Chapter Fifteen - History Trip

"Now is the time for you to leave," announced The Phantom Stranger, although the room's filling with mist kind of gave the game away.

"Well thanks, Madame Xanadu, you've been invaluable," said Chloe with her trademark sarcasm.

"It's been interesting," added Lana, a bit more tactfully.

"Bye," said Rose. "Give my regards to those other Tylers."

"Nice meeting you, MX," said Jimmy, just as the mists descended over him.

"So where next?" asked Chloe, unable to see anything.

"The Doctor is returning," replied The Phantom Stranger as the mists cleared to reveal the Tardis oscillating into view. Also standing there, on his own, was General Zod.

"Where are the others?" Lana asked him.

"Ursa should be back soon," replied the General, "although I'm not sure the same can be said for Lex Luthor."

As if on cue, and much to General Zod's chagrin, he suddenly spotted Ursa down the street, marching towards them, with Lex Luthor strolling casually behind her. Non's failing to kill someone he could handle, but he'd expected so much more of Ursa. Still, looking on the bright side, it meant that he'd have the pleasure of killing him.

As Ursa and Lex reached them, and the Tardis finally finished its materialization, The Phantom Stranger thought it time to say his farewells.

"The Phantom Stranger must be gone now," he declared as mist swirled around him, and then, turning his attention to Zod, Ursa and Lex he added "Nice outfits. Still you can't go wrong with black."

"Hey, don't be a stra-" started Chloe, but by that time he was gone.

The Tardis door opened and The Doctor stood there, smiling, beckoning them in. "Looks like we're taking a small detour. Smallville, 1961. Clark wants to examine his family tree."


As the Tardis rolled through the corridors of reality and time, Clark, Chloe, Lana, Rose and Jimmy were trying out the numerous outfits contained in what was best described as the Tardis' dressing room. Meanwhile, Zod, Ursa and Lex (or The Black Pack as Chloe had started calling them) insisted that their fashion was timeless and had instead decided to huddle in a far away corner of the Tardis in an evil brainstorming session.

Clark suddenly appeared from behind a mountain of clothes wearing the most garish patchwork coat anybody had ever seen. "What do you think?"

"We're going to 1961," explained Chloe, "they're not ready for psychedelia yet."

"Yeah," agreed Lana, "there's lots of red but no blue." She knew Clark's color preferences enough to know that these words would make him see sense. Of course any idiot could see that it was the absence of pink that made it totally unwearable.

"Guess you're right," admitted Clark. "Looks like I'll have to go for the boring jeans and t-shirt look."

"Maybe I can do something with your hair," offered Lana.


Finally, the Tardis landed just outside 1961 Smallville and, as his numerous passengers gathered together, The Doctor thought it was time for the obvious lecture.

"Okay, I realize that for three of you here today this is your past that you'll be looking around. Now, be careful. Very careful. At the risk of understating the seriousness of the situation here, I'd just like to point out that time's a delicate mechanism and any little thing you do could totally destroy your future. Now, go out and have fun and please on no account become your own grandparents. I hate paradoxes."

"Wait a minute," observed Lex. "This is the past of four of us, not three."

"Yes, quite right, Lex," replied The Doctor, opening the door for the others. "But you're not going."

"What harm could I possibly cause?" asked Lex innocently.

"No harm, but with your knowledge of Smallville's traffic accidents I could see you investing in all the local auto repair companies."

Lex was hurt that his hero was questioning his honor. "You never were my favorite Doctor," he snarled before stomping off into the bowels of the Tardis. How could The Doctor misjudge him so? Why would he even think of investing in auto repair companies. Lead-lined boxes - that was the real growth market in this town.


Clark looked around anxiously. Now he had the chance to meet his father he was suddenly nervous, having second thoughts. Of course, whilst he would get to meet his father, it would take a lot longer than Clark had anticipated for, as Clark was about to learn, the more things change the more they stay the same.
Lana Lang looked at Clark. If he could find his ancestors maybe she could too. And then she remembered her great-aunt Louise, and she remembered Madame Xanadu's words. That a crisis was coming and it would start with a housewife's death. Of course, now that she was here, maybe she could make a difference, change Louise's destiny. Suddenly the image of a Tarot card sprung into her mind.
Jimmy Olsen was a bit peeved that his quest had been delayed. Still, after all his travels he could do with a rest. Small uneventful 1961 Smallville - what quieter place could there be?
Chloe Sullivan was stuck in the past. This was like Heaven for her. The past - a really accurate, comprehensive news archive for her to rummage though. A shame that she felt so sleepy, but once she'd found a place to stay and got some rest then who knew what secrets she might uncover.
Rose Tyler was bored. As much as she liked Clark, she didn't want to be stuck here in Smallville with him for too long. She wanted adventure, not small town America. She wanted killing, ugly aliens, not a drop dead gorgeous one.

Of course, if she'd looked around she would have seen a pair of aliens with killing on their minds, but their target wasn't Rose. No, Zod and Ursa weren't looking at Rose, but at the pretty pink-clad girl next to her.

General Zod was going to kill Lana Lang, and this time there wouldn't be any mistakes.