I'm honestly lost this time. Usually, when undermining my work he just goes on and on about why only using technology would be better, but this time it seems like he genuinely doesn't understand why such things would be necessary.

This baffles me to the point that I'm actually left speechless. What do you mean "why would anyone need this"!? Are the implications not obvious enough? Is this just another attempt to keep me out of the guild?

Before I can give in to my slight ire and panic my helpful aunty decides to ask her own question which only confuses me even more.

"What he means dear is why did you make this now? You know we don't do much exploration anymore, right? Even then all of our extraterrestrial mining operations take place exclusively on uninhabited planets." she said with a tone as if purposefully trying not to incite me. She was always observant when it came to my moods.

"Don't misunderstand Child. Admittedly, I can see a few applications for the hard light constructs but the rest is practically unnecessary." Cal-La says in a surprisingly defeated tone. As if just admitting anything I invented to be useful tore on his very nerves.

I was about to mention my suspicions about my father's ship before the man who has been silent up until now said something with a glint in his eyes that I didn't really like.

"Yes, impressive indeed but currently has little use outside of a glorified multi-tool. Unless your parents have told you something we are unaware of that is?" This put me a bit on edge. I usually avoid politics because it gets in the way of research, but if Papa is doing something that others are unaware of he probably has a good reason. I don't know what it is but I feel like I shouldn't say anything about his ship. He hasn't told me not to say anything either but Mother teaches caution, as such I will uphold it.

"No, not that I'm aware of. I was simply unaware of how we choose the planets we mine." I said with a slight tilt of the head. Mother also teaches how to lie through your teeth, a lesson I'm ever so thankful for every time Kara asks if there's anyone I'm interested in. Though, like Kara, I'm not sure he bought it considering his slightly narrowed eyes of suspicion.

"In any case, it works as intended and has a very useful function available. Although currently not necessary, that doesn't diminish its scientific value. I vote pass." My aunt likely noticing my growing uncomfortability and deciding to check for herself later helpfully carries on with the meeting.

"I don't see much use in something that can barely be powered on Krypton. Not to mention it's most that magic mumbo jumbo. Fail" Cal-La again disregards all of the technology that went into the ring in the first place. It's not just magic you know! The geo-machines that had to be made to store all of that information required very complicated programming. Even Father said that alone should be enough to warrant a pass. It's a shame I have such little time to showcase as a part of the evaluation process, or else I'd have gone into the very long process necessary to make even one of these things.

"Hmm. You said you had two projects to showcase correct? I'll withhold my judgment until you finish with that one as well." Tor said with a bit of suspicion and now I'm at a bit of a loss. I expected I'd have to showcase my reactor as well, though under different circumstances, but a lot of my prepared material includes why it would be so useful for exploration missions. If once is a coincidence then twice is a pattern. If I start going on and on about the emergency applications on other planets he'll definitely get suspicious.

Well not that he already isn't, but I don't know if there will be any negative repercussions for Father if I say anything. Ugh, why don't they tell me about these things, well he might have while I was working? But, everyone knows you don't give valuable information to a researcher while they are researching! That's like guaranteeing they'll forget about it later. Unless that was his plan all along and he wants me to say something? But that sort of planning is Mother's area of expertise. It could have been her plan she had given him? Ahhh! I don't know what to do.

Despite my internal panic attack, I keep my face on the surface as stoic as usual. I'm thankful Mother's lying lessons include poker faces. I have to say it's one of my best skills currently.

*RUMBLE*

Unexpectedly we were interrupted by the entire building shaking violently. I know the quakes have been getting severe lately but this is a whole new level. I'm practically bounced off the ground as the shaking increases.

Though no one panics as this has been happening often I can clearly see Tor is more unsettled than he should be. I've been having a bad feeling all day and that look he has isn't helping.

"Perhaps we should put this meeting on hold for the time being. These quakes have been damaging the structure of the building a lot more than they should due to the frequency-" Auntie was unable to finish delaying the meeting when a massive explosion went off not too far from us.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

We were all thrown about the room as more and more explosions started going off back to back. The quaking increased in intensity like never before and cracks started forming all over the floor and walls.

*BANG* *BOOM*

I was thrown into the opposite wall as it felt like I was sent flying by Papa in one of our lessons. It seems like an explosion must have gone off even closer this time because my ears were ringing and everything kind of went fuzzy for a while. I must have hit my head because I was rather disoriented trying to sit up. Everything was ringing and the ground never stopped shaking.

I could hear yells and screams all around and feel the intensity of the heat around, although for some reason it wasn't as uncomfortable as I expected it to be.

'What happened? Did someone's experiment malfunction due to the shaking?' I thought, trying to get my bearings only to gape at the sight that came to me. The wall to my right, completely destroyed by the explosion, opened up to a view of the city center, my thoughts completely halted at what I was seeing.

