Chapter 21[Lab—Hall of Science, 3009]
As the tests unfolded in the two mindscapes, the Legionnaires watched carefully. Concern weighed heavily on their minds. On the one hand, they didn't want Clark and Lana broken by their experiences. However they also knew that the couple would have to stand up to their respective dark personas.
Whatever Darkseid could control had to be brought to heel one way or the other.
"Pulse rates are elevated in both cases," Brainiac indicated. He looked at the couple who sat motionless for the most part in the apparatus. Other than eyebrows occasionally twitching and a squeezing of the hands held together, the visitors remained oblivious to the outside world.
Imra shook her head. "We should pull them. Their emotions are off the charts."
"They need to face that," Rokk disagreed.
"Not if it breaks them first," she countered.
"I agree. For all of their strength, those two remain very fragile," Brainiac interjected while remembering the earlier encounters in the past. "As your counseling programs recommend, work in stages."
She sighed. "We need them to be ready for the darkness not in an asylum."
Rokk frowned. While he wanted to deal with Darkseid ASAP, he also could see their logic. "Fine. Do it."
Brainiac turned to the computer. "Shutting down and…." He stopped. "The sensors are picking up on an electromagnetic locus in the room…"
The lights flickered. The computers around them slowed down and seemed sluggish.
"Rokk, there's someone else here!" she pointed out. She reached out with her telepathy. Whoever you are, we are trying to do what's best. Please work with us.
Rokk let his hands glow with magnetic energy in case it was needed. "Brainiac, what is it?"
"A ghost…." The construct frowned. "Initiating protective sequence."
Before the computers could bring up the sequence in question, the entity in question formed in the room's corner. STOP! THIS IS FOR THEM! THE FUTURE OF KRYPTON LIES WITH THIS! THE FUTURE OF YOUR EARTH DEPENDS ON THIS!
Imra recoiled as a psychic backlash pushed her out of the intruder's mind.
The console smoked and blew several fuses.
Then the lights came back on.
"What was that?" Rokk wondered. "Brainiac, status of the device?"
Brainiac shook the notion off. "Our visitor knew what he was doing. He shorted out our primary method of intervention. Kal-El and Miss Lang are on their own in their dreamscapes for better or worse."
"That's right," Imra agreed. "That entity had a purpose of his own. But who was he?"
"He mentioned Krypton. That would suggest one of Kal's rogues gallery," Rokk postulated. "Zod?"
"No. He was banished in the act that brought Darkseid to Earth," Brainiac disagreed. "It's not an enemy in the traditional sense. Just another figure seeking to control them both." The construct regarded the console's remains. "Just as I took out his Fortress, he does the same here. That was Jor-El." It shook his head in disgust. "Typical pigheaded Kryptonian. He might have insured our failure."
"Anything you can do to speak to him?" Rokk asked her.
She shook her head. "He's not here. I sense he's nearby watching." She rubbed her temples trying to alleviate the pounding headache. "I need to rest before I can try again." She glanced at their guests. "They're on their own."
"I'll work on that console and get it working," Brainiac concurred. "Can you get the parts I need?"
"As soon as you get me a list, I'll get the Ministry working on it ASAP," Rokk concurred. He looked at the duo engrossed in their struggles. Hang in there, Kal and Lana. We'll get to you as soon as we can!