Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: The Return of Ultra Woman (20/20 - Final Notes)

Well, there it is. I hope that I managed to do justice to the characters and the general question of, “What would Lois do if she got super powers permanently?” Of course, I framed this question in the universe of Luck and Consequences (LaC) and tried as hard as possible to remain within strict series continuity.

As for the ending, I just couldn’t resist. Those of you that are familiar with LaC know this whole journey began with Lois being distraught at not being able to have children with Clark. Whatever may follow, this is the proper end of the original story and the symmetry was too tempting.

I wish to thank all of you that left me feedback along the way. That feedback certainly changed the course of this story. There were many minor changes and a few less minor. In at least one case, I actually went back and changed a posted section based on this feedback. Some of the FDK-based changes will not be seen until the archive submission but I plan to work them in on the pre-archive pass. And, possibly most important, I love to hear what you think. I have *never* had any FDK that I did not appreciate. You all are the best audience imaginable!

This was an odd story for me. Most of my works have jumped out at me fully formed. This one didn’t work that way. When I started writing this story, my notes ran less than a page long. (My notes for the original LaC went on for over 5 pages and the notes for my next effort currently run 21 pages.) It took months to find the story and, when the first draft was complete, I almost set it aside as simply “not good enough”. However, each time I looked at it again I came to the same two opinions.
1. This is the story that I wanted to tell.
2. Despite some obvious weaknesses, I liked the story.
So, it finally saw the light of day. I knew from the very beginning this was going to be basically a lightweight/fun piece and hopefully it succeeds on at least that level.

I have no plans for any sequel. I learned two lessons while bringing this story together.
1. I should not try to use first-person, present tense again in something this size unless my writing skills improve. (And, for the atrocities against the English language that I have committed in the creation of this work, I am truly sorry.)
2. Make sure that my notes support the whole story before committing to write it.
Right now, I have absolutely no idea what would be in a sequel. However, if a story shows up, I’ll write it.

Finally, I have to pay tribute to my conscripted beta-reader for this work. My wife Beverly has been both patient and supportive as well as helping with spelling, tense and word choice. Describing the Lois and Clark relationship is so easy when I have my own soul mate providing inspiration along the way.

Again, thank you all so much for sharing this journey with me.

Bob

Of course she is...

A few years down the line L&C are going to have their work cut out to keep anyone from noticing how their kids are the same age as the super-family, I suspect.

I wondered if she would be pregnant from the moment Bernie called, =)

I think, given the difficulties you described, that you ended up with a brilliant work.

I have particularly enjoyed two things from both LaC and RoUW. One was your integration of plausible science applied to something totally implausible. You make me, a biochemist, fully able to accept your theories as reasonable explanations of Clark's powers. The other is how you revisit various absurdities within the series and take another (and more logical) look at them. The various ways people were granted Superpowers, Brutal Youth, Family Hour, even the fickleness of the media and the Superman debut and outfit in it's comparison to UW's.

As for the final line, you're right, the symmetry is perfect. It also makes me wonder what methods of birth control they were practicing... would hormonal treatments WORK on Lois?

I have been horribly bad at leaving FDK for this story, Bob, but I enjoyed it. That was a great final chapter with a fine scientific-sounding explanation for Clark's - and now Lois's, yay!!! - extended life span. And I found it really sweet that Lois was pregnant again. It was almost even sweeter that Clark would blush when Bernie cautioned them that they might need to use contraceptives. Which begs the question, of course - what kind of contraceptives would work on them???

Thanks for the fic, Bob!

Ann

Overall this has been a fun story. Watching Lois and those around her deal with her newly acquired powers was interesting.

I like the fact that, even though we know Lois is the type of person who wants to help others, she takes a much more practical approach.

She was not 'born' to be a superhero, but she can certainly come off the bench, so to speak, and pinch hit when needed. This allows for a two superhero family to still be able to function as a reasonably normal unit.

But I was appalled by the dastardly evil ending you threw in. After all the trials and tribulations Lois has had to go through recently, you lay that awful news on her.

Tank (who wants to point out that, once again, another gentle writer has proven to be more evil than his own unwarranted reputation)

I foresee a Kent brood the size of the one in Nan Smith's Home series . . . only most of the "kids" would essentially be of the same generation, with groups of 3-4 children born in the same 18-25 year time span, and varying numbers of years between each group of children. (Like if L&C got lonely after the previous children had flown the coop, and decided to have more kids so they wouldn't have to worry about the "empty nest" or something.)

So the eldest children could be starting on the next (or even third or fourth) generation while their youngest siblings are still in elementary school.

But that would be truly evil, I think.

Loved the story, Bob.

A really good fic, Bob, with a great ending.

What a thought - a whole brood of Lane-Kents!

I also really enjoyed your story notes - it's interesting to know how a story came about. I can't imagine a story coming 'fully-formed'. Mine never come that way!

