Epilogue Part 1: Krypton
5 years later.
It had been a long struggle permeated with numerous bloody battles. Like Kal-El had thought his adopted brother and mother were going to fight to the bitter end and that end was approaching rapidly. At this very moment he is aboard his ship meeting his lieutenants as they discuss the strategy for the final assault on Krypton. Kond-Ah was still with him in body at least. Ever since he lost his bonded one, Asha Del Nar, in battle Kal-El had noticed that on occasion Kond would have this haunted, wistful look that was the true reflection of the wound Asha's death had inflicted on Kond's spirit.
Kal-El can't fathom completely what Kond-Ah feels although he has some idea. While Diana may not be dead or at least he hopes not he still feels the pain of the separation even 5 years on. Kal-El has no idea what her health is. He has not been to Earth since he left it. The war against his family had taken up his every living moment.
"Father! Father!" a small blond haired girl with blue eyes shouts as she runs into the conference room.
Well almost every living moment. He did always find time for her. Kal-El smiles brightly and bends down as the girl runs into his arms. Kal-El holds her tightly to himself. Of all the marvellous things in all creation this is the one he loves the most. His daughter.
"Lana Kal-El!" a shrill voice shouts soon followed by its source. That would be his daughter's mother. His cousin Kara Zor-El and it was Kara that chose the name Lana.
Back when he learned how Kara had tricked him into fathering her child he had spent the time before his daughter was born unsure how to feel exactly. He had a lot of hate for Kara and he wondered if that hate would effect how he would feel about their child. However, when he first held his daughter and she looked at him with these blue eyes that were so full of innocence and wonder Kal-El found that he couldn't help but love Lana. She was blood of his blood and as for Kara...well for his daughter's sake he had learned to be civil to his cousin. He suppose he could have killed Kara after she gave birth but by then they were in the midst of the war against the forces of his brother and mother and it occurred to him that weakening his own forces probably wasn't a good idea so he dismissed the idea and concentrated on winning the war.
Kara stomps in with this look that resembled a stormy sky. Dark and foreboding. "Lana!" Kara shouts angrily at her daughter. "You're are not suppose to be here."
Kal-El looks at his daughter who has this terrified expression on her face. He strokes some of her blond hair back. "It's alright Kara," he tells his cousin. "We were just about done anyway."
"That is no excuse," Kara insists.
Kal-El lets out a sigh. "She is a child Kara," he says as way of explanation.
"You are always making excuses for her," she says accusatory.
"And you are always too hard on her," he hits back. He looks into his daughter's blue eyes. "That's why you're here aren't you. Your mother was being mean again wasn't she."
Lana looks back at her mother's darkened expression and then at her father's kind face trying to decide what to say that will get her in the least amount of trouble. In the end she decides to not say anything but to simply hug her father as tightly as possible. Lana always feels safe in her father's arms.
Kal-El takes a moment to savour the feel of his daughter in his arms before he gives her a quick kiss on the top of the head. With her still in arms he turns back to his meeting. Since they are almost finished he does not mind Lana staying for the last few minutes. He'll even tolerate Kara's presence. She no longer gets invited to these meetings not after she...well it wasn't pleasant. There was stabbing and blood and the permanent paralysis of a very skilled leader and of someone who Kal-El had come to call friend.
Kara, on the other hand, rolls her eyes at the sight. Kal was determined, it seemed, to spoil their daughter. He was far too soft on her. At this rate Kara would never turn Lana into a warrior like her. After all that was the whole reason she wanted a daughter in the first place so she could mould Lana in her own image. She even went through the whole torturous process of carrying the baby to term inside her instead of using the more common method of a birthing matrix. The birthing matrix was essentially an artificial womb and was the preferred method of procreation as it avoided the whole painful act of child birth but there were still a few who still had offspring in the more 'traditional' way like Kara had decided to in the end. Of course having her daughter that way ensured Kal wouldn't do something impulsive in his anger like trying to kill her and by the time she gave birth, which by the way was just about the most horrendous, painful experience Kara had ever had to endure, Kal had calmed down to the point that he wouldn't try and kill her even after she had had their daughter. Kara folds her arms across her chest and waits for this meeting to end. Kal had banned her from them after she had stabbed someone who had disrespected her. He completely overreacted. It wasn't like she killed the person and she could have if she had wanted to.
The meeting ends soon after and the others depart to return to their ships and make the final preparations for the assault on the defences around Krypton. Above the table in the centre of the room the holographic image of Krypton remains. Kal-El places his daughter down on the table.
"Father?" Lana queries.
"Yes Lana."
"What planet is that?" she asks at the image of the white world.
"That is our home Lana. That is Krypton," he informs her since of course she has never set foot in it. Once this war is over Kal-El will have to remedy that and show his daughter all of Krypton's wonders. He watches with fatherly pride as Lana closely studies the image of their homeworld no doubt absorbing every detail instantly.
"You're still indulging her," Kara remarks with a critical tone.
Kal-El turns his head to gaze at Kara who has not changed all that much at all in the last 5 years. Even without the abilities of a yellow sun Kryptonians are still quite long lived. 200 years is not uncommon and Kara is only about perhaps a quarter of the way through her natural life. He takes a breath. "Kara we are not having this argument again," he tells her in no uncertain terms. They have had it many times before over whether he indulges their daughter and whether Kara is too strict with her.
