Superman: The Ark of Krypton

Chapter 96

by

Jason Richard

Lois Lane's trial didn't go well at first. Despite multiple character witnesses, Including Clark Kent, most of the staff of the Daily Planet, and her own father General Lane, Lex Luthor's lawyers were still able to convincingly spin it that it was Lois who shot Lex Luthor. With video evidence backing up that claim, it was hard to write it off, and Lois's story about Lytener framing her has little evidence to back it up as Lytener's technology had fused itself out after his capture and incarceration.

The only ray of hope arrived when Superman entered to testify. He was allowed in as the judge wanted to see what he had to say, but Superman knew exactly how Lex Luthor's lawyers would spin it. He wasn't really an American citizen, but an alien who had no documentation even from other nations. His testimony could not be accepted, according to them.

However, things went a little better than expected.

"It is a moot point," said the judge. "Not being an official citizen of the United States does not disqualify someone from presenting evidence. As for lacking documentation from his country of origin, the law does not account for countries from a planet that was destroyed. Objection overruled."

That went more smoothly than Superman could have hoped for. Despite the one judge who released Mannheim, Superman supposed Luthor didn't have all judges in his pocket.

The trial actual went pretty well after that as well. With Superman's testimony, the jury found Lois not guilty. It wasn't unanimous, but enough people trusted Superman to take him at his word. That one testimony was all it took, and Lois walked out of that courthouse a free woman.

"Hey Lois," said Clark, walking up to her as they left the courthouse.

"Hey Clark," said Lois, a wave of relief washing over her. "Thanks for coming"

"My pleasure," said Clark. "Finally something good happened. You going to press charges for him framing you?"

"We can't prove it was him and not Lytener," said Lois. "But that's nothing to worry about. Lytener's in jail and Luthor will be soon."

"Of course you know what this means," said Clark. "Superman only found out about that lab because Lytener told him."

"He could have told me," said Lois. "To think he was holding out on me this whole time! He's such a…"

She stopped and didn't need to look over to see Clark's disappointing stare.

"Coward?" said Clark. "You know you could have ended up one of the victims Superman released from that lab if Lytener had told you that."

"I'm prepared for risks like that," said Lois. "Even if he wasn't he still should have told me about it."

"Maybe," said Clark, not wanting to argue about it.

After a moment of silence walking down the city sidewalk, Lois said, "Hey, was it just my imagination, or did you disappear midway through the trail?"

"You must have imagined it," said Clark. "How would I have gotten past the cops out the door?"

"I don't know," said Lois. "But for a while, I couldn't see you. It was right about when Superman took the stand, now that I think about it."

Clark had to resist the urge to react. Did she…

"I never left my seat," said Clark. "You just imagined it."

"Okay," said Lois, shrugging. "Whatever you say."

And they hailed a cab, though Clark couldn't help but wonder what Lois was thinking.

…

The phantom zone was a dreary realm, filled with red light that made one think their eyes were bleeding. Time was different there, putting one's body in a form of stasis. That meant that they didn't age, but it also meant that one didn't get hungry, didn't sleep, or change at all. Whatever emotion one felt as they went into the phantom zone was the same emotion they felt their entire stay there. No matter how much time passed that same emotion would be the one coursing through their soul.

And considering it was where criminals went, one could imagine what sort of emotions one would have been sent to that place. For some it was terror, for some it was despair, and for some it was rage.

And it was the latter emotion that General Dru-Zod felt constantly within that realm.

The General, a tall Kryptonian with dark hair and stern features, stood looking over this corner of the phantom zone, a barren desert of sand and rock illuminated in hellish red light. Since one did not feel get hungry in the phantom (unless they were hungry arriving) they didn't exactly need some fertile paradise to survive. Still, General Zod hated being stuck here, hated the people who sent him there, and absolutely hated that he had to rely on strangers to get him and his men out.

He found he hated a lot of things these days.

Finally, as he waited, a hologram appeared, though the image was fuzzy and distorted. Zod clenched his fists. He really hated when he couldn't look someone in the eye.

"General Zod," said the hologram. "We require your assistance."

"Yes," said Zod irritably. "I would assume that is why you are opening the phantom zone in the first place. I don't need things repeated to me like a child."

"Indeed," said the hologram. "But unfortunately we run the risk of being destroyed ourselves before that can happen. We have a method that can bring you out of the phantom zone, albeit temporarily. Once the threat to us has been neutralized you will have to go into the phantom zone for a short while again, but by then the portal shall be opened for good and all your people can get out."

"If you…" he started to say, but then he fought himself not to snap angrily. Having only one emotion was quite a bit of trouble for him. It made it difficult to think. At least the phantom zone didn't suspend his thoughts, he thought. That's the one blessing you have, so think it through. Don't complain that a temporary escape is not what was promised, they still intend to release us for good later. Just focus on the objective.

He took a deep breath and said, "Alright, what do you need me to do?"