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100prompts2019-03-24 08:24 am
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[Table 3 Prompt #018 Haunted] Title: If I Go Crazy, Then Will You Still Call Me Superman?
Chapter 7: If I Go Crazy, Then Will You Still Call Me Superman?
Storyline: Man of Steel A New Hope [AO3]
Characters: Clark Kent (Kal-El) & Lois Lane, Kelor, Jor-El, Perry White
Prompt: #018 Haunted for100prompts
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3326
Fandom: Superman/DC/DCEU
Summary: “We’ll figure it out, Clark. We know whatever Lex Luthor is up to has something to do with Kyrpton. We know whatever he does with those meteorites can’t harm the people of earth. Unless he plans on throwing bits of space rock at our heads I think we’ll be okay,” she tried for some levity.
A/N: Krypton in this fic derives from the source material found in the DC Superman action comics from the Bronze and Silver age. Additionally, Krypton's history is also derived from the MOS movie canon and the show Krypton on the Syfy channel. Kara Zor-El is Superman's cousin in this fic. She was the captain of the scout ship in the movie MOS (An Easter egg in the film hints to the empty pod belonging to Kara). Kara's origin story comes from the 2013 MOS Prequel comic written by Jeff Johns, David S. Goyer, Zack Synder and Sterling Gates. The running gag in the New 52 Justice League and DC animated universe is that Lois was largely responsible for naming the super heroes in her editorial pieces for The Daily Planet. Lois named Superman and she also named Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, The Flash et al. "The Justice League." So, I thought it would be appropriate to inadvertently name the scout ship, Clark/Kal-El's "Fortress of Solitude." Unlike comic book canon, the MOS and Justice League movie hinted that the spaceship would serve as his fortress in the DCEU. I liked that imagery better than the ones in the classic comics and Christopher Reeve Superman Movies. The title of this chapter refers to the song "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors down because this chapter was all about Clark and Lois learning more about the space particles.
Disclaimer: Characters, not mine. Story is mine.
They flew together to the scout ship’s secret location. Lois hadn’t been inside since that first night when he saved her from Kelor’s defenses. Clark gave Lois a warm smile and held her tighter against him as he whipped through the clouds. Even though they were miles above the ground, He sensed no fear in her. She was safe with him. Clark waved to the stealth drone that hovered nearby. The government was still trying to track down his “home.” While he strove to be more open with the U.S. government, Clark still hoarded his privacy. He knew General Swanwick wanted the ship back. Much to the military’s embarrassment, Superman had managed to take it from them twice. The scout ship was his second home to him now. When the world became too loud, he retreated to the icy quietness of the Kryptonian ship to regroup. It was the only thing that connected him to his lost home.
Clark's boots touched down on the blanket of snow with a soft crunch.
“Are you cold?” He asked Lois.
Lois shook her head. “It’s funny, but I'm warm all over.” He smiled when she wrapped her arms around herself. Her actions contradicted her words.
Clark took her hand in his and led her to the mouth of the ship. He made some security upgrades a few months earlier, adding a retinal scanner. Lois stood behind him as the machine confirmed his retinal pattern. A few seconds later the doors opened, inviting them inside. Lois hesitated at the door. Kelor’s near-fatal attack still lingered in her memory.
“Don’t worry,” Clark assured her. “Kelor won’t hurt you.”
As if on cue the spaceship’s operating system zipped around a corner to greet them. “Welcome, Kal-El,” the animatronic voice echoed through the vastness of the corridor. “Good evening, Ms. Lane.”
“Uh, hi,” Lois stammered.
“I told you.” Clark winked at her. “Kelor, let’s give Lois a tour of the ship and show her some of the changes we’ve made.”
Clark wanted Lois to feel comfortable in his home-away-from-home. He knew she was still shaken by the attack. He hoped seeing the upgrades and changes for herself, would make Lois feel more comfortable visiting again. He wanted to share everything about his world with her. Including the scout ship.
“Scout ship 0344 first arrived on Earth during the Kryptonian great age of exploration. The ship's captain was Kara Zor-El of the great house of El,” Kelor began.
“Zor-El. Any relation to you?” Lois asked.
“I think so. This was her ship, whoever she was.”
Lois glanced around the spaceship’s vast interior. It was still cold and sterile, but there were spots where Clark made it his own. They passed through the hall with the ancient sleep chambers and paused. The bones of the ship’s skeleton crew were still preserved beneath the glass cases.
“Is this…?”
