Chapter 29 – Diana and a little Lois.
Day 42
Planet Fred – Fortress of Solely Two
1:45 hs. PM
Diana was inspecting the content of the two large deposits the Javelin used as water storage tanks. They kept them under a group of trees to protect them from the heat of the direct light of the suns.
"How's the 'Cuveé Amazone' doing, Mme. Œnologue?" Asked Clark, standing behind her.
"Tres bien, merci. Everything is happening right on schedule. The yeast is working its magic." She said.
"I can believe you really know how to make wine. My admiration for you is boundless right now. You really are a very talented woman, you know?" He still remembered the afternoon they spent squeezing the kipes with their bare feet, twenty days ago. Oh boy! They had a lot of fun. They had to stop Argo to eat them all.
"I'm more than a pretty face, Melopita. That's something you should know about me by now" She joked, rapidly batting her eyelashes.
"Oh, I know, believe me. But this goes beyond anything I could've imagined. So, tell me: what type of wine it's going to be: red or white?" he inquired.
Diana looked at him, looked back to the interior of the tank and back at him, and shrugging her shoulders said:
"Uuuum…green?" She smiled innocent "If it is anything like white wine back on Earth, there's still the chance it turns out of golden color also."
"I see…we are in 'terra incognita', aren't we?" He guessed.
"I'm afraid so. When Dionysos taught my sisters the secrets of wine making, I'm sure he didn't have in mind kipes as primary source." She declared.
"It's gonna be fantastic, no matter the color. When we return home you'll have something to teach HIM." Clark was very proud. And then added "We'll have the honor of being the first interplanetary wine producers!"
They both laughed. Walking back to the settlement, Clark stated:
"If everything goes as planned, today I'll finish the construction of a fully functioning toilet, with the parts stolen from the Javelin."
"Did I ever tell you you're my hero? That's my greatest desire since we came to this planet! If you do that, I'll let you take advantage of my body!" Diana promised.
"Now I MUST finish it!" He joked.
Clark made two mugs of purple tea from the dried leaves from the tree Argos loves to nibble at the banks of the pond. They were naturally sweet and, according to Diana's nose, rich in caffeine. They sat at the table, and Diana started saying:
"You know, Melopita, all those red sun light simulators Luthor and Bruce love to build to weaken you? Is there a chance you make one to emit yellow sun light, to give you your powers back? At least some of them?"
"I've been thinking about it since we recovered electricity. The main obstacle is logistics: there's a key alien component called 'mahelcium', which was found on a meteorite and otherwise impossible to find on Earth. My two gazillionaire friends here paid handsomely to have some by any means necessary. It converts raw energy into solar energy, so, if you have a powerful enough source of energy, it can be turned into whatever star light you want. A red giant, like Rao and our friend here…
"Ye-Xian. The white one is Jun-Li." Informed Diana
"Right: Ye-Xian, they are old stars and their light emission is lower, therefore easier to reproduce in a lab, energetically speaking." He continued: "My first mistake, when confronting Luthor's and Bruce`s weapons, was taking the defensive approach instead of the proactive, more aggressive one. Still, I ended up victorious because, even though their weapons were efficient, their inherent human flaws betrayed them. My second mistake was hubris: I've destroyed their weapons (well, I've adapted Luthor's for Clark Kent's bedroom to help my love life) making almost every trace of mahelcium disappear.(I'm sure they still have some stashed somewhere, knowing their conniving ways, but it's still on Earth, so it doesn't matter) Now, the shoe is in the other foot and I'll have to use my brain to dig my way out of this shit hole I dug myself in."
"Anything I can help you with, you just have to tell me." Offered the Amazon.
"I will need Athena's wisdom she bestowed upon you for sure, Yed-Salit" He took her offer "together, there's nothing we can't achieve."
"Changing the subject: Another thing I wanted to talk to you about is the need to explore Fred. Staying here, in the Fortress, is okay, but we have to see what's beyond. It may not be pretty (as you already experienced) but there may be things we can use and we're missing." She proposed.
"You mean YOU can explore. Remember I can't fly or move as fast as you can…" He corrected her.
"If one of us can fly, we both can, Melopita. You're coming with me. I'm not letting you alone anymore." She decreed.
