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Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 569 Likes: 88
Columnist
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Columnist
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 569 Likes: 88 |
Chapter 11 lives here.And here's the TOC.Okay, so I swear that they do eventually kiss in this story.  Just not yet.  But this chapter should be just waffy and (almost) spicy enough to make up for that? Just leaving in many of the same little research notes: - There are more notes on the tombs and cave-ins coming in the author's reference notes with the epilogue, but just know that in reality, it would definitely have taken them a much longer time to be rescued than the 5-6 hour estimate that was shouted down to them; cave rescues are slow, deliberate operations that require both a high level of skill and team organization.
- Also, just a reminder of Clark's night-vision: there were a couple of points in the show where his night-vision seemed to be more impaired than his usual vision, so I took the show's cue and gave Clark vision that was much better in the dark than anyone else around him, but was not perfect. (And, of course, there's all that lead in the walls and rocks around them, which you can assume is also in any dust in the air.) That said, of course, Lois believes that he can't see her at all and is being very free with her facial expressions, so I'm finally throwing Clark a little life-preserver in interpreting what's happening in her mind during this story. So, for once, he's actually having the same conversation she is.
- Oh, and yes. Consistently using his powers for hours, with no sunlight should deplete his powers, based on that episode where they trap him in a silo during a burst of his energy to try to zap his powers without recharging them. So he is feeling that here. But, of course, he still get Lois out anyway.
Enormous thanks to 90stvfangirl who kindly agreed to beta this story! And to pacem for the extra grammar/spelling check!  I always appreciate any thoughts or comments on stories! Thanks for reading!
Looking forward to this summer's Location Challenge! Looks like stories are due around August 1st, and then polls open for voting! And don't forget about the 2026 fundraiser! Head over to the Fundraising page to donate or consider adding a story to the Keepsake Collection fundraising drive!
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,718 Likes: 24
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,718 Likes: 24 |
I love all the WAFF in this chapter. But I agree with Lois - they should have come back in 10 minutes.  I wonder what really happened to her leg. It's not just scraped, is it?  Whatever it is, I hope they can get help fast enough. Back to the mistery - I'm loving that, too - my suspects now are Gamal and Wahid. Maybe they are working together? Gamal makes the statues and Wahid helps to move them?  I need next part now!!  Andreia
"My wife's love is what unites Krypton and Earth in my heart. Without it, without her, I truly would be in hell."
~ Superman: Man of Tomorrow #15
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Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 201 Likes: 44
Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 201 Likes: 44 |
Now I have a new favorite chapter “Oh, tall, dark and handsome, I guess.”
“Like Luthor?”
Nooo, Clark! Why did you say that?  “So, that’s the only reason?”
She felt her cheeks heat. “Of course.”
That's right, Lois, be vulnerable in the dark and give him more clues  “Lois, you know that I would follow you to the ends of the earth.”
Not knowing how to reply to that at all, she muttered, “Well, I think we’re there now, so, sure, I’ll believe that…”
 She felt his chest expand as he took in a breath.
“Us,” he answered.
Wow, I didn't think he would actually have the courage! I loved it. she was actually relieved that he’d pushed this conversation on her in the dark, where she has some camouflage.
It will be hilarious if she finds out he's Supes in this story “I can’t— I can’t help but respond when you do that. Anyone would respond this way to you doing that.”
I can't believe she basically went with "You're a man, I'm a woman. You want me to draw a diagram?" Sometimes she wondered if it would be easier for them to communicate if they weren’t both investigative reporters, versed in interview techniques and in sidestepping questions.
Something to think about, indeed. “I have.”
“You have?” Her brain worked that over rapidly, parsing his meaning. He had already done something about it? Did he mean by prompting this conversation?
Present perfect strikes again...   I just found out that "wahid" is also the number one and a masculine name meaning "unique". Cool. She rolled her eyes. Of course Mr. Photographic Memory spoke much more Arabic than he had let on.
