THE FORTRESS

"Jor-el! Jor-el! ....Answer me! I know you're here somehow…I know you've been giving me nightmares! Right now tops it all off….

"Answer me!"

No answer… Lois started walking around and started pulling out crystal rods. They glowed while they were in their honeycomb like cubicles… One of then lite up and suddenly it was as if she was an outsider looking in.

She was on Krypton, it was surrounded was ice like structures, and they were on fire, they were on fire and so was krypton.

"How am I supposed to do this? Leave everyone I love behind to die? I won't leave."

"Your Uncle has already sent Kara my son…and you and I both know what is at stake…our world is all but gone, you have to keep it from happening again…You know what is at stake."

She watched Kal-el fall into his father's arms, and saw a woman standing in the distance. He walked over to her and got down on both his knees, and laid his head on her stomach. A whisper of my mother…my light…I love you." He was crying and she felt scared for him. She watched him slowly get up and walk away and then he was at some small ship, taking one last look at his parents, he turned and stepped in. the craft was gone.

She fell.

Rising up and looking at the crystal rod, it was floating. She touched it and finally she heard a voice booming out of nowhere.

"Lois Lane…"

"Jor-el…Why? Why me….and what is it that he's supposed to keep from happening?"

"You must work with Kal-el to find the answers you seek."

"Well he's not here! And you…whoever..whatever you are...You're here…so tell me!"

"You are his guardian…you must not hesitate to act…"

"Act? On what? I don't like riddles…tell me what I need to do!"

"Lois, I choose you because of your ability to find out the truth. I cannot help you…you must use your ability to guide and save him and your world. If you are at a loss, then you must find the answers you are looking for….If you fail then your world will be destroyed."

"If…if I fail??? Well thanks for the word of encouragement."

"I cannot help my son anymore…what you are hearing, this only a small essence of what
I once was….I chose you because I hoped you would not fail him. You must not fail him."

A cold wind engulfed her, and she fell on the ground. Suddenly she was in a deep sleep.
Kal-el stood over her, and lifted her up and laid her on a crystal slab.

Walking over to the console he reached for the one thing he had wanted to use since he joined with her. Standing over her, he held it above her and suddenly something knocked it out of his hand.

"Jor-el! You have no right! It is the only way..."

"My son! You know there are dangers…

"There is no time!" I am losing her…I feel it"

"You must have her agreement before you perform this ceremony. She is unconscious…you cannot perform it while she is in this state."

"And you put her in this state! Why?"

"I am searching her mind…her memories….she is conflicted…"

"This is my fight…wake her up…and then leave her alone!"

"You are troubled my son…."

"Wake her up…NOW!"

His words where followed by a storm, and the moment she woke, Kal-el walked over and pressed a rod into his control panel. Suddenly the fortress was a dark blue and Jor-el's voice was silent.

Lois woke up to Kal-el shouting, and then a storm and the fortress was engulfed in blue and the temperature dropped ten degrees.

Kal-el was acting out of control. His face was hard and angry, and he was moving with purpose. She sucked in a breath as he walked over to her with a rod in his hand.

When he reached her, he sensed her apprehension. He leaned over her kissed her gently.

"It is time…we cannot wait any longer…"

"No…You're not yourself…" she slid off the slab and then instead of backing up, she grabbed his arms with her hands…"Please…you need to trust me…"

He took out the medallion, and she slapped it out of his hands…

"Why? What happened to you that makes you feel like you have to use that?"

"Why are you pushing me away…I need you! We don't have time!"

"I'm right here! I'm not pushing you away….Please….Let me show you…" Tears threatened to overwhelm her, Still she pushed past them…"Let me show you how to trust…no medallions…no crystal bag of tricks…just us…"

He took a breath and turned away from her. When he turned back, His face was angry and unreadable. Her heart beating hard, she swallowed and walked towards him. The fact that she wasn't backing away from him was enough. He only said one thing.

"As you wish."