Ch 5
After Zod's message, Clark went to his World Engine with Lois to meet the Kryptonian leader.
When he first set foot on the ship, he felt a sudden pressure on his back as if a thousand weights were pushing his back down, forcing him to collapse.
"What's happening to him?" Lois asked with her voice trembling as she tried to help him up.
"He's rejecting our ship's atmosphere." Zod said simply. "Clark. You've spent a lifetime to Earth's ecology but never adapted to ours.
Clark then passed out and saw his family's farm as Zod's voice narrated and it showed Krypton exploding in a fiery shockwave, and the bright blue glow of the Phantom Zone portal opening to release Zod and the Sword of Rao like fast bullets.
"I was Krypton's military leader." Zod explained in a booming voice. "Your father, our foremost scientist. The only thing we agreed on was that Krypton was dying. In return for my efforts to protect our civilization and save our planet, I and my fellow officers were sentenced to the Phantom Zone. And then the destruction of our world freed us. We were adrift, destined to rot amongst the ruins of our planet.
"How did you find your way to Earth?" Clark asked.
"We managed to retrofit the phantom projector into a hyperdrive. Your father made a similar modification to the craft that brought you here. And so the instrument of our damnation became our salvation."
The vision showed the Kryptonians putting the phantom projector onto an abandoned ship, modifying it, then the ship took off in a streak of light.
"We sought out the old colonial outposts looking for signs of life. But all we found was death. Cut off from Krypton, these outposts withered and died long ago. We salvaged what we could...even a world engine. For 33 years we prepared, until finally we detected a distress beacon, which you triggered, when you accessed the ancient scout ship. You led us here, Kal. Now it's within your power to save what remains of your race. On Krypton, 5he genetic template for every being yet to be born is encoded in the registry of citizens. Your father stole the registry's Codex and stored it in the capsule that brought you here."
The vision then showed the remains of an ancient Kryptonian with glowing gold mist surronding it.
"For what purpose?"
"So that Krypton can live again on Earth. Where is the Codex, Kal?"
"If Krypton lives again, what happens to Earth?"
"The foundation has to be built on something. Even your father recognized that."
Then the vision showed the massive World Engine beginning the terraforming process. A golden mist slowly enveloped Earth before it vanished in a flash of light. What looked like Earth was now a world of canyons, vast oceans, and alien cities but humanity was nowhere in sight. Finally, the vision ended and Clark was back in the real world.
He understood why Zod wanted his help but he couldn't help rebuild his race at the cost of another.
Zod just couldn't accept the truth.
Krypton was already lost since the Codex was inside his DNA and there was no bringing it back.
"No, Zod." Clark finally said. "I can't be a part of this."
"Then what can you be a part of?" Zod asked frustratedly. "Your father acquitted himself with honor, Kal."
"You killed him?" Clark asked, trying to hide the shock but he couldn't.
"I did." Zod replied with a grim look. "And not a day goes by where it doesn't haunt me. But if I had to do it again, I would. I have a duty to my people and I will not allow anyone to prevent me from carrying it out."