"Fine," Kara sulks. "We won't have this argument again but we will have this discussion again."
Kal-El fixes Kara a gaze that says 'not right now they are certainly not'.
"Once the war is over," Kara amends.
Kal-El releases his gaze. Better and speaking of the war. "Are you ready?"
Kara is insulted. "Of course I'm ready."
"Good."
Kara takes a breath. Her cousin was infuriating at times. She steps forward towards the table. "How long has it been?" she asks Kal as in how long has it been since he stepped foot on Krypton.
"A long time," he answers vaguely. In fact it has been 8 years since he last set foot upon the ground of home.
"Well we attack tomorrow and then you'll get to see it again," Kara reminds him.
"Assuming there is anything left afterwards," he cautions. He had once remarked before this all began how Lor would see everything burnt to ash before he would yield and Kal-El still believes that.
"You overestimate them," Kara says dismissively in relation to Lor-Zod and Faora. After all when they started this campaign against the rule of House of Zod they were outnumbered and out-gunned and yet here they are on the eve of the final battle and now they are the ones with superior forces due to a combination of defections and losses that had been inflicted on their enemy.
Kal-El says nothing back. That would simply repeat an argument he and Kara have had before. Instead he focusses on the most important reason he is doing this and that is to create a Krypton fit for his daughter to live on. In a wider sense it is for a better Krypton for all their children. He picks Lana up once more. "Come on my little ray of sunshine," he says using his nickname for her. "Time for the day's last meal."
On that issue Kara would agree. "Yes. It is important you eat properly if you are going to grow up to be a warrior."
Kal-El shakes his head. While he has no problem with Lana being taught to fight, it only makes sense considering, what he is unhappy with is the way Kara goes about training her. Kara seems to want to suck out all the joy of being a child. He knew her childhood had been unhappy and frankly so was his which is exactly why he doesn't want Lana raised like that.
That night Kal-El places his daughter down in bed and makes sure she is securely in place. Tomorrow would be the final battle but tonight his only concern if his daughter.
"Father?" Lana queries.
Kal-El brushes some of her hair back. "Yes Lana."
"Can I have a story?" she requests of him. She finds that her father telling her stories helps her sleep.
"Certainly. What do you want to hear about?"
"Tell me...tell me about Earth again," she decides. She likes her father's stories about the planet Earth.
Kal-El smiles a small smile. "Lets see here. Earth. Well it starts with a beautiful princess..."
The next day Kal-El is overseeing the battle in orbit of Krypton. With his brother's forces forced back to simply surrounding the planet there were no more clever strategies that were going to outmanoeuvre the enemy. Those remaining were fanatics who would fight to the end. They would not surrender. No this was a battle of annihilation. Either Kal-El and his forces destroyed the defenders or they destroyed them. There was no other option. At least Lana was safe. She was on a support ship on the edge of the system with a trusted friend.
The whole ship rocks as a blast hits the shields.
"Shields holding," the tactical officer informs him.
Kal-El looks at the display in front of him that shows the position of all the ships taking part. So far it was going as he predicted. He needed to break up the defender's formation. He activates his communicator.
"Commander Kara Zor-El here," is the response on the other end.
"Kara. Proceed as we discussed," he orders.
"As you command General Kal-El," she chimes in obedience. Kara may be mentally unstable but when it comes to the time of battle she is nothing but a professional. Also she and her troops will carry out orders that leave only the slimiest chance of survival and they do so with relish not apprehension.
Kal-El never wanted to be a general he would mention if anyone asked him. He simply ended up with the rank as soon as he agreed to take command of this endeavour. He watches as the Kandorian ships make what would be considered by anyone else a suicidal attack on the defensive lines of the opposing forces. Suicidal that is for anyone but Kara. He had seen her survive worse odds than this without a scratch although in truth he has no idea how she manages to pull it off.
"Order Cruiser groups Pah and Tho to give cover fire to the Kandorian Guard," he tells his communications officer.
"Yes General," is the automatic response.
Kal-El watches on and silently prays for Kara to succeed because if he can't break up the enemy's formation this is going to be a long and extremely bloody battle. He waits and waits and waits and then he sees what he is looking for. Kara has managed to punch a hole through the line. Quickly he orders another two cruiser groups in to widen the breach with another two on standby if what he hopes happens.
With him Kond-Ah looks on too. "They're breaking," he comments.
Maybe but Kal-El is not falling for it if it is a deception. He will continue as planned. "Have attack groups Mah and On proceed as planned," he orders.
"Yes General," the communications officer chimes once more.
The display shifts to the opposite side of Krypton as the attack groups Kal-El had kept in reserve exit hyperspace. He is going to pull the defenders already in trouble apart in 2 directions. Once they have engaged the defenders it is time for the assault. He straightens himself up. "Commander Kond-Ah," he says addressing his friend.
"Yes General," he says in response.
"Give the order."
Kond bows in respectful thanks for Kal giving him the honour. He addresses the fleet. "All ships proceed to final attack positions. It is time. Time to retake our homeworld. For Krypton!"
"For Krypton!" all the personnel on the bridge shout. It had become a rallying call over these past 5 years.
Kal-El can feel the ship accelerate. Here they go.
