2015-05-20 - Coffee House Panic Attack

It's a quiet late evening in early spring. For Cecannia, it's a rare period of ground time off duty from the New York field office. That means she has six hours to herself where seh is not obligated to sleep. So, heading into the warm cafe, she makes a beelnie over to order some of the chocolate cookies and a thick mug of hot chocolate.

Kara Zor-El comes into the coffee shop. It was a really busy day. She'd been literally around the world about seven times, during which she:

1) stopped one Somali warlord and his army who had stolen a nuclear missile

2) Fought and apprehended 4 minor superpowered criminals, who were causing mayhem for reasons she still couldn't understand for ANY of them (though one did say they were just wanting to try their hand at an A-lister - oh well, they got her instead)

3) Stopped a Korean slavery ring (freeing about 400 women and children in an oil tanker)

4) Foiled 12 bank robberies

5) Intervened in 3 high speed car chases (2 of which involved hostages)

6) Stopped one terrorist attempt on the Eiffel Tower

7) Caught 22 people falling off buildings, cliffs, the Grand Canyon, and one drunk guy who fell out of a hot air balloon with his fiance in it. He tried to kiss her. She almost dropped him but instead just put him back in the balloon and brought it down.

8) Put out 12 fires (3 apartment buildings, 4 factories, 1 military installation, 1 sleepover camp, and 3 forest fires

9) Prevented 8 muggings and 3 other attacks on women

10) Rescued one Russian nuclear sub which was disabled at the bottom of the Atlantic (the commander of whom started yelling at her when she brought it to the surface anyway)

11) And rescued one cat from a tree

So yeah, it was a busy day. And she was supposed to do some sort of charity event in the morning for cancer research at some 'convention.' She really wasnt sure how a Tug of War or Arm-wrestling or Weight Lifting display was going to help cancer research, but she guessed it was for getting donations, and she did want to help with finding a cure for that disease. But she had about 5 hours before she had to be in Venice Beach, California for that, so she figured she'd try to get a few hours of Kara time, changed into her civilian clothes, and headed to this nice coffee shop not far from her apartment. "One hot chocolate and um.... one of those scone things please?" she asks the barista.

Waiting in line, Cecannia's stomach rumbles as she looks over the offerings. Letting out an internal sigh then as she quickly skims over things. NO, musn't treat so much or she'll end up annoying someone above her. The blonde girl gets her attention then as she gives a quizzical glance over at the girl, that in her mind only looks baout sixteen or seventeen. "Isn't it a bit late for you to be out alone?" Otherwise, she's relaxed. She has hot chocolate, she has some brownies to dip into it, and she has the legal right if she's interrupted during her six hours of shore leave by some sort of freakish monster attack to credit it to her vacation time account. All is right in the world.

Kara Zor-El looks back at Cecannia. She was again not wearing her glasses or hair different, and she was always amazed how people usually didn't notice who she was. Not as amazed as how they didnt recognize who Karen was, but still. Oh well, it's sort of reasonable, she guessed. Without the costume on, she probably looked like one of thousands of other blonde teenage girls, especially to people who never saw Supergirl up close before. The voice sounded familiar though. "What? Oh... I mean I guess.... I live close by though." she says as she gets a good look at Cecannia. Oh wait... she did recognize her from somewhere before, right?

Cecannia definitely had seen Supergirl relatively close before - if Kara realized that, she would probably have been even more amazed that she wasnt being immediately recognized.

The holstered gun over at the older woman's side is enough of an indicator that she's a likely military official of sorts given the make of the weapon, which is a standard issue. Under other circumstances Cecannia's hand might immediately drop down over to the holster to have the weapon if needed, but she knows that it would be useless. And the girl isn't actively hostile either. There's still that slight tensing as training kicks in and is overridden by instinct, and most important of all..

This is her day off.

Going to lightly tug at the brim of her mug, Cecannia looks over at Kara, taking a quick sip of her hot chocolate, then going to take her other hand up to dip the brownie over into it. "There's nothing freakish about to happen here is there? No giant monster coming out of the sewers, interdimensional portal going to open in the sky and unleash demons, or giant mutant with six arms that can slash apart space and time, right? Just making sure." So she can call someone else to deal with it.