Clark shrugged. He couldn’t be sure which of the two women were Kara. The pods weren’t labeled. Clark glanced at the empty chamber behind them. He still wasn’t sure who or what used to be inside. Neither Kelor nor Jor-El were very helpful in solving that mystery.
“I’m not sure,” he said in a hushed tone.
Lois gave him a sad smile and placed her hand over the pod in a moment of silence before moving on. Kelor continued to drone on about the history of the ship as it floated ahead of them. The couple turned a corner together and entered another room. There were suits of Kryptonian armor enclosed behind glass chambers along the walls of the cavernous room. Clark stopped in front of the black suit and admired it for a moment.
“I didn’t know you had more than one,” Lois said.
“I didn’t know I had more until recently. There’s still so much that I don’t know, Lo,” Clark said with a hint of sadness in his voice. Sensing his shift in mood, Lois wrapped an arm around his trim waist and rested her head against him.
They continued to trail behind Kelor until the A.I. paused outside the door of another room. Detecting Clark’s unique DNA, the doors opened automatically for him. The room used to belong to one of the crew members until he commandeered it for himself. Before Clark moved in, it was sterile and bare like the rest of the ship. He added a few pieces of furniture to bedroom making it homier. Lois stepped inside first and looked around. She smiled at the new additions. She went for a photo of the two of them first. His room was the coziest part of the ship. It was the only part that seemed the least foreign and more like Clark.
“So, this is where you disappear to.”
Clark shrugged sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sometimes.”
“Hey, I totally get it. When I need some me time, I get a massage. You’ve got your very own fortress of solitude.”
“Fortress of solitude?” he said with a nod. “I like that.”
Clark smiled and wrapped his arms around Lois’ waist, pulling her close to him. He planted soft kisses on her jawline and lips. The kisses were playful at first. But after a few minutes, the gentle pecks turned into long languid strokes of his tongue. Clark shivered as Lois’ fingers roamed beneath his cape and danced along his muscles before resting firmly at the dip in his back. He groaned against her lips, deepening the kiss. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to lose control of himself. Lois pulled away first. Sometimes he forgot that one of them needed to breathe. He pecked her gently on the lips and rested his forehead against hers. As much as he wanted to go on kissing her, the purpose of the trip was to find out more about his birth planet. Make-out sessions would have to wait until afterward.
“I’m distracting you,” Lois said after a few minutes.
Clark kissed her on the nose. “I’m not complaining. But maybe we should go to another room.” Lois nodded in agreement and followed him back out into the ship’s hall. Clark shook the hazy fog of passion out of his head and refocused his thoughts on their objective.
“Kelor,” he commanded the computer’s A.I., awakening it from its sleep state. “Upload Jor-El.”
“Corrupted Program. State new command,” Kelor warned as usual.
“Override new command. Upload Jor-El.”
The computer went silent for a moment before Jor-El materialized before them. The hologram flickered twice before stabilizing again. Clark was still amazed at the lifelike image of his long-deceased father. Krypton had perished eons ago. Yet, his father managed to live on through the spaceship’s computer system. Nothing on Earth could touch Kryptonian technology. Standing in front of Jor-El punctuated that reality for Clark each time he visited. It was also a reminder of how different he was from the people of Earth.
“Kal. Ms. Lane,” Jor-El greeted them.
“I’ll never get used to this,” Lois said breathlessly. The hologram spoke as if he was standing there with them.
“I’m surprised to see you again, too, Ms. Lane. Though, Kal often speaks of you.”
Clark’s face colored at his father’s frankness. “We’re here to learn more about Krypton.”
Jor-El nodded his head. “What would you like to discuss? Science, technology, history, government, socioeconomic structure, daily life, military, topography,” he rattled off.
“I want to know about Krypton’s make-up.”
“Unlike Earth,” Jor-El began “Krypton’s red sun made the planet much denser. As Krypton grew older, the planet's uranium core began to weaken causing it to destabilize.
Toward the end, the weakened core caused shifting in the tectonic plates beneath the surface of the planet. Krypton’s surface had two hemispheres with one centralized body of water. On Earth, you would call it an ocean.”
“You said it was Earth’s yellow sun that gave me these…” Clark looked down at his hands and flexed his fingers. “Abilities. But on Krypton, I would be like every other man.”
“Yes. Though life expectancy on Krypton was much higher than our counterparts on Earth.” The hologram recited the programmed information
“What would happen if parts of Krypton reached earth. How would it affect this planet?”
The computer simulation paused as if it wasn't prepared for such a question. “Debris from Krypton would do minimal damage and only on its initial impact.”
“So, it can’t harm anyone or…alter them in any way?” Clark asked.
