Chapter 11 [Pulling up to Swann's Planetarium]

[A/N: Pulling in a little backstory from my Dubois Chronicles here…]

Lana glanced out the window. Manhattan's skyline's lights passed by outside. Stores and Museums enticed and called out to her. College Libraries and Bookstores' wares seemed intriguing. Gourmet Coffee would pair with any of the aforementioned experiences on most days….

…however that day wasn't like any other….

How could today go so wrong? Clark…. She facepalmed herself. Previous night's mood soared. Clark opened up to her. Secrets ceased to matter. Toast called to her. Kisses, embraces and fingers' whisper across hair crackled with Amor's magic. Ambiance sent their hearts soaring….

…and then, everything that seemed right went so wrong….

This is so freaky. Everything gets turned on its ear! How could you let Kal have control? Why didn't you tell the rest of us? She flexed her hands. The Talon's crumpled doorknob elicited a wince. A text to Miranda dealt with that. Surrounding emotions distracted her. Heat vision burned at her self-control. Telepathy redefined her communicative skills. Now her ears picked up on every little thing. Clark, come on! Can you hear me?

Irony and Silence offended her ears.

He is fighting, Lana Lang. I felt him struggle before the red meteor subdued him. He will need your assistance. The situation's burden bore down on Jor-El as well. He feels responsible.

Kind of lot of that to go around right now. Lana sucked in a deep breath. She watched Crosby typing away on the laptop. "Are we getting close, Dr. Crosby?"

Crosby glanced out the window. "A few more blocks, Miss Lang. Everything better now? You've been quiet for the entire trip."

"A lot to think about and take in. It's not every day that your world's blown up." Lana shook her head at that notion. "I still can't believe what's going on with Clark. I just hope he's okay. Whatever I need to do, I'm ready."

"I hope you are, Miss Lang. That may be the deciding factor in the end. I hope you still have some strength left after your ordeal this afternoon. That will be needed." Crosby saw the planetarium to their right. "And we're here." She powered down her laptop. "Follow me." She slipped her equipment into its bag and took it with her.

"I'm right behind you." Lana studied the planetarium's dome and protruding telescope. "Kind of a strange place to have a telescope."

"Some things lie in places you'd never expect. I think we're both learning that." Anger and Defensiveness lent their edge to Crosby's rebuttal. She pressed on up the sidewalk.

What was that about? I didn't mean to be rude! We don't expect a telescope in a city like this! Lana shook off her own prickly feelings. She hefted her overnight bag and purse into the building after her guide. The wood and brick passage seemed nondescript with few decorations and only one door at passage's end. She held back her other questions. Her ears picked up on a presentation behind the wall to her left. I've got to get a handle on these abilities. No wonder Clark has trouble with them sometimes!

Crosby entered her code on the keypad. She opened the door. "Dr. Swann's right through here." She motioned toward the room beyond that point. "I'll see you both shortly. He wanted to speak to you alone." A slight smile cracked her expression.

This is really getting creepy. "Thanks for helping me to get here, Dr. Crosby." She crept into the aforementioned area. She navigated through a maze of furnishings. "This must have been a lab at some point."

"It was, Miss Lang. Now it is an observation point," a male voice clarified. "I'm not that far ahead of you. Please keep coming forward."

All right. Lana surveyed the area once again. The clutter blinded her to any options except her current path. "Sorry, Dr. Swann. It's been a really long day. I'm not in the mood for hide and seek." She listened to her surroundings. Rather than shy away from her abilities, she embraced them.

Swann's signs gave his presence away. A single heartbeat originated straight in front of herself. Anticipation and Interest grabbed onto her empathic senses.

"I assure you, Miss Lang. I have not brought you here to play games. I trust that we both can agree on the seriousness of the day's events? I appreciate that you accepted my invitation and accompanied Dr. Crosby here. Please. I assure you that you are quite safe. I want to work with you," Swann assured her.

Can we trust him? More questions (as if she needed them) filled Lana's mind. She felt clearly out of her element in this matter. How did Clark handle this guy before?

Yes. He knows about us, Jor-El assured her. Kal-El allowed this Swann to demonstrate his knowledge. You should do the same.

All right. Lana followed the sounds and emotions through the flotsam. Eventually, the path widened at the very back of the room. There, she discovered her host. She found a computer sitting on a table. Two oversized screens hung on the back wall side by side. Between them, a slightly overweight man sat in a mechanized wheelchair. His eyes watched her intently. "Dr. Swann? I'm a friend of Clark Kent's. I also know all about him and his background."

