Chapter 18
Valia and Kal-El walked rapidly along the hallways of the Kandorian Administration Building. They were on their way to Valia's lab. She glanced at Kal-El and smiled to herself. He looked quite handsome in the Kryptonian clothing Thar-An had purchased.
The Administration Building was a miniature city unto itself. The lower floors contained various shops and eateries. After asking, Kal-El's height and weight, Thar-An had gone shopping. Valia noted Thar-An had picked high quality fabric and a color similar to the royal blue of Kal-El's Earth suit. The color intensified the blue of Kal-El's eyes. A red and gold geometric pattern lined the v-neck opening of the long-sleeve tunic top. A gold belt wrapped around Kal-El's waist and the curl on his forehead fell over the gold band encircling his head. His red Earth boots completed the outfit.
Not bad for a last minute outfit, Valia thought and fought to suppress a blush.
Dora, Valia, and Kal-El had eaten a quick dinner in Dora's office while Thar-An shopped. The food had come from one of the many cafes in the Administration Building. Now, while Valia and Kal-El headed to her lab, Dora and Thar-An were taking Kal-El's belongings to Dora's apartment.
Like many people who worked in the Administration Building, Dora and Valia, also lived in the building. They shared a spacious three bedroom apartment located on the twelfth floor. Dora had insisted Kal-El stay with them since they had an extra bedroom. This arrangement also kept Kal-El close to the portal and the Kandorian science labs.
As they continued through the hallways, Kal-El thought about his day. So much had happened in just one day. This morning he'd awakened on Earth in the Fortress of Solitude, but he was going to end his day on Kandor, a Kryptonian city. An unbelievable possibility he never would have imagined this morning.
"Here we are," Valia said as they approached a heavy door. She bent forward over a pad on the wall. A ray scanned her eye, unlocked the door, and slid it open. Valia and Kal-El entered the lab where two people were working quietly at separate stations.
"Hi Valia," said a young man dressed in powder-blue tunic and pants. He gave a quick wave while eyeing Kal-El with interest.
"Hi Chad," Valia greeted the young man with light-brown hair which brushed the top of his tunic's mandarin collar. His black headband lacked ornamentation, but matched the black geometric pattern lining the mandarin collar.
Chad-In was a year older than Valia and they had met while attending the Kandor College of Science. The city of Kandor boasted two excellent colleges for its population of forty thousand. The entire area of Kandor, including the outer edge containing the Flame Forest and Fire Falls, measured eight miles wide by ten miles long.
As Valia and Kal-El approached Chad, she said, "Chad, this is Kal. He specializes in portal technology. He's going to check our schematics and any changes he suggests you are going to make."
The younger generation tended to drop the last name for males in casual conversation. This was a fortunate happenstance for Valia since she had no desire to explain the El last name. Everyone on Kandor knew of Krypton's most famous scientist, Jor-El. At Kandor's colleges much of Jor-El's work was required reading. But as far as anyone on Kandor knew, the House of El had died with Krypton the day the planet exploded.
"I'm going to get the work we've already completed," Valia said then walked away, leaving Kal-El and Chad-In standing awkwardly and staring at each other.
Chad quickly said, "Oh, this is Sura Nim-Ag." He indicated a young lady that Kal-El guessed was probably in her late twenties. Chad led Kal-El over to Sura, a pretty, curly-haired blonde, who rose from her computer and bowed. Kal-El returned the bow, but was unsure of what to do or say next. He was beginning to feel like an alien among his own people.
Fortunately, Valia returned at that very moment with a palm sized octagonal crystal and inserted it into a slot on the side of a large drafting table in the center of the room. The table lit up. Valia pushed several icons on a small section of the table top and a large schematic materialized above the table's surface. Kal-El studied the diagram, comparing it to what he'd seen on Brainiac's ship.
As they shared information, Chad soon realized Kal-El did know portal technology and they worked together extremely well. They rerouted circuitry in some instances and rebuilt parts in other cases. After all the changes were made, they ran trials with the lab's halo-graphic simulator.
Now, four hours later, Kal-El showed signs of fatigue. Chad didn't notice. He was performing the tedious task of entering their changes and new data into the lab's master computer. Hopefully tomorrow, he and Kal could attempt an opening of the portal in Dora's office, but only if Brainiac left the ship.
In a separate section of the lab, Valia had worked on another important project, but she'd monitored Chad and Kal-El's progress throughout the evening.
Kal-El rubbed his weary eyes as he sat next to Chad at the master computer. He was supposed to check the data before Chad entered it, but was finding it difficult to stay alert and focused.
Valia stopped by for another check of Kal and Chad's progress. Once look at Kal and she realized how exhausted he was. She placed a hand on his arm and gently pulled him up saying, "It's time for us to go. Chad, you'll have to manage things alone now."
"That's fine." Chad hardly took his eyes off the computer screen. "Thanks again for your help Kal. I can't wait to try this out!"
"How soon will that be?" Kal-El asked around a yawn. He couldn't remember ever yawning before. Not like this anyway. Actually, he couldn't remember ever being this tired before.
