Lois and Clark 1. It Begins

Copyright: June 15, 2007

Part of the **Planes** Series

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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**June 15, 2077**

'_Cousin Esperanza,'_ Martha Kent-Olsen began her letter. It was odd to be writing a real letter that would be printed out on paper rather than just sending a memory chip, but Martha knew from past experience that magnetic media didn't fare well crossing dimensional borders. And there were subtle differences in technology as well. It was unlikely that Esperanza's computer would be able to decipher a data button.

'_I hope this letter finds you and the rest of the family well. As I'm sure you already know, Mom and Dad died a few months ago. It was natural causes, assuming you can call kryptonite poisoning natural. Since then, I've been going through their old journals, deciding what, if anything, can be published. CJ isn't convinced the world is ready to find out that Superman was a disguise for a journalist named Clark Kent, which means that while I'm editing and compiling the journals, it might be awhile before they're seen by anyone outside the family.'_

'_I do know you were interested in finding out more about New Krypton, so I'm enclosing copies of Dad's journals of that time, as well as Mom's and parts of the book Dad wrote about Clark Kent's adventures there. I've also included some of the recently declassified material from SHADO. Everyone directly involved is now dead and SHADO uncloaked several years ago. It's interesting reading.' _

'_The rest of the family here is doing okay, considering. Clark III is wearing the blue and red now. Metropolis is hosting the Quidditch World Cup this year so I thought I'd get this first section off to you before I was attacked by real life again. Give my regards to Jason, Charlie and Sam and their families. Hope to hear back from you soon.'_

-o-o-o-

_**SHADO report: 14:20 GMT, Aug 17, 1996**_

_Long range sensors picked up an alien ship approaching Earth. Standard contact protocols followed._

"Commander, we've picked up a ship approaching Earth," one of the SHADO radar technicians reported over the intercom to Commander Spainhauer's office in the underground complex of SHADO Headquarters. "They've just passed the outer markers and are slowing to sub-light."

"Identification?" Spainhauer responded.

"Unknown," the technician stated. "We are following standard protocols – greetings in Mandarin, Spanish, English, Arabic, and Hindi as well as Danaen, Rokan, Aurisan, Chou-chin, and Mell-da'asha on standard and subspace frequencies."

"And of course they're not answering," Spainhauer commented.

The technician shrugged. "Hold on, we have a reply."

"In what language?" Spainhauer asked, coming out of her office to stand by the technician.

"English."

"Put it on the speakers."

The technician flipped a switch and a man's voice came out of the wall speaker above their heads. "Greetings to the House of El. Please prepare to receive the emissaries of the High Council of New Krypton." The message repeated.

"The House of El? New Krypton?" Spainhauer asked no one in particular. "Get me General Straker."

-o-o-o-

_**SHADO report: 14:43 GMT, Aug 17, 1996**_

_Ship subsequently identified as New Kryptonian. It is being allowed to land in a designated area in Metropolis, New Troy, U.S.A. General Ed Straker will handle first contact._

Ed Straker had been charged with putting together the Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization back in 1970 to defend the planet against an alien threat. He had also been the one in charge in 1982 when SHADO discovered they had allies in their war against the alien threat that now had a name – the Rokan-Shui, a violent political faction from a dying planet.

They now had the technology – including some that hadn't originated on Earth – to do the job. They were still at war, but casualties were light now.

Andrea Spainhauer had been head of the military arm of SHADO for the past ten years. She was good at her job - very good - interfacing and coordinating with national militaries the defense of the planet against outside aggression ever since the previous senior officer chose to take on the responsibility of dealing with the influx of aliens into the Earth's population. The words 'Alien Defense' had taken on new and additional meanings. SHADO, through its diplomatic arm, protected the Earth-born (normal humans) from non-terrestrials and protected the non-terrestrials from the Earth-born.

But now a new mystery was presenting itself. It was known, not just from articles in the Daily Planet, that Krypton was a dead world, destroyed when its star died. It was not publicly known that at the time of the disaster, they'd had an off-world colony. As far as Straker knew, even the one Kryptonian survivor living on Earth didn't know of the colony. Krypton had possessed a peaceful, enlightened civilization, if a little insular. At the time of its destruction, Krypton had few trading partners or allies. No one knew what New Krypton was like.

"Well, I've got to give them this," Straker observed when told of the ship that was now in an orbit just beyond Jupiter. "They're punctual."

"Punctual?" Spainhauer asked. "You know who they are?"

"I think I do," Straker amended. "Kal-El of Krypton comes of age in about a month. They're here to fetch him home."

"And Kal-El of Krypton is…?" Spainhauer asked.

On the other end of the line she heard Straker chuckle. "You don't read the Daily Planet, do you?"

"You don't mean…? They've come for Superman?"

"They've come for Superman," Straker confirmed. "They should be sending a shuttle down sometime in the next couple hours or so. Let me know when and where it sets down."

"Yes sir."

-o-o-o-

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: Aug 17, 1996**_

_The two emissaries of the New Kryptonian High Council looked fully human, but then so does Superman. Danaen research has already shown that Kryptonians probably originated on Earth, as did the Rokanni, the Danaen, and the Aurisans. The genetic differences are minor and were obviously artificially induced. Jackson doubts the beings that made the changes had any idea how powerful some of those minor 'adjustments' had been._

_The woman, Zara, is a little above Earth average in height with dark hair and eyes. She carries herself like someone who expects to be respected and obeyed. Ching, her bodyguard and advisor is also athletic. He reminds me of a martial arts master, or a Rokan-shou mental master. They would be formidable opponents, should it come to that. _

Straker and a small team of SHADO first contact specialists were waiting when the shuttle landed in an abandoned warehouse in Metropolis. The building's skylights were already broken out, allowing enough room for the small craft to land without damaging the rest of the structure.

Zara and Ching had both masked their surprise at finding a diplomatic contingent representing the Planet Earth waiting for them when they appeared outside their shuttle. They hadn't done quite as good a job hiding their surprise at finding a Rokan-shou mental master greeting them.

They are who they say they are , the master said mentally, nodding in Straker's direction. Lady Zara Sen-Ra and her advisor Ching, representing the High Council of the Kryptonian colony of New Krypton. They seek Kal-El. They seek to test him.

"Welcome to Earth, Lady Zara, Ching," Straker said with a smile. "To what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

"The heir to the Great House of El comes of age in one cycle of your satellite," Ching said. "He must be tested, deemed worthy, and made ready for his position and responsibilities."

"And if he chooses to remain here?"

"That is not an option," Zara stated. "Do you know where we can find the heir?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Straker admitted. "He's called Superman and he lives in this city. Would you like an introduction?"

"That won't be necessary," Ching stated. "We will introduce ourselves when the time is right. We simply need to know where to find him."

"I can get you that information," Straker told them. "However, I would advise against putting anyone on this world at risk for whatever 'tests' you have planned for him. We take threats against us very seriously."

The former SHADO Commander caught the look that passed between Zara and Ching. Neither seemed happy to be on this mission although both were resigned to it. It was something he understood perhaps too well. Rank imposes its obligations. Duty must come before honor, before self, before anything, before everything.

"I assure you, General Straker," Ching said. "We have no intention of harming anyone of this world. But we do need to test the mettle of Kal-El, the future ruler of our people."

He is not completely truthful, the mental master stated in Straker's mind. He will do whatever is required to protect his people by completing his mission.

_As would any of us_, Straker added mentally, shielding his thoughts from the Kryptonians. _As would any of us_.

-o-o-o-

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: Aug 17, 1996**_

_All in all, the first contact went reasonably well. The two New Kryptonian emissaries have come to test and recruit Kal-El to their cause._

_I have my doubts as to how this is going to work out. And I'm not sure I trust Ching. I find myself hoping Kal-El fails the tests, but the intelligence reports on New Krypton indicate that his arrival on New Krypton could well mean keeping a civil war from starting. To show our good faith, SHADO is cooperating in getting Zara and Ching proper documentation so they may visit the city incognito._

_I will also be arming the SHADO operatives I am having assigned to keep an eye on them with kryptonite._

-o-o-o-

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 19, 1996**_

_I think the new girl in research, Sara, is going to work out. She seems a little over-eager, but Lois thinks it's because Sara has a crush on me. Lois isn't exactly the jealous type (much), so I wonder what she's seeing that I'm not. Sara has to be about my age maybe, even older, so it's not some sort of teenage thing._

The overhead monitor in SHADO's Metropolis offices was on. Today was the planned inauguration of EPRAD's space habitat. "... and in just five minutes, at nine o'clock Eastern Standard Time, we'll take you live to the opening ceremonies of the United Nations Space Station," the announcer was saying. "Home to over one hundred orbiting scientists and astronauts lead by Commander Bob Rozakis. Rozakis, by the way, is on his eleventh space… just a moment... I'm..."

On the screen the announcer pressed his hidden earphone, eyes widening in surprise.

"Apparently, um, there has been some kind of... technical difficulty. The station's thrusters have... misfired and are driving... the station towards the Earth's atmosphere," the announcer looked stunned. "Where the astronauts will burn up... if re-entry can't be prevented."

"What the devil is going on?" Straker said to no one in particular.

"Mission Control is in contact with the station... but so far they are unable to ascertain the reasons for the station's thrusters firing. For those of you just tuning in, the Congress of Nations' Space Station's thrusters have inexplicably ignited and are driving the station towards the Earth's atmosphere... So far, the crew has **not** been able to shut down the engines. Mission Control now estimates that the friction from the Earth's atmosphere will cause disintegration of the station to commence in..."

"Major malfunction with the station's control system," Lieutenant Evans explained.

"Just a minute... we've just received an unconfirmed report that Superman has arrived at the Space Station! We don't know yet what he will attempt, but... he appears... to be trying to **stop **the station's descent."

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 19, 1996**_

_On top of everything else, the Prometheus Space Habitat decided to try to fall out of the sky today. I was able to push it back into orbit, but the question remains – why? Something or someone ordered the thrusters to misfire. Lois and I will be looking into that little mystery tomorrow. _

_In the meantime, I can't shake the feeling I'm being watched._

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: Sep 19, 1996**_

_I don't know what Ching is playing at, but I don't like it. We knew he and Zara planned to test Kal-El, but none of us had expected they would threaten the habitat. I don't like his attitude much, either. I suspect the feeling is mutual._

"You assured us you had no intention of harming anyone," Straker stated. Ching glared at him sullenly. The younger man held himself stiffly, arms folded behind him, like a soldier at parade rest

"No one was harmed. The machine was programmed to recover its altitude in the event 'Superman' failed to save it." Ching grimaced. "So far, your people have done a better job dealing with the challenges than Kal-El has. He hasn't located the transmitter yet. I have doubts as to whether he will."

"What have you got planned for your other **tests**?" Straker demanded.

"Intelligence and resourcefulness under pressure," Ching said, staring at a point on the far wall. "His sense of duty, responsibility. Necessary attributes for a Kryptonian leader." He looked over at Straker. "Assuming Kal-El does his part no humans will he harmed."

"And if he fails?"

"In the event Kal-El fails, the mechanisms involved can be rendered inert using a remote signal." Ching said. "I have told you we intend no harm to anyone of Earth."

"So you've said," Straker agreed, stepping closer to the young man. "But understand this, Lieutenant. I know how important this mission is to you. I also know you and Zara have come into your powers. I know what you're capable of, maybe even better than you do. But don't make the mistake of thinking that just because I can't fly under my own power, that I can't defend my world against your kind. I know about element 126."

"I was not aware that humans knew about it," Ching admitted. "Or that there was any on this planet."

"We know about it and we have it," Straker told him. "And we know how to use it."

"On New Krypton, it is considered only theoretical," Ching said. "The possibility of it actually existing is a closely held military secret, as is its specific attributes. I'm told it was rare, even on Old Krypton." Ching stood for a moment, eyes focusing elsewhere and Straker suspected he was communicating with his superior telepathically. After a moment Ching's eyes focused back on Straker. "You should know that although we have high hopes that Kal-El's ascension to the ruler-ship of his house will avert a descent into chaos, there are those who feel they should be allowed to emigrate to a more congenial planet."

"Without guarantees of behavior, we cannot allow your people to come here," Straker told him simply. "And any attempt to do so will be met with deadly resistance. Make sure your High Council understands that."

"I will pass along the message," Ching promised. "And now, if you will excuse me, I have a test to conduct."

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 20, 1996**_

_I don't know what's going on, but I don't like it. STAR Labs traced the signal that triggered the Prometheus's thrusters back to a location in Metropolis. Lois and I checked out the address. It was a house that was being shown. We didn't find a transmitter even though the house did have a satellite dish in the backyard._

_I really liked what I saw of the house, but Lois wasn't enthusiastic about the whole 'house' idea. _

_Odd thing, though. I have a feeling I've seen that real estate agent somewhere. I just can't put my finger on where._

_Perry and Jimmy left early to head upstate for their fishing trip. I just hope whatever's going on doesn't ruin their trip. Perry's been looking forward to it for weeks._

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: September 20, 1996**_

_I am concerned that Ching is a loose cannon. Despite his assurances just yesterday that there were fail-safes in place and no one would be harmed, his latest 'test' was announced via the Daily Planet, meaning the entire city is now aware there is a bomber on the loose. I have had to warn my liaison with the MPD that there are aliens in the city testing Superman. Henderson is not well pleased but I think he'll be okay so long as Ching and Zara don't hurt anyone._

_I am not happy with Ching's bomb fetish or his temper. _

The next test Ching and Zara put Kal-El through left Straker fuming. Ching had assured him there were fail-safes in place and that no one was actually in danger. But the test was onerous in its demands. First assemble a memory disk reader of alien technology, decipher the coded message on the memory disk, then find and dispose of the bomb on a skyscraper?

The test that followed was even more heart stopping. Apparently Ching had a thing for explosives. Two bombs, linked so that if either was disturbed the other would go off. Only one was set in Metropolis and the other in an upstate rural area. Superman successfully disabled both devices using a beam splitter, but the team sent to check out Zara and Ching's apartment had found a crushed remote control device.

It took SHADO's alien technologies unit about ten minutes to determine that the device was the remote switch for the two bombs.

"Are they out of control?" Straker asked Doug Jackson, head of alien psychology section. Jackson was an expert on the various races SHADO had contact with.

"Lieutenant Ching is playing a dangerous game, General," came the reply in Jackson's softly accented voice. "I believe he feels he must discredit Kal-El in Zara's eyes, without destroying the hope that Kal-El will be able to deal with the political issues on New Krypton by ascending to the rulership of the House of El."

"Ching doesn't like Kal-El much, does he?" Straker commented.

"I do not believe it's personal," Jackson commented. "Or rather, it is nothing Kal-El has done to provoke it. According to my sources, Kal-El is expected to ascend to the position that may well have fallen to Ching, if it were not for the fact that Kal-El is the heir to the colony's founding house and the political climate at home so dire."

"What do you think his next test will be?"

"Something unexpected," Jackson reasoned. "Something to test his morality I should think."

"Let's just hope he can do it without blowing anything up."

