OK, more blatherations, now on Part 16:
Forcing back her [LL's] fear at being regarded so closely by two Kal-Els...
How difficult is this job going to be, if their "native guide" can barely stand to be in the same room as the two guys who are of supreme importance to the mission?
...LL herself didn't truly accept that either Kal-El wasn't dangerous.
I wonder if LL will ever accept that. The Clarks *are* dangerous. They have those Kryptonian powers. The only thing restraining them are their own consciences. Since LL has been in close proximity to a version of the Clarks whose philosophy seems to be "Might is right", it's obvious why she's just a tad nervous around them.
As healed as her doppelganger seemed, there was underlying pain and hatred that would always be there under the surface. Perhaps then, there was hope for her to live and love again one day when this was all over.
Perhaps that is one of the hardest things for LL - to actually hope. I can see that LL couldn't relate to Lane (canon Lois) at all. Lane has never been tortured or abused by the Kryptonian. But damaged Lois has, and damaged Lois has managed to come to terms with it. So now LL has Lois as, not really a goal, but an example.
Perhaps then, there was hope for her to live and love again one day when this was all over. Just not, as this other had done, with Kal-El. She shuddered violently at the idea.
Again, marrying Kal-El would seem like the worst kind of perversion and miscegenation to LL.
"Zara brought upon the wrath of Kal-El onto herself," LL said, her voice breaking a little as she recalled it. "She did it for me..."
"It's a story that doesn't need telling," Zara said.
Oh man, you're tantalizing me here! Please tell me that in some future chapter, we might get the LL-Zara backstory!
"But I promise you, I want to help. I won't crack under the pressure and start complaining or yelling at people. I know I have to bear up under it."
Not to say that Kent might not bitch about it to Lane, privately. I could see Kent & Lane talking about this much more openly than Lois & Clark - or maybe not. L&C have had to deal with this a lot (see
"Long Strange Trip" ) so L&C have a template for talking about this distressing topic.
Zara gave them a small smile, seeing in them the man she always believed that her Kal-El would have become.
This is so poignant. The potential.
"That being said, we will all need to spend time together coming up with the best plan for rescuing Kal-El and re-establishing his right to lead my people."
Can they do some of this planning over here in this universe, where Clone-El and his henchmen can't eavesdrop? Or do they have to get more information from the Clone-El world to make their plans?
"I know my duty," Zara said firmly. "I will not shirk it. I owe the human race this duty and I will see it through. I can only hope that my memories of the real Kal-El ring true, and that he has become like the two of you. Then perhaps, my duty to my own people - to be his wife and recover from this assault on our very honor - won't be so unpleasant."
Yay Zara! She's a true heroine.
"Your presence in our world should not be too prolonged. We must act quickly and decisively and with the greatest chances of success."
Yep. Once the Clarks have gone to the other world, it's going to be very difficult to keep their presence a secret. Doppelgangers of the world's conquerer are there - that's just too juicy of a gossip item to keep under wraps for any time at all. I expect that once Lane, Kent, Lois and Clark get to the Clone-El world, that things will move quickly.
Unless they don't. Unless our heroes have to spend some time in hiding, in the presence of LL, who hates and detests them. What would be LL's reaction to being forced to spend lots of time in close proximity to Kent and Clark? Would she get to know them better, and come to accept them more fully? Or would that just be needless torture for LL right now?
You're really making me wonder about this fic, L! I keep on constructing scenarios in my head, wondering what's going to happen next. I can't wait for more. Please post more soon.
