Chapter Text
The night after they take care of the last of the pests, Astra again unsurprised to find some of the fools raring for a fight and the rest holed up inside and somberly awaiting their reckoning since everyone knew of Rao’s decrees, Astra steers her ship high enough that they can see the curve of the planet their little one brought them to below and Rao shining brightly in the distance.
“Can all of your ships achieve space travel?” Alexandra asks, gazing out the large window curiously.
“Not quite,” Astra says, moving to stand beside her and smiling when the other woman shifts so their shoulders are touching. It has been half a year since she found her missing little one and the new parent she had claimed, and in that time Alexandra has gone from being uneasy at how often Astra makes physical contact with her to seeking it out herself. “Between my ranking within the Military Guild and my directly serving the foremost ruling house, my ship is a bit special, though even so I do not believe it could go much farther than the so-called ‘ghost planet’.”
Alexandra gives her a wary look. “Please tell me there isn’t a planet full of ghosts nearby.”
Astra laughs quietly and kisses her cheek, pleased when her mate’s only response to that is a light flush, her wariness giving way to the increasingly familiar scent of her joy. “It is nothing like that,” she says lightly. “There were two habitable planets in our last system, and a colony of Kryptonians became their own species after a time. The Daxamites left their planet entirely around when Kara was born, and when we began exploring the other planets here we discovered one had all of their buildings and technology. Both Zor-El and his brother maintain they did not move them, so it is likely something our goddess asked Kara to do, though why that is…”
Alexandra sighs and again looks out at the planet below. “I’m sure we’ll find out eventually,” she says, and when she shifts her head Astra watches a lock of her red hair fall to rest against her cheek.
She hums a soft agreement and idly tucks the slightly glowing hair behind her mate’s ear, and again Alexandra flushes, glancing at her quickly before looking away.
“So,” Alexandra blurts, “what’s next? Uh, for… me, I guess.” She shifts foot to foot, and Astra observes her silently, used to the woman’s restlessness by now and knowing she’s also still unused to being considered someone’s mate. Alexandra rakes a hand through her hair and glances between Astra and the window. “Kara should be safe for now, and from what I saw of Krypton… I don’t think I need to hunt for food anymore. That… Kelex thing is… getting plenty of weird foods… somehow…”
Astra hums and plays with a longer lock of Alexandra’s hair, smiling when her mate’s flush deepens. “You have a few options,” she muses. “Our planet operates on a guild system, so which guild you elect to join will dictate how you spend your time. From what I know of you, Alexandra,” she purrs, grinning when she scents the woman’s reaction to that, “you would be a good candidate for either the Science Guild or the Military Guild.”
Alexandra gapes at her. “I… the Science Guild?” She asks. “You do remember the planet I’m from, right?”
Astra nuzzles against her cheek before giving her a small smile. “I did not say it would be an easy one for you to join,” she admits. “It would be well-suited for you in terms of your intelligence and interests, but it would likely take decades for you to gain enough knowledge to officially enter.” Astra does something a bit mean, then, pressing closer to her mate until Alexandra has her back to the window and there’s very little space between them, the woman’s face a lovely shade of red. She leans forward and whispers near her ear. “Should you choose to join my guild, however, you could become an official member much sooner, and serve under me as well.” Astra nuzzles against her neck and lets her lips skim over the flushed skin before she pulls away, giving her mate the sharp smile she knows the woman reacts to nearly as much as when she says her name a certain way. “What do you choose, Alexandra?”
Alexandra stares at her with wide eyes and then scrubs a hand over her face, muttering curse words in her native tongue. She gives her a sulky glare. “You know which I’m going to choose when you, when you do all that,” she mutters, gesturing to her.
Astra does her best not to smile. “Whatever do you mean? Hm, Alexandra?”
Her mate stares at her and then narrows her eyes, and to Astra’s surprise Alexandra reaches out, grasping her waist and quickly spinning them so Astra is the one pinned to the window. She holds her surprised gaze for a moment before slowly leaning in, and when Astra leans forward to meet her Alexandra captures her lips in a kiss, her whole body pressing against her now. The hand on her waist tightens as the other raises to tangle in her long hair, and when Astra reaches out and pulls the woman even closer she gasps, and then growls when Astra smugly takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss.