3 days later Kal-El stands in the centre of the Council chambers. Defeating the fleet in orbit had taken only hours. Securing the entire planet was a process that was still being undertaken. There was fighting still going on in several cities but they had secured the capital, Kandor. When Kal-El killed Zod all those years ago he wondered if he would ever see the splendour that was Kandor again.
His time to take in these chambers soon comes to an end as he hears the marching of soldiers approaching and one very irate voice demanding that she is released at once. Kal-El stands, facing the doorway as a brown haired middle aged woman is lead in and brought to a halt a few feet from him. "Hello Mother."
Faora, wife of Zod, moves forward and slaps Kal-El across the face. "How dare you!" she screams at him. "You are no son of mine!"
Kal-El does not react to the slap. He expected it truthfully. "I am not here to debate semantics with you Mother," Kal-El informs her calmly. "Now where is my brother hiding?"
Faora looks at him scornfully. "You cannot expect me to reveal anything you ungrateful bastard."
"Tsk Mother. Language," Kal-El rebukes her.
"We took you in, raised you and this is how you repay us. Betrayal and murder," she seethes with rage.
Kal-El does not rise to her accusations. "Your way would only lead to the ultimate ruination of Krypton."
"Ruination!" She can barely believe what she is hearing. "Our way led us to our rightful place as the most dominant species in the known universe."
"Again I am not here to debate with you Mother. Now where is Lor-Zod?"
Faora crosses her arms across her chest defiantly. "I will tell you nothing."
"No I didn't think you would," Kal-El admits honestly before he and the troops around Faora step back.
She watches them with suspicion. "What are you doing Kal-El?"
Kal-El says nothing as two spinning rings suddenly descend from above and surround Faora in a forcefield. "I am not going to kill you," he tells her. "I am going to inflict upon you what you inflicted upon my parents. Enjoy the Phantom Zone Faora Hu-Ul," he says deliberately no longer calling her mother.
Faora faces darkens and twits into pure hate. "I swear Kal-El that you will pay for this. Even if it takes an eternity you will pay!"
Kal-El speaks up. "Brainiac," he says addressing the Kryptonian central computer.
"Yes General Kal-El," the disembodied voice answers.
"Activate the Phantom Zone projector."
"As you command General," Brainiac responds obediently as one of the first things Kal-El had done was to have Brainiac reprogrammed so it would obey him.
A beam of energy strikes from above, hitting Faora and in a flash of light tears apart her body and transforms it into a non-corporeal state and then sends it to the Phantom Zone leaving only an empty space where a person had been before.
Kal-El stares at the empty space for a few moments before he leaves this place. He has no time no waste. He still has to find his brother. There is no telling what Lor might do in his desperation.
Elsewhere, in Argo City to be precise, Zor-El is quickly packing a few things in his home before he flees. KLM troops were in the city and it was only a matter of time until...
"Hello Father."
Zor-El freezes instantly at that voice. He swallows hard. He turns to face the doorway. "Hello Kara."
Kara walks into the main living area and looks around. She had been waiting for this moment for over 40 years. She takes in the opulent luxury her father had gained by allying himself with General Zod while she has been fighting in the worse places this universe has to offer struggling to survive sometimes. "I see life has been good to you," she remarks.
Zor-El slowly shifts round the room away from Kara and towards the alcove where he keeps a weapon hidden. "Well you know how it goes," he comments trying to keep the conversation going.
Kara laughs. "Oh please father. Do not insult my intelligence. I know what you are trying to do."
Zor-El stops and looks at her. "Kara. I don't know what you are thinking but everything I did was for your own good," he tries to explain desperately.
"My own good," she repeats scarcely able to believe he would say that. "What part father? The beatings. The part where you had me dragged off to join the military simply because you wanted rid of me? Tell me father which part?"
"You want to kill me Kara for what you think I did to you? Is that it?" he asks of her. "Then go ahead and kill me!" he demands hoping to throw her off balance.
Kara lets out a dark laugh. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. Do you really think I'll just kill you and deprive myself the pleasure of making you suffer? I don't think so." Kara takes her energy weapon from its place on her waist and tosses it away. She the grabs a sword off the wall and throws it at her father who catches it. She then draws her own sword. "We will settle this like true Kryptonians father."
Zor-El hesitates for a second. He hasn't fought with a sword for years.
"It is your only chance to get out of this room alive," Kara informs him.
Zor-El reluctantly raises his sword and prepares to defend himself.
"Excellent!" Kara says with sudden insane cheerfulness. "Lets go."
Meanwhile Kal-El is making his way through the network of tunnels that once constituted a mine. The minerals that were once mined here had long be exhausted in the original uprising that had brought Zod to power. This was where he had had a lead as to where he could find Lor-Zod and the fact that they had had to fight their way in past his brother's personal bodyguards seemed to confirm that lead. Right now Kal-El had hundreds of troops fanning out throughout the tunnel network in the attempt to find Lor which wasn't easy as the many of the lights for the mine no longer worked so it was very dark.
"Hello my brother!" a voice echoes through the tunnels obviously through some sort of communication system.
Kal-El calls out. "Lor! Is that you?!"
"My brother the traitor. My brother the murderer."
Kal-El is concerned by the almost crazy edginess that taints Lor's voice. Lor wasn't the most sane person to start with and Kal-El fears that this war might have pushed him completely over the edge. "Lor!" Kal-El calls out again. "It doesn't have to end in violence! We can resolve this peacefully!"