Kara Zor-El pauses, looking at CeeCee. Oh yeah, she thinks she's one of the people she saw one of those times she went past the SHIELD Helicarrier. And ... oh great, yeah she was at the ship during that pirate thing too. Kara looks at Cecannia awkwardly. "Um... no. Just.." She reaches to get her hot chocolate and shows it to Cecannia. "Just hot chocolate. I promise." She looks around to make sure that a giant monster or interdimensional portals or demons or giant mutants DONT take that moment to come in.

5 seconds. Nope. Nothing happened. Okay good.

She says, "Yeah, just hot chocolate and a scone. Um... I've had a busy day." She rubs her head a bit. "So I'm guessing you recognize me huh." She makes a little wave. "Hi... er... I don't remember your name."

Cecannia Eirissach shrugs, "It's fine. I've learned not to do the yelling. It's killer on teh throat." The joy of being one of many hundreds of people in a likely lockdown emergency. Leave the screaming to specialists. Cecannia takes another five seconds of breathing. not that she's annoyed with Kara; but she's more making sure that the quiet is not going to be interrupted by some sort of freakish monster charging in.

"You know if you're bored and you need our attention for some reason there are easier ways to get it? And.. Call me Doc." She extends a hand out to the girl. "And not the medical type, so don't have to worry."

Kara Zor-El pauses. "I wasn't really worried anyway but okay?" She shakes Cecannia's hand lightly, then looks at the table. "Okay if I sit?"

Cecannia Eirissach nods, "If you want. Also, can I make an unofficial request, speaking from the perspective of someone on the bottom?" She sits down over with Kara. "It's fine tos ay no as it's more of a personal thing."

Kara Zor-El puts her hot cocoa and scone on the table before sitting down. "Um... okay... I guess? I don't know what you mean by 'someone on the bottom' though. What is it?"

Cecannia Eirissach leans back over, "I'm a warrant officer. When you fly up to the Hellicarrier and it is not an emergency, we go into security lockdown until things are cleared up. So, when we work suddenly everything is silenced by alarms and bulkheads seal down as flight operations are otherwise cut off." She rubs the back of her head. "And it basically quadruples the amount of paperwork we have to do." She breaks into a half grin. "So, if you're going to fly up.. Just please ask first? It saves me many, many hours of writing reports."

Kara Zor-El makes a little face. "I do that a lot huh? Sorry um... I just hear stuff and whenever I hear words like emergency and danger and 'have to help' I guess I get curious." She pauses. "I'll try to not go there that often." She pauses, then adds, "Sorry." then tilts her head. "How would I go about asking though? I once did some favors for SHIELD - um... rescued two of their agents from these aliens called Skrulls once and something else called Hydra another time - and they said maybe they'd contact me in the future but never did." She doesnt mention the 'stupid' mission to feed one of their agents' cats, though.

Negotiation is a good first step. A relaxed look appears over on Cecannia's face as she rests her hands over on her lap and watches over at Kara, "Well, we do have a front office and a phone number if you need to contact us." She rests her hands over on her lap, "And we're a very big organization that has to operate all over the world. It also means we're rather bureaucraticized, so forgive us. We can't make decisions over on the spot of things, it means having to go through multiple layers of authorization."

Kara Zor-El tilts her head as she takes a bite of her scone. "Somehow I thought a super spy organization wouldn't really be that bureaucratic, I guess. Um... you know you're all tensed up, right? I'm not going to do anything." Oh yeah, the alien's able to tell that sort of stuff with her superhuman senses. "I sort of remember you were at the pirate ship thing. I really wasnt in my right mind back then. It was a red kryptonite thing. It sometimes does weird stuff to me and my cousin."

Kara Zor-El tilts her head as she takes a bite of her scone. "Somehow I thought a super spy organization wouldn't really be that bureaucratic, I guess. Um... glad you're no longer all tensed up, right? I'm not going to do anything." Oh yeah, the alien's able to tell that sort of stuff with her superhuman senses. "I sort of remember you were at the pirate ship thing. I really wasn't in my right mind back then. It was a red kryptonite thing. It sometimes does weird stuff to me and my cousin."