"That is me, Miss Lang. To know those things is no mean feat." Swann spoke into the microphone. "Screen 1." Then, he looked to her again. "Can you look to the screens behind me? Can you read what's on them?"

She considered the three pictographic symbols across a white background. They look like the cave symbols and that text message. "Uh, 'speak friend and enter'."

"Indeed, Miss Lang. I am impressed. You do realize that you and I are two of the only three people on Earth who can read the Kryptonian language? You are very impressive in your own right. As you are realizing I'm sure, I have observed you as well."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Come now. I've had my eye on the Kent farm for a while now. Do you remember when Mr. Kent went off to find his true origins? He came here because I sent him a message."

She gasped. "You were the one who spammed Chloe's computer with those emails!"

"If you can call it that." He cleared his throat. "I had to get his attention. That certainly did the trick. When you've been studying about Krypton and its relationship to Earth as long as I have, you watch everything and everyone related to that bond. You, my Dear, are at the center of it. Or have you forgotten about the picture on the cover of Time?"

She winced. He would have to bring that up. "Clark and I have become close again over the past two years. I am trying to define myself by what I'm doing now rather than my parents' death Dr. Swann. And how much do you know about the last few days?"

"I wouldn't have missed the tremor that hit Smallville, Miss Lang. The Kents' storm cellar was a clear sign of what happened. Mr. Kent shouldn't have tried to destroy the spacecraft." He spoke to the microphone again. "Clear screen."

"He tried but it didn't work. It survived," she revealed.

That comment got his attention. "I know. It was seen leaving the Kent Farm by my surveillance. That was quite a stand you had, Lana. Very impressive indeed, especially since Clark failed in his attempt at it. This is fitting too given how close you are to him." He spoke to the microphone again. "Screens, show Lang footage."

The screens rippled. Recorded video recounted her encounter with the Ship and Jor-El. Blinding light obscured both Ordeal and Transformation. Her round trip between the farm and Talon came next. She saw herself enter the Talon and leave again. The scarecrow's burning finished the video.

Paranoia and Conspicuousness set her on edge. We were careful! I was trying not to draw attention to myself! She squirmed. "How did you get that? There was no one on the farm but me at that point. Besides how did you get the Talon footage? Kind of personal there."

He raised an eyebrow of his own. "When matters concern anything related to Krypton, they draw my interest, Miss Lang. You have been connected to several unique phenomenon over the past two years. Then, Kal-El mentioned you on his last visit. The reference was not by name so much. I knew there was someone. I've kept the occasional eye on you. This afternoon's events represented a climax of sorts to that trend. I have suspected there was some sort of spirit in the Cowache Caves. Everything came to a head after the explosion. You are not the first member of your family with connections to Krypton either."

Is that true? Lana kept a straight face. Her eyes remained firmly fixed on Swann.

Ill At Ease unsettled Jor-El. He liked Swann's respect. On the other hand, Swann knew too much for his liking. Yes. Your ancestor…'aunt' Louise. There was another centuries ago. I will tell you at another time. That one created the link between our cultures and your bloodline, Lana Lang.

Okay! Again with this mystery ancestor. Oh…KAY! This is really getting kind of irritating! Still, she had to know for herself and to get a sense of her host. "This mysterious ancestor that made me half-alien whatever?"

Swann's face brightened. Respect coaxed a nod. "Very impressive, Miss Lang. Yes, your ancestor met and married a Kryptonian travelers centuries ago. Their oldest daughter is your direct ancestor. Unfortunately, the rest of the tale is not very pleasant. I know you wish to know more. Perhaps we can visit on another occasion when Kal-El…Clark…is in a better frame of mind? There is one more thing. I'd like you to know. I do respect people's privacy. What I know about you and Clark will not leave the walls of my foundation. You can trust me on that."

I hope so. Skepticism reduced her trust. She glanced around the area one more time. "I was told that Clark would be here. Both his mother and the ship mentioned that you would know where to find him."

Swann shook his head. "If I knew that, Miss Lang. Dr. Crosby would have brought you to that location. I did see Kal-El leave your town. He was heading north on Interstate 35 a few hours ago. At Dawn, I will see if I can track him again. He does not understand your mutual situation."

Jor-El coughed in her mind. As if this one truly does?

We have to see *how much* he knows. She rubbed her chin. "And you know?"

