Hearts Divided
by ChiefPam
Previously: Kal has rescued his future wife Zara, and has returned Lois and her friends to Earth. Now everyone has to try to figure out what to do next.
"Take us home, Zak." Even those few words were an effort. "The ship is yours. I'll be in my cabin if you need me." Kal pivoted and walked out of the bridge, seeking sanctuary. It wasn't that he objected to Melanie's decision to remain with Zak; he planned to support them in whatever ways they required. But watching them together was painful. They were so obviously in love - and even their quiet sympathy for him grated on his nerves. It should be an uneventful flight back to New Krypton; they could manage it without him. After what he'd sacrificed, he felt entitled to at least a few days' grace.
In his cabin, his eyes were drawn first to the bed, still looking rumpled from last night's occupation, and his heart twisted. He had done the right thing. It had to have been the right thing - he firmly believed that his personal happiness was less important than the security and well-being of an entire planet - and yet already it felt far worse than he had expected. How was he supposed to be an effective leader when his focus was elsewhere?
Eventually, he drifted to sleep. There were a few pleasant dreams where he was with Lois, and they were happy. More frequently, however, he saw her being pushed out of a plane, or tied above an ominously bubbling vat, or trapped in an airless vault - he could see her dying over and over, yet was helpless to prevent it. Once or twice, for variety, he'd also seen New Krypton dissolve into chaos and civil war. The worst of both worlds, as it were. After he woke the fourth time, he abandoned the idea of sleep.
The day passed in a numbed sort of haze. Kal wandered the ship, spending some time in the Terrace, remembering all the conversations he'd had with Lois there. He savored the memory of her face, but those memories led to speculation - how would she have reacted to the first sight of the capitol city? Would she have thought his home too small? - until it became too difficult to remember what he'd lost.
Kal told himself to stop thinking about Lois. Perhaps the Old Kryptonians had been on to something in their denial of emotion; his heart was definitely distracting him. He only hoped that he would adjust in time. No matter what, he would not abandon his homeworld to destruction; he would not be able to live with himself if he did. Lois would expect more from him than that.
**Oh, Lois,** he reached out mentally, knowing that he would be unable to contact her. **What am I to do without you?**
Lois drove into Fort Truman with an unaccustomed heavy feeling in her gut. She'd grown up on Army bases around the world, and she'd loved working here, but this time, she knew that she was probably in trouble. She had vanished exactly one week ago - true, she had accomplished her mission and was about to go on vacation, but still, she should have reported in before leaving. It hadn't been her choice, of course, but she couldn't exactly say that.
'Sorry, sir, I meant to come in, but then I was abducted by aliens...' Yeah, right. She'd be in a rubber room faster than she could say 'Roswell.' Although, come to think of it, she should have asked Kal if he knew anything about that. Now that she knew that aliens really did exist - that Superman was real - Lois might have to rethink quite a few long-held notions. Maybe the conspiracy nuts weren't quite as nuts as she'd always assumed.
Lois parked her Jeep and told herself sternly to stop dithering. She needed to report in, and she would stick as close to the truth as she could; with Brenda and Francine's help she'd come up with a good story, and they would back her up if needed. Shoulders back and head held high, she walked into the main administrative building. She'd chosen to wear her crispest dress uniform; it had always provided her with a sense of security. Today, it itched.
She was informed by Colonel White's secretary that she would be able to see the Colonel in a few minutes. Lois found a chair and managed with great difficulty to not fidget. Something about the regimented atmosphere on the base was getting to her. She'd always found the rules and regulations comforting, a defense against the chaos of outside life, but after an up close and personal look at the class structure on New Krypton, she was beginning to hate fixed hierarchies with a concentrated passion. The US Army wasn't quite that rigid, but even it seemed stifling to her now. She had anticipated climbing the ladder and having subordinates to direct, but what difference would that make? There would always be others in authority over her.
"Lieutenant? The Colonel will see you now."
Lois stood, smoothing her skirt, and nodded her thanks to the secretary. Resolutely, she walked in to face the Colonel.
"Ah, Lieutenant Lane," he drawled. "How good of you to join us."
"Sir." She saluted, then stood at parade rest. "I apologize for my disappearance, sir. It was involuntary."
"At ease." Colonel White leaned back in his chair, studying her intently. She'd always had a good working relationship with this man; he had known her father some years ago, and Lois suspected that he saw her as a protege. "I'm listening."
Lois relaxed her stance fractionally, still standing tall. "Sir, as you know, I was working undercover at the Metro Club. I had overheard a conversation implicating Toni Taylor, and had alerted a squad to tail her to a midnight rendezvous." Lois hoped that the squad had found enough evidence to arrest Toni, but figured that now was not a good time to inquire. "I judged it safest not to abandon my role as a dancer before the night was over; I did not wish to alarm the suspect."
The Colonel nodded, his expression bland. "Fair enough, Lieutenant, but she was arrested that night; where have you been since then?"
Lois took a deep breath. "Sir, I was kidnapped."
His brows drew together in concern. "I wondered ... Were you injured? And how did they get you, anyway? I thought I told you to have your weapon with you."
"Yes, sir, I had it, but I was not alone. Two men came into the club and lured away the chorus girls with the promise of a job. I went with them, thinking I could protect them if they needed it, but both the men turned out to have guns. I waited for an opportunity to act without endangering the civilians," she stressed, knowing that this was the tricky part. "But before I could, we were herded into a ship."
"Uh-huh. And then what?"
Lois shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "The ship set sail that night. By the time the ship's captain discovered our presence and freed us, we were far out to sea. The captain claimed to be carrying urgent cargo of some kind, and said he wouldn't be able to return us until he'd made his delivery, but we were treated well on-board."
Colonel White eyed her for an uncomfortably long moment. "I did some investigating of my own. And I did see that the other three chorus dancers seemed to go missing at the same time you did. There was even a report that they were seen leaving with two young men. Although it was hard to tell, considering that the club was closed down the next day. I assume they've turned up again now?"
"Brenda and Francine have, sir - I have their addresses if you need them." And they'd already discussed this story in detail. "The other dancer, Melanie, fell in love along the way - once the captain freed us, she fell in love with one of the sailors on board. She decided to stay with him."
Colonel White surveyed her blandly. "So this ship had no radio?"