"Gee…thanks for the confidence boost…" he started.
"This time I don't care if you feel hurt. I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for me. Those 40 hours we were apart, I was in agony. I don't want to pass through anything like that again. I got attached to you, you meat slab." Diana smiled.
"So, that's all I am for you?" Clark asked.
"Pretty much, yeah." She answered.
"Okay. I can live with that..." He shrugged "Since I can see you are in an industrious mood today, may I ask we to go again to a stroll back through 'Lost Memory Lane' to see if I can recover that lost part of my life?"
"Oh, no, Big Boy: this you have to earn. You promised me a functioning toilet by the end of the day. Do it, and we'll talk after dinner tonight." She warned.
"Me and my big mouth." He finished his tea and went inside the Javelin to retrieve his tools belt.
This "playing house" with her was something they both treasured. They felt it brought them together like nothing else. A feeling of closeness. No life or death threats. No emergencies. Just a couple planning and working towards the future. This made Clark very happy. He put some music in his phone and began singing along as he worked. Diana's heart rejoiced listening to him.
She kept herself busy studying the Almerachi ship and its controls and systems, in case they find fuel to activate it some day. The scout ship was in pretty good shape, in spite of being in a fight recently. It needed some patching here and there, one of the two engines was destroyed, but it was of similar size and shape to the ones of the Javelin, so it could be replaced with some ingenuity. Language was not a problem, because Clark, in his last forced visit, learned enough Almerachian. Between Clark and herself, they could have this thing running in no time. The only problem was the fuel.
Clark annexed the cubicle destined to house the toilet to the side of the house, carving a door to allow access from the inside. With the piping he could salvage from the Javelin he was able to extract water from the cascade on the pond thanks to a pump used to fill the aforementioned water tanks, and take it to a deposit placed atop of their house. It was all possible thanks to the electricity they were able to generate thanks to the Almerachi vessel. Clark even thought of installing a shower, but he left it to the next remodeling.
By the time the sisters came down, he was flushing the new toilet to test it was working properly. Diana heard it and couldn't wait no more. She run to the new cubicule.
"You did it! Welcome, welcome civilization! And you installed a sink as well! I'm so hot for you right now, Melopita!" She ripped off his clothes and hers. They made love (however they could) right there.
When they finished, Clark sat in a corner, wondering what type of heavy vehicle just run him over. Diana was standing there naked, flushing the toilet with a grin on her face.
They later put some clothes on.
"I'm making dinner" said the Amazon.
She improvised a grill and put many vegetables to slowly roast on low fire. Then, flew to the sea and brought salt and some blue onions that grew nearby, mixed them with the oil she squeezed from the seeds of the Cerberus Flowers and a sparkle of "nutmeg" and sea salt. She extended the mix over the roasting vegetables.
When the smell began to spread, Clark exclaimed:
"You are killing me, Yed-Salit! That smells wonderfully!"
"It's an adaptation of the recipe we Amazons use when Artemis doesn't bless us with a catch when we go hunting, all we have are vegetables and we are hungry." Explained Diana."We'll be eating in a moment."
While they were eating, Clark showered Diana with praise for her culinary talents. Then, they started making plans for the exploratory journey they will engage in a few days.
While they were doing the dishes, Diana said:
"Well, as promised, it's time to try and boost your memories, Melopita. Are you sure you are okay to do it? Had you recovered from last time? It was very hard on you, with the demise of your parents and all… but, most importantly: did it make any difference? Did it serve its purpose?"
"Even after being in mourning again for two days, the experience, maybe for being connected with a painful event, jogged something inside my head: today, while working in the house, I had recollections of Ma giving me an apple pie to take home before my journey off planet, and saying: 'Be sure to share it with that tall friend of yours, the beautiful brunette…Dana? She's very nice and always brings presents whenever she visits.' 'Diana, Ma. Don't play silly: you know her name very well.' I said. She responded: 'Perhaps I'd stop my innuendo if you ask her out once and for all, as you should…' 'She has a boyfriend, Ma. And I have a girlfriend: Lois… rings any bell?' 'Aw, Sweety. I only want what's best for my boy' that's all I have. I was going to tell you right after dinner. By the way, it seems you have the approval of Ma to be with me." He beamed from ear to ear.
