-- Chapter 15 -- My Pet Rock --
"The Origin of Life on Krypton:"
"Life first evolved on the planet Krypton as a form of crystalline lifeform. The crystalline lifeform survived and reproduced by absorbing radiant energy from the sun. It existed as a variety of species, differentiated by their distinctive colors, red, blue, green, gold, and white. This variety of life is known generally as Kryptonite.
"The second variety of life to emerge on Krypton was carbon based and autotrophic – plants. The first unicellular varieties originated in the oceans."
"Stop," Clark said. He'd been listening to the piece of Kryptonium drone about various topics related to biology for hours. The Eradicator had decided he needed a little science this week and today was bio-day. It was so frustrating, sitting around doing what the Eradicator ordered. There wasn't any explanation. She just spouted off her orders. Study science. Study history. Study complex numbers and their application to space travel. Clark felt sure his brain was going to explode soon.
Well the Eradicator said study biology. She hadn't been specific about what he had to spend the time on. There were things that Clark was curious about. Why did he have powers? His ancestors seemed pretty advanced. They must have understood how their bodies worked. "It's not that I think that the in the beginning portion of this isn't important, but I'd like to skip around for a little bit. Maybe a little physiology, how does my body work? Or better, why do the meteor rocks make me sick?"
"Topic Change – Meteor Rocks – Green Kryptonite"
"This species of Kryptonite like the others is considered sentient. Unlike more useful species of Kryptonite, the green variety is almost universally considered insane. Rather than benefit from a symbiosis and cooperative relationship with Kryptonians, Green Kryptonite chooses the more predatory and independent relationship, forcibly stealing energy from Kryptonians. Green Kryptonite is exceedingly rare, as it has been systemically converted to the more sane and cooperative Blue Kryptonite or Kryptonium."
Clark shook his head. "So the difference between Green Kryptonite and Kryptonium is that one asks permission before it sucks the life out of you."
The little crystal flashed a brighter blue. "I am Kryptonium and I give at least as much as I get from my association with you and your kind. If you don't require my services, I am capable of surviving without your assistance. I have done so for several years now."
Clark didn't know what to say. The little rock had always behaved like a book on tape, one that you could ask questions. Apparently he'd offended it. It wasn't that Clark hadn't listened when the Eradicator said the Kryptonium was sentient, but on some level he hadn't believed. "You're really alive and intelligent. I'm sorry," Clark said. "I guess I didn't understand. You never let on that you felt anything before." A little blue rock, it was hard to think of it as a being, something that deserved respect. Maybe it got lonely too? "We could talk you know, not just study. I can't talk to the Eradicator. She's just a crazy weapon."
The sharp color faded back a degree and the crystal spoke directly into Clark's mind. "The Eradicator is a malfunctioning weapon. Insanity implies sentience. We may speak if you wish, but I do not require companionship or conversation to survive."
So the piece of Kryptonium was willing to talk to him and keep it between them. He should have introduced himself sooner. "I do a lot better when I have somebody to talk to. So have you always been a library? Is that even what you are? Do you have a name?" Clark imagined what the little piece of rock would look like if it were human. He tried to assign it a face and a personality. The only image he could bring to mind was that of his elementary school librarian. She was all skinny and pale with a tight little knot of mouse brown hair, Mrs. Duncan.
"I have no name. Originally, I was Kryptonite, Red. I was coerced, tempted, changed. My current form is less playful, perhaps less free, but it is safer and saner." Along with the words, the Kryptonium sent the image of a fierce red rock.
"A baby picture? Weren't you a handsome piece of Kryptonite? So Red Kryptonite is still insane. It's the playful variety?" Clark smiled and held the little blue rock up to the light. "You don't seem very playful to me."
"After you meet some Red Kryptonite, we'll see what you think of their playfulness. The things I did to your kind, the changes I made. Red Kryptonite is chaos." The rock's mentally projected words jiggled with an imitation of laughter.
The smiled faded off Clark's face. Changes? Chaos? Meteor rocks, Green Kryptonite, made changes in humans. Had anything shown up back home since he'd been gone? Who would deal with it? "Do you know why the Kryptonite on Earth does the things it does to humans? It makes them into bizarre mutants. They're stronger but it's almost like it drives them insane too."
"I can only speculate that it seeks sustenance. The sun of Earth would be quite insufficient to satiate the Kryptonite's hunger. Perhaps it seeks to alter the humans into something more palatable."
"Palatable?" Clark whispered. "You think the Kryptonite wants to feed on humans?" I should be at home, protecting my family from this. It came down with me, and now they have to face it alone.