_**From Lois Lane's diary: September 20, 1996**_

_Sara and this Ching person are… I don't know what they are only that they tried to kill Clark and then they flew away. Just a bizarre ending to a more bizarre day. _

_Clark really likes that house we saw yesterday. I know it's important for him, to have roots. Being different has to be hard, especially when you're as different as Clark is. _

_I just really think about this house thing._

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 20, 1996**_

_I remember where I've seen the agent. He's a friend of Sara's and his name is Dave Miller. I've seen him hanging around the Planet off and on for the past month. Only his name is really Ching and I real sure she isn't really named Sara Ray. Based on what Lois and I saw, they're not human, either. According to Lois, they can fly. And Ching is probably as strong as I am._

_I don't even want to think about their technology. He had a kryptonite force shield. Lois says she thinks he was having second thoughts about what he did to me, exposing me to the kryptonite. Lois says he said 'He is the one' just before they took off. The 'one' what? I just don't know what to think._

"How the devil did he do that?" Alec Freeman asked Straker as they watched the surveillance video of Kal-El's latest test. Ching had created a force shield that emitted radiation on the same frequency as kryptonite. The video had no sound but it was apparent that Ching was taunting Superman from behind the shield while Zara was keeping Lois Lane from acting to help him.

After being driven back once by the pain of the poisonous radiation, Superman seemed to have attempted to reason with Ching. In response, the New Kryptonian raised a weapon to his own head. Zara appeared appalled at Ching's actions while Lois did her best to escape Zara's grasp.

Finally, Superman charged through the barrier, knocking the weapon from Ching's hand before collapsing to the floor. Ching's expression said it all – he was horrified at what he'd done.

With the force shield deactivated, Zara checked Superman's condition, then she and Ching made their escape. Lois was left on Clark Kent's balcony with an unconscious but still breathing Superman.

"Paul and Virginia are already working on duplicating the effect," Straker said. "It'll be a nice little addition to our arsenal. I just hope we don't have to use it." Straker poured himself another cup of coffee. "I also hope that was the final test. Any more like that and there won't be anything left of Kal-El to take to New Krypton."

_**SHADO report: 3:45 GMT, Sep 22, 1996**_

_Long range sensors picked up an alien ship approaching Earth. Standard contact protocols followed. No response. The ship was tracked to Smallville, Kansas, U.S.A. A contact team has been dispatched._

"Why Smallville, Kansas?" Spainhauer asked after she informed Straker of the newest development.

"Why not Smallville, Kansas?" Straker responded. Very few people knew of Superman's connection to Kansas and Straker had every intention of keeping it that way. "Have you identified the craft?"

"We've tentatively identified it as Andelon," Spainhauer told him. "According to the Aurisans Andelon's dominant sentient life form is humanoid. They are frequently employed as mercenaries and assassins. They are reported to have remarkable powers of mimicry and deception."

"Commander, who is SHADO's current U.S. military liaison?"

"Colonel George Cash over at Camp Pennington," Spainhauer answered. "Do you want us to get in touch with him?"

"Let him know I'm expecting an alien incursion at either Smallville or Metropolis," Straker instructed.

"He'll want more details that that," Spainhauer reminded him.

"A possible invasion from New Krypton," Straker told her. "Make sure he understands we're _not_ referring to Superman."

"General, you are aware that there are some people, even in SHADO, who believe that Superman could well be the first wave of an invasion force," Spainhauer said.

"I'm aware of those theories, Commander," Straker said. "Just remind Cash that at the present time, Superman is under SHADO's protection. We'll let him know if the situation changes."

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 21, 1996**_

_Her real name is Zara Sen-Ra and Lieutenant Ching is her advisor. They're from New Krypton. There were survivors. I'm not the only one. _

_One big problem, though. According to Zara, we're married, some sort of political arrangement made before we were even born. Lois thinks is barbaric. I'm not about to argue with her. Ching is obviously not happy with the situation and he's not at all reticent about letting me know he thinks I'm a spoiled, immature brat who has never faced the difficulties his people face everyday. _

_I won't argue the point. I grew up with great parents, a roof over my head. I never went hungry. Even when I was traveling I was never in personal danger. Having powers can spoil you. But I don't have to like having it shoved in my face._

Clark had followed Zara's telepathic instructions and found the white orb in the warehouse. As she instructed, he imagined a doorway and found himself inside a room that looked both familiar and utterly alien. Zara had waved her hand and seats appeared at the center table, along with drinks.

"How many of you are there?" he asked.

"A thousand or more members of the noble houses," Zara told him.

"We colonized a barren rock we named New Krypton," Ching added.

"Where we have prospered," Zara continued.

"Not easy on a rock. No fast food, no situation comedies…" Ching put in. His tone was ugly.

"Ching…" Zara's voice was quiet but firm.

"Of course our sun is red like Krypton's was, so we've had to scrape by without powers," Ching went on.

"But you do have some pretty impressive technology," Clark pointed out. "You obviously have the ability to do it, so why haven't you moved the colony somewhere less barren? Somewhere easier?"

"There are those in the council who would like to do just that," Zara told him. "Unfortunately, there aren't all that many planets within reach that aren't already taken. And even though our technology looks impressive, we don't have the ability to simply pick up and move the entire population."

_**From Lois Lane's Diary: September 21, 1996**_

_Clark says Zara is his wife under Kryptonian law. I keep trying to convince myself she's a wacko, that Zara can't be Kryptonian, that they're all dead but Clark. One problem – I saw her and Ching fly. They want him to go with them to be some sort of royalty. I'm not sure I can keep him from going. I'm not sure I have the right to._

"Wait a minute," Lois fumed, pacing Clark's apartment. "So let me get this straight. Sara from research turns out to be this Kryptonian babe who has big plans for you? Who is she, some sort of relative? A cousin, sister?"

"Actually, she's my wife…" Clark said. "Under Kryptonian law, members of the nobility are married as babies. It's all very complicated and political."

"Clark, we're not on Krypton," Lois pointed out. She was trying to keep her temper but the whole thing was getting too much. "Do you believe her? I mean, for all you know she's some sort sick of wacko who's got the hots for you."

"I've been in their space ship," Clark told her. "And you saw them fly."

"There is that," Lois admitted. "Oh, God…" She sat down hard on the sofa next to him.

"Honey, I'm as blown away by all this as you are," Clark told her earnestly, running his hand through his hair. "In one night, I find out I'm not the only living survivor of Krypton, I'm married, and they expect me to stop a civil war from starting."

"And how are you supposed to do that?"

"That's a little complicated," Clark told her. "They expect me to go back with them."

"And what do you plan to do?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't know."

_**From Lois Lane's Diary: September 22, 1996**_

_Zara and Ching have upped the stakes, or this Nor person they're so worried about has. An assassin as been sent to kill Clark. He doesn't seem worried. I'm worrying enough for both of us. One little point Clark never mentioned, or maybe he didn't know. Kryptonians are telepathic with one another and the more time he spends around them, the more like them he becomes – cold, logical, rational. Zara says she knows in her heart Clark will do the right thing. But what is the right thing? _

_Tonight he showed me their ship. I don't know what I was expecting, Buck Rogers, maybe. Ching wasn't happy that Clark told me where the ship was, but Zara seemed okay with it. Clark brought them the ship that brought him to Earth. Zara translated the writing on it and Clark's natural father appeared in a hologram. What the recording said confirmed what Zara had been saying – Clark's married to Zara and he has a destiny to fulfill._

_Just my luck. Prince Charming really is a prince and the rest of the family thinks mere commoners aren't good enough. _

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: September 22, 1996**_

_The Andelon attacked the Kent farm. Luckily they weren't harmed, but the alien gave them a bad scare. Apparently the Andelon's gift for mimicry is more advanced than we were given to believe._

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 22, 1996**_

_Zara warned me that Nor's assassin was loose on Earth. She didn't mention it had landed in Smallville. I was a little surprised to see Mom waiting for me when I got back home. I knew Aunt Opal was in the hospital in Metropolis with a ruptured gall bladder, but the Mom said she flew out to help because Opal broke her hip. Only one little problem with that scenario – the phone rang and my real Mom was on the line and she was still in Smallville. She and Dad were attacked by some strange creature and she wanted to make sure I was okay._

_Well, to make a long story short, the thing that looked like Mom attacked me, but when I tried to leave the apartment with it, to take it to STAR Labs, it turned into a good-looking blonde and now Mrs. Cutler thinks I'm cheating on Lois. I don't know what sort of creature this Tez thing is, but I know it isn't through with me. I hope I can get more information from Zara about how to deal with it._

"What is this Tez?" Clark demanded. He had told Perry he had a lead on the person who had attacked him and Jimmy and would be out of the office for a while. Of course Clark couldn't tell Perry his assailant would never be brought to justice, or that Ching was on Earth to take Superman away. Now he and Zara were walking toward the park so they could talk.

"An animal," Zara said simply. "He comes from a planet where his kind are bred and trained and hired out to be assassins for the likes of Nor. You should have killed him. You have the strength."

"I try not to kill anything. I don't believe in it."

"That creature has no doubt caused the deaths of thousands of people. He deserves no better," Zara argued.

Clark stopped and looked at her. "When I realized I was the most powerful being on this planet, I had a decision to make. Whether my powers stood for destruction, or life. I chose life."

Zara gave him a bemused smile. "On New Krypton, we tend to choose whatever is expedient. Necessity forces a more… pragmatic view on things." She started walking again and Clark had to run a few steps to catch up with her.

"I guess I'm just the sloppy, sentimental type."

Zara shook her head. "You've been on this wasteful, sloppy, primitive planet for too long. You could rule here. Ching thinks you're a fool for even pretending to be one of them. You have the power to give them the direction they need, but you cater to them and they take advantage of it."

"Strength doesn't make wisdom, Zara," Clark said. "And just because I **can** do something, doesn't mean I should." Then he added more softly, "And just because I **should** do something, doesn't mean I will. I should come with you, but I don't want to lose Lois either. The feelings I have for her, what we share… it's the greatest thing in the world. And I don't want to give that up."

"But it's also selfish, and that's something those of noble blood can't afford," Zara told him. "We have to put aside our selfish desires for the greater good."

"I don't think I can." He looked at her earnestly. "I love her. I never thought I'd ever find someone like her. Someone I could share my life with. I value this more than anything. More than my life… I've decided not to go with you."

Zara stopped and looked at him, one eyebrow raised as she watched him, her expression deliberately neutral.

"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm not going with you."

Zara shrugged. "Yes, Kal-El. I heard your words, but I also know your thoughts… You haven't decided at all."

_**From Lois Lane's Diary: September 23, 1996**_

_Clark keeps trying to tell me he isn't going with them, but he doesn't sound like he means it. Apparently Zara told him the same thing. I'm trying to be understanding about it, but I keep sniping at him. Perry's a little miffed because Zara quit without notice. He was getting used to her. She was very efficient._

_I went to talk to Zara at their ship. I'm finally coming to terms with what's going on – maybe. Zara and Ching seem sincere in their belief that Clark is going to be able to prevent a catastrophe by going to New Krypton and becoming one of their leaders._

_From their description of their planet, it's not a very nice place. Zara admits she doesn't love Clark. She just needs him so they can keep this Nor person out of power. If she loved him, I could understand it, I could fight it. But duty and honor – I have no way to fight that._

_The Tez creature was at the Planet. He said he was only after Kal-El and I would be left alive to mourn. 'What is the use of killing without grieving?' I know Clark is worried about it but he doesn't want me to worry so he's putting on a brave front. I told him what Tez said 'I can be his equal. What is his I can make mine.'_

_I don't know what he meant, but I'm worried about Clark. I know his parents are too._

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 23, 1996**_

_Tez caught me in the park. I think I understand what he meant when he told Lois 'I can be his equal. What is his I can make mine.' I used my ice breath against him and he just learned how to do it right back at me. I'm not sure how to counter it._

_Lois and I went to talk to my parents about the whole thing. They won't tell me not to go. I guess I understand where they're coming from. I knew they were pretty politically active when they were younger. I didn't know until tonight they'd actually marched for civil rights, got set on by dogs, blasted with fire hoses. I'm sure if I looked I could find arrest records too. Funny though, Dad was proud of it and Mom said she didn't have an answer for the people who told her it wasn't her fight, because it was. It was something they both believed in. Something they taught me to believe in. _

_I'm being asked to go to war, to march off to a place I've never seen to defend a people I've never met. I promised Lois to sleep on it. Maybe things will be clearer in the morning._

The next morning, Lois and Clark went to breakfast then headed over to the warehouse and the ship where Zara and Ching were waiting for an answer.

"You have something to tell us, Kal-El?" Ching asked. Zara was sitting, waiting, hands in her lap. Ching was trying to look impassive as he stood beside her.

"**We** have something to tell you," Clark said. His arm was around Lois.

"Clark has decided… We have decided he should go with you to help in your struggle," Lois told them. She was fighting back her tears.

Zara looked liked she couldn't decide whether to be happy or not. She looked at Clark. "You both realize that Lois must remain here. She would never survive."

"We understand," Clark replied for the both of them. Lois didn't dare look at him. She didn't trust herself not to break down and the last thing she wanted to do was show herself as a weak human in front of them.

"Kal-El, I salute your sense of duty," Ching said, his voice low and formal. He looked into Lois's face. "I know what it is you're giving up."

"I know you do," Lois replied.

Ching shifted awkwardly. "I've possibly underestimated you… if I've seemed unkind understand that carving out a homeland in a hostile universe leaves us little time in our lives for kindness or love."

"Lieutenant, without kindness, what's your homeland worth?" Lois asked softly. "And without love what are your lives worth?"

Ching had no answer.

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: September 24, 1996**_

_The Andelon was finally traced to Metropolis where he apparently attacked Kal-El. I am not happy about this turn of events. I will be very happy when the New Kryptonians leave although I will certainly regret allowing Kal-El to leave with them. And there is still the matter of Ching's failure to let us know what was happening._

Once again, Ching was standing in Straker's office standing like a soldier at parade rest. Again he was staring at a point on the wall.

"Lieutenant, we would have appreciated knowing that an Andelon assassin had been hired to come to Earth and murder Kal-El," Straker grated. "The fact that this planet is home to non-terrestrials is not widely known and I'd prefer to keep it that way."

"Your people know that Superman is from another planet," Ching said, stating the obvious.

"One alien does not an invasion make," Straker stated. "Now, about the Andelon?"

"We were not aware our communications had been compromised by Nor's people," Ching stated. "That oversight has been remedied and the assassin has been dealt with."

"No harm, no foul?" Straker mused aloud. Ching gave him a confused look.

"No harm was done, therefore nothing happened," Straker explained.

"The assassin was called Tez. He was Nor's hireling and we believe he was responsible for a number of unexplained deaths on New Krypton. Now he is dead and Kal-El proved himself more adaptable than I had originally anticipated," Ching admitted.

"Are you telling me that Kal-El _killed_ the assassin?" Straker asked. He knew that Superman – Clark – had always cherished life and abhorred violence, even when it was necessary. Taking a life, even one belonging to an alien assassin, could be devastating to the young hero. It would devastate his parents as well. Straker knew Martha and Jonathan Kent. He knew they were hardworking, honest, life-loving people.

"Andelons will destroy themselves rather than admit defeat," Ching told him. "Kal-El defeated Tez, but would not finish him. Tez destroyed himself." Ching sighed. "I admit I misjudged Kal-El's determination and compassion. But New Krypton is not Earth. We are a pragmatic people, General. We understand family and duty but give lip-service to honor. Principles are something we cannot afford."

"Principles have no real force except when one is well fed," Straker quoted. Ching gave him a curious look. "A well known Earth writer named Samuel Clemens," Straker explained. "I think you might like his work."

"We don't have much time or energy for entertainments or frivolity," Ching told him.

"Pity," Straker said. "Sometimes that's the only thing that makes the struggle worthwhile…I'm told that Kal-El's betrothed will not be allowed to accompany him."

"You have to understand," Ching began. "Under Kryptonian law, Kal-El and Zara are bound by a contracted marriage. Legally, they are already married. It merely requires they publicly acknowledge their responsibilities. However, Zara and Kal-El must present a united front against Nor and his followers, at least until Kal-El's position is secure. Adding a bound concubine to the mix at this juncture would be disastrous."