"None that we were offered access to, sir." Lois answered steadily. Sticking as close to the truth as possible seemed easiest, and it was strangely comforting to re-cast her thoroughly alien experiences into more familiar terms. She was still leaving out quite a lot, of course ... but there were some things she preferred to keep to herself.
The Colonel studied her for a long moment, then sighed. "Stranger things have happened. Now, I want you to tell me everything you remember about this ship and her crew - nationality if you know it, or just details about ship construction; I can find out which vessels left Metropolis Harbor that night, and we can narrow it down from there."
Lois squirmed. "Sir, there's no need."
He looked up sharply. "No need? Those sons of -" He cut himself off, then started again. "Those low-lifes kidnapped American citizens, and one of *my* officers. They are not going to get away with that."
"They haven't, sir," Lois assured him. "Their captain was appalled when he found out what his crewmen had done - believe me, they are being dealt with by their own system. Which is probably harsher than ours. Justice has been done, sir."
He eyed her shrewdly. "And you don't want to make trouble for this nameless ship captain?"
Lois blushed, her mind involuntarily flashing back to a vision of Kal lounging on his bunk, mere inches away, but kept her head high. "He behaved honorably, and kept us safe." It belatedly occurred to her that if the Colonel thought she was covering for someone else, instead of herself, that at least added a layer of credibility to her story.
"Well, I'd still like to know what sort of cargo he was carrying," White grumbled, shuffling some papers on his desk. "And where he was taking it, for that matter, that he could get there and back in a week."
Lois shrugged, disclaiming all knowledge. "I'm not familiar with ocean shipping, sir, so I couldn't even begin to guess."
The Colonel shrugged. "Be that as it may, I have something more immediately important to discuss with you."
"Something more important?" Lois asked cautiously, hardly able to believe she'd escaped a more thorough cross-examination. Although she would probably still have to face a court martial, and the thought was beginning to scare her. Maybe coming home hadn't been such a good idea, and yet she hated the thought of running away. "I mean, I know how serious it is to go AWOL, and believe me, I never would have done it if I'd had a choice in the matter."
"I know that, Lieutenant." The Colonel paused, his gruff facade slipping a bit. "You weren't officially AWOL. It was right before your scheduled leave, and I was sure that the only reason for you not to report in would be foul play, so ... I treated your last phone call as official notification of the beginning of your leave time."
Lois managed, with great effort, not to gape at him. "Sir! Thank you!" The relief was slightly dizzying.
The Colonel waved away her gratitude. "Don't mention it - to anyone. But we've still got a problem here, Lieutenant. As I said, Toni Taylor was arrested that night."
Lois blinked at the non sequitur. "Yes, sir?"
"There was clear evidence that she was behind the Toasters, and they were arrested as well. What is not so well known is that the physical evidence indicated that the weapons' design had come from Luthor Technologies. And according to Ms. Taylor, it was Lex Luthor himself who gave her the blueprints."
Lois sucked in her breath. She had known that the Toasters' weapons were possibly from stolen military technology; it was why she had become involved in the first place. The source, however, shocked her. "Lex Luthor, sir?" Lois asked in a hollow voice. "Isn't that a little comic-bookish?" She had known that the city's biggest philanthropist had shared a name with Superman's fictional arch-enemy; it had been almost a running joke. In a universe with no Superman, it had seemed foolish to attach any particular significance to a mere coincidence of names. But now that she knew Superman existed, all new possibilities were opening up. True, the Lex Luthor of the comics had been a mad scientist, not a businessman - but she had avoided becoming a reporter, to distance herself from her alter-ego. Luthor might well have done the same.
"Yeah, that part's embarrassing," the Colonel admitted, wincing. "I feel like an idiot looking into it. I mean, it would be wrong to assume he's guilty just 'cause of his name. But I can't just assume he's innocent, either. This isn't a full-fledged investigation, by the way - I wouldn't trust Toni Taylor's word on much of anything. But we will certainly be keeping a much closer eye on Mr. Luthor from now on. And we would rather not call his attention to that fact just yet."
"I see, sir. But..."
"How does this concern you?" White grimaced. "Here's the thing. We've turned over Toni and all the evidence to the civilian authorities - the FBI and Department of Justice - and they want to handle it from here. And to be honest, they're a little annoyed that we were involved. From their perspective, it was none of our business."
Lois stiffened. "And what were they doing to stop the Toasters, if I may ask?"
The Colonel shrugged. "They weren't in the mood to tell me that. But it's turned into a jurisdictional fight, and they're starting to ask all sorts of questions about how we came to find Toni Taylor meeting with the Toasters. So far, I've passed it off as an anonymous tip, but they're still not happy."
"So I guess I won't be getting a commendation for this, after all," Lois remarked dryly. She dimly recalled that such things had mattered to her once.
White snorted. "'Fraid not. But you will be getting a transfer - and we'll give you your promotion to Captain before you go. In *my* judgment, you've earned it."
"Thank you, sir," Lois answered automatically, wondering why this long-awaited news was making her so uneasy. "But why a transfer?"
"Well, it's like this ... right now, no one knows that we had an undercover agent in the Metro Club."
"But if I stay around Metropolis, someone might figure it out?"
"If they see a chorus dancer in uniform, they will," the Colonel confirmed, then sat forward. "Look, if it were just dealing with some twerps at the DoJ, I'd say to hell with them. But I've looked into Luthor Technologies and Lex Luthor himself, and so far I've learned enough to know that I do *not* want to alert the man that he's under scrutiny. From what I hear, the man has serious connections." He paused, giving Lois a significant look.
"And you don't want to suggest that there might be corruption anywhere in the system," Lois ventured, "but if there were, Lex would be the sort of man to take advantage of it."
White nodded slowly. "That's the sense I'm getting. But I'm not officially on the case, and if he gets wind of one of my officers having been involved, I might not be able to continue."
Lois took a deep breath. This was not the conversation she'd expected, coming in today. Of course, if one of the world's richest men was corrupt - if the real world Lex Luthor had more in common with his comic-book counterpart than his name - she was all in favor of taking him down. In fact, she'd like to be the one leading the charge. But apparently the best thing she could do for the cause was to sneak out of town, which seemed very unfair.
The Colonel apparently took her silence as consent. "So where would you like to be stationed next? I was thinking of recommending you to the brass at the Pentagon, but that might be a little too close. How do you like the idea of Germany?"