A perfectly reasonable thing to think when your leg is bleeding but is numb, so you can't feel anything. Not even joking, it's probably something I would think too 
Stories are written by the victors.
(Hmm, come to think of it, that's not the exact quote...)
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,135 Likes: 79
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,135 Likes: 79 |
Oh my goodness! What a chapter! Mentioning my personal dreamboat Harrison Ford was such a temptation, I swear, I thought Indy was gonna step out of time, bring the bullwhip and pull them both up to the surface! Purr! The only people who would have been a bigger surprise was if Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sadler showed up. (Sniff!) My only complaint. Why oh why did you interrupt the kiss? Talk about dusty steam.  There was so much dust, dirt, pebbles and rocks I started coughing from the overload. But another kiss sealing this new aspect of their relationship would have been epic. And then… Lois gets out and it looks like Clark is gonna get buried alive…again! He cannot survive another cave in. The Man of Steel desperately needs sunlight. Awesome story! Okay… gotta get to the next part. Yippee!
Morgana
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,016 Likes: 98
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,016 Likes: 98 |
I think this might be my favorite part so far. It starts so light with their banter about George Clooney and Julia Roberts and then drifts to the real heart of the matter - where they stand with each other. So while they are trapped under rubble and it seems like at the end Clark could no longer save her on his own if he wanted to.
It's never too dark to be cool. 
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,882 Likes: 12
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,882 Likes: 12 |
Ooh, so much good stuff in this chapter!! The almost kiss being the best!!
Left us at a bit of a cliffhanger there! (Of course, I know you'd never let anything happen to Lois!) I will be catching up with the rest asap!!
What we've got here is failure to communicate...
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 568 Likes: 77
Columnist
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Columnist
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 568 Likes: 77 |
I love their banter! It's something I kinda suck at and admire so much when other people can capture it.
And yikes! Her leg! And a tired Superman!
Come hang out in the Discord server! Just make a Discord account and click this https://discord.gg/fv2bAVVUBQ to join. Discord can be a little intimidating, but we keep our server simple and are always happy to help people learn their way around!
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Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 569 Likes: 88
Columnist
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Columnist
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 569 Likes: 88 |
UltraWoman, lol. I had to interrupt them one more time, just to stay true to the show. Great guessing! Thank so much for taking the time to comment on this one! Peixinho, I'm so glad that you liked this one! And I really appreciate your replies! Nooo, Clark! Why did you say that?
It still stings? That's right, Lois, be vulnerable in the dark and give him more clues
I was sooooo tickled when I realized I could give Lois the ability to be an open book and let Clark see what was really happening for this whole scenario. Wow, I didn't think he would actually have the courage! I loved it.
I went back and forth on this, but I think she's giving him enough to be confident. I can't believe she basically went with "You're a man, I'm a woman. You want me to draw a diagram?" lol
Present perfect strikes again...
But it's just so useful! A perfectly reasonable thing to think when your leg is bleeding but is numb, so you can't feel anything. Not even joking, it's probably something I would think too
Same. And if it's numb, she's fiiiiine... Morgana, Harrison Ford really IS a dreamboat! And Sam Neill, too. Both definitely heroes! I haaaaad to interrupt them. But this is chapter 11 of 16, so still so much more to go! I'm so glad you're enjoying this one! Bakasi, so happy that you liked this chapter! The beginning was a lot of fun for me! And Clark does get a little fatigued, I think, with constant super-output holding up those rocks, and zero sunlight. Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Anna, I do love a solid cliffhanger! And I really probably would let something happen to Lois -- just nothing she couldn't recovery from, or I couldn't turn time back for, lol. So glad you liked this chapter! Verity, thank so much! I wish I had a special trick for it. I guess I just really try to listen to their voices and then extend it a little further than the show would take it?
Looking forward to this summer's Location Challenge! Looks like stories are due around August 1st, and then polls open for voting! And don't forget about the 2026 fundraiser! Head over to the Fundraising page to donate or consider adding a story to the Keepsake Collection fundraising drive!
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