Thanks to everyone whose reviews so far: it's nice to know I'm doing something right. Fail to see how the story can be too Sam/Chloe orientated, as a large part of the plot centres on the two of them...

Life Goes On
Part 5: Life and Death

Clark reacted by getting between Sheppard, Ronon and the Brain-IAC, protecting the two humans from a blast of heat-vision that would have incinerated them instantly. He pushed the two men as hard as he dared, sending them flying though the open doorway before turning to confront the construct.

"You are Kryptonian." The AI looked at him, "Speak your name and be recognised."

"I am Kal-El, son of Jor-El." Clark stood his ground, "And we were just leaving."

"I am afraid that I can not allow that." The Brain-IAC blurred as it moved next to him almost too fast for even Clark to follow, "My orders are to protect the Temple of Zod for any loyal to the House of El."

"Well, I'm not exactly loyal..." Clark punched the construct as hard as he could; sending it flying across the room and into the opposite wall, "...but then I'm not a big fan of Zod, either."

"Mr Kent, we are LEAVING!" Sheppard called out from the doorway as the Brain-IAC pulled itself to its feet, "Let's go!"

"We won't get anywhere with this thing chasing us." Clark shook his head as he looked for a way to disable the homicidal AI, "Get the others out of here: I'll meet you at the ship."

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"Well, they're alive." McKay looked up from checking Sam and Chloe's pulses, "That good, right?"

"Colonel Sheppard specifically said that we should have radioed in with any discovery." Teyla glared accusingly at her team-mate, "We should have called Clark for advice."

"Well they've obviously found something else, or they wouldn't have cut radio contact with us, now would they?" McKay lifted Sam as gently as he could, "I sagest we get them back to the Puddle Jumper: at least there we have a first-aid kit."

"They do not look hurt." Teyla commented as she effortlessly lifted Chloe, "Just, sleeping."

"Thank you for you your expert medical opinion, Dr Emmagan." McKay hissed, struggling under Sam's weight, "Now let's get the hell out of here, and mind where you step: we don't want to set anything else off."

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"Are we really going to leave him to face that thing alone?" Ronon asked as he followed Sheppard down the corridor back towards where it branched off.

"I have no intention of leaving anyone behind." The Air Force officer replied; upset that anyone could believe him even capable of such an act, "But you saw what that thing did back there! Trust me on this; Clark is the only one who can deal with it..."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than a section of wall in front of the two men exploded out into the corridor as Clark was thrown through it with unimaginable force. The young collage student skidded to a halt against the opposite wall. Sheppard was about to check that he was ok when Clark leapt to his feet and disappeared back through the hole in a flash.

"Like I said; the kid can handle it." Sheppard looked tentative through the hole, "I think..."

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McKay was only just able to reach the Puddle Jumper before his legs gave out and he all but dropped Sam onto one of the benches in the rear compartment. Teyla carefully laid Chloe down on the other bench and grabbed the first aid kit off of the wall.

"Should you not try and radio the Colonel again?" She asked as she started to check the two unconscious women for any obvious injuries.

"Right!" McKay grabbed his radio and clicked it on, "Colonel Sheppard, this is McKay: we're back at the Jumper, but something happened to Dr Carter and Miss Sullivan."

"Can you be a little more specific?" the team-leaders voice came back, "Did they stub their toes or something more serious?"

"Um, I don't know." McKay admitted, "There was a Kryptonian machine of some kind, and some lights..."

"RODNEY!" Sheppard hissed, "What have I told you about pushing buttons?"

"That in our line or work it's often the only way we discover anything?" The Canadian scientist asked hopefully.

"Yes, only the exact word I used Don't!" Sheppard was almost shouting, "Look, we ran into a little problem of our own."

"How little?" Teyla asked.

"Oh, about 5' 11" give or take a little." The radio crackled, "It threw Clark through a wall like it was crate-paper!"

"Oh my god!" McKay gasped, "Is he ok?"

"I think so." Sheppard sounded unsure, "He got up again and went after it. I have no idea where they are now."

"You should get back here." McKay walked towards the front of the Jumper and activated the controls, "We may be able to pick them up on the sensors..."

"...and if we can do that, we might be able to hit the bad guy with a drone or three." Sheppard seemed happier, "I like the way you think. We'll be there as soon as we can."

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Clark was playing hide-and-seek with the Brain-IAC in the lowest levels of the outpost; the floor they had been standing on had given way underneath them, plunging them into darkness. Fortunately, growing up in rural Kansas meant that he hag good night vision, which coupled with his X-ray vision, made it easy for him to find his way around.

The Brain-IAC seemed intent on striking at him from hiding, trying to catch him unawares. But his experience fighting them back on Earth had taught him well, and he was able to dodge most of the attacks.

Walking down a corridor towards a dim light, Clark found himself in a low, circular chamber. It was empty, with the exception of a pedestal in the middle. Imbedded in the top were several crystals and a large, yellow and brown object that gave of the light that illuminated the room.

"And now it ends!" The Brain-IAC hit Clark from behind, knocking him across the room. Using his super-speed to reach the young mans side before he had a chance to get up the AI grabbed Clark by the throat and started to throttle him, pushing him down to his knees. "Swear eternal loyalty to General Zod and you and your companions will live. Kal-El, son of Jor-El: kneel before the power of Zod!"

"I'm not the begging kind!" Clark hissed as he directed his heat vision though the AI and into the pedestal, "And for your information, Zod's dead!"

The pedestal exploded, showering the room with crystal shards that peppered the back of the Brain-IAC. The AI screamed in pain before sinking to the floor.

"You fool, Kal-El." It rasped, "Zod shall have his vengeance: the power core is overloading. Soon, this entire complex, indeed, the entire planet, shall be destroyed. You and your companions will all die!"

"What?" Clark got to his feet and looked round, "How do I stop it?"

"For Zod..." The AI closed its eyes and stopped moving.

To Be Continued...

If you didn't like it, then so be it: it was my story to write and time to waste, not yours.