“No. But, if the World Changer were used to alter Earth’s composition, then it would be fatal for all non-Kryptonian lifeforms. For this reason earlier expeditions were abandoned as Kryptonian’s sought more peaceful ways to explore and expand.”
“What about Clark—Kal,” Lois chimed in. “Could it harm him?”
The hologram flickered and remained silent prompting Lois to rephrase her question. “Can Kryptonian meteorites harm Kal-El?”
“Kal-El is a son of Krypton. Kryptonian DNA is codified within his genes giving him the ability to live on Earth and Krypton.”
Clark let out a frustrated sigh. It was no use. Jor-El tried to equip his program with as much information about Krypton to help his son, but there were still things it couldn’t do. If Clark wanted to know the climate on Krypton a million years ago, the program could tell him within seconds. Anything after the explosion was a mystery.
“I think that’s all we’re going to get from him about this,” he said resigned.
“We’ll figure it out, Clark. We know whatever Lex Luthor is up to has something to do with Kyrpton. We know whatever he does with those meteorites can’t harm the people of earth. Unless he plans on throwing bits of space rock at our heads I think we’ll be okay,” she tried for some levity.
“Yeah. But what could he possibly need or want with it?”
“I sat down with that man for over an hour. One thing I learned from that experience is Lex is always looking for an opportunity to exploit something or someone. He may not even know what he can do with it. The only thing he knows about the meteors is that it’s something from outer space and it may be connected to Superman. I think his obsession with you is more about his fragile ego than anything else.”
“You’re probably right. I wish I could get my hands on it so I can take a closer look. There’s a science lab on the ship I’ve been wanting to use.”
“A science lab?” Lois looked around the hulking spacecraft again. “No wonder the government is so interested in getting this thing back.”
“Yeah. They’ve got drones on me all the time.”
“How Big Brother of them,” she said sardonically.
“It’s not too bad. Besides, If I’m trying to earn the people of Earth’s trust, then I’m willing to let them do what they have to do to feel safer.”
Lois lifted a hand and touched his cheek. “Kind of like letting them handcuff you.”
He nodded with a grin. “Mmmhmm. But that’s only fun when it’s with the right person.”
Clark lowered his head and stole a kiss. Lois cleared her throat and motioned her chin toward Jor-El. The hologram was still standing nearby waiting for Clark to ask him more questions.
“He can’t really see us,” Clark teased her.
“I know but…” Her skin turned a warm shade of pink.
Clark nodded in understanding. It was a little strange kissing his girlfriend with his father hovering nearby. Even if his father was only a hologram. “End Program,” he commanded the ship. And just like that Jor-El was gone. Lois relaxed in his arms again.
“You ever had dessert on the North Pole?” Clark asked. Lois pretended to think about it for a moment before answering.
“You know, I can’t say that I have.”
“Good. Then, it’ll be a first for both of us.” He lifted Lois in his arms and carried her back to the bedroom.
++++
Lois slept peacefully beside him in his bed on the scout ship—or "fortress of solitude" as they now called it. She sighed and rubbed her cheek against his chest, snuggling against him. Clark couldn’t sleep. He didn’t need to sleep. Just like he didn’t need to eat or drink to survive. He ate because he got hungry. He drank when he wanted to drink. And he slept because resting his mind helped him stay balanced. Clark looked down at Lois as she rested. She was right about Lex’s ego. Her instincts were usually spot on. But this time something in his gut was telling him there was more to Lex’s interest than his ego. He was sure the business mogul had his hands on the train incident. The bomb, the meteor, those things were only the tip of it. Thoughts of Lex’s devious plans haunted him. His mind wouldn’t let him rest until he figured them out. Clark gently extracted himself from Lois’ embrace. He searched around in the dark for his boxers until he located the ball of cloth on top of Lois’ discarded jeans.
“Clark…” she called out to him groggily from the bed.
He moved beside her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “Go back to sleep, Lo. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
She gave him a sleepy smile and closed her eyes again.
He knew pieces of the meteor landed in the Gaza Sea. Clark wondered if Lex had managed to get it all or did he leave some fragments behind? They were harmless to people. But how would they affect him? When he had been on Zod’s ship, exposure to the Kryptonian atmosphere weakened him. Would the meteors have the same effect? There was only one way to find out.