I enjoyed this ride a lot - thanks for sharing it with us.

Wonderful ending, Bob

I was surprised when Bernie didn't open with "you're pregnant". But then I guess you don't do the obvious

Michael

Marcus:
Yes, she is. I sort of figured that the super-couple would be be very private about ages of children. The single great risk is that Lois would have to intercede as Ultra Woman at some point when she was *obviously* about-to-deliver pregnant. If I do return to this universe to write another story, that incident will be a very likely topic. Right now I have no idea how it would play out.


Sara:
Thank you so much. I'm glad you liked the story. I actually have a lot more Superman science that I've worked out but not included in any story so far. I have a basis for invulnerability that I developed based on some exchanges with Mr. Data but those are his to use unless he gifts them back to me. I also have the basis for where the Kryptonians came from and the origins of KEs. This “story” also explains why Red and Green K do what they do and more details about why Kryptonians have super powers on Earth. I hope someday to get motivated to turn those notes into a proper story.


Ann:
Thank you for the note. I've been guilty of reading and not leaving FDK all too often myself. In fact, I am guilty of that right now. I've been reading several of the stories that are in-process but between RL and editing/pushing RoUW I've not been leaving feedback. I hope to do better now that RoUW is done.

I could wax philosophical about the curse of being Superman but I'll spare you for now. One thing, I can't help but feel that in many ways he's been dealt the cruelest hand of all. The way the series ended, with no chance for a family and destined to stay young while Lois grew old is just too much. As for the birth control... I remember a fic (sorry, don't remember the name right now) where Lois has like 10 kids because they kept having twins and their efforts at birth control didn't work. Based on my feel for the science as I've defined it, I believe that hormonal measures should work. But, who knows?


Tank:
Unfortunately I have put Lois in a position to have to “decide” not to respond. However, I think there will end up being more life-saving / disaster interventions than she plans. Now that I think about it, I suspect that Ultra Woman will come to be viewed as a humanitarian hero that doesn't respond to crime (except very rarely) but often intervenes in disasters, accidents and times of need. As for the evil of leaving her pregnant... um... guilty.


DSDragon:
The Home-series is exactly the future that comes to my mind. I didn't set out to lay the groundwork for a future that would have such a similar look but there it is. I've wondered about the potential for a next-generation story but whenever I think about the general look and feel for the setting all I can see if the “Home” future. As for siblings generations apart, I think that would be an artifact of this story.


F Hawk:
I wanted to make sure that there will be enough Lane-Kents around to kick-start Utopia. I'm glad you enjoyed the notes. This was such a production for me that I felt moved to share. As for how my stories develop, that's really the way it works. My real-life engineering works the same way. Once I understand the problem I don't try to think about it. The problem just “cooks” and it's like a bell goes off and I have the fully-formed solution. The story I'm working on now hit me right in the middle of RoUW and I took two days off and captured it on paper before it faded away. I still have to write the story up but all the ideas and all of the major developments were there that first day. I'm *really* excited about this next story.


Michael:
Me, not do the obvious? I think I'm as obvious as mosquitoes and thunderstorms in Orlando in the summer. Bernie just needed to lay the groundwork for the news. For Bernie this was the obvious way to share the news.


Interestingly enough, most of the last chapter (except for the pregnancy part) was originally intended for the end of LaC. When I finished that story I realized that I was not going to be able to leave it there and was reasonably certain I would be writing RoUW. With that in mind I pulled this part of Bernie's revelation and saved it for now. I love the “Home” series but my heart aches at the idea that a “super” is doomed to watch their soul mate grow old and die while they remain young. I'm just too much of a sentimentalist for that. So I fixed it!!

Thank you all again!
Bob

I haven't had the time to read much fanfic in the last two weeks, but I've peeked at this story. I promise that once this #$%@&*)#@! accounting is out of my hair, I'll go back and read it. It looks fascinating.

Nan

Bob, I loved it! Best technobabble ever. In fact, it's kind of an insult to call it technobabble, because in actuality your explanations were extremely plausible and thought-provoking! Can I call it "Best Science-y Stuff Ever"?

I loved that you included the parts about the Higgs field - I remember we exchanged some comments about it in feedback to a previous fic of yours. I'd said that you were the only person who could write a fic including Higgs field speculation, so therefore you must write it. of course you came through!

I hope that you can write some more about the basis for invulnerability, the origin of kryptonite, etc., that you referred to in your comments. Based on your current writings, I'm sure they would be as interesting and fun as what you've written so far! I enjoy the hard science inserts into a genre not typically known for that.

And bless you for not condemning Clark to a lonely, Lois-less life! I agree with you, that the show dropped the ball there.

