Superman: The Ark of Krypton

Chapter 112

by

Jason Richard

Edward Lytener sat at his desk, working on a similar suit to the one he'd built for fighting Superman. The tanks he'd designed weren't as powerful but were simple enough to mass produce. Something like this suit, which could project powerful holograms and force fields, this would take time and care.

He just hoped to finish before the battle.

Speaking of which he looked over at the television in his little stone-walled cell and saw Lois Lane reporting on that battle, which seemed to be going well. General Lane wasn't even bringing out the tanks with force fields yet. If he was still holding those back then they weren't in trouble yet.

And of course, Lytener saw Lois Lane on the screen. He regretted his actions, though some part of him still resented her for hanging him out to dry without giving him a chance to explain himself. Then again, Lytener hoped to start being the kind of person who stood up to dangerous people rather than backing down. The truth was, however, he wasn't sure he could do that. Not in person at least.

Suddenly someone knocked on his door, "Lytener," said one of the soldiers. "Looks like a lone Kryptonian made it out of the Phantom Zone. If it powers up we're going to need that suit of yours."

"Working on it," said Lytener. "Shouldn't be too much longer."

As the soldier left Lytner, for just one moment, considered donning the suit and going after this Kryptonian himself.

The very thought made him tremble with fear. He gritted his teeth, absolutely frustrated with himself.

…

Lois, high up in the helicopter, stayed thankful that the call had gotten through to her father's base as she put her cell phone away. There was no telling what that escaped Kryptonian would do once it got enough power. She just hoped her father had a way to find and stop it.

In the meantime, the battle here at the portal was going well, with Superman able to protect the tanks and the tanks held the enemy back. Unfortunately, the portal was still getting wider, and the tanks were getting more and more spread out. Even Superman had to fly longer and longer distances to deflect the fire from those laser rifles.

Before long this portal wouldn't be a chokehold, and the more spread out the tanks were the less of an advantage they had. With all the lasers focused on the same spot, they were guaranteed to hit something. Spread out they might start missing, and that could be trouble.

Even as watched from the Helicopter, reporting on the scene, she wished there was more she could actually do to help, but nothing came to her.

…

More and more tanks began to explode. The portal was now massively wide and even Superman couldn't fly back and forth fast enough to stop all the Kryptonians rifle blasts. He began to feel that a change in strategy was called for.

Apparently, however, the generals of the world felt the same, as tanks moved away from others that took their place at the front line. These tanks lined up and threw up red walls of light that began blocking the laser blasts. The long line of force field that spanned the entire line of the portal didn't let other tanks fire, but it would stop the Kryptonians from advancing.

The Kryptonians, however, spread out as they were, weren't getting hit by as many red sun blasts, so they had more energy than before. Zod gave the order.

"First company!" he cried. "Jump!"

Kryptonians jumped up impressively high, shooting over the force field. That left them open to laser blasts, but they did manage to take a couple of tanks down before they were blasted back. And, of course, the moment they landed, they got up and jumped again. Superman, surveying the scene, flew in, throwing as many of the Kryptonians back down as he could, preventing them from shooting. As they were much slower than the blasts themselves he was able to get most of them.

And thus they continued to hold the line.

...

Running as fast as she could Ursa found an alcove in a rocky plateau and hid there. It had just enough sun so that she could keep absorbing energy, but enough cover so that she wouldn't be visible. She went to the center and sat down cross-legged on the ground.

As she closed her eyes and let that power wash over her she grinned. Kal-El wouldn't know what hit him.