"I've met Kal-El's betrothed," Straker told him with a chuckle. "I'm surprised you survived telling her she had to stay behind."

"We told her that the environment on New Krypton was too harsh for her to survive there," Ching told him. "She was not happy, but she accepted the necessity."

"I'm surprised she did accept it," Straker told him. "I'm not sure you are aware of how resilient humans are."

"Old Krypton was not an easy planet, even for Kryptonians. New Krypton was barely habitable as a mining colony," Ching explained softly. "It has taken all of our strength, our intelligence, our fortitude, to survive at all. I doubt your people could survive there."

"I think you underestimate us," Straker told him. "I also think you've underestimated both Kal-El and Lois Lane. When do you plan to leave?"

"He insisted on having a news conference to announce his departure. We'll leave immediately after. It will still take several days to get back." He sighed. "I for one will be happy to be away from here. It's loud and messy and crowded. There is no place to be alone with your thoughts."

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 24, 1996**_

_The assassin ended his own life once he was defeated. Apparently defeat isn't something his people tolerate. When it was done, Nor contacted me telepathically. He warned me that I'd be a fool to go to New Krypton and he was waiting for me. I saw the look on Zara's face when she picked up on it. She's terrified of him._

_Lois and I both called in sick – there's no way either of us can face the newsroom after everything that's happened the past few days. Perry wasn't happy but let's face it, what's he going to do about it? Fire me? I did tell him that Superman asked me to arrange for a news conference tomorrow, that Superman had an announcement to make. Perry's offered the use of the Daily Planet for it. Everything's set._

_I'm going over to Lois's in a few minutes, to spend one last night with her. Zara says I won't need to take anything with me but I've packed up a bag anyway, books mostly and some blank books for my journal. Even if I don't come back, maybe Zara or someone can make sure they make it back here. I just hope I'm making the right decision._

_**From Lois Lane's Diary: September 25, 1996**_

_Clark is gone. Superman had his press conference this morning letting everyone know he was leaving for New Krypton. Then they left. I don't know what I'm going to do. Clark and I spent the night together, talking mostly. I gave him my wedding ring on a gold chain and made him promise to bring it back to me so I can wear it._

_He made me promise to get on with my life if it took too long for him to get back. I know he's still hoping there's a way he won't have to go. I know things won't work out that way. I'll be lucky if they get word back to me that he's dead. I never understood until now why those coast towns up north had widows' walks on their houses – I never thought I'd be one of the women waiting to catch sight of their husbands' ships coming into harbor._

_He pointed out the star New Krypton orbits around. I think I saw it. I hope I saw it. Dear God, watch over him._

The press conference was held in the newsroom of the Daily Planet. Superman looked properly heroic in his primary colors standing on the raised area in front to the elevators. Zara and Ching stood back, staying in the background. Straker saw how worn Lois Lane looked. Martha and Jonathan Kent were standing with her. He knew better than to ask how they were doing.

"…Although I have always loved my life here on Earth and have called it my home, I have another home as well. One that needs me now," Superman said to the cameras. "But wherever I am, I'll carry the best of Earth with me… And while I'm gone, I ask each of you to look to yourselves for the strength, decency and compassion that I know each one of you has inside. Emerson said 'Self-trust is the essence of heroism.' Inside each of you is a hero. And so, I leave knowing that a world full of heroes has nothing to fear."

Superman looked solemn as he came down to the newsroom floor to shake hands with the staff. Zara and Ching moved to join him. Straker watched as Zara stepped closer to Lois. "Thank you, sister, for allowing Clark to accompany us. I promise you, I will do all that I can to send him back to you as quickly as possible," Zara told her.

"Lois," Perry White was watching the scene in front of him. "What's going on with Clark?"

"Clark has been invited to travel to New Krypton with us," Superman explained.

Lois appeared to be fighting back tears. "It was an offer he couldn't refuse," she told her boss. "The first journalist to visit another planet."

"Great shades of Elvis… Doesn't do us a lot of good if he doesn't come back with the story," Perry groused, but it was obvious to all the onlookers that his gruffness was all show. He turned to Superman. "You make sure Kent gets back here in one piece, you hear?"

"I'll do my best, Mister White," Superman promised.

"Superman," Lois called as Superman turned to leave with the two New Kryptonians. He stopped and looked back at her, worry written across her face. She tried to smile.

"Tell Clark I'll be waiting for him," she said. Superman looked like he was ready to say something but she interrupted him. "I know what we agreed to last night. But I'll still wait."

"I'll let him know," Superman promised then he and the New Kryptonians were gone.


	2. Incursion

**June 27, 2077**

'_Cousin Esperanza. I thought I'd put together another packet for you before things get too hectic. The Quidditch World Cup finals will be in mid-September, but the preparations are already underway and the Planet's in the middle of it. My own fault – we sponsored the drive to host the games.'_

'_CJ's youngest is on the Metropolis team, but chances are the Raptors won't make the finals but stranger things have happened – like Earth being able to defend itself against an alien invasion. The invasion barely warrants a footnote now although it could have gone horribly wrong.'_

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 25, 1996**_

_Earth looks so fragile from a distance. It really does look a blue marble flecked with white, green and brown. I'm homesick already._

_Zara described the mother ship as a palace and she was right. I don't know what I was expecting – something out of Buck Rogers, maybe. The ship looks like something out of science fiction, all gray with ports and lights and engines in the back. The inside is something else, though. Draperies and arches and a sort of Arabian Nights sort of feel._

_Coming onboard the mother ship was strange. Zara insisted I wear the same leotard outfit Ching wears, only mine is trimmed in blue with the El family crest on the chest. The fabric feels odd but I guess I'll get used to it. There was a brief ceremony when we came on board, acknowledging the contracted marriage between myself and Zara and the alliance of the two houses. I'm still not sure what it all means._

_**Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998**_

_I think I understand a little better what people in the time of the sailing ships felt when they looked back to see their homelands disappear beyond the horizon. All they knew was that there was land somewhere ahead of them and, if God was with them, they'd make it there and live to see their homes again. _

_Earth looks so fragile from a distance. It's been called the Big Blue Marble and it really does look a blue marble flecked with white, green and brown. But it isn't big at all. It's a tiny island of life in the midst of an immenseness of cold blackness. Even the stars look cold._

_I wish I'd brought a camera. I'm the first Earthling to see the Earth and Moon together from space._

_The New Kryptonian ship was waiting for us near Jupiter. Ching told Kal-El and me that it was staying far enough away from the gas giant to avoid the radiation. Even with my limited eyesight, I could see lightning flashing between the colored clouds on the surface. Up close, you can actually see the storms moving within the cloud bands._

_The ship looks like something out of science fiction, all gray with ports and lights and odd protuberances. Lady Zara described the ship as a palace and that does describe the interior. The ship's designers were obviously thinking of creature comforts when it was built. The floors and walls are inlayed with ornate designs and walls that aren't decorated are covered with draperies and tapestries. There is a very Middle-Eastern, oriental feel to the decor. For a planet that is described as barren, the décor feels very opulent. Maybe it's as a response to the environment, a way to counter the desolation outside._

_Lady Zara and Lieutenant Ching insisted Kal-El and I wear traditional Kryptonian garb when coming on board the ship. His is black with bright blue trim with the crest of the house of El on the chest. As I am not a member of the El household, my outfit is plain black._

_Lieutenant Ching has explained that dress denotes rank in Kryptonian society. Only members of the high houses are permitted wear the house symbol prominently on their clothing. As Kal-El is the only surviving member of the house of El, only he is allowed to wear the symbol. Kal-El's retainers wear blue trim on their clothing and only the house of El is allowed that particular shade of blue. The other houses have their own distinctive colors. _

_There were about twenty people waiting for Lady Zara and Kal-El when they entered the main hall together. The greeting committee was made up of junior members of the various houses that have been supporting Lady Zara's mission to bring Kal-El to New Krypton and some of their retainers. Both Kal-El and I were briefed on what to do. Tradition is very important to the New Kryptonians and Kal-El must adhere strictly to the customary forms, at least until he gets a feel for how things run._

_For myself, I must simply follow Lieutenant Ching's lead and remain inconspicuous. The colonists don't trust outsiders and I am an outsider in more ways than one. Luckily, Ching and Lady Zara were able to telepathically implant a knowledge of the Kryptonian language in my head so I wouldn't need an interpreter._

_The greeting ceremony was a simple one. There was a fanfare reminiscent of something Elgar might have written. Lord Kal-El walked two paces ahead of Lady Zara. He approached the elders at the far end of the chamber with arms outstretched, palms up. "Brothers in the bonds, I greet thee thrice."_

_The chief elder introduced himself as Trey and greeted Kal-El in return. Trey is older than anyone else here. An old gray man who, Lady Zara told me, had been an advisor for the house of El even before Krypton's destruction. Apparently Jor-El himself named Trey the custodian of the house until Kal-El was able to take his position as head of the house on New Krypton._

_As soon as the greeting was finished, all the retainers and onlookers except for Kal-El and the elders, dropped to their knees and touched their noses to the floor in some odd show of subservience. Even Lady Zara was on her knees. Lieutenant Ching made sure I went down as well. That floor was hard._

_There was a second ceremony Lieutenant Ching hadn't briefed us on. Two retainers brought out brocade robes for Lady Zara and Lord Kal-El and helped them into them. The robes were very ornate, gold and black embroidery on Chinese red. Lady Zara's even had a crimson train._

_Trey and one of the other elders, a fellow named Jen-Mai, led Lady Zara and Lord Kal-El over to a small altar-like table. One of the other elders handed Trey a scroll that looked positively ancient. Trey unrolled it and began to read: __"Kal El and Zara, married since birth... In accordance with the laws of your forefathers... Having come into your majority under the laws of our people... It is now time for you to accept the responsibilities of your positions and the obligations of adulthood." _

_Trey took a gold cord and bound Kal-El and Lady Zara's right hands. "Kal-El and Zara, as this cord binds your hands, may this joining bind your hearts as your souls have been bound from birth."_

_Attendants with incense led the couple into an adjacent room and closed the doors behind them. Lieutenant Ching seemed resigned to all this – I know he loves Zara, even if he doesn't want to admit it to anyone else. And he's just lost her to a man he's not even sure he respects. Kal-El may be Superman on Earth, but here he's an untested lordling being handed a kingdom he has no idea how to rule._

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: Sep 25, 1996**_

_Superman is gone. The New Kryptonian shuttle took off on schedule from Metropolis and the mother ship is still in its station-keeping position near Jupiter. We assume they are preparing for the journey back home._

_One odd matter – Spainhauer reports that the mother ship may have dropped another shuttle as the one carrying Zara, Ching and Kal-El left Earth. SHADO is currently tracking it and is on alert._

_**SHADO report: 18:55 GMT, Sep 25, 1996**_

_Long range tracking has detected another shuttle from the New Kryptonian mother ship approaching Earth. Standard contact protocols followed. No response. All SHADO stations are on high alert until further notice._

As far as the rest of the world was concerned, the first hint of trouble came when communications went down in Smallville, Kansas. Aerial reconnaissance showed that the area surrounding the town was covered with a force dome of some nature. A unit was deployed from the nearest military base and the results were 'unfortunate'. Six men dead, two artillery pieces destroyed by an unknown heat-based weapon.

"General, I think it's confirmed that we have an incursion occurring in Smallville, Kansas," Spainhauer told Straker over an encrypted phone connection. "Colonel Cash and his team is on the way."

"Inform him that I'll meet him there," Straker told her. "And send a message to the New Kryptonian mother ship that this incident is being construed as an act of war."

"Yes, sir," Spainhauer just before she rang off.

_**SHADO report: 20:15 GMT, Sep 25, 1996**_

_We have confirmed reports that a team from New Krypton has taken the city of Smallville, Kansas. Attempts by standard U.S. military units have been met with lethal force and advanced weaponry. General Edward Straker and Colonel Ambrose Cash have been dispatched to handle the situation._

Matters in Smallville had deteriorated. There was at least one dead and the leader of the invasion team was sitting down in front of a live television camera and giving an interview. Straker watched the live feed on the monitor.

"_... Hello, this is Leeza Gibbons coming to you live from Smallville Kansas. With me today is my very special guest... Lor-Et of New Krypton,"_ the interviewer was saying. _"Welcome, Lor-Et."_

"_Thank you, Leeza."_

"_So what brings you to Earth?"_

"_We're a planet that cares, Leeza,"_ Lor-Et responded with a toothy grin. He was dressed in leathers reminiscent of ancient Japanese armor. Behind him stood four other grim-faced men dressed in similar, if simpler, clothing. _"An advanced culture sharing its bounty with a more primitive one,"_ Lor continued.

The interviewer looked dubious. _"I see. Mr. Et, the tough questions: Why a force field? Why over the entire city?"_

"_I don't have to tell you about crime, Leeza. The field is basically a protective device. To keep the town safe from intruders."_

"_But not to keep the people of Smallville in?"_

"_Well, that's up to them. Needless to say it would be vastly safer for them to remain inside."_

"_How would leaving endanger them?"_

"_They'd be killed. By me."_

"I've seen enough," Straker announced, turning off the monitor. He turned to Cash. "Are we ready?"

Cash nodded. Straker didn't have to ask how the colonel was doing. The officer was shaken, but would do his job.

"Then let's do it."

The dome was not as impermeable as Lor-Et had implied. SHADO researchers had already determined the control frequency and there were places the dome didn't cover due to the terrain. Kansas was flat, but there were still dips and ditches. Getting inside the dome was simple.

The interview was still going on when Straker arrived in the Smallville town park. Lor-Et didn't seem to notice him, even though Straker was dressed in his dress blues with all the ribbons.

"And what more do you want?" Gibbons was asking.

"To educate the entire world along similar lines. In fact, if any kings, princes, presidents, or interested world leaders are listening, we really should get together to discuss the rapid transfer of global power. To me."

"C'mon, you expect legitimate heads of state to accept this situation?" Gibbons responded. Straker was impressed. The woman had to be shaking in her boots but she kept going even though she knew that Lor could kill her with a glance.

"Indeed," Lor said with a smirk. "If there is any doubt, we will start killing two quivering citizens of Smallville every day until we get a polite response."

"Lor-Et, heir of the House of Et of New Krypton?" Straker asked loudly enough to be heard. The cameraman swung the camera around on him. Lor-Et started to glower.

"And you are?" Lor-Et demanded.

"General Straker, United Nations Alien Task-Force," Straker told him. "I'm as close to a legitimate head of state you're ever going to meet on this planet. The governing body of New Krypton has already been warned that any attempt at invasion will be considered an act of war and will be met with force."

"And that is supposed to frighten me, you simpering primitive? I can kill you where you stand," Lor-Et sneered. "Bow down to your god!"

_There is no fear_, Straker found himself repeating in his head. He had a personal force-shield, but there was no guarantee it would hold against Kryptonian heat vision. Aloud he said, "You and your men have a choice, go home alive or go home in body bags."

Lor-Et stood up, knocking over the chair he'd been sitting in. "I will destroy you," the New Kryptonian growled. The guards stepped closer to Straker.

"Body bags it is," Straker stated. A fusillade of shots rang out. Lor-Et simply looked stunned as the camera swung around once more in his direction. Gibbons had turned white and was staring at the blood dripping out of a small hole in Lor-Et's cheek as he dropped to the ground, eyes staring lifelessly. The four guards were also down, blood seeping from various wounds.

"He said they were from the same planet as Superman," she said. Her voice was shaking as she watched Straker tuck his automatic pistol under his uniform jacket.