Cecannia Eirissach leans back over and laughs, "Oh, we have to be bureaucratic." She explains, "SHIELD is responsible to the United Nations, in particularly the Security Council. As well as the component governments which help fund us. Most of the personnel who make up SHIELD are in turn recruited from military and intelligence organizations around the world, which lends itself to a lot of regimentation. But in turn it lets us show the places we operate that we're trustworthy and responsive to their input. Which means when we do something we have to be ready to explain it if called upon to people." She looks over at Kara sympathetically, "On the upside, getting to tell people I was facing a teen girl mind controlled by a magic pirate treasure got me free drinks for at least a week for 'who had the weirdest story' so it wasn't all bad."

Kara Zor-El doesn't try to correct Ceecee on what actually happened. Mainly because she'd just as soon forget that any of it ever happened. "So um.... what's it like being a spy?" she asks before taking a sip of her cocoa.

Cecannia Eirissach laughs, "I'm not a spy. I'm an.." She tries to think of the easiest way to put this.. "Bureaucrat. Other spies send in things, and I basically file them and write reports based on reports which are in turn judged by people who read reports. It's an exciting life."

Kara Zor-El says nothing. It really did sound boring but she didn't want to say that. "Oh. That's.... um..... interesting?" she says, making a little smile, having run out of stuff to say.

There's a quiet laugh from Cecannia, and she holds her arms up while giggling in suppressed laughter, "It's all right, you can say it, the job is boring."

Cecannia Eirissach leans back over, and she hmms, "So, mind entertaining a boring old lady with a few questions then while I'm at it?" She gestures over, her posture indicating amusement, "You've asked a few of me. I'll pay for your food and we can call it even then?"

Kara Zor-El smiles. "Oh sure thing. Ask away?" She then says, "Oh and you really don't have to pay for my food. Really, I mean... I actually have money."

Cecannia Eirissach leans back over, "What's it like.." She closes her eyes, "Flying?" She holds her hand up and it shakes just a little bit. "The one thing I missed most. Used to be a pilot. One thing I miss more than anything is that bit.. Coming up against the dawn, going just fast enough to stay ahead of it and being just slow enough to let it nip at your heels, knowing it will catch you in the end.. What's it like doing that without a jet?" She sounds wistful.

Kara Zor-El smiles a little and shrugs. "Actually it's sort of my favorite power. I mean I couldn't do any of the stuff I can do here when I was on Krypton, but flying - that's pretty much the most different thing. I mean on Krypton I was able to borrow my friend's Interceptor Vehicle and I could fly on my dad's Torqual...." she takes a second. "Oh that's um... I guess it's sort of like a dragon on Earth, but they don't breathe fire. They're pets, like horses. But more like lizards that fly." She smiles. "But just flying on my own - it's wonderful. Both in space and within the atmosphere. You know if you want, I could take you flying one day?"

Cecannia Eirissach sighs wistfully, "I would like that. A lot. Thank you." SHe closes her eyes, "Used to fly. Not as much as I'd have ever wanted to, but it was a privilege, an honor, and a joy. then hands got to the point where I couldn't." she sighs lightly, and in remembrance. "Treasure that bit forever and never let go of it, and never forget how magical it is and what a joy it is, to go up and race the clouds. It is the greatest thing that we can do.. Touch the clouds and dance in them. Part of why I serve. Being up there.. It still lets me be in the clouds. Even if it's just in a big, fat, bathtub." She half smiles. "Anyways, always remember those bits, take it from an old fogey." She leans back, "I guess another bit, if I could.." she looks distant for a moment.. "When the worlds came together in a big.." SHe uses a Yiddish world which means, roughly translated, splatter.. "What was it like.. In there?" The Labyrinth.

Kara Zor-El listens to Cecannia. "Did you stop flying because of the arthritis?" She stops talking for a second. "Er... i'm sorry, that was rude, I mean... sorry I just noticed." She points to her eyes. "I can see stuff like that. Sorry." She quickly changes the subject. "The Labyrinth was pretty weird honestly. I mean one second I was in this zombie world, then I was fighting this guy calling himself the Juggernaut, then I was with Captain America, then I was in this world with a bit white rabbit with a pocketwatch, then I was with a bunch of different heroes, and there was this tunnel between two Earths, and after I overrode that Kang person's computer, I guess it shut the Labyrinth down and everything stayed merged."

