BACKSTORY: Commissioner Dru-Zod and his wife, Faora, have a problem. Or problems.
Their daughter, Cera-Zod, had been a runaway for years. Zod and Faora have lied and said that Cera-Zod has been at finishing schools on other planets, to cover for the fact that they have no idea where she is. But they need for their only daughter to honor the betrothal agreement Zod and the House of El made with one another, back when Cera-Zod and Kal-El were children. If she does not appear for her own wedding to Kal-El, Zod forfeits his entire fortune to the House of El.
That means he does not need the headache of his other child, his son, Lor-Zod, taking up with an Earthling named Lucy Lane. When Lucy commits a bit of light theft from Faora's jewelry collection, Zod decides to have her put in the Phantom Zone. That is, until he accidentally sees a picture of Lucy's sister Lois and notes her uncanny resemblance to his missing daughter...
Zod walked with grim purpose to his son's wing of their estate. He did not need this now.
The tiara that his daughter, Cera-Zod, was supposed to wear when she married Kal-El had been stolen. And there was very strong reason to believe that that Earthling that his son, Lor-Zod had taken up with recently, was the culprit.
He had let things get out of hand.
No, he had not kept an eye on certain things that deemed watching. Meaning his only son and the directionless life he seemed to be leading. Lor-Zod, being from a family of higher standing, was allowed to leave Krypton and travel, unlike people of lower classes. It had been a mistake. Both of his children had been influenced by other planets and other cultures. And now neither of them felt they needed to honor Krypton or Kryptonian traditions.
Zod stopped at his son's door and listened for any noise. Hearing nothing, he opened the door softly and found his son and the girl, slumbering even though it was past the morning hour. He eased into the room and hit a button on the wall that lifted the window covering, and allowed red sun right to rudely hit their faces.
Lor-Zod was the first to awaken and he shielded his eyes, wondering how the covering had been raised? He then sensed his father's ominous presence and slowly began to shake Lucy awake. Zod glared at both of them, before catching sight of his son's intergalactic passport. Apparently he had been going by the name 'Davis Bloom' on Earth.
Lucy Lane yawned and stretched. Then she caught sight of Zod and moved closer to Lor-Zod.
Zod held their uneasy gaze for a long moment before speaking.
"Your sister's wedding tiara is missing. It has been in the family for generations. Where is it?"
"Father, why are you bothering me with this? How would I know?"
"I am not 'bothering' YOU. I am asking that Earthling as to the whereabouts of the jewelry she has stolen." Zod replied coolly. Lor-Zod jumped out of bed! He had slept in pajama pants.
"How dare you, Father! Apologize to Lucy this instant!"
Zod's response was to walk up to his son and back hand him so hard, that he fell back into bed next to Lucy! Lucy now inched away from Lor-Zod.
"Earth has given you courage, son. More than I would have ever given you credit for." Zod said, his eyes moving from Lor-Zod to Lucy.
"I will not ask again."
Lucy eased out of bed. She was wearing a green, silk camisole nightie.
"Uh, well Mr. Zod..."
"I am Commissioner Zod." he corrected her.
"Okay, well, yes, I sort of took it." Lucy admitted lamely. Lor-Zod threw up his hands! Why Lucy? Why?
"I want it returned at once." Zod said, looking around the room. "Is it on the grounds?"
"Uh, well, I took it a couple of weeks ago, actually." Lucy admitted. She was surprised they were just noticing that it was gone.
"Is it still on the grounds?" Zod repeated, feeling impatience slide into his tone.
"Well no. I mean because I took it a couple of weeks ago, it's on Earth. I kind of pawned it. Sorry."
Lor-Zod got out of bed again and faced his father.
"Father, she meant no harm, I'm sure."
"And you never saw the tiara with her when you returned to Earth? if you are complicit in this in anyway, Lor-Zod..." Zod began but Lor-Zod stood his ground.
"Father, Cera-Zod is not going to be needing that tiara. We both know that."
Zod clenched his jaw. His son's words confirmed his suspicions. Lor-Zod had known about the theft! For all he knew, he had helped the girl steal it!
"She goes into the Phantom Zone for her crime."
"For theft? Father, no one is in there for just stealing!"
