-- Appendix --
Ascension – Ritual through which a leader or scholar's mind is copied precisely and functionally into an electronic matrix. This copy is then stored indefinitely as the keeper of a civilization's amassed knowledge. The process is detrimental to the original or organic copy of the mind. Often the process is fatal.
Eradicator – Ancient Kryptonian weapon, designed to be indestructible. It has a complex Artificial Intelligence capable of adapting to new situations and reinterpreting directives. The AI is so complex that it destabilizes as time passes and the weapon is considered flawed.
Eruditocracy – A combination of the Latin for Knowledge and Government meaning rule by knowledge. The current galactic power structure is based on learning or knowledge.
Kryptonite – The original lifeform of Krypton. In its wild state the organism is most commonly green, though it exists in several colors most notably red. Kryptonians, Clark's race, are one of the major energy sources on which Kryptonite feeds. Kryptonite can also attain energy from radiant or thermal sources. Kryptonite is sentient.
Kryptonium – Blue kryptonite, a tame/domesticated version of Kryptonite. It lived commensally with the Kryptonians, cooperating with their society in exchange for energy.
Over Council – Keepers of knowledge. Originally they were the conquering races of the last galactic war. Currently, they are a collection of aliens who have undergone ascension. They control the trickle of knowledge to the Under Council. Their races are either dead or dying.
Under Council – Races recognized by the Over Council. Their societies are still young and growing. If their technologic level should reach a predetermined level, they might be invited to join the Over Council.
Original Character Summary:
Aislinn – A prostitute who attempted to sell Clark to the highest bidder, while not a villain per se, Aislinn was decidedly mercenary.
Dessa – Servant to the Over Council, she is highly devoted to the Eruditocracy. She actually masterminded the activation of the Eradicator in a stalling move.
Detective Gadwall – The officer who investigated Clark's disappearance for the Smallville PD.
The Eradicator -- Ancient Kryptonian weapon of questionable stability.
Jason Fisk – A well known psychic who attempted to find Clark. Unfortunately he chose the moment of ascension to synch up with Clark's mind and the experience traumatized him. He refunded Lex and skipped town.
Mrs. Pringles - Smallville High's Sociology teacher.
Tauten of the Glaufien Nebulae – One of many aliens who attempted to seize the Kryptonian knowledge base when it appeared there would be no mind to Ascend.
Physiology and Basic Science:
How Clark's powers work: Clark receives his energy from the sun. In this Alternate Universe, the theory goes that Clark's people are in a sense, a cross between a carbon based lifeforms and the crystalline lifeform of Kryptonite. They store and use energy much the same way as Kryptonite only with more efficiency. Organic food is necessary only for growth/building blocks, not energy production.
The Formation of meteor mutants: The theory goes that Kryptonite is starving. The high energy rock can't subsist on the yellow sun of Earth alone. To compensate, the sentient rocks are manipulating humans in an effort to create a palatable energy. They would like to be able to feed on humans like they do on Clark.
The Red Sun vs. Yellow Sun Question: The question comes when you point out that a red sun is lower energy than a yellow sun. While this statement is true, biology has a tendency to be very specific. In this AU, the Kryptonite evolved to deal with the diminishing energy of their sun by developing a parasitic relationship with Clark's people. The Kryptonians dealt with the problem by becoming increasingly efficient radiation users, absorbing a wider variety of spectrums and storing that energy more efficiently. As they became more technologically advanced, the Kryptonians learned to deal with Kryptonite as Kryptonium and their commensal relationship resulted. On Earth where they're dealing with a completely different spectrum of radiation Clark is much more adaptable to this situation. The Kryptonite can only absorb a very narrow range of radiation and their parasite host life-cycle is broken without anything to feed on. In short, Clark is thriving on high energy radiation, while the Kryptonite starves in the face of plenty, unable to absorb the energy surrounding it.
Metaphor: A cow can't survive on corn alone. They evolved to eat roughage and corn will bloat and kill them. Humans can't survive on grass. We just can't digest it. Humans and cows live on the same planet but survive by different rules. The same goes for Clark and Kryptonite.
Clark and Kryptonite, the Proximity Issue: This issue arose out of the fact that Clark was in the room with a piece of Kryptonite and didn't suffer any ill affects, or even for that matter notice its presence. Why? In Smallville Kryptonite has a definite proximity issue. Approximately 5 feet in the pilot, seemingly more ambiguous in other episodes. The biggest issue for Clark seems to be seeing the bad bad rock. Maybe it's all psychosomatic? Just kidding. In the scene in question, Clark never made it within 5 feet of the Kryptonite. I didn't adress the issue directly, instead leaving it dangling. An issue I plan to address in the rewrite someday.
Glossary:
