Scott Sonneborn - Supergirl vs. Brainiac

CHAPTER 1

As the sun rose over Metropolis, the city was already alive with activity. Cars honked as they fought their way through midtown traffic. People rushed across the sidewalks on their way to work.

Then suddenly everything came to a standstill. Everyone on the street looked up as something clouded the bright sky. WHOOOSH! Brainiac zoomed down toward Metropolis. Using the factories on planet Linsnar, he had built a powerful, new robotic body for himself.

But that wasnt the only thing he had used the factories to create. WHOOSH! Behind Brainiac flew a dozen identical robot copies of himself.

Whats happening? cried a man on the street. I thought there was only one Brainiac!

You are correct, said Brainiac. I am the only Brainiac. These robotic copies are identical to me in every way except for one they are mindless drones who obey my every command. And my first command is for them to attack!

Everyone on the street fled as the robots zoomed down and attacked the city.

The people knew that Brainiac had tried to invade Earth several times before. He always failed. The reason was always the same: Superman stopped him.

But this time, Brainiac was sure he would succeed. Before he departed from the planet Linsnar, Brainiac activated a distress signal and left it running. Brainiac knew that Superman would respond to Linsnars distress call as soon as he received it.

With Superman millions of miles away from Earth, there was no chance he could return before Brainiac completed his work.

I will harvest every byte of data that Earth possesses, Brainiac announced to the citizens of Metropolis. I will start with this city, Metropolis. When I am finished, I will delete this world. And this time, Superman is not here to save you. This time, I have thought of everything.

Well, except for one thing, said a voice. Me!

Brainiac turned to see a teenaged girl flying in the sky. She wore a bright red cape with a yellow S-shield on it.

I dont think weve met, she said with a smile. Im Supergirl!

WHAM! She struck Brainiac with all her might. Her slender fist tore through Brainiacs metallic skin.

Supergirl grabbed hold of whatever circuits and wires she found inside and pulled.

CRUNCH! Brainiac burst open. The tiny pieces of his metal body sprinkled down over the street like a light snow.

Supergirl shrugged. I guess hes not all that hard to defeat, she said.

You are incorrect, said a voice, seemingly from thin air.

CHAPTER 2

Supergirl saw the eyes of one of Brainiacs robotic copies turn a fierce red.

Hello again, said the new Brainiac as he came online.

Wait! said Supergirl. You said these were all just mindless robot copies.

Brainiac grinned coldly. Each robot copy has all of my programming stored deep within it, he replied. When you destroyed me, the nearest copy activated, and I transferred myself to it.

Supergirl sighed. So let me guess, she said. Ill have to smash all these robots if I want to get rid of you.

That is correct, said Brainiac. You have little chance of accomplishing that.

SHOOOMP! A panel opened up on Brainiacs chest. FWISH! Thick ropes of metal shot out from his body. They wrapped around Supergirl and pulled tight.

Ungh! cried Supergirl. Brainiacs metal tentacles bit into her skin.

Supergirl flexed her arms. CRACK! The tentacles broke apart. Then she flew right into Brainiac and knocked him backward with a THUD!

KA-BLAM! She kicked hard, sending him tumbling through the air. Brainiac stopped himself from spiraling upward without the slightest effort.

Impressive, Brainiac said, turning to face Supergirl. But I expect no less from a Kryptonian.

Supergirls eyes went wide.

Yes, I have surmised that you are from Krypton, Brainiac said, predicting her thoughts. I observed your super-strength and the markings on your costume. You are from the same place as Superman.

Supergirl rolled her eyes. Wow, did you figure that out all by yourself? she scoffed.

Yes, said Brainiac. I just said I did.

Yeah, duh! said Supergirl. I was making fun of you. Man, youre even more lame than my algebra teacher.

Brainiac extended his fists. FOOM! FOOM! They shot out from their sockets toward Supergirl.

Hands off! Supergirl said. WHAM! BAM! She punched his fists right back at him. CLINK! CLANK! They reattached to Brainiacs arms.

Im not so sure youre as smart as you think you are, Supergirl said.

I assure you that I am, said Brainiac.

You said Superman and I came from the same place, said Supergirl. Well, Im from Argo City. My home escaped from Krypton before the planet was destroyed. So Im from a different place than he is.

Brainiac stood very still as his computerized brain processed what Supergirl had said. I have heard of Argo City, he said as he scanned his memory files. It floated through space for many years. Then it was lost. There were no survivors.

There was one, Supergirl said proudly. And shes about to pound your face in!

Brainiacs metal tentacles snaked out of his chest and grabbed Supergirl. She struggled, but Brainiac held her tight.

Then you possess data I do not have, said Brainiac. Data I can now get only from Argo Citys sole survivor you!

Not going to happen, said Supergirl.

CRACK! Supergirl broke free of the powerful tentacles and then flew right at Brainiac. He simply opened his mouth and released a tiny nanobot copy of himself.

FWA-ZAP! Supergirl blasted the large Brainiac with her heat vision. He instantly melted into a pile of liquid-metal sludge. As Brainiacs body melted, his nanobot copy floated through Supergirls mouth and into her body.

CHAPTER 3

SWOOSH! The miniature Brainiac flew faster and faster. Soon he reached his destination Supergirls brain! From his microscopic point of view, her brain looked like a forest of floating trees. The trees were actually many, many neurons. According to Brainiacs calculations, there were about 100 billion of them.

Each neuron had dozens of skinny branches dangling from it. The branches reached toward other neurons, but they did not touch.

Thoughts, memories, and ideas passed from one neuron to the next. They blasted across the gaps in electrical bursts. FZZT! FZZT! Brainiac dodged them, zooming toward a specific part of Supergirls brain.