"Oh, Kal! That's fantastic! Yes, having Ma's approval is wonderful, but the fact you remembered a full conversation with her is awesome!" Diana held him in a tight hug.
"Still, I've no recollection of dating Lois. You were still dating Steve?" Clark looked confused.
"We broke up shortly after. And not in good terms, unfortunately." She shot a sardonic side-look at him "Men!" and rolled her eyes.
"Hey!" he tried to protest.
"Anyway… tonight's topic centers on your relationship with Lois. (Diana put her Lasso around him)
"According with your own description, she is rude, ambitious, ruthless and conniving. Also, a great journalist. You said you befriended her because you could peep passed the façade and you saw a very lonely, friendless woman fighting against the rules of a men's world and, sometimes, a little girl with lots of daddy issues. I know General Lane and, believe me, I understand her completely.
Again: Men!" She made a pause on purpose to let it sink."She was infatuated with Superman, but Clark Kent was just an office prop for her, like any of the other men she worked with, included Mr. White.
"Lois began being aware of your existence when you started beating her to the punch on what she cared the most: the front page of the paper. You later told me you shouldn't have done that because she noticing you was the first step towards her unmasking you. In her mind, no normal man could ever best her in anything (I can also relate to that), least of all what she loved, so she began suspecting there was something special about you.
"Thus, her quest for relating you with Superman was afoot: Both tall, dark and handsome, well built, you, a little slouch, but that was just postural. Your clumsiness…" Clark interrupted her:
"Yeah, that was a little exaggerated. In hindsight, I should've tempered it down a notch. No normal person can be so awkward" He regretted.
" I told you so? But you kept saying it was funny." She chided him."She used any excuse touch your arms, your shoulder and your chest in personnel meetings and staff reunions, and she, of course, noticed the steel underneath your clothes."
"You did/do that too" he reminded her.
"Of course. First, because I wanted to have a feel of your body. Second, because I always liked to touch you. Third, because I don't want to buy my fruit without examine it first. Fourth, because I can. Besides, you are and had always been mine. Period." She stated, defiant "Don't deny you enjoyed my touch."
"Fair enough." Clark conceded "Continue, please"
"At first, this was part of her plan to reveal your secret personality. But then it occurred to her why share your secret with the World, when she could have Superman all for herself? Besides, you are a constant generator of front pages with her name on them for life. Win-win situation? You bet!
"On the other hand, she started falling for you (both of you). And you bought it. You were into her. She finally confronted you, and you, being aware a relationship could never start with a lie if it is supposed to last, came clean. You two began to be an item, seeing each other officially.
"But Lois had no idea what it meant to be Superman's girlfriend. Intimacy was great, thanks to Luthor's red sun ray emitter in your room (you told me this when I – a bit jealous- asked you how you do it), but only in your room. No spontaneity allowed for your couple, or she could end a night of passion in the hospital, at best. (Same with me and Steve, after I recovered my powers, by the way). Soon she realized that being with you was like being the woman of a Doctor, a policeman, a fireman, an ambulance driver, etc…all that and more. She spent countless nights on her own, watching you on TV and waiting.
"The worst came to pass when you told her you can no longer grant her exclusives for the Planet, because that would blow your cover, exposing the couple to the outside World. Lois blew a gasket and threatened with outing your secret.
"You told her that it won't serve any purpose, and she would only have her fifteen minutes of fame, ruining the lives of a lot of people and putting a target on her back and her family's forever. That marked the end of the honeymoon period and took her out of the fog of the romance. She said she can no longer live like this and it was better to agree on an amicable separation, promising she would keep your identity a secret until you, yourself, decide to reveal it. You had sex one last time and she left Clark Kent's apartment for good. There was no need for you to tell me this last bit of info, but you did it anyway, you pig." The Princess complained.
"What? The part when she left my house?" he teased.
"Kal!" Diana's blood was boiling. After she calmed down, she added "The whole affair lasted almost a year, from April to February, two years ago."
"Wow! Lana is a sweet memory I'll treasure forever, but this one has a bitter undertone to it. I don't mind if I forget it again." He reflected.