++++
It was a balmy night in Gaza. Clark hovered over the placid sea and used his enhanced vision to look down into the depths of the inky water. He recalled the coordinates of Lex’s boat from Lois photo and made a good approximation of the drop point. If his calculations were correct, he was flying right above the excavation spot. Clark Jettisoned into the dark waters and swam to the seabed. His boots landed on the wet sand kicking up a cloud of dirt. A school of silver fish swam around him in a flurry of fins and tails before scattering away. Clark’s eyes scanned the dirt floor. After a few seconds, his vision adjusted to the darkness and he was able to see for miles into the blackness. The pressure of the water weighed down heavily on him, but it was nothing compared to the Kryptonian atmosphere on Zod’s ship. Lex’s team was thorough. After an hour under the salty water, Clark was convinced The White Russian had gathered every bit of the fallen rock from the seabed. He’d have to get his hands on it some other way. If there were pieces of his planet in Gaza, surely there were pieces of it in Smallville. Clark Kent was overdue for a trip home anyway.
++++
Clark sat hunched over his desk and continued to scan stare at his computer. Over the past week, he’d been searching the internet looking for anything about meteors. His trip back to Smallville only fueled his determination. Back on the farm, he learned that for months, people claiming to be property appraisers were snooping around the farming community. His mother told him they’d been by the farm multiple times, asking her questions and demanding to walk the property. After a quick search, Clark learned real estate company didn’t exist. It was a shell company called X-El which supposedly operated from some city in Colorado.
X-EL spelled backward was Lex. That was too big of a coincidence for Clark to ignore. With his suspicions on high alert, Clark checked the barn where his spacecraft was still hidden. There were a few extra nicks he didn’t recall being there before, but nothing seemed out of place. Still, he didn’t like the idea of Lex or anyone sneaking around. Clark wanted Martha to return with him to Metropolis, but she refused.
“No one is going to run me off my farm,” she said. “Not aliens and certainly not some fake real estate company. The Bank’s been trying to buy the land from up under me for years, too. If I can fend off Smallville Bank, I can fend off these guys.”
Clark couldn’t argue with his mother. Once Martha Kent got an idea in her mind, it was hard to change it. Instead, he made her promise to check in every day. It was the best he could do under the circumstances. Back at the Planet, Perry reassigned him to a fluff piece about the Wayne. It seemed his editor was coming down on him and Lois for failing to scoop the Metropolis Sun times over the bomb attempt on the MTA. According to the rival paper, the bombing was connected to a man named Wallace Keefe a disgruntled city employee who was out for blood. Images of Keefe’s shocked face dominated the news cycle for days. Despite all the reports linking him to the crime, the suspected train bomber vehemently denied planting the explosive. Clark wasn’t convinced that Keefe was the man behind the voice in his ear either. He was determined to uncover the truth. Another man’s life depended on it.
“Kent!” Perry’s voice boomed through the bullpen. Clark slowly rose from his desk. He only had a few more sentences to read. “Now!” Perry followed up.
With a heavy sigh, He headed to the editor’s office and closed the door behind him. Clark wondered what Perry was going to chew him out for this time. “Good work on the stadium piece. Solid writing.” Clark hesitated. He wasn’t sure where Perry was going with this. “Uh, thanks.” Surely there was more.
“I need you to head out with Jimmy to the Little Miss Metropolis Pageant. This year they’ve allowed transgender contestants to participate.”
“Now, Perry—”
“What?” Perry cut him off. “You have a problem with members of the LGBTQ community participating in beauty contests?”
Clark shook his head. “No. Not at all!”
“Then what’s the problem, Kent?”
Clark was sure Perry knew exactly why he had a problem. His boss was toying with him at this point. “It just seems like you’ve been putting Lois and me on fluff pieces lately and I—"
“Are you questioning my ability to run my paper, Kent?” Perry asked. He bridged his hands together and eyed Clark carefully, daring him to misstep.
“No, sir.” Clark retreated. He learned a while back to pick his battles with Perry White. “I’ll be happy to cover the pageant.”
“Good,” he said. His lips spread into a wide smile as he spoke. “How’s the Wayne story coming along?”
“Good. Lois and I have a charity event that we’re going to this weekend. My sources say Mr. Wayne will be there.”
Clark thought about the charity event hosted by Lex Luthor. He and Lois had debated on going at first. The invite took them both by surprise. But after some thought, he and Lois decided that going could help them get a little closer to the truth.
“Great!” That’ll be the perfect time to get a quote or a soundbite from Mr. Wayne. I look forward to reading your write up when it's ready to go to copy.”
Clark nodded his head before exiting the office. That had gone better than expected. Lois looked up from her computer as he passed her and flashed him an empathetic smile. She wasn’t having it any easier with Perry herself. Both reporters were on his shit list. Clark hoped the story on Bruce Wayne would help him claw his way out, so he could start writing real news again. His personal life was turning into a mess. He didn’t need his work life to collapse with it.