What follows is a very long and very… enjoyable battle for dominance that leaves them both sprawled on the floor of the ship and panting, and once she’s caught her breath Astra props herself up on one arm and gazes down at Alexandra, who surprisingly seems far more relaxed than before despite them both being fully nude at this point.
“Should anyone ask,” Astra says absently, “we at least made it to my quarters.”
Alexandra smirks. “Fine, but I’ll say I swept you off your feet and carried you there, omega.”
Astra raises both eyebrows at that and decides her mate has gleaned far too much of her planet’s biology system given how little time they’ve even spent not around their pack or the pests they’ve been dealing with. “I would like to see you try, Alexandra.”
Her mate takes that for the challenge and invitation it is, and this time at least they end up resting in the large bed in Astra’s quarters after, though when Alexandra very smugly declares she ‘definitely won this round’, Astra triggers her uniform to expand and quickly straddles her.
Alexandra raises both eyebrows at that. “It’s more fun when we’re both naked,” she drawls.
Astra hums. “I do not disagree, but I need to get something.” She pulls a small box out of one of her suit’s pocket dimensions, opening it and then grabbing her mate’s hand. Astra slips a golden bracelet onto her wrist and then slips a matching one onto her own wrist, smirking when Alexandra freezes. “You are mine,” Astra declares, tucking the box away and having her suit recede once more. “I was planning on easing you into it with a romantic evening among the stars, but it seems you would indeed be an alpha.” She leans down and kisses Alexandra for a long while then, and when she finally pulls away she descends, aggressively marking the woman with her scent now and her body heat skyrocketing. “Mine,” Astra growls, nipping at Alexandra’s neck. “My mate.”
Alexandra blinks at her almost sleepily. “Your sister did explain the whole bracelet thing to me,” she mumbles. “So I’m pretty sure I’m also your wife now since we’re not technically on the planet so don’t need a ceremony.”
Astra kisses her again, and this time when she pulls away she holds her gaze. “Do you want to discuss legal formalities or see how an omega nests with no cubs present?” She drawls. She grins when her mate immediately flips them, the scent of Alexandra’s excitement filling the room and her red hair gleaming in the light.
They end up having to apologize to their little one when they make it home a day later than planned, though Kara’s pout vanishes when she somehow realizes they’re both wearing bracelets even before Alura.
“Mama, Mommy!” The little girl cries happily. “You got married!”
Alura immediately appears beside them and then gets a knowing look in her eyes. “I see why you were late now,” she muses. “It is good you at least had a few non-violent dates first, though… I am surprised you managed to get our shy little Alex to agree to marry you so quickly, sister.”
Astra smirks even as she lifts Kara into her arms. “I do not think my mate can be called shy any longer,” she says, and when Alura immediately looks to Alexandra, her mate flushes and scowls at them both.
“You can’t keep saying I’d be an alpha and then be shocked when I act like one,” Alexandra drawls.
Alura makes a soft sound of surprise. “Alright,” she says. “Now I really do see why you were late…” She looks a bit too interested then and when Astra growls she sighs and waves her hand at her. “I am quite happy with my own mate, thank you. I am simply trying to determine which of you made the first move, given how easily you embarrass her.”
Astra hums and nearly laughs when Kara grumbles that she needs to re-mark both her and her mama now, the little girl nuzzling against her neck and reaching up to rub her cheeks with her wrists. “It would not be inaccurate to say Alexandra swept me off my feet,” Astra admits, and when her wife smiles at that and her sister gapes at her, she smirks. “Now, I believe we owe our little one a family date, yes?”
This time their whole pack comes along, and Kara and Alexandra both are quite happy to explore a nearby planet, no matter that it is an entirely safe one as Astra is not about to bring them to one even so dangerous as the one she found them on anytime soon.