She'd once dreamed of working in Europe. But something within her was loudly protesting the thought of leaving Metropolis - if she left, how would Kal ever find her again? And more realistically, if she left Metropolis she would leave Brenda and Francine - all her friends and family - behind. Lois took a deep breath. She hated the thought of any more losses when she'd already lost Kal, but it was time to make a choice, and duty could only take her so far. The Army could survive without her. "You can do this, Lois,' she told herself. 'Think outside the system.'
It was absurd, but she found herself saying, "Sir, I'd prefer to resign my commission."
"Think outside the system." The words seemed to come from nowhere, and Kal regarded them with a distant curiosity, unsure of what they meant. It almost seemed like something Lois would say.
She had been a breath of fresh air in more ways than one, he acknowledged. When he and Ching had been planning their assault on Nor's spaceship, it had been Lois who'd suggested the unexpected approach of subterfuge. Kal had only considered traditional alternatives then, all of them bad. Just as, he realized slowly, he'd seen his relationship with Lois as having only two possible paths - either she would have to sacrifice her dignity and self-respect, or he would have to abandon New Krypton. Neither of those was acceptable ... but it finally dawned on him that he shouldn't have stopped looking for solutions. Against all reason and logic, a tiny seed of hope sprouted deep within.
If there were a way to leave New Krypton in good hands, he could go back to Earth, to be with Lois. The thought was seductive, distracting, and wonderful. He had no idea what he would actually *do* on Earth - perhaps he could be a judo instructor - but that was unimportant next to the prospect of spending his life with Lois. Still, he would like to find some way to be useful. All his life, he'd been trained to responsibility, to leadership. Trained to serve, really, even if it was service from the top. Transferring that responsibility would be a great relief, but it would leave a great void.
Superman.
The thought was stunning, yet glaringly obvious. He could become Superman - with Lois's help, of course. His powers were fading now, but would very likely return to him on Earth, and he would be able to do a lot of good - like that rescue he'd performed a week ago before leaving, or assisting after natural disasters. With a costume and public persona, he would be able to work openly. He would feel strange, filling the shoes - or cape - of an existing character, but from what he'd heard, Superman upheld the same values Kal did.
Kal tamped down the bubble of excitement filling his chest; he was getting ahead of himself, and there were still very real obstacles to overcome.
The key to the matter was finding someone else to marry Zara and rule the planet. If only Ching were a noble, he would be the ideal choice; Kal didn't trust anyone of his own class to do the job properly. Perhaps that was just his pride speaking, but he didn't think so. The Council was fairly well balanced at present, and had been for the past decade, but when Zara married, that balance would shift. If she married poorly, it could easily end in disaster.
As Kal reviewed his possible replacements, all of whom seemed manifestly unfit for the job, he felt tendrils of despair creep back, threatening to overwhelm him again. This time, however, he refused to submit. He would not give up hope prematurely, and he had a lot of thinking to do - outside the system.
"What?" The Colonel scowled at her. "Doggonit, Lieutenant, don't throw away your career!"
"I'm sorry, sir, but I've had a lot of time to think this past week, and ... well, I've learned that there are some things more important than a career." She would miss the structure and familiarity of military life, but it was really not a tough choice. Besides the impossible dream of waiting for Kal to return, she wanted to stay in touch with her family and her new friends. Now more than ever, she needed their support.
"I thought you wanted to serve your country," White said darkly.
"I do, sir. But there's more than one way to do that."
The Colonel glared at her for a moment, but when she didn't back down, he sighed. "You have that option." A crafty look spread across his features. "In fact, if I might make a suggestion..."
She nodded permission, curious to see what he might say.
"You've always really enjoyed the investigative side of things. Well, the Army isn't the only place you can do that. I, ah, understand you might not want to be a reporter..."
She narrowed her eyes at that, not in the mood for a comic-book joke.
He snorted. "Think about it, Lieutenant. See that nameplate?"
Confused, she looked down at his desk, where the name "Colonel Percival J. White" was embossed. After a moment, it dawned on her.
"Perry White isn't as well known as Lois Lane," he drawled, "but nonetheless, I know some of what you've gone through."
"Oh," Lois said, feeling stupid, but also curiously comforted by the unexpected connection. "I'd never noticed."
"You weren't supposed to," he replied dryly. "But what I was saying was, you could easily get a private investigator's license."
Lois made a face. "Oh, so I could spy on cheating husbands? What fun."
"There are all sorts of cases out there," White pointed out mildly. "The police don't have time for all of them. Why, you could even investigate Luthor - as a private investigator you wouldn't have to worry about all the formalities that sometimes hamper the police or, um, me. As long as the resulting evidence holds up in court," he added prudently.
The prospect seemed daunting at the moment, but Lois nonetheless felt the stirrings of interest.
"You just think about it, that's all I'm saying. But first, I'm afraid we have some paperwork to fill out."
Lois sighed. Even if the world were ending, the military would want the proper forms filled out first. It was one of many things she wouldn't miss. Of course, she'd just jettisoned her planned future, and had very little idea of what would replace it ... but she would manage somehow. Kal would expect no less of her.
Kal visited Zara's residence the morning after he returned to New Krypton. In the three days on board, he had devised a tentative plan. He hadn't worked out all the details, and it was by no means a sure thing. But even if it failed, it shouldn't threaten New Krypton's stability, which was paramount. Kal had a number of stops to make this morning to make his return official, but Zara was first on his list.
When he'd visited here before, Zara had always seen him in the front parlor; this time, the housekeeper led him to a different room. He looked around curiously as he entered. Zara was sitting behind a large desk, with Ching standing next to her. "Greetings, m'lady, Ching," he murmured absently, still studying the room. "Isn't this your father's study?"
"Greetings of my house to you, Lord Kal-El," Zara replied with a touch of formality. "And yes, it was, but it's mine now." She waved him to a seat.
"Good idea." Kal smiled encouragingly, in case she was feeling defensive. Not that she looked defensive or uncomfortable - she looked like a queen in full possession of her kingdom. It suited her.
Ching remained standing by Zara's chair, making Kal wonder if he were here as a bodyguard. He thought of his earlier plan to make Ching head of Zara's household security, so that he could stay nearby at all times. Of course, Kal didn't have that authority yet, but Zara did. "I'm glad to see you here, Ching; I was thinking we should promote you."