Storyline: Man of Steel A New Hope [AO3]
Characters: Clark Kent (Kal-El) & Lois Lane, Kelor, Jor-El, Perry White
Prompt: #018 Haunted for
100promptsRating: PG
Word Count: 3326
Fandom: Superman/DC/DCEU
Summary: “We’ll figure it out, Clark. We know whatever Lex Luthor is up to has something to do with Kyrpton. We know whatever he does with those meteorites can’t harm the people of earth. Unless he plans on throwing bits of space rock at our heads I think we’ll be okay,” she tried for some levity.
A/N: Krypton in this fic derives from the source material found in the DC Superman action comics from the Bronze and Silver age. Additionally, Krypton's history is also derived from the MOS movie canon and the show Krypton on the Syfy channel. Kara Zor-El is Superman's cousin in this fic. She was the captain of the scout ship in the movie MOS (An Easter egg in the film hints to the empty pod belonging to Kara). Kara's origin story comes from the 2013 MOS Prequel comic written by Jeff Johns, David S. Goyer, Zack Synder and Sterling Gates. The running gag in the New 52 Justice League and DC animated universe is that Lois was largely responsible for naming the super heroes in her editorial pieces for The Daily Planet. Lois named Superman and she also named Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, The Flash et al. "The Justice League." So, I thought it would be appropriate to inadvertently name the scout ship, Clark/Kal-El's "Fortress of Solitude." Unlike comic book canon, the MOS and Justice League movie hinted that the spaceship would serve as his fortress in the DCEU. I liked that imagery better than the ones in the classic comics and Christopher Reeve Superman Movies. The title of this chapter refers to the song "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors down because this chapter was all about Clark and Lois learning more about the space particles.
Disclaimer: Characters, not mine. Story is mine.
They flew together to the scout ship’s secret location. Lois hadn’t been inside since that first night when he saved her from Kelor’s defenses. Clark gave Lois a warm smile and held her tighter against him as he whipped through the clouds. Even though they were miles above the ground, He sensed no fear in her. She was safe with him. Clark waved to the stealth drone that hovered nearby. The government was still trying to track down his “home.” While he strove to be more open with the U.S. government, Clark still hoarded his privacy. He knew General Swanwick wanted the ship back. Much to the military’s embarrassment, Superman had managed to take it from them twice. The scout ship was his second home to him now. When the world became too loud, he retreated to the icy quietness of the Kryptonian ship to regroup. It was the only thing that connected him to his lost home.
Clark's boots touched down on the blanket of snow with a soft crunch.
“Are you cold?” He asked Lois.
Lois shook her head. “It’s funny, but I'm warm all over.” He smiled when she wrapped her arms around herself. Her actions contradicted her words.
Clark took her hand in his and led her to the mouth of the ship. He made some security upgrades a few months earlier, adding a retinal scanner. Lois stood behind him as the machine confirmed his retinal pattern. A few seconds later the doors opened, inviting them inside. Lois hesitated at the door. Kelor’s near-fatal attack still lingered in her memory.
“Don’t worry,” Clark assured her. “Kelor won’t hurt you.”
As if on cue the spaceship’s operating system zipped around a corner to greet them. “Welcome, Kal-El,” the animatronic voice echoed through the vastness of the corridor. “Good evening, Ms. Lane.”
“Uh, hi,” Lois stammered.
“I told you.” Clark winked at her. “Kelor, let’s give Lois a tour of the ship and show her some of the changes we’ve made.”
Clark wanted Lois to feel comfortable in his home-away-from-home. He knew she was still shaken by the attack. He hoped seeing the upgrades and changes for herself, would make Lois feel more comfortable visiting again. He wanted to share everything about his world with her. Including the scout ship.
“Scout ship 0344 first arrived on Earth during the Kryptonian great age of exploration. The ship's captain was Kara Zor-El of the great house of El,” Kelor began.
“Zor-El. Any relation to you?” Lois asked.
“I think so. This was her ship, whoever she was.”
Lois glanced around the spaceship’s vast interior. It was still cold and sterile, but there were spots where Clark made it his own. They passed through the hall with the ancient sleep chambers and paused. The bones of the ship’s skeleton crew were still preserved beneath the glass cases.
“Is this…?”
Clark shrugged. He couldn’t be sure which of the two women were Kara. The pods weren’t labeled. Clark glanced at the empty chamber behind them. He still wasn’t sure who or what used to be inside. Neither Kelor nor Jor-El were very helpful in solving that mystery.
