LOVE AND WAR

MAXIMA

The planet Almerac is a female dominated society. In order for a male to be considered as a Mate, he must defeat the woman of interest in combat, by making her yield. Of course she must accept the challenge. Noble females of Almerac can seek out their own challenges on or off planet. Currently Almerac is ruled by Queen Maxima of House Alema.

"My Queen…A man has come to accept the challenge to be your mate." One of the members of the Royal Guard says entering the private bath.

'Who is he?"

"Count De'Sann of the Planet Daxam."

She sighs, "Fine! Show him to the royal arena." She dawns the royal armor of black and gold, with a white cape and teleports to the arena. When Maxima arrives people both noble and common are already gathered.

"Who comes to challenge the Queen for her hand as Mate?"

"I Count De'Sann of Daxam!"

"Let the Duel commence!"

He flies at her and she leaps into a spinning kick. De'Sann goes flying into the arena wall cracking it. Maxima runs across the arena and as she does De'Sann uses his heat vision on her.. She dodges the blasts and leaps with a punch. He leans to the side and blasts her with his ice breath freezing her in a block of ice. She shatters the ice grabs him by the head and headbutts him. Maxima leaps up grabbing him by the neck with her legs and flips him over.

She straddles him and starts punching him in the face. With each punch the arena shakes, "Yield lesser being! YIELD!"

"I…yield!"

Maxima stands up and walks away as her subjects cheers her name. When she returns to her private quarters her chief handmaiden Zaszu is waiting. "Zaszu! You've returned."

"Yes Mistress…I have just the warrior for you…"

She shows Maxima the holo-video of Superman fighting Mongul. Mongul roars and leaps at Superman, who flies at him using his heat vision. The force of the eye beams throw Mongul into the wall of the energy wall of the shield protecting the spectators from the fight. Superman flies into Mongul slamming him into the energy barrier again. He punches him six times and then with both fists Superman strikes Mongul, when he hits the ground it cracks and the arena shakes.

Waves run across the shield as Mongul stand up and looks up at Superman floating above him. "Superman…Huh? I give you credit Kryptonian…You are tougher than any other Kryptonian I have ever faced." He raises his right hand in a fist and unleashes a beam of energy that imprisons Superman. The crowd cheers as he slams Superman into the sands of the arena. He slams him two more times and then into the barrier.

Superman roars, breaks his energy beam hold, and hits the ground. Mongul leaps across the arena and lands on Superman. He punches him over and over again. Then on the eleventh punch Superman catches his fist and squeezes. He kicks Mongul in between the legs and punches him with his right hand. Mongul goes flying across the arena and hits the wall. The shield goes down and the arena wall cracks.

"Superman! Superman! Superman! Superman!" The crowd starts chanting as he stands up and walks toward Mongul. Mongul stands up as well and runs at him. Superman dodges his punch and uppercuts Mongul. He stumbles backwards and Superman sweeps his leg.

"He defeated Mongul? Perhaps he is worth my time. Where is he?"

"Milky Way Galaxy, Terran System…On Earth my Queen…"

CLARK

He spent a few weeks with his family and friends while his synthiod doubles of Clark and Superman took his place. Upon returning to work Clark works on a story about the Rights of Meta-Humans in society. He interviews Meta-Humans like Static Shock who wears a mask to hide his true identity. He also interviews the Flash and Black Canary. All Meta-Humans who use their powers to help people.

"Well what do you think?" He asks sitting at lunch with Lois who is reading his article before he turns it in.

"I love it!...I'm going to have to come up with a story to top it."

Clark shakes his head, "Always so competitive."

"I think I will do a story…Wonder Woman the Woman behind the Legend."

MAXIMA

She appears from a boom tube on the highway and causes an accident. An eighteen-wheeler slams into her and flips over, she is unharmed. She looks around, "Why would such an advanced being as Superman live among these primitive beings?"

She leaps off the highway and walks towards downtown Metropolis. A man whistles at the bright redheaded buxom goddess of a woman. "Hay momma!" She looks at him and walks over to the car. "Little early for Halloween baby."

"First you whistle at me as if I am some Purnap! Then you call me momma and baby! I am Maxima! Queen of Almerac and Head of the House of Alema."

"Well baby I am your future."

She kicks his car and flips over several times before stopping on its top. The man can be heard screaming all the way. She closes her eyes and then teleports to a studio where Angela Chen the news anchor films.

LOIS

Lois and Clark return to the Daily Planet to find people gathered around the television. "What is everyone standing around for?" Clark asks.

"Shush!"

"And what is your name?"

"My name is Maxima. Queen of Almerac, Head of the House Alema. I have come to see if Superman is worthy of becoming my Mate."

Lois raises her eyebrows and looks at Clark, "Should I be jealous?"

He clears his throat and takes her to his office so that they can speak in private. "She is from Almerac…A female dominated society."

