Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 106
by
Jason Richard
Superman watched one final video from the Ark of Krypton's archives. This showed the day General Zod was sent to the Phantom Zone. Apparently, two of his generals had other duties that day. The fierce looking woman from before, Ursa, had been the one responsible for disabling the council's security technology, while Non, the big burly man, Had taken out a sizeable amount of Kryptonian guards by himself, creating a distraction. The two of them had cleared the way for Zod to make his entrance into the Council room, but all had been foiled by Jor-El.
On a Kryptonian rooftop the council members, flanked by Kryptonian soldiers, looked at the three ringleaders, each surrounded by their own personal force field. Jor-El stood in front of them looking grim. Zod looked at Jor-El with a quiet fury, Non pounded on his forcefield to no avail, and Ursa took deep breaths, a contented smile on her face.
"General Zod," said one of the council members. "You stand convicted of high treason against Krypton. Have you any final words before you are sent away?"
"Just one," said Zod spitefully. "When Krypton falls, when our enemies come for us with powers we cannot handle as we are, you'd best be prepared to grovel at my feet for deliverance, for I guarantee you I shall not be in a merciful mood when I escape."
The council looked at Zod gravely, then turned towards his second in command, Ursa. The woman just smiled.
"I say thank you," she said arrogantly. "The Phantom Zone's stasis makes you feel whatever you're feeling for an eternity. All I have to do is think happy thoughts and live forever in total bliss. I'm surprised more criminals don't try this. Can you imagine what happy thoughts I'm thinking right now?"
She had an absolutely wicked grin on her face as she looked around, and watching the video Superman decided he didn't want to know.
Finally, the council asked Non but got no answer. The large man kept pounding at his containment, but Superman realized it was out of fear every bit as much as it was out of anger. The more he watched him, the more this intimidating person seemed like a giant child. He said he'd kill them all, even as his eyes gave away his panic.
"And now," said the head council member. "Zod, Ursa, and Non, you are henceforth banished. May the weight of your crimes be upon your shoulders for all eternity."
So Zod Scowled, Non panicked, and Ursa smiled as a bright light descended upon the three of them and they disappeared from their imprisonments. The council, including Jor-El, bowed their heads in silence.
The video feed shut off and Superman stared at the blank screen, just taking in everything he'd seen.
"So Kal-El," said Brainiac. "Did you learn what you were hoping to?"
"I think so," said Superman. "General Zod really believes in what he's fighting for and will do whatever he thinks is necessary to achieve his goals. That makes him dangerous."
"How dangerous are you thinking sir?" asked Brainiac.
"Well," said Superman. "I can imagine someone like Lex Luthor turning from heinous goals if those goals are no longer personally profitable for him. A man like Zod, however, doesn't fight for profit, but because he thinks what he's doing is right. If we stop him this time or other times in the future, he's not going to give up. Even if we somehow make his goals hopeless, he's going to keep fighting, and that means he'll always be putting people in harm's way."
"What do you intend to do?" asked Brainiac.
Superman thought it over, rubbing his chin, and then said, "Is there a way to arrange for me to talk to him?"
"Perhaps," said Brainiac. "Whoever General Zod is working with is fraying the barrier between this dimension and the Phantom Zone. Just give me a moment to process the data...yes. It's possible. I should have enough power to send a communicator through.
Superman, "Then do that please."
…
Inside the Phantom Zone, and endless desert filled with red light, Zod strolled through, feeling better than he had in a long time. Ursa had been right. He should have thought happy thoughts the first time he was sent there. An eternity of feeling like this in the Phantom Zone's stasis would have been fantastic.
Soon Zod walked by a giant red crystal sticking out of the ground and he stopped. The crystal showed his reflection, revealing some gray hairs above his temples, grayness that hadn't been there before. The Phantom Zone halted his aging, but when he returned to his proper dimension it seemed his body had aged quickly, making up for lost time as it were. That would be a problem. Not all the Kryptonians would be able to leave without aging dramatically. The Kryptonian powers of a yellow sun would help most, but some might survive long enough for that power to kick in.
Still, Zod was optimistic. He'd release as many Kryptonians as he could.
Suddenly a light flared up to his left. He looked over and saw probe floating in the air. The probe, after a moment, projecting a hologram, showing the son of Jor-El, his arms crossed.
"General Zod," said Superman, the probe translating into Kryptonian. "I think we need to talk."
General Zod grinned, "I would appreciate that very much...Kal-El."