In Space, No One Knows You're an Alien
Chapter 2
Thirty-five years previously
Krypton
"You want to…what?"
General Dru Zod had thought there was nothing that could shock him. He had apparently forgot to bring Jor El into his calculations.
"It's not often that I get to see a stunned Dru Zod," Jor El smirked.
"Oh, shut up…"
Zod looked back up at Jor El.
"You want me to steal long-range colony ships and help you steal the children at the Academy too?"
"I've told you Krypton's core is collapsing; and the Council seems set on sitting back and letting it happen."
"I was going to do something about that," Zod grumped. "But you talked me out of it; remember?"
"Yes, Dru," Jor El nodded. "But I needed you, and your contacts and resources for a better, higher purpose."
"Stealing starships and kidnapping children."
"Yes."
"Sometimes, Jor, I think you're going to be the death of me…"
Out in the Black, 2517
"Drew, baobei?" Zod stopped at Kaylee's excited voice. "We got payin' passengers! A Shepherd, and these two other guys…"
Zod nodded at that. He expected that Mal would have him play luggage carrier at some point during the day.
Unless they're traveling light…
"There you are!"
There, the captain was.
"Luggage?" Zod spoke dryly.
"Yeah," Reynolds nodded. "Ain't much though…"
But it would be one more time where Zod would have to remind himself not to show too much strength.
The Shepherd sort of reminded Zod of Jor El, in a way; although he looked nothing like Jor El, what with his dark skin, eyes, and silver hair pulled back into a tight little tail.
But the gentle good nature he saw in the man's eyes were the same, and his easy manner with everyone around him.
The young man with the crate was about as far removed from that as possible; his manner as aloof and standoffish as possible; and the care he took with what looked to be a cryonic box…
But, as suspicious as that young man made him-he had to be hiding something fairly important in that box-it was Dobson that sent the alarm bells ringing in Zod's head.
He couldn't explain what, or even why…
But Dobson really rubbed him the wrong way.
Still, Zod played the role of dumb porter to the best of his abilities, saw each of the three passengers to their rooms.
Then, as per instructions, he joined Captain Reynolds and Zoe Washburne in the Cargo Hold.
"What's your take on our new trio?" Reynolds asked him as soon as he arrived.
Our Captain is a suspicious sort…
Zod was sure Washburne had already given her assessment.
"The Shepherd is all right, I guess," he said. "The other two…"
He sighed.
"The young man seems totally invested in that crate."
There it was, not two feet away from them; and the young man-Simon Tam?-treated it like it was the most valuable thing in his entire universe.
If its contraband, well…it's not like Reynolds hasn't transported…questionable things before. But he generally likes to know what it is beforehand…
"What about the other guy?"
"Dobson? He's a fake, plain and simple."
"After us?"
"Or this Tam fellow," Zod shrugged. "We don't know what Tam has in that crate…"
Less than twenty-four hours later, everyone had their answer. Dobson's true identity was outed, Simon Tam's intentions were outed, and the contents of that mysterious crate were…outed as well.
Everything changed after that…