"Okay, pad is set up, solar relays are powering the giant raygun -"
"Please don't call it a raygun, H'El."
H'El just smirked at his friend. "You're the one who made it look like a giant raygun."
"Hehe... good point. But I do not need that level of sass when I'm about to leave."
After the "Speed Lending," there really wasn't much to figure out on their own. Setting up the large pad for Kandor to grow on had really just been a matter of calculation. All in all, it had only been a week and a half since Vahl-Or's faceplant.
"Are you sure you'll be fine looking after Kandor by yourself, H'El."
"Vahl, buddy, don't worry about it. We got all the calculations done, and I'm pretty much an expert on this tech at this point. Jor-El raised me to be a scientist, and if anything goes wrong, I'll shut the raygun down, one way or another. Maybe worry more about yourself, considering where you're going."
Vahl-Or looked down at what he was wearing.
"This isn't me being worried?"
That wasn't a joke. After last time, Vahl-Or wasn't going to risk anything with a low grade armor. The one he was wearing now, was made with more layers, making it a bit bulkier than the one he wore before. Unlike the last one with orichalcum, this time he was using a thick layer of Ûk-chal, an alloy of orichalcum and Nth Metal, which was in the middle layer rather than simply being a coating. This alloy was much better at magical resistance, and actually increased the power of his spells. To say nothing of the superior conductivity that he sometimes utilized in his rare uses of Technomancy for wiring. If it weren't for the rarity of Nth Metal, he'd use it for a lot more.
The outermost layer was semi-nanotech based upon some Reach Scarab fragments. (Even after he was no longer a Green Lantern, he still hunted down their brainwashed soldiers when he caught word of them.) Being able to form blades of Kryptium to slice through things rather than smashing them was rather useful.
Under the metal, he wore a nano-weave skinsuit that was deceptively durable. It would protect him up to his neck. In the center of the chest was a small, circular symbol that would absorb the entire suit when activated. Pocket dimension tech was bullshit, but it was useful bullshit.
He didn't have any red sun dampeners, but that wasn't the point of this armor. Leaving those out let him leave room for other stuff.
"Pack that Ûk-chal/Kryptium sword. Never know when ya might need it."
"It is so hard to tell when you're serious, sometimes."
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"You're absolutely sure you'll be okay."
"Yes, Mother Bird. Someone will have to teach the people the ropes when their powers kick in. Now get in there."
With that, H'El teleported away to the control room for the launch cannon.
Technically speaking, they didn't need this to reach escape velocity. Taking off on bare ground, however, would require creating a large crater. And doing it from the air would mess with the weather. Overall, this was just less harmful to the environment.
Granted, he could take a ship, but he wasn't bringing passengers back this time. He was much faster without it.
"Ready for liftoff, Vahl?"
"Ready as I'll ever be, H'El."
With that, H'El activated the launch. The circular pad Vahl-Or stood on rapidly lowered. H'El watched as his friend tapped the side of his neck, deploying his helmet. Unlike his last, the "glass" didn't go over the whole face. A wide V-shape over the eyes let him see out of it.
"See ya soon, buddy."
"Back at you, H'El."
With that, the comms and cameras shut off, and the pod launched upwards.
-----------------
As he felt the last of New Krypton's gravity stop effecting him, Vahl-Or turned towards New Rao.
In retrospect, he still sometimes wondered if creating New Krypton near a blue sun was really as good an idea as he thought. Might create trouble later on. H'El's powers manifesting had caused a lot of damage. Good thing he never stopped making repair drones.
Looking out among the stars, Vahl-Or took it all in. He sometimes took moments like this to remind himself that despite how powerful he is, he was still just another speck in the grand universe. He aging wasn't halted, it was slowed. It put things in perspective. It reminded him to be a bit more humble, something he still struggled with every now and again.
Turning himself in the direction of the Waypoint outside of the System, he went from bathing in New Rao's light to halfway there.
He remembered the look on Kal-El's face before he had left. It hadn't exactly been in the best emotional state.
Vahl-Or wondered how he was holding up.
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AN:
I just made Ûk-chal up. Other than magic resistance, it's not as good at some of the stuff Nth Metal does by itself. It also takes a large magic ritual to bond them properly, which Vahl-Or isn't going to waste on a small amount. Still a much better conductor than any other alloy he could make. Plus, unlike with the Orichalc Belt (an asteroid belt in the New Rao System, mostly orichalcum), Vahl-Or doesn't have a steady supply of Nth Metal to use.