A/N: This is my first attempt at a fan-fic. Constructive criticism and questions are welcome. Thanks for reading. :)

Chapter 1:

"System malfunction. Warning. System malfunction…"

"Yes, yes, please restate the obvious," Clark told L.A.R.A. (#50 Artificial Recursion Assistant). "L.A.R.A., run a full systems check."

"Life support systems…. Fully operational. Ship structural integrity…. 87%. Engine systems damaged…. 75% capacity. Navigation systems damaged…. Un-operational. Communication systems damaged…. Un-operational. Research systems damaged…. 82% functional… Weapons systems damaged… 60% operational...," she replied.

"Good, we're in decent shape. Now to figure out what happened…" Clark wasn't particularly worried, he was no Bruce Wayne but he was still confident that he could fix any damages and proceed with the mission as planned.

"I'm also at full operational capacity, sir," L.A.R.A. said as cheekily as a computer could.

"Ha! You and me both L.A.R.A, you and me both," Clark retorted.

"I'm going to go and check the hull and make the necessary repairs. Run a diagnosis on the communications while I'm out." Clark secured the air mask to his face and a tool belt to his waist and headed to the airlock. Once the inner door was secured, he opened the outer hatch and drifted out into the star-studded inky black of deep space. He gave his ship a quick once over, noticing the slight bruising here and there and more than a few dents and cracks in the hull. He started work on the dents first, pulling them out using one of the tools at his disposal. The cracks in the hull were easy work for his laser vision. As he came around on the third largest crack, L.A.R.A said, "Sir, communications diagnosis is complete. The motherboard for outgoing transmissions is irreparably damaged, but after rebooting the system, incoming communications is up and running."

"Any transmissions from Watchtower?" Clark asked.

"None, sir"

"That's strange, J'onn would have noticed us going dark." As he finished the hull repairs and headed back inside the ship, Clark decided that the best thing would be to head back to Watchtower and restart the mission. "L.A.R.A. since navigation is down, scan all frequencies for any Earth based transmissions and follow it."

"Sir, I am picking up something on radar. Incoming very fast."

Clark moved hastily to the window fully expecting to see John but instead saw a completely silver man standing on what looked like a surfboard barreling toward the ship. He was about to tell L.A.R.A to ready the remaining weapons but it was too late. The silver man was already hovering in front of the ship looking at Clark with a blank face.

"Uh… greetings…" Clark said.

"I would depart from this location with haste," the silver man said, "Galactus is coming."

"Yea well that's what I'm trying to do, but my nav system is down. You wouldn't happen to know which way Earth is?" Clark asked hopefully ignoring his curiosity about the "Cactus" guy. Today was not the day for a confrontation.

The silver man pointed to his left. "What you seek is that way."

"Could you help me out? 'That way' is a pretty general direction," Clark asked.

"I will move you in the correct direction, do not deviate from that path and you will come upon the planet within a month of Earth time, faster if your engines are functioning," said the man.

"Thanks friend," Clark said.

"Think not of it," replied the silver man, as he flew around to the back of the ship and pointed the ship towards Earth and pushed. If Clark had not been Kryptonian, the jolt would have unbalanced him.

"L.A.R.A start up rear engines and continue to scan for watchtower transmissions."

"Right away, sir."

Clark leaned back in his chair, put his feet up with arms behind his head and dreamed of the mountain size stack of buttermilk pancakes that his mom cooked every time he visited the farm. That would definitely be his first stop when he got home. Shiera can say whatever she wants, but nothing beats Earth food, Clark thought.

*Watchtower*

"Green Lantern, Batman. We have a situation. Superman's ship has gone dark," Martian Manhunter said into the communications array.

"Of course boyscout found a way to screw this up," replied Batman. "Meet me in the conference room. Don't alert the others just yet."

"Copy that," said Green Lantern, "I'll be there in a few. Dropping off some cargo." John Stewart descended from the sky in front of the police station, the three battered thugs in tow. The guard out front greeted him.

"Hey, Green Lantern! Diamond heist on third?" he asked, gesturing to the men.

"Yea," replied John, "a crew is already there processing the evidence. You'd think criminals would have learned by now."

"Yea well, crazy is as crazy does. Kinda like my ex-wife," the guard laughed.

"Hehe, see you around man," John said as he flew off towards Watchtower.

When John entered the conference room, J'onn and Batman were waiting. "Bring us up to speed, J'onn," he said.

Using his control panel Martian Manhunter turned on the holographic map of the known universe displayed over the conference table.

"From the data we have, Superman's mission was going according to plan. He was in Phase 2 of the experiments, entering the second month of his mission. Then at approximately twenty-hundred hours, we received transmission from his ship of some strange power surge readings before going dark completely. His last known location was here," J'onn pointed to a red flashing beacon outside of Pluto's orbit on the hologram, "Of course, you know our data is delayed because of how far away the mission location is. We have not received any further communications from Superman."

"Have you been able to locate the ship at all?" asked Batman.

"No. That is the strange part. Even if the ship was destroyed I should be able to pinpoint Superman's location. But from what I can tell it seems that both him and the ship are nowhere to be found. From this location I can't tell you much more," replied J'onn.

"I'll fly out there and check it out; Take some readings and gather as much information as possible. It may be that he is just floating stranded out there," said John.

"Very well. Keep me informed," Batman said as he rose to leave.

"Green Lantern, I can use the transporter to get you close to the location, but you are on your own for the return trip," J'onn offered.

"I'll meet you in the transporter bay in an hour," John said. I'd better fuel up my ring and my stomach, he thought, that flight back is going to be taxing. Plus, I've got a bad feeling about this. As he made his way to his quarters he secretly and desperately hoped that he really would find Superman floundering out there just waiting for a tow.