"They were from the planet Superman went to help," Straker corrected. "And they were here in violation of their own laws. The ruling body of New Krypton was warned several days ago what the consequences would be if there was an incursion." He nodded to the camera man, who to his credit was still standing behind his camera. The red light was on. The deaths of the invaders had gone out on live television.

Straker pulled a small control device from his pocket, pressed a button and the force-shield covering the town went down. The ear-bud he was wearing squawked then resolved into a voice. "Satellite readings indicate no Kryptonian bio-signatures," a SHADO operative announced. "Mop-up should be completed in twenty minutes. Sir, do we go with standard procedures?"

"Negative," Straker responded, keying the tiny microphone at his throat. "Clean-up and clear out. Have Lor-Et's body put in his shuttle and see that a tech programs it to return to the mother ship."

"Who are you?" Gibbons demanded.

"A soldier, Ms. Gibbons," Straker replied. "A soldier doing his job defending this planet from the scum of the universe."

_**SHADO report: 04:18 GMT, Sep 26, 1996**_

_The thirteen New Kryptonians were dealt with. Special ops with kryptonite ammunition and 'charms'. Five civilians unaccounted for and presumed dead. Clean-up is going according to standard protocols. The body of the invasion leader (Lor-Et) is being sent back to his people. SHADO's top-secret status is still in place. General Straker told the press he was with the UNATF._

_**From Ed Straker's personal journal: Sep 26, 1996**_

_Lor-Et and the other invaders are dead. Five civilians dead in Smallville. Technically they are unaccounted for but witnesses claim to have seen them murdered and their bodies burned by two of Lor-Et's minions, a man called Drull and one called Ran. _

_The same witnesses claim the other New Kryptonians favored rape over murder. From the tissue samples we got three years ago from Kal-El, Jackson, and his team, believe that Kryptonian males cannot father viable young on an Earth normal woman – something to do with mitochondrial incompatibility. I hope they're right. I certainly don't want Smallville given the notoriety of being home to a bunch of half-breed super-beings. These people didn't deserve this._

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 26, 1996**_

_Zara and I have agreed to hold off becoming intimate. We both know the elders expect it of us, but neither of us are ready, especially since neither of us are with the ones we want to be with. I miss Lois so badly and I know Zara would rather be with Ching. I saw the look in his face during the union ceremony even though he tried to hide it. I also saw the look of resignation in Zara's face, although I don't think she realizes how transparent she is._

_Zara believes there may be a traditional way for us to get out this but she's not sure who on the council of elders can be trusted to help us figure it out, aside from Trey. Apparently the root problem is that the head of House of El doesn't have an heir. There is no one legally able to become the head of the house upon my death or resignation. (Although I'm also told that resignation is out of the question – I would have to be declared incompetent by the council and that hasn't happened in centuries.)_

_Ching told me this morning that Lord Nor wasn't with the retainers at the union ceremony. Neither was his brother, Lor or his two most trusted retainers, Ran and Drull._

_This afternoon we found out why: Lor, Ran, Drull and ten other of Nor's elite squad left the mother ship as Zara, Ching and I were leaving Earth. They attacked Smallville and Earth's military took them out. General Straker had Lor's body sent back on Nor's shuttle along with a copy of the interview Lor gave Leeza Gibbons and photos of the rest of the dead._

_The general also sent along an official notice that no New Kryptonian ship will be allowed access to Earth unless it is under the flag and protection of Kal-El and the House of El. Ching reported that Nor was furious, but the elders saw the recording of what Lor told the people of Earth, the demands he was making and the deaths he caused. _

_The council is demanding Nor repudiate his brother or else they will be forced to take putative action against the House of Et for involving the council in an act of blatant adventurism. Zara doesn't think putative action will do any good. Nor will simply repudiate his brother and the retainers to save himself even though Zara and Ching both say Lor was nowhere near bright enough to even begin to plan an invasion._

_Zara is concerned that I'm keeping a journal, but Zara, Ching and I are the only ones who speak or read English and even Zara doesn't read longhand very well. _

_My thigh still hurts from the inoculations I was given – apparently I have little immunity to Kryptonian diseases since I was raised on Earth. The medic is Trey's wife and she served both my parents before Krypton died._

_**Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998**_

_The mother ship was ready to leave for New Krypton when word came through that a number of Nor's retainers, as well as his younger brother, were missing from the mother ship. Nor's personal shuttle was also missing. We were forced to wait an extra day until the council could determine exactly what happened to them._

_Word of their fates was brought to the council later that same day – all thirteen men were dead after a failed attempt to invade Earth. They got as far as Smallville, Kansas, though why they chose to land there is anyone's guess. I'm not so vain as to think it has anything to do with the fact that I'm from Smallville. I'm just a simple journalist who happens to be on an alien space ship._

_Apparently the council has decided I am one of Lord Kal's retainers, which will allow me to wear the colors of the house of El. This will also act to assure my safety: none of the other houses wants to alienate the House of El right now by damaging one of Lord Kal's retainers. Neither Lady Zara nor Ching can predict how long this 'honeymoon' will last._

_I want to get to work interviewing the council, get a better picture of the rules and politics of this society, but despite Lady Zara's assurances to them, the council does not trust me unless Lord Kal or Lady Zara is present and they will not speak freely in front of either of them. Also, the New Kryptonians do not trust people who ask too many questions and the idea of the public's right to know is simply beyond their comprehension, as is the notion that a government only rules by the consent of those governed. I have no doubt that this is something both Lord Kal and I will be working on once we reach New Krypton._

_Lor's body was sent back in Nor's shuttle, along with a recoding of the interview he gave Leeza Gibbons. There were photos of the other dead retainers and a document from General Straker giving notice on behalf of the United Nations that no New Kryptonian ship will be allowed access to Earth unless it is under the flag and protection of Kal-El and the House of El. The document was written in English and in Formal Danaen. While no one on the council reads English, several of them read Danaen. _

_Nor was furious over Lor's death and wanted revenge since his brother died at the hands of what he termed 'retka'(vermin). Luckily the elders didn't agree and saw fit to refuse Nor's demands after seeing and hearing what Lor's plans had been for Earth and what he and his men had been doing to the people in Smallville. The one holdout was Jen-Mai, who apparently has a long history of supporting Nor's militaristic plans. The fact that Lieutenant Ching had already passed along General Straker's warning to the council not to attempt violence against Earth seems lost on both Nor and Jen-Mai._

_Luckily the rest of the council is not quite so self-serving. The council is demanding that Nor formally repudiate his brother and his actions, to wash his hands of the debacle. There is little doubt that Nor will do so. _

_I spoke to several people who knew Lor. It would appear that anyone who knew him recognized he wasn't bright enough to come up with a plan by himself to conquer Earth. That is, anyone besides Nor and Jen-Mai. Both men insist that Lor, Ran, and Drull were the conspirators and acted without Nor's knowledge or permission. One little problem with that scenario – according to the people I talked to, Ran and Drull would never have taken orders from Lor unless following Nor's express instructions._

_No one I spoke to expressed any grief at the death of Lor, Ran, or Drull, only that they died so ignominiously. Lor was shot to death as was his personal guard. Ran and Drull had both been garroted. Amazing what a little kryptonite can do. Most of the others had their throats slit. An ignominious end to people who fervently believed in their own inherent superiority. Apparently garroting was a form of execution reserved for traitors on ancient Krypton._

_As much as I abhor violence, I find it fitting that Ran and Drull were executed as traitors according to the ancient laws of conquest they were trying to invoke on Earth._


	3. Battlelines

_**From Lois Lane's Diary: September 26, 1996**  
I spent the day with Martha and Jonathan only to spend it watching newscasts from Smallville. New Kryptonians invaded the town, started making demands, killed five people at last count. Then Jonathan's cousin stepped in and now all the invaders are dead on live television. I know I've met General Straker before. Martha and Jonathan agree with me, but none of us can quite remember when it happened._

_Clark's parents are heading back to Kansas tomorrow. Perry gave me a few days off, so I'm going with them. When I get back, Maggie Sawyer has offered to let me go through the Special Crimes Unit course. It'll make a great story, assuming I live. I don't much like guns, but I'm going to have to learn to use one. _

_I know Clark would be horrified to know what they did. I miss him so much. I hope he's okay._

_Lucy called. She's moving back to Metropolis and will be staying with me until she and her fiancé find a place. Mom's going to be absolutely beside herself. She had everything all planned for my wedding to Clark, only that got toasted – first clones, then I go into a PTSD induced fugue state, and now Clark's left for another planet for God knows how long . We should have just eloped._

_I hope Lucy knows what she's getting into. _

_**SHADO report: 18:27 GMT, Sep 26, 1996**  
The New Krypton mother ship has left Jupiter and has been tracked leaving our star system. SHADO's portion of the clean-up of Smallville is complete. The town will be receiving federal funds to repair the property damage._

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 27, 1996**  
We left Jupiter this morning, heading to New Krypton. Trey has been briefing me on the installation ceremony that will occur when we get to the 'estate'. The word doesn't quite translate – property, holdings, improved family land with buildings. There is to be a banquet and I am to greet and accept the fealty of the people who live on the estate. I told them it all sounded positively medieval but none of them had any idea of what I was referring to._

_Zara finally told me what prompted her and Ching to look for me. According to Trey, my father became head of the house when his older brother, Gor-El, and his family were killed. From Trey's expression he doesn't think it was an accident but it's far too late to prove anything. My father's younger brother, Zor-El, and his family had been sent to the colony to manage the family holdings and Jor-El and Lara intended to meet them there once I was sent to safety. Trey wouldn't tell me why Jor-El chose to send me to Earth, only that he, Zor-El, and Zara's father were the only ones given my location._

_Zor-El died a cycle ago, leaving no heir. His wife and daughter had died in an 'accident' sometime ago and Zor-El himself was caught in a mining accident – or so the story goes. Neither Trey nor Ching believe it. Nor had already been making noises about Zara and had the House of El been left without a master, the holdings would have been broken up between the remaining houses. And apparently, the House of El holds a lot of property in the colony and Zor was well liked._

_Ching has told me that even if I had failed the tests he arranged, he and Zara would have brought me to New Krypton to formalize the relationship between the two houses and establish the house succession in favor of Ra. Unfortunately, that would have made Zara an even bigger prize as far as Nor is concerned. Since I did pass the tests, Zara and Trey feel I can lead the house of El to greater glory by Zara's side._

_So, why do I feel like I'm a chump? _

_Tomorrow, Ching will start training me in traditional Kryptonian ceremonial weaponry. Apparently he's an expert in something called a drei which looks like a staff with mace heads stuck to each end._

_I want to go home so badly. I hope Mom and Dad are okay. It must have been hard for them to watch what happened in Smallville. I wish I'd been there for them._

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 28, 1996**  
I didn't do too badly in my first training session, but I'm going to have bruises to show for it. My powers are fading under the red light of the ship. Ching says I'm still a fast learner though. I've mastered some of the finer points and all nine hundred and eighty basic drei moves. But Ching can still beat me. He says I don't have the proper Kryptonian mind-set. _

_Becoming one with the weapon. No doubts. No heart. No mercy. Just the kill._

_I tried to tell him I'm not a killer. He just shook his head and knocked me on my butt._

_Zara introduced me to the retainers for the House of El that are on the ship. She wants me to get used to the idea of having servants. One of them, a fellow named Moro, mentioned that Ching was a member of the house but he wouldn't tell me anymore when I asked for details. When I asked Trey about Moro, I was told Moro had served Gor-El for many years before coming to New Krypton to serve Zor-El and Moro's daughter was Ching's mother. Zara assigned Moro and his wife to be my body servants – sort of a valet/maid thing. It's going to take some getting used to._

_Trey has brought me some data disks on Kryptonian history and customs. Lucky for me even without my powers I'm a fast learner, even if little of what he brought me seems to apply to the situation on New Krypton._

_A side note – Kryptonian nobility were allowed to keep concubines. While the practice on New Krypton seems confined to males keeping concubines, especially if the wife is barren, on Old Krypton both parties could do it, so long as the birth-mated couple was not sexually compatible. Apparently, despite what Nor has been trying to convince the council of, the birth-marriage is more a business contract and birth-mates frequently failed to consummate their relationship. I have a feeling Zara is more innocent, or more cunning, than she lets on._

_Nor has been trying to convince the elders on the ship that Zara and I are making a mockery of the union ceremony and has the recordings to prove it. Zara is beyond furious. She suspected Nor had been spying on her and now there is proof that he had surveillance equipment placed in the bridal chamber and in her personal quarters. Trey and Jen Mai are both trying to down play the incident, claiming Nor was attempting to merely corroborate the consummation of Zara's union to me, but frankly, the argument doesn't hold water. From what I've been reading, although the consummation law may be on the books, it's honored for more in the breach than in the doing._

_Nor is a mad man, and what's worse, he reminds me of Lex Luthor. That perverted psychopath had Lois's apartment wired when they were engaged, including her bathroom. Ching and his assistant Brom found bugs in Zara's bath too._

_It's been a long day and tomorrow is going to be even longer. I'm more tired than I ever remember being. Zara says they've been adjusting the ship's gravity to New Krypton levels so I can get adjusted. New Krypton is a little larger than Earth and its gravity is about 10 percent higher._

_I've traveled all over the Earth, visited nearly every culture. I thought I'd find some precedent from the places I've seen, but the Kryptonians are truly alien._

_**Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998**  
In order to make myself useful while Lord Kal handles other matters, I have been given access to the ship's data banks so I can do some general and historical research on Lord Kal's behalf._

_Old Krypton circled a red giant star they called Rao in the constellation Phoenix (as seen from Earth). The star was about 100 light years from Earth and light from the star's death will reach Earth sometime late in the next century. Krypton took about 39 Earth years to orbit its primary. It had two moons (it originally had four but one of them was destroyed by a scientist named Jax-Ur, and in early historic times the moon Xenon was knocked from its orbit by what was believed to be a a passing star.) The two remaining moons were Koron and Litha._

_Little is known of Old Krypton's earliest geologic or paleo-history. There was some small evidence that the sentient inhabitants of the world were not native to it, but hard-line scientific and religious institutions traditionally refused to admit such evidence ever existed. (I know that Earth scientists believe that a red giant sun's life span is far too short to allow the evolution of anything more complex than single cells. Assuming they're right, then Kryptonians are not native to the Rao system – ironic considering the average Kryptonian's feelings towards out-worlders.)_

_Old Krypton was by all reports a wild, beautiful, terrible world, full of wonders and monstrous creatures – much like Earth's Amazon in many respects only the planet was larger, with a higher gravity. Its people developed civilizations able to conquer a violent world, building great cities and taming a planet others claimed could not be tamed. In less than 250 'amzet'(years), Krypton had developed a world culture and government and a high levels of art and science – nothing they could imagine was outside their abilities._

_Then it began to fall apart. It is uncertain as to the causes of the sudden change in climate that occurred or the deadly mutations. Most of the writers of the time blamed the presence of off-worlders and unregulated and ill-considered scientific experimentation like the one that destroyed the third moon. A few scientists blamed an instability in the star Rao as causing the problems. _

_Whatever caused the mutations and the climate to change from tropical to near-subarctic is unlikely to be determined in any certainty by a mere journalist from Earth with little scientific training (I majored in journalism and history.) But the results are clear. _

_The Kryptonians' natural distrust of outsiders and the destructive forces around them caused them to react violently against off-worlders, and then against one another as they attempted to deal with the catastrophic changes happening around them. The resulting upheaval coupled with the climate change turned a near paradise into a cold and barren wasteland. Nearly half the population died. Off-worlders who were at least tolerated before for their skills and otherwise unobtainable products were no longer allowed to even contact anyone outside of a select few scientists. Space travel was also forbidden except for a select few who were working on establishing a viable colony world in the event conditions on Krypton got even worse._