Ching glanced at Zara, who was looking distinctly frosty. "I'm afraid Ching is otherwise occupied, Kal. I've appointed him my new chief of security."
"Oh," Kal commented, surprised that she'd anticipated him.
"And it's a good thing she did," Ching commented acerbically. "The old chief was the one who had betrayed her to Nor."
Kal winced; it made sense but had never occurred to him. "I hadn't-"
"And if you have further *suggestions* about my staff," Zara continued, looking distinctly annoyed. "I'd appreciate it if you'd discuss them with me privately."
Kal regarded the pair of them. "You know," he commented mildly. "I remember when neither one of you would even think of arguing with me."
Zara blushed, then looked up with a sly smile. "Oh, trust me, I'd think about it."
Kal laughed. "I never would have believed it then ... but I guess we've both grown up."
"We all have," Ching commented softly, his love for Zara plainly evident on his face.
Zara nodded, her smile fading. "I suppose I've lost my taste for pretending submission."
"Honest agreement is much better. Not that you need my approval," Kal added hastily. "But that brings me to the reason I came. You two remember the dancer Melanie, right?"
Zara shrugged uncertainly, but Ching nodded. "Of course. What about her?"
Kal shrugged. "Well, she fell hard for Zak, and vice versa ... and, um, she's here."
"Here on New Krypton?" Zara asked, her voice rising in surprise.
"I've got her staying at a hotel for the moment," Kal confessed. Zak had begun the ten days of solitary confinement that he'd been sentenced to for following Sev's lead and kidnapping the dancers. Kal was working on getting Zak a pardon, for subsequent valor, but the paperwork took a little time. "But y'know, I was thinking, you've got lots of room here."
Zara smiled. "I would love to have her stay with me. I didn't get to see her much on the ship, so I'm looking forward to getting to know her better. Ah ... does she speak Kryptonian?"
"She's learning quickly. And I know she's eager to get to know you, as well." Lois's earlier quip about a 'two-pronged cultural assault' flashed through his mind and he grinned. "I think you two will definitely shake things up."
Ching laughed, then tried to control his expression when Zara glared at him. "You will be an inspiration to us all, shey-ana," he assured her.
Zara rolled her eyes at his teasing, but didn't seem truly upset. Kal was glad to see them getting along so well; they had spent a year apart, and both had changed in the interim. He had worried that they would find they didn't fit together anymore, but obviously that wasn't the case. It was reassuring to know that a shey-ana bond was that enduring.
"Zara ... would you be willing to take Zak and Melanie under your wing, so to speak? They're going to need a friend in high places." Melanie's future was just one of the things he would have to assure, before he could leave in clear conscience, but he didn't want to reveal his motive just yet.
Zara eyed him, then nodded. "They will have the full protection of my House. Who does Zak serve now?"
"The House of An, I believe," Ching supplied.
Zara made a note. "I'll request his transfer to my service. He helped you rescue me, after all."
"Thank you." That was one weight off his mind, so he proceeded to his next concern. "So tell me, Zara, what do you see as priorities for your rule?"
"Stability, of course," she answered promptly. "But we also need to start expanding again; we've been too defensive."
"Expanding off-planet?" Kal asked, rather alarmed at the prospect.
"No, we've barely colonized this world - but that's my point; this isn't a particularly large world, but there are areas we have yet to fully explore."
"Are you looking for more habitable space, or natural resources?"
"Both, of course."
"We also need to take advantage of the resources we have already," Ching added, obviously not a stranger to this discussion. "The House of Nor has untapped reserves of diridium - we'll have to encourage whoever gets that mining station to begin processing and selling the ore."
"Yes, good idea." Kal was distracted by that thought. Lord Nor would surely be found guilty, and it was likely that some of his assets would be confiscated. Which might just spark a feeding frenzy, as every other noble on the planet either put forth claims, or - if they judged it worth the risk - physically moved in to take control. It could be a dangerous situation if Zara didn't maintain firm control. "I suppose you can make that a condition of the grant."
"Yes, we plan to," Zara agreed, a steely glint in her eye.
"Assuming the process goes smoothly," Ching put in darkly.
"That aside, though ... Zara, you've met some women from Earth. And you yourself are capable of much more than our traditions assume-"
"Thank you for noticing!"
Kal grinned. "Hey, I'm slow but eventually I catch on. We just need to educate the *rest* of the planet."
Zara sighed. "That will be the difficult part. And it will be a slow process. But with your support, Kal, I believe we can make a change."
"I believe we'll need to. And you, Ching - what do you think?"
Ching met his eyes with an ironic look. "I'm well aware that certain classes of persons are chronically underestimated, my lord."
"Ah, yes. I suppose you would be. Will Zara have your support as she tries to change that?"
"Of course. Why do you ask?"
"I'd rather not say." Kal flashed an apologetic smile. If his plan worked, they would understand. "I guess I just wanted to make sure we're all agreed here."
Lady Alys-Ra watched her foster-nephew give his testimony at Lord Nor's trial. Justice worked swiftly on New Krypton, and once Kal had returned, the process had begun. This first day had mostly been to establish the basic facts of the case. Alys was particularly interested in the role played by the Earth woman, Lois Lane. Judging by his reactions when her name was mentioned, Kal was particularly interested as well. Not that just anyone would realize it, of course; Kal was well trained in hiding his emotions, but to her it was obvious.
Once the proceedings were halted for the day, Alys moved forward, locating Kal in the crowd.
"Aunt Alys!" His face lit up as he saw her. "I've missed you."
"It has been too long, my dear," she replied, reaching out to touch his hand briefly. She would have liked to hug him, but it was far too public for that. "Would you like to come to dinner with me?"
He flashed a smile. "I would love to." Tucking her hand in the crook of his arm, he escorted her out of the courtroom and into a private transport.
"I suppose it's redundant," Alys began as soon as the doors closed, "but thank you for rescuing Zara. I was so worried when I realized what had happened, and the Council was so hesitant to act. The best I could do was persuade them to send you a message." She had also insisted that Lieutenant Ching be the messenger - she had wanted Kal to have a true ally in protecting Zara - but if he hadn't yet discovered Ching's bond with Zara, it wasn't her place to reveal it.
"I'm glad you did," he replied. "It wasn't easy, but we managed it."
