FDK - Part 2 -
But what did Jen Mai want? Kal couldn't quite figure out what the man's motives could possibly have been.
Money? Power? Catira as his personal concubine?
As one of the Elders, the man had a sacred duty to protect the royal family and the planet. To do anything else was treasonous, and punishable by death. It would take courage to turn his back on those duties. Courage that Kal had never seen the man exhibit before in his life. Jen Mai rarely did anything unless he was sure that he had the backing of someone else.
Of course, Elders are infaliable. :rolleyes: Hmmm. He's just a puppet. That's a good theory.
Kal frowned as the thought struck him. Jen Mai wasn't working alone. He was working with someone else. Or, he thought as his frown deepened, he was working for someone else. Someone that he trusted. Someone powerful. Someone that Jen Mai fully expected to come out on top of this situation.
<<shouts>> The Feminist Armed Rebellion Army. (FARA)
<<clears throat>> No? Okay, how about the Uthors, then?
But who that was, Kal couldn't begin to guess.
Can
I hit with the 2x4? Can I?
Can I?
Several of Jen Mai's friends weren't even Kryptonian; he'd secured close working relationships with many of the alien races Krypton was allied with.
This is the first time we've heard of the possibility of other civilized planets, isn't it?
"I need you to ground every ship on Krypton. I want this whole planet on lock-down mode. No one leaves. No one enters. No shipments of trade goods, no transports full of people. Nothing leaves the ground. Nothing lands. I want only our military aircraft in the sky."
They've taken the royals OFF Krypton!
"We keep Jen Mai on this planet," the Chief of Security said, nodding.
Or him, right.
The younger man was pale. It was clear that he was in shock. A crumpled piece of paper was clutched in his hand. He held it out to his prince, his hand trembling violently.
For a second there I thought he was holding a bloody finger in the note.
"You'd better see this. I found this affixed to the front gate. The security cameras didn't pick anyone, according to one of the guards I spoke with. They went offline for the span of a minute. Short-circuited. By the time the guards went out to see what had happened, there was no one around. I just happened to be walking with my friend, Dani, when we came across the note."
"Bilan, better find that mole in palace security, pronto. Don't bring him here, just whip him until he tells us where my sons, and their vessels, are," demands Jor-El.
Kal steps away, starts making plans to escape Krypton as soon as Lois is found.
"It's...it's the ransom note we've...been expecting." It was an effort to choke out the words; his throat had gone bone-dry and tight as a drum.
Yea! News.
"Everything," Kal repeated. "They want us to surrender everything to them. They want us to disband the Council of Elders. And they want us to abdicate our right to the throne. If we don't comply,"
That's a little much, don't you think. Overkill?
Kal swallowed hard once again. He could barely speak the next words. "They will kill one captive per day."
Sounds like they are planning on doing that anyway. If you abdicate, they will kill the hostages anyway. This is a lose, lose option.
He felt sick to his stomach. He knew exactly why his family's kidnappers wanted the Council disbanded. Only the Council had the authority to try the abductors with treason, once they revealed who they were. But if the Elders had no power, they could not sentence the kidnappers. There would be no official charge of treason. The traitors would escape death.
Reform needed on Krypton!
Kal had seen his father in almost every mood. He'd seen Jor-El happy, sad, playful, mischievous, contemplative, indecisive, loving, confused, ill, angry, and even scared. But pure terror was something that Kal realized he'd never before seen cross his father's features, at least, not until that very moment. His heart broke for his father.
Really? Terror? I wouldn't have thought maybe rage.
"We'll do what we need to," Jor-El said. "If stepping down is what we have to do, we'll do it. I don't want to. I don't want to leave the people of Krypton in the hands of some monster. But I don't see another choice. I will not knowingly condemn my children to death."
Buzzz! Wrong answer! Do not give in to terrorist demands, Jor-El. If you do, your planet will never forgive you, and your family will die anyway. If you don't, you will never forgive yourself, and your family will die anyway.
Kal shook his head. "Normally, I'd agree. But I don't trust this. What's to stop whoever has Ching and the others from killing them after we abdicate?"
"We can try to work out some exchange," Bil offered.
Oh, you mean he was serious?
Trey blushed deeply. Clearly, he'd said the words before he realized he'd been speaking. "You cannot abdicate the throne. You cannot give in to these demands."
Yea! Trey! Wait, Trey?
Trey is the sane one here?
"I know, my lord," the Chief Elder replied in a placating tone. "And I cannot even begin to imagine what you are going through. But, clearly, whoever took them is insane. Are you so willing to hand over the rule of the entire planet to a lunatic? At the risk of sounding indelicate, my lord, you still have Kal. You still have an heir to the throne."
Sorry, cold-hearted though it may sound, I'm going to have to agree with Trey.
"I know. I know that the planet should be my first priority. I know that I can't just hand over my power to a madman. But...how do I condemn my children to death? How do I ignore that? How can I possibly live with myself, if I do nothing while they are murdered?"
By knowing that no matter what you do they would have been murdered.
"That's Jen Mai's handwriting," Jor-El sighed. "That much is clear to me. But do what you must." He handed the Chief of Security the paper.
<<cough>> scape goat <<cough>>
The demands were ridiculous; Kal was well aware of that.
Well, I'm glad he realizes this.
But, in this situation, he had the nagging gut instinct that this was a trap. Something told him that the abductors did not mean to follow through with their end of the bargain.
Ya think?
The Master of the Tournament declaring Kal the victor. Kal reaching down to help Nor to his feet. The murderous look of hatred held within Nor's eyes. No. More than just hatred. Vengefulness.
Really, Kal, this isn't the time for your sex fantasies.
His dreams had not been just dreams. His subconscious mind had been showing him what he had missed so many months prior.
In an instant, Kal knew, without a shred of doubt, who had plotted against his family.
"But, Kal," replies Jor-El. "The Uthor family is an old and established family. Why would they do this? True, you and your brothers have never liked Nor, but that is no reason to blame the Uthors. Lux is a good friend of mine. He'd never do this to me. How can you even suggest it? Nor, I know, isn't the nicest of boys, but after his mom died... did you expect to grow up to be sweet and kind? I mean, you didn't turn out like that, because I'm such a loving father, and Lux is more hands-off when it comes to the raising of his children, but really, Kal? The Uthors? No, no, no, Jen Mai must have acted alone."
Kal:
<<to himself>> "Then I must find them on my own."
So, is it Saturday yet??? I want to Lois do some damage to Nor.