It’s a few months later that Astra and her wife visit the Science Guild branch in their city, both of them antsy and quiet as they await the results of the tests being ran on Alexandra’s DNA, and when the scientist comes out and apologetically informs them it isn’t compatible with the Codex they both nod stiffly and take their leave. They don’t speak of it until they’re in bed that night, and Alexandra quietly says it’s probably for the best since Kara is still getting used to everything and may not do well with a younger sibling right now, and then she’s crying and Astra is too, and it’s awhile after they’ve calmed that Kara pads into the room and snuggles between them, quieter than usual and nuzzling against them both, and Astra prays to Rao the child hadn’t overheard their conversation, worried now that her little one may think she isn’t enough, but Kara doesn’t mention it and seems back to her usual self by morning.
Astra is quite enjoying having her wife in her guild, and despite having seen how capable Alexandra is she’s still impressed with how quickly she becomes an official member and begins serving under her in earnest, and she’s going to blame all of that for her being a bit… distracted, because it’s several months later that her sister asks if she’s noticed that Kara is acting… odd.
“Lucy,” Astra says, catching the child’s guard while Alexandra, Alura, and Zor-El are keeping Kara distracted in an adjoining room. “Is something going on?” When she scents her unease, she crosses her arms, growling softly. “My little one is going to great lengths to ensure no one but you or Kal-El accompanies her to her lab, so tell me what is going on, now.”
“I can’t,” Lucy blurts, taking a small step back. “I would, I promise, I know you’re gonna kill me, but Kara wants it to be a surprise and Streaky ensured I knew Rao is on her side in this, and I’m sorry but I fear our goddess more than I fear you.”
Astra calms a bit at that. “Is this dangerous to Kara in any way?” When Lucy quickly shakes her head, Astra sighs and lets her arms fall to her sides. “So be it.” Her sister is not pleased with her findings, but Alexandra shrugs and says Kara took more samples of her DNA again so it’s probably nothing too big, and they leave it at that.
Kara seems even happier than usual those next few months, and her cousin, for some reason, has taken to pestering them all about what their favorite stories were when they were younger and has them send them to his personal computer, and then one day after lunch Kara carefully stands on her chair and they all turn to her, and Astra scents her little one’s eagerness and Lucy’s… relief and dread.
“I have a surprise,” Kara says primly. “For Mama and Mommy, and Mommy and Daddy too!” The child claps quietly and the little red creature makes a purring sound, nuzzling against her cheek from her usual roost around Kara’s shoulders. “We gotta go to my lab!”
Astra and her wife help her down from the chair, and Kara leads them all to her home lab, Kal-El practically vibrating with excitement and his parents whispering to one another about what ridiculous thing Kara will have made this time.
“Again,” Lucy says, falling into step beside Astra. “Please do not kill me for this. I did at least check her work, and she did it all safely and correctly.” She points to the red creature looking back at her with narrowed eyes. “No, I know what you’re thinking, Kara’s a genius, yes, but your kind do not understand this sort of thing, and the General may well kill me because you swore me to secrecy on it.”
Kara huffs even as Astra and the other adults’ unease grows. “It’s a good surprise, Lucy!” She pats the little red creature’s head. “Streaky and Rao agree.”
Lucy growls quietly. “They’re basically the same entity so that’s only one agreement,” she grouses. “And kid, I know you’re a special case, but I suggest not taking life advice from divinities.”
“How bad is it that someone destined for the Religious Guild is arguing with our goddess?” Alura asks warily.
“It’s a good surprise!” Kara repeats, stopping in front of her lab now. She turns and points to them all. “You gotta wait here though.” When her cousin steps forward, she scowls at him. “You too, Kal-El.”
The little boy immediately starts whining. “But I wanna see when you—“ He stops when Kara slaps a hand over his mouth.
“You already told your daddy,” Kara grumbles, frowning. “So you gotta wait here too, cousin.”
Astra and everyone else immediately turn to Jor-El, Lucy with an expression of disbelief, and she scents the man’s confusion. “Kara,” he says, “Kal-El never told me anything about this… surprise of yours.”
“No, I did,” Kal-El admits, plopping down on the floor with a very loud sigh. “Fine, I’ll wait here.” He crosses his arms and pouts and Kara pats the top of his head before slipping into her lab, Jor-El again saying he has no clue what’s happening.
