Wow again.
I know, I'm being redundant, but this was so very powerful. What will the review board do to Lok Sim? Will Talan be able to penetrate Clark's defenses before he leaves to return to Earth? If so, will something else happen (like a simple kiss) that will make him feel even more guilty?
So, they can't take him back to Earth. He has to ride a capsule, one which recalls his first journey to Earth as an infant. How ironic. And, at least to his mind, he's not going back as Superman, but as a fraud, a hollow shell of an icon, a poor substitute for the real thing.
I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next chapter, Rac. This is one of my favorite stories ever, and I can hardly wait to find out what happens next, not unlike the old Saturday morning movie serials (which I remember from my very young days of childhood).
