Chapter 11 (Part II)
Lois was engulfed in a bright light. When the light subsided, she thought she had been temporarily blinded. All she saw was white, until she saw Clark. Suddenly a wave of freezing cold washed over her as she realized it was pure untouched snow. She was happy Clark had insisted on the coat, but she was still freezing.
She looked over at Clark, and all he was wearing was a tee shirt and a light jacket, which it seemed he was taking off. Clark put his jacket over her shoulders. He turned and said "Welcome to my home away from home, the Fortress of Solitude." as he moved his arm indicating a giant ice structure.
"Smallville, what is that place? It's beautiful. Aren't you cold?" Lois asked thinking she had misheard. She gathered Clark's jacket more tightly around her.
"I'm fine. Let's get you inside." Clark said as he picked her up in his arms. "Bundle up tightly." add as Clark super sped to the Fortress. Clark put Lois down gently and turned to her. Looking into her eyes, Clark said "Lois, this is a recreation of Kryptonian architecture. My biological parents sent me away before my planet was destroyed."
"Smallville, you mean to say that you're not … human?" Lois said slightly confused. Staring at Clark, she noticed him deflate some.
"Let's go see what Jor-El wants." Clark said despondently. He knew it would be a shock, but he hoped it wouldn't matter. He was pretty sure she would accept him … someday. He just hoped it was sooner and not later.
What? Not human? This has to be some kind of bad joke! But, how did we get here? This 'Fortress' was so … alien. Everything was crystalline, almost like it was grown, instead of being built. Lois's thoughts were so jumbled. Planet destroyed? Not human? Alien?
Upon entering a voice boomed, "Kal-El, we must prepare … Kal-El you brought a human with you?"
"Lois Lane my biological father Jor-El. Jor-El the woman I love Lois Lane. I was bringing her here to tell who I really am, but you summoning me here is causing a problem." Clark stated proudly.
"Kal-El send the human back, we have Kryptonian business. " Kal-El boomed.
"I will not! Anything that you want to tell me, you can say in front of Lois, there will be no more secrets between Lois and me." Clark said defiantly.
Who was this … man in front of her? She couldn't help but be impressed by the way Cla… Kal-El was adamant that their would be no more lies between them. He had called her the woman he loves. That brought a smile to her lips.
"As you wish, my son, we must prepare for General Zod. You will need to continue your training. I will give you two earth days and then you must return for training. Do not be late." Jor-El commanded.
Turning towards her, Clark asked her honestly, "Jor-El, I shall return. Lois, do you have any questions? I will answer anything I can. Jor-El, you will answer any question Lois asks."
"Understood" Kal-El stated.
"Who's this General Zod?" Lois asked still confused, but worried about this 'training.'
Clark hesitantly answered "He was the cause of the cataclysm that destroyed Krypton."
"That is essentially correct, but I could expand upon that." Jor-El added.
"Please" Lois added feeling a little silly talking to thin air.
"General Zod was one of Krypton's finest generals, but he felt stifled by the Council of Lords. General Zod felt several of the worlds we studied should have been conquered.
This planet was one of the planets at the top of his list, because of the effects of your yellow sun upon Kryptonians. Yellow sun? What did that mean? Lois made a mental note to ask Clark when Jor-El was done with his speech.
After five years of trying to convince the Council of Lords, he sent his troops into the capitol to seize control of the planet. If not for the honor guards of the noble houses, this planet would be a Kryptonian colony as would many more planets.
When he was finally caught after ten years on conflict, it was simply decided that sentencing him to the Phantom Zone was not an option. The Phantom what? Lois mentally asked. The Phantom Zone is a pocket dimension, to which we exile our prisoners. Pocket universe? An artificial dimension. Oh, ok. That makes sense.
I was one of the scientists that developed a way to exile him to the Phantom Zone without a physical body, in an effort to block any way back into the material plane.
In the years he was imprisoned, there were numerous attempts to free the general by his troops. After his troops heard about the project we were working on, the sabotage began. All space worthy vessels and industries linked with the manufacturing of these vessels were destroyed in one day. Then how did Clark get to Earth? She pondered.
I started developing the ship to save Kal-El after that day. Is he reading my mind? Lois questioned.
General Zod's last words were 'If I can not rule Krypton, there will be no Krypton. You will all die and I will rise once again and build a New Krypton as it was meant to be.'
A day after Zod was sent to the Phantom Zone, five ships took off and the devices his men had planted by the planet core went off. The planet tore itself apart within days. General Zod's first objective will be this planet. I am not sure how he will pass back into this plane without a body, but with the actions of the Kryptonian Artificial Intelligence, Brainiac, the only conclusion is Zod is coming." Jor-El stated.
"Smallville, what does he mean the 'effects of your yellow sun'?" Lois asked right off the bat, so she wouldn't forget while attempting to absorb all the information Jor-El had just passed on.
"Lois, your sun gives me many powers. I am extremely strong, very fast, and nearly invulnerable. I can start fires with my eyes, hear a whisper from more than a football field away, and can see through most any object." Clark stated timidly.
"Is there anything else?" Lois asked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. But, it made many of the odd things about Clark make sense.
"Remember our kiss last week? Remember when you said we were flying? Well, we were. Our love made me fly for the first time as Clark Kent." Clark said.
"What do you mean 'as Clark Kent?'" Lois asked truly amazed and puzzled at this … being before her.
"When you found me in the cornfield, I had just been 're-born' as Kal-El. My life as Clark Kent was a blank, I was acting as an automaton of Jor-El." Clark added. Kal-El could fly; once I became Clark again, I lost that power.
"My God, he did that to you! Why?" Lois asked aghast.
"Jor-El has always had a 'destiny' mapped out for me, and I have fought that destiny until now. General Zod cannot be allowed on Earth! The military will not be able to stop him once his powers manifest themselves, and I have no idea what other powers he may develop." Clark said earnestly.
"What was this destiny?" Lois asked.
"I found a message in my ship, which read 'On this third planet from this star Sol, you will be a god among men. They are a flawed race, rule them with strength my son. That is were your greatness lies.' This led me to believe Jor-El wants me to rule over this world. I do not believe it is my place to rule." Clark stated emphatically.
"Kal-El you misinterpreted the message, it is not 'rule them' it is 'guide them.' I would not send you to do what I opposed as a member of the Council of Lords." Jor-El declared.