Tal knew it was a risk…
Jonathan might be a Kryptonian, but he was still a boy who grew up with humans and felt a real connection to them. Not to forget that one of his biological parents was one. Telling him about his plans to eradicate as many humans as possible and kill the rest could lead to unpredictable consequences. And he didn't expect Jonathan to agree to that. Not even if he offers him to eradicate his friends and others he knew.
Unlike Jonathan, Tal felt absolutely nothing for humans. People he called friends, were not more than tools. His employees were henchmen! Everyone was just there to help him acquire his goals. All while Jon felt very connected to this planet.
That's why Tal decided to not to tell Jonathan about the eradication-plan. At least not until he is sure, the boy will be on his side…
For now, Tal decided to enjoy his presence. Even if they knew each other for just a week, Tal never felt so well before. Maybe it was because of the fact that for the first time since he was on this planet, Tal was able to talk about Krypton to someone. Or because Jonathan went through the same as he.
Being so rich made it easy for Tal to stay away from work a bit longer and pay others to deal with his daily business. Giving him time to spend more time with Jon.
It was a weird feeling for Tal who never felt how it is to have a family. Because Jonathan, who was indeed a relative, was family! As weird as it was. And Tal was full of delight when he saw how curious and excited Jonathan was about his stories about Krypton, or the Kryptonese lessons.
More days passed, and Tal realized that, despite Jonathan's lack of powers, he definitely had the intelligence of a Kryptonian…
Tal taught him the language the same way, kids on Krypton learn other languages. And Jonathan learned fast and good. Tal liked to talk Krytonese with someone else. It was a great feeling.
And having Jonathan around, let Tal to do things he wouldn't do normally…
The house, they both currently reside in, had a gym, a pool, it was near a scenic town and had easy access to nearby hiking trails. Tal once bought it, just for appearances. But Jonathan found a lot of ways to get fun at this place. And he always involved Tal in his activities.
In the gym, he normally wouldn't use and that was just for show, Tal could demonstrate his strength to the boy. And Jonathan watched Tal lifting the heaviest weights with only his little finger in awe. Tal usually only used his powers when he was in his fortress or on the way there…
"Being Kryptonian is so awesome!" Jonathan said. Tal smiled.
In the three weeks, the boy was with him by now, he was able to turn him from the boy who desperately wanted to be human, into a proud Kryptonian. The boy was easily impressed by the powers and by Tal's stories. And Tal spend hours with explaining to Jonathan how their powers work in detail. Giving Jonathan even more knowledge about Kryptonian biology than Clark gave to Jordan and Natalie over the past years.
"What is the reason I don't show powers?" Jonathan asked.
"Your hybrid structure makes your cells different from those of pure Kryptonians. There are easy ways to figure out why!"
Tal thought about his mother. He had the sun-crystal in his fortress. But his father always prohibited him to talk to her at any cost. And as he was always active and present in there, there was no way to get in and activate her without being seen. But he had some tools to check him.
Jonathan and Tal were in the gym, where Jonathan stood on a stool while Tal used a Kryptonian device to check his cells for solar absorption.
"My knowledge is limited in this matter." Tal explained while scanning Jonathan. "But you are without doubt able to absorb solar energy but so far not able to store them to have powers. At least not yet. Have you ever experienced something that could let you assume to have powers?"
"Well… there was an incident with a tire-swing a few years ago…" Jonathan told Tal what happened back then.
"Your Hybrid-structure could make the adjustment to the powers a bit difficult."
"What do you mean with that Uncle Tal?"
Tal loved that phrase. It sounds so melodic: Uncle Tal!
"Well, the first time you experience an ocular discharge, it could let your eyes hurt! The Superhearing could cause you severe headache until you have it fully under control. It took me a while to adjust to the changes in my body, too!"
"And you never thought about using your powers like Superman does?"
"Kal-El was welcomed openly when he arrived here. Unlike me! I already explained you that the people would not accept me! That's why I am not Tal-Rho in public. I am Morgan Edge. While Kal-El is Superman!"
"You could wear the Rho-crest on a suit like that?" Jonathan asked.
Tal looked on the mirror to watch himself in his Kryptonian house-suit and imagined himself in Kal-El's suit, just with the Rho-crest on it.
"Capes are not my style!"
"When I wore my Superman-t-shirts, does it mean I wore the crest of the wrong house?"
"Ehm…Considering that you didn't know that you are a member of the house of Rho, you are hereby excused, Jon!" Tal said.
"When my real father or mother had powers, too, they didn't ever use their powers in public, too, or not?"
"I rather wonder how many of us are on this planet at all!"
Tal had to admit, that his whole philosophy of life was turned upside down by Jonathan's appearance. Even more than back then when Kal made his public debut as Superman. His purpose on Earth was the preparation of the takeover. His father made sure that he never forgets. But how many Kryptonians really survived? And if some of them made it to this planet? Did Argo City survive, too?
