Destined
Summary:
What if a baby girl from our dying Earth is sent to safety on a distant, strange planet called Krypton? This is the tale of Superwoman. A reversal of the Superman mythos with a twist.
Rating:
T for language and theme
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the Superman characters and settings nor any characters related to Superman. All characters are purely owned by Warner Bros. and DC Comics. I own the story though.
A/N: Thank you for checking out my story. It really warms my heart *hands you a cookie* Reviews are welcome!
One: A Father's Lament
The General stood defiantly in his place. A selected few of the ribbons that he has earned in his illustrious career decorated his right chest. His eyes showed a glint of steel and sheer will. His thin mouth pursed into a thought. His heart mourned for his once mighty nation, now under the influence of this corrupt devil.
The devil grinned before him. "You were saying, General Lane?" Alexander Luthor Sr. - for the devil has a name - contested the General with his own stubborn eyes. "Better say it now to me. Nobody would believe you anyway."
"You know well what I say," General Lane spat out, ignoring the authority of the one before him, "our planet, our country, will be destroyed if you continue on your heinous plan!"
Alexander Luthor Sr. laughed gaily. "Now, what are you, Lane? A scientist or a politician?"
"I am neither," the General replied with power. "But I am only concerned for thousands of innocent lives!" He shook with rage, keeping his fists at his sides. What has changed in the good-hearted Alex Luthor he once knew?
"You believe in those fools," Alexander Luthor Sr. said, placing a hand on the General's shoulder. "Why would I do such thing, when I have my son to shelter? Do you think I am that cruel, Sam?"
General Lane flinched at the call of his name. He shoved President Luthor's hand away and said, "Times have changed, President Luthor, yet you turn a blind eye on the truth! Or you simply want your truth? I would not stand it!"
"You are the one who lets your ideals get in the way," Luthor said, edging closer to him until they stood a mere breath away from each other. "We could have ruled together, Sam. But you still stick to your 'truth, justice, and the American way'! "
The General's eyes shone with the fury he has long since repressed. "I shall stand to it until I die, Alexander." His mind recalled his beloved Ella and their little Lois. She was just a baby - an innocent child to all the machinations of evil men around her. No. His only daughter would not live in a world ravaged by war and corruption.
"And no one will believe you," Luthor said, chuckling. "Even now, no one believes you and those trifling scientists. The world will just be better, Sam, with me at the helm." The President backed away and resumed his seat behind his oval desk. "If you cannot join me, you may serve behind bars. I'd like to make use of your expertise and… killing you would be just a shame."
Alexander Luthor Sr. picked his remote control from the desk and pointed it to the screen at the left wall. The ashen, sweet face of Ella greeted them, her golden hair in a mess around her face. Tears stained her cheeks. Cradled in her arms was their sleeping child, swaddled in a blue blanket. Behind them were his fellow soldiers, dressed in Luthor's black uniform, with their machine guns strapped on their chests.
"You monster!" General Lane shouted, taking Luthor by the collar. His vision turned black with rage. The wrath he has kept successfully under control for the last agonizing minutes finally surged into the surface. His face contorted to a beast's expression. Luthor pried his neck free from General Lane's grasp in vain.
The devil gasped for air. "One word… and I'll k-kill your family!"
General Lane immediately released Luthor. The President grabbed his neck and coughed, his eyes never leaving the wretched General. A sinister plan hatched in his mind.
"What do you want?" General Lane said, his cool blue eyes staring into Luthor's soul.
"Join me," Luthor said, composing himself, "I will let your wife and daughter live in peace. Walk out of here a traitor, and I will have them killed before your very eyes." He saw the General's demeanour changed. The fury in his eyes died away, with only an unspeakable emotion replacing it that Luthor himself could not comprehend.
A war waged in the heart of the General. This was a trap. All of these. Luthor placed him at the edge of a cliff. He knew that the cold-hearted, mighty Samuel Sullivan Lane would rather die than see his wife and child suffer. Alexander knew him well.
But he did not know him better.
"Spare my wife and my daughter," he started, standing tall and proud, "I will serve the country and its Head of State."
Luthor clapped his hands. "You will serve the world, General Lane. I guarantee you more ribbons than those you already have." He smiled and offered his hand.
General Lane shook it firmly. His plan begins tonight.
Ella threw her and her one-year old daughter into the embrace of her husband as he walked unharmed into the door. She trembled, causing Lois to cry. Sam released her and wiped her tears. He brushed Lois' dark hair. The baby cooed at her daddy and smiled.