"And with style," she added, remembering some of the more delightful details. He wasn't telling all that had happened, of course, but she could guess.
The transport glided to a stop, and Kal helped Alys out. "I'm just profoundly relieved that Zara is back home, and that Nor has been stopped." He glanced down at her, a trifle uncertainly. "She's really come into her own, hasn't she."
"Indeed, yes." Alys nodded approvingly as they entered her home. "I've been so proud of her these last few years. She's educated herself in all sorts of areas, and begun making her presence felt in public life." She ushered Kal into her formal parlor. "Come, sit with me while we wait for dinner. Why, she even spoke in a Council meeting the other day - not on anything controversial, mind you, but she just acted as if it were perfectly natural for her to take part in the debate."
Kal looked up from his chair. "Really? I wish I could have seen it. How did they take it?"
"Uneasily," Alys admitted, "but no one was brave enough to forbid her. I did hear a few of them looking forward to your marriage - they think you'll take control of her quickly enough, so they've no need to do anything."
Kal grimaced. "Yes, well..."
"Oh, Kal, don't imagine you're going to confess something I don't know." She eyed him for a long moment. "I've loved you all your life, but you were never happy here. But now ... there's a light been turned on inside you."
He looked startled, then relaxed into a smile. "Her name is -"
"Lois Lane," Alys replied, then grinned at his reaction. "No, I'm not using telepathy! But I did hear you give your testimony, you know, and you had a definite reaction every time you mentioned her." She patted his hand reassuringly. "Not that anyone else would notice, I don't think, but it was obvious to me. She sounds delightful, by the way."
"Thank you," he said slowly, still looking faintly wary. "I asked her to come with me - but she wouldn't have been happy here."
"No, perhaps not." Alys was well aware of the constraints New Kryptonian society placed on women. She had grown up with them, and had managed to transcend the traditional female role in certain ways, but she could see that they would be difficult for a woman like Lois to accept. "It's a shame you couldn't have gone with her," she offered. Long-held memories stirred. "Perhaps that could have been your destiny if we hadn't interfered."
Now he looked confused. "What?"
"I always meant to tell you someday. I suppose now is the best opportunity I'll get." Alys sighed, gathering her thoughts. It had been so long ago, and they had thought it was for the best. "Before old Krypton exploded, Lord Mak-Ra was in charge of the evacuation effort. Half of the population refused to believe that there was any emergency, you know. It was very frustrating to him that he was unable to persuade them, though honestly it was just as well; we ended up having to refuse a few people, because there simply weren't enough ships. But when your father refused to send you, Mak-Ra was livid."
Kal's eyes widened. "My father ... refused to send me?"
"Oh, he didn't plan to let you die, dearest," Alys reassured him. "Jor-El disliked the colonization scheme, but he had a plan of his own. He and your mother were building a tiny spacecraft - it took all the diridium they could find to make one large enough to fit you. Lara told me they'd found a world where you would fit in physically ... a world, she said, where children were encouraged to love one another and have choices, instead of being stuck in - well, Krypton society. Did you know that your father defied convention to marry your mother? They said they had a shey-ana bond. I wouldn't know about that, but it did cause an awful fuss."
Kal looked as if he were in shock. "Jor-El meant to send me to ... Earth? Perhaps that's why..." His voice trailed off.
"Well, I don't know where they planned to send you, only what your mother told me. But Mak-Ra was bound and determined that you would come with him, both to represent your house and to fulfill your birth-marriage. He actually ended up, well," Alys paused guiltily before confessing, "kidnapping you - your nurse smuggled you out when your parents thought you were sleeping. He meant to bring them along, too, honestly he did, but the tremors got worse faster than expected, and it was a great rush to get any of us off-planet in time..." Alys faltered to a stop, worried about how the boy was taking this. She supposed it was rather a shock to him, but she felt obscurely that he needed to know.
He shook himself slightly, focusing on her face once more. "Thank you for telling me."
"I don't suppose it makes much difference at this point," she said nervously. Had she inadvertently destroyed his childhood memories? Mak-Ra had always treated Kal-El like a son, and from what she could see it had been a good relationship. She would hate to think she'd turned Kal against his father figure.
"I suppose not ... but in a way, it does." A smile spread across his face, lighting up his features. "Thank you, Aunt Alys, that is a gift."
"You're quite welcome, my dear." Alys beamed at him. "I do sometimes wonder what might have happened if Mak-Ra hadn't interfered ... but of course we'll never know, will we?"
"So then I signed the paperwork and slunk out of there with my tail between my legs," Lois concluded gloomily. She was hunched down on her sofa with a bowl of chocolate ice cream - she'd rather have skipped the bowl and attacked the carton directly, but not when she had guests.
"Oh honey," Francine chuckled, "if that's the worst you've ever been fired, you should count your blessings."
"Tell it, sister," Brenda agreed, far too cheerfully for Lois's mood. "They were screaming insults at me, last place I got fired from - of course, that might have been because I told the entire bar they were watering the drinks. I barely got out of there in one piece, lemme tell ya."
Francine nodded wisely. "And it's not much better when the manager kicks you out just so his new girlfriend can have the spot."
"Seriously, Lois," Brenda said, "you didn't do so bad. Actually, I think this Colonel guy had a good idea - you could be a great investigator; you know, fight for truth and justice, that sort of thing."
Lois groaned. "I knew it was a bad idea to lend you my comics." Nonetheless, she was starting to feel a little better.
"We could help," Francine offered. "Between Brenda and me, you've got connections to most of the shady side of Metropolis."
Lois felt herself smiling. "You mean, I know guys who know guys?"
Brenda laughed. "As Big Louie might say - do you know him?"
"I am forced to admit," Lois said with a theatrical sigh, "that I do - I played tennis with his daughter in college."
"Well, see? There you go."
"Okay, maybe - I mean, I'm interested." Plans were starting to bubble up from her subconscious, hampered only by one small difficulty. "But starting my own business would be expensive, to say the least. I've got some savings, but still..."
Francine looked at Brenda. "Should we tell her?"
Brenda returned the look, then glanced at Lois. "Yeah, we probably should. Considering."
Lois looked at them both. "When you're ready to Tell All, just let me know."
"Well, see, it's like this," Brenda began. "The other night ... when we left the ship..."
Lois winced at the unexpected reminder, then took another bite of ice cream. "Go on."
