Hey, guys! My apologies for publishing a day late, call it fanfic superstition, but I personally prefer not to do anything permanent on specific holidays in case people think I'm trying to make a statement. I'm not, I'm just 'trying to get my story out there' :)

I hope y'all are staying safe during COVID-19, remember to wash your hands and practice social distancing! Unfortunately, the lockdown does not mean I will have more time to write, I am still writing at the same pace I was before it was declared a pandemic, but I am moving forward and haven't stopped. Also, happy anniversary to BvS! Please please please leave kudos or comments guys, I love reading them!


Chapter 27: The Last


This was it. This was everything he had been looking for ever since the day Clark had discovered that he was not born on Earth. When he had entered the ship, he hadn't expected to meet any live aliens of any sort, and now of all the things he could have discovered, Clark had stumbled upon the key to every question he had ever asked about his origins. The man in front of him (hologram, more like), Jor-El, was his biological father and could answer all his questions. The realization was overwhelming, to say the least, but it filled Clark with joy at the idea that he could finally understand who he really was.

Darcie wasn't as stunned by the epiphany, still eyeing the hologram warily as Jor-El observed her, but at least she had put the knife away.

"My databases do not recognize you, but the ship's bio-scans confirm you are both Kryptonian, yet you can't be much older than twenty Solar cycles," Jor-El declared thoughtfully, before asking, "What is your given name?"

Darcie seemed a little taken aback, "I… I was hoping you would know. And what do you mean by Kryptonian?"

Jor-Еl nodded in approval of the question.

"You came from Krypton, a planet with a much harsher environment than Earth's and orbiting the red star Rao," he stated, "We were an advanced civilization, dedicating ourselves to broadening our knowledge of the cosmos. Thousands of scout ships were sent out to establish research outposts and forge alliances, and for millennia Krypton flourished. But years of space travel had exhausted our natural resources, and as a result, our planet's core became unstable.

"Our military leader, General Zod, attempted a coup to overthrow the ruling Council and take the steps necessary to restore stability to Krypton. But by then it was too late."

Here he paused for a moment, Jor-El's hologram seemingly overwhelmed with emotion as he faced his son, "Your mother and I foresaw the coming calamity, and we took certain steps to ensure your survival. Krypton died not long after, and to my knowledge, only you escaped.

"That was twenty-seven solar cycles ago," he continued, turning to Darcie with a small frown, "You could not have been born yet."

"Then how am I here?" she challenged, and Clark noted that she was gripping her hunting knife again. Jor-El seemed unperturbed by the veiled threat and observed her contemplatively.

"It is possible that one of the research outposts survived after the collapse," he announced after a few moments, "Your genetic sequence is young and not recorded in Krypton's Registry of Citizens, but it does carry the bloodlines of the Houses of El and Do- "

"Wait a minute, you can see her DNA?" Clark cut in, and his father's consciousness shook his head.

"The sentry managed to obtain a blood sample when you entered the ship," Jor-El replied calmly before addressing Darcie, "Is it possible that you were sent here with a Command Key? It may help determine your origin and planet of birth."

A brief flicker of confusion crossed her face before she realized what he was asking for and reached for the silver spike in her pocket. Darcie was reluctant to give it up, but she hesitated for only a moment before inserting it into a port Jor-El indicated in the console beside them.

She stepped back to stand beside Clark as the cracked and frozen screens lit up, lines of alien language flickering to life. Jor-El calmly scanned each one before coming to a conclusion, "Your Key appears to belong to an Eminence and contains the records of Outpost 0164, Class Artisan, located on a macro-moon in the Draeth system."

"An outpost?" Clark asked, "You were explorers?"

His father nodded, smiling softly.

"Long ago, in an era of expansion, our race spread through the stars in search of new worlds to settle upon. This scout ship..," he declared, indicating the ancient starcraft around them, "...was one of thousands launched into the void. Outposts were constructed on other planets using great machines to reshape the environment to our needs. These places of exploration were the focus of our civilization - that is, until artificial population control was established. The outposts and space exploration were abandoned in favor of a protected way of life.

"It was believed that the remaining outposts had died or were destroyed after being cut off from Krypton, though it seems one must have survived if you are here," he nodded to Darcie before indicating her Key in the glowing port, "This Command Key is listed as belonging to an Eminence Var-El, the community's scientific leader. As an Eminence, he had access to the outpost's records. This Key contains his personal copy, which includes the Registry of Citizens. One of the most recent entries is for the birth of a Jaora Var-El, daughter of Var. Her genetic code appears to be an exact match for yours."

Darcie blinked, silently taking in the rush of information and looking a bit overwhelmed as she glanced between Clark and Jor-El before finally asking the pivotal question, "If the outpost survived… why was I sent to Earth?"

"You may have been sent to avoid famine. The community appears to have been low on nutritional resources, and the population was decreasing almost every day," Kal's father explained gently, "The Registry lists Var-El among the fatalities."

"What about my mother?" she asked, her face betraying no emotion, but Clark was familiar with the way she set her shoulders back as if facing a firing squad and knew she expected the worst. Jor-El, unfortunately, confirmed it.

"Eminence Var-El was not joined under Rao, though there is an entry in the Registry for a Kara Lin-Do who died in childbirth the same hour of your birth."

"But there might be other survivors, right?" Clark asked urgently, "Some of them were still alive when she was sent away. Maybe they're-"

"They're dead."

