Knight of Wonder

Act II

Scene 1: Star Wars

The color on the TV screen in the waiting room was slightly off. Colors blared in and out in neat ascending lines, and the broadcast showing the two old men on a stage appeared as grainy and faded as the days which they were recalling. They both spoke in high minded ways about hypothetical situations that they both liked to imagine happening but in reality, likely never would.

Clark looked on disinterestedly as the scene on the television played out in front of him. Next to the television, there was a small desk at which sat a young male staff member, puffing away on a cigarette as he violently leafed through pages of a newspaper every thirty seconds or so. The headline read "Sudden Afghan Earthquake Forces Soviet Withdrawal."

Clark returned his gaze to the television as one of the old men on the stage looked defiant as he said, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." Clark raised an eyebrow at this while the staff member made a disgusted noise from behind his newspaper. The scene of the stage on the television was soon replaced with the picture of an attractive blonde commentating about that last remark in front of the large red letters of her news station.

After this, Clark found himself struggling to stay awake as his eyes started rolling around in his head. Just as he was about to unwittingly lose the struggle for lucidity, the door to the waiting room swung open forcefully. A neatly dressed man with slicked back hair and narrow facial features stepped through and fixed his eyes on Clark.

"Mr. Kent," the man said by way of snapping Clark more thoroughly out of his exhausted haze. "The President will see you now."

Clark nodded lazily as he stood up out of the chair he had been heavily slouched in. He reached down to straighten out the imperfections in his blazer and brushed a rebellious strand of hair back into place before approaching the doorway and the patiently waiting attendant. It was a quick walk down a hallway and soon Clark was being ushered into the Oval Office.

It was a sunny autumn day and the leaves on the trees of the grounds outside the windows were starting to turn to picturesque hues of orange and yellow. Seated at the Resolute Desk, his chair facing the scene of nature outside was the President who, upon hearing the commotion caused by Clark's entry to this inner sanctum, spun his chair around. He stood up as Clark approached and met his longtime collaborator with a warm, wrinkly smile and an outstretched, veiny hand. Clark met the handshake and was pleased to find the President's grip to still be as strong as ever.

"Clark, my boy, good to see you! Doing okay after your trip I trust?" the President greeted enthusiastically.

Clark smiled weakly as he answered, "To be honest sir, I'm afraid I'm still suffering from a bit of jetlag."

The President's expression grew muted at this statement and Clark returned the look with a small sense of unease. Suddenly both men burst out laughing and the President gestured to a multicolored glass jar on his desk, "Jellybean?" he phrased as a question.

Clark waved a hand dismissively as the President reached into the jar before looking up apologetically. He pointed to himself and asked in earnest, "You don't mind if I do, do you?"

"The way I see it, sir, they're your jellybeans," Clark pointed out.

"They're the people's jellybeans," The President half-jokingly corrected before popping a few of the brightly colored candies.

Clark sniffed at this to demonstrate his detection of humor. He gestured to the ornately carved chair next to himself and asked the President, "Well I hope you don't mind if I take a seat in the people's chair…"

The President smiled and answered, "Of course not! How careless of me."

"Think nothing of it," Clark soothed as he assumed the chair that sat directly across the desk from the President. While he easily forgave the President his omission of decorum, Clark couldn't help shaking the feeling in his inner most thoughts that the President had faded much more than the images of the other old men back on the waiting room television. Was this a simple lack of observance or yet another manifestation of the impending senility that was increasingly beginning to grip the President's mind? Clark couldn't convince himself either way.

The President resumed his chair as he said, "I suppose you know the reason why I've called you in here today."

Clark nodded in response and the President said on, "Son, you did a great job in Afghanistan. You stayed completely off the radar and the Russians were none the wiser to your presence there. I have assurances from my friends in the CIA that you've probably sped up the pace of the withdrawal by more than half. America owes you a debt that it can probably never repay."

Clark had to resist the urge to make a quip about the President's debt remark. After all, this man had been elected on the promise of reducing government debt, but a lot of dealing with politicians was knowing when to tactfully keep your mouth shut and when to make a clever joke. Clark had learned this the hard way in his years as the principal world nuclear deterrent.

"Unfortunately I have some bad news for you Clark," the President revealed as his tone grew suddenly very sober. The leader folded his hands over his desk and his eyes flitted between direct eye contact and the row of expensive looking fountain pens arranged neatly on his desk.