"A starving creature will do whatever it takes to survive."
A blank computer screen, pristine and white, stared out from Lana's workstation. "What am I going to do with you?" There are few things more intimidating to a person who doesn't like to write, than a blank screen that has to be filled. Mario, the Yearbook Editor, had singled her out as the only freshman on the yearbook committee. Now she was responsible for the dreaded 'last pages'. If a student died or moved away or anything like that, they made the last pages. It was like a farewell, closure for the student body.
Lana sighed and scanned the list of kids who were supposed to be included at this point in time. Most of them were barely acquaintances. It wasn't even Thanksgiving. There shouldn't have been five kids on the list. A couple had moved with their parents, but most of these kids went out with a bang. Greg Arkin, bug boy, was dead. Lana shuddered. He'd killed his mom not to even mention what he'd tried to do to her. There was Tina Greer, the girl with many faces. She killed her mom too, not to mention the whole stalking thing.
They weren't all psychos and mutants. Lana typed in the name of the only person on her list that she actually considered a friend, Clark Kent. At least he wasn't dead, not officially anyway. "I don't think I ever really knew you, Clark. I have no idea what to write here. I promise not to put you on the same page with Greg and Tina. You deserve better."
Lana picked up the list and frowned down at it. "Someone who really knew you guys should be writing this." Mario had told her to just use a lot of pictures and try to be brief, especially with the felons. "If I'm going to do this right, I'm going to need some help," Lana said.
"Coat. Coat. Coat?" Chloe spun slowly in her office and scanned for her missing garment. "I swear this room swallows things into black holes." This town swallowed things into black holes. It swallowed people. Chloe turned to face her Wall of Weird. It was a place she sent a lot of time lately. She'd rearranged it, so the articles about Clark Kent were at the center.
Chill bumps raced up Chloe's arms, and she shivered. Winter was coming. "I really let you down this time Clark. It's been over a month and nothing. I know you're out there and you're okay, well as okay as one can be when they're at the mercy of a meteor mutant. I hope you haven't given up. I haven't given up."
A knock on the door caused Chloe to jump and she wiped at her eyes self-consciously. "Come on in."
"Chloe? It's Lana."
Chloe had to hold herself back from snorting. The perfect Lana Lang was slumming today. "Hey Lana. What can I do for you?" It was irrational for Chloe to feel the anger she did toward Lana. The only thing the girl had ever done to Chloe wasn't even her fault. Lana didn't choose to be Clark's fantasy girl. It wasn't like she could help that. What made Chloe angry was that Lana apparently couldn't see how lucky she was. She couldn't see Clark when he'd been right there under her nose.
Lana smiled sheepishly and held her clipboard to her chest. "I need your help with something. I'm on the yearbook staff and Mario assigned me the 'last pages'. You know, the last pages? I just don't know the kids real well. So I thought I should ask the people who did know them instead of trying to fake it. I was getting to know Clark but..." The look on Chloe's face stopped Lana cold. The girl looked murderous.
"My God," Chloe said. "Clark isn't dead, and he's coming back. You'd be wasting your time learning enough about him to write the page. Just try focusing on the other people on your little list. I'm sure there's enough to keep you busy."
Lana flinched and nodded. She hadn't even considered that Chloe might get defensive and upset. You're so stupid sometimes, Lana. It's too soon. "I'm so sorry. If you need to talk, I'd be happy..."
Chloe rolled her eyes and smiled thinly. "I don't need you're pity or your charity. Go dangle off your boyfriend for a while. You can pretend to care about someone else. I have a real low tolerance for hypocrisy, and you princess, take the cake."
Two men, bound by civility but locked in war, faced each other over an antique mahogany desk. "What the Hell do you call this," Lionel shouted. He slapped at the book of figures sitting open on his son's desk.
Lex smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "I call that a profit margin. What brings you to Smallville, Dad? You have plenty of people reading my books."
Lionel's smiled was broad, white, predatory. "I came to visit my only son." I came to bring you home. "I heard about your friend, the boy who saved your life. Clark, right? It must be very hard to lose that little family you'd started to build out here in the sticks."
"I'm sure you weep for me," Lex said. A cold knot started in Lex's stomach and left him shivering. Had Lionel orchestrated Clark's untimely disappearance? Was the Eradicator a toy of his father's? "I find it hard to believe that you came to console me over the loss of a friend."
