Jonathan was so shocked, that everything he was able to do was scream while a strong beam of energy pressed his body against a rock and prevent him from standing up.
"JONATHAN!" Tal yelled in fear for his life. "FATHER, WHY DO YOU DO THAT?"
"How could you bring this child in here… He is a member of the house of El!" Zeta ranted.
"What this is impossible! He is related to us!" Tal begged.
Jonathan tried to say something, but his voice was gone. No matter how much he tried to, nothing was coming out of his mouth. Instead he just felt the intense beam of energy pressing him against the rocks.
"Tal, this boy is in his genetic code, a member of the house of El!" Zeta-Rho said full of anger. "The house of El did everything to impede the plan to conquer other worlds. They wanted to use the Eradicator only for the conservation of consciousnesses. As if it is not worse enough that Kal-El survived. All my hopes that the house of El got wiped out completely out of existence were ruined. And now you bring me this hybrid! Only members of the house of El dare to soil thousands of years of genetic-tradition by pairing with other species!"
"House of El?" Jonathan was suddenly able to talk again. "I thought I am a member of the house of Rho? Uncle Tal, what is this meaning?"
"Uncle Tal?" Zeta said angrily. "You allowed this brat to pretend to be a member of our house?!"
"There was evidence that he is really our relative! I hoped that someone else survived!"
"You failure!" Zeta ranted before a strong beam of energy hit Tal and threw him on the ground, too. Jonathan was shocked. Obviously, the holograph used the energy to beat Tal. "The only good thing is that I have at least now two members of the house of El to see how we use the Eradicator to erase humanity. And then the council of defense will rule this world."
Jonathan was able to stand up and start to run. He had to get the Eradicator and stop it. It was standing right behind Zeta on some kind of podium. He didn't know why he did it. But his instincts told him to stop this horrific plan. Knowing now it was up to him to safe the world.
Jonathan was able to touch it and suddenly heard voices…
"Become the Eradicator… become the Eradicator… become the Eradicator…" multiple desperate voices jelled.
It was like Jonathan fell into an ocean of multiple people's minds. All trapped… he could feel despair, hate, eagerness… As if hundreds of people were trapped on a place they don't want to be and eagerly waited to get free…
It felt like being thrown into a tidal wave of memories… seeing people waiting in a line to upload themselves in the Eradicator. To get reborn on a planet they can rule. And he saw Zeta. A living Zeta! Standing on a podium and giving a speech about taking over other worlds and fulfilling Krypton's destiny to rule the galaxy.
Jonathan wanted to yell, but his voice failed. Instead he saw everyone's eyes focused on him.
"THE HOUSE OF EL NEEDS TO GET WIPED OUT!" the living Zeta yelled.
Jonathan could see it and feel it. He saw the truth! The truth about Zeta! And the real reason why he sent Tal to Earth…
But before Jonathan could react, he felt something like a fist punching into his face and smashing on the ground.
"You brat stay here!" Zeta yelled and used the fortress' traps to grab him and pull him back. Away from the Eradicator and it's memories to prevent Jonathan from breaking anything and to see more than he and even Tal shouldn't know.
Jonathan was pulled from his feet and slipped over the ground again. But this time he managed to grab a little rock and hold, throwing it against Zeta. But the stone just flew through his holograph like nothing.
"Do you really think you can stop the rise of the Kryptonian race. YOU?! The pathetic attempt to repopulate with a primitive race!"
"The humans are not primitive!" Jon yelled desperately. "They are different and have their problems. But they are versatile and tolerant. Able to develop! Why do you want to destroy them?"
"Because it is the destiny of the Kryptonians to rule the entire universe!" Zeta yelled while he used the energy to pin Jonathan on the ground again. "And you will not endanger the plans you little offspring of El!"
Zeta went closer and Jonathan could feel a weird energy covering his body. He got scanned…
"You are not Kal-El! For that you are too young! This genetic structure is interesting… But you are… a relative… you… YOU… DID YOU GOT SENT TO STOP US?"
"Please, I don't know anything! I had no clue that I am Kryptonian at all! I just wanted answers! But you can't take over the world!"
"Don't tell me what to do, you El-shame!" Zeta yelled.
Jonathan could feel that he was torn away and was thrown into a corner again before a bright forcefield surrounded him. Obviously trapping him in this position. Then Zeta turned to Tal.
"You have endangered the mission by bonding with this El-offspring! Did you even make any progress since our last meeting. Or did you waste your time with this hybrid that does not even have powers?"
