Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 9
By
Jason Richard
Getting into S.T.A.R. Labs turned out to be easy. Clark managed to track down the informant from the Lexcorp building and get him to confess everything, which earned the informant some matter of police protection. Clark had no doubt this wouldn't be traced back to Lex Luthor himself, but Clark wasn't worried. The next day Clark ran a story about Lexcorp having a spy at S.T.A.R. labs. It was only on page three of course, what with Superman still being the big news story, but Clark was fine with that for now. As it turned out his whistleblowing had earned him an interview with Dr. Emil Hamilton, the Metropolis branch of S.T.A.R. Labs most prominent scientist.
Before that, however, he had to face Lois Lane.
"Clark!" shouted Lois as Clark was gathering his things for his trip to S.T.A.R. Labs. He looked up cautiously, realizing that they hadn't actually spoken face to face since the incident at Lexcorp. Clark had only confirmed the Superman story to Perry White over the phone. For a moment, just a moment, Clark was afraid Lois recognized him.
"Clark Kent do you have any idea I've been waiting for hard evidence of corruption of Lexcorp?" she demanded, wearing her hands on her hips. "I don't care if it did get pushed back to page three. How on earth did you just waltz in and get a scoop like that on your first day?"
It took a second for Clark to realize, "Oh! The informant! I overheard them talking at the expo."
"What?" she asked in disbelief. "They were talking about sensitive stuff in public?"
"The Lexcorp employee seemed to think that the informant wanted out of the deal," said Clark.
"He could have come up with a better plan," said Lois, rolling her eyes. "But there's not accounting for brains, so I'll buy it. And I suppose you just happened to overhear them?"
Clark suppressed a grin and said, "Well...I have very good hearing."
Lois eyed him suspiciously, then said, "Well just watch your back. I may be assigned to Superman news for now, but taking down Lexcorp is my gig, and I'm not about to let someone beat me to the punch after getting lucky."
"I suppose I was lucky," Clark admitted. "Still, you have to admit, not everyone can go from rookie to rival in one day."
Lois regarded him carefully for a moment, then she pointed two fingers at her eyes, then those same fingers at him, and then walked off. Clark grinned back, quickly getting the message.
…
S.T.A.R. Labs was a large, circular building with the word STAR written on it in big white letters. Inside, Clark was getting her interview.
"Thank you for seeing me Dr. Hamilton," said Clark as he talked with Dr. Emil Hamilton in the busy laboratory. Various scientists went to and fro checking on different experiments.
"Not at all," said Dr. Hamilton, taking off some rubber gloves. "So what did you want to know about?"
Clark decided to ask a few questions about public technology that S.T.A.R. Labs had already showcased, just to soften him up before his big question. After this, he took a deep breath, and asked what he really wanted to.
"So Dr. Hamilton," said Clark. "In my article I mentioned a file folder that was returned, but I...omitted something I overheard the informant talk about. I just wanted to get some more concrete information on it before I ran with it. He mentioned something about a ship that was seen twenty years ago."
"Oh," said Dr. Hamilton, getting very serious. "That's a sensitive subject. And by sensitive I mean...highly classified."
"I see," said Clark, a little disappointed. "Does that mean you won't talk about it?"
"There is a little I can share," said Dr. Hamilton. "There was a ship about twenty years ago that passed through earth's atmosphere and seemed to be of extraterrestrial origin. Unfortunately the current location of this ship is a mystery. On that day it sent out a powerful pulse that messed with radars and satellites all across the world, leaving us blind to its landing place."
"But it sent out a similar pulse recently?" said Clark. "Smaller I'd imagine, but the same pulse nonetheless."
"Yes," said Dr. Hamilton, rubbing his chin while thinking. "But why it did this we aren't certain. Furthermore it seemed the pulse was bounced off of several of our own satellites before disappearing, so, again, we have no idea where it is...and I'm afraid that's all I've been authorized to tell you."
"I see," said Clark, discouraged that he'd really only learned things he already knew for the most part. "Well, I won't take any more of your time."
He excused himself, but didn't leave the facility at first. He went to the nearby restroom, and in private he listened for any clue he could find. Throughout the building, amid all the voices of people going to and fro through it, he found Dr. Hamilton's voice.
"No General," said Dr. Hamilton. "I didn't give him anything that wasn't already suspected on the internet."
"Good," said another voice, presumably the General. "That's fine. We can afford to throw him a bone, but this is the biggest discovery of the century. We cannot afford to have it fall into the wrong hands. Got to be honest with you, though, the timing of this is very suspicious."
"Timing..." said Dr. Hamilton, confused. "Oh...the maps."
"Yes," said the general. "The maps. That's why I'm here in the first place. We want to find that ship as soon as possible, so if you don't mind I'd lake to take them off your hands right away."
"Of course," said Dr. Hamilton.
As he heard them shuffling around, Clark decided that now was his chance. Looking through the walls he saw them a few rooms away, seeing a grumpy looking man in a soldier's uniform with Dr. Hamilton. When the good doctor took out a file folder, Clark sped through the complex as fast as he could, knocking over a desk lamp in a nearby empty office. At that moment Dr. Hamilton put down the folder as he and the General left the room to check out the noise.
Quick as a flash Clark sped into the room, quickly took pictures of the contents of the folder, and then sped out of the room. The General and the Doctor, thankfully, didn't notice anything. Clark then walked out of the building, unable to wipe the smile from his face.