He turned around to face Darcie, who was staring blankly at the floor with abject certainty before looking up to meet his gaze, "They're dead, Clark. I am the only survivor."

Clark shook his head, realization washing over him.

"No. No, that would mean that we're..."

He trailed off as his father's image nodded in affirmation.

"You are the last children of Krypton." Jor-El stated solemnly, "But not without good reason. Come. There is something you should see."

The hologram exited the ancient starship's bridge and the two survivors followed close behind as he led them through the cavernous passageways. Clark kept a close eye on Darcie, a little worried that the shock of the news might finally catch up to her in some unexpected way, but her expression remained disarmingly neutral, though her shoulders were visibly tauter than usual. So many revelations, so many questions answered and new ones brought to light, he couldn't blame her as he was barely taking it in himself.

Jor-El led them down a familiar passage, his steady footsteps making no noise as he turned to enter an open doorway. The moment he stepped inside, Clark recognized the room as the one containing the wide tank holding what seemed to be a kelp forest, but now he understood that it must have a more important purpose than decoration.

"This is a Genesis Chamber," his father explained, gazing up at the gently swaying fronds, "After the Genetic Revolution, all Kryptonians were conceived in chambers such as this, every child designed and grown to fulfill a predetermined role in our society.

"Your mother and I believed that Krypton had lost something precious: the element of choice, of chance. What if a child dreamed of becoming something other than what society had intended for him or her? What if a child aspired to something greater?" he questioned softly, turning to Kal, "As Krypton's first natural birth in centuries, you were the embodiment of our belief. That is why we risked so much to save you."

"Why didn't you come with me?" his son asked, his gaze moving from the empty golden globules floating within the chamber to his father, who seemed to pause and contemplate the question.

"We loved you, Kal, and we desperately wanted to, but your freedom was paramount in our minds," he answered finally, "Your mother, Lara, and I, wanted you to forge your own path for yourself outside of Krypton's cultural restraints. We wanted you to be free to make your own choices and mistakes and victories, not have them forced upon you. Our survival would have done so."

The palpable silence that lingered after his words left a lump in Clark's throat, joined by an uncomfortable sense of dread that only increased when Darcie spoke up for the first time since leaving the bridge.

"We are alone," she said softly to herself, and Jor-El shook his head consolingly.

"You are as much children of Earth as you are of Krypton," he mused, moving past them to exit the room and lead the pair down another winding passage as he spoke, "You can embody the best of both worlds, a dream Kal's mother and I dedicated our lives to preserve.

"The people of Earth are different from us, but I believe that to be a good thing as they will not make the same mistakes we did. Not if you guide them. Not if you give them hope," Jor-El continued, pausing in his tracks to turn towards a recess in the passage wall. The two survivors followed his gaze to the familiar five-sided shield and winding insignia meticulously carved there, the same emblem that had led them to the ancient starship.

"The crest of the House of El stands for hope," Kal's father stated softly, " Our hope is the belief that every person has the potential to be a force for good."

At a wave of his hand, the crest seemed to unfold from the wall, revealing a rounded compartment in which two skintight Kryptonian garments lay neatly folded to show the crest emblazoned on the suits' chests in red and gold. Clark immediately recognized that his father's consciousness was wearing a similar suit beneath his traditional robes, except that the ones in the compartment sported silken red capes flowing from the shoulders. A birthright, a piece of Krypton to wear and carry with them, to remind them of where they came from.

"I have a question," Darcie said, speaking up again. Clark and Jor-El turned towards her expectantly as her gaze flitted between them, the suits, and her hands clasped in front of her before finally working up the courage to ask it.

"Why are we so different?"

The question was a painful one for both of them. Growing up, his powers had made Clark one of the outcasts at school, the 'weird' kid with few good friends. He was constantly plagued by sensory overloads and always had to be careful with his strength or speed, but had slowly learned to hide his abilities. There were a few times where he had slipped up and performed some impossible feat that was witnessed by too many, usually resulting in calls for an exorcism or even bringing in the government, but it always settled down quickly, taking his chances of ever being considered 'normal' along with it. His parents also hid it well, but he could tell that they were often worried that someone would find out and take him away. Clark guessed that Darcie had had similar experiences and couldn't help but wonder how she had dealt with the pain of growing up lonely.

Jor-El seemed to sense that it was a sensitive subject and gladly rid the silence with a comforting smile as he explained, "Krypton's sun, Rao, was not nearly as young or as bright as Sol. As you have developed, your cells have evolved under its radiation, strengthening your muscles, your skin, your senses. Earth has a smaller mass and thus weaker gravity than Krypton had, yet its atmosphere is more nourishing, allowing you to perform feats that would have been impossible on our planet.

"These strengths may seem a burden at times, but they allow you to bring hope to the people of Earth, to give them an ideal they can strive to make reality," he smiled, his gaze resting on the inherited garments, "There will be stumblings and shortcomings, and often you may feel that you have failed in your trials, but in time… In time, they will join you in the sun."

Something stirred inside him, another part of his being that he had not known existed before today. The feeling welling up in Clark's chest at his father's words gave him strength, gave him hope. Looking over at Darcie, he could tell by the determination in her eyes that she felt the same. This was their heritage, not the broken remnants of a forgotten world, but the destiny to give others hope that they would not suffer the same fate. A destiny they would strive to fulfill.