Suddenly the whole eradication made no sense. At least not completely. He couldn't allow himself to doubt! But otherwise, his father was not really someone you could call 'popular' on Krypton and who was infamous for his bad attitudes!
Tal and Jonathan continued with their studies on powers and the possibility of Jonathan's. Tal explained them to Jonathan as detailed as possible to prepare the boy for the change or to see if they are already present. But Tal was not a geneticist like his mother.
Maybe Jonathan's Kryptonian side was damaged due to his long time in captivity? Maybe his human-side and the fact that he lived as human had some affects. Maybe he had to charge more in the sun? Whoever was the human-parent of this boy had strong genes!
Or the boy had to recover from his time in the lab first? Nobody knew what else they did there with him. Ever since his getaway, the people learned more about Kryptonians and maybe learned how to destroy their powers, which is the reason for Jonathan's condition? Tal didn't want to test his theory with X-Kryptonite. For that he had to find more of that mineral before… The little bit he had were already planned for the subjects.
"We will figure out the reason for your current condition!" Tal said with an encouraging voice.
Full of hope, Jonathan looked up to the sky and into the bright shining sun up there. The bright light didn't bother him or hurt in his eyes.
"The sun feels so wonderful!"
"Yes, it does!" Tal responded and smiled, looking up into the sun, too. "All humans need to wear sunglasses to do this."
"Uncle Tal… may I ask you something?"
"Of course, everything!"
"I honestly wanted to ask you that since the first day… but I feared you would think it is inappropriate or… childish… but… ehm…"
Tal looked on Jonathan and smiled. "You want me to fly with you, don't you?"
"I am dreaming of flying for my whole life. I know you don't use your powers for such things but…"
"You are the first living relative I meet in forty years. Of course, I won't reject this request." Tal said before using his superspeed to leave the room and appear a second later in his Kryptonian garb. "Ready?"
"Born ready!" Jonathan said proudly, holding tightly on Tal, who felt even better when Jonathan was hugging him and departed with him at superspeed out of the house to fly over the landscape like a rocket…
Flying was awesome! And Tal admit that of all abilities he had, flying was the without doubt best of all. This feeling of freedom and the possibility to get everywhere you want…
Jonathan was hold tightly by Tal, who could feel that Jonathan's body was reacting to the change of his own gravitational field. Giving Jon the feeling that his body is generating the thrust, too. Full of awe and joy, Jonathan stretched out his arms to feel it. And Tal couldn't resist to hold Jonathan in a way to give him a better feeling of flying and to give him the feeling that he is flying on his own.
"That is so awesome…" Jonathan said.
"You like it?" Tal asked while they flew across Europe and reached the Mediterranean sea.
"I love it! HIGHER… HIGHER!"
Tal flew higher. At first he feared that Jon could run out of air, or freeze up there in the thinner atmosphere. But the boy was so happy. And seeing Jonathan being happy, suddenly made Tal happy, too…
Jonathan stretched out his arms and continued focusing on the power he felt emitting from Tal. Trying to find the right way to generate this power by his own, too. Below them they reached North-Africa. And Jonathan felt that urge to fly faster.
"FASTER!"
"Okay!" Tal said and so they rocketed over Africa even faster…
They had a lot of fun flying across the world. And within a few minutes, Jonathan saw places he only knew from photos so far. His heart was beating in joy. This was so awesome for Jonathan, who never ever was so happy before.
And Tal could feel something he never felt for someone else before. Feelings, he never experienced or received from. The feeling that there is someone who cares for you. Someone who is loving! Love! Fatherly love! For Jonathan!
In Smallville meanwhile, Clark sat with his family in the diner for breakfast when he suddenly had this odd feeling.
"Clark, are you okay?" Lois asked when she saw how distracted Clark was. "Is there an emergency?"
"No! But I have a weird feeling! I don't know… If feels like I miss something!"
"And what?" Lois asked confused.
"An opportunity!" Clark answered even more confused.
Tal and Jonathan continued travelling across the world, faster than any rocket. Somewhere over Indonesia, Jonathan still focused on the power he felt and reached out his arms again to try it by himself…
"Jonathan, what do you try?"
"Let me try it by myself! I think I can feel it!" Jonathan said.
Tal hesitated a bit. But just in case he was able to catch him. They were so high and so fast that it should be no problem to let him try it… and so he let him off.
Tal stopped abruptly in midair to see Jonathan jetting away, still at high-speed because they both were so fast. His arms still stretched out and still feeling the energy he felt emitting from Tal's body.
Jonathan could feel the joy inside him when he realized that he was flying. He was flying by himself...
"I'M FLYING… I FLY…"
Full of joy he stretched out his arms and looked ahead to jet through the air. Tal watched Jonathan from safe distance and was suddenly full of joy, too when he realized that Jonathan was flying. At least until he saw Jonathan getting slower and losing altitude rapidly…
Jonathan realized that he lost speed and altitude. But he focused on the power and continued concentrating on the power he felt when Tal hold him and that suddenly wasn't anymore. Focusing on that feeling. He had to. He had to!