Lionel could see the theories forming behind his son's eyes and it made him proud. Never trust anyone or anything, Lex. "I thought you might be interested in a promotion. You remember LexCorp chemical in Detroit. I find myself in need of a new CEO. You've proven that you can make money out of well, shit. I'd like to give you a chance to work with something a little more substantial. What's really keeping you here?" Lionel gave Lex a firm pat on the shoulder. "Don't answer now. Sleep on it."
Lex sank slowly into his seat and willed himself to stop thinking. The thoughts that were running through his head were maddening. Could his father really be the mastermind behind Clark's vanishing act? The man had the ethical disposition of a wolf, but it wasn't his style, lashing out at a kid. Clark should have been far beneath his notice.
The intercom crackled to life. "Mr. Luthor, you have another visitor waiting, Ms. Sullivan."
Lex sighed and massaged his temples. He couldn't handle another outlandish plan right now. He had enough to digest with the information from his father. Chloe meant well and if it helped her deal with things, he'd bankroll her plans until she graduated from college or longer. It wasn't for her really. Clark had asked him to look after his parents. Lex had taken that request to heart, extending his protection to those people Clark had treated like family: Lana, Pete, Chloe. Well Chloe needed someone to bet on her longshots, and Lex could afford to. "No need to send her in. I'm on my way out."
Lex slid his shades on and grabbed a set of keys. A little distraction might be just what the doctor ordered. "I hope you didn't drive, because I'm in the mood to let someone else behind the wheel of the Porshe..." The teasing words died on his lips and he pulled down his shades. Chloe's face was red and tears were streaming down her face. She looked like someone just killed her best friend. Have you given up on Clark then? Are you ready to mourn? "What happened?" Lex said.
Chloe shook her head. "I don't know why I came here." She held up her tissue and shrugged. "I just went postal on Lana Lang. I said horrible things to her. She didn't deserve it. But, God, it felt good to just be mean. She's so bloody perfect and sweet, and Clark loved her."
Lex took a seat next to Chloe and smiled at her. "You instigated a cat fight? You didn't hurt her did you? Lana doesn't strike me as a scrapper."
Chloe burst out laughing. A little push and that laugh could slide into hysteria. "We didn't really fight. I just got mean with her."
"It's okay," Lex said. "Women are allowed to behave irrationally. It's a prerogative of the sex."
That was the singly most sexist comment she'd ever heard. Chloe knew her mouth was hanging open. Lex Luthor was a bloody sexist. "You did not just say that." As Chloe watched, Lex started chuckling. "You're kidding? You're mocking me?"
Lex slid his sunglasses back on. The hysteria was gone and Chloe wasn't crying anymore. His father didn't think there was anything left in Smallville for him, but there was. Clark had left him a whole family that needed him. "Let me drive you home."
The Eradicator watched impassively as Kal-El bonded with the Kryptonium she had gifted him with. It was frustrating, having to leave his instruction to the bit of crystal, but the inconvenienced couldn't be helped. The diagnostic had improved matters, but her logic circuits were still fading in and out. Taking the knowledge from Chloe Sullivan's mind had been a mistake. The girl's personality invaded her logic paths every time she strayed close to Kal-El. Emotions would blur everything, sometimes it was hot and burning, making her want to touch her master. Other times it was softer and less animal.
Unfortunately, there were some things that could not be left to the Kryptonium, despite her indisposition. "Kal-El, have you finished with your lessons then? I think you should stand and let me inspect you."
Clark curled his fist around the Kryptonium protectively and came to his feet. Wonderful, the Eradicator was back. She had probably decided to give him a test. "Inspect away."
Beneath those old aboriginal's clothes, she could see the Kryptonian she had come in search of. "Those clothes will not do any longer. They are filthy and worn. They do not speak of your heritage."
Clark tugged at his brown jacket and looked away. He wouldn't even get to keep the clothes on his back? I hate you. "Fine."
"I was pleased to notice that you've grown closer to the Kryptonium. Your ancestors have a long and intimate relationship with their kind," the Eradicator said.
Clark didn't answer. The Eradicator wanted to know how close he was with the Kryptonium? It was stupid, baiting a machine. It wasn't like the Eradicator could be annoyed...but it felt good. "The Kryptonium is alive and a pretty good conversationalist. She'll be going by Lola from now on. A living being deserves a name. I think she's pretty great."
A new emotion filtered through the Eradicator. Jealousy, hot and prickly whirled through her neural paths momentarily obliterating all logic. The moment passed. "This practice is also traditional, naming your personal Kryptonium. Lola is a highly unusual choice, but you were raised in a unique manner. Some eccentricity is acceptable."
Clark bit back a sarcastic grin. How much eccentricity was the Eradicator willing to endure? "I'll try not to disappoint too much."