Kara says, "Plus I was in my waitress uniform the entire time."

Cecannia Eirissach chuckles, "It's fine. And I don't have the fine control for it anymore. Not do to so intensely.. One of the harder things to adapt to." she admits. "I don't have it as bad as a lot of others, but it means I'm limited in a lot of the things I can do." She sighs, "One of the things in the corner of the world where I'm from is.. Duty, obligation. A prerogative to serve and help others. When my term of service was up I still felt I owed.. So I looked for another, and that lead me over to where I am now." WIth SHIELD.

Cecannia takes a breath, and takesa bite over of her borwnie then, sinking her teeth over into it and then dipping it over into her hot chocolate. Listening to Kara, committing what teh girl was saying to memory in case she had to bring it up later. Otherwise speaking so softly under her breath that the lips formed it as the Kryptonian spoke. "Yaweh.."

Resting her hand on her lap, "It's all so complicated.. Madman from the future that has a video game about him.." Kang the Conqueror. "What was it like.. Being in the tunnel, I guess? Is tunnel the right word? Do you mean in the literal sense as in a quantum sort of wormhole or are you using it more as just the easiest frame of reference?"

Kara Zor-El shrugs. "From what I could tell it was just a basic quantum state tunnel with stable tachyons keeping everything from tearing apart. By the time we undid the programming of the Labyrinth, both universe had already merged together. Once the Labyrinth undid itself there wasnt exactly any way to reverse the process. But I mean... in the end I guess it worked out pretty nicely. I like a lot of the people from the additional universe that I've met. I mean... there are also a bunch of jerks like that Abomination guy who keeps trying to fight me over and over and over again..." Kara shakes her head as she takes another sip of cocoa. "And it's honestly making me feel a little bad that he does so badly in the fights. I think he's getting a complex. Never thought I'd feel bad for a supervillain. Annnd lets see... there was this time me and a friend of mine got pulled into this gladiator thing and I fought that Hulk person and this guy who sort of looked like Thor but he had a horse face, and my friend fought this guy with a fishbowl on his head, and this other guy with a skull mask."

"So, you know.... good stuff and bad stuff."

Cecannia Eirissach tsks, "Don't feel bad for supervillians. If they had a sense of right and wrong they wouldn't do what they do." She rests her hands back over, taking another delightful bite of her brownie. "Maybe if you clonk them on the skull enough times eventually they can start growing some brain cells. You never know. It's a solid theory of behavior management. And if at first you don't succeed, keep on klonking them over on the back of the skull." She chuckles. "So either way problem solved."

The bit on 'quantum state tunnel' is well above her knowledge of theoretical physics, so Cecannia moves on to the next bit. "I suppose I can say as one of us regular plebes.. How was it like adapting to here? I suppose that's more of a psychological thing.. But I'm honestly intrigued that there.. Hasn't been a much higher threshold of psychological duress with things and they've gone so.. Cleanly, if that's a way to put it? For those of us that came from this side, we wake up one day in this country with a different president, different leaders, different cities,and.. Things are all okay. Suppose it's for the complete best. But still, grasping the processes of those bits is almost terrifying to visualize. Probably why best not to."

Glancing over at Kara, "Gladiator games? I think I've seen this over as a movie. Probably several movies. So, go on about everyone you beat up then and that your friend did. I'm sure there are some good stories in that bit."

Kara Zor-El picks at the scone a little. "Actually a couple of times with that Abomination guy I wasnt even looking for crimes. He actually picked on me once when I was just on the beach relaxing and he pretty much broke his hand hitting me. Then there was the time in Metropolis when he tried to use that nuclear bomb on me..." She shrugs. "He once got this other guy who was dressed like a rhino to keep fighting me when he wanted to just surrender. Seriously, the guy's pretty much obsessed." She smiles. "I mean most of the time I don't feel bad about the bad guys. I mean I really hate bullies. But that Abomination guy - it's just getting a little sad. Like his entire self-worth is wrapped around being the strongest. There's this guy from our universe like that called Mongul. The guy basically rules this planet called Warworld and he totally has it in for me and my cousin just because we've both beaten him in a fight. That he starts. Go figure right?" She dunks the scone in the hot cocoa. "Well... sorta gladiator games. I mean I think it was being televised or something to a bunch of other planets."