"Jonathan?!" Tal suddenly realized that Jonathan was more falling than flying.
Jonathan felt that the power was vanishing as if it was never there. But he ignored that he was falling faster and faster. Still concentrating on the power again.
"Jonathan!" now Tal screamed and followed him to catch him before he crashes.
Below Jonathan, the Java Sea got closer and closer. In a few seconds he will crash into the water like a stone.
"Jon…"
"LET ME! I CAN DO IT!" Jonathan yelled. Still holding up his arms. Focusing on the power.
"Jonathan, let me…" Tal yelled before Jonathan's fall suddenly got slower and Tal was faster than Jonathan and almost missed him. "…what the…"
"I CAN DO IT! I CAN DO IT!" Jonathan yelled more desperately. "I FEEL IT!"
But suddenly Jonathan fell as fast as before. Tal was terrified. Instinctively he jetted towards Jonathan who's fall suddenly slowed down again and therefore missed Tal's attempt to catch him again…
Jonathan felt it… at least he believed in it. Telling himself ever and ever again that he can do it.
"FOCUS! FOCUS!" the boy yelled to himself, closing his eyes.
Tal was a bit surprised to see that Jonathan seemed to move forward a bit instead downward. But they were just seconding away from splashing into the sea, that he had no time to think about it.
Just a few yards over the sea, Tal was able to catch Jonathan and prevent him from splashing into the sea. Only Tal got wet…
In Smallville Clark, who was still at the diner with his family, let his fork drop and shuddered when an ice-cold shiver ran down his back.
"Are you alright, Clark?" Martha asked.
"That was weird!" was everything Clark could say.
Back in their house in the Black Forest, Jon and Tal sat happily amused on the couch in the living area and laughed about the event while Tal's wet suit was drying on the clothes rack.
"Never guessed that the Java Sea is so cold!" Tal had to laugh about what happened.
"Wow, I never had so much fun in my life!" Jonathan said with a smile brighter than the sun.
Tal looked on his nephew, not knowing it was really his nephew and felt so happy like never ever before in his life.
"Yeah… I admit it was also funny!"
"I could feel it!" Jonathan said with a bright smile. "I focused on what I felt when you hold me, and I tried it… and… it was briefly… but… I think…"
"I think you made it!" Tal said. "The energy from my body was flowing through your body very well. You are definitely suited to handle these powers. I think with the right training and some work we should be able to give you powers."
"Really?" Jon was happy.
Tal knew it. He felt it. They should be able to give Jon powers without X-K! If they find the reason for his powerlessness and find the right way to activate the powers he was born for.
"But I think, we shouldn't try flying like that…" Tal said. A smile appearing on his face. "We should try that rather close to the ground."
"Okay… Ehm… Uncle Tal, what happens now with me?"
Tal looked on Jonathan's face and became moody. Jonathan had no home anymore. No place to go. And no identity anymore. Everyone was thinking that he is dead. They talked about it before and Jon knew that he could never go back into his old life again. Not without busting him as Kryptonian. They would lock him up in the lab again.
"Jonathan, would you like to stay with me?"
"With you?"
Tal was surprised about these words. The boy was Kryptonian, yeah. But he was not a family-man. He had no way to explain anyone where the boy suddenly comes from. He had a mission. A mission the boy might not agree to. But Jonathan was his relative!
"I mean… If you…" Tal was unsure.
"I would love to!" Jon respond, a bright smile appearing on his face.
"What? Really… I mean… Yeah…" Tal was suddenly so happy when he got a hug from Jon that he hugged the boy back.
It felt like Tal's biggest wish come true. Everything he always wanted was a family. It might be all he needed? On Krypton he had no friends and only a father who constantly reminded him that he was the fruit of a 'illegally ceased ordered connection'.
But Jonathan was a relative. Jonathan is family! His family!
"We need to buy you some proper clothes. And you need a new name…"
"I like Jon-Rho!"
"I am glad to hear that. But unfortunately the humans don't." Tal could not believe that he said it this way. "But we find something. You also need a new background! I think we tell the people you are my nephew and that you are living with me now. I know the right people to organize you documents and a passport."
"Will we live here in Germany? I speak German!" Jonathan asked.
"I think we rather live in my house in London." Tal suggested. "But before we arrange everything, we should keep sure that we know what is wrong with your powers!"
Tal knew that, if his theory was correct, Jonathan's hybrid structure could make the adjustment to the powers extremely difficult and painful. They should keep sure that there won't be any bad surprises.
"I could feel your power when we were flying!"
"Maybe this is a way to work on it!"
"I am open for everything!"
"Very well, Jon-Rho… let's start training…"
Tal didn't care that his father was waiting for the next report on how things were developing. He was just happy to be not alone anymore.
And the eradication-plan suddenly became not as important as it was before…