After she treated Henry Allen's wound without batting an eye at J'onn's green Martian-ness, J'onn challenges Eloise for lying about who she was; because she can't be human. She replies that while genetically she's other than human, she was born on Earth, within the boundaries of the United States. And that she wasn't 'hiding' being an alien at all. She then invites her guests to sleep in the living room and locks herself in her bedroom.
J'onn J'onzz: (Uncertainly) Why do I get the feeling we just repaid kindness with betrayal?
Henry Allen: (sadly) Because that's exactly what we did.
Eloise Monroe 's house-guest, acknowledged as the Martian J'onn J'onzz in disguise, walks into the room and asks her something like 'what's your story'.
“My story is that even if I wasn't genetically something other than human I'd still feel like a stranger in this place. (mutes television, leans back in chair) I was born here, but in general people don't make any more sense to me than I make to people. Actually, not true, I think I more or less get people, but people don't like me, so I stay out here where most living beings are animals and my desire to mind my own business doesn't raise eyebrows.”
“You are not hiding from your own government?”
“If you mean General Elling, he's not entirely sanctioned by the political powers of this country. He's military through and through and tends to hunt down potential alien threats. I'm not on his radar for being an alien. I doubt he even suspects me of being one. But my home is KNOWN for being a shelter for wayfaring humans out of work or illegal immigrants. He figures I'd help 'lost lonely actual aliens' with few questions asked. An accurate reputation I am proud to live up to, by the way.”
A Kindly Stranger:
“Forgive the intrusion.” Said the young man as he stepped into my front room. “My friend and I crashed...into each-other and until we can get back into town...we need a roof over our heads. Just for tonight, please.”
“Is your friend hurt? Can he not come in as well?”
“No, he's ambulatory. It's just he's...different. He didn't want to scare you, or bully his way into someone's home. He asked me to...” The young 20-something seemed at a loss for words.
“My home is a sanctuary of peace. Leave your weapons at the door and do not raise your hands in anger while within these walls, and you are welcome here; as is anyone who can observe these precepts.”
The handsome young man said his thanks and sat down cross-legged beside the sofa. The man who came in after him had tinted green skin and pale red eyes. He bowed as he entered but did not raise himself once inside.
I smiled faintly at him. “Another word for sanctuary is 'refuge'. If you need help you will find it here, including hiding you from the authorities, if they are being hounds not protectors.”
“What do you mean?” The man asked in a deep voice. “How can you tell the difference?”
“No one can come into my home and try to take people by force and call themselves a protector, necessitating that if you are running from the cops, you are running from a hound. You get the notion, yes?” The human nodded as did the clearly alien visitor. “I will ask both of you to tell me your names though.” I said with a faint smile.
“I am...J'onn J'onzz.” The green-skinned man said with a stiff bow. “This is my friend...”
“Elias.” The young man said rising from his seat and extending his hand. “Elias Danvers.”
“My name is Sarrin, some people call me 'Sasha'. No family name to inherit.”
“Why is that?” J'onn asked. “I'm sorry, I'm curious.”
“We inherit our parents first names.” I said simply. “My name at birth was 'Eloise'. When my mother, Samantha died I inherited her birth name of Sarrin. If I'd had a brother, he would have inherited our father's birth name. No maiden or married names, no family names at all.”
“Not familiar with the custom. And I'm familiar with a lot of them.” Elias said with genuine courtesy.
“Unless you're from one of three planets in this galaxy, you wouldn't be.” I told him. “Yeah. I've lived in the States most of my time on Earth, and on Earth most of my life. Please, J'onn are you hurt and do you want something to eat?”
“I heal fast.” J'onn said immediately. “Yes I'm hurt but I do not require medical attention. And I...do you have any cookies?” In response I walked into the kitchen, set a plate of butter cookies and off-brand Oreo biscuits. I set it and a glass of milk on the coffee table.
“And you Elias?”
“Just a mug of tea please.” I couldn't help feeling slightly hurt by his refusal. Perhaps he noticed it because he quickly added “I could go for lunch meat...on wheat bread if you've got it.”
