Hopeless, Part 4
Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I am doing wrong (to correct it.
Notes, the parenthesis indicates languages other than Japanese, in this case, English, and Interlac.
Day Three After Return
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV HQ
Commander Ikari's Office
"It will take a lot of time to analyze the readings we got, even with the MAGI, Sir." Dr. Akagi noted. "It's very possible we were able to recover Soryu due to a combination of factors we won't be actually able yo corréale fully."
"Identify those factors. Find ways to replicate the effects." He said from behind his interlaced fingers.
"I can't guarantee a success. It's entirely possible any other attempts would fail. Soryu only spent two weeks in the core. For all we know, the souls imbedded into the cores could be recovered only within a short window of opportunity."
"Noted. I expect a full analysis of your findings."
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV HQ
Commander Ikari's Office
(Spiritual Plane)
"Heh." Deadman chuckled softly, stretching his arms and yawning like a bengal tiger, he even curled up his tongue. "I bet you'll have some issues with that puzzle, you rube. A few big missing pieces you don't even know exist are missing from your world view."
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV HQ
Commander Ikari's Office
"In the meanwhile, SEELE will expect we have fully functional Evangelion Units."
"Repairs are proceeding as expected. Units 00 and 01 are ready for armoring. The spare parts of armor for Unit-02 are ready, we are only waiting for SEELE's official approval to proceed."
"Conditions of the pilots?"
"Pilots Ayanami and Ikari are ready for deployment, once their respective Evangelion's are ready for deployment. Pilot Horaki needs to be fully trained and certified for combat. Pilot Ikari has been cleared of Angelic contamination, and is willing to help to train Pilot Horaki. Former Pilot Soryu's emotional state seems unstable. She presents lack of appetite and concentration. Her usual assertiveness and aggression levels are noticeable reduced. If left untreated, she could develop depression. I recommend…"
Commander Ikari interrupted her, "Keep her watched. No treatment."
"Um…" Akagi hesitated for a moment. "Understood."
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV HQ
Commander Ikari's Office
(Spiritual Plane)
Deadman snorted, "I didn't have any high opinion of you to begin with, Commander Badshave, and you keep going lower and lower." He floated around the huge desk. "I can barely wait for the moment I can really mess up your day. Oh, boy, if I get even half a chance, I'll punt you so far not even the devil will find you!" He pronounced sentence, whispering right on Gendo Ikari's ear.
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV HQ
Commander Ikari's Office
"Continue with the repairs, schedule synch tests for as soon as the EVAs can be safely activated."
"Will the current assignment be continued?" She asked.
Commander Ikari thought for a few moments, his eyes hidden behind his orange sunglasses. "Yes. Pilot Ayanami in Unit-01, Pilot Ikari in Unit-00, and Pilot Horaki in Unit-02. Once you have finished analyzing Soryu's recovery, prepare the Third Child to repeat the procedure in Unit-01."
Deadman facepalmed, unseen and unheard.
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV HQ
Major Katsuragi's Office
"Wait, how many sacks of dirt?" Misato asked, "What for?"
Kaji smiled his crooked grin, the one he used when he was about to do something mischievous. "About 25 to begin with. I'd like to build a greenhouse at the top of your building. I lost my whole lot and my assigned apartment when the Fourteenth Angel decided the best way to landscape the GeoFront was a huge explosion, and I mean the plants AND the terrain itself. I'd like to get back to growing watermelons. I got the approval to move to your building this morning."
"…really? Watermelons? I never thought of you as any kind of farmer or gardener."
"Everybody needs a hobby. Mine is growing watermelons." He shrugged with a smile.
"Okay…" she said without much conviction.
He began to explain what he would need to work. His enthusiasm was contagious, and soon Misato was planning on adding some flowers. "Maybe Asuka will want to help, I hope." Kaji smiled back.
"To be completely honest, I hope that too."
Tokyo-3, Japan
Katsuragi-Ikari Apartment
After Classes
Asuka Langley Soryu, The former Second Chosen Child, put her school bag on the designated spot by the door. Behind her, Shinji Ikari and Hikari Horaki exchanged a worried look. The trio expected a visit soon, as Kensuke was finally authorized to talk with Toji via teleconference, and Rei was spending her usual stay at NERV HQ.
Inside the apartment, the usually vibrant colors were pale, washed up, and the Phantom Stranger waited patiently, comfortably seated by the table. "My apologies for the intrusion, but now we have enough time free of scrutiny."
Asuka shrugged. "Another story?" She said, her voice strangely flat.
"Yes. I trust you have thought about J'Onn J'Onnz."