It’s a few minutes later that they all hear what could only be a baby crying, and Astra leads the charge into the lab because why in Rao’s name—
“I said to wait!” Kara says indignantly, and Astra can see tiny feet kicking as her little one carefully cleans the crying baby, and now she can also see why Kara didn’t let most of them into her lab: there’s a new machine taking up the back wall, and a vat that Kara must have taken the infant from beside it. Kara grabs a little red blanket nearly identical to her own baby blanket and easily swaddles the baby in it, and then she turns, holding the now-quiet baby and frowning at them all.
Astra’s eyes fall to the infant, taking in the short brown hair with a familiar red tinge and wide brown eyes already looking at all of them, and she feels heat rise within her, feels the familiar urge to claim her cub, and a quick glance at her sister tells her Alura feels the same.
The baby coos and nuzzles against Kara, then, and the little girl makes a startled sound. “I told you to claim Mama first, sister,” Kara yelps, and then she’s hurrying towards them and holding the baby out to Alexandra. “You gotta mark her, and then our mommies, and then our daddy!”
“Kara,” Alexandra whispers, and Astra can scent her wife’s shock and confusion. “What did you do?” She takes the baby even as she asks, and Astra watches the infant nuzzle against her mate’s neck and smells the strong scent of a cub claiming her parent.
“I made you a baby!” Kara chirps, again clapping quietly and bouncing with excitement. “I heard you and Mommy crying cuz the Codex couldn’t work with Mama’s DNA, so I fixed it!” She pats Astra and Alexandra’s legs then. “And you don’t gotta worry about me, I like being a big sister!” She points to Kal-El then. “But I kinda already have a whiny little brother so I decided I wanted a little sister this time.”
“I’m not whiny,” Kal-El mumbles. A pause. “Okay, sometimes, but still.”
Astra’s eyes again fall to the baby, and her mate must sense her growing restlessness because Alexandra quickly passes the child to her, and when the baby nuzzles against her and marks her as her parent Astra feels tears slip down her cheeks even as she marks the little girl as her child in turn.
She somewhat reluctantly passes her off to her sister next, though when the infant easily claims Alura and then Zor-El as her parents as well she does feel relieved that their odd pack configuration will continue, and when the baby is back in her wife’s arms Kara again pats their legs.
“Mama, Mommy,” Kara chirps. “What’s my little sister’s name?”
“Samantha,” Alexandra whispers, and then quickly looks to Astra. “Uh, if that’s alright.”
Astra hums and nuzzles against her wife’s face. “Samantha is a good name,” she assures her, feeling a telltale rumble in her chest. “Though we had best move to our room soon, as I believe my sister and I will be nesting for…”
“Awhile,” Alura manages, and when Astra looks to her her sister’s eyes are glued to Samantha and she’s got her hands clenched at her sides to keep herself from snatching their new child.
Kara makes a happy sound at that and lifts her arms, and Alura quickly scoops her up, nuzzling against her face more aggressively than usual. The little girl turns to her cousin, smiling so wide her cheeks bunch up. “Kal-El, you gotta play in your daddy’s lab for awhile, okay?”
“Fine,” Kal-El grumbles. He tugs on his mother’s robe. “Mommy, how come we aren’t in Kara’s pack?”
“I don’t think three omegas should nest together,” Lara says carefully, scooping her son into her arms. “Just be glad Kara teaches… ah, plays with you so much, alright?”
“She really made herself a little sister,” Jor-El whispers, and Astra sees the man gaping at Samantha. He rakes a hand through his hair. “Kal-El said she was, but I didn’t believe him, how…” He turns to the new machine at the back of the lab then. “Kara, what all changes did you make to the Codex?”
“It can work with any DNA now,” Kara chirps, reaching out and patting Alexandra’s cheek and then Samantha’s hair. “Red said it’s probably a good thing to make at this point, so everyone can be with whoever they want.” She makes a soft sound then and manages to pat Astra’s cheek. “Mommy, is my little sister cute? I asked my cousin but he just said she looks like every other baby he’s seen.” When Samantha gurgles aggressively, Kara frowns at her. “We both talked to you plenty either way, sister. But I can’t see so I wanna know how you turned out, cuz making you was a lotta work.”