An insane cackle is the response. "Oh no my brother. There is another way this can end. In fire!"
Kal-El gets a very uneasy feeling with the way Lor says that.
"Follow the tunnel you are in to the end," Lor commands. "And then we'll finish this in person and oh feel free to bring your little toy soldiers. They can't stop the cleansing that is to come anyway."
Kal-El and the squad with him march quickly down the tunnel until they come to a chasm. Kal-El briefly looks over the edge and cannot see the bottom of it.
"It goes all the way down to the planet core."
Kal-El looks up and his troops point their weapons at the figure on the other side of the chasm. A figure who looks remarkably like a younger version of his father. "Lor."
"Kal-El," Lor says back with total unconcern to all the weapons being pointed at him. "I would advise your troops to lower their weapons if I was you Kal-El."
"Why is that?"
Lor reaches for something behind his back and pulls out a controller of some kind. He presses something and lights come on filling the area with light and illuminating a crystal object that reminds Kal-El of a much larger version of the explosive projectiles they have on their ships.
"Because if you don't I will drop that device into the planet's core where it will trigger a chain reaction of all the radioactive elements in the core which will cause..."
"the complete destruction of the planet," Kal-El finishes in true horror at what Lor is thinking of doing.
"Very good Kal-El," Lor says with false praise.
"Lower your weapons," Kal-El orders of his troops which they obey.
"Excellent. Now we can talk," Lor informs Kal-El.
"About what?"
"Oh I don't know. Pick something because you see when we stop talking I will press the button and end this once and for all so your only chance is to keep me talking."
Kal-El needs time to figure out how to get at Lor although he doesn't see how right now as the chasm is far too wide to jump across. He just needs to think of something to say. "How have you been since we last saw each other?" he asks despite how strange a question that sounds right now.
Lor chuckles. "Interesting topic to start with. Let me see. If you mean health wise couldn't be better. Have been busy obviously trying to think of ways to assassinate you."
"Yes I know. I caught them and then had your assassins put to death," Kal-El replies. What he won't say is how close one or two of them actually came to killing him.
"I thought as much and tell me Kal-El how did that feel? Hmm. To put your fellow Kryptonians to death, to have their blood on your hands? Did it feel like when you killed our father?"
"I did what I had to," Kal-El answers.
"Ah I see. You did what you had to."
"Just as you have done no doubt," Kal-El says in reference to who knows how many Kryptonians that were considered enemies of the regime.
"Excellent point Kal-El. Excellent and yes you are quite correct I have killed many but there is a difference between you and I."
"And what is that?" Kal-El asks and then thinks that he shouldn't have.
"The difference is Kal-El that you have a line you would never cross whereas I..." Lor trails off as a truly terrifyingly sinister smile comes to his face. Kal-El looks on in horror as Lor moves to press the button which will kill them all. "Lor! NO!"
What happens next seem to happen in slow motion as Lor's finger moves towards the button and just as it looks like all is lost Kond-Ah appears from nowhere and slams into Lor knocking the controller from his hand. Kal-El can only look on helplessly as the two men struggle with each other and Kond is too near Lor to risk trying to shoot Lor.
Kond-Ah had simply been doing his duty and searching the tunnels when he came across Lor and Kal having a discussion and he overheard what Lor was planning to do. Madness is the only explanation so when Lor moved to drop the device Kond made his move and now he finds himself locked in a struggle trying to get the upper hand on the not unskilled son of Zod. A fact reinforced when Lor slams his knee into Kond's midsection and then there is a sharp blow to the back of his head and he drops to the floor.
Kond's vision blurs as he sees Lor move to get the controller. A red blast hits Lor and he stumbles but continues to move forward. Kond turns his head and sees Kal is the one holding the weapon.
"Lor. Stop!" Kal-El warns his adopted brother. When Lor doesn't Kal-El fires another shot and Lor falls to the ground but continues to crawl forward towards the controller. "Lor!" Kal-El pleads for his brother to stop.
Lor lets out a pained laugh as he nears the controller. "You know you have to kill me Kal-El. I won't stop for as long as I draw breath."
"Then you will breath your last."
Lor looks up to see Kond-Ah standing over him with a sword drawn. Lor actually smiles. "You may kill me but the dream of Zod will never die."
Once upon a time Kond might have shown pity to the pathetic, injured figure lying before him. Before he lost his beloved Asha he certainly would have but since he lost her he finds himself a little short on pity and mercy. With a single precise blow Kond stabs the sword into the back of Lor's neck and with a simple motion detaches the head from the body.
On the other side of the chasm Kal-El looks on feeling sad. Not for Lor. He had never really wanted to kill him if it could be avoided but for his friend Kond. Since Asha died Kond had been so much less than he had been before. Kal-El lets out a breath and looks up at the device that Lor planned to use to kill them all. He points at it. "I want that disabled and then destroyed," he commands.
"Yes General," is the well practised response from his troops.
Later with Lor dealt with and his device disabled Kal-El goes in search of Kara. He finds her in the home of her father sitting on a chair next to the corpse of her father. "Kara?" he queries.
For the first time in hours Kara averts her gaze from the body of her father to her cousin. She had been trying to work out how to feel about the fact her bastard of a father was dead and that she had killed him. She had long thought she would be...well happy but strangely she feels numb, empty, hollow.
"Kara," Kal-El says again. "Are you alright?" he asks her.
