Chapter 24

"And The Band Played On"

The Watchtower

The lounge on the tower is supposed to be one of the places the heroes can kick back and relax between missions. It has several monitors, so individuals can watch movies or TV from anywhere in the world. Currently The Question and Shining Knight are standing in front of one of the smaller monitors watching the Glen Beck show. The host is in midstream of his rant.

"…spending the money on embryonic stem cell research. ... Eugenics. In case you don't know what Eugenics led us to: the Final Solution. A master race! A perfect person. ... The stuff that we are facing is absolutely frightening. And now what is everyone talking about? Superman and Power Girl are dating. Superman, hum, why you could almost say he's a, perfect person? It's all tied together, folks and frankly it scares the hell out of me! I mean we have GM, which no longer stands for General motors, but Government Motors! What's their big selling feature? Like I told you before, OnStar! It's in all their cars! It's a way to track everyone's movements! Now I see it's even bigger than I thought! OnStar, think about that name for just a minute folks, OnStar. Who comes from the heavens or the stars? Can you see it? Superman, that's who! They're practically rubbing it in our faces, folks! Oh, this is much bigger than I feared, ladies and gentlemen; this is the real final solution! The government wants to replace ordinary you and me with a race of supermen! It's all going to hell in a hand basket! I've warned you about the dangers of illegal aliens before, but this is crisis level! Superman! He's an illegal alien! I've never seen his green card, have you? Now he's together with his future Kryptonian baby Momma! The Master Race! It's here right now and no one is doing anything to stop it!"

He breaks into tears at this point.

The Question leans towards the Shining Knight and whispers, "This guy is crazy."

The Shining Knight gives The Question a look.

"Thou thinkst?"

Apokolips

Desaad was making his report to Darkseid on all that was happening. The Dark Lord seemed even more sullen and distant than usual. Desaad knew from painful experience that when Darkseid was like this, it was dangerous for everyone.

"I grow weary of listening to you, Desaad, are you finished," Darkseid said menacingly.

"Just-Just one last matter, O Great One." Desaad was nervous, but hoped this would save him by shifting the Master's focus to someone else. "It concerns Superman."

Darkseid turned and focused his cold, dead eyes on his lackey.

"What?'

"Our agents report he has started a romantic relationship with another hero, Power Girl,"

"And?"

"She's a Kryptonian, as well," Desaad nervously said.

"Interesting," Darkseid absently replied. He seemed to ponder on this for a few moments. Desaad knelt uncomfortably next to him, hoping this wouldn't worsen his mood.

"How are the people of Earth and his teammates taking this news," Darkseid asked.

"From the reports it seems many are worried about what it means."

Desaad almost gasped, for as Darkseid listened to his words something approaching a smile crossed his face. It was cold and forbidding, but it was there.

"You have pleased me, Desaad," said Darkseid.

"Do you wish our agents to do anything, Lord?"

"Why? Worry and fear spread about Superman. It will bring him pain that those he trusts and protects turn away from him. It weakens both him and Justice League. Earth puts itself in greater danger with their fears. All these things I relish. Anything that brings pain to Kal-El, I celebrate. Continue to monitor the situation."

"Of course, O Great One.'

"One more thing, Desaad, if there is a child from this relationship, I want to know immediately," Darkseid commanded. "I pure Kryptonian child could be used as a great weapon."

"It will be done."

New York

Karen sat in her favorite coffeehouse savoring the smells and tastes. She didn't get here as often as she liked, but today, the sun was shining and she decided to treat herself to lunch. There was a crowd, but she was in her own little world. The voice on the radio saying Power Girl caught just the edge of her awareness. The voice was familiar to everyone. Karen had never cared for him. To her it always seemed he was stoking the embers of fear and intolerance. His humor, if you could call it that, was the humor of the smirk and wink.

Karen turned her full attention to see what he was railing against today. She was a little surprised it was she and Clark or more accurately Power Girl and Superman. She expected the crude humor, but he laced it with venomous digs at both of them. There's an old saying, if you can't attack the message, attack the messenger. Over the years he had perfected this art.

The fact that they were in love was pushed aside and not dealt with. Instead it was bathroom humor about Power Girl and character assassination against Superman. She felt herself getting angry as he put on a fake, haughty voice and repeatedly referred to Superman as Earth's savior from the stars. With veiled hints, he suggested she was some alien slut unlike the real Americans.