"Kal was worried about us," Francine explained. "He knew that we'd pretty much lost our jobs because of the whole thing, and, well, anyway, he gave us something."
"Yeah, I vaguely remember." She hadn't paid much attention to anything at the time. "What did he give you?"
"Money," Brenda replied bluntly. "Well, not American dollars, but in these Kryptonian crystals. He said they were pretty common on his world - but here they're called rubies and diamonds."
Lois let the spoon drop back into the bowl. "Are you saying-?"
"It's not a huge fortune, but it's a decent amount. Brenda and I are planning to open our own small theater - she can be our choreographer, and I'll manage the office. We both know lots of girls who'd drop their current jobs in a red-hot minute. We talked to a business guy that Brenda knows, and we have enough for a down payment on a building and to cover our start-up costs. But there's enough to get you set up, too."
Lois just stared at them both, her mind trying to calculate this unexpected good fortune. It almost seemed like cheating, though she couldn't work out who might be harmed by it. Francine and Brenda might fail in their joint venture, and she might be a flop as a PI, too ... but at least they'd have a chance at success. Not bad for a sexist creep. She smiled.
It wasn't what she really wanted most, of course. But while she waited for Kal to return, it would do.
Kal spent the next day in court, listening with one ear while others gave their testimonies. In the few moments that he wasn't thinking about Lois, he marveled at what Aunt Alys had told him. In spite of all his preparations, he had still felt obscurely guilty for trying to escape his destiny. Learning that his parents had never planned for him to be trapped here had given him such a sense of peace that he had slept well for the first time in days. If his plan succeeded, he'd still have some details to work out, but he could leave New Krypton without any regrets.
A portentous silence caught Kal's attention, and he looked up.
"My Lord of the Court, Lord Kal-El, Lady Zara, and guests, we the Council of New Krypton have reached a unanimous verdict." Lord Vor-Van, one of the Council's unofficial spokesmen, read carefully from a prepared script. "Lord Nor, you stand accused of kidnapping, sedition, and attempted murder. We find you guilty on all counts."
Kal sighed in relief. He had expected this - the testimony had been overwhelming - but one never knew what the Council might do. Lord Nor looked enraged, but before he could launch into a full-fledged rant, the guardsmen hauled him out of the courtroom.
As the excited murmur from the crowd of spectators began to die down, Kal took a deep breath and stood.
"If it please the Court and the Council," Kal began, choosing his words carefully. "As the Lady Zara's nearest male relative, I claim the victim's right to recommend punishment."
The Council members exchanged glances, then nodded their approval.
"Thank you, my Lords." Kal stepped forward from the witness bench to the speaker's box, willing his legs to remain steady. "My Lords, it is my assertion that the Lord Nor has, by his conduct, revealed himself unworthy of the title of Lord of New Krypton. We hold ourselves to high standards of honor which he has disgraced." Of course, he was scarcely the only one, but so far, honor was given at least lip service by the majority, so Kal felt fairly confident of his argument. He wasn't breaking any precedents here at any rate. "I recommend, therefore, that he be stripped of his title and rights as a noble."
That caused a stir around the courtroom. Lord Gor-Ma, an ambitious member of the younger generation, leaned forward. "And what should we do with his estates?"
Kal frowned, as if the question had not occurred to him. "That is a concern," he acknowledged, and let the Council think about it for a moment before he began enumerating the hazards. "Splitting it up would be difficult, and Lord Nor unfortunately is the last of his household. Giving all of it to any one Lord, however, would upset our delicate balance of power."
The Council mulled that for a moment, shooting suspicious glances between them - while all of them would no doubt like to increase their holdings, none of them were bold enough to say aloud that they wanted to risk instability. When Kal judged that they were becoming paranoid enough to accept a suggestion, he spoke again.
"Here's a thought, my Lords. I suggest we appoint a new Lord to take over the House of Nor. Such a man would keep the current House in one piece, which would both maintain our current system and take responsibility for all the House's dependents. He must be someone honorable and true, someone who will additionally have the responsibility of keeping the former Lord Nor from causing any further trouble. And to maintain the current balance of power, I propose that this person be someone *not* related by blood to any of the other noble houses."
There were a few gasps at that last statement as people worked out that Kal meant to elevate a commoner to the status of a noble. He pressed on quickly. "I recommend Lieutenant Ching."
Kal glanced briefly at Ching, still seated on the witness bench. He was looking as impassive as he ever had, which suggested to Kal that he was struggling to control equal amounts of hope and fear. Kal wished he could risk a reassuring wink. Neither of the men dared look at Lady Zara.
Lord Gor-Ma spoke again doubtfully. "Lieutenant Ching is no doubt a fine man-"
Kal interrupted without compunction. "A fine man, indeed - a hero, in fact. I could not have defeated Nor without him. I would be honored to call him my brother. He has demonstrated loyal service to the people of New Krypton, and I have every confidence in his ability to continue doing so. After all, my Lords," he bowed slightly, "he will have your excellent counsel should he require it."
A few eyebrows raised at that, and Kal didn't need telepathy to see which Lords were contemplating the possibility of making Ching their puppet, and of effectively increasing their own power.
The elderly Lord Vor-Van asked, "Lieutenant Ching, what have you to say about this?"
Ching stood, keeping his eyes respectfully lowered. "I have always sought to serve my people, my Lord. If given this duty, I would execute it to the best of my humble ability. I thank the Lord Kal-El for honoring me by the suggestion."
"That, then, is my recommendation for punishing Lord Nor," Kal stated smoothly, pulling the Council's attention away from Ching. "Strip him of his rank, and appoint Lieutenant Ching to serve in his place - in fact, to further illustrate our displeasure with Nor's dishonorable conduct, we should rename the House. Lord Ching, then, will have the responsibility to feed, clothe and control the former Lord Nor, just as he would have the responsibility for all other servants and dependents of the new House of Ching. Lord Ching will take his place as one of the Council, he will administer the estates of the House of Ching, and he will undertake all other duties of the noble houses of New Krypton." Kal paused. "He would even be an eligible suitor for Lady Zara's hand," he added, in a joking tone.
The council members chuckled on cue; it was common knowledge that Zara planned to formalize her birth marriage, so they failed to see Ching as a threat in that area. As the council members conferred, Kal-El hid a smile and carefully avoided meeting either Ching or Zara's eyes. As he glanced through the crowd of observers, however, he caught sight of his Aunt Alys. She was smiling warmly at him, a twinkle in her eye.