_Things got worse. The star Rao began showing evidence that it was entering its next stage of stellar evolution which would cause it to shed its outer layers and collapse into a white dwarf. Three billion people died when their star went nova. Fewer than 100,000 Kryptonians survived on a single colony world. A colony that the council of elders at the time it was founded tried to shut down._

_Old Krypton was ruled by a council of twelve representatives, one chosen by each house to represent them. Generally, the position was given to the most accomplished member of the house – be they scientists, teachers, or judges, regardless of age or gender. The House of El tended to send scientists. Members from the religious sects and the leaders of industry advised the councilors._

_On New Krypton, the position is more often given to the eldest male member of the house, although that frequently is not the head of the house but an uncle to the head of house._

_The current noble houses are__: Ah, Ar, Do, __El, Es, Et, Lo, Mai, Ra, Ro, Ur, Us._

_The current council members are:  
Gon-Ah  
Trey-Ar (head of council, brother to Zor-El's wife Alura)  
Kel-Do  
Kal-El (not yet sworn in as a member)  
Jan-Es  
Kem-Et (Nor-Et's uncle)  
Yon-Lo (brother to Lara, Kal-El's mother, brother to Elesa, Trey's wife)  
Jen-Mai (uncle to Ker-Mai and brother to Nor-Et's mother)  
Han-Ur  
Lan-Ra (uncle to Zara Sen-Ra)  
Dai-Ro  
Han-Ur  
Van-Us_

_The houses of Us, Ar and El are the oldest houses and in Kryptonian early history it was Pol-Us, Sor-El, and Kol-Ar that represented the three warring nations that came together to form a unified government that adhered to the rule of law rather than the rule of man. They codified what were termed the 'Laws of Humanity' on which all other Kryptonian laws were based until late in Krypton's history._

_Prohibition on murder.  
Prohibition on cruelty to lesser beings and animals.  
Prohibition on robbery and theft.  
Prohibition on immorality and forbidden sexual relations.  
Prohibition on idolatry.  
Prohibition on blasphemy.  
Requirement to establish a justice system and courts of law to enforce the other 6 laws._

Kela came over to desk where Clark had been sitting, reading and taking notes for several hours. Zara had assigned Clark a workroom in her suite, perpetuating the idea that they were a 'couple'. Kela and Moro knew better. Zara hadn't stopped in at all to check on him after he came back from his 'exercises' with Ching. Kela stopped at his shoulder and glanced over at the screen in front of him.

Clark looked up, startled. He hadn't been paying any attention to what was going on around him. Ching was going to be furious when he found out. One of the morning's lectures had been on security – namely environmental awareness. Ching had almost been driven to the point of yelling at him. 'Never, **ever,** sit where you can't watch the door!'

"Studying the seven laws of the founders, milord?"

"Yeah," he said then realized the old woman hadn't understood the English word. "I mean yes. And please don't call me 'milord.' My name is Clark."

"Yes, Lord Kal," Kela responded with a smile. Moro, her husband, glowered at her, looking up from polishing the black leather dress boots Clark was supposed to wear when they arrived in the morning. Kela ignored him.

Clark sighed. The whole idea of having someone around whose job was to take care of him bothered him in a deep, visceral way. He wasn't a child. He could dress himself and take care of his own clothes – he'd been doing it since high school. But Zara had insisted he have servants. And she had chosen the two she and Ching considered the most trustworthy – Ching's elderly grandparents. And they were elderly. Gray and wizened, they reminded Clark of his own grandparents before they died. One of his first orders to him was to stop bowing their heads every time he looked at them.

"Will you be dining alone or with Lady Zara this evening, milord?" Kela asked. She was still ducking her head a little when she addressed him.

"I assume Lady Zara expects me to join her?" Clark asked.

"I believe that would be a fair assumption," Kela replied. "You are her husband."

"Then I guess I'm dining with Lady Zara," Clark responded. "So, what should I wear?" This was the one point were he admitted needing help – he had no clue what was considered formal wear or anything else in terms of Kryptonian clothing. When he'd gotten back from practice he'd thrown open the wardrobe doors and grabbed the most comfortable looking item there, a long robe with minimal embroidery. Kela had stifled a laugh.

"That is a temple robe, milord," she had told him. "Your uncles and grandfather were all active in temple." She had pulled out a different robe and handed it to him, one with dark red trimmed in blue. "A bathing robe. Would you like me to draw a bath for you?"

"Well, you could show me how to run the shower," Clark had told her, taking the robe. "I can handle the rest myself."

She had shown him how to run the plumbing and left him mercifully alone until he came out wearing the bathrobe and sat down at the desk to work. Kela and Moro had puttered around him then left him alone for a while. Alone with his thoughts and his reading.

Now Moro laid out another black suit along with a simply cut jacket in blue brocade. Suddenly Clark realized the blue was almost the same shade as the blue of Superman's suit.

"Is there a problem, milord?" Moro asked. He had a gruff voice and Clark had already noticed he didn't talk much, letting his wife do the talking for both of them. But like Clark's grandfather William, his silences were eloquent.

"No, no problem," Clark said. The color reminded him of home and he had to remind himself that all that was in the past - and hopefully the future - and he had to keep his mind on the here-and-now. Here he was 'Lord Kal'.

"But I am a little curious at how you got a wardrobe that fit me so fast," Clark added.

Kela answered. "The fabric has a bit of give, and you're not much broader in the shoulders than Lord Zor was when he was younger."

"Am I much like them?"

Kela studied his face for a long moment. "You look like a member of the house of El in the body, but your coloring is of Lo. The El's tended to be lighter of skin and eyes. I can see both of them in you. Your bearing is much like your father's. He never liked the pompousness that came with being a noble."

"I've only seen holograms of him and my mother," Clark admitted.

"He was a good man," Kela said. "And he hated being made head of the house when Lord Gor died."

"Damn fool idealist," Moro groused. "Beggin' you pardon, milord. The House of El has always been a tad overly idealistic, always wantin' to look out for everyone, whether they wanted 'em to or not."

Kela smiled and shook her head. "You'd best hurry milord, or else you'll be late."

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 28, 1996**  
I was expecting to have dinner with Zara. It turned out to be more elaborate than that – __Trey-Ar, Gon-Ah__, and __Han-Ur__ were there along with Nor-Et, __Jen-Mai__, and __Van-Us__. The meal was surprisingly sumptuous. I had the impression that New Krypton was frugal, even Spartan, in regards to its available food. The meal that was served could have fed several Earth families. Ching stood by watching as Zara's servants tended the table. I don't think he was happy with the conspicuous display, nor with how much waste there was – Nor and Jen took much more than they could eat and when they'd had their fill, had the servants take it away while they filled another plate. Zara and I didn't eat much. Although I admit to being a junk-food junky, I found the heavy sauces and strange spices to be less than appetizing. Zara didn't like hot dogs when I introduced her to them, so I guess we're even now._

_Nor and Jen kept asking me questions about Earth, about what I had been doing there. I felt Zara's warning in my head and so kept my answers short and simple. I can't express how glad I was when it was over and I could get back to my room._

Clark nodded as the guard outside the dining chamber opened the wide door for him and allowed him to pass. He had noticed more guards in the hallways than had been there earlier in the day and promised himself to ask Ching about it as soon as he had a chance.

He had expected to find Zara and possibly Ching inside. He was a little surprised to see Trey, Nor, and Jen along with three other older men he didn't recognize.

'_The greeting!'_ he heard Zara's mental voice hiss in his mind.

"Kindred in the bonds, I greet thee thrice," Clark said, turning his palms outward and bowing slightly as Ching and Zara had instructed him. He smiled inwardly at Ching's smirk and the narrowing of Jen-Mai's eyes. One of the tidbits he'd picked up in his afternoon reading was the older, more traditional, more universal, form of the greeting of one council member to another.

"As we greet thee," Trey responded. After a moment Jen-Mai and the others joined in the greeting.

The meal was already on the table with meats Clark couldn't identify with vegetables and other things he'd never seen before. Several servants hovered in the background, filling glasses with the New Kryptonian version of wine and clearing plates when directed. Clark's previous meals with Zara and Ching had been simple foods, bread and something that passed for cheese along with a vegetable paste that he was assured was healthy if not the most palatable. Those meals had been accompanied by something that resembled ale, thicker and darker than most American beers, and much more potent.

"You don't like our wine, Lord Kal?" Van-Us asked when Clark refused a second glass of wine and asked for water instead. The first glass of wine had a bitter, metallic aftertaste. "Has the lushness of Earth spoiled you? Made our meager offerings unacceptable to the Lord of the House of El?"

"Lord Van, if this is an example of a meager offering then I'm sure I would be overwhelmed by the abundance if I saw a great feast," Clark said. "I was raised to have simpler tastes."

That statement was met by silence as the servants poured more wine for the others, but Clark noticed that Zara switched to water as well.

Gon-Ah cleared his throat. "_Mehluhr_ Trey indicates he has presented you with our history and laws to study. How are those studies going?"

"As well as can be expected, considering," Clark replied.

"Considering what?" Nor demanded. His speech was slurred as though he's had too much to drink. "Considering until a few days ago you didn't care enough about your own people to learn anything about them? To even know the language? By the way, your accent is abominable."

Zara made a motion as if to protest but Trey held out his hand to stop her. She settled back in her seat.

"Lord Nor, do you speak or read English or Mandarin?" Clark asked mildly.

"Why should I?" Nor asked. "We have translation devices and I can always take it from some _rehtka's_ mind, if you can call that jabbering language. It all sounded like monkeys to me." He laughed as if enjoying his own joke.

"Why should I have learned the dead language of a dead people to study the laws of a dead planet?" Clark asked.

"Your father did send the holograms and writings along with you, so you could learn of your heritage, and our laws," Gon-Ah said.

"Writings in a language I could not speak or read concerning a world I would never see," Clark stated. "However, I am familiar with the Laws of Humanity. Of course, the version I'm familiar with had a few additions the founders might have wanted to consider. Especially one about not coveting your neighbor's property, including his wife and servants, and another one against bearing false witness."

"And what do you know of the Laws of Humanity laid down by our ancestors?" Jen-Mai demanded.

"More than Lord Nor's brother and retainers, obviously," Clark came back. "Or does torturing and killing humans not qualify as crimes under the laws of Krypton? Are Earthers considered animals, lesser beings or equals? I admit I'm a little confused there, since Lor was so obviously playing to his TV audience in that interview, like he was trying to convince real people who mattered, and his men were having way too much fun having sexual relations with the natives and murdering them, but then Lord Nor seems to think they're somewhere below animals." He turned to Nor. "Did you really think that a world that knows there are other inhabited planets out there wouldn't be able to defend itself against them?"

"I have already repudiated Lor's actions and the actions of those who followed him," Nor groused.

"Then here's a toast to the end of any ideas of colonizing Earth," Clark said, raising his glass. The others just gave him odd looks, until Zara raised her own glass.

"To the promise that the government of New Krypton will not support any attempts against Earth," she said.

"But, wouldn't Earth be well served by having an enlightened and progressive government?" Van-Us asked. "I am told that our people would be as gods there on a rich and vibrant and young planet."

"Which is already occupied by people with a very low tolerance for gods who walk among them," Clark told them.

"You walked among them for years," Nor pointed out. He was obviously far into his cups. "Flaunting your gifts in front of them. You could have ruled but instead you played at being a wordsmith, a servant to unwashed fools. The great House of El has been given over to a peasant. You were too afraid to slake your ambitions there, so now you claim the right to rule on a world you know nothing about, taking the seat that was rightfully mine until somebody remembered 'Oh, yes, Zor-El had a nephew that was sent to this little backwards planet to get him out of the way. And he's now the lord of the Great House of El, assuming we can find him.'"

"Milord, you've had enough to drink," Jen-Mai protested as Nor grabbed a wine bottle away from the servant who was refilling his glass once again.

"Hardly," Nor spat out. "The law of New Krypton demands that unions be consummated in order to bring about an heir to the House. We know they have no intention of doing so. In fact, 'Lord Kal' has bound himself to a little _rehtka_ on Earth, who I have no doubt he intends to bring to New Krypton to make his lady. He wears her mark around his neck."

Clark's hand went to the thin gold chain and the ring that hung on it.

Nor continued. "See, he doesn't even bother to deny it. I submit Lady Zara and this mongrel off-worlder from that backwards planet intend to commit treason against both their Houses and New Krypton."

"Considering how your knowledge of our status came about, did you intend on standing in our bedchamber watching to ensure that we complied with _your_ interpretation of the law? Or do you just like watching me in my private chambers?" Zara's voice was cold with fury and Ching stepped forward to stand behind her chair.

Nor's face went white with rage as he glared at Zara. His mouth worked for a few moments to form words then finally: "You will be mine, woman."

"I would die first," Zara stated.

"You will never belong to anyone else," Nor growled and walked out of the room. Van-Us hurried to follow him.

"Lord Nor is a loyal Kryptonian," Jen-Mai said, although his expression seemed troubled. "He obviously had too much to drink and will no doubt regret what occurred tonight when he wakes in the morning. I know he simply wants what's best for our world."

"_Mehluhr _Jen," Clark said. "I'm sure we all want what's best for New Krypton. But Lord Nor has an odd why of showing it, and an even odder idea of what it is. Good Evening, sir."

Jen-Mai nodded, dipping his head respectfully and hurried out the door.

"I admit, I was not expecting Lord Nor to be so hostile. This was simply a small social occasion," Gon-Ah said. "I was aware he had feelings for Lady Zara…"

"The only feelings he has for me concerns what he can do with the House of Ra and the power it has in the colony, should he get me into his bed," Zara stated coldly. "He is incapable of anything else."

"Zara, it is possible he just had too much to drink and didn't really mean to say all those things," Clark said. Zara glowered at him. "Although there is a saying on Earth '_in vino veritas_,'" he added. "In wine, truth."

"We have the same saying," Trey commented. "But another saying comes to mind. 'Social occasions are merely warfare concealed.'"

"And Nor has fired the first salvo," Clark said.

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 28, 1996**  
If social occasions really are warfare concealed, Nor has declared war on me and Zara and the planet Earth and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do about it._


	4. Fealty

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 29, 1996**  
Something else I found in my reading – on Old Krypton the houses fostered children to one another and adoptions within the branches of the houses or even between houses was not uncommon. According to Kela, it's still occasionally done on New Krypton. I'm still trying to figure out what Moro meant about Ching being a member of the House of El. But I have an idea. Apparently the father is required to publicly acknowledge their offspring before they are listed as being members of the house. Without that acknowledgement the child is illegitimate – without a house. Such children are relegated to becoming retainers or sent off to be trained by a guild to become a craftsman. Ching became a warrior._

_Today we arrive on new Krypton. Ching, Trey, and Zara have reviewed the greeting procedures with me. I am to greet the entire council and be inducted into the council. Then we are to proceed to the estate where I am to meet the retainers and workers for the House of El. It all seems very medieval. Zara has also told me that Nor was right about a few things. She and I do need to produce an heir to protect both houses. Lois won't like that. I miss her so much. I hope things are okay at home. _

"Lord Kal-El," Zara said quietly as they made their way to the shuttle that would take them to the main settlement. "Last night, Lord Nor was correct in that you do need to sire a male heir for the House of El, preferably out of the House of Ra."

"I thought we'd made an agreement concerning that," Clark reminded her.

"Yes, that we would not become intimate. But Lady Elesa does have a solution," Zara said softly. "You need only contribute the seed."

"Artificial insemination?"

Zara nodded. "No one need know."

