Chapter 3 [Several Seconds Later]

[A/N: Yes, Jor-El remembers Louise a little early. It seems he had more on his mind than I showed the last time.]

As Lana's footfalls faded into the distance, energy crackled within the crater. Without Kryptonite key's dampening effect, the shrapnel twitched. Pieces shifted and slid toward each other. Joints clicked together. Bolts and fasteners resecured parts. Wiring reconnected itself. Within a heartbeat's expanse, the Ship undid Clark's desperate gambit. Intact once more, it waited for its cue.

Energy coalesced into a floating ball above its metal vessel. Jor-El seethed at Clark's (and Kal's) resistance. He tracked Kal's movements toward Metropolis and I-35 beyond that. The Swann human respected Krypton at least. Still, Patience for the humans ran in short supply. He'd deal with the meddlesome Kents at some point. For now, Irritation burned him over Lana's impudence. Her presence distracted his son from the true way. She made him soft and weak. Familiarity nagged at him. Recognition grasped the reason.

Lana was just like Louise…his Louise. She'd ensnared his heart. She'd taught him Amor's way. She protested against Paternal Prerogative. A bullet terminated her life. She, however, had left scars. She'd made him human. She'd taught him Pain. Her passion disrupted Logic's guidance. She'd introduced Doubt into his mindset.

He couldn't bear to watch Clark fall to such weakness…. The stakes remained too high….

Once more, that line endangers our aims. Louise, I'm sorry. I cannot allow this Lana Lang to live! Kal-El must be strong! He must be made to understand! He is my son not the weak Jonathan Kent's! Jor-El's energy flowed into the Ship. He jumpstarted the vessel's systems. He started the hovering jets. He raised the Ship from its devastated junkpile. Rear rockets sped it toward its next target.

Priority favored Krypton's legacy over a mere girl's whims...or did it?

Looks like Proverbial Apple fell not far from the Family Tree…just bypassing Certain Florists and reaching certain pivotal others in question….

Lana stepped onto the driveway's dirt. Renewed purpose cleared her mind somewhat. Observations began to come together for her. Clark survived that explosion. It should be impossible! Still, it's not the first time. Incredulity raised an eyebrow. Scoff escaped her lips. You've seen him around other things though. Just find him first! Then, we can talk. This time I'm not taking excuses or evasions for answers! She turned toward her waiting blazer. Then, she stopped on the spot. Once more, the hairs stood up on her neck. Chills dimpled her skin.

If you seek answers, Lana Lang, I can grant them to you. The Ship floated three feet behind her. Onboard Sensors and Scanners sized her up. Amazing!

Now I'm hearing voices in my head? She rubbed her forehead. Another look around herself revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Whatever. I don't have time for games! Clark…I've got to find him. Maybe his parents know?

They will not know where Kal-El is. Nor will you. The Ship climbed a few feet over her head. It zipped in front of her. It floated right in her path. You will not interfere in his destiny any longer!

Disbelief widened her eyes. Her jaw slackened. She took in the triangular metal spacecraft. She hadn't seen things during the Twister. Chloe did take pictures of it soon after. Clark had it right there on the farm. Despite his attempt and the subsequent widespread damage all around, his nemesis had survived. Moreover, it blocked her path. "You're…real. Clark did see you. He really did try to destroy you…"

Kal-El does not understand his true place. He is to rule over your chaotic primitive race. The Kents and you distract him! You make him think he's… Distaste and Disgust burned at Jor-El. …human….

"Kal? Hey! That's what he called himself when he was sick! You did that? You made him into that monster!" Her frown twisted on itself. "He's not Kal-Whatever! He's Clark Kent! Leave him alone!" She stiffened herself. Frustration and Anger shoved Fear down inside of herself. "He's a human being! People love him! I LOVE HIM!" She threw her hands up in the air. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

Jor-El chortled. I AM JOR-EL OF KRYPTON, HUMAN! I AM KAL-EL'S FATHER! THAT IS HIS TRUE NAME! THE NAME 'CLARK KENT' IS A LIE! I TOLD HIM TO ABANDON IT! YOUR PURPOSE IN HIS LIFE HAS RUN ITS COURSE! ABANDON HOPE!

Krypton? She narrowed her eyes at the Ship. Is that the name of some world? Well, Clark's not leaving! She took her phone from her pocket. She heard only static. Her attempts to reach Lex and Chloe ended up with static. "Come on!" She glared at the failing device.

I AM JAMMING YOUR PITIFUL TOY. DO NOT THINK YOU WILL TELL ANYONE OF MY PRESENCE! UNLESS I WISH YOU TO DO SO, YOU WILL DO NOTHING! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO INTERFERE IN KAL-EL'S DESTINY! The Ship moved to her left and then right.