Bodies littered everywhere. Fire and lava burning everything flammable or not. People screaming in terror trying to find shelter. The beautiful statue of Rao in the center slowly sinking in a pool of hot magma. I have no idea what's going on. Everything was fine a second ago. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?!?

"Nadira! Are you alright?! Can you move?!" A frantic voice broke me out of my panic. I look over to see Auntie Nadira caught under some rubble with a strange glow about it. My instincts scream at me to not approach but my body is already moving before I could think otherwise.

"Auntie are you ok?!" I ask getting closer and immediately feel much weaker than I should almost collapsing in the process. I don't understand what's going on, I shouldn't feel this weak. I'm not even using my ring right now, which seemed to have been lost in the blast.

"Ugh, Stay back Thara!" Auntie commands and puts a halt to my approach. I don't understand though. She needs help. I may not be able to do much but four hands are still better than two right!?

"Thara, listen to me! You need to go home! Ughh. Find your parents!" She managed to get through to my panicked self again though she's only confusing me more.

"What! You want her to go out there, in that hell!? No! Brat listen, the emergency stairs should be open now! Take the stairs down to the basement shelter and wait it out!" Cal-La orders me while trying to lift the rubble, only leaving me more confused. Who do I listen to? Since when did Cal-La care about my safety? What about Auntie?

"Cal shut up! Thara trust me, you need to go! Your father knows what to do, but you have to get home! Cal, pull up, not to the side!" She yells at both me and Cal-La as he manages to lift the rubble enough for her to squeeze out of. Although I can see visibly how weakened and pale she is right now.

"Damn kryptonite. Thara, dear, listen to me. Go home. It's safe. Just be careful on the street and keep going forward. Don't stop. Understand me?" She said hurriedly but in the same gentle tone that she always uses with me. I can't help but nod my head and start heading for the stairs, completely forgetting about the ring and Tor who both have mysteriously vanished.

# # #

(POV Nadira Cal-La)

As I watch little Thara make her way down the stairs, I turn back to my frustrating but still loving husband. He's always so tough on that girl even though he really just wants to spoil her and teach her himself. She's a bit too clueless and stubborn to accept his unobvious attempts at teaching, however. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do with him.

"We need to go as well dear, it won't be safe here much longer." I start pulling him towards the stairs as well.

"And where the hell are we supposed to go in this mess? And why the hell are you sending that child out into that turmoil to get home!? She should have stayed with us until we get somewhere more secure!" He starts berating my decisions though complying and following along without dragging his feet.

It's not like I didn't want to keep her with us but she has a different path to walk and we have some things to do as well.

"This is Kal and Alura's idea not mine. They've tried to warn us about the planet for years now but the council turned them down each time. We maybe have a few hours or a day at most before the core goes nuclear and the planet explodes." I tell him the secret I've been keeping from him for over twelve years now, knowing I wouldn't be able to get through to his loving but bullheadedness without things happening right in front of him.

As we get onto the ground floor he takes a minute to process what I've told him. Really dear, for a scientist you can take quite a while to process information fufufu.

"WHAT?! Then where the hell are we going now?" seems like he finally rebooted. I don't have much time to explain to him the various plans that have been made between Kal, Alura, and a few others but I can at least tell him what we're doing now so he can maybe move things along faster.

"We're going to collect some of the prepared records here at the guild. Kal knew this would happen eventually so he had a few others ready at the other guilds just in case and we're all going to meet at the tower to evacuate later." There is a really strong barrier surrounding the tower that should hold up until everyone has gathered. Unfortunately, we can't bring everyone with us but there is a good 500 or so that will be going along.

"Fine. Wait? At the tower? Then why did you send the brat home?" Ara Ara, so he can keep up when it has to do with his favorite little niece. I feel a twinge of regret in my heart at the thought, however. That girl is going to face a lot of hardships in the future but that is her destiny to follow. Ever since Kal was born her birth had been prophesied by the raoists. It was the whole reason the Religious Guild voted to allow Kal's birth. Knowing she would be born to him.

"She's not coming with us," I say as a single tear leaves my eye. I love that girl like my own little Kara but she has a different path to follow. She was chosen by the firebird herself as champion so there's nothing we can do. Even if we had taken her with us, the great firebird would still find a way to get her champion.

Even if she has to destroy an entire planet to do so.

Things will be tough for her but I know she'll be fine. That girl might have a bit of an inferiority complex, and maybe she's a bit dense at times (I mean it's pretty obvious that idiot boy has a crush on her and just doesn't know what to do about it. That's no excuse for his actions though. Even more so because of his feelings), but she also has a drive to never give up just like her parents. Even when things get difficult for her, she picks herself up and keeps moving forward.

I couldn't help but smile slightly at the thought.

That's right. She'll be just fine.