"Father, I found him in a lab! In the same kind of lab, I was trapped in for years. They knew he is related… and a member of the house of El… Father is he…?"
"SILENCE!" Zeta yelled before Tal could ask if Jonathan is really Kal-El's son and was thrown into the forcefield, too. "We talk about your punishment later! First, I need to see what damage you brought over the plan."
Zeta turned around and looked after the Eradicator to see if Jonathan broke anything. Tal looked over to Jonathan who was sitting on the ground. Tears running down his face and full of despair of what just happened and what he had to learn.
"Jonathan, I am sor…"
"You lied to me! You never told me that you were sent to conquer this world! Is anything you told me even real?"
"It is! I swear that…"
"SUPERMAN DOESN'T TRY TO CONQUER THE WORLD! WHY DIDN'T YOU LISTEN TO HIM? JUST BECAUSE HE IS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF EL?"
"No, please listen… I… I just didn't know how to explain you!" Tal said.
"What! Explain me!"
Tal was impressed by Jonathan's willpower. Wondering where he got that from! He remembered an annoying reporter from the Daily Planet who yelled the same way when she tried to blame him for business-frauds. The infamous Lois Lane, who used to interview his brother. He watched the interview at least a thousand times, asking himself ever and ever again if he should risk it and contact him.
Jonathan looked on Tal with the same answer demanding expression, Lois Lane once stormed into his office in Metropolis to confront him with the bad working conditions he mines where he hoped to find X-K. Tal remained cool back then but was secretly very impressed about Ms. Lane's willpower. Back then he was able to withstand Lois' demands. But Jonathan seemed to be another level. Not to forget that Tal developed fatherly feelings for this boy.
Jonathan is a relative! No matter which houses he belongs… but the house of El?! Is it possible? Is Jonathan really Kal-El's son? Did his brother really give his own son away? Were Jonathan's adoptive parents aware and did they just didn't tell Jonathan because they expect him to be powerless forever? But why they never warned Jonathan to avoid DNA tests? And why, out of all people, Kal-El should abandon his own child?
"TELL ME!" Jonathan was close from bursting out in tears.
"I am so sorry…"
And so, Tal start to tell Jonathan the full truth…
About the Eradicator, that was developed by his mother. How his mother left to marry Kal-El's father and abandoned him. How he was sent to Earth to prepare everything for the invasion. The Eradicator, his company, his search for X-K and the plan itself: To plant souls of deceased Kryptonians into matching human bodies, give those human shells X-K to give them powers and take over the world. Replacing entire human-society with the Kryptonian. And when Earth is done… continue with other planets.
"No!" Jonathan cried at that thought. "No! Why? Earth hasn't done anything that justifies that! Just because we had been locked up doesn't mean that everyone is so bad… What about all those people who love Superman! Or my parents? Or my friends… Everyone I like is here! YOU CAN'T KILL THEM!"
"I HAVE NO CHOISE!" now it was Tal who cried.
And so, Tal start to explain him his own experience… on Krypton, the fact that he never got to meet his own mother. How he was hunted, locked up, and experimented on, too after his arrival on Earth. And that even longer than Jonathan.
"YOU HAVE A CHOISE!"
"I… I… I ALWAYS WANTED A FAMILY!"
"YOU HAVE ONE!" Jonathan cried. "PLEASE… THIS PLANET… IS MY HOME! I am sorry what happened to you, it happened to me too, or that your father is a tyrannic asshole, but you have a chance to make it better! You have a life! You have success! You can make it better! Who are you? Are you Tal-Rho? Or are you just Zeta-Rho's mindless henchmen?"
Tal looked into Jonathan's tear-filled eyes and was doubting again…
"This planet… is my home! I saw it… I saw it when I touched the Eradicator!" Jonathan's voice was suddenly much lower. "I saw how he used the device… These people in there don't want to resurrect Krypton! They only want to rule the world!"
"Krypton is our home!"
"Home can be everywhere!" Jonathan cried. "This planet is the only home I know! It can be your home, too! I mean… Did you only become Morgan Edge to do what he wants?"
"No! I became Morgan Edge to blend in! To be one of the crowds… to be… to be… To be free! To live! To be… home… Home… Awww… FATHER!" Zeta turned around to see his son lifting from the ground and looking on him angrily. "STOP! I don't want this anymore!"
"You dare to contradict?" Zeta ranted angrily.
Tal was briefly intimidated, but suddenly Tal could feel Jonathan taking his hand to give him support. Jonathan was smart. He recognized immediately that it was only Zeta's plan and that Tal was just under the wrong influence. After another encouraging glance, Tal continued.
