Just some short feedback from a rather exhausted Ann here...
“Oh, there you are. Z… FireWind. You have shaved Superman. Think you can shave Steel Lightning’s abdomen?” Zared swallowed hard and nodded. “Ruthie will direct you. Ultra Man and I need to go to the OR.”
Zared looked up at Hannah. <Tiger, eh? You didn’t want to do this?>
Jon interrupted, <Yeah, Tiger.> “And you just be careful with that heat vision. Especially when you get to certain areas.” Even though he was in pain, he grinned ever so slightly.
Hannah winked at Jon as she shook her head no. <No, my heat vision is still erratic. That’s a tricky one. It’s way easier to fly.> Clark and Zared both nodded in agreement.
You know I'm very fond of Hannah and Jon, so I really appreciated that teasing little interplay.
As the nurse directed Zared, Hannah spoke to him, “Dr. Kira and Ultra Man say that Steel Lightning will still get anesthesia. But like your… Superman did, they are pretty sure he will remain awake. The anesthesia will prevent pain, but the telepathy is going to be used to help Steel… ‘allow’ them to do the surgery. Dr. Sommers said that they would put another kind of IV in, too - something called a central line. It’s supposed to go right into his subclavian vein.”
Zared took a deep breath. <So he has to *allow* them to bypass his invulnerability?
Very interesting.
And speak to me with telepathy, Hannah.>
She grinned a little. <I thought you were the one that was skittish about it.>
Zared nodded. <I am. But no use letting anyone know more than absolutely necessary. I guess I’m going to have to get *unskittish* right away.>
Love the "unskittish" thing.
One hour into the surgery, Jon felt like he was going to lose it. He didn’t feel pain per se, but he could *feel* none-the-less. He could feel sensations of tugging and pulling. On top of that he was lying in the most ridiculous position. They had him with his flank area higher in the air than his head and legs. They had told him that was to get better access to his kidney. He didn’t like it.
Oh, gaaaaahh. I have had surgery once, but I was mercifully asleep during the entire procedure. The idea of being awake and more or less aware of what they are doing to you during surgery sounds just horrible to me.
J’on, Zared, and his dad sat near his head. The feeling of three of them being in his head was pretty weird, too. He didn’t know how to describe it. Sometimes it was surreal. Sometimes he felt like bees were buzzing in his head. Sometimes they told him jokes. Sometimes he seemed to sleep. And one thing he knew for sure. Zared and his dad were almost as nervous as he was.
And this doesn't sound too much better. Feeling your father's and your brother's nervousness wouldn't make you feel calmer yourself.
And always there was the presence of J’on in a way he had never felt anyone else before. He had the feeling that if he wanted to that J’on J’onzz, aka The Martian Manhunter, could kill him with a thought.
I always liked the Martian Manhunter. There was a sort of melancholy wisdom about him, a sort of "Know thyself" kind of quality, a kind of "Do whatever good you can do and accept the bad things you can't change" philosophy about him.
“Do you have a name, yet?” Hannah grinned.
“Yeah, she suggested that, too. Lord Krypton.”
Lord Krypton. It sounds cold and threatening. K'al is certainly Clark's least likable child - not that Clark had any part in raising him, of course.
Not knowing that some of them were part human, she wondered if Kryptonians came in ‘limited’ models like the Bokanovsky groups in a Brave New World.
It's been years since I read Brave New World. Hmmm. Were people mass-produced there to meet certain "quality requirements", like cars? You know, this person was made to function like a small Japanese car, but this other person was churned out to be like a burly SUV?
When K’al joined Jon’s mind, Jon thought, <Where’s daddy?> Jon thought to himself how odd that was. He hadn’t called Clark ‘daddy’ for many years. Boys just didn’t call their dad ‘daddy’ when they were older.
Right now, in this situation, Jon is like a small child.
<’Kay. Love you. Brook and Jama say so, too. They say they can’t call you so far.>
Clark smiled a little. <Well, you tell them that I love them, too.> He could just imagine how well it was going over for Brook and Jama to realize that Lara could do something they couldn’t.
I feel rather sorry for Jama and Brook, having this adorable, smart and talented little sister who makes everybody completely lose interest in the middle sisters.
‘Oh, hey. Look at that. Isn’t that pretty. It’s so bright.’ He felt like he was walking towards it. How could he be walking? He was lying in a bed. No. He *was* walking straight toward the beautiful white light. He smiled. Suddenly he was stopped by someone. How dare someone stop him. It was so beautiful. He wanted to go towards the light.
“Jon. It’s not your time.”
“Mom? But it’s so beautiful.”
This is a tad too religious for me. But who am I to complain when we get to see Lois in this story again?
I’m sorry I’m not there for you honey. I wish I could be. But I sent Los to you so he could help you. Otherwise you might have died.”
Well, I sure love the idea that Lois is looking out for her boy, so that *she* was the one who made sure that Los would be there with Jon when he needed surgery.
“No, it’s not time. You have a *very* long life ahead of you.
I just wish that Lois could have had someone looking out for her, too. Because she got a very *short* life.
Now, Jon, listen to me. Don’t be afraid to love Hannah. If you continue to be afraid, you will lose her - just like I almost lost your dad. I was afraid, too. But Jon, I know you are more afraid of yourself than you are of Hannah. Don’t be afraid because of what your brother did.”
Good. Tell him, Lois.
“You… you know about Zared?”
She smiled and caressed his cheek. “Of course I do. I’m his mother. Oh, yes, I know I didn’t give birth to him, but he is my son.
Oh, I love this.
And I know he has shared things with you that perhaps he shouldn’t have. Jon, honey. You won’t make the same mistakes.”
Trust you Mom, Jon.
“I… uh… So I shouldn’t be afraid?”
“No, Jon.” Her eyes smiled. “One more thing. Tell Claire that I love her and I wish I could be there to hold her when she cries. Tell her to trust Clark. She can tell him anything.”
I wish Lois could have spoken to Claire more in person... but I'm very much looking forward to finding out what message Lois left for Claire in that novel.
Jon was looking past his mom. He was overcome by the beauty of the light. He started towards it again.
She snapped, “No! You can’t go! She touched his arm and showed him where to find something special. “Oh, Jon, I was so proud of you the way you helped Lara. She found out what happened to me, didn’t she?” Jon numbly nodded. “I want you to tell her how much I love her. Oh, Jon, I love you so much. You are so handsome and talented and smart.” Then she gave him a shove and pushed him back into life.
This is rather lovely. (And Lois is disappearing, and I'm teary-eyed again.)
He tried to speak but couldn’t because of the tube. <Mom? Where’s mom?> Jon frowned, then closed his eyes and went to sleep. Clark just shook his head and was glad Jon had fallen asleep.
And so Lois disappears like a fading dream. Will Jon remember her when he wakes up? Will he tell Claire what Lois said? Will he tell his Dad anything?
I have to confess that to me, this chapter pretty much ended when Lois exited it. But I
am looking forward to seeing what will happen to Claire and to Jon and Hannah. Oh, and I hope I will see Los stand up to K'al too, of course.
Ann