Karen spent a few hours getting to know Lyta. The two of them bonded over breakfast, devouring enough food to feed ten people. Apparently, the cocooning process was also draining. Lyta smiled as she helped Karen clean the dishes. Power Girl quickly learned that Lyta seemed to have some kind of genetic memory, knowing everything that Karen knew by the time she was born. She also didn't seem to care for clothes, having no compunctions about simply remaining gloriously nude. Karen tried to wear clothes, but she'd clearly outgrown any of her civilian garb. She gave up trying to squeeze into a pair of sweats and stayed unclothed too.
"Pancakes are yummy," Lyta said, drying the plates. "Can we have them every day?"
"I dunno, baby," Karen shrugged, writing down a list of food to get. Jacky and Leo nursed contentedly on her breasts. "We should probably have a balanced diet."
"But we can metabolize just about anything humans can without consequences, mommy," Lyta argued. "And we should eat what we want."
"You've never tried broccoli, so how do you know you don't like it?"
"Because you've tried it, and you don't like it." Lyta concluded. Before Karen could debate that, her JL communicator buzzed.
"Power Girl, it's Superman," she heard. Her heart went cold as he continued. "We're holding a meeting here, and we need your input. It's about that shuttle crash."
"Uh, I'll be there in an hour," she said, trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice. "Lyta? I gotta go, honey. Can you look after your brothers for me?"
"Sure, mommy," Lyta nodded. "We can watch TV together." Power Girl handed the boys off to their big sister. Lyta squeaked as she felt their moths latch on to her nipples. "Oooh, that feels nice... I wish I made milk, too!"
"Don't spoil them," Karen said, pulling on a fresh suit. "I'll be back in a little while."
***
Power Girl stepped off the teleport pad and went to the meeting room. Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Batman, Green Lantern, Batwoman and Green Arrow were at the table. They seemed surprisd for the moment at her developing physique, but didn't say anything.
"Oh good, you're here," Superman nodded. Wonder Woman looked concerned, Green Lantern kept furtively glancing at her chest and Batman was his usual stoic self.
"Power Girl, can you tell us what happened when you tried to rescue the astronauts?" J'onn asked. Karen swallowed, and explained what happened. When she explained about seeing the pilots struggling with black slime (omitting any mention of it getting on herself), J'onn's eyes went wide. "This is most ominous..."
"What, what was it?"
"Eons ago, my people fought the White Martians," J'onn explained. "Their lust for conquest was such that they created a weapon, a terrible weapon that warped bodies into a new form, biologically separate from my race but able to conceal themselves physically inside a healthy body... Even telepathy did not reveal the sleeper species."
Power Girl listened quietly as J'onn explained. All of this seemed to resonate a deep, disturbing truth within her. Something that she wanted to deny, but found she was growing more and more to accept. He went on to explain that the species could regenerate and adapt to any situation or environment. The carriers of the "disease" (a term Karen found herself bristling at) went mad when the engineers discovered too late that it empowered their baser impulses, acting almost like animals. Even worse their new strengths had a cost, increasing their metabolism to dangerous levels. They bred like locusts, devouring anything they could to keep going.
"By the end of the war, the green zones of Mars were barren wastes," J'onn continued. "There were small pockets of resistance, but we knew the end was near. Our only solace was that the species was trapped on our world, in a hell of their own making. They were little more than sinew and bone by then, turning on each other when no other resources could be found. When they went too long without food, they dissolved into black slime. When I was brought here to Earth in the present day, I learned that Mars was a lifeless world. While I mourned my race, I was glad to know that the species that killed us was also gone."
"Seems that isn't the case though," Ollie said. "The astronauts must've got a sample of that crud."
"We can only hope that it died with them," Batman said grimly.
"Bruce!" Wonder Woman admonished. Power Girl stood up and walked out, firing a glare at the caped crusader.
"Real smooth, Bats," Arrow sighed, shaking his head. Diana got up to follow Karen, and found her looking out one of the vast observation windows at the slowly turning Earth.
Power Girl's mind roiled with conflict. She knew she couldn't have sex again, not after that story. Another part of her, one that was getting stronger, was curious about just how much she was capable of.
"Don't let him bother you," Diana said.
"Huh?" Karen blinked. "Sorry, Diana, I was just thinking..."
"I know," the amazon nodded, patting Karen's arm. "It's never easy to lose someone you're trying to save. It can be stressful." Power Girl realized Diana was still talking about the rescue attempt. "You know, if you're feeling down, you can always come to me for a sparring session. It's a lot better for you than, ah, ice cream and cookie dough."