"What happened?" Ella asked. Little Lois laid her head on her mother's shoulder and yawned.
Sam made sure that the door was closed before he spoke in a whisper. "I will be reporting tomorrow."
Ella's eyes widened, her mouth agape. "But I thought…I thought… Why, Sam?" Her voice croaked. Her husband took her arm softly and guided her away down the dark halls of their home.
"He will kill you and Lois," he whispered in her ear, "I cannot let him do that. I cannot…" He stopped and draped his jacket around her; holding her tighter.
"Oh, Sam," she cried. Ella held her baby nearer to her heart and looked up at her husband's face. The fear that engulfed her an hour ago, when the soldiers had come knocking outside their door, crept back to her mind.
The General shook his head. They went down to the basement quickly, as fast as their feet could take them. Lois squirmed in her mother's arms. As soon as they were safe inside, General Lane shut the heavy door behind him, clicking the light switch on too. "We have to do it, darling. You are not safe here anymore. He had Dr. Rosen killed already."
"Dear God," Ella said. She hushed her little baby.
Her husband walked to the machine covered in green tarpaulin at the far corner of the room. "I have to do it."
She nodded. Their daughter gazed around her surroundings and sucked her thumb. Ella kissed her little Lois' cheek and closed her eyes. General Lane took a last glance of his wife and daughter together, bidding them goodbye in his heart. He started to work, taking the tarpaulin first off the capsule-shaped rocket. He built it primarily when he realized that nuclear war is imminent. Especially with Alexander Luthor. No country is safe now.
Dr. Rosen told him the entirety of Luthor's plans and also, the right place to escape to. General Lane had thought before that the man might be insane, but circumstances are pressing. Slowly, Luthor showed his true colours… And then Rosen was dead.
The capsule could hold them all, but General Lane knew he could not escape his duty to his beloved America. If he had to fight against Luthor until he dies just to bring peace to the land, he will do it. But it doesn't mean Ella and Lois should die too.
General Lane started the rocket. It opened with a whoosh. He checked the coordinates of the planet and ensured that the thermostat read fine. "Ella," he called.
His wife's eyes glistened with tears. She embraced Lois and kissed her downy forehead. "Must we do it, Sam? We don't know if those aliens are even good people. We don't even know if she will be taken care of… She will be different… Sam-"
He brushed the tears off Ella's eyes and sighed. "Dr. Rosen has told me that the Kryptonians are like us in every manner. They may be advanced in terms of technology for at least a thousand years but they are in a way, mirror humans. Though she might be superior over them after a few years."
Ella nodded and embraced Lois tighter. "I love you baby." The baby wriggled and poked her mother's nose. Tears ran freely from Ella's eyes. She kissed her daughter on the cheek, crying terribly. Lois' violet eyes saddened as she watched her mother cry.
The rocket was ready. General Lane walked to his wife and little girl. He and Ella had talked about this a long time ago, yet the reality of rocketing their only child to another solar system in the vast universe to an unknown planet is the biggest leap of faith in Samuel Lane's whole life.
The General enveloped his dear Ella and their tiny Lois in his arms. He drew away after a moment and caught in his pocket a necklace. Ella smiled. It was a silver necklace with Lois' name written in Kryptonese and set in a silver setting. Lois looked up at her daddy and touched the name.
The father smiled too, a midst his fears and his sorrow. "You will never be alone, our daughter. We will find you again someday." He tied the necklace around the child's neck. Lois clapped her hands happily and chuckled, playing with her silver name.
Ella handed their baby to General Lane. He carried Lois in his arms and rocked her softly, tucking her baby blue blanket tightly around her. General Lane kissed her forehead for the last time. Lois laughed. He carefully laid her inside the capsule. She looked up at General Lane with a smile.
General Lane pressed a cylinder to Lois' side. He then added her favourite stuffed toy, a bright pink teddy bear. She giggled and embraced it. Ella went forward and brushed her daughter's dark hair, one that she took from Sam, one last time. General Lane held her hand and pressed it gently.
"God be with you, our Lois," General Lane said, pressing the airlock button. Ella laid her head on her husband's shoulder. In a matter of seconds, the rocket was tightly shut. The mini-tablet computer General Lane held in his hands started a countdown.
Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two…
One.
Ella sobbed in her husband's embrace as they watch the vessel carrying their only daughter fly among the stars towards an unknown future.