"What does Ching think about it?"

"What should he think? You are my husband. He knows this is the only way. This is how it must be." She sighed. "You should also know that Nor will attempt to use your lack of knowledge about us against you. That you didn't have enough interest in your own home world to learn anything about us."

"Zara, I learned everything that was available to me. I studied the holographic images my father made and encoded into the navigation globe. There was nothing else to study," Clark told her. "I didn't want Nor to know that everything else had gone missing. I don't want to give him any more ammunition than he already has."

"I don't understand."

"When I was found as an infant, my dad hid the ship so no one would be able to trace it back to me. Sometime after he hid it, it was found and apparently passed from one research group to another until I found it and was able to get it back," Clark said.

"There were no memory modules, no educator?"

Clark shook his head. "If there were, they're lost now. Even if I'd known they existed, I wouldn't have had any idea where to start looking for them. Chances are, whoever does have them doesn't understood what they have or how to access the information."

He adjusted the blue and gold brocade jacket Moro and Kela had picked out for him that morning. It was fancier than one he'd worn to dinner with a short satin cape in blue and a broad cummerbund with more than enough room to hide the sheath for a ceremonial dagger, which they insisted he wear. The jacket was a little tight across the shoulders but he'd already determined that if he didn't move too much, it was unlikely anyone would notice.

Zara was dressed in a burgundy red and gold tunic with a burgundy cape. Her tunic and cape were longer than his, reaching to mid-calf instead of mid-thigh. On Earth and on the ship Zara had worn her hair down. Today it was tucked under a red and gold turban-like headdress.

"We're almost there," Zara commented, turning their attention back to the rising ground below. Moments later the bright globe settled down on the center of a broad plaza in front of a stone building. The broad stairs to the building's entrance was crowded with onlookers. In the front of the group stood a group of men of various ages dressed in ornate robes in a rainbow of colors. Sprinkled among them were older men wearing gray robes with hoods. Clark spotted Trey and Jen Mai among the gray robes. Zara gave Clark and encouraging smile. "Everyone's here."

"Yeah, to see the bumpkin raised on Earth," Clark murmured.

"You underestimate yourself, and them," Zara said. "The majority of the houses are currently allied with the House of Ra and were openly supportive of our expedition to locate you. We need the house of El under the rule of a member of the House of El. We need you to solidify our position in opposition to Nor and his madness."

Clark took a deep breath and held out his arm to Zara as they stepped out of the globe onto plaza. Ching had arranged for an armed honor guard who now stood at attention on either side of the gold colored pathway that appeared in front of the shuttle opening. As Clark and Zara stepped forward, Ching and the first guardsman fell in behind them and followed them to the steps and the rest of the lords and councilors.

When Clark and Zara were three paces from the steps, he stopped, turned his palms outward, bowed and gave the greeting: "Kindred in the bonds, I greet thee thrice."

"As we greet thee, Lord Kal of the House of El."

As on the ship, the retainers and onlookers dropped to their knees and then touched their noses to the ground in a show of subservience. This time however, Ching and the honor guard remained standing along with the elders, although Zara was on her knees like the retainers. Clark had to bite back his response to the sight of noses touching the ground.

"Come Lord Kal," Trey said, gesturing Clark to accompany him and the other elders into the building. The inside of the building bore a strong resemblance to the inside of the mother ship – ornate, even opulent. Trey stopped to stand beside the tall doors to the inner chamber and gestured to Clark to stand with him. The other gray-robed councilors filed past, each one nodding their respect to Trey as they entered the council chamber.

Zara took Trey's arm and he led her into the room. Clark followed several paces behind them and Ching and the guardsman with him closed the doors behind him.

The chamber was dimly lit and it took a moment for Clark's eyes to adjust. The room had twelve walls and the vaulted ceiling disappeared into darkness broken by tiny sparks of light in unfamiliar patterns. After a moment Clark realized the patterns no doubt represented the night sky as seen from Krypton. He also realized that each of the twelve walls was engraved with the seal of one of the Great Houses. The S sigil of the House of El was over the door.

At the center of the room was a table with twelve sides with an ornate chair on each side. Trey led Zara to one of the chairs then moved to sit in his own chair.

One of the other men, an older man with gray hair and a gray beard stood up. Clark recognized him from the hologram Zara had shown him on the ship – Lord Van-Us, the most senior member of the council. "Lord Kal of the House of El, as you and Lady Zara of the House of Ra have publicly proclaimed your willingness to take on the responsibilities and obligations of your stations, the council of Elders greets you and welcomes you into our midst as an equal among equals."

A servant that Clark hadn't noticed before approached him carrying a gray robe like the ones the other councilors were already wearing. The man helped Clark into the robe, tying the simple belt around his waist.

Van-Us spoke again. "In this place, we set aside the petty concerns of our Houses and families. In this place, we are not El or Et, or Us. In this place we are Kryptonians. Kal son of Jor, son of Syg, do you accept this office and its obligation to put the good of the people above your own?"

"I accept," Clark said.

"Then take your seat at the table of your equals," Lord Van ordered.

Clark sat down in the empty chair as instructed.

"There is still the matter of the appointment of the bythguhr," Lord Kem-Et reminded them. He resembled his nephew Nor in coloring as well as in the apparently perpetual sneer on his face beneath his grizzled beard.

"The public acceptance of his station and responsibilities has already decided that issue," Trey announced. "As the joined mate of Lady Zara, Lord Kal will take on that responsibility as well."

"An untried, untested boy child raised on a primitive planet?" Kem-Et complained. "Have we fallen so far that we place our defense in the hands of a child instead of an experienced man?"

"Lord Kem," Zara interrupted him. "You are aware of the tests the council devised that were carried out by myself and Lieutenant Ching, are you not?"

Kem nodded, glowering at her.

"Are you now saying those tests were inadequate? That Lord Kal failed to complete the tasks given him, including defeating an Andelon assassin known to be in the employ of the House of Et?" Zara went on.

"Tez was following to orders of Lor, not the head of the House," Lord Kem explained. "Lor has been disavowed by the House of Et. There need be no more discussion of that matter."

"Lord Kem, the matter of Lord Kal being appointed bythguhr to stand in place of the head of the House of Ra is also closed," Lord Van stated.

"And is the accusation that they have no intention of creating an heir together also a subject that will not be discussed?" Kem spat.

Zara reached over and took Clark's hand. "You have been misinformed," she announced. "My husband and I have every intention of creating an heir together. And I assure you, we will not need your nephew standing in our bedchamber watching us do it."

_**Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998**  
On Old Krypton, the head of the council was generally the oldest or most experienced member of the twelve. The role of __b__y__thguhr,__ or king – actually more on the order of commander and chief of the planetary defense forces – was by appointment of the council. The__ b__y__thguhr served at the pleasure of the council._

_The last __b__y__thguhr of Krypton was General Dur Zod. He was reputed to be a brilliant military man who was convicted of treason and sentenced to eternal exile when he and the council disagreed on the proper way to proceed when it was confirmed that Krypton was going to be destroyed. Zod had proposed the invasion and colonization of one of Krypton's inhabited neighbors. The council, led first by Lord Gor-El and then his brother Jor-El, had opposed this solution and ordered Zod to find an appropriate uninhabited planet for colonization. When Zod refused to obey the council's orders his title was stripped from him. When he continued to seek support for his campaign to conquer and enslave a neighboring world, he was tried, convicted and exiled for treason – not for his actions against another world but for defying the council. _

_On New Krypton, head of council is still generally the oldest and most experienced councilor – currently that is Lord Van-Us – but the role of __b__y__thguhr__ for the colony now appears to be a hereditary one and falls to the head of the House of Ra. However, the House of Ra has only a female heir who is not allowed to be sworn in as __b__y__thguhr__. New Kryptonian noble women are not permitted to be in military service and the role of __b__y__thguhr__ is primarily a military one. As her husband, that role will fall to Kal-El, son of Jor-El and nephew to Gor-El._

_Ching, Moro, Kela, and most of the retainers that accompanied the mother ship preceded Lord Kal and Lady Zara to the planet. I was allowed to accompany his lordship and ladyship on the shuttle to get the full effect of their arrival. Earth is blue and white. New Krypton also has blue and white, but there is more brown than green, almost more brown than blue. It's a different world – an alien world. It's going to take some getting used to._

_As the shuttle approached the planet I could see more details – the geometric patterns of roads and fields, the rivers and streams meandering through the lands to the seas. There were small towns along the river beneath us and the forests in the uplands. As the shuttle dropped even lower, I could make out the grid pattern of the main city, Nehro, and the central plaza where we were instructed to land._

_Lord Kal seemed at least as nervous as I was. He kept shifting from one foot to the other, adjusting his tunic and cape, playing with the haft of the dagger Ching insisted he wear. I am nervous because I will be the first off-worlder to openly visit this planet, as well as being the first Earther to visit another inhabited world. For Kal-El, he is seeing the world his people fled to for survival and meeting the entire council of elders for the first time. Everything on the mother ship, all the studying and preparation was for this moment. The moment the council acknowledges him and grants permission for him to do the job Lady Zara brought him here to do – govern their people._

_Lieutenant Ching and an honor guard were already in position when the shuttle settled onto the plaza. Lord Kal and Lady Zara stepped out of the shuttle onto a gold colored carpet. Just as the retainers on the mother ship did when Lord Trey and Lord Jen greeted Lord Kal, the observers and retainers went down on their knees, noses to the stone paving of the plaza. But there was a difference this time. Lord Kal didn't seem too surprised at the reaction and Ching and the honor guard also remained standing. Ching seemed tense and I found myself wondering what he was afraid might happen._

_I remained behind with the pilot. As a foreigner, I am not allowed to observe the inner workings of the council. But the pilot and I were allowed to watch the initial greeting. It was easy to spot the councilors and lords in the crowd even before the retainers began to kow-tow. The councilors were dressed in simple gray robes with hoods and the remaining lords who were not councilors resembled peacocks – rainbow colors chased with gold and silver. Even Lord Nor had shed his usual padded vest and thigh-high boots in favor of a brown tunic embroidered with lavender and silver – the colors of his family crest._

_Lord Kal was dressed in blue and gold brocade with a short blue cape almost the same color as the blue of the Superman suit. Zara was in a high-collared tunic in burgundy and gold, with a burgundy cape and a gold and red head-dress. Her skirt had a wide flare and the hem was at mid-calf. Lord Kal's tunic ended at mid-thigh._

_For myself, I am still dressed as a retainer for the House of El – black suit with blue trim only with a matching black tunic this time. No embroidery or other decoration. Very simple, very utilitarian, very boring, but then servants are meant to be invisible._

_The council session was short and the trip to the estate belonging to the House of El didn't take very long thanks to the shuttle. From the air the estate resembled a small village sitting outside a large manor house. The surrounding area was covered in neatly cultivated fields with a river running close by. Further up the valley was a second, larger village where the copper and zinc hard rock miners lived with their families. It all looked peaceful and archaic from the air. Like flying over an old Southern plantation._

_This manor and village were going to be home for the duration. However long that takes._

"The villagers are waiting to greet you," Zara explained as the shuttle landed in front of the manor house. The village square was crowded with people of all ages dressed in muted hues of blue, brown, and black. There were a surprising number of people waiting for him.

"I thought you said only a thousand or so people escaped before Krypton died?" Clark asked. He knew the answer, having looked it up on the ship but he was curious as to her explanation, given what she had told him before they left Earth.

"A little more than a thousand people from the various houses were able to flee to this world," Ching said with a sigh. "The number should have been higher, but the last ship of survivors didn't make it. That was the ship the elders had assumed you and your parents were on until Lord Zor and Lord Trey revealed that you had been sent elsewhere."

"I meant, if there were only a thousand survivors, why are there so many people here?" Clark clarified.

"As I'm sure you discovered, the survivors evacuated to an existing mining colony," Zara explained. "It was the only place available to us in the time we had. We have been unable to find another more suitable planet to move to, assuming we had the ability to move the entire population, which we do not."

"So, all those people belong to the estate?" Clark asked.

"A little less than half, actually," Ching said. "The various guilds have also sent representatives to meet you. Lord Zor always maintained good relations with the craft guilds."

"And now they want to see if the new lord has the same attitude?"

"Exactly," Ching said.

_**Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998**  
Over five hundred people had shown up in at the estate to greet Lord Kal. That was more than five percent of the population of the entire colony. All there to see the new head of the House of El._

_The crowd was quiet as the shuttle set down and Lady Zara and Lord Kal stepped out onto the square in front of the manor house. Just as with the retainers in the capitol city the crowd dropped to the ground except for Lord Kal's personal guard. This time, he reached out to Lady Zara, lifting her to her feet to stand beside him._

"_This is my estate, correct?" Lord Kal asked Lady Zara. "These people are my employees and I can give them orders so long as it doesn't conflict with the Laws of Humanity?"_

"_Yes, milord. These are your people," Zara answered. Kal-El nodded as he looked around at the backs and tops of heads around him._

"_Good people please stand," he announced. His voice carried well even without superpowers and the people clambered to their feet in obvious confusion and consternation. He went to the steps of the manor house so he could be seen. "As you know, I am newly arrived on this world and I admit I am not fully conversant with your customs. However, there is one custom I wish to change right now. The Krypton my father told me about was a world inhabited by intelligent and free people. Intelligent and free people do not grind their noses into the ground for any person. From this time forth, I expect to be greeted by people willing to look me in the face."_

"_Milord Kal-El," one of the older men began. "You do not wish us to give you the honors due your rank?"_

"_Giving me the honors due my rank doesn't mean that you need to demean yourselves," Lord Kal told them. "I would feel more honored to have your respect. There is no honor or respect in groveling. And I promise to not to demand it of you."_

"_Milord, do you wish us offer our fealty to you?" one of the women asked. She seemed worried._

_Kal-El smiled. "I would be honored to accept your fealty… to the House of El and to New Krypton."_

They came up to Clark in groups of three and four, families usually – father, mother and two or three children. Several groups were made up of young singles who introduced themselves as work teams. Clark promised himself to ask Kela what that meant. The first few who came up seemed at a loss as to what they should do. He had told them not to grovel, but the oath of fealty was normally done while kneeling with the nobleman's hand on their head in a form of blessing.

Their solution was to bow their heads, hands clasped together at chest level. Clark wracked his brain for his own response. Nothing in his reading had discussed a Kryptonian fealty ceremony. Finally, he simply placed his right hand on their shoulder.

"… I pledge my fealty to thee and the House of El," was the repeated promise from the workers.

"As I pledge my loyalty and protection and that of the House of El to you," Clark said to each one as they came up.

About halfway through the procession the workers' tunics became more ornate – the guildsmen were finally coming forward. The greeting changed. "We greet thee, House of El."

"And I greet you. May we work together for the prosperity of all of New Krypton," Clark replied. The response seemed to please the guildsmen.

"Please visit the guild houses at any time," the senior guildsman told him when the rest of the guildsmen had given their greeting. "I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we look forward to talking with the new master of the house."

"I am definitely looking forward to speaking with you, and learning from you."

