The invasion was over and those trusted Kryptonians worked with humans to rebuild the world that had been devastated.
The criminal Kryptonians were locked up and disabled, awaiting punishment – death, as asserted by humanity and those Kryptonians that had aided the resistance were asked to remain and help in accordance to human leadership. The rest left under close watch of those who remained, ensuring no stray potentially villainous sorts remained.
Lex Luthor had properties all around the world and he freely opened them up havens to his fellow humans. Although a difficult man, working to free his home world from invasion had nudged him towards true more selfless tendencies.
Kal-El was in his private office, a space different from the one his clone had occupied. Although he knew that spaces couldn’t hold memories and thoughts, every place his clone had occupied was filled with echoes of pain and fear. He refused to go near the clone’s sleeping chamber.
There was a knock, and moved to the door, opening it, and stepping back, as was his current habit. He knew it was Lois, and he didn’t want to crowd her, ever. She was remarkable. He knew she feared and probably hated him, but she was able to deal with the current events with remarkable aplomb.
“I think I’m as strange a sight as you are,” she said to him, trying to break the tension that appeared whenever they were together – for her sake, more than his. “I’m supposed to be dead. Perhaps they think I’m going to eat their brains?”
He regarded her gravely a moment, and then dropped his gaze – not a ‘leader-like’ action, but knowing why he did it made him seem even more of a leader than ever before. His consideration of his clone’s victims would always supersede his training as Lord Kal-El.
“It was supposed to be a joke.”
“I … yes. It is funny. “
“I didn’t really expect to amuse you,” she said, feeling her own answering horror at memories her own words invoked. “Agh. Bad choice of words.”
“I believe you are trying to make me feel less nervous,” he said. “I appreciate it – however I do not deserve your consideration in this, or any matter.”
“Is that what I did it for,” she asked aloud. “I don’t know. I thought I was trying to make myself feel better. Honestly, I still cant be with you like this without wanting to run away.” She was grateful for her time with both Clarks. They had, by their earth-raised behavior, enabled her to interact with Kal-El as if he wasn’t a dangerous threat. She reminded herself that she would never ever cringe or cower. If someone wanted her dead, they would kill her as she faced them with spitting defiance. She would never break again.
He nodded, making brief eye contact and then dropping his gaze.
“Okay, look at me, all right,” she said in frustration.
He did and she gave him a mirthless smile.
“Are you afraid of what you have to do?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. I didn’t expect you to say that.”
“The people I face today were directly harmed by him. My own clone, who I enabled by being naïve. I am afraid to face them. I am afraid of their hatred and scorn, but more so – I am afraid of their pain and fear.”
“That’s good. That will help them face you. Only way beyond this moment is to endure it. “
“I know. And when I think of how brave you are, it shames me to feel these feelings. Of course, that is why I answered honestly. With you I will never try to hide the truth of my feelings. I owe it to you – you are why I am free.”
“I didn’t rescue you .”
“You made the resistance a force to be reckoned with.”
“I got lucky. An extra dimensional time traveller saved you. Without Herb and the two Clarks... we would still be in trouble.”
“You will not change my mind – this is how I feel.”
She smiled briefly again.
“Okay, then. Then i’ll take this for what it is. I can’t lend you strength, but I will be there. And you will survive. “
"I - am grateful - beyond grateful that you are here. It must fill you with a lot of terrible memories," he said hesitantly.
"I came here by my own volition," she answered, her tone clipped.
He nodded, his eyes showing his discomfort at having possibly provoked her.
"No seriously - this was my choice - I had to come here to conquer him. I never was in this particular space with him - this room."
He shuddered. "I was not able to go - to the places he called his own. I - have not had the courage."
"You can only torture yourself so much, Kal-El. If others see you near his rooms, then you will frighten them. It will feel like he's back. Comfort yourself with knowing that, and accept whatever relief it brings you."
"Thank you for that, Lois."
"I'm really good at finding self-justifications when I feel badly about things."
"At the risk of upsetting you, I do not agree with that. You are really accomplished at doing whatever you must - regardless of how terrible the experience will be. You are a role-model to me."
She gave him a grim smile. She knew that she'd had a shoot-first-ask-questions-later
where his doppelgangers were concerned. But perhaps she didn't have to work too hard to justify that feeling.
"I am ready to do this," he added into her silence.
A space, a formerly large ballroom in it’s old pre-invasion days, was filled with people – a large percentage women. And unlike a normal large gathering of people, was deathly quiet. No silent murmuring, no nervous laughter – just the silence of those who wished to be unnoticed. Kal-El knew for sure that some of the women who were there would have been in the place where he had gone and pretended to be his clone – where he had demanded Zara’s attendance on him. He felt sick at the memory. Putting on the other man’s skin had been revolting.
The doors were open, anyone could leave at will – but these people had been enslaved long enough to know not to leave without being told that they could.
Kal-El came in and moved into a central area where others had been told to expect him. The immediate upswing of fear tormented his neural pathways. He put up his guards immediately. It didn’t help. He could see, hear and smell the fear.
“I thank you for allowing me to speak with you,” he started out , keeping his voice relaxed and non-demanding. He knew Lois was out there, and waiting to step forward if she felt it necessary – but for now, she was keeping herself incognito.
“I do not wish to make matters worse, so I will just deliver to you our intent – we have put all those who invaded your world in a prison – and they will never be able to harm you again. The rest of us are leaving as soon as we can. Our presence here is only to help rebuild what we have destroyed – and we answer to earth authority. “
Nobody answered – the eerie and horrible silence continued. He looked down, unable to deal with looking at them all, but then he noticed they were all looking down as well.
“I will leave now – I do not wish to make things worse. I am always willing to speak with anyone, no matter what anyone wishes to say to me. “
He turned to leave, and he felt the waves of relief at his departure. The fear, the overwhelmingly sickening fear, had enraged him. He was afraid of showing that rage and making things worse.
Last edited by L; 03/19/17 08:06 AM.