I smiled softly. “Coming up.”
Elias sat himself on the sofa next to his friend. I set 2 plates of turkey and cumber sandwiches down. “I'm sorry, but are you in the habit of telling complete strangers who you are?”
“Complete strangers, one of whom is quite obviously an alien themselves, yes. My origin is not a secret for me. It's my identity. And that has never been something worth hiding.” I stopped and looked at him. “Do I take it a'rigte that you have had the opposite experience?”
“My birth name was...is Kal'el. It never meant anything to me. Elias Danvers is the name my adoptive parents gave me. It is my identity.”
“A son of El?”
“You, you knew him?”
“Personally no.” I answered hurriedly. “But the house of El is a star in the ashes exception to typical Kryptonian behavior and perception. That is how they are known.”
“I...I'm not sure I understand.”
“If 85% of Kryptonians treated non-Kryptonians one way and had a 'party-line' approach to any given problem, the house of El is part of the 15% who judge things on their own merits based on the evidence of their own eyes. They are 'part of a culture or society no longer able to see it's own eminent destruction, but they can'.” I took a breath. “That's what the learning programs my mom made me watch said of them. I've never actually met any Kryptonian who didn't look on me with pity in their eyes...until now.”
“Most likely because you were not raised by Kryptonians, Elias. But by one of Earth's own shining horrata.” J'onn said, straining for something. Elias and I starred at him. “I spent 4 years with his adopted father. Jeremiah Danvers is himself a brilliant, stunning exception to typical Earth thinking. He accepted me the first time we met.” He looked caught out. “Horrata literally means 'an exception to the rule'. What it says about a person depends on what the rule is.”
“I don't need a medic I need a mechanic.” The young woman says to the African American before her. Tapping her collar bone as if checking her heart-rate she continues. “I am not an alien...well I am but...I'm also an android.” Four and a half hours later the woman wakes up, leaning against the back of a medical chair. She gives a cautious look around her, smiling faintly at the young technical genius to her right. A smile that vanishes when her eyes pass over the imposing man in front of her.
“Listen I don't know if it will mean anything, but I am not intentionally a threat.”
“As good a way as any to start a dialogue. Why are you here?” The director said blandly.
“To live and through the act of living, to learn what I want out of life.” She said happily. Her face immediately took on a more somber look. “Are the three pillars of sentience intelligence, self-awareness and consciousness? If so, replace one of those with 'self-determination' or add it and I would be considered a sentient being. My core intentional protocols are my personality. But my mission statement and my 'reason for being' are mine to discover and decide for myself. Essentially, what I want out of life' hasn't been written yet.” She paused and looked around the room, thoughtfully. “I don't know if my people look like this. But I do.”
“Why do you sound like a young child?” The younger man asked haply.
“Because as far as how long I've lived and how much of the world I've seen, I am. I have the same understanding of people and the world as an 11 year-old. I honesty haven't lived enough years to be called an adult. I sound as mature and educated as I do because my embedded learning programs give me an understanding and wisdom of the world a person as young as I am wouldn't have.”
“I get the feeling I intimidate you.” The director said suddenly. The young woman started. “You seem confident of exactly where and who you are and yet seem skittish or unsteady when you look at me. Why is that? And why say all of this at once, without waiting to be asked?”
“Believe it or not Henshaw, you are known to me. How you see foes where there are friends and see sorcerers where there are but servants. I am doing my best to convince you that I am genuinely friendly.”
“...Then I should be genuine as well.” The human guise of Hank Henshaw faded away and J'onn J'onzz showed his true alien form. That of a green-skinned alien only slightly taller than he had appeared a moment ago. Dressed in armor rather than military garb and with wide, open eyes. In response the woman sat straight up, inclined her head a little bit, as if to say 'thank you for that trust' and spoke in a language other than English. A gesture which made the Marian smile with gratitude. “And my name is J'onn J'onzz. This is Winslow Schott.”
“How many languages do you speak?” Winn said suddenly.
“It will take me a while to learn Earth languages other than English. But Earth languages aren't the only ones I know. That was Martian.”
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