Thank you is so inadequate. I know I say the same things over and over. This is so fun. You guys are so smart and insightful, yakkety, yak, etc...
But I repeat myself because I
mean it!!
Ok. To the comments. And again... these are so great, so smart (you know the drill)
Okay, it was a deli, but bakeries sell bagels too...
First of all, I love that Wendy found that connection. I would never have seen it. Along with the idea the bakery front could be an homage to the Revelation.
I have to tell you, I went back and looked at my other fics. I don't want to get specific, but I've noticed there is a peculiar underlying theme to most of my work. And it involves baked goods. Donuts, most specifically. But pie, pastries, pancakes. They all show up. The deeper meaning: I don't eat enough carbs, so I fantasize about them, apparently.
But enough about me. Good grief!
Since this is Lois doing the musing, I can't help but wonder if "models" refers to the carriages or the babies...
*Loved* this. And, of course, she meant the carriages, since Utopian babies are much improved. Colic is not allowed. Far too impolite to scream for hours at frazzled young parents.
I believe you meant "flair" there.
Darn it, yes I did. And thank you for the catch.
A juicy one:
I keep finding myself confused by these mentions of people coming from outside Utopia. From Wells, I'd gotten the impression that Utopia was planet-wide. I'm not really sure I can see a sheltered community like this existing in anything but an all but self-contained area. That means either a small remote spot or an entire planet. Certainly not a single city with popular tourist attractions. So... how big is Utopia, give or take?
I know I already waxed on about the baked good as minor fic theme, so I'll try to be brief, but yeah. This is something I really pondered. How big is Utopia? Does it encompass the globe? Is that even possible? Because no matter how great the ideals, how wonderful the society, could the entire planet ever *agree* to subscribe to one philosophy?
I decided probably not. And went with the idea that Utopia is born in Metropolis. That over the centuries it has grown and spread over most of the planet. I think I have Silas reflect he had 'heard of places that didnt' hold to Utopian ideals.' And I wanted it to seem that far off and vague. He couldn't have named a specific place to save his life, but he has an idea they do exist here and there. And that's how I see it. Like there's this island in the tropics full of casinos and capitalists and... hmmm...that's as far as I got on that.
So. Ok. Gads, I said I would keep this short. Why wouldn't Tempus just move there? I asked myself. Avoid Utopia all together and take refuge in one of these 'alleged' Utopia-free zones. And I decided that wouldn't be nearly as much fun for him. He would so much rather topple the whole thing. That's the challenge that really drives him.
There. How's that? (Besides too long?)
Moving on!
What's there to learn from a...perfect world?
So dead on, Jen. And you have managed to sum up 200 something pages in few words. Love that. I would steal it if I could figure out how to work it in. May I?
sorry for this gushing, sloppy post, I just can't help myself.
Totally my favorite kind, Liz!
Clark was reading articles about the evil media's response to his offspring...HIS BABIES you wrote. Well that's why I think he's really motivated in this particular instance, not that he's not always motivated to help, but he REALLY HAS to this time, his babies are counting on him.
Thank you for that, TeeeJ. I think that's exactly how it is. And I love that you saw that parallel. I hadn't thought of it.
And speaking of parallels. Thank you to Pam for flagging the "I've got you" one! Also, as one BR who has fallen far behind to another: no worries!
And now that I know that this started with a mere seed of five pages, I can never complain that any segment of this spectacular fic is too short again!
And also, because they aren't too short! Ever!
just really so great for Silas to hear all this. He *needs* to hear this, not just because it's great for him to hear family history straight from the source, but he needs to hear the driving force behind the original Superman because he needs that same drive.
Yes!
Andrus isn't the only dim one at Peacekeeper H.Q! Nobody commuicates with anybody! I love Madge, but she's blind too!
I can't disagree with this at all. Though, Madge was really raised in the matrix, so to speak. Hard to stop and see around the rules you've always lived by. I think she's throwing them off, though. And along with that, the blinders, too.
Although being trapped in the ballroom during the hostage situation triggered a world-wide revelation, having been trapped *outside* of the ballroom would have been worse. There was no way he could have gotten into the ballroom to rescue the hostages if he hadn't already been there; either he or the hostages would have been lost.
This goes back to WtWFO. And it really caught my attention. I don't think I'd ever thought of it that way. If Clark hadn't been trapped inside, how would he have saved everyone? Onaleia, that's so great. And it does make me question Silas warning Clark off. I'll have to think that over closely.
But I really would hate to see any major change in what Silas says - the more subtle the better.
And I do see what you're saying, Wendy. I wouldn't want Silas to tell Clark the big revelation. I don't think there is any way, at this point in his Superman career, he could hear that news as anything but devastating. Here's what I went with:
Clark had been listening intently, his mind swirling with questions and thoughts, too confused to makes sense of what Silas was telling him, or rather, what he wasn’t telling him. He eyed the tapestry he held closely, looked once more around the elaborate ballroom and tried to imagine it full of Lane-Kents...
"You're killing me," he blurted.
He was immediately sorry. Silas, who had been pulling out boxes of various sizes, turned an instantly contrite face towards his.
"I'm sorry. God. You're right. And it's not anything... really horrible. I mean, there were hostages, but-"
“It's ok, really," Clark interrupted hastily.
"You were great," Silas finished. "You should know that."
"Let's just... forget it," Clark said. "I keep asking and that's... my fault.”
It certainly wasn't Silas's fault. He knew that. And Clark was suddenly really glad he had been the one to accompany Silas on this fishing expedition. He could well imagine Lois's hands around their relative's throat by now, either choking the information from him or trying to kill him for dangling such tantalizing pieces of information in front of her.
"I'm sorry. Again. Let's just keep going," he prodded, since Silas was still looking worried and undecided.
"Or maybe I should tell you," Silas said quietly, instead.
It stays vague, but takes away what Artemis and Paul pointed out, that Clark might think he had died in there. Didn't want to put that burden on him on top of everything else. Or raise the suspicion in readers who haven't read the other fic.
Ok. So. I'm wordy. I apologize!
Thank you everyone for hanging in with me, though. I know I've said it, but really, I love this. So fun!!
CC
So when Silas actually started talking about the party, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Yes! Yes! Yes! They're looking for you! You're all in the same damn city! 