Astra laughs quietly at that and kisses Kara and then Samantha’s foreheads. “She is adorable, little one,” she says quietly.
“She’s perfect,” her wife whispers, holding the baby closer and nuzzling against her as well, and Astra scents something new, then— Alexandra marking the child with a parental claim. Kara must as well, because she reaches for her.
“Mama, me too!” The little girl cries, and when Alexandra makes a confused sound she huffs. “You marked my little sister as your child, and you gotta mark me too, Mama!”
“Uh… I can try?” Alexandra says, brow furrowed now. She passes Samantha to Astra and takes Kara, and after a moment of nuzzling against her, Astra again scents her wife’s parental claim.
“Ooh,” Kara whispers. “Didn’t know what I gave you meant you’d be able to do this.” She pats Alexandra’s cheek happily. “Good job, Mama!”
Alura has had enough at that point and grabs Astra and Alexandra’s arms and starts dragging them to their room, growling quietly and her body heat already higher than Astra’s own, and within a few minutes their whole pack has settled in the large bed— Alura and Astra on either side of Alexandra, who is happily holding both Kara and Samantha because they could both tell she wouldn’t be letting either of them go anytime soon, and Zor-El on Alura’s other side, reaching across her and alternating between petting Kara or the baby’s hair, pouting slightly but nonetheless smelling very strongly of joy as the rest of them are. Streaky ends up laying on Kara’s chest, Samantha happily playing with her tail even as she starts to doze.
“Little one,” Astra finally manages, lightly poking Kara’s cheek. “What did you mean when you said you and your cousin both spoke to Samantha often?”
“Being made is boring,” Kara mumbles, reaching up and petting her little sister’s hair. “That’s why I made her in my lab, so I could talk to her, and Kal-El read her stories when he got tired of working on stuff.”
Zor-El makes a choked sound. “Kiddo, could you… hear what was happening around you during your development?”
“Yeah?” Kara nuzzles against Alexandra and then Samantha. “Lucy was surprised too, but Red told me my sister would be the same, so I wanted to make sure she wasn’t bored or lonely.”
The baby opens her eyes and gurgles sleepily, and when Kara moves closer she nuzzles against her before beginning to doze again.
Astra exchanges a wide-eyed look with her sister, and Alura taps Kara’s cheek. “Little star, what guild did you design Samantha for?”
“Military Guild,” Kara chirps. “Cuz that’s what Mama and Mommy are in, but she could be in the Science Guild if she wanted, I think.” She hums happily and pets Samantha’s hair. “We’re gonna make lotsa fun stuff, little sister,” Kara promises. “And go lotsa fun places, and do lotsa fun things with our parents.” She kisses the baby’s cheek when Samantha coos at that. “And Streaky’s gonna keep you safe too, Red promised.”
“Kara,” Alexandra says, shifting enough cup the child’s cheek. “I am very grateful you found a way to make the, uh, Codex work for us, and we all love you and Samantha very much, but from now on please don’t make a child without the parents’ consent, alright?”
Kara pouts but they can all scent the slight annoyance under Alexandra’s joy, and she nods. “Okay, Mama.” She pokes her cheek then. “But I did good?”
Astra nearly laughs when her wife pouts at that. “You did good,” Alexandra admits, kissing Kara’s forehead and then Samantha’s when the baby gurgles. “Just… no more surprise babies, please.” She pokes Streaky’s nose then. “And that goes for you as well.” Astra does laugh when the little red creature huffs but nods, and the purr rumbling through her strengthens as they all settle in, Kara’s happiness and pride strong enough to scent and Alexandra the most joyful and relaxed Astra has yet seen her.
They end up nesting for even longer than when they’d finally found their little one, and anytime Astra or her sister start getting snippy Kara unceremoniously plops Samantha on top of one of them and then rolls herself onto the other, and cuddling their cubs quickly puts an end to any brewing arguments, much to Zor-El and Alexandra’s relief and Streaky’s amusement.