"What's wrong sir?" Clark asked in earnest.

The President let out a long sigh before sitting back in his chair. He rolled one of the fountain pens back and forth as he profiled himself and crossed his legs. "As you know, we're always in continuing negotiations with the Russians, and the new Premier is a good guy. A real reformer type. He's been very cooperative with us so far and I personally really appreciate that."

Clark scratched at his close cropped beard as he contemplated what the President was getting at. This made Clark realize that he hadn't shaved in a little while and that he probably should have considered it before going to meet the leader of the free world. Unfortunately the speed of his return from central Asia left no time for such mundane hygienic practices. "I'm afraid I don't follow," Clark spoke up. "Does this have something to do with Afghanistan?"

The President shook his head. "No I'm afraid not," he lamented. "Actually… it has more to do with you."

Clark raised his eyebrows in an expression of genuine surprise. "Me, sir? I thought you said that the extent of my services with the Defense Department were a well-guarded secret."

The President lifted his hand from the pen and waved for calm. "And it is, it is. I should be more clear. This has to do with you and your Super Friends more specifically."

"You mean the Justice League?" Clark clarified. "We pledge ourselves to defend humanity. We don't owe allegiance to any particular country."

The President held a hand to his chest and said apologetically, "I know, son, and if it were up to me, that would be enough. Unfortunately it's not." Upon seeing the confused look that Clark was giving him, the President continued. "Okay, so let's cut to the chase. Do you remember Star Wars?"

Clark frowned. "Somehow I get the feeling you're not referring to The Return of the Jedi."

"I wish I was," the President replied amused. "No, I'm talking about the Strategic Defense Initiative. You know, the one that Congress killed and your friend Mr. Wayne personally resurrected."

Clark was finally starting to put the pieces together. "The Russian Premier wants to know about the Watchtower? It was my understanding that we had settled this issue four years ago. The Watchtower's offensive capabilities are directed into space, against external threats. The only thing we do with regard to Earth itself is monitor it for major crimes, natural disasters, that sort of thing. The United Nations passed a resolution expressing its trust in the Justice League with regard to doing so with humanity's best interest in mind."

"Fine, fine," the President consented, "But I'm afraid the Premier doesn't want to know about the Watchtower. He wants it dismantled."

Clark could feel himself tense at this revelation. "Why would he want such a thing? Have you not been telling him what I just said."

"Yes of course," the President replied in that slippery way that seemed to hint that he hadn't. "There's just the sad coincidence that the Watchtower was originally conceived as a nuclear deterrent, and the Russians have never been able to see past that."

"You no longer needed a nuclear deterrent when you discovered me," Clark pointed out.

"Right you are," the President agreed, "And we're grateful, as I said, but that certainly won't change the Premier's mind. The simple fact is that the program was designed against his nation, and later funded with money from an American billionaire. Now, however noble the intentions of you, Bruce Wayne or any of your other friends, the Premier wants the Watchtower dismantled as a precondition to any unilateral nuclear disarmament. You do this for us and you'll make the world a safer place."

With all the Watchtower had allowed the league to do over the years, Clark somehow found that last remark a bit difficult to believe. Still, the prospect of a nuclear free world had been an ideal that Clark had fought for ever since he left Smallville. So he shifted his weight in a manifestation of his uncertainty and said, "Well, I can't personally promise to dismantle the Watchtower… but I suppose I can bring it up before a full session of the Justice League and see what they think."

"Excellent!" the President exclaimed. "You be sure and let your friends know what's at stake here now," he commanded.

"I will, Mr. President. Don't worry," said Clark.

"Great," the President smiled. "Well now that that's out of the way, have I ever told you of the time back when I was lifeguarding at…"

"Uh, Mr. President," a secret serviceman interrupted as he furtively leaned out from behind the Oval Office door.

The President cut himself off with a start before looking over at the secret serviceman and saying, "My goodness boy, you scared the living daylights out of me."

"Sorry sir," the boy said, looking tense. "Sir, I've been sent to tell you that they are ready for you in the situation room."

"Oh yes, I had quite forgotten. Uh, tell them I'll be there in a minute. I just need to finish up with my friend Clark."

The secret serviceman nodded and shut the door while the President looked sheepishly at Clark and said, "Well, 'they' need me in the situation room so…"

Clark smiled and said, "I understand completely."