Swann exhaled a deep breath. "I wish I knew more, Miss Lang. Kal-El has many questions, doesn't he? The world he comes from no longer exists. He and you are now the last survivors of that culture."

That tidbit elicited a nod from her. "So, I've been brought into a very close circle."

"In layman's terms, you are correct. It's no longer a question of just knowing his secret. Rather, you are now included in it. In addition, you have a secret of your own to carry. You both will have to help each other bear this burden. I offer my assistance in that regard. There are others who can as well." Swann moved his chin toward the waiting straw and drink to his right.

Pity moved her in that particular moment. Such a great mind. Too bad he's paralyzed. "Can I help you with that? Sorry. It's the waitress in me."

"Thank you. I'm fine. My system here makes sure I receive proper nutrition and hydration. In fact, you are making my point for me. We should support each other. Kal-El's issue seems to be that he believes himself to be alone. His parents have instilled that in him. Some would help. There are others who would use him. Computer, show Rogue 1."

The screen showed a row of pictures. Sam Phelan, Roger Nixon, Dr. Hamilton, Helen Bryce, Lionel Luthor, Lex and Chloe aligned for her consideration.

"Lex and Chloe? They're Clark's friends! They'd never hurt him!" She narrowed her eyes. Snort escaped her lips. Disbelief prompted a vehement head shake from her. "She cares about him."

"Yes. She does. Perhaps she saw Kal-El and you together last night? I know that you both were together. I know she entered the barn after you. She was rather upset when she rushed out to her car. She met with Lionel Luthor today." Disappointment's sigh rasped through his mouth. "Jealousy is a powerful motivator, Miss Lang. I know you live with her father and her. I ask you to take care with what you say to Miss Sullivan. Alexander has had Kal-El investigated in the past. He and his father delve into his secrets and the caves. Take special care with Lionel Luthor. He will not stop until he knows the truth. He has taken extreme measures to get at those secrets. One of those put me in this chair. Another made your friend, Miranda, an orphan. Worse, I do not have to tell you about Hansei Arighatto. Do I?"

"You know about Miranda?" Surprise and Shock widened her eyes. Swann's insights continued to astound her. "She doesn't know her family!"

"She says she doesn't. She knew who they were. One of them worked with your mother on your family research. That one also kept the Talon from being razed to the ground." Swann frowned. "He was like your friend, Mr. Moore. A poet with deep issues. Mr. Luthor unleashed Hell itself on him. As I said, that is a matter for another time." He spoke into the microphone again. "Computer, next screen."

The threats disappeared. In its place, pictures of Byron Moore, Pete Ross, Jonathan, Martha, Dr. Crosby and Chief Willowbrook appeared for their consideration.

"These people know of Kal-El and his secrets. They are trustworthy," Swann assessed.

Jor-El coughed on that note. He and Swann disagreed to say the least. We will speak again on that matter, Lana Lang. I do not trust any of them. Those Luthors have deeper ties to Louise and to me. We will speak again after this matter.

She nodded. I wanted to know for so long. Now that I do, I understand why Clark never told us. Oh, Clark, I'm so sorry I doubted your sincerity. "I'll be there if I can be, Dr. Swann."

"I have no doubt of that." He glanced toward his display's clock on the screen. "It is late. You have had a long day. The car is waiting out front. I have reserved you a hotel room for the evening. Dr. Crosby will accompany you to a restaurant. I have made reservations. The car will bring you back here at 9 tomorrow morning. I will arrange for breakfast here if you'd like?"

"That'd be great. Thanks!" Despite her enhanced stamina, Lana felt the day's wear and tear on herself. "I appreciate the information. Good luck on finding Clark."

"Thank you, Miss Lang. Do not worry. I will find him. You have a good evening. Sleep well. We shall talk again in the morning." Swann wheeled himself to the right and out the door.

I guess that's it for tonight. Well, I wanted to know all about Clark. I'm sure getting the entire file all right! I can let the Kents know where I am at least! Lana picked up her bag and purse. She turned and headed back down the previous route. As she left the planetarium, she found Crosby waiting for her. "Having a good evening, Dr. Crosby?"

"I am. Thank you, Miss Lang. Dr. Swann told you a great deal from what I understand. I hope you like Italian. We're going to one of my personal favorite restaurants." Crosby motioned toward the open limo door.

"Italian's great! I'm starved. Thanks!" Lana got in.

"I assure you that the meals are splendid." Crosby followed and shut the door. She signaled the driver to start toward the eatery in question.

Initiations did build an appetite after all….