Cecannia Eirissach just gestures over at you to continue then for a few moments as she listens over to you talk about Abomination. "I'll definitely have to add that over to his psych profile. And you're right. That definitely does make me feel a bit sorry for him. For that, I'll go ahead and treat you to a refill of your hot chocolate then because you're right on the money there." She gets up and goes to come back with two fresh mugs a moment later as she sits down back over in the seat. As you go on over to Mongul, Cecannia sits back and her eyes widen a bit over then as names are placed to faces then and to profiles. "So you're telling me you took on three of the strongest beings in the universe without a break and managed to hold your own with them after fighting them each in a row?"

Kara Zor-El shake her head. "Oh I didnt hold my own." She pauses to take a bite of the cocoa-coated scone. "I beat them." She nods a little with a smile at the combination of scone and hot cocoa.

She pauses. "I mean once you've fought Darkseid, that Hulk guy isn't as intimidating. Though that hammer did pack a wallop when he managed to hit me. I just really didn't expect it to hurt. I mean I've had a creep once hit me with a sledgehammer and it didn't hurt. Probably horse-faced guy's was magic or something. That would have explained it."

There's a look that Kara is likely aware of from the numerous times she's seen it. The look of comparison - comparing the girl's strength sitting beside her to the names that were mentioned. Then, quantifying that it is greater than them. ALL of them at the same time.

The next mental leap is obvious in the twitch over along her face then, likely also familiar from innumerable previous experiences as this completely earnest and forthright young woman sitting next to her so casually admits to being what is likely the strongest being in the entire galaxy, the entire universe. The contortions going over through Cecannia's face get a few more twitches, and she almost has to quick breath and spasm. "I.. See." It almost sounds like a hiccup as just the -knowledge- and -awareness- hits.

Kara Zor-El looks at Cecannia as she's at a loss for words. The silence gets a little awkward, so Kara says, "Hey... I mean it's a good thing that two of those guys are actually good guys here, right?" She pauses. "The Hulk is a good guy right? I ... what's it called... um... googled him, and there wee stories on both him being good and being bad, so I wasn't exactly sure."

Cecannia Eirissach rubs her face, "Sometimes." Focus. Yes. Focus. Focus on threat assessment of Hulk's profile. It gets her brain jump starting again and she breathes before the hiccups overtake her. "The Hulk is one of the strongest and most powerful beings on the planet. Just.. Not as much as you are."

Kara Zor-El pauses. "Oh. Um... well in his defense I really didn't hold back much with him. It's always harder to tell with superstrong and invulnerable people how much to hold back, but when I was holding back a lot he was actually taking the hits and not really staying down until I stopped pulling the punches. I sorta get worried about stuff like that. I mean... you know..." She shrugs unsuredly. "My cousin once described it as living in a world made of cardboard so it's not always clear how much to hold back. And he had his whole life to figure out just how much to do so while I've only had about a year or so."

The light twitch over on her face magnifies some over to a nervous tic on hearing that the most powerful being on the planet and her cousin in essence see the entire planet as being made out of cardboard then. And Cecannia does several quick, raspy breaths then, heart rate elevating as she has to steadfastly -remind- herself not to clutch her hot mug so tight that it shatters as she takes her hand off it. She speaks a word then that is in violation of the commandment about not taking the highest being's name in vain then and closes her eyes. "You lead a -very- interesting life and have a -very- interesting way of putting things."

Kara Zor-El nods a little as she looks at her hot cocoa and smiles a little. "Or you could just say I have a crazy life. I guess at least it's not too boring, right? I guess it's a good thing I don't really get tired anymore. You wouldn't even believe how many things I've had to do just this morning, especially with Kal - er... Superman on a-" She pauses, noticing the elevated heartbeat, and looks at Cecannia with concern. "Um... are you okay? No offense but your heartbeat's going a mile a minute, I mean... figuratively speaking. It's definitely sped up though."