_**From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 29, 1996**  
It's been a long day. It's strange that the sun doesn't move in the sky, but one of the problems with living here is that the planet is tide-locked. One side always faces its sun and one side is always in darkness._

_I thought Zara was going to have kittens when I told the people of the estate that I didn't want them grinding their noses into the ground anymore. The older people, the ones who no doubt remember Krypton, didn't seem to have a problem with the changes. The younger ones, my age and younger, were just confused. _

_I couldn't read Ching at all._

_Apparently the guilds control the manufacturing, agriculture, mining, anything else requiring craftsmanship. Ching told me that my uncle Zor had maintained good relations with the various guilds during his tenure as head of house. I figure I should do no less._

_Officially the guilds are independent of the noble houses – they are the middle class, if that's even a concept that translates here. In practical terms, how the economics of this place fits together is something I need to figure out. But I already know that the guilds hold an important piece in that puzzle._

_Zara will be spending the night and most of the day tomorrow at her own estate so she can handle the business matters she had to neglect while she was on Earth. Then, I expect we will be talking to Lady Elesa on what steps we need to take to get Zara pregnant with my child._

_I'm very tired. Kela has prepared a bath and Ching is working on my itinerary for tomorrow. I don't know if I'll get used to a sun that doesn't move in the sky. A world where night and day are only markings on a clock._


	5. Separate Paths – Journey Begins 1

**Separate Paths – Journey Begins 1**

**_August 27, 2077 _**

_'Cousin Esperanza. Sorry for the delay, but finally things have slowed a little here. The Quidditch World Cup finals begin in two weeks, but everything is pretty much ready. As expected, the Raptors didn't make the finals, but the L.A. Pterosaurs made it, knocking Ireland out of this year's games. Jonny's still upset his team lost, but they played a good game and hopefully they'll have better luck next year.'_

_'I was assembling this packet and decided to include my mom's diaries concerning what she was doing while Dad was away even though it doesn't pertain to New Krypton. But I think Mom's experiences may be just as interesting – she didn't just sit and wait for Dad to come home.' _

_'Give my regards to your mom and dad, Jason, Charlie and Sam and their families. Hope to hear back from you soon. Maybe you can send me a copy of your mom's diaries, assuming she agrees, of course. I think it would be interesting to compare their experiences.' _

_'Your cousin, Martha'_

* * *

**_From Lois Lane's Diary: September 30, 1996 _**

_It was nice, staying the weekend with Clark's parents. I think they are missing him more than I am, if that's possible. Martha and I both broke down at the airport, hugging each other as we said our good byes. Poor Jonathan was so embarrassed, the two of us hugging and crying in the middle of the Kansas City airport._

_We've already made plans for Thanksgiving, assuming I can get time away from work. With Clark gone I know my work load is going to be a lot heavier, especially since I plan to ask Perry to let me take up Maggie's offer. I think a series on how the SCU works and how they're coping will make a great series, maybe even a book. The SCU will be trying to pick up the slack, now that Superman isn't around. It's funny. When Superman was around, Maggie complained he was a vigilante. Now she has to figure out how to cover for his absence._

_I hope he's okay. I hope Clark can come home soon._

**_From Clark Kent's personal journal: September 30, 1996 _**

_Ching suggested I take today a little easy. I'm not used to living without my powers and I keep scraping myself on the furniture. Plus the gravity is a little higher than Earth-normal and it may take a few more days until my body adapts. He also suggested I do more reading on the history of Krypton. I'm more interested in how New Krypton functions. _

_I told Kela my plans to walk around the estate and she warned me to stay within the bounds of the dome – I hadn't even realized the estate was under a dome. Kela couldn't explain how it worked, only that it protects them from the hard radiation from the sun. The planet doesn't have a magnetic field, so the dome fulfills much the same function, blocking harmful radiation and converting it to visible light._

_The walk was tiring, but also enlightening. The colony seems to be a strange combination of extremely high tech and outright primitivism. The fields are plowed with a combination of animal labor and old-style tractors Dad would understand. Much of the extremely sophisticated equipment that was brought here during the 'last days' is already failing. The colony would have been better off if they'd brought along a 'mister fixit' like Jimmy or my mom instead of me._

**_Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998 _**

_Ching recommended that Kal spend the day after the fealty ceremony resting and getting briefed on his new positions within New Krypton society. This gave me the opportunity to explore the estate to some extent. _

_Kela warned me to stay inside the protective dome. The dome is similar to the one Lor used to entrap Smallville and is designed to keep out harmful radiation from the New Krypton's sun. Earth is protected by its magnetic field but New Krypton doesn't have a magnetic field so must use technology to do the same thing. The dome also converts the incoming ionizing radiation to visible light – it's far brighter under the dome than it is outside. _

_Trips outside the estate domes entail using a shuttle, or wearing a heavy radiation suit, or using one of the underground transport tubes. Transportation within the domes is by foot, rickshaw, something that resembles a tricycle, and riding an animal called a hesha. It resembles a heavy horse with horns and cloven hooves and is used in plowing fields and pulling wagons. Its milk is used for food – the cheese is soft and heavily aromatic. It is considered a delicacy._

_The colony itself seems to be a strange combination of extremely high tech and outright primitivism. The fields are plowed with a combination of animal labor and old-style tractors. But the colony has interstellar travel and anti-gravity shuttles Much of the extremely sophisticated equipment that was brought here during the 'last days', such as diagnostic computers and replicating machines, is already falling into disrepair and the colony must contract out to neighboring worlds for the expertise needed to repair them._

_Despite Lor's claims of Kryptonian technological and societal superiority, the protective domes and FTL travel are about the only truly advanced technology that can't be found in any third world nation on Earth._

_The colony's population is currently at close to 50,000 souls. About twenty percent of that is children under fourteen who are too young to work at a trade, although even very young children are expected to help in whatever ways they can. _

_About ten percent of the population is either too old or handicapped to work at a trade. Those who are mentally capable become teachers and child care workers. On my walk to the house of the mining master I saw children about kindergarten age tending the planting beds in front of their houses. They were being watched by elders in dark robes who nodded as I passed. The children simply stared. I am no doubt the first 'stranger' they've ever seen._

_"Tanth Kent?" an older man I recognized from the fealty ceremony greeted me. "I am Mik-Van, welcome to my home."_

"Thank you," Clark said following Mik-Van's gesture and entering the building. This was the first time he'd entered a private home. It was also the first time since his arrival that he'd been allowed to escape the watchful eyes of Ching and Moro. The room he'd been ushered into was small and utilitarian and Clark realized it was probably only an office. A door at the back of the room no doubt led to more personal areas of the house although it was hard to tell. Except for the manor, the buildings all seemed so small. Much of the manor was actually underground and he suspected it was the same for the other buildings.

His suspicion was confirmed a few moments later when Mik-Van said, "I am honored at your presence I my home… come, my wife has prepared tea for us." As he spoke he opened the other door to reveal a short hallway and a staircase leading down. Clark followed Mik-Van down the steps into a large and brightly-lit common room. Other chambers branched off the main room – work rooms, sleep areas, even a classroom of sorts.

An older woman nodded in greeting to Mik-Van and Clark. She poured a hot beverage into delicate porcelain cups then stood back as Mik-Van and Clark sat and sampled the drink. Mik-Van nodded and the woman hurried away.

"Your wife isn't joining us?" Clark asked. Mik-Van shook his head.

"She has other duties."

'And baby-sitting a newbie lordling isn't one of them,' Clark thought. Aloud he said, "Tanth Van, I've been reading about Krypton, and New Krypton, at least what I've been given, to try to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing, how everything fits together. I'm told the mining guild is the largest and most powerful of the guilds, and you, Tanth Van, are the master of the mining guild."

Mik-Van smiled gently. "I am one of the many mining masters in the guild. I oversee the mining of ores within the area governed by the House of El. I am also charged with seeing to the training of new mining masters and the safety of the mines within the other estates."

"So, you're _not_ the head of the mining guild?"

"Not in the way I'm sure you mean," Mik-Van said. He poured them both more tea. It was aggravating. Clark wasn't even sure what questions he needed to ask to get the information he wanted. He didn't even know exactly what other people thought he knew or didn't know. He was reminded of a short story he'd read in high school about engineers trying to figure out an alien installation, even though they had a copy of the instruction manual – in Martian. The one piece of information they needed was the one they didn't have – the _purpose_ of the facility. He felt like one of those engineers.

"Tanth Van, maybe it would be helpful if I told you how things are run where I was raised…"

"The realm known as America?" Mik-Van asked.

Clark was surprised Mik-Van knew about that. He'd been given the impression that few people knew where Jor-El had sent his son. "Yes, America. In America, the government, the rulers and ruling bodies, are elected. We, they, choose their leaders periodically, usually about once every four years according to rules set out in a document called the Constitution. It describes how the government should be set up, describes the rights of individuals, things the government shouldn't do, like take people's property away without cause or compensation."

"This realm does not have Great Houses or lords? Who protects the land, the people?"

"The law and the people entrusted to uphold that law. They give their fealty to the law, to their duty to uphold the Constitution, not to any individual."

"And this system works?" Mik-Van asked. He sounded like he didn't quite believe Clark's explanation.

"It's more complicated than it sounds, and doesn't always work as well as we'd like," Clark admitted. "But it does work."

"Krypton was a world of law, not quite as you describe, but a world of law, nonetheless," Mik-Van said.

"And New Krypton?"

"A corrupted dream," Mik-Van said.

**_Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998 _**

_I was able to spend several hours with Mik-Van as he tried to answer my questions about how New Krypton is governed, the economy, how things fit together. _

_On New Krypton, the Great Houses and Minor Houses are roughly equivalent to old European dukedoms. The Great Houses control, 'own,' the arable land, which means they control the food supply as well as the travel routes through their demesnes. This arrangement is upheld by tradition as well as force – the 'aristocrats' are the only people allowed possession of weapons more complex than a drei. This is in contrast with Old Krypton, where the peace-keepers (police) were among the few allowed to carry arms and the Great Houses did not control agriculture or land per se, but had economic resources at their command, much like large family owned corporations._

_Unlike the early fiefdoms, the people who work the land are not peasants, but free tenant-farmers. In theory, any of the tenants could choose to break their 'lease' and move themselves and their families to another estate, but in practice there's not enough land to go around – there's no place they can go except to the guilds._

_The guilds - mining, building, healing, transportation, and others - are another portion of the power equation of New Krypton. The guilds control and develop the needed technologies and handle manufacturing and craft work. But the guilds only research what they need to – there is no such thing as research for the sake of simple knowledge. Apparently, this was even true of Old Krypton. Science and technology were not linked in the same way as they are on Earth._

_The guilds are the closest thing that New Krypton has to a middle class. Acceptance into a guild is based on merit and aptitude. Periodically the guild recruiters go to all the schools and recruit the best and brightest of the older children to join their ranks for training. At this time a child's general education ends and specialized education begins. Those not chosen for guild training remain on the estates to become retainers for the manor or work the fields with their parents. Members of the Houses have their own specialized training – although it is more general that that offered by the guilds – liberal arts as opposed to trade school. But even then, many of the Great Houses send their children to study with the guilds – Kara Zor-El, Kal-El's cousin, was studying to become a healer when she and her mother were killed._

_Rulership of the Houses is hereditary but the guilds are more democratic. While advancement within each guild is based on merit, each guild is governed by an elected board, which in turn elects one of their number to be Guildmaster. The Guildmaster has the 'honor' of interfacing with the masters of the Houses._

_The third part of the power equation consists of the Temple and religious leaders. On Earth, the Church in Europe, in many ways, evolved parallel with and in opposition to the Crown. Much of European history came about as a result of the tension between the fragmented and secular powers of the various kings and the imperial designs of the religious hierarchy headquartered in Rome and other places._

_On Old Krypton the power of the religious evolved differently than in Western Europe. More like Buddhism, Taoism, or Shinto. _

_Rao was and is the name of Krypton's sun as well as the name of the creator god._

_According to Kryptonian legend, Rao looked out at the universe after its creation and realized that for all its beauty, he was alone and he was lonely. So he spread his seed throughout the universe. Most worlds were too hot or too cold for his seed to sprout properly, but there were some where his seed sprouted and grew and thrived. But of all the worlds, only on Krypton did Rao's seed grow straight and tall and only on Krypton did his children look up and know their father._

_The priests of Rao have traditionally been advisors to the Great Houses as well as the guilds. More importantly, the priests interpreted the laws enacted by the council of elders and acted as judges in all but the most serious crimes. They fulfill the same function on New Krypton with an additional duty: the priesthood handles the education of the children too young to go to the guild schools. _

It was late when Clark got back to the manor. Kela had a meal prepared and Ching was waiting.

"I understand you had a fulfilling first day among your people," Ching said.

"Tanth Van was very helpful in explaining things, so yes it was," Clark told him, sitting down to eat. Whatever Kela had made smelled great. "I still have questions, of course," Clark added. "But I think things are getting clearer."

Clark gestured for Ching to sit.

"Good," Ching said, ignoring Clark's gesture. "The Lady Elesa wishes to see you and Lady Zara tomorrow after first service. Lady Elesa indicated she wanted to see how you were adapting. New Krypton _is_ quite a change from Earth."

"Well, I admit, it is different," Clark admitted. "But I'm not as tired as I have been. Although I probably couldn't take you one on one, _yet_."

At that Ching unwound enough to actually grin at him. "We will have a practice session after Lights Down. In the meantime, I need you to review tomorrow's ceremony at Temple."

"I've been told both my uncles were very involved in the Temple," Clark began. He looked up at Ching again. "Will you please sit down?"

Ching looked uncomfortable. "It is not…"

"Protocol be hanged. It's just us here," Clark stated. "Please… sit."

Ching sat in the chair opposite him, folding his hands over the folder he'd brought with him. He looked uncomfortable.

"Have you eaten yet?" Clark asked.

"I will eat when…" Ching began.

"When I'm done," Clark completed for him. "Well, new rule. When it's just us, I see no reason why we can't have a civilized meal together. I doubt the power structure of New Krypton will collapse."

Ching didn't look convinced.

"Besides, given how often assassinations on Earth are committed by the palace guards… I figure it's a good security precaution. You're less likely to poison me if you and your grandparents are eating out of the same dishes as I am." Clark smiled to take the sting out of his words. He was heartened to see Ching grin back at him.

"We could simply take the antidote," Ching suggested. Kela gave him a dark look as she placed a filled dish in front of him.

"And you would be the prime suspects if it's found in your systems," Clark retorted.

"You could fall prey to a training accident…" Ching suggested, but his tone indicated he was joking.

"Ah, but you are too clever for that," Clark added, also joking. His tone turned more serious. "So, what about this ceremony tomorrow?"

Ching sighed. "I know you are not an adherent of Rao, so…" Ching began.

"I've attended enough religious services on Earth so that, with a little coaching, I shouldn't embarrass you or Zara," Clark told him.

"It isn't that," Ching admitted. "Tomorrow you and Lady Zara are to publically proclaim your fealty to one another as husband and wife."

"I thought we did that on the ship on the way here."

"You did," Ching said. "But Zara's advisors believe it would be politically advantageous if you did so again, at Temple. They are hoping that a public ceremony will put Nor's objections to rest."

"And what do you think?"

Ching looked straight at him. "I think it will give Nor even more reason to kill you."