Kara takes a breath in preparation to reply but again nothing is really coming to her.
Getting no response Kal-El tries a different track. "Everything is progressing on schedule. We now control about 95% of the planet."
Kara cocks her head to one side as she absorbs that for a moment.
Kal-El moves closer to his cousin and looks down his uncle's body with the lifeless eyes staring upward. The body is a mess like Kara had stabbed it repeatedly in a furious rage. Kal-El nudges the body with his foot for no reason he can think of because Zor-El is certainly dead.
"He's dead," Kara says reassuring Kal-El's thought having finally decided to say something.
Kal-El turns his attention to Kara and now he is closer he can see a cut on her face and a few on her body.
Kara meanwhile is looking round the room. "This wasn't where I grew up you know. My father got rid of that house shortly after my mother died. I hated him for that. I hated him because it seemed like he was trying to get rid of everything that reminded him of her," she tells Kal.
Kal-El places his hand on Kara's shoulder. "He is dead Kara. He now faces Rao's judgement. Let it go."
"I guess you're correct. You did say something a long time ago about how we all must face our final reckoning."
Kal-El smiles sadly. "Yes I did."
Kara springs to her feet. "Well I brought him his and you know what Kal?"
Kal-El shakes his head. He does not know.
"I am going to have this place demolished. There won't be one molecule left of it by the time I am done because I am going to erase everything my father touched. Everything he tainted. By the time I am done it will be like Zor-El never existed."
The rage and anger Kara is spewing is almost palpable. It is that part of Kara Kal-El fears may one day be turned on their daughter.
"Lets get out of here," Kara decides having had enough of this place and she starts to leave.
Kal-El nods and bends down to pick up Kara's bloody sword from where she must have dropped it. "Kara," Kal-El says to get her attention.
Kara stops and turns to see what her cousin wants now. As soon as she is facing him the next thing she knows is searing pain as Kal drives her sword through her. It is a weird feeling and the only thing she can think of to say in a surprised tone is "Kal?" as she can't quite believe that he has actually just done what he has done.
Kal-El closes his eyes at the sound of shock and surprise in Kara's voice but this had to be done. A new Krypton cannot have people like Kara in it. He releases his grip on the sword, places his hands on Kara's back and lower her to the floor. It is only then he opens his eyes to look at her. "I'm sorry Kara. I am so sorry," he tells her even if he isn't sure what he is apologising for but it is the only think he can think of to say.
Kara coughs up some blood. "You surprised me," she admits honestly. She had always suspected that at the back of his mind he thought about doing this but had believed that the daughter they shared and the feelings attached to her overrode that impulse.
Kal-El stokes a loose strand of her blond hair off her face. "We all must face our final reckoning Kara," he repeats the words he said so long ago as the only justification he can give for this act.
"Even you?" Kara queries.
One corner of Kal-El's lips curve up slightly. "Even me," he assures her. He has no allusion that one day he too will face the punishment he deserves for all the crimes he has committed including this one but again it had to be done or at least that is what he is telling himself right now.
Kara takes in a laboured breath. "Promise...promise me that you'll take care of Lana."
"I promise."
"I do love her Kal."
"I know." At least he knows that she loves Lana in what passes for love in Kara's head.
Kara can feel the life fading from her. She feels tired and her eyelids heavy. "Kal," she says at barely a whisper.
Kal-El moves his head closer to her lips so he can hear her.
"I love you."
Pain squeezes Kal-El's heart at what he knows to be Kara's genuine feelings. "I love you too," he tells her and he does in a strange, inexplicable way. "And I forgive you," he adds as the last words Kara will hear in this world.
A small smile comes to Kara's lips before she can no longer fight the darkness. Her eyes close and she takes her final breath.
Kal-El can feel Kara go limp in his arms. He closes his eyes once more as tears well up in them. Taking a moment he composes himself. He opens his eyes, bends down and places a kiss on Kara's forehead. "May Rao forgive you and grant you the peace in death that was denied you in life," he says as a prayer.
Kal-El then simply sits down next to Kara's body and wonders if anyone will pray for his forgiveness when his final reckoning comes along.
"General."
Kal-El looks up and standing in the doorway is Kond-Ah. "Commander," he says as a way to acknowledge Kond's presence.
Kond moves into the room and stands next to Kara's body. "What happened here if I may enquire?"
Kal-El gets to his feet. "Commander Zor-El decided to unilaterally deliver judgement onto her father but in his last breath he managed to kill her as well."
A customary glance of the scene by even someone with no expertise could see that that explanation made no sense and was not corroborated by any of the evidence in the room but Kond-Ah knew what the official story of this would be and that was what Kal just said it to be. "My condolences to you and your daughter," he says as part of the act.
"Thank you," Kal-El says back.
"Does this mean we proceed?" Kond asks.
"Yes," Kal-El replies simply.
Kond activates his communicator. "To all troops this is Commander Kond-Ah. Operation Kandor is to commence immediately. Repeat operation Kandor is to commence immediately."
Operation Kandor was the secret codename to the plan Kal-El and Kond-Ah had concocted long ago to deal with the elements in their alliance that had no place in Krypton's future. Neither of them wanted to kill more of their fellow Kryptonians. Countless thousands had already died in this war but there was no alternative. They were simply too many to round up and imprison and for this to work it had to be sudden and swift so as the two of them stand here above the planet the Kandorian Guard ships are being destroyed and on the ground wherever they are the troops loyal to the KLM were turning on their Kandorian Guard allies.