"I… I did it to resurrect Krypton! Because I wanted a family! I wanted to be back with our people! When Kal-El appeared, I understood why you didn't want me to meet my own brother because mother left you for Jor-El…"
Jonathan looked on Tal with big eyes and suddenly understood it: Uncle Tal is Superman's half-brother! Which means he is related to Superman, too!
"Is it true? Is my only purpose to become the Eradicator and be your tool."
"You know exactly what your purpose is, here on Earth."
"You lie!" Jonathan yelled, in perfect Kryptonese. "I saw it…"
"You know nothing!" Zeta interfered in Kryptonese, too.
"Your planned to use the Eradicator to conquer other worlds even before it was known that Krypton was doomed." Jonathan continued, still speaking Kryptonese. "I don't speak well, but I understood that you stole it to use it for your own goals. The people in the Eradicator all know it, too. Because they were wanted criminals you hired for your dirty plans to take over Krypton!"
Tal was impressed by Jonathan's language skills and about how fast Jonathan learned. He was without doubt Kryptonian…
"You stole it! The Eradicator was never meant to be used like this. And you knew it! You told it to the people in that thing!"
"You dare to…" Zeta yelled.
"The purpose of the Eradicator was not to conquer other worlds. It was to conserve a legacy. That's why you had no friends on Krypton. That's why you never left your house!" Jonathan said before he turned to Tal. "He was under house arrest! One of the souls in that thing knows it! Everyone on Krypton hated him! You are the shame of Krypton, Zeta! Not more!"
"SILENCE!" Zeta yelled, before he released another beam of energy towards Jonathan.
Tal could only watch in horror how Jonathan was hit by the same kind of energy, his father used to train him for years to prepare him to become the Eradicator. Jonathan screamed in pain when he felt the pain raging through his body. But the thought of everything and everyone he knows being destroyed was bigger.
Tal might hadn't told him the truth, that's right! But he saw in those memories that Tal's father was the true villain here. The last few weeks were wonderful. Jonathan had never ever felt to free and so strong in his life. And if he is really a member of the house of El, it is time to be the same what Kal-El is for years: a symbol of hope and a hero!
And so Jonathan start to move and crawled closer to the forcefield again…
"So stubborn!" Zeta said condescending.
Tal got another flashback of Lois Lane while seeing how stubbornly Jonathan acted…
Jonathan ignored everything around him. The pain! His own fears! Zeta's threads! He raised his arms as if he wanted to push against the forcefield with his bare hands. But in truth he focused his mind on the crystal, Zeta was holding. Knowing that this crystal was the one, Zeta prevented Tal from ever using: The crystal of Lara…
Jonathan tried to focus on the power again. And Tal explained him the fortress and it's technology long before. He knew, as a Kryptonian he should be able to let the crystal float into his hands. Maybe Lara, the woman he only heard so many great things about, is able to stop this horrific plan…
Zeta watched Jonathan closely and went closer to mock him.
"So weak! And so useless! I guess this is why they abandoned you to live with humans instead. Even an El!"
Jonathan didn't listen. He was convinced that everything was just to mock him. Desperately he tried to get hand on Lara's crystal to activate it. Having all his energy and his willpower focused on this crystal when it suddenly start to shoot threw the room and got struck in the control podium…
"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Zeta yelled when he grabbed Jonathan by his hair and pulled him violently threw the room to smash him on the ground where he was surrounded by a strong energy again. "If you really want to play hero, let's see what you think about becoming a member of the house of Zod!"
"Father… please…" Tal wailed. He was frozen in place. Paralyzed and terrified. He wanted to help Jonathan, but was unable to move. Not because he was trapped, but because he was so terribly scared…
"Tal, my son! Is that you?"
Tal froze at the sound of that voice; he only knew from recordings he secretly played without his father's permission.
"Mother?!" Tal turned around and saw her. His mother! Lara Lor-Van.
Jonathan looked on the holographic image of a woman, wearing the famous Superman-S (he already knew was actually the crest of the house of El).
"Tal…" Lara said.
"SILENCE! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK!" Zeta yelled. Tal could see how afraid Lara was.
"What is going on here?" Lara asked and looked around.
"HELP!"
Hearing Jonathan's scream, let Lara turn around to see Jon trapped on the ground under the Eradicator. Knowing that this boy, whom she recognized immediately as her grandchild without even scanning him, was going to be abused as a shell for the Eradicator.
"MOTHER, HELP…" Tal yelled before another beam of energy hit him and pushed him out of sight.