“I’m not sure,” he said in a hushed tone.
Lois gave him a sad smile and placed her hand over the pod in a moment of silence before moving on. Kelor continued to drone on about the history of the ship as it floated ahead of them. The couple turned a corner together and entered another room. There were suits of Kryptonian armor enclosed behind glass chambers along the walls of the cavernous room. Clark stopped in front of the black suit and admired it for a moment.
“I didn’t know you had more than one,” Lois said.
“I didn’t know I had more until recently. There’s still so much that I don’t know, Lo,” Clark said with a hint of sadness in his voice. Sensing his shift in mood, Lois wrapped an arm around his trim waist and rested her head against him.
They continued to trail behind Kelor until the A.I. paused outside the door of another room. Detecting Clark’s unique DNA, the doors opened automatically for him. The room used to belong to one of the crew members until he commandeered it for himself. Before Clark moved in, it was sterile and bare like the rest of the ship. He added a few pieces of furniture to bedroom making it homier. Lois stepped inside first and looked around. She smiled at the new additions. She went for a photo of the two of them first. His room was the coziest part of the ship. It was the only part that seemed the least foreign and more like Clark.
“So, this is where you disappear to.”
Clark shrugged sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sometimes.”
“Hey, I totally get it. When I need some me time, I get a massage. You’ve got your very own fortress of solitude.”
“Fortress of solitude?” he said with a nod. “I like that.”
Clark smiled and wrapped his arms around Lois’ waist, pulling her close to him. He planted soft kisses on her jawline and lips. The kisses were playful at first. But after a few minutes, the gentle pecks turned into long languid strokes of his tongue. Clark shivered as Lois’ fingers roamed beneath his cape and danced along his muscles before resting firmly at the dip in his back. He groaned against her lips, deepening the kiss. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to lose control of himself. Lois pulled away first. Sometimes he forgot that one of them needed to breathe. He pecked her gently on the lips and rested his forehead against hers. As much as he wanted to go on kissing her, the purpose of the trip was to find out more about his birth planet. Make-out sessions would have to wait until afterward.
“I’m distracting you,” Lois said after a few minutes.
Clark kissed her on the nose. “I’m not complaining. But maybe we should go to another room.” Lois nodded in agreement and followed him back out into the ship’s hall. Clark shook the hazy fog of passion out of his head and refocused his thoughts on their objective.
“Kelor,” he commanded the computer’s A.I., awakening it from its sleep state. “Upload Jor-El.”
“Corrupted Program. State new command,” Kelor warned as usual.
“Override new command. Upload Jor-El.”
The computer went silent for a moment before Jor-El materialized before them. The hologram flickered twice before stabilizing again. Clark was still amazed at the lifelike image of his long-deceased father. Krypton had perished eons ago. Yet, his father managed to live on through the spaceship’s computer system. Nothing on Earth could touch Kryptonian technology. Standing in front of Jor-El punctuated that reality for Clark each time he visited. It was also a reminder of how different he was from the people of Earth.
“Kal. Ms. Lane,” Jor-El greeted them.
“I’ll never get used to this,” Lois said breathlessly. The hologram spoke as if he was standing there with them.
“I’m surprised to see you again, too, Ms. Lane. Though, Kal often speaks of you.”
Clark’s face colored at his father’s frankness. “We’re here to learn more about Krypton.”
Jor-El nodded his head. “What would you like to discuss? Science, technology, history, government, socioeconomic structure, daily life, military, topography,” he rattled off.
“I want to know about Krypton’s make-up.”
“Unlike Earth,” Jor-El began “Krypton’s red sun made the planet much denser. As Krypton grew older, the planet's uranium core began to weaken causing it to destabilize.
Toward the end, the weakened core caused shifting in the tectonic plates beneath the surface of the planet. Krypton’s surface had two hemispheres with one centralized body of water. On Earth, you would call it an ocean.”
“You said it was Earth’s yellow sun that gave me these…” Clark looked down at his hands and flexed his fingers. “Abilities. But on Krypton, I would be like every other man.”
“Yes. Though life expectancy on Krypton was much higher than our counterparts on Earth.” The hologram recited the programmed information
“What would happen if parts of Krypton reached earth. How would it affect this planet?”
The computer simulation paused as if it wasn't prepared for such a question. “Debris from Krypton would do minimal damage and only on its initial impact.”
“So, it can’t harm anyone or…alter them in any way?” Clark asked.