Kal-El takes another moment, he is taking quite a few lately, to absorb another act of death and violence he has had to commit. That and how he is going to explain to his daughter that her mother is dead. Moment over he gives a command "Let us leave this place."
Kond gives a nod in obedience and then the two of them leave without once looking back.
"Mother's gone?" Lana queries of her father at his choice of words to explain Kara's death.
"She is with Rao now," Kal-El tells his daughter. Now that the planet was mostly secured and the Kandorian Guard eliminated she was with him on the surface in the palace that was the base of his father's rule. Currently they are in what were the private quarters that he himself grew up in sitting next to each other.
"You killed her."
Kal-El looks at Lana in pure astonishment. It wasn't a question or query. She said it as a statement of fact. "Lana. I..." he trails off unsure whether to confess or lie. Either option will probably end up badly. He has this sudden vision of Lana one day doing to him what he did to Kara. Maybe that would be his rightful punishment. Well if that is to be his fate one day the least he can do is face it with one less stain on his soul of lying to his own daughter. "Yes Lana. I did."
"Why?"
Still no anger. Just another question. Kal-El tries to explain. "Long ago your mother committed crimes that were punishable by death but I couldn't kill her."
"Why?"
"Because if I killed her I would have killed you too. Then the war started and I needed her but in the end there comes a time when we all must face judgement for our crimes and for your mother that time had arrived." Kal-El reaches for one of Lana's hand and is relived that she doesn't instant pull away when he takes it. "You are innocent of your mother's crimes Lana and I love you with all that I possess."
Lana now simply looks at him with her blue eyes. Kal-El has no idea if she is even able to comprehend any of this but she had to know the truth even if she will end up hating him for it. The current silence is torture but Kal-El has nothing more to say. It is in his 4 year old daughter's hand now.
The minutes tick by until suddenly Lana moves on to her father's lap and wraps her arms around his neck. Kal-El wraps his arms around his daughter and hold her as tightly as possible.
"She was mean to me," Lana whispers.
"I know."
"She hit me."
"I know," Kal-El says with great sadness and pain and anger and a whole myriad of other emotions that reflect his inability to prevent that.
"Yet I will miss her," Lana says unsure that is what she should be feeling.
"I will miss her too," Kal-El tells his daughter and he never thought he would eve say those words once upon a time.
"I forgive you father," she whispers.
Tears fill Kal-El's eyes at her words and he hugs her even tighter.
"I love you father," Lana then adds and her father responds with the only words he can.
"I love you too my little ray of sunshine."
The next day.
"Father what is this place?" Lana asks as she finds herself being carried in her father's arms into a large circular room.
"This is Council chambers where Krypton's leaders would meet," Kal-El informs her. He then adds "We're here because I want you to meet a couple of people."
Lana cocks her head in a quizzical manner. The expression on her face almost makes Kal-El laugh. She is just far too adorable for her own good. He plants a kiss on her cheek before placing her down on a chair of the inner most ring. "Brainiac," Kal-El says in a raised voice. "Report," he commands.
"Requested biological signatures located and locked General," Brainiac reports back.
"Then proceed," Kal-El orders.
Lana watches on curiously as a beam of blinding light illuminates the chamber. It then vanishes and when the spots before her eyes clear she finds two people, a man and a woman, lying in the centre of the chamber. Her father moves over to them.
Kal-El bends down as he waits for the two people he has freed from the Phantom Zone to reacquire their senses. It takes a moment to readjust from being the formless wraiths they were in the Zone to having physical bodies once more. Eventually their eyes focus on him and Kal-El can't even begin to stop the smile that comes to his lips. His voice almost trembles with emotion as he speaks to them the first words they must have heard in over 30 years. "Mother. Father."
It is his mother Lara who first realises who he is. "Kal-El!" The joy in her voice at seeing her son again is all too evident. She moves quickly and places her arms around her son in a hug of surprising strength.
Kal-El simply takes a moment to enjoy the feel of being held in his mother's arms. By the time his mother releases him he can see tears in her eyes.
Lara places her hands on her son's cheeks as she looks him over. He was grown up now. A man but his blue eyes were unmistakable so he could recognise him easily. He looked like Jor-El so she could say that he has grown up into a most handsome man. She had had a terrible fear of his fate when as a baby he had been wrenched away from her and she had spent so many years as a phantom having terrible visions of what had become of her son at the hands of Zod.
"Kal-El." It is Jor-El speaking.
Kal-El turns to look at his father. "Father."
Jor-El's emotions at the sight of his now grown up son were threatening to overwhelm him but equally he was a scientist with a enquiring mind and an eye for the details around him and it had not escaped his notice that Kal-El was wearing a military uniform and had the insignia of a general. "Where is Zod?" is his first question.
"Dead," Kal-El answers simply.
"How?" Jor-El asks.
"I killed him," is Kal-El's once more simple response. He can then see his father is about to ask another question but Kal-El cuts him off. "There will be time for explanations later but first I have someone for you to meet." Kal-El turns his head to look behind him. "Lana. Come here."