She shoved the phone back in her pocket. She tried to get around the hovering Ship. Every attempt only resulted in the craft matching that move. "Get out of my way! Can't you see what you've done to Clark? To the Kents? Your garbage cost them their baby! How can you be his father? YOU'RE DEAD!"

MY BODY DIED! MY HOPES AND DREAMS AS WELL AS MY PLANET'S CONTINUE ON! KAL-EL WILL OBEY! HIS RESISTANCE LED TO THE BABY'S UNFORTUNATE DEATH! HIS RESISTANCE LED TO THE PAIN WITHIN YOUR COLLECTIVE! YOUR RESISTANCE WILL LEAD TO YOUR OWN PAIN! GIVE UP OR YOU WILL FORCE ME TO KILL YOU! Jor-El tilted the Ship's nose toward the ground. Bright Light glowed in its central dome. YOU WILL SEE WHY YOU CANNOT BE WITH HIM!

"You're dead! His parents, friends and me…we're ALIVE! We're his FUTURE! You have NO RIGHT to demand that! If you love him, you have to stop! What kind of father abuses his son like this? It's inhuman!" She tried to evade the craft yet again.

Jor-El steered the Ship directly into her path again. Love? He and I are not human! I do not require his love! He is to OBEY me! Look into the central dome! See what Kal-El truly is!

She gaped at the vessel. Clark always said that he didn't know who his real parents were or where he came from. This would be key for him to know. Then again, if this is the Voice, no wonder he reacted like he did. The Ship's light dazzled her. She felt it probing through her thoughts. Memories popped up at Jor-El's bidding. "Get out of my head!"

You wish to see what Kal-El is. You did ask? I offer you that, Lana Lang. Behold! Jor-El linked her mind to the Ship's database.

Much as Dr. Walden had endured weeks before, her mind flailed and doggie paddled before Knowledge's flood. So…so much…I… Tension pounded in her forehead. Her heart threatened to pound through her ribs. Muscles stiffened. Her eyes bulged wider and wider still.

I do not wish for you to be like the other. He tried to steal our cultural knowledge for his own ends. You only asked questions. Jor-El dimmed the Ship's dome once more. It pleases me for you to know, Lana Lang. You care so much… Hesitation gripped him. Despite being in spiritual form, the spirit's heart ached. His own mind flashed back 42 solar cycles prior….

…back to his previous time on this farm…in Smallville…and in his beloved Louise's arms….

…Louise…this girl's genetic ancestor….

She collapsed to the dirt underfoot. Her mind struggled to grasp the information rushing through it. Spasms and tremors stabbed through every muscle and twitched her limbs. Breaths burned from her lungs and throat. Inch by inch, Determination raised her head to face this intruder. "Other?"

The one you call 'Walden'. He sought to know more than he should. I thought to have dealt with him. Kal-El showed sterner stuff then at least. It was last night. You remember his headache and sudden departure from your festive occasion? I summoned him.

She rolled her eyes. "The headache and agony Clark dealt with…that was you? What the Hell? That guy was a linguistics professor! Clark didn't…."

Sarcastic snort echoed through her mind. Ah! How little you understand! Behold!

Lana's mind cleared. Images of Clark speeding to a stop in the barn came into focus. Walden's ambush driving Clark through the barn wall. His eyes glowing and heat vision searing Walden's shoulder. His super speed enabled him to evade the other's blasts until a nearby gas tank exploded finished the battle once and for all. She trembled. "He…He…can…."

Clark had super speed, heat vision and invulnerability….

Now you understand, Lana Lang. Kal-El deals with no mere meteor infection. The Earth strengthens us. And there is more you should know. I feel your frustration with him. I will answer those questions as well….

Her mind cleared again. Events began a progression across her mind's eye. He lifted and stacked the football team's trucks during the Fall Dance. He rushed away from their limo to deal with Sean Kelvin.

…And this…

In her mind, Lana saw the events from the fight outside of the Talon once again. She saw Clark fling the bullies around like pillows. Sheriff Adams' assessment about flying boys rang in her ears.

…And this….

Now Clark stood by himself in the Talon. Sasha's swarm buzzed all around him. His hands tore refrigerant lines akin to tin foil. Despite his hands' bluish tinge, he froze the bees with the gas. This was from Sasha's attack when she sent the bees after him. How?

…And this…

The two Ians dragged Chloe and her toward the access road's rails. Despite their struggles, their kidnapper(s) shoved them against the rails. One Ian shoved Chloe over the side. Clark came to a sudden stop. He vaulted the rail and landed without a scratch on the ravine's bottom. And then, he caught Chloe. His super speed brought them back up to the road. Clark shrugged off a pipe across his upper back like so much dust or rain water. Then, he hauled the other Ian and Lana up in the air with no effort. He…he…just jumped down and landed at the bottom? Ian did hit him! And…Clark was raising us up with no effort at all? Seriously?