Karen understood immediately the message he was trying to get across. Superman and Power Girl weren't like us. They didn't share the same morals or religious values that real Americans did. They were foreigners, aliens, who wanted to impose their weird, immoral alien lifestyle on the good people. It was their fault they were the threat.

It was a simple strategy that he'd been milking his whole career. You tell people why things hadn't worked out as well as they hoped. Why they felt they weren't unique like snowflakes, but faces in the crowd. You remind them of a simpler, better time that only gets better through the years slipping away and nostalgia of memory. You tell them it wasn't their fault. By this time the listeners were eager to find out whose fault it was. He always supplied them with a new threat. The name of the threat changed, but the reasons never did. The threats were always trying to take that rose tinted world of memory away from you. They were always the outsiders, the foreigners, and the weirdos with their strange ideas.

The end was always the same, fear.

Karen's coffee turned bitter in her mouth. She didn't need to hear any more of this. Let his followers, the dittoheads lined up with bated breath to hear who the new bogeyman was. She dropped a tip on the table and walked out.

The Watchtower

Tension could be felt almost everywhere on the tower. It seemed the heroes were splitting into different camps over one issue. Every part of the station you went it seemed to be in the air, except at one table in the cafeteria. Wally and Plastic Man were sitting together laughing. Plastic Man was telling jokes.

"…She then asked him, "How does that feel?"
To which he replied, "It feels great, but my thumb still hurts like hell."

"His thumb? Oh, My, God, that's hilarious, Plastic," Wally said. He'd been roaring with laughter for the last half hour and tears were rolling down his cheeks.

The sound of an argument at one of the other tables finally draws their attention.

"Wonder what their problem is," Plastic Man asked.

"Oh, probably something to do with Superman dating Power Girl," Wally replies. "Lucky devil."

"You're telling me! She is so hot, hot, hot," Plastic man agrees, bugging his eyes out like a cartoon.

"Yeah, what I wouldn't give to trade places with him," Wally mused. "With a hot girlfriend like that, he probably doesn't have a care in the world.

"Speaking of hot girls, did you hear the one about the hot babe that goes up to the bar?"

"No," Wally quickly replies.

"Okay, so it's a quiet place and she slowly walks up to the bar.

She's like a major babe and everyone can't help but check her out.

She gestures alluringly to the bartender, who comes over immediately.

When he arrives, she seductively signals that he should bring his face closer to hers.

When he does so, she begins to gently caress his full beard.

"Are you the manager?" she asks, softly stroking his face with both hands.

"Actually, no" the man replies.

"Can you get him for me? I need to speak to him," she says, running her hands beyond his beard and into his hair.

"I'm afraid I can't", breathes the bartender. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes, there is. I need you to give him a message," she continues huskily, popping a couple of fingers into his mouth

and allowing him to suck them gently.

"What should I tell him?" the bartender manages to say.

"Tell him", she whispers. "There is no toilet paper or hand soap in the ladies' room."

Wally explodes with laughter and falls of his chair, as Plastic Man transforms himself into a kite with a horn and starts circling the table honking.

New York

Clark and Karen had a late dinner and were now just relaxing at her place. One of the late night shows was on. The host was in his monologue when the subject turned to them.

"So I guess by now everyone's heard about Superman dating Power Girl, huh? Someone just e-mailed me a link to a picture of her and wow! I guess we know what her superpowers are, don't we? I mean seriously folks, if my girlfriend looked like that I'd be called the man of steel too!"

The crowd started to laugh and Karen reached over and turned it off with the remote. She didn't seem happy.

"Hard day," Clark ventured.

"I've just heard enough of that for one day," she stiffly answered.

"Well, it was sort of a compliment," Clark offered. He was trying to lighten the mood. "It's always nice to hear everyone thinks I have a hot girlfriend."

"Not funny, Clark!" She replied and then reached over and punched him on the arm.

"Ow! You know I might be invulnerable, but that still hurts."

"I thought you liked that with me you feel normal," she sarcastically answered. "I'm starting to see the appeal of that myself."

"Hitting me with full power"

"Yes and I don't have to worry at all."

"I knew I should have kept that to myself," he muttered. This got him another shot to the arm. He winced a little, but decided he might was well get into what was really the problem.

"Hey, look at me," Clark gently said. "I'm sorry, I know this is difficult for you. I wish there was something I could do or say to stop all the dirty jokes and lewd comments, I do."