“No. But, if the World Changer were used to alter Earth’s composition, then it would be fatal for all non-Kryptonian lifeforms. For this reason earlier expeditions were abandoned as Kryptonian’s sought more peaceful ways to explore and expand.”
“What about Clark—Kal,” Lois chimed in. “Could it harm him?”
The hologram flickered and remained silent prompting Lois to rephrase her question. “Can Kryptonian meteorites harm Kal-El?”
“Kal-El is a son of Krypton. Kryptonian DNA is codified within his genes giving him the ability to live on Earth and Krypton.”
Clark let out a frustrated sigh. It was no use. Jor-El tried to equip his program with as much information about Krypton to help his son, but there were still things it couldn’t do. If Clark wanted to know the climate on Krypton a million years ago, the program could tell him within seconds. Anything after the explosion was a mystery.
“I think that’s all we’re going to get from him about this,” he said resigned.
“We’ll figure it out, Clark. We know whatever Lex Luthor is up to has something to do with Kyrpton. We know whatever he does with those meteorites can’t harm the people of earth. Unless he plans on throwing bits of space rock at our heads I think we’ll be okay,” she tried for some levity.
“Yeah. But what could he possibly need or want with it?”
“I sat down with that man for over an hour. One thing I learned from that experience is Lex is always looking for an opportunity to exploit something or someone. He may not even know what he can do with it. The only thing he knows about the meteors is that it’s something from outer space and it may be connected to Superman. I think his obsession with you is more about his fragile ego than anything else.”
“You’re probably right. I wish I could get my hands on it so I can take a closer look. There’s a science lab on the ship I’ve been wanting to use.”
“A science lab?” Lois looked around the hulking spacecraft again. “No wonder the government is so interested in getting this thing back.”
“Yeah. They’ve got drones on me all the time.”
“How Big Brother of them,” she said sardonically.
“It’s not too bad. Besides, If I’m trying to earn the people of Earth’s trust, then I’m willing to let them do what they have to do to feel safer.”
Lois lifted a hand and touched his cheek. “Kind of like letting them handcuff you.”
He nodded with a grin. “Mmmhmm. But that’s only fun when it’s with the right person.”
Clark lowered his head and stole a kiss. Lois cleared her throat and motioned her chin toward Jor-El. The hologram was still standing nearby waiting for Clark to ask him more questions.
“He can’t really see us,” Clark teased her.
“I know but…” Her skin turned a warm shade of pink.
Clark nodded in understanding. It was a little strange kissing his girlfriend with his father hovering nearby. Even if his father was only a hologram. “End Program,” he commanded the ship. And just like that Jor-El was gone. Lois relaxed in his arms again.
“You ever had dessert on the North Pole?” Clark asked. Lois pretended to think about it for a moment before answering.
“You know, I can’t say that I have.”
“Good. Then, it’ll be a first for both of us.” He lifted Lois in his arms and carried her back to the bedroom.
++++
Lois slept peacefully beside him in his bed on the scout ship—or "fortress of solitude" as they now called it. She sighed and rubbed her cheek against his chest, snuggling against him. Clark couldn’t sleep. He didn’t need to sleep. Just like he didn’t need to eat or drink to survive. He ate because he got hungry. He drank when he wanted to drink. And he slept because resting his mind helped him stay balanced. Clark looked down at Lois as she rested. She was right about Lex’s ego. Her instincts were usually spot on. But this time something in his gut was telling him there was more to Lex’s interest than his ego. He was sure the business mogul had his hands on the train incident. The bomb, the meteor, those things were only the tip of it. Thoughts of Lex’s devious plans haunted him. His mind wouldn’t let him rest until he figured them out. Clark gently extracted himself from Lois’ embrace. He searched around in the dark for his boxers until he located the ball of cloth on top of Lois’ discarded jeans.
“Clark…” she called out to him groggily from the bed.
He moved beside her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “Go back to sleep, Lo. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
She gave him a sleepy smile and closed her eyes again.
He knew pieces of the meteor landed in the Gaza Sea. Clark wondered if Lex had managed to get it all or did he leave some fragments behind? They were harmless to people. But how would they affect him? When he had been on Zod’s ship, exposure to the Kryptonian atmosphere weakened him. Would the meteors have the same effect? There was only one way to find out.