Jor-El and Lara both then notice the little blond girl hopping down from a chair and making her way over to them. Kal-El then places his arms around her and both notice the pride and love in his eyes as he looks at the girl. "Mother. Father," Kal-El begins to say addressing them. "I want you to meet my daughter Lana Kal-El. Lana these are your grandparents Jor-El and Lara. Say hello."
"Hello," Lana says sweetly.
Lara is just overwhelmed. First she is reunited with her son and now she learns she is a grandmother to this beautiful little girl who now that she looks at her reminds her of her niece Kara. "Hello," Lara says back. She reaches over and strokes the girl's cheek. "Oh Kal-El she is lovely," Lara tells her son.
Kal-El smiles at Lana with fatherly pride. "I know. She is my little ray of sunshine." Introductions over Kal-El then helps his parents back to their feet before leading them back to the palace where they can bathe and change clothes. Once he has made sure they are fed he tells them the long story of the last 35 years since they were imprisoned.
"Empire," Jor-El repeats unhappily. "Krypton has an Empire." In truth he was not surprised by what Kal-El has told him. He always knew Zod had no limits on his ambitions but now not only must they rebuild Krypton they have an Empire to oversee.
"Well it is more of a Commonwealth now," Kal-El informs his father. He further explains that as he waged the war against Faora and Lor that inevitably meant removing the governors they had placed to run the conquered worlds. Kal-El and the other leaders of the KLM, who he will introduce to his father later, had determined that they had no wish to remain the occupiers of these worlds so they were granted their independence. However Krypton had also made the enemy out of many a hostile empire surrounding the edges of the Kryptonian Empire so for their own mutual protection the majority of the newly independent world decided that they remain allied together until such time as a new regime on Krypton could be established.
While Jor-El was proud of his son for his actions they had not reached as to an explanation of how one raised by Zod would turn against him.
"Did Zod have you join the military?" Lara asks her son.
Kal-El shakes his head. "No. It was my choice."
"Why?" Jor-El asks.
"Growing up amongst the political manoeuvring and machinations of Zod's allies was not easy nor did it lead to a happy childhood," Kal-El explains to his parents. "When I was old enough I chose to get away from it and the most obvious choice was to join the military. I know or at least I think I know that that is something of which you would not approve but I was the son of Zod and it left me with few options."
Lara reaches over since Kal-El is sitting across from them and places her hand on his knee. "It is alright Kal-El. We understand."
"I am not sure you do. As a soldier in the military I fought in many campaigns. As commander I personally conquered many worlds in the name of Zod. I also know those are things for which I must eventually face judgement over."
It is never easy to learn that your son has blood on his hands and this is true of Jor-El and Lara at this very moment but both are proud that he has seen the wrongness of his actions and is willing to accept whatever judgement he may face.
"What changed?" Jor-El asks. "Obviously something changed that had you revolt against Zod."
Kal-El nods. "Indeed. Something changed. I changed or I was changed by someone I met." Kal-El can see the puzzled expressions on his parents' faces. "I will explain. It all began when Zod sent me to conquer a planet its natives call Earth..."
"Unacceptable!" Tyr-Van one of the leaders of the KLM shouts quite loudly and very emphatically. Upon his father's advice Kal-El had freed the entire old council that Zod had imprisoned since they were the last legitimate ruling authority and since then they and him and the other leaders of the KLM had been trying to hammer out a new constitution on how Krypton will be governed in the future. Unfortunately the problem with the old council is that they have been trapped in a place where time does not exist and therefore have no comprehension of how much everything has changed. This had led to them proposing a new government basically along the lines of the old one.
Kal-El places his hand on Tyr's shoulder to calm him. "Tyr," he says calmly despite the fact Kal-El is as frustrated as Tyr is. Tyr walks away to allow himself to calm down while Kal-El decides it is time for some blunt speaking. "Your proposals are unacceptable," he says repeating Tyr's objections but in a calmer, more determined voice.
Del-Nar father of Asha Del-Nar stands. "As are yours," he tells Kal-El in return. He had insisted on participating in this despite his grief at learning that his daughter had died while he was imprisoned.
Kal-Ek shakes his head. "You are under the mistaken impression that this is a negotiation. It is not," he tells them in no uncertain terms.
"Then what is it? Del-Nar asks of Kal-El in a condescending manner like he is not taking seriously what Kal-El is saying.
"You are in no position to negotiate," Kal-El informs them. "Your Houses were dissolved. You have no power except what we give you. We did not fight this war to restore the old order. It was to establish a new Krypton where every individual is treated equally. Anything less than that will be unacceptable to those that have fought and died so that you may be free. So here is the situation; you accept our terms or we will simply replace you."
Del-Nar sits down and Kal-El can see from the grim expression on their faces that his words have struck true to them just how much things have altered. "I will give you some time to think about it," he tells them before he turns before he and the rest of the KLM file out.
Later aboard Kal-El's ship in orbit over Krypton. "You were unnecessarily harsh," Jor-El tells his son in relation to what was his ultimatum to the Council.
"They were being stubborn and obtuse and blind and ,dear Rao father, I cannot for the life of me understand how you managed to serve with them for so many years."
A strange little smile comes to Jor-El's lips. He had felt many times as Kal-El is feeling right now.
"They must see what has been done cannot be undone and that we cannot go back to the way things were before," Kal-El says in blind hope more than realistic belief.
Jor-El stares out the transparent viewer on the bridge at Krypton. He had not actually seen Krypton this way himself for many years even before his imprisonment and he had almost forgotten how magnificent Krypton appeared.