**_From Lois Lane's Diary: October 1, 1996_**

_This wasn't an easy day, going back to work without Clark – I kept looking over at his desk, wanting to ask questions and he wasn't there. Your normal couple would be spending time double checking the wedding arrangements, talking to the caterer, that sort of thing. Instead, I'm wondering if I even have a fiancé, whether Zara has had her way, or if Nor found a way to kill him already._

_Luckily, Perry had some simple assignments for me and, to my surprise, agreed to let me spend time with the SCU. He agreed it would make a good series about how the MPD's elite are trained and how the police are adapting to Superman being gone._

_I spent the afternoon going through the 'standard' SCU vetting process – physical checkup and the first-stage psychological tests. I think Maggie was surprised I came even close to passing this set of tests but I did. Granted, it was with the lowest admissible marks, but I did pass. I start training next Monday._

_The silver-lining to all this is that the Wedding Destroyer won't be coming after Clark and me. Myrtle Beech escaped Belle Reve Mental Hospital last night and a copy of our wedding announcement was found in her room after her escape was discovered. I feel sorry for whoever she chooses as her next victims. The woman is simply vicious and I consider it one of the high-points of working with Clark that we were able to put her away before she killed someone._

_On the other hand, the only reason Leo Nunk is alive is that it's against the law to declare open season on sleaze-bags. I cannot believe he wrote that about me! 'REPORTER STILL SEARCHING FOR LOST MIND!' indeed. It's my life. Clark and I declined to comment and I'd hoped that would have been the end of it. I'd sue if I thought it would do any good._

_Oh yes. Lucy arrived and is staying in my spare bedroom until she and her fiancé get a place. Ron seems like a nice guy. Turns out he's a journalist and he's hoping to get hired on at the Planet. Mom is beside herself. My wedding gets cancelled and now Lucy needs to get married in a hurry since the baby is due in a month. (Something she forgot to tell anybody about.) Maybe it's a good thing Mom 'forgot' to cancel the chapel and the caterers._

The tests had been exhausting, but Lois knew from the quirk in Maggie Sawyer's lip that her scores hadn't been _too_ bad. At least there was a good chance Lois wouldn't end up embarrassing the department while she was on board.

She wrote up her notes and headed for the Planet to check in with Perry. It had been a long day and she needed a caffeine fix – unbelievably, the SCU's coffee was even worse than the newsroom's. She'd stopped after one cup and now wanted something chocolate and frothy.

The man at the coffee stand made her mocha exactly as she liked it and she gratefully sipped it. She warmed her hands on the cup as the liquid warmed her insides.

Someone had left a copy of the National Inquisitor on the condiment shelf. The front page screamed 'REPORTER STILL SEARCHING FOR LOST MIND!' and had a photo of her below it, looking wild and disheveled. The accompanying article carried Leo Nunk's byline.

"Lois!" someone shouted. She looked up to see Nunk crossing the street. A shaved rat in a silk suit accompanied by another rat in jeans.

"Hello, Nunk."

Nunk nodded to the paper in Lois's hand. "What's this? A reassessment of my work?"

"Nope... just looking for a birdcage."

"Birdcage, that's good. Glad I had the recorder running," Nunk said, showing her the microcassette recorder in his hand. "Anything else you'd like to say for the record?"

Lois smiled insincerely at him. "Yes. For the record, you should get yourself to Harvard - that's a college in Boston? And turn yourself over to the science lab as a scientific breakthrough: the newly-discovered, one of a kind, lowest form of life, in the known universe."

She turned to leave, dropping her copy of the Inquisitor into the trash can as she turned.

"I wonder if you've heard about Myrtle Beech," Nunk said. "The, uh, Wedding Destroyer?"

Lois stopped at looked back at him.

"She's out," Nunk added. "Out and about. You and your boyfriend put her away didn't you? Sure you got nothing to say?"

"I have nothing to say," Lois stated as firmly as she could. Nunk didn't seem to get the message.

"Listen, I feel for you. You just can't get a break. Amnesia, living with Lex – hey, that musta kinda burned your boyfriend a little, huh? You whacked and shacked with your old fiancé? Of course he had that hot little lizard-eatin' clone to do the Frug with…"

Lois whirled to face him. He wasn't much taller than she was and she was wearing heels. "Listen. Get something straight. Clones eat frogs. Not lizards. _Frogs_. Any idiot knows that! Of course, you're not just any idiot, are you? And if you're trying to scare me… I'm not getting married anytime soon, so I doubt Myrtle Beech gives a rat's ass about me."

"Oh yeah," Nunk said as if he was just now remembering. "Kent took off with Superman. Bet that burned you a little? Your fiancé taking off to see hotties on another planet?"

Lois took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to get arrested for beating him up on her first day with the SCU. "Nunk, I'm going to keep this as simple as possible for you and even then I'm sure you won't get it, but most of the reputable journalists I know would have killed to have had the opportunity Clark was given, to see an alien world. I would have done anything to go, but my fiancé was the one they chose." She turned away from him once again.

"How long to you plan to wait for him?" Nunk demanded.

"How long did Penelope wait?" Lois asked without turning around.

"Who?"

"Odysseus's wife," Lois answered. "How long did she wait?"

"Twenty years," Nunk's companion answered. Lois thought his name was Lamont. She nodded and walked away. Behind her, she could hear Lamont defending himself to Nunk, telling him the story of Odysseus and Penelope. Nunk still didn't get it.

Lois shuddered. Myrtle Beech was out and was no doubt looking for victims. Lois just hoped that with her and Clark's wedding delayed indefinitely that The Wedding Destroyer wouldn't bother with her. But Lucy and Ron could well be targets. Who knew what went on in the head of a madwoman?

**_From Clark Kent's personal journal: Day 3_**

_My watch is useless. The hours don't line up. Earth has a twenty-four hour day and New Krypton has a __ten hour day. Actually that's not quite true. Old Krypton's day was just a little longer than Earth's, but they measured time differently and. New Krypton uses the same measurements.  
_

_Kela has put my watch away for safekeeping, but I have a suspicion it's also to take away reminders of Earth, of home. I miss it so much. I miss Mom and Dad, and Perry and Jimmy and the gang, even Ralph. But most of all, I miss Lois._

_She probably went back to work today. She was talking to Maggie Sawyer about a series on the SCU. Maybe that'll come together for her. If I was home, Lois and I would be double-checking the wedding arrangements for next Sunday. With our luck, Myrtle Beech would have escaped to try to ruin it and we'd end up flying to Vegas or Reno to tie the knot._

_Instead, Zara and I had to stand up in temple for the same ceremony Trey conducted on the ship. Even the robes were the same – Chinese red with gold brocade, Zara's with a red train. The one difference was that this time she wore the red and gold headdress so that her hair was completely covered. Apparently that is the mark of a married woman._

_Nor showed up at temple to watch. Apparently he__ doesn't come to temple very often and there was a bit of commotion as the temple guards made sure Nor and his men weren__'t carrying weapons other than knives. Overall the ceremony did what Zara hoped it would do __–__ publically cement the __relationship __between our two houses._

_After the ceremony and the religious service, Zara and I went to Lord Trey's estate. It__'s newer __and smaller __than my estate (it feels odd to write it __–__ my __estate) but the manor house is more ornate. __ Lady Elesa checked me over and declared I was adapting well. Then I donated a sperm sample. Lady Elesa checked that as well. She thinks there should be no problem getting Zara pregnant._

_She also admitted there had been some doubt as to the viability of my sperm. No one has ever studied the long term effects of yellow sun radiation on Kryptonians and there was some __worry__ that the radiation may have affected my reproductive capacity. Those concerns have now been put to rest. __We should know within a few days whether or not Zara has conceived._

_I feel sorry for Ching. At least Lois isn't here to watch me go through the motions of being married to another woman. Ching not only has to watch Zara acting as my wife, but he has to protect me and train me to be the leader his people need.__ I wish there was something I could do. He's a good man._

_I'm worried about Nor. He kept staring at Zara all through the ceremony. He still reminds me of Luthor – His unhealthy fixation on Lois and his lust for power. Luthor would stop at nothing to get his way and I think Nor is cut from the same cloth._

**_Excerpted from 'A Year on New Krypton' by Clark Kent © 1998 _**

_Old Krypton was about the same size as Earth, althou__g__h its __astronomical __year__ was much longer. (About 98 Earth years to complete an orbit.) __New Krypton is __a little larger than Earth with a surface gravity __about ten percent __higher than Earth normal.__ New Krypton's year is a few minutes longer than eighteen Earth days. Since New Krypton is tide-locked, the term __'__day__' __actually has little meaning. Day and night are markings on a clock, although the domes are darkened at 'night'. Many plants, even Kryptonian ones, are photoperiodic and don't do well without a period of darkness._

_Telling time: _

_The smallest non-scientific time unit is the _thrib_, roughly the length of an Earth second. One hundred _thribo_ make a _dendar_, or minute.__ One hundred _dendaro_ make a _wolu_ (hour) and ten _woluo_ make a _zetyar_ or day._

_The Kryptonian week__,__or _fanff_, __was six_ zetyaro_ long.__ Seventy-three _fanffo_ made an __short _amzet_ of __438 _zetyaro_. Also seventy-three _zetyaro_ made a _lorax_ or month. __Seventy __short _amzet_ made an astronomical year__, called an _amzet_ (as opposed to a short _amzet_.)_

_New Krypton uses the thrib, dendar, wolu, zetyar, fanff, lorax, and amzet. Three fanffo make an astronomical year but generally the astronomical year is ignored except for those few who have an interest in astronomy and the star ship pilots. An amzet is 438 zetyaro. Since no one can see the stars unless they travel to the dark side of the planet, there are no seasons and no moons, it doesn't matter that time-keeping has no relationship to the reality of the planet._

_The temple and its servants are in charge of time-keeping for the colony. Bells or chimes are rung to mark each wolu and half-wolu and the chimes are synchronized throughout the colony. Each estate has a small temple with a priest or priestess and maybe one or two acolytes who run the 'pre-schools' for the estates._

_The main temple in Nehro is, naturally, the largest religious building in the colony. It's a large white, almost cubical, building protected by a high stone wall and is part of a complex with offices, dormitories, and a school. The priests and priestesses are trained there and the senior priests also function as the colony's arbitrators and judges. _

_Public religious services are held once a fanff at second wolu. The temple is also one of the few places where all New Kryptonians are considered equal. The only bowing or kneeling done in temple is to honor Rao._

_The service itself would be familiar enough to Earthly church-goers. A call to prayer, religious lessons, a lecture on Rao's love and the laws of humanity, a call for community with breaking bread, dismissal. _

_Lady Zara's advisors suggested that she and Lord Kal repeat the ceremony that was conducted on the ship and also pledge their fealty to one another. The advisors felt it might moderate some of the negative statements Nor's people have been making about Zara's and Kal's intentions concerning their marriage. Since Lady Zara and Lord Kal were to publically state their fealty to one another, they brought the bread and salt that was to be used for the bread breaking ceremony. _

_Nor and his men tried to cause problems when they entered the temple to watch the ceremony. As in many places on Earth, the temple is not only considered sacred territory, it is neutral territory. No weapons other than the ceremonial knives the lords are allowed to carry are permitted within the temple walls. Nor didn't want to give up his weapons. He seemed to think it was an affront for a 'lord' to be forced by 'mere priests' to abide by the rules everyone else takes for granted. Luckily, Jen-Mai was able to talk him into cooperating before the situation became even uglier._

_Zara and Kal wore the same Chinese red and gold brocade robes as they had for the ceremony on the ship. This time, however, Zara wore her red and gold headdress. Apparently married women, especially high ranking married women, do not expose their hair in public. I didn't make this connection this yesterday on my walk through Lord Kal's estate, although I did see that most of the adult women were wearing scarves or turbans. Yet another sign that women have been relegated to a second class status in this culture?_

_Kal and Zara processed to the central altar, carrying their offering of bread and salt. It was accepted by the high priest and the blessing said over it before Kal and Zara shared a small piece of the now salted bread. Then the bread was handed out to the rest of the worshipers._

_Nor and his closest companions made a show of refusing to partake, although I noticed that Jen-Mai and his people had no problem with taking part. Jen-Mai even looked a little worried at how Nor was acting. _

_The rest of the people seemed pleased with Lord Kal and Lady Zara's offering and their promises of loyalty to each other and to New Krypton. They were greeted warmly as they stood with the priests at the temple entrance after the service. Greeted by everyone except Nor, of course. He refused to even look at them as he left._

_After the services Lord Kal, Lady Zara, Ching, and I took the shuttle to Lord Trey's estate to have a meal and for Kal and me to see Lady Elesa for a checkup._

_Like Lord Kal's estate, Lord Trey's estate reminds me of a Southern plantation – large manor house surrounded by fields and smaller buildings. But while the buildings on the El estate are constructed of native stone, the buildings on the Ar estate appear to be of man-made materials – concrete, ceramic, and some sort of plastic. The estate also doesn't appear as large, although the buildings are newer and more ornate._

_Historically, the manor house on the El estate was the first permanent building built for the colony. It was a point of pride for those first brave souls to build their future homes out of the native rock._

_Inside, Lord Trey's home was as ornate as the ship had been – draperies and tapestries, ornate rugs on the polished floors. The meal was simple, similar to one Kela would have prepared for Lord Kal and me. A thin soup then a meat dish with a starch and some vegetables I don't know the name of._

_Lady Elesa's examination of both Lord Kal and me was brief. We are both adapting well to New Krypton's environment. She was surprised that I was doing so well, being a mere Earthling, but I've always kept myself in good shape so the increased gravity doesn't bother me as much as it might someone else. _

_The one concern she has is dietary. Humans and Kryptonians have slightly different dietary requirements. We don't know if the food here has the proper amino acids, minerals, and vitamins for me. It's something no one thought of before we left Earth so she doesn't have access to the medical and nutritional information that would tell her if my diet here is adequate. _

_She will be monitoring me closely, just as she is monitoring Zara. We are all hoping Zara conceives soon so that the matter of Kal-El's heir can be resolved._

**_From Lois Lane's Diary: October 2, 1996_**

_Mom is taking Lucy's situation quite well, considering everything. She's getting a son-in-law and a grandchild at almost the same time. Dad won't admit it, but he's glad Lucy has decided to move back to Metropolis, even under these circumstances. Lucy thought she was going to be consoling me after Clark's 'abandoning' me for the story of a lifetime. But I'm the one holding _her_ hand while Mom goes gaga over last minute wedding rearrangements._

_I'm not sure what to tell them about The Wedding Destroyer. I'm trying not to panic. I'm trying to convince myself that Beech is just trying to scare me._

Based on Lois's previous experience with Myrtle Beech, Perry assigned the follow-up stories on The Wedding Destroyer to her. But it was going to be hard without Clark. She'd gotten used to relying on his 'special' abilities. But she'd been an award winning journalist before she met him and she hadn't lost her touch. She hoped.

"You know, if she's smart, she'll leave the country," Jimmy was saying to Perry. Lois wasn't paying much attention to them as she reviewed her past notes on Myrtle Beech.

A uniformed messenger stopped beside her desk. "Lois Lane?"

She finally looked up. "Yes?"

"Sign here, please," he said, holding out a clipboard and pointing to the required line. She initialed the spot and he handed her a package. She read the address label: TO: L.L., FROM: T.W.D.

Jimmy peered at it over her shoulder. "The Wedding Destroyer." He sounded worried.

Lois began to rip the package open.

"Now hold on," Perry nearly yelled. "We oughta get the bomb squad double quick..."

"Beech has to know by now that my wedding's been cancelled," Lois stated as she finished opening the package. Inside was a small cassette recorder.

Perry breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the recorder in Lois's hands. "You took an awful chance there..."

Lois pressed the 'play' button. The Wedding March began to play from the tinny little speaker. Then came the sound of a man crying. Then more men crying. A woman joined in, followed by more women. A wailing chorus of sorrow. Lois shut it off.

"Well, if she wants to worry me, she's doing a pretty good job," Lois commented. "But I'm betting she's just gloating because my wedding's already gone down the tubes. _Without_ her help."

"But what about your sister?" Perry asked.

Lois sighed. Perry was right. Beech might not be able to wreck Lois's wedding, but Lucy could well be just as good a target.

"Okay, fine. She wants to go after me, I'm going after her," Lois announced. "Jimmy, pull every nano-byte we have on that… that…"

"You got it."

* * *

**Swear To God, This Time We're Not Kidding** was written by John McNamara


End file.

Lois and Clark, Sci-Fi