Chapter 14: Sink or Swim Part 2: Onboard the Ship
As soon as Luthor's ship set in, Garth and Kell tied a life boat onto it, at night, for an escape route for the plan ahead.
()()()()()
The next day, there was a faux celebration for the ship's victory against the Gordanians.
By this point, Imra was much more confident in her juggling.
"And now a tribute to your glorious victory!" Dick called out.
Kell, Clark, and Garth then showed up behind a cardboard cutout of a boat.
We are the mighty Gordanians.
We sail the open skies.
No Imperial ship can stop us.
For we are the more wise.
The three then looked forward.
"Uh-oh." Clark said. "It's the unbeatable…"
"Undefeatable…" Kell added.
"Not real sweatable…" Garth continued.
"Lex Luthor the ruthless!" They all cried out as Ayla was there on Clark and Lois' recently rescued dog, Krypto.
"Retreat!" Kell called out.
"Ramming speed!" Ayla called out, and the three were knocked over like bowling pins.
After that, Clark and Garth snuck down to the rowers while Ayla and Krypto cornered Kell.
"Wait, I'm an officer!" Kell called out before he was knocked over.
As the soldiers cheered, Ayla curtseyed to the audience.
()()()()()
At the water, Kell quickly swam to the boat as Clark opened one of the holes for the canons. Kell then handed a bag of food to Clark, who then handed it to Garth. Garth then slipped into the slave quarters.
"Be careful, Garth." Clark whispered.
()()()()()
Garth looked around. All the slaves were sleeping in rags and hunched to make room for everyone. Garth was shocked that anyone could be so inconsiderate of people. He undid the bundle and took out some bread, vegetables, and fruit as he walked around.
"Dad?" Garth called out. "Mekt?"
Just then, a dark blond man with a beard pulled him over.
"What are you doing here, boy?!" The man asked when he saw the food as Garth let him have some.
"I'm looking for my father and brother." Garth explained.
"The only thing you'll find here is trouble." The man said after taking a bite of bread. "Now get out of here before you get us all killed."
()()()()()
On the deck, as Dick was doing various acrobatics, a soldier rushed up to Luthor with a scroll.
"Sir!" The soldier said. "One of our ships was captured in a slave revolt! Brainiac orders you to set course at once and capture them before they reach the borders of the empire!"
"Then cast off immediately." Luthor said plainly. "Sound the battle alarm!"
As the soldiers sounded the alarm, Dick gulped.
"Uh, but the show's not over yet." Dick said nervously.
()()()()()
Meanwhile, Garth had given food to all the slaves.
"Do any of you know my father Joshua Ranzz, or my brother Mekt?" Garth asked, when suddenly, a soldier opened the door.
"All slaves to oars!" He called out, and they went to their posts.
"Wait!" Garth called out as they went off. "Has anyone seen my father?!"
"I'm afraid he's not on this ship, kid." The blond man said.
"Garth!" Clark called out soon afterwards as he pulled Garth up.
()()()()()
At the deck, Lois and the other children, were by the walls, not being noticed by the preoccupied soldiers.
"Clark?" Lois whispered. "Clark?!"
()()()()()
Meanwhile, Kell was trying to stay near the ship until he got knocked off by one of the oars.
()()()()()
"Lois, what's happening?!" Clark asked as the ship continued its hustle and bustle.
"We're going into battle unless we get off this thing quick!" Lois answered.
They went to the starboard side of the boat, only to find Kell hanging onto a rope.
"Hey guys." Kell said.
The soldiers then arrived and pulled Kell in just before they left the atmosphere. They were all trapped on the ship now.
()()()()()
On the ship, the gang was tossed into the captain's quarters where the captain would arrive to deal with them.
Everyone then looked around. It was an elegant purple and green colored room with various, expensive, knick-knacks.
"Wow." Dick said. "This is nice."
"How can he live like this when so many people are suffering right under his feet?!" Garth asked angrily.
"Yeah." Ayla added. "Jesus said we should be kind to people."
"I don't think the captain was listening when Jesus said that." Kell responded.
"I'm afraid he's like the man who built his house on the sand." Clark said.
"Who?" Ayla asked. She'd never heard of him before.
"A man Jesus talked about one day when he was teaching in Capernaum.
"He said to the crowd, 'Everyone who listens to me and does something about it is like a man who builds his house on a rock. Then winter comes, but that house stands up to all because underneath is the rock.
"'But whoever listens to me and does nothing is like a foolish builder who builds his house on sand. Then winter comes. And the rains fall, and the floods come, and the wind blows. And down comes his house with a tremendous crash.'"
Just then, Luthor came in and Ayla finally had time to notice Luthor's bright green eyes and completely bald head.
"So these are the stowaways?" Luthor asked.
"Actually, we're-" Clark began.
"Quiet!" Lex called out. "I don't know why you're still on my ship, but I do know that we're going into battle and every man must pull his weight!"
Luthor then tossed a mop to Kell.
"You, clean the ship!" Luthor shouted as he turned to Garth. "You, give water to the soldiers!" Luthor then turned to Dick and Ayla. "You two stay here and clean." Luthor then turned to Clark. "And you, what do you do?"
"I'm a farmer." Clark said. "But my wife and I also bake."
"Perfect." Luthor said with a smile.
"My cook makes the worst rolls in the entire navy." Luthor said as he took a roll and dropped it on the floor, and it bounced right back into his hand like it was made of rubber. "Absolutely indestructible. The only thing they're good for is ammunition. You, your wife, and the girl are to go to the galley at once!"
"Yes sir." Clark said as he walked off with Lois and Imra.
Well, that didn't go all that well.