A Call to Arms!
Author's Introduction:
Minimal sex (rather do it than write about it) but lots of violence (Gee, maybe I need to do more regular dating) so I really don't know what the rating should be so lets go with NC-17 to cover my ass. That said it will be pretty tame and ok for a 12 year old to read for quite a while until the sniper/torture scenes.
First fiction ever, in fact, haven't written an English essay since high school. More of a science and math type. I guess the best way to describe this fiction is the story will be better than the writing. That said if any of the better writers on this site what to steal themes or ideas in this story that I haven't stolen in the first place please feel free to do so. Like everyone else I want to be entertained by better writing than mine.
I have no beta readers (honestly if my mates found out I was writing stuff like this I would have to shoot them myself since I would never hear the end of it) and embarrassingly weak written language skills so the spelling, grammar and punctuation are really going to suck. It just so happens that knowing grammar and punctuation won't help keep me from getting slotted out here in the sandbox so I just don't have the motivation to learn it. Thus, all of you who read this are just going to have to live with my endless written English muck-ups. However, on the plus side please feel free to flame as nasty as can be and as many times as you want. Any and all feedback works for me.
With a handle like SandSniper on ff & kryptonsite I am of course posting from the Middle East and with the election over and minimal shooting of flies in Falujah going down I should be able to update on a regular basis.
I have only seen up to Season 3 episode Truth and am watching Smallville on the German RTL satellite network (when I can) which is available out here in the Sandbox. Everyone on Smallville speaking German to each other is pretty funny. That said this fiction is dedicated to who ever makes the effort to write out the episode transcripts in English and post them on the internet. My German is no where are good as my Arabic so I watch Lana Lang slink around in German on RTL with a print out of your episode transcripts in my lap so thanks to whoever you are.
There are no spoilers since all of you are way ahead of me and this story is going in the direction of Sandman's universe not the Powers-That-Be/WB universe.
I have read some posts and a several season 4 episode transcripts so know Lana went to Paris and picked up a new boyfriend named Jason etc so that stuff is in here even though I've never seen any of the episodes.
BTW Ryan didn't die but was adopted by the Kent's. I will be writing Whitney in later since he is one of my favorite characters. I really like how he grew up over the course of the first season. I think Eric Johnson made Whitney so much more than the standard stupid jock character. How Whitney longed to leave Smallville and do something in the world even while being so in love with Lana. And also how Whitney was so scared of ending up as a washed up smalltown "remember him" sports hero. I can't believe on the show they killed him off with a whimper so in my fiction he is more rifle than man and more man than just about anybody. I also am a big Pete fan and am rather pissed that he got dropped from the show. Honestly he is the only one that deserved to know Clark's secret.
For all the Lana fans: Please be assured that I am not bashing her at all. All I can say is please bear with me and don't judge too soon. After Supes, Ms Lang is my favorite character. I am just initially writing Lana quite bitchy and edgy since that seems the way the posts in the forums describe her in Season 4. She will come back to the light but it will be quite a way down the road in this particular story.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters but that said screw the Owners, if any of the powers-that-be really think I am making some cash off this self indulgent, endlessly melodramatic, over the top violent, hack story then please feel free to sue my ass and when they come out to the sandbox to collect I will be happy put the cross hairs on their forehead and put a boattailed hollowpoint through their brains.
I did steal the Punishers outfit since the Superman one really needs to be updated. It hasn't aged well at all.
Also the Kzin Aliens are the product of Larry Nivin's Known Space novels like Ring World and the Man-Kzin wars (BTW fantastic books). Also stole an idea that will come up much later from Joe Haldeman's classic sci-fi novel The Forever War.
The sniper stuff is just a day at the office for the Sandman. BTW I will be using SAS slang for the military stuff rather than US Marines/Delta i.e. Ruperts officers, slotted killed etc. Also regarding military equipment I know it's not the US Marine standard M-40A3 or Barrett 50 Cal but in my story I just had to make Whitney's sniper rifle my beloved AWM .338 Lapua.
Now on to the story!
Story Title: A Call to Arms!
Part 1: Aliens & a Few Shrimp on the Barbie!
It was a beautiful fall day in Smallville. Lex was hosting a company barbecue for all the Talon staff at the mansion. Lex strolled over to one of the beer coolers by a picnic table. He bent over and reached into the cooler and then stood up and looked over at Jonathan Kent, who with sidekick Ryan was manning the barbecue. They locked eyes and Lex lifted up one of the beers giving it a little shake and got a quick thumbs up from Jonathan Kent. Never in his wildest dream would Lex have believe the day would come when Jonathan Kent by choice would have a couple beers on a lazy Indian summer afternoon in the Luthor mansion's backyard.