"Then...what is your name again, dear?"
"It's Lucy! Oh my God, Mr. Zod! You can't just put me in some kind of space jail! Look, maybe I can pay you for it..."
"I suggest you say your goodbyes to your relatives. You will be tried this afternoon and put into the prison by nightfall. I am sorry, but you brought this on yourself. Lor-Zod, if not for your mother's displeasure, I would place you in there beside her." Zod said coldly.
Lucy began to sob as she took out her phone. She had to call Lois and tell her to get her a lawyer! Or maybe Lois could get the tiara out of the pawn shop if they asked their father, whom they referred to as 'The General' for some money.
"I'm calling my sister! There is no way this is legal!" Lucy sniffed and pressed down on Lois's stored number in her phone. Zod walked over to her.
"I'm afraid it is very legal, my dear. You have not only committed the crime of theft, but we are a ruling family..."
Zod stopped when he noticed Lois's picture come up on Lucy's phone. He snatched it from her and stared at the photo, just as he heard a voice answer.
"Hey, Lucy! What's up? Lucy? Lucy?"
Zod hung up the phone and stared hard at Lucy Lane.
"This woman is your sister?"
Lucy glanced over at Lor-Zod, before nodding.
"Yes. Lois.'"
Zod looked over at Lor-Zod.
"You have seen this Lois?"
Lor-Zod slowly shook his head, not understanding where his father was going with all of this.
"No. I have never met her."
"Or seen a photograph of her?" Zod asked, showing Lor-Zod the picture on the phone. Lor-Zod looked at it, then looked at his father.
"She bears a small resemblance to Cera-Zod."
"I would say more than small." Zod answered, now staring at the picture again, before focusing on Lucy.
"I will give you a chance at amnesty, my dear."
Lor-Zod stared at his father. He didn't like where this was going...
"Amnesty?" Lucy sniffed.
"Yes. Full amnesty from your crime."
"Not that it was much of one." Lor-Zod said, moving to Lucy's side. "Father, don't."
"Don't what?" Lucy asked. "I don't want to go to prison!"
"And Lor-Zod doesn't want to see you there." Zod said coolly. "Let me ask you something? Do you have more pictures of your sister on this device?"
Lucy now eyed him warily.
"Yes. Why?"
"Because this is the deal: your freedom will depend on how much your sister is willing to sacrifice for you."
"Father! I need to speak to you in the hallway-NOW!" Lor-Zod yelled. Ordinarily, his son's tone would've earned him another backhand, but since there were extenuating circumstances, Zod let it go. He walked out into the hallway first then waited for Lor-Zod. He joined his father out there and closed the door behind him.
"I know what you are thinking. Don't do it."
"Your sister would see us become paupers. I won't have it." Zod replied.
"You will never get away with it!"
Zod looked at the phone again. He nodded.
"I don't know where Cera-Zod is. Everytime I have sent someone to find her, she has either escaped their grasp or the lead was wrong in the first place. I know she will not be home in time to honor the betrothal agreement with the House of El."
"Alright, then we tell Jor-El that Cera-Zod is missing! Or she might have perished. I don't like to think about that, but it is possible. That would not be our fault."
"I would have to furnish proof of your sister's death. I cannot ascertain WHAT her status is or WHERE she is. If our family does not keep our part of that agreement, the House of El will own everything we have! I won't stand for it! This girl here looks enough like Cera-Zod to pass for her. She WILL be her if she doesn't want to see her sister die." Zod said coldly.
"But she's not her! Kal-El will know..."
"He will know nothing. He has cares nothing for your sister. They never got along as children and the last time he saw her she was, maybe when she was twelve? Kal-El is seeing some Earth woman as well. He will marry this woman and barely give her a look. We will send her back to Earth and we can keep what is ours."
"Father, Lucy's sister is not Kryptonian. Whether or not Kal-El remembers what Cera-Zod looks like exactly or what she should look like, there are things that she won't know that will give her away."
Zod thought about that. Lor-Zod was speaking sense. For once.
"You have a point. I will have your Earthling present this deal to her sister. She won't want to see her jailed so she will do it, I'm sure. I will send Zal-El to Earth to work with her..."