"I thought you would be with them," Kal-El admits. "Trying to make them see sense."
"I tried for many years and never succeeded," Jor-El has to admit with a little wounded pride. "No they must see it for themselves but I am curious though how your constitution resembles many of my proposed reforms."
"Really?" Kal-El says with mock surprise before adding "I will admit they were the basis of it."
"I am glad someone saw the sense in them."
"It is easy to see the sense in something when it is the only correct way to proceed forward."
"If only the council had had your wisdom before Zod's rise to power then none of this may have happened," Jor-El remarks.
"Perhaps," Kal-El says in response as an admission that his father's word may be true. Both then stand in silence for a few minutes. "Where's mother?" Kal-El asks changing subjects since neither he nor his father, he thinks, really wish to dwell on what might have been.
"Spending time with her granddaughter. She feels she has 4 lost years to make up for."
"I see."
"Kal-El Lana's mother," Jor-El begins to say before Kal-El cuts him off.
"Is dead. Leave it there," Kal-El warns him off. He had not told them and had no intention of telling them anything beyond that Kara was Lana's mother. They did not need to know how it came about or what Kara's final fate was and his part in it.
"Very well," Jor-El agrees reluctantly. It had been a shock to learn that Kara, his own niece, was Lana's mother but when he and Lara tried to learn more of how it happened Kal-El had stubbornly refused to say anything more and he can see that his son is not going to speak further of it.
"What did they say?" Kal-El asks his father as he comes out of the room where the council members had been meeting.
"They have agreed to your terms," Jor-El informs him. "But they want to add a few conditions."
"Conditions?" Kal-El asks sceptically. He doesn't see how he can get the others to agree to any conditions.
Jor-El clears his throat in such a way that Kal-El can see that his father does not like what he is about to say and that Kal-El won't like it either. "They are unhappy at the way you plan to try Zod's allies. They feel it constitutes nothing but a show trial." Zod's allies had been captured and were being held until a trial could be set up.
"Do they? Well I expect I can persuade the others to make reasonable changes." Kal-El emphasises the word reasonable. "Anything else?"
"There are a few questionable acts on your part they are equally unhappy with," Jor-El informs his son.
"Is that a fact?" Kal-El says with no real surprise. He himself was unhappy with some of the things he had done but they had to be done for the greater good which is exactly what he tells his father.
Jor-El steps forward and places his hand on his son's shoulder because this next part is the most difficult thing Jor-El may have been ever asked to do. "Kal-El they feel that if you remain head of the Kryptonian military," which Kal-El de facto is, "that you will be a figure that symbolises division instead of unity."
Kal-El looks at his father, confusion clear in his eyes. "How do they mean?"
"Kal-El you killed Zod and it is impossible to imprison every single Kryptonian who supported Zod. You must know that there were thousands, perhaps millions that did."
Well of course Kal-El knew that. He just hadn't worked out exactly how to deal with it yet.
Jor-El continues. "The council believe, and I have to reluctantly admit I agree, that your continued presence in such a role will only act as a reminder of the war that has torn our society apart and increase the likelihood that there may be an attempt at a counter coup."
Kal-El wishes to argue but he can see the logic in that argument so he offers a compromise. "I can resign, retire or whatever they wish to call it. I have no wish to cause further death. Father I took no pleasure in this war, in killing my fellow Kryptonians." Kal-El needs his father to know and believe that last part.
"I believe you. However there are some on the council who wish to put you on trial for what they perceive as war crimes."
Kal-El lets out a bitter laugh. "I free them and they wish to put me on trail. Are you certain they have not left their minds behind in the Phantom Zone?" He shakes his head in sheer disbelief. "Did you mention to them that any attempt to put me on trial will lead to a revolt amongst those who believe in what I have done?"
"I did."
"And?" Kal-El asks wishing to know what the council members decided.
"They asked me to put a proposition to you and my son it is the most difficult task I may have ever had to perform."
"What proposition?"
Jor-El takes a moment to gather up the strength to speak. This was an awful task he was performing but he had sadly agreed with the council members and as it was his son he himself volunteered to deliver the proposition even if it means he may never see his son again. He looks directly in Kal-El's eyes. "They want you to accept...voluntary exile."
Author's Note: Tying everything up I realised was going to require two possibly quite long chapters. One that ties up the Kryptonian part of the story and then another, the next chapter, that ties up everything back on Earth and Kal and Diana's relationship. So as you can see I tied up Kara's fate and in the end I decided for what she had done she had to die but also that in the end Kal forgives her but he cannot spare her as she has no place in the new Krypton he is trying to build. That he must do this for the greater good. The road to hell being paved with good intentions and all that. Of course being back on Krypton allowed me to bring in his parents Jor-El and Lara and have them be reunited at least for a little while. Now I wonder where Kal-El will go if he accepts exile?
Next up back to Earth to catch up with Diana and her child where she gets a couple of surprise visitors. Gee I wonder who that could be. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews.
PS: If you are wondering why I chose Lana as the name for Kal-El and Kara's daughter it is because I named checked a few people from the canon who are important in Clark Kent's younger life in my story like Martha and Jonathan Kent but have no place in this story since Kal-El was never sent to Earth. Since I never managed it with Lana before I thought I would go a roundabout way of name checking her.