I also love that Perry knows and that he's known for years. That's so much like Perry. I've always thought he was savvier than he let on. I recently read another good fic, the excellent "Family Reunion" by Mr. Beeto, where Perry knows (although not officially), and Clark knows Perry knows. If Perry wants more Superman pictures, he waits for the morning staff meeting where both Clark and Jimmy are present, and yells at Jimmy about not having any good Superman pix. Clark gets the message. So I wonder how if our Perry will feel the need to be indirect about asking for Superman and Ultra Woman stuff or if he'll just flat-out demand exclusives from Lois and Clark.

Ah, so many questions! I think you have to write sequels. Many.

Great work!

Hi Nan:
Thanks for stopping by. The one redeeming factor of the living-on-different-time-clocks aspect of the Lois and Clark story is that it inspired your Home series. After all the talk earlier in this thread, I’m re-reading the Home series now. I hope that if you get the chance to read my little story, it doesn’t disappoint.


Iolan:
I like “Science-y Stuff” as a label. Yes, the Higgs section of Chapter 6 was a direct result of our earlier exchange. I have used “technobabble” to describe some of my “Superman science” before but I like to think my explanations have more real science behind them. I will address more in future works but I try to have at least a semi-plausible reason to inject those sections. (To be honest, I enjoy writing relationship much more.) As for invulnerability, I’m not ready to share my answer but I will do the next best thing and present the key questions. That is the real magic in thinking of these sorts of things. If you know what questions to ask, then there are many possible answers. So, questions to consider for Superman and invulnerability.
1. If it is all about “dense molecular structure” shouldn’t he weigh a lot more? For example, a 190 pound adult will have a body volume of approximately 3 cubic feet. If his molecular structure were the density of steel, his weight would be 1470 pounds. Even if his density were only that of concrete, he would weigh 450 pounds. He doesn’t seem to break furniture all the time by sitting on it so simply saying “dense molecular structure” doesn’t provide the whole answer.
2. How can Clark be invulnerable to bullets but still have soft skin?
Hint: Question #2 is the important one!
Thanks for this note and all the other FDK along the way.


Bob

For Clark weight can be whatever he wants it to be with his levitation abilities... so he may weigh a ton or more but he could fool even balances. Though I do agree that 'dense molecular structure' is a very poor explanation. Our own cells are very highly concentrated with organelles, proteins and more... how much more can realistically be packed into his cells?

I would lean more towards a barrier method that is external (aka the 'aura' mentioned in some fics, magnetic shield or something similar?) or some sort of cell wall that strengthens his cells but maintains the flexibility of the tissue while giving it added resilience. But then how would kryptonite remove that?

On another note... the metallic clang heard in Return of the Prankster (and maybe elsewhere, I just specifically remember it from when he's frozen and shoved off the balcony) is just completely unrealistic to me.

Hmmm, Lieta's post reminds me of a Star Trek book I read once. It turns out that Spock can't swim, and Bones says, 'He's too dense!' Well, his molecular structure is!

Ann

Ack! That reminds me of the creepy scene in AI where the robot-boy gets knocked into the pool and just sits on the bottom... don't know what it is about that scene but it creaped me out heh...

And another thought.

Scenario: Lois stabsClark with a knife. What happens to the object?

Most fics and the few cases I remember from the show had shattering objects and horribly bent knives. But, is it reasonable that human exerted pressure would bend a knife in half or accordion fold it? Or would it just react like it hit a wall. Probably dull a bit and maybe warp or bend only slightly?

Love your fics Bob cause they make me think, =P

But what about after he's been exposed to Green K and his powers are gone? Of course, based on the general level of "science" in most television and movies, conservation of mass is not an issue. Also, if his invulnerability is tied to a dense molecular structure, how could exposure to Green K cause him to lose that? I could understanding losing the ability to fly or super strength but not density-based invulnerability.

In any case, your point is well taken. There has to be some sort of barrier capability. That is why in my original post I stressed that point #2 and the variable behavior/feel of his skin is so important.

As for bent and broken knives, that has t be among the most ridiculous things you see in Superman. All those knives made of soft putty.

WRT "Spock can't swim" and the idea of sitting on the bottom of a pool. Well, you might be surprised what happens naturally in people. When I was young I could never be taught to swim. The first thing the teachers tried to teach was to float and I couldn't. By chance I'm at an extreme end of the normal body-density scale. In a swimming pool, if I take the deepest breath I can and relax, the only part of me that will be above water if the top 1/2 inch of my head. If I only inhale half-way, I go right to the bottom and can sit on the bottom of a pool. It used to be a "parlor trick" in high school where I would lay face-down on the bottom of a pool for nearly a minute. It was very effective at frightening anyone that happened to come walking up to the pool while I was down there. One time I *really* scared a person and I stopped doing that trick. Sorry for the digression but as someone that really can sit on the bottom of a pool I just couldn't resist.

Bob