"STOP!" Lara yelled, and was able to turn off the energy under Jonathan, allowing the boy to lift and run away…
"You!" Zeta said angrily, when the Eradicator stopped floating and instead fell on the ground without that it activated.
"Zeta, stop it…" Lara said. "This is the reason you got disgraced on Krypton! This is the reason you were banished out of Kandor! You won't resurrect Krypton with this! You will just destroy everything…"
"You will witness your own invention to be used to wipe out this planet, including your beloved Kal-El and his offspring and everything he stands for!" Zeta ranted, not witnessing how Jonathan sneaked back to use a stone to smash it on the Eradicator.
"Kal and Tal both survived?" Lara said relieved.
"Yes! And Kal-El will be eradicated, too. I choose general Zod to be planted in your beloved Kal-El to help us to wipe out humanity…"
Suddenly everyone could hear loud bangs. Everyone turned to Jonathan who used a stone in his desperate attempt to destroy the Eradicator.
"DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOU CAN STOP ME!" Zeta yelled angrily and wanted to use the fortress' energy again to attack Jon.
Suddenly Jonathan's mind went black. He didn't think. He just used the stone, that was as big and as round as a football and threw it like he threw the football on that day he broke the tire-swing and the neighbor's window. The heavy stone shoot threw the air like rocket, went straight through Zeta's holograph and hit the control-podium with Zeta's crystal.
Jonathan could already feel the painful energy hitting him again when the 'football' smashed on the podium, where it broke into pieces and knocked the crystal of Zeta out of it's place. Weakening the evil Kryptonian long enough to allow Jonathan to grab the Eradicator again (this time on the handle) and run with it away.
Zeta start to scream again and tried to attack Tal again who, for the first time ever, fought back and used his heat-vision to destroy the fortress' weapons.
"Young boy!" Lara yelled to Jonathan, who turned around and saw that a hole opened in the ground. "Get it here! We bring it to Argo City, where it can't cause any damage!"
Jonathan start to run, everything turned into a blur when he reached the hole in an blink of an eye and threw the Eradicator into the hole, while Tal was able to grab his father's crystal and bring it over to the hole, too.
Suddenly seeing that it was not just a hole! It was a pod! A small space pod, made of the fortress' technology and the desert-sand for the case that Tal-Rho has to leave Earth, too. Created to go to Argo City, if it survived! Which nobody knew! Tal didn't know that the little pod was even here! His father never told him… but right now he was glad that it was here…
"TAL, YOU FAILURE! THIS IS NOT WHY I SEND YOU TO EARTH!" Zeta, who could feel that he was losing control over the fortress, yelled angrily.
Tal realized that it was true! He was not more than a tool! He was not Zeta-Rho's son! He was just Zeta-Rho's henchman! A tool for his plan to take over a new Krypton. A new Krypton, Tal thought was for everyone, but was in truth only for Zeta.
"DON'T DARE! DON'T DARE TO, TAL!" Zeta yelled louder and louder.
"I AM SORRY, FATHER!" Tal yelled and lifted the crystal in front of his eyes before he looked down on Jonathan, who was in the pod, too. "But decided for the right way!"
Tal start to use his laser-vision on his father's crystal, melting it over the Eradicator…
Zeta yelled 'in pain' and in fury when he felt that he was loosing control over the fortress and that he was pulled into the Eradicator, too. To be trapped with all the other souls…
While Zeta start to flicker and start to vanish, the pod start to raise out of the ground. To bring the Eradicator to Argo City. Or at least to the place, where they guessed that it could be. Nobody knew if it survived. So, it was actually a journey into the unknown!
Jonathan, who so desperately tried to protect the Eradicator from Zeta, didn't notice that the pod already closed and that he was trapped inside.
"JONATHAN!" Tal yelled in fear. But it was too late…
The explosion was so strong that it was heard even hundreds of miles away by everyone. The last thing Tal noticed before he lost consciousness, was that the pod with Jonathan and the Eradicator shoot through the ceiling into the sky and vanished out of sight…
The pod created an electromagnetic impulse that let all power on Earth to fail for two seconds.
In Smallville, Clark could hear the severe explosion in the badlands and see the lights flicker while he was in the community-center with Jordan and Natalie to help with the preparation of the harvest-festival…
"Daddy, what was that?" Natalie asked. She had sensitive hearing, which was a trace of super hearing, for a week now.
"Something big! I'll be right back!" Clark said and left the building to change outside and fly to the badlands.
Just to get the shock of his life over there…