"Yeah…" she agreed.
"Good."
"Aren't you going to ask me about it?"
"No. I only ask for you to reflect on what I show you all. When the time is right, something only you can determine, you'll decide if you want to share your insights, and with whom." He stood up. "Shall we?" He asked softly. Hikari and Shinji nodded towards Asuka, encouraging her. Finally, she raised her head, looking at the Stranger, and nodded. She had her right hand over her heart, bunching up the clothes under her fist.
The mysterious man stood up and opened the apartment door, beckoning them to approach.
"Where are we going?" Shinji asked, looking around.
"America. A few months before Second Impact." The Stranger pointed at a tall building, a skyscraper that had an enormous metallic globe at the top.
"The Daily Planet! This is Metropolis!" Shinji exclaimed, squeezing Asuka's hand.
"Indeed." The Stranger said. "And this will be a the darkest day in the life of a hero. Tragedy will strike at him, without malice, but it will the most devastating blow he has ever received, there won't be an enemy to defeat, no evil to vanquish."
They saw a red and blue blur cross the city, stopping at a hospital. Inside, Superman had brought a young woman to the Emergency room, his face contorted by worry and dread; her body completely inert. His voice broke as he asked for help. "(Please. Help her.)" Medics and nurses scrambled to help the woman, but there was nothing they could do.
"(I'm… I'm sorry, Superman.)" The chief Doctor hung his head. "(There was nothing we could do. The damage was too severe…)" respectfully, the staff cleared the room to grant the hero some privacy.
"(They were friends, weren't they?)" A nurse asked.
"(Yes. She was the one who first called him Superman, and they were good friends ever since.)" He sighed. "(I'll notify her husband. Please make sure no one bothers Superman. We owe him at least that.)"
Asuka closed her eyes, while Superman wept bitter tears in a private room, "What happened? Who did this?" She screamed.
"It was an accident, Miss Soryu. An unintended confluence of circumstances. As I said, there was no malice involved."
Shinji connected the dots. "The baby." He gulped painfully. "Super strength."
Hikari covered her mouth, her eyes big with horror. "You mean… oh, Kami… that's horrible."
"Yes, what should have been a happy ocassion, the first kick of a baby, turned into the saddest day because of his Kryptonian heritage. Superman wasn't born with his vast powers. After his birth, here on Earth (1), he was a very normal child. He wasn't particularly strong, or invulnerable. He wasn't able to bend steel, or change the course of rivers with his bare hands. He was very human, indistinguishable from any other healthy child of his age, even to the point of having been vaccinated like any other child. As he grew, his body accumulated and processed the Sun's energy, and by the time he was in his late teens, he was already beyond human limits, gifted with great power by his Kryptonian heritage, and his character showed a sense of great responsibility thanks to the way he was raised. However, his child had those same powers even during gestation, and his first kicks were accidentally lethal for both mother and baby."
"Did…" Hikari hesitated to ask, "Did the doctors realiced who the father was?"
"Yes. But everybody involved respected Superman enough to keep the secret. Records were adjusted, and the death of mother and child was officially caused by a rare medical condition. There was no autopsy, as the cause of death was sufficiently explained as an unfortunate reaction (2)."
"The next days were hard, not only for Superman, also for his family and friends, both in his civilian circle, and his meta human friends and allies. He felt… adrift. Lois Lane was the center of his world."
They watched at a distance, as a coffin was respectfully lowered into the ground, and an old couple tried to comfort the broken widower.
"When the weight of his loss was more than he could bear, he felt the same hook on his heart that pierces yours, Miss Soryu. And after a heartfelt talk with the one he felt would know his same sense of loss, he took a second exile."
They saw an orchard, somewhere they didn't recognize, and a broken Superman talking with a severe looking woman, who wore a simple dress and half-moon spectacles. Both speaking in hushed tones. One in grieving, the other in respect. As they walked through the orchard, the woman changed shape, becoming a tall and powerfully built black man, wearing a flannel shirt, old jeans and work boots (3). Finally, the Martian Manhunter assumed his best known form. They shook hands, and as Superman flew away. Somehow, his flight was bereft of either joy or urgency. On the ground, J'Onn J'Onnz stood silently, watching his friend leave. Then, he changed form again, and now a perfect copy of Superman stood proudly in his place.
"(I hope you'll find the peace your heart needs, old friend. May C'eridy'all (4) guide your steps.)" Hikari perked up at hearing a new name. She would have to ask her Father and Grandfather about that name.
"He took Superman's place? Just like that?" Asuka asked, outraged.
"Not to usurp his place." The Stranger pointed out. "