"Mother of Krypton!" Lor-Zod snapped. "Really, Father?"
Zod did not answer his son right away. He had always been jealous of Zal-El, who was Kal-El's twin brother. But there was little brotherly affection between the two of them.
When Jor-El's wife, Lara, had been pregnant with Kal-El, it had been assumed that she was only carrying one child. Childbirth revealed another story. Kal-El was born and then something that was thought to be a tumor or gestation, was pulled from her womb, days later, as well. Only it was not a tumor.
It was a child. A forgotten baby that was hidden for some reason. And while he was named Zal-El, he was not cared for properly, at least that is how Faora saw it. Lara had been traumatized by the idea of her lesser son, and allowed Faora and Zod to care for the boy.
But then, Zal-El began to grow into a normal child and that was when Jor-El and Lara wanted him back. Zod turned him over, of course, but by then, years had went by and he had not properly bonded with Kal-El or his parents. He spent more time with Zod and his family than his own.
By the time he was grown, Zal-El had traveled, and gotten into trouble. Violent trouble all over the galaxy. He lost an eye and wore a patch to cover it. He was the polar opposite of his brother, Kal-El, with regards as to how they maintained their physical appearance. Zal-El was bearded while Kal-El was clean shaven. Zal-El wanted very little to do with the House of El, though he did try to show Lara some concern. But mostly, he lived in the House of Zod compound. And Zod knew it irked Jor-El to no end.
He suspected Cera-Zod might have had illicit relations with the Zal-El, but he could never prove it. The point being, Zal-El would know exactly how Cera-Zod should appear to Kal-El. And Zod had no time for such a task himself. He and Faora had to appear as if they were fully prepared to marry their daughter into the House of El. They could not leave Krypton.
Kal-El's black sheep twin, however, was another story. Zod now gave Lor-Zod his full attention.
"Yes, Lor-Zod. Really. And I will expect your full cooperation in this matter."
Kal-El pasted on a lukewarm smile, as he accepted the congratulations of two of the members of the Kryptonian Council on his upcoming marriage. His father, Jor-El, was immersed in conversation with two other members, about the human mind and mental illness. His uncle, Zor-El, approached him.
"Kal-El, it would behoove you to try and look happy about your upcoming nuptials."
Kal-El glanced over at Jor-El, before speaking to his Zor-El.
"I cannot pretend to be happy about being deceived." Kal-El said glibly.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean, Uncle Zor-El! You have heard the stories. We all have. No one has seen Cera-Zod since before she was a teenager! Commissioner Zod and Faora have told people that she has been away due to schooling but there are rumors that that is false. I don't think they know where she is. And I do not believe she will appear for our wedding date."
Zor-El sighed.
"Is this what you really believe? Or are those the words of that Earthling you have been seeing? The illegitimate one?"
Kal-El refrained from scowling!
"Tess is just as much a Luthor as Alexander. Lionel has promised to acknowledge her."
"When will this be?" Zor-El asked wryly.
"I do not appreciate your words. It is not Tess's fault that she was born of low birth. Lionel Luthor should have acknowledged her. And that is not the point. Zod has a lot to lose if Cera-Zod does not present herself to me for marriage."
"I know the Commissioner is power hungry. But do you really think he would do something underhanded? I mean what? Either Cera-Zod appears or she does not. They could fake her death, I suppose...but all of this implies that they have no knowledge of her whereabouts. I find that hard to believe." Zor-El said solemnly.
"Why is that so hard to believe?" Kal-El countered. "When was the last time she was seen? I find it 'interesting' that Cera-Zod is too busy with 'schooling' to come home EVER! I just think that we have to be watchful. I am fully prepared to keep my end of the betrothment. I believe Zod will do whatever is necessary to make it appear as if he is holding up his end."
Zor-El could not help but be swayed slightly by his nephew's words.
"I will make some discreet inquiries on the matter. I also think, that if Cera-Zod does appear, we might examine her. Just to make sure that she is who she says she is."
Kal-El nodded. His uncle was thinking like he was. Kal-El not only did not think he would be getting married anytime soon, but he suspect that the House of El's fortune would increase exponentially-no thanks to the House of Zod.