++++
It was a balmy night in Gaza. Clark hovered over the placid sea and used his enhanced vision to look down into the depths of the inky water. He recalled the coordinates of Lex’s boat from Lois photo and made a good approximation of the drop point. If his calculations were correct, he was flying right above the excavation spot. Clark Jettisoned into the dark waters and swam to the seabed. His boots landed on the wet sand kicking up a cloud of dirt. A school of silver fish swam around him in a flurry of fins and tails before scattering away. Clark’s eyes scanned the dirt floor. After a few seconds, his vision adjusted to the darkness and he was able to see for miles into the blackness. The pressure of the water weighed down heavily on him, but it was nothing compared to the Kryptonian atmosphere on Zod’s ship. Lex’s team was thorough. After an hour under the salty water, Clark was convinced The White Russian had gathered every bit of the fallen rock from the seabed. He’d have to get his hands on it some other way. If there were pieces of his planet in Gaza, surely there were pieces of it in Smallville. Clark Kent was overdue for a trip home anyway.
++++
Clark sat hunched over his desk and continued to scan stare at his computer. Over the past week, he’d been searching the internet looking for anything about meteors. His trip back to Smallville only fueled his determination. Back on the farm, he learned that for months, people claiming to be property appraisers were snooping around the farming community. His mother told him they’d been by the farm multiple times, asking her questions and demanding to walk the property. After a quick search, Clark learned real estate company didn’t exist. It was a shell company called X-El which supposedly operated from some city in Colorado.
X-EL spelled backward was Lex. That was too big of a coincidence for Clark to ignore. With his suspicions on high alert, Clark checked the barn where his spacecraft was still hidden. There were a few extra nicks he didn’t recall being there before, but nothing seemed out of place. Still, he didn’t like the idea of Lex or anyone sneaking around. Clark wanted Martha to return with him to Metropolis, but she refused.
“No one is going to run me off my farm,” she said. “Not aliens and certainly not some fake real estate company. The Bank’s been trying to buy the land from up under me for years, too. If I can fend off Smallville Bank, I can fend off these guys.”
Clark couldn’t argue with his mother. Once Martha Kent got an idea in her mind, it was hard to change it. Instead, he made her promise to check in every day. It was the best he could do under the circumstances. Back at the Planet, Perry reassigned him to a fluff piece about the Wayne. It seemed his editor was coming down on him and Lois for failing to scoop the Metropolis Sun times over the bomb attempt on the MTA. According to the rival paper, the bombing was connected to a man named Wallace Keefe a disgruntled city employee who was out for blood. Images of Keefe’s shocked face dominated the news cycle for days. Despite all the reports linking him to the crime, the suspected train bomber vehemently denied planting the explosive. Clark wasn’t convinced that Keefe was the man behind the voice in his ear either. He was determined to uncover the truth. Another man’s life depended on it.
“Kent!” Perry’s voice boomed through the bullpen. Clark slowly rose from his desk. He only had a few more sentences to read. “Now!” Perry followed up.
With a heavy sigh, He headed to the editor’s office and closed the door behind him. Clark wondered what Perry was going to chew him out for this time. “Good work on the stadium piece. Solid writing.” Clark hesitated. He wasn’t sure where Perry was going with this. “Uh, thanks.” Surely there was more.
“I need you to head out with Jimmy to the Little Miss Metropolis Pageant. This year they’ve allowed transgender contestants to participate.”
“Now, Perry—”
“What?” Perry cut him off. “You have a problem with members of the LGBTQ community participating in beauty contests?”
Clark shook his head. “No. Not at all!”
“Then what’s the problem, Kent?”
Clark was sure Perry knew exactly why he had a problem. His boss was toying with him at this point. “It just seems like you’ve been putting Lois and me on fluff pieces lately and I—"
“Are you questioning my ability to run my paper, Kent?” Perry asked. He bridged his hands together and eyed Clark carefully, daring him to misstep.
“No, sir.” Clark retreated. He learned a while back to pick his battles with Perry White. “I’ll be happy to cover the pageant.”
“Good,” he said. His lips spread into a wide smile as he spoke. “How’s the Wayne story coming along?”
“Good. Lois and I have a charity event that we’re going to this weekend. My sources say Mr. Wayne will be there.”
Clark thought about the charity event hosted by Lex Luthor. He and Lois had debated on going at first. The invite took them both by surprise. But after some thought, he and Lois decided that going could help them get a little closer to the truth.
“Great!” That’ll be the perfect time to get a quote or a soundbite from Mr. Wayne. I look forward to reading your write up when it's ready to go to copy.”
Clark nodded his head before exiting the office. That had gone better than expected. Lois looked up from her computer as he passed her and flashed him an empathetic smile. She wasn’t having it any easier with Perry herself. Both reporters were on his shit list. Clark hoped the story on Bruce Wayne would help him claw his way out, so he could start writing real news again. His personal life was turning into a mess. He didn’t need his work life to collapse with it.