There's a few more twitches over before Cecannia is able to get her breathing under control, and she takes a few wheezes before chugging a water, forcing herself to breathe evenly, in and out to slow her heart rate back down to something approaching normal. "Speaking as one of those who lives on this world of cardboard and is likely made of something much thinner, please remember how that viewpoint sounds as."

Kara Zor-El bites her lip. "I'm sorry!" she quickly says apologetically. "I didn't mean it like an insult or anything! I really love this planet. I mean it's basically my home now. And it's been Kal's home since he was a baby." She covers her head. "Ugh... I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to insult or scare you or anything, I promise!" she says with a distressed tone.

Cecannia Eirissach takes a moment to steady her breathing, and she closes her eyes. "Well, Mazeltov. Please remember then that this is your home, and that most of us who are on this cardboard place appreciate your protection and remembering it."

The nervous twitch has subsided, and Cecannia forces her heart rate back down to normal. "Some career advise, if you don't mind?" A light tease goes up and over to her lips, a half quirk. "Go to the field of alcohol rehab. Because based on what you're saying I never want to touch a drop of the stuff again in my life."

Kara Zor-El nods a little nervously. "I know it's my home, and really don't worry. It's not like I don't have total control over my strength. I really do. Like... um... if you hold a child's hand, you naturally aren't going to hold it tight enough to hurt them, right?" She pauses. "NOT that I'm saying you're a child! Or anyone's a child! I mean... except for people who are actually children, who are of course children and I'm going to shut up right this second!" she says, quickly covering her mouth.

Cecannia Eirissach just looks over at Supergirl with.. What is finally complete and total sympathy. "You don't get out much and to interact with humans, do you?" She takes a breath, "Or is teenagerdom something that is really universal to all species throughout the galaxy, in which case whatever supreme being we all believe in truly has a twisted sense of humor, whether they be Kryptonian or Human in belief?" she takes her hand out in amusement and squeezes your's.

Kara Zor-El looks at her, hand still over her mouth lest she say something else insulting or scary to CeeCee. She slowly removes her hand. "Um... actually I do a lot. I mean... my boyfriend's a normal human, and so are his parents. And a lot of my friends are human, though... I guess a lot of them do have powers also. Plus I mean even today I've been around the planet like seven times so far doing ... you know... hero stuff." She pauses. "And actually I'm not going into that alcohol rehab thing. I'm wanting to be an artist. I mean... I would be a scientist but a friend of mine and my cousin both said that a lot of the science I know would probably be too advanced to be safe for the planet just yet and please don't freak out about that because I'm already feeling really self-conscious now." She thinks. "I probably should get out on more non-emergencies more often, now that I think of it."

Cecannia Eirissach looks over at Kara, "For starters, I suggest you stop using 'just a normal human'." Her words are, while cracking, a bit more amused now. "YOu're not a human, but you live on Earth and ths is your home. Don't call them different things in your head. Just call human. You're human. We're human. Anyone who grows up over on this planet or calls it their home is origin. Simpler that way. No more having to worry on falling over the words all the time like you're doing. Just remember that with being human comes cardboard and you're golden."

Kara Zor-El shakes her head. "I didnt say 'just a normal human,' I said 'normal human.' You know like.... no powers?" She looks at CeeCee. "I sooooo regret even repeating that cardboard thing. Sorry again."

Cecannia Eirissach just rubs the back of her head, "I hate to break it to you kid, but you're not exactly helping your argument. But I can agree on the no powers bit and let's call it a day."

Kara Zor-El nods a little. "Yeah um.... sorry again... um... yeah. I'm gonna go now." She pauses. "Sorry again." she says, fumbling to take out some money for her hot cocoa and scone, forgetting that you offered to pay for it. Then there's a blur of motion and she's gone in a burst of superspeed, so Kara could get out of that exceedingly awkward situation as quickly as possible.

Cecannia Eirissach glances over at no one in particular as Kara zooms out, and then manages to let out a groan, "So the most powerful being in the universe is a teenager." It's in the not-quite tone of voice that's the equivalent of 'we're all doomed'.