Jor-El of Krypton was out of time. As he stood before the crystalline terminal, he watched as the information slid through the air before him. He thought he was prepared for the worst, but actually knowing was far more difficult than he had imagined. His society, his planet, everyone he knew and everything he valued was doomed. It was over. Krypton was lost.

He looked over the information one more time. When he had first laid eyes upon the glyphs, he couldn't understand it. The geothermal energy that had powered the Kryptonian race for countless generations, millennium after millennium, had begun to deplete exponentially in a very brief interval of time. If the source was gone, Kryptonian scientists still would have had enough power in reserves to find a solution, an alternative, before the planet was completely reclaimed by the crystalline ice that covered its surface. However, if Jor-El's calculations were correct, then the geothermal energy was not gone; it was stoppered. The energy that normally escaped the planet's core was now being held within its depths, and though his calculations could not be precise without further study of the core itself, the planet had perhaps a few short planetary rotations left before that energy could no longer be contained, before it would be released cataclysmically, bringing about the end of his world.

He reread the data, look for causalities, and with each passing read, it became apparent to Jor-El that only one thing was for certain. There was absolutely no chance that this phenomena was natural. It was criminal, sabotage, genocide, an act so heinous that no word had yet been conceived of to describe it. And there was only one individual that Jor-El knew who could be responsible.

Jor-El left his lab, not bothering to even acknowledge the worried looks on his aids' and colleagues' faces. He entered a transport, and while he loathed using the time and energy it would take to travel such a distance, he needed to be there when he confronted the destroyer of his people.

The fortress of the House of Zod was a dark structure, a menacing crown of jagged obsidian, speaking of both royalty and barbarism. Though the House of Zod was once a thriving and respected noble name, the recent generations had taken a turn for the worst. Their politicking had become brutal, their social habits unsophisticated, their tastes insatiable and unsavory. Now, standing unguarded and seemingly deserted, the House would not have lasted much longer even without the planet's looming destruction.

The transport landed and Jor-El headed into the main greeting hall, a massive room surrounded by imposing excuses for artwork. His distaste for this particular fortress was second only to his distaste for the man who called it his home. As Jor-El crossed the threshold to stand in the traditional place as the received, his single utterance resounded throughout the echoing, empty halls, "Zod!"

The man in question appeared swiftly, as though he had been almost diligently waiting for Jor-El's arrival just outside the greeting hall. He walked to the end of the House's greeting dais, flanked by two followers, his scientific adviser Jax-Ur, and his mistress Faora.

"At last, you have come before me, Jor-El," Zod said, his tone cordial, his expression malicious. "You have discovered the final pieces, as I knew you would. Just as I knew that you would come yourself, full of pompous self-importance. What last words would you speak on the final day of this fortress?"

"Fortress?" Jor-El retorted. "Do you not mean this House? All Houses? This planet? By the gifts of Rao, how could you do this?! Why?"

Zod smiled, a truly mirthless and superior smile, "Ascension."

Jor-El felt as though the destruction of the planet had just occurred, as though the ground had vanished from beneath his feet.

"You cannot!" Jor-El exclaimed. "You have neither the knowledge nor the resources to leave Krypton, let alone travel to the nearest inhabitable planet with the required sun. But even if you did, what point would there be in annihilating Krypton?"

Zod bowed his head, true bereavement in his face, "My reasoning was two-fold; firstly, with Krypton destroyed, there will be no chance that anyone will ever rival me and my lieutenants. Secondly, I do follow the teachings of Rao, and I know that there must be balance in all things."

Jor-El could not help but be infuriated, "You are buying your way to power with the lives of every man, woman, and child on this world? You wish to pay your way to godhood on the blood of every other Kryptonian in existence? This is folly, Zod! If you know the teachings of Rao, then you know that real power cannot be taken; it must be given. You would know that setting yourself above your fellow beings will only lead to your downfall. How can you claim to follow the teachings of Rao and still think that anything is worth this much death and sadness?"

Zod was unfazed, "When my plan succeeds, I will be powerful enough that I might one day meet Rao. When that day comes, I will discuss the morally of my actions with him."

Jor-El could not believe his senses. He prayed for Rao to give him strength, "By Rao's Star, how do you plan on relocating yourself onto a planet with such a young, strong sun? The nearest is millions of light years away."

Zod smiled at his own genius, "We will imprison ourselves."

"The Phantom Zone," Jor-El said, feeling ill. The extra-dimensional space that he himself had discovered was the perfect haven. While an individual within the Phantom Zone could still perceive time, that individual would be in continuous, unaltered stasis. All Zod and his lieutenants would only have to wait until some other alien race was advanced enough to remove them from the Zone. They could be anywhere in the universe, and if the race had a yellow son, Zod would achieve his end. It was a risky endeavor, no doubt one that required a considerable degree of faith.

"I will stop you," Jor-El said defiantly.

Zod snorted, "You can not. I have great respect for the House of El, which is why I am offering you this one chance. Since I put my plan into action, I have had every Phantom Zone Projector on Krypton but one sabotaged. Pledge your allegiance to me, and I will spare your life. Come."

Walking to the extreme edge of the dais, setting his stance, one hand on his hip, the other palm down before him, Zod stood with deep gratification as he said, "Kneel before Zod."

Jor-El stood tall, "Never."

Zod's look of anger could have burned, "This is no time for heroics, Jor of the House of El. The end is nigh."