"Are we agreed, my Lords?" Kal asked formally, his heart beating fast. It was possible for the Council to overrule him on this, but he hoped that he had maneuvered them into accepting. Given their reflexive under-estimation of the lower classes, they would very likely fail to see the threat that Ching posed to their system.
Lord Vor-Van looked up from the hushed conference. "We find your suggestion acceptable, Lord Kal-El. It will be as you say."
Fierce joy shot through Kal, which he struggled to contain. It would not do to show his elation. As he left the speaker's box, he caught a glimpse of Zara. She had her head up, and her face was as regal as he'd ever seen it ... but he thought he spied a shimmer of tears in her eyes. When he sat down beside her, her hand reached out for his. "Thank you," she whispered in a soft, choked voice.
Considering that Kal had just effectively given up a chance to rule an entire planet, he felt surprisingly good about himself.
Lois looked around the hotel room and sighed. Booking herself into a hotel for a relaxing weekend had seemed like a good idea, and Brenda and Francine had enthusiastically agreed, even if the only room available was the wildly inappropriate honeymoon suite. Of course, they both thought she was working too hard - but getting a new business up and running took a lot of effort. She was not burying herself in work in order to forget Kal.
She was just *busy*, that was all. Apart from getting all the necessary permits and licenses, setting up a rudimentary office, and digging up all the information on Lex Luthor she could find, she still needed to actually investigate things, and hopefully, get paid. More than once, she had thought wistfully of her comics counterpart, who had a support staff and a regular paycheck ... but she was doing okay so far, with a string of small but satisfying cases. Francine and Brenda had helped her locate a runaway teen before the girl had had time to get into real trouble, and had convinced the girl that starting a show business career was a little more complicated than she'd thought. And Lois felt she was slowly gaining a rapport with some of the local cops - in some ways, they were very similar to the military men she'd served with, and the same techniques seemed to work. She hadn't had any major cases yet, but she was confident that her time would come.
No, regardless of what her friends might think, she wasn't using work to avoid her personal life. Lois smiled wryly at herself. She had an entirely different coping strategy, but maybe it was time to give it up - she really should admit to herself that Kal wasn't coming back. To keep herself from falling apart, she had indulged herself in the fantasy that someday, she'd turn around and see him, or there would be a knock on the door, and he'd be standing there with flowers, or ...
The shrill ring of the phone interrupted her fantasy and set her adrenaline pumping. She grabbed for it, hoping against hope... "Hello?"
"Hey, girlfriend, you relaxed yet?"
Lois sagged back against the bed. "Yeah, Brenda, I'm relaxing," she lied. "What's up?"
"Box office receipts, I hope. But what I called you about is, the client who was coming to see you tomorrow morning just called to say she can't make it after all. So feel free to sleep in."
Lois smiled, her pulse returning to normal. "Like that ever happens, but thanks."
"No problem," Brenda assured her cheerfully. "Just wanted to make sure you took advantage of the whole relaxation concept while you can."
Lois managed a laugh. "Trust me, I will. After these last few weeks, my feet appreciate the break."
"Okay, then - have a great weekend!"
"Thanks, you too."
Lois replaced the handset and smoothed the front of her robe. She couldn't believe a ringing phone had startled her so much. Honestly, she had to give up this fantasy of Kal coming back. He had duties on New Krypton that were going to take years, decades, maybe even a lifetime to attend to, and she had no right to expect otherwise. He had to marry Zara for political reasons, and she was okay with that. She just wished she'd remembered to tell him not to sleep with her. Not that he would of course, but - she needed to distract herself. Maybe she should see what was on television.
A few minutes later, she clicked the set off in disgust. Nothing but romances and couples, and ... well, okay, it *was* the honeymoon suite, but there was no rule that said a person couldn't stay here by herself. Where was a good action/adventure movie when she needed one?
She got up and paced out of the oversized bedroom, moving into the adjoining room. Ah, a huge bathtub, just what she needed to really relax. She didn't know why they'd placed it next to the large plate-glass window, but it wouldn't be dark for at least another hour, which meant no one would be able to see in. She twisted the knobs to produce steaming hot water and added the complimentary scented bubble bath, which foamed up nicely.
She was just about ready to peel off her robe and slip into the bath when she heard a soft knock at the door. She told herself to ignore it - this was her private time, and she distinctly remembered putting out the "do no disturb" sign - but somehow she couldn't, probably due to a lifetime of conditioning in polite behavior. Annoyed at herself for being such a slave to custom, she straightened her robe, and decided that if some maid had chosen this moment to bring extra towels or something, she would certainly be made to regret it.
"Yeah, what is it?" she asked ungraciously, yanking the door open only as far as the safety chain would allow.
"Lois?"
Lois could only stare in disbelief. It looked like Kal, and sounded like Kal, but he was light years away, so this couldn't possibly *be* Kal...
He smiled uncertainly. "Brenda told me you were here ... Lois, may we talk?"
"Um, talk, right," she replied, still feeling dazed, and it took her a moment to realize why the door refused to open any further. "Gimme a sec," she smiled brightly at the man in the hallway, then slammed the door shut and opened the safety chain. She stared at the door, terrified to open it again and be disappointed. She closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her courage. Just as she heard his voice softly asking, "Lois?" she felt the lightest inquisitive touch of his mind, and finally allowed herself to believe that this wasn't a dream.
She flung the door open, and launched herself into his arms. He staggered a bit under the unexpected weight, then swung an arm under her knees to pick her up and carry her back into the suite, kicking the door closed behind him.
At first all she could do was cling to him, running hands across his shoulders just to feel their warm reality. She pulled her head back far enough to study the beloved features that she thought she'd never see again. He glanced around the room, then carried her over to the sofa, settling her on his lap.
"Kal ... I can't believe you're here!" Becoming a little self-conscious, she scooted off his lap, sitting next to him instead.
"I know -"
"What happened on New Krypton? What's going on with Zara?" A hideous thought struck her. "How long can you stay? Kal, I need to know everything!"
He regarded her uncertainly for a moment. "I really only need to know one thing. Lois ... do you still love me?"