MAXIMA

"Hold it right there!" The Police command entering the studio. People start running and screaming.

"Are you giving me commands?"

"Last warning Lady."

She narrows her eyes and unleashes a psychic wave at the police. They fall to their knees grabbing their heads in pain. She walks over to one of the men and grabs him by the throat, "Threatening a royal of Almerac is punishable by death!"

Superman suddenly appears, grabs her hand and throws her through the wall. "Are you alright officer."

Meanwhile Maxima smashes through several walls and into an adjacent building. She gets up and runs to the hole. 'You are strong." She says as Superman appears in front of the hole flying.

"Look I don't want to fight you…Your majesty."

"But I have chosen you to be my Mate…The man who bested Mongul the Conqueror."

"I'm flattered but…I'm in love with someone else and we are engaged."

"Then I challenge her for the right to your heart!"

"No! She's…"

"I see…You fell in love with an inferior woman…You are a fool Superman! Choose this woman a Champion and we shall fight for the right to Mate with you!"

"I refused your challenge…According to Almerac's code of Honor you must stand down."

"True…But I have challenged your Earth woman and she must either find a champion or refuse the challenge herself."

He sighs, "Meet me on the edge of the city in an hour and no more attacking people."

"One, hour Superman."

SUPERMAN

He returns to Lois as Clark, "We have a problem."

"What is it?" He explains the entire situation to Lois, "Do think you can't beat her?"

"Lois that is beside the point. A fight would devastate the city."

"Fight her outside the city."

"I don't want to fight her…Fighting should be a last resort. In this case if we refuse the challenge she walks away."

"Well let me fight her."

He smiles, "Why?"

"Because I want to prove to you that I love you."

"Lois…" He grabs her arms, "You don't have to prove, anything to me. Now please let this go and refuse the challenge."

They arrive at the designated place just before that last second. "I Lois Lane of Earth…"

When she hesitates Superman looks at her, "Lois."

She kisses him, "I love you…I accept your challenge."

"Wonderful!" Maxima replies.

"Lois!"

"I'm sorry Clark, this is something I must do for myself. I need to time to find a Champion."

"I give you three days."

LOIS - THREE DAYS LATER

Clark and Lois argue for two days then he contacts the flash while she contacts Jor'El. The day of the fight Maxima is waiting and Blue Beetle shows up with Superman. "I am the Blue Beetle…I have come to champion Lois Lane."

"I…"

"WAIT!" Lois yells. They look at her and Lois is with Superman's bot double, wearing a white one, piece suit with emblem of House El on the right side in black.

"Lois what are you doing?"

"I will fight my own battle."

Blue Beetle looks at her and then Superman. He walks up to her, "Dammit Lois!"

She shocks him by picking him up, "I love you! But I will fight my own battle."

She sets him down and Lois walks up to Maxima. "Father! What did you do?"

The bot speaks with the voices of his father and mother, "Lois contacted us and made a logical argument so we gave her the powers of a Kryptonian for one day."

"How could you betray me like this?" He looks at Lois, "Lois…Please don't do this."

"I have to."

As Lois squares off against Maxima, Maxima holds her hands out to the sides and raw ore rises up out of the ground. She shapes the ore into two swords with her powers. Then she throws Lois a sword. With a roar Maxima leaps at Lois, who blocks and after three moves is disarmed. Lois stops the sword with her hand and punches Maxima in the face. She goes flying nine feet and tears up the ground. Maxima puts her hands over her head and flips backwards to her feet.

Lois flies at her, but Maxima ducks, grabs her feet and spins her around. Lois smashes through several trees and hits the ground. She huffs as Maxima lands in her chest and starts punching her repeatedly. "Lois!" Superman yells.

Lois' eyes glow and she unleashes heat vision at Maxima, who leans to the side. Then Lois blows frost breath into her eyes causing Maxima to scream. She grabs her hair and pulls her to the side. Then she starts punching Maxima in the face on the seventh punch Maxima catches her fist and squeezes. That is when Lois headbutts her. Lois stands up raising Maxima over her head and slams her against her knee. Then she wraps her around her neck.

"Yield!"

"Never!"

"YIELD!"

"I…Yield!"

Lois releases her. They both stand up and Maxima looks at her, "No one has ever bested me before…You have my respect Lois Lane of Earth and you are a deserving mate of Superman." She hands her a bracelet. "Should ever you need my help Lois Lane…Call me."

Lois watches as she walks up to Superman, "Do not be angry with her Superman of Krypton. If I were her I would have done the same."

Maxima opens a portal and leaves, "That was the most awesome thing we have ever seen." Blue Beetle says. "Still Jaime Reyes I am disappointed we did not get to fight the Almeracion Queen."

Blue Beetle flies away leaving Lois and Clark alone. He just stares at her. "I won."