As though by sheer will, a display appeared in the air above the three Kryptonians on the dais, and Jor-El almost lost his footing. So little time was left, far less than he had guessed; the length of a casual meal, or the length of a short walk before bed. What could he do with so little time? If he was to have the chance to save one life, any life, he knew what he must do.

He turned and ran.

"There is no time!" Zod shouted. "You can do nothing! Come! Kneel before Zod! You will bow down before me, Jor-El!"

Jor-El entered the transport, taking out his personal crystal, he broke through the digital defenses around the House of Zod in seconds and captured time that Krypton had left. He might just make it. He interfaced with the transport he was in, creating a new configuration in its memory banks. Drawing up all his knowledge and experience, he added all the properties and mechanisms to the configuration needed for an intergalactic journey, something that was considered illegal in all but the theoretical. He knew requisitioning the power it would take to fuel the transport would break still more Kryptonian Laws and would be noticed, but at this point, he had no other recourse. As it was, there would be little that the peacekeepers could do. He established a routine to charge the vessel but was only able to put the finishing touches on it before reaching his destination.

As he landed at his home, the last and most revered House of El, he brought the transport in through the entrance to his private laboratory. Once he had stepped out of it, he started the reconfiguration process, which converted it into a much smaller vessel. Without another thought, he collected three crystals from him personal terminal, containing the Book of Rao, the Complete Libraries of Krypton, and a blank crystal. He quickly programmed the blank with the traditional right of passage gift for a Kryptonian noble; he placed within the crystal the method and capability of replicating the House of El and imbued it with all the required energy to do so. After transferring the time Krypton had left to his personal terminal, he placed the three crystals along with his personal crystal into the vessel. Quickly circumventing Krypton's public power grid's security protocols, he established a conduit of energy into the vessel, drawing in all the power need for its long journey. Leaving the vessel to charge, he left his lab and entered the living area of his home.

"Lara?" he called, trying to keep the frantic tone from his voice.

"Here," he heard her call from the nursery. He entered without delay and was momentarily taken aback. His wife, Lara, stood, her back to him, the Red Sun, Rao's Star, setting over the white landscape that stretched out as far as the eye could see, holding their son, the cuing and burbling baby Kal-El. To Jor-El, there was no more beautiful sight in the universe, and he knew that he was looking upon it for the last time. He felt his strength wain and falter. He prayed to Rao, never feeling so forsaken.

"Jor-El," Lara sighed, her voice a balm and a blade in its beauty to his ears. "I thought you would be late tonight, trying to discover the cause of the geothermal anomaly. But... what is wrong?"

Jor-El hung his head, trying to breathe. How could he conceive of this, the end? How could he know that all he knew, all he truly valued, was about to end? How could he go on, finding the strength to do what must be done?

He felt Lara's hand upon his cheek, "Jor-El? What has happened?"

Jor-El found his will, and knew what must be done, "Zod."

Lara took a deep breath, her gaze unblinking, "Is there nothing that can be done?"

Jor-El looked into her eyes, "Krypton has seen its last sunrise."

She held Kal-El close to her breast, the baby quieting, "What can we do?"

"Lara," he said, feeling breathless, "I cannot in good conscience let our son meet his demise at the hand of such a power-thirsty madman. I have prepared the only solution that I know of; we must send Kal-El away."

Lara looked deeply distressed, but relented to her husband's knowledge and wisdom, "Explain."

"Zod has thought his plan through. He is planning to hide within the Phantom Zone with his two followers, and he has ensured that no other Kryptonians can join him there. His plan is well devised since the most likely planet to restore him to this universe orbits a yellow sun. It is because of this that I send our son to this planet, a planet called Earth."

Lara was shocked, "But, Jor-El, the laws? Rao's Mandates? How can you do this?"

Jor-El shook his head, "Legally, I cannot. But, I believe this is the path Rao has set before me. Kal-El will not be taking great power. I will be giving it to him."

"But, Jor-El," she said, the worry only a mother could possess upon her face, "he will be different, an outsider. He will be all alone."

"It will be a hard life," Jor-El agrees, "full of confusions and questions. I have supplied his vessel with all the knowledge I can grant him to help him on his quest. I must have faith in Rao, and faith that our son will be equal to the burden he must endure to live."

Laying hands upon his son, his one and only child, Jor-El stood with his wife, as they drunk him in, his presence and his existence, their best and greatest achievement, the culmination of their lives and unity.

"Come," Jor-El said. "There is little time."

Together, they carried their son, wide-eyed and almost solemn, forth to Jor-El's laboratory. As Lara placed the blanket wrapped infant into the vessel, Jor-El programmed in the vessel's course and assured himself that all the required power had been absorbed from the grid. Finally, he stood over his son.

"My son, Kal of the House of El, the last son of Krypton. I commit you to the stars, to rest upon a world as full of potential as you yourself. Those who people it are as capable of evil and compassion as you will be. Take heart in the knowledge that we send you forth with the faith that you will live and be a symbol of peace, an example of what potential lies in minds and hearts of all. Know that we will always be with you, our little Kal-El."

Then, taking his mantle and cape from off his shoulders, Jor-El laid them around his son as Lara placed her personal crystal with the others. The ground began to tremble around them, to shift, as the two stepped back from the vessel as it closed protectively around their son. Standing, embracing, they watched as the wall slid away. Before their tear-filled eyes, the vessel streaked off into the night sky. The ground continued to buck and tremble. Turning to his wife, Jor-El pressed his forehead to hers as the time on his terminal ran out. With a flash that rivaled the glow of Rao's Star, Krypton was no more.