"Well, of course I do!" she snapped, indignant that he'd even dared to ask the question. "Why on earth or any other planet would you think-" She stopped as she saw his gaze drop significantly to the distance she'd created between them. "Okay, so I slammed the door in your face..."
He grinned, his usual self-confidence evidently returning. "Just checking," he said softly before leaning over to kiss her.
It was a long time before they recovered enough to have any sort of rational conversation. They had ended up sprawled across the sofa, and Kal was thoroughly enjoying the feel of her lying on top of him. Just when he'd decided he could stay that way forever, she stirred, propping her head up on one hand. "So you're staying here permanently, right?" she asked in a light tone that didn't quite cover the anxiety underneath.
"For as long as you can stand me," he affirmed.
Lois smiled brilliantly. "I think that'll be a long time."
"Thank goodness for that," Kal said absently, focused on her inviting lips. He leaned up to kiss her, lightly nibbling on her lips before gently pulling her head down. She moaned her approval, withholding nothing, but then abruptly pulled back.
"No more of that, I want information now," she told him sternly, her breath still coming quickly. To emphasize her determination, she pulled up off him to sit on the sofa, decorously adjusting her robe along the way. "Spill it."
Giving in to the inevitable, Kal sat up and began recounting his brief trip back to New Krypton. He loved watching her expressions as he told her about his speech to the Council, and by the time he finished, she was chortling.
"Oh, that's hilarious. They are going to have such a fit when Zara marries him."
Kal shrugged. "Maybe they will in private ... but Zara can handle it. It took me a few weeks to wrap up everything else, unfortunately - I pretty much gave my estate to Zara, such as it was, but the paperwork was incredible. And we all decided I should stay long enough to see Zara and Ching become formally engaged so I could give them my official support ... but as soon as I could, I came here. I landed early this morning and spent all day wandering around trying to find you. I'd still be looking if I hadn't heard a rumor about Brenda opening her own theater. She told me where to find you - and here I am."
"Right where you ought to be." Lois relaxed again. "So you really don't have anything more to take care of on New Krypton?"
"Not a thing. I am all yours."
She smiled smugly. "I like the sound of that." She leaned towards him for a short kiss, then pulled back with a mischievous grin. "And don't think I won't put you to work. I've opened up my own investigations agency, and I could use a partner."
Kal nodded. When he'd finally found Brenda, she'd mentioned something about Lois's career change, but he'd been far more interested in finding her current location. It suited her, though, and he thought he might enjoy it, too. Then again, he'd probably find coal mining entertaining if Lois were happy at it. "Yes, I heard - it could be interesting ... although I was thinking ... Lois, what do you know about Superman?"
"Superman?" She looked at him sideways for a moment. "Actually, I have the novel with me." At his bemused glance, she added, "What? It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend, and I brought a couple of books to read. So sue me." After rummaging in a dufflebag, she tossed a hardcover book at him.
Kal caught it. It didn't seem remarkable, just a blue cloth cover with "Lois and Clark: The Adventures of Superman" embossed on the spine in gold. He flipped through the novel, noting in passing that even one day under Earth's sun had recharged him enough to that he could read it cover to cover in seconds. "Hmm. Nice story."
Lois gaped at him. "I gotta get used to that."
He grinned. "I ran out of power back on New Krypton, but it looks like I'm recovering quickly." The time spent searching today hadn't been totally wasted, if it had recharged him somewhat. "So what's with this author's note?" He opened the book to the first few pages.
Lois frowned. "Um, I haven't read that in a long time. Honestly, it didn't seem to make much sense."
"Well, the writing style's pretty florid, but this guy, what's his name, Wells? He says he's traveled the universes, and that since this one had no Superman, he at least wanted to make sure the idea was planted."
"I think the guy was getting a little bit nuts in his old age," Lois confided. "The novel wasn't found until after his death, and none of his friends or acquaintances even knew he'd been working on it. So who knows what he was thinking."
"I guess we'll never know," Kal agreed, remembering the story his Aunt Alys had told him. Lois Lane existed in this universe, but a baby had never been found by a Kansas farm couple - because the baby had gone to New Krypton instead? A shiver went through him, but then he resolutely dismissed it. "There's no way he could have known anything about me."
"You?"
Kal realized he'd spoken that last thought aloud. "Um, yeah ... Lois, what do you think about me, well, becoming Superman?"
She looked at him for a long moment, before smiling broadly. "I think it's a great idea." Her eyes wandered over his body for a moment. "You are gonna look *good* in spandex."
"I'll bet it's been a fantasy of yours for a long time," Kal teased her, getting more comfortable with the idea of bringing any and all of Lois's fantasies to life.
She sat down next to him, bumping his shoulder with hers. "Yeah, I guess ... but what I really wanted was my very own Clark Kent." She looked up at him under her lashes, raising her face for a kiss, which he gladly gave. "Or Kal Lewis, as the case may be," she continued after the kiss. "Calling you 'Clark Kent' would just be asking for trouble."
Lois jumped up off the couch again, pacing the room with enthusiasm. "We'll probably need some kind of ski suit, and extra material for the cape - I'm not very good at sewing, but Francine used to make costumes, maybe she could help us out - if you didn't mind her knowing about you, that is, although frankly I think she'll figure it out pretty quickly anyway."
Kal considered that. "I think we can trust her, don't you?"
"Yeah, her and Brenda both - they've been really good friends to me. So that's the costume taken care of," she continued briskly. "We'll need to decide what to tell the press about you, like whether-" She stopped in the middle of a sentence, staring out the window. "Congressman Harrington?"
Kal turned around, trying to figure out what she was talking about, as she dove for her bag and pulled out a set of mini binoculars. As she focused them, he found what she was looking at - an apparently clandestine meeting in the skyscraper next door.
"I can't see what any of those papers say," she muttered, then said more loudly, "X-ray those for me, could ya?"
Kal regarded her for a second. In the middle of an important conversation, she had dropped him from her attention, except to order him around. Was this what his life was going to be like?
She turned around for a moment. "Kal, sweetie? Could you help me out here?"
Kal had to grin, and obediently began to focus on the documents in the other building. Life with Lois would obviously never be dull, but then fighting for 'truth, justice, and the American way' wasn't supposed to be easy. He would have a worthy cause, a wonderful partner, and - finally - a true home. Kal-El of New Krypton had found his destiny.
THE END