Chapter 7 Battle Time

Be entirely tolerant or not at all; follow the good path or the evil one. To stand at the crossroads requires more strength than you possess.
Heinrich Heine German critic & poet (1797 - 1856)

A booming voice is heard as if coming from everywhere. "Kal-El so we meet."

Superman hesitated momentarily shocked to be directly addressed. "You have me at a distinct disadvantage. You seem to know me but I don't know how you know me or even who is speaking. Make yourself known."

The voice changed still booming but now in an unknown language.

After several sentences Superman began to understand exactly what was being said but chose to admonish the speaker again. "Show yourself and speak English, an entire world is watching and you already demonstrated you know the language. The people here have a right to understand what's happening. I have no reason to keep them in the dark why must you."

Superman watched as a figure coalesced on the ground below him. He descended landing next the figure realizing it was the exact likeness of the hologram of his long dead father. "I am Lord Arnken, of Trpria." The voice was now speaking in English as requested.

"How do you expect me to believe anything you say when you try and deceive me? The image you are projecting is not even your own. It is the image of my dead Father. Physically present yourself, what do you have to be afraid of?"

As he spoke he saw a group of soldiers arriving on the scene each with a gun at hand ready to fire. "Stay back, if any of you so much as try to use those weapons I will disarm each and every one of you just like this." He shot a blast of heat vision at the nearest soldier's weapon melting the barrel causing the soldier to drop it in fear.

The holographic figure disappeared as a large beam of light emanating from the ship replaced it with an ancient looking man similar in overall appearance to humans physically. He was dressed in a close fitting dark suit that appeared to have special life supporting equipment built in. Behind him were three other men in similar suits but no special life supporting equipment. They all could have been mistaken for humans in any other setting.

"Ah, so like your Father Jor-El."

"You knew my father, how? I can't believe my father would have associated with the likes of you. From the meager records I have of that meeting all I really know is that he clashed with your race."

"Yes, you could say we clashed. We met just once just after you were born. He was trying valiantly to convince the elders of Krypton's impending doom. As I suspected they refused to listen. I offered to take you to safety to raise you as the son I have always wanted. But he refused. Instead he insisted on sending you to this primitive place, even after I informed him it was on our watch list. He thought you could make a difference here. The eternal optimist, he though you could turn these primitives into something more. I promised your father I would provide you the chance. But alas, even you cannot teach those who will not learn from the past."

"Why are you here now."

"Time has come for the reckoning. These primitives fail to learn. They are a danger to themselves, to the very environment they inhabit and soon they will be a danger to others in the Universe. We cannot allow that to happen. You Kal-EL on the other hand show wondrous promise. Join us as you should have long ago. Forget these barbarians."

"You dare to call these people barbarians when it is you who goes around the Universe destroying whole civilizations because they don't live up to your standards. By what authority do you make these judgments?"

"By the authority that I can. No one has ever questioned that authority other than your father and now you. Ah, yes, you are so like your father one of the few men I ever truly respected. If only my own son were more like you instead of the disappointment he has turned out to be. My time in this life is almost over. Join with me and soon all that is mine could be yours. Think of the power you would have."

"This is my home I have no intention of leaving. Whatever fate has in store for the people of Earth will be mine as well."

"You are too good for these primitives. How many times have they tried to kill you even after all you have done for them?"

"Unlike you, I don't blame the many for what the few do!"

"Jor-El was foolish to not let you grow up on the trip. Arriving here as a child allowed you to think of yourself as one of these primitives. Join with us you will forget them in time. Your destiny awaits you Kal-El don't squander it here. They are not worthy of your potential greatness. Make your choice but know if you chose to stay with them you will die with them."

"My father made the right choice sending me here. I will never join you. You have no right to take it upon yourself to destroy civilizations here or elsewhere now or ever. Leave now and never come back."

"I am sorry you have chosen to die, you show such promise. Goodbye Kal-El." The figures silently disappeared in a beam of light.

Superman looked up at the ship as it began to move, slowly at first then faster. Just as he had expected the ship circumnavigated the globe appearing in all the major countries. He maintained a close proximity to the ship staying between it and the ground as it went over the various countries. He tried to reassure everyone below that he was guarding them from attack.

As the ship approached the starting point Washington D. C. it broke apart into the four separate starships darting around as if to make observers lose sight of which ship was which like a shell game. Superman realizing this was perhaps a ploy meant to hide the lead ship decided he needed therefore to make sure he stayed with that ship wherever it went.

So far other than the brief display of arms in Washington D. C. near the Capital building all had been well maintained. Superman did not try to delude himself he knew as the ships became more threatening that was very likely to change.

The ship was heading for the Middle East already a hot spot even before the threat of alien attack. As the ship flew it slowed down and much to Superman's distain all four ships gathered in a formation as they silently flew over Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Superman held his breath at each site thankful that key people had been stationed to keep heads level and fingers off buttons. Batman was himself manning a hot spot in Pakistan.

As the ships moved on they entered North Kamdar space. Suddenly they were met with fighter planes. Superman waved them off but too little avail. He could hear the pilots speaking into their radios warning the ships to leave Kamdar airspace or face attack. At that moment he heard a whooshing sound as three missiles was launched from the ground below directly at the Trprian starships.

At a speed faster than sound making sonic booms as he went Superman managed to intercept all three missiles one by one sending them each on a course for open space. Two of the war planes began firing short range missiles. Superman blocked the planes weapons and proceeded to use his heat vision to put all of the planes additional weaponry out of commission. That effectively put them all out of the battle. As he dealt with the planes three more missiles were fired from the ground. He again managed to intercept two of the missiles but the third got past him and hit one of the attending Trprian starships.

The missile appeared to be absorbed by the ship which went red as it heated up and began to glow. Superman caught his breath at the sight dreading what was to come. The ship continued to glow going from red to blue to white as it got brighter it began to hum in a higher and higher pitch.

Superman braced himself as he hovered under it bracing for the blast. And it came….hitting him square in the chest sending him flying head over heals uncontrolled tumbling down to earth. He fell hitting hard and lay unmoving, silent unseen due to the cloud of smoke and dust his landing had stirred up. A beam of light hit him and where he had been only a creator remained where he had fallen.

Three more missiles were fired and were absorbed by three different ships. Again the ships changed colors as they glowed and then the blasts came, only this time nothing was preventing them from hitting their targets. North Kamdar was effectively wiped off the map. Uncharacteristically the starships pulled back having made their point.

The starships made their way back to Washington, D. C. and soon the booming voice made an announcement. "Since your champion made such a valiant attempt to save you puny humans we have decided to relent for a short time in his honor. Think what your actions have brought about. We will be back to finish what we have started."

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It would be so nice if you would kindly take a moment and Review. Thank YOU .

Thank you so much mistressbabette51 for all of your kind reviews.

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Just to let everyone know I wrote this story as a roller coaster ride fast and furious. I am going to pick up the posts of new chapters to highlight the speed at which the events where to have taken place. Also I am thinking of moving ahead on this board to the point of matching the chapter posts with those on The Planet fan fiction site which is currently posted to chapter 20.