A lot of the credit for the signing of the peace treaty between Lex and both Jonathan and Clark went to Martha Kent. Lex thought once on how he said to Lana that with her pure heart as his business partner for the Talon she was irreplaceable. Lex looked over at Martha Kent casually chatted with Chloe and the young couple Lana and Jason while the four of them with bemused looks observed each and every one of Pete's 'pimp on the loose' pick up attempts. Lex just had to conclude that 'there really are more than a couple good people with pure hearts in the world but just not in the Luthor world'.
The ironic thing to Lex was that he was getting along better with Jonathan and Martha than he was with Clark. It was going to take a long time but Lex was determined to get his friendship back on course with Clark. It wasn't that he thought Clark needed his friendship but more like he needed Clark as a steadying influence to control his demons. After the conviction of his father the darkness that Lex felt such an integral part of his soul had faded to the far corners of his mind. But Lex had enough self awareness to know that the temptation of evil had gone away never to return. After all he was his father's son. But it did mean that with a little help from the one true friend he had ever had in his life and along with his new relationship with Clark's parents now Lex felt he had a real chance at fighting his demons.
If Lex was ever going to conquer the temptations that plagued his father's life it would be from the example of how to live a good life the Kent's provided from center stage at the Kent farm to a cynical world every day of their lives.
Yea, the world was a weird place. Lex heard Lana and Martha's infectious laughter as Jason just snickered as the three continued to scope out the Peter Ross show. For the first time in recorded history at the mansion cruising through the barbecue hitting on every Talon waitress that didn't have a boyfriend in tow was Pete Ross. Lex got a quick nod in thanks as he handed Jonathan the beer. His nose checked out Jonathan & Ryan's cooking efforts while he looked over at Pete who after running out of the last available girl to hit on now walked over to join Clark.
Pete ended up sitting beside Clark on the top of one of the picnic tables resting his feet on the seat. It's not like Lex and Pete were finally friends; after all never had Pete in the past cut Lex any slack. And it's not even like he deserved or expected any slack from Pete. But since Lex stopped that rogue FBI agent from tossing Pete handcuffed into the river Pete at least stopped treating him with open contempt.
The final result of this thawing out of their non existent relationship was that Pete today had at last walked onto the mansion grounds for the first time. Lex had no illusions that all was well between him and Pete. Most likely Pete showed up just to spend time with the Kents, Chloe and Clark and for the 'no boyfriend accessory' Talon waitresses. It was just a quick weekend visit from Wichita for Pete but it did make Lex happy that he decided to come to the barbecue and on arrival had actually acknowledged Lex as the host.
Maybe it was all coming together for Lex and these people that in his three years in Smallville had become such an important part of his life. With his father in prison he was working out the division of Luthor Corp assets with Lucus. Once again the fertilizer plant was showing a strong bottom line with Gabe Sulivan back as general manager. Clark was speaking with him even if memories of the Clark investigation room still hung over their friendship.
Besides Martha there was Ryan as a much needed lifeline for Lex into the Kent's world. After being adopted by the Kents, Ryan became and stayed a regular visitor to the mansion to play pin ball, video games and to borrow and discuss Warrior Angel comics. Even after the exposure of the Clark Investigation room Ryan never cut off Lex the way Clark and his parents did.
Lex got the feeling that Ryan somehow knew that Lex was on the edge of the darkness and needed some connection to the goodness of the Kents to keep him from being completely enveloped. The net result had been Lex ending up needing Ryan much as Clark and his parents.
Now even Pete tolerated his presence. Chloe was alive after surviving his fathers attempt on her life. She was back to Smallville high for senior year. Once again acting the part of the bloodhound reporter on the trail of this year's breakthrough story that would land her into the top ranked journalism program at Metropolis Universality.
The lovebirds Lana and Jason had finally forgiven him for getting Jason fired from his job at Smallville High. Of course that only came after Lex set up Jason with an seriously over paid job in the ultimate 'make work' project at Lex Corp. Lex give a little smile to the world as he thanked the Gods that unlike Clark at least he was off Lana's bad boy list.
In Martha Kent he found a business partner as honest, competent and pure hearted as Lana. And her husband Jonathan Kent was barbecuing and having a beer in the backyard of his mansion. All in all for Lex it all adds up to a beautiful Indian summer day.
However, something is rotten or at least very alien in the State of Kansas.
…To be continued as Part 2: Stupid Wylie E Coyote Pet Alien Tricks!……
PS Reviews are nice and don't forget to flame all you want.