…And this…

She saw Clark break out of the furnace at the old Smallville Iron Foundry and step out without a scratch—or much else for that matter. Oh wow. Her cheeks flushed. He's walking through fire without any protection. Then again, he's…geez….

And last of all this…

Once more, he showed her the Twister. She banged against the truck's window. Twisters fused into a super tornado. Storm sucked her up in the air. Clark sped to a halt. His pursuit took him into the tornado as well. Intense winds buoyed him up to her side. No…not just buoyed him…he flew to her side. Just as the truck cab's last fragments tore away, he held her against himself. So, he did that. He can fly! Then, after the Super Tornado went back up into the clouds, he rushed her back to the medical center at that mind-blurring speed.

She shook her head. Her mind sputtered through Jor-El's display. He…he does all of that? He can't be… She raised her eyes toward the hovering Ship once more. He's really an alien? Prejudice toward Cyrus burned at her conscience. Tears ran down her cheeks. And I said those things in front of them both? Oh, Clark…. Contrition added to the assault on her sensibilities at that point.

Jor-El dimmed the Ship's dome. Now your human mind reaches the beginning of an understanding. Your assumptions drive Kal-El to desperation. You distract him. That cannot continue! It is time for him to leave Smallville. He is meant for greater things than this meager existence.

Outrage flared inside of herself. "Meager? Meager?" Jor-El's tone would intimidate most people. Not even a year earlier, she'd have curled up into a book. She'd ride to her parents' grave. Good sense and Normal Circumstances would dictate such action….

…Floating Spaceship? Alien Boyfriend with various extraordinary abilities? Boyfriend? No…Protector…Companion…Her heart….

Those things redefined 'normal'. With the Ship's and Jor-El's actions, Patience frayed and Endurance reached its limit. Good sense be damned….

Amor steeled her strength. She pulled herself off the ground. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" She threw her hands up in the air. "We're in America! Clark can choose what he wants to do! Where he wants to go! With whom he wants to be with!" She curled her lip. Anger pushed Luck's limits further still.

HOW LIKE A CHILD YOU ARE! YOU HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF KRYPTON OR OUR SOCIETY! YOUR COLLECTIVE IS ANARCHY! THERE IS A GREATER ORDER! HAVE A CARE OF WHAT YOU PRESUME TO KNOW!

"Your society?" Indignant scoff puffed from her mouth. "Look! In case you haven't noticed, YOU'RE DEAD! Clark is here!" She pointed at the ground. "HERE!" She slapped at her chest. "We love him! I love him! That is what I know! THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO KNOW! PERIOD!"

YOU LOVE A LIE. HE PRETENDS SO YOU WOULD NOT KNOW. HE FEARS THAT! AT LAST, YOU SEE WHAT YOUR IGNORANCE AND PRESUMPTION DO TO HIM! YOU HURT HIM!

Clark's words to that effect echoed in her ears anew. She bowed her head. "You see my tears? Since you're raping my mind, you know I see it now! You can feel how sorry I am! I didn't know! He and his parents lied to us! I suspected but he misled me! I'M SORRY! ALL RIGHT? GIVE THE ATTITUDE A REST ALREADY!" She pointed toward the storm cellar. "Look at what YOUR ATTITUDE'S done! You drove Clark to do something desperate! You threaten! You push! He wanted to protect us! Look what happened! HE TRIED TO BLOW YOU UP! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH DAMAGE YOU CAUSED!"

I WARNED HIM! I TOLD HIM THAT RESISTANCE WOULD HARM YOU AND THE OTHERS AROUND HIMSELF! KAL-EL CHOSE TO RESIST! LIKE A HUMAN, EMOTIONS RATHER THAN LOGIC DROVE HIM TO DESPERATION! DEAL WITH HOW YOU INFLUENCE HIM! EVEN MARTHA KENT'S BABY IS HIS FAULT!

"His fault?" His ego incensed her still further. "HIS FAULT? Look! Clark wanted that baby! We all did! You're just insane!" She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe we're really talking about that! Again, you drove him to that point! You kind of need to go to wherever you are! Leave Clark to live with us! With those of us who love him! Stop tormenting him!"

Jor-El burned with her attitude. I tried. I genuinely tried to spare this one for Kal-El's and your sake, Louise. He pushed the Ship to back up. Its metal frame retracted strip by strip toward a central axis. Energy Sphere floated in midair.

She watched the Ship's transformation. Silence and the craft's motion hinted at a change in Encounter's direction. Something was about to happen.

The Rubicon was about to be crossed….