"It's not that, Clark," Clark softened. "I've had to put up with those most of my adult life. It's probably something every woman goes through."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but then what is it?"

"Jokes are one thing, but everyday it seems to be getting meaner and nastier. The whole alien thing surprised me. I think in a way that hurts the most."

Clark put his arm around her and tried his best to comfort her.

"I never wanted this to happen," he whispered. "The last thing I wanted was to see you hurt. If it's too much, just say so and I'll understand. The thing I care about is you being happy."

She looked up at him and saw the concern in his eyes.

"Are you saying you want me to break up with you, Clark," she asked.

"No, but if it's too much and that's what you need to do, I'll understand."

"I'm not following you," Karen said. "You want to break up?"

"God no," Clark said with a shake of his head. "It's just I keep thinking of something Bruce said. The more this stuff goes on, the worse it will get for you. I've been dealing with the press and gossip my whole life so I'm kind of used to it. If it means we have to break up for you not to get hurt, I'll do it."

"So you want to break up with me and this is just your nice way of saying it," Karen replied. She was getting angry just thinking about it. She pulled out of his embrace and stood up to look at him.

"You bastard! How dare you break up with me?"

"Karen, whoa, hold on, I'm not breaking up with you, I swear!" Clark quietly clarified.

"Then what's all this about? Why are you talking like Batman all of a sudden?"

"Boy, Kryptonian women get mad awful fast," Clark absently said. "I only know two, you and Kara and it's like zero to sixty with both of you."

"Did you just compare me to your teenage cousin," Karen shouted. Now she was really pissed. "I'm nothing like her, Clark!"

"No, no, of course not," he quickly agreed. Accept for the temper, he thought to himself. "What I've been trying to say is I know it must seem like I'm not aware of everything that's being said about us. It hurts, I'll admit, but what really hurts is what they are saying about you. I know it's only going to get worse and I don't want you to get hurt."

Karen stood looking at him for several moments.

"So you're not trying to break up with me," she wearily asked.

"Karen, no, I'm-I'm in love with you," he admitted. She didn't seem to know what to say or do and just stood there looking at him. As this went on, he got a little worried.

"Karen?"

The next moment she was in his arms, kissing him with all the passion that was flowing through her. It was a breathtaking experience for Clark. When she finally pulled a fraction away from him, he was gasping for air. There was huge smile on her face.

"I'm in love with you too, Clark!" She beamed. "Hearing you say those words, I don't care what anyone says."

"Really?"

"Clark, this, you and me, it's special. I've never felt this way before. It's why I got so mad when I thought you were trying to break up with me," she explained. "I'll put up with every dirty joke and comment if it means we're together."

'It isn't just that, Karen," Clark said. "I know you've heard it. People are frightened about us. Others are going to be affected. I don't want to see you or anyone else get hurt by this."

She kissed him again. This time is was gentle and filled with compassion.

"Clark, I know what you're saying and yes, I'm a little afraid of what might happen," she admitted. "But if we break up because of what other people think aren't we just giving in to the fear?"

"Bruce says it's not that, but that there's a greater responsibility to consider."

"Oh, God, don't quote Batman to me," she groaned. "He's always so paranoid."

"No," Clark said with a shake of his head. "Bruce, in his own way, is trying to be a friend."

She gave him a look as if she was buying it.

"He is, I know it," Clark countered. "When we talked, I got the feeling it was very personal with him. I don't know what it is, but it was like he was speaking from experience.'

"A woman," Karen quietly said. "He wouldn't admit it when I confronted him that night, but I got the feeling it was about a woman he cares for getting hurt because of him."

"Selina," Clark whispered. It was more to himself than anything. "You lose focus on the mission and innocent people get hurt because of you."

"What? How did you know he said that," Karen asked.

"I didn't, but I think I understand now," Clark replied.

They sat there together, just holding each other for a while.

"So what now, Clark?"

He pulled her to him and kissed her.

"I guess whatever comes, we're stuck with each other," he smiled.

"I can live with that," she replied. They embraced, passions swirling through both of them as they were exhilarated in being with the other. The heat was intense and growing every moment. Clark pulled back and brushed one of her blonde locks from her eyes.

"There is one more thing," he whispered. "It scares me even thinking about it, but it's something I have to do."

"What," she asked, worried about some new, unknown threat. "Tell me, Clark, I can handle it."

"Um, ah, my mother wants to meet you."