp on one end. Using my x-ray vision I could see Arturus under the stands beneath the cement. I flew up then dove straight down with the sharpened pole as a spear before me. I crashed through the cement stands into the area beneath building the end of the pole aimed directly at Arturus. I rolled clear of the debris and looked back. Arturus was pinned through his side by the steel post which had carried through him and another ten feet into the concrete.

I watched him struggle weakly, blood pouring from him. I walked behind him and wrapped my arm around his neck. "Will you surrender and leave the people of earth alone?"

"Never! Earth is mine!" He reached back and tried to free my arm from his neck. I held fast, taking the beating.

"Last chance, Arturus."

"I'm going to destroy you, but first, I'm going to make you watch me rip your little girlfriend in two!"

I looked up to see Lois standing nearby. We'd never be free if I let him live. Tears began to fall from my eyes. He was evil, but I still didn't want to kill him if I didn't have to.

Arturus felt my tears. "I knew it! You're weak and a coward. You won't kill me!"

I squeezed with all my strength and wrenched at the same time. Arturus' neck broke. I sat there and wept uncontrollably. A light touch caressed my hair. I turned towards Lois. She pulled me away from Arturus' lifeless body and to a debris free area where she sat down. I laid on the ground my knees to my chest, my head resting in her lap, her hand stroking my cheek and hair. We stayed there unspeaking for many minutes.

"You came for me."

"I'll always come for you."

"I'm sorry for what they did to you. That was wrong. You've been nothing but honorable and willing to put yourself at risk for other people. You need to know I was not part of that decision."

"I saw the General's black eye. He told me you hit him."

"I can't tell you how angry I was. It felt like a betrayal of the worst kind."

"So what happens now?"

"How would you like to move in with me?"

Part 24

I stood on the balcony of our apartment and watched the first rays of sunlight hit the distant mountain peaks. I took a deep breath of the crisp fall Colorado air. I pulled my robe tighter around me, not because I was cold, as I never got cold anymore, but more to feel the soft texture and comfort it brought. It was now six months since I killed Arturus. Supergirl had become a beloved household name worldwide. Even the Denver police were happy to have my assistance. Crime was down, ISIS was in retreat, and the world nations were making overtures towards global peace. I looked down at the ring on my left hand and smiled. Last month Lois had proposed to me. We'd even discussed the possibility of raising a family soon.

The president had made a public and formal apology to me. With the General's insistence, he also granted Kara Samuels citizenship and all the documents necessary for me to have a separate life from Supergirl. A new economy had formed around the popularity of Supergirl. Supergirl costumes had become the first choice for young girls around the world selling five times as much as the Elsa princess costume from the movie Frozen. I'd become a role model for women of all ages and spoke publicly whenever a chance arose.

I loved being a woman. What Arturus had meant for evil turned out to be the biggest blessing of my life. I enjoyed being pretty and wearing beautiful dresses. I was flattered by the attention and pleased how my looks opened doors where no man could've gone.

I continued to ponder my wonderful new life when a pair of hands slipped inside my robe from behind. Lois' lips found my neck and began kissing me. "You're going to be late, my gorgeous wife."

I turned into her arms and gave Lois a long, lingering kiss. "You've made me the happiest woman in the world. I'm so honored to be called your wife, to know you'll always be there for me. I'd rather stay here with you this morning."

"And I would be very happy for you to stay, but the United Nations has asked you to speak to them this morning. You wanted to change the world, this is an excellent way to start. It's quite an honor."

"An honor that pales in comparison to being loved by you. Would you like me to bring you back some New York pizza?"

"Yes! I'll even make it worth your while tonight." She kissed me and sent me to get changed.

Part 25

I stood at the United Nations podium and looked over the crowd. "The future is what we choose to make it. Will we stand by and let our daughters be raped and mutilated? By not doing something about it we're guilty of condoning it..."