Valia didn't give Chad a chance to reply. She nudged Kal-El and said, "Time to go." Over her shoulder, she added. "Chad, keep me informed of your progress."
Taking Kal-El by the arm, she guided him out of the lab.
Dora placed her teacup on the table and checked the time again. It was after midnight. She snuggled on the couch as she anxiously awaited Valia and Kal-El's arrival. She hoped to hear of their progress with the portal. When the apartment door slid open, she sprung off the couch to greet them. However, when she saw Kal-El's tired face, she decided she could wait until morning for news of their progress.
"The guest room is ready," Dora informed them. "Kal-El, would you like something to eat or drink?"
"Thank you very much, Tynth Val-Lor," Kal-El said using Dora's official title. Tynth being the Kryptonian word for Madame. "I'm not hungry," he said stifling a yawn.
"Kal-El, please call me Tynth Dora." Dora's tone was soft and motherly. 'Tynth Dora' was slightly less formal and a title Dora preferred.
"I'll show Kal-El the guest room," Valia said and hugged her mother good-night.
"Good night, my daughter." Dora hugged Valia tightly then nodded at Kal-El. "Good-night, Kal-El. I'm anxious to hear of your progress in the morning."
Kal-El did not respond. He was quite literally, dead on his feet.
Valia ushered Kal-El down a hall and to the first room on the right. A bed was centered on one wall with a small wall shelf on either side. The tops of the shelves lit up when Valia and Kal-El entered the room. Above each shelf was a long narrow window. Over the bed hung a painting of the Flame Forest in bright orange and red hues. A long rectangular mirror hung on another wall with a long narrow chest of drawers beneath it. A chair and ottoman were positioned next to the chest of drawers. The room also had its own private bathroom and a small closet.
Valia opened the closet and said, "There are night clothes for you in here."
Kal-El sat in the chair and removed his boots. He noticed his Superman suit hanging in the closet. "Thank you," he said to Valia. "You and your mother have been very kind."
"Kal-El you are a very special guest .. and you have given us so much. Your help on the portal alone has given us real hope that we may one day be free of Brainiac." She smiled and turned down the bed before adding, "Words cannot express the happiness your arrival has brought. I'll check on you later." She left the room and the door slid shut.
Kal-El remained in the chair, happy he had been granted the opportunity to see a small piece of his home. Words truly could not express his mixed feelings of happiness, guilt, sadness, and an extreme sense of urgency to free the city and himself.
After a sonic shower Kal-El felt a little refreshed, although his chest and back ached. He took the night pants out of the closet and slipped them on. Next he took out his cape. All eight crystals, including the father crystal, were safely tucked inside the pockets. Before putting on the night shirt, he decided to use the long mirror to survey the bruising on his chest and back. The mirror's frame lit up when Kal-El stepped in front of it. Large bruises covered his chest and back. Kal-El turned from the mirror as a chime sounded at the door.
"Enter," he said. The door slid open and Valia poked her head through the doorway.
She smiled like a mischievous child. "One last check before I go to bed. Is there anything . .," Valia's voice trailed off. She saw the bruises. She stepped into the room. "Kal-El, why didn't you tell Dr. Rim-Zee about those bruises?"
"They look worse than they are." He yawned and picked up the night shirt.
"Before you put that shirt on I have a cream that will soothe your chest and back. I'll get it." Valia left in a hurry.
Kal-El wandered to one of the narrow windows and looked out. To his great disappointment, it was too dark to see anything.
Valia reappeared with a small silver jar. She and Kal-El shared a bit of an awkward dance. She handing him the jar and he fumbling it. He caught it before it fell on the bed which was great given how tired he was, but opening the jar proved to be a challenge. His brain was not firing at light-speed. More like a dimming flashlight.
"Here," Valia said, her hand out for the jar. "Let me open it."
Kal-El handed the jar to Valia. He was relieved to have her help.
She was blushing. She couldn't help it. "I just realized, there's no way you can put this cream on your back. Would you like me to rub some on your back?"
"That would be nice. Thank you." Kal-El wearily climbed onto the bed and lay facedown.
Valia turned off all but one light. She sat on the edge of the bed and opened the jar. Kal-El felt her soft hands gently apply the cream to his back. Her touch was exquisite. He gave into it completely and relaxed as she slowly worked the cream into his skin. Her hands moved in smooth circular strokes, covering his entire back. He was in heaven.
Valie applied cream to Kal-El's neck and massaged it into his tight muscles. Her fingers seem to find just the right spots to knead and press gently.
He was almost asleep when he heard her softly say, "Roll over."
He did so without opening his eyes. The cream had produced a warm tingling sensation and that, combined with Valia's massaging, had left him floating. At least, he felt like he was floating.
Valia applied cream to Kal-El's chest and gently moved her hands over the bruised area. Carefully, she worked the healing cream into the painful areas. Finally, she closed the jar and sat on the edge of the bed. She studied Kal-El's face in the dim light. He appeared to be asleep. She brushed back the curl on his forehead. He was very handsome. On an impulse she bent and lightly kissed his forehead. She pulled the covers over him, took the jar, and walked to the doorway. Turning out the light, she looked back at her sleeping guest and whispered, "Sleep well, Kal-El."