Lois stared at the armored man blankly for several seconds. "Uh, identification card? I um, was in such a hurry I left it on my dresser."
As the man's face was hidden behind a black helmet, Lois couldn't see whether he believed her story. "Unacceptable, you're coming with me." Guess that answer's my question.
"Look officer, I'd love to go with you but…"
What ever Lois was about to say was cut off by the appearance of another man. "Selia, baby I'm so sorry, please, please forgive me for being such a jerk." With this he pulls Lois into a tight hug, and Lois hugs him back out of reflex. The man pulls out of her embrace, just as she realizes he's saving her hide.
As he turns to address the officer, Lois takes a few moments to study her savior. He's tall, about six three, with black hair, and bright blue eyes. Except for the thinness of his face, he looks exactly like Clark.. She see's him smile at the officer. He even has Clark's charm smile. Who is this guy?
Lois pulls herself out of her own musings and turns her focus toward the conversation taking place. "I'm sorry officer, It's my fault Selia doesn't have her ID, I had a difficult shift at work, I work nights, and was looking for something or someone to take my anger out on." The man was laying the charm on so thick you'd have to cut it with a chain saw. Unfortunately, Officer Bradford must be a robot.
"Doesn't matter, she was outside her quarter's without her identification card. It is my duty to take her to head quarter's so she can be finger printed, and her identity confirmed."
This didn't faze the man in the least. "If I recall correctly, that doesn't need to happen so long as there are two people who can corroborate the identity of the person in question, so long as they have not committed any crimes."
"That is the law, but you are the only one corroborating her identity, therefore she must come with me. Come."
He reached for Lois, but before he could touch her, another stranger came up, but this time it was a woman about the same age as the young man.
"Selia, thank goodness. When you didn't show for breakfast I got worried." She embraced Lois just as the man had done. She pulled back and looked to the men. "Ryer, what's going on?"
So this guy does have a name, a strange one, but still it's a name. And whose this woman, she looks like ME. Before Ryer could explain, Officer Bradford stepped forward.
"This woman was caught out of her quarters without an identification card."
"Oh I'm sorry officer; my sister must have been upset she's never forgotten her ID before."
"You corroborate this woman's identity… fine she's released to your custody, but make sure she gets her identification card before you go anywhere."
Ryer and the woman give solemn nods and the officer stalks off without a backwards glance.
"Ok, not that I'm not grateful for your help, but who the blazes are you and why'd you help me?"
Ryer turned toward Lois at her outburst. "As you've heard my name's Ryer, and this is my twin sister Lara. As to why we helped you, we were curious. People haven't worn clothes like what you're wearing in about twenty-five years; it's probably why you attracted the attention of Officer Personality Disorder."
"Well, I appreciate your help, but I think I'll be on my way."
Lois starts to walk off, but she had barely gone a step before an iron hand gripped her upper arm. She turns around to only to come face to face with the young woman Lara. Holly crap, how'd this chick get so strong?
"Look, you might think you're capable of taking care of your self, but unless you want to be stopped by every single law enforcement officer in Metropolis, you need to come with us. Like my brother said, it's your clothes. More specifically your blue jeans; that fabric isn't even made anymore."
Lois finally notices just how different her clothes are than the twins. They are both wearing cloth pants, but while they were the same color of blue jeans they were obviously not made of the same material. The shirts seemed to be made of the same material as well.
"What makes your clothes so much different than mine; it looks like regular cotton cloth."
The twins burst into howling laughter. It was almost three minutes before Ryer was finally able to answer her. "This fabric," he says pulling at his shirt, "replaced cotton. It's synthetic and indefinably more durable, not to mention more comfortable, I uh, borrowed some from a museum when I was ten. I'm not sure how the scientists did it, but they did."
"Must be expensive, that looks like only rich people can afford it."
Again the twins break into laughter, but this time it was Lara who answered. "You think this is fancy you should see what our father wears; you'd think these were the clothes of a pauper next to his. Your people must really be out of touch with what's been going on up here."
"My people?"
Ryer breaks in again. "Yea your people, the underground. The people who decided to live below the streets instead of submitting to the emperor's rule, many of whom fight against his order."
They think I'm from some sort of underground society? Well, it works better than the truth. Who knows what they'd do then. "Yea, the underground. I decided I'd been cooped up down there long enough and decided that I wanted to see above ground. My dad will be furious when he finds out I've left."
"Don't worry; it's not your fault that your parents and grandparents can't see that all the emperor was trying to do when he took over the world was to create a peaceful place, where no violent crimes happened. He might be hard in his rule, but it's for the best. He learned a long time ago that when humans are in control the world is full of violence and blood shed."
Lara starts to speak as her brother stops. "He often takes a hard line when it comes to obedience to laws, but those laws have brought almost complete peace. Now it is only the rebels who stand in the way of true peace."
These two can't be serious, taking over an entire planet through war, then subjugating its people to harsh laws, and all in the name of true peace? Sounds a little too Adolf Hitler to me. People can't be forced into peace; it has to come from within. Instead of voicing these thoughts, Lois asks a different question. "You two have a lot of respect for the emperor don't you?"
The entire time the three of them had been walking, Lois hadn't paid attention to where they'd been going, but as they turn around the next corner a magnificent palace stands before them.
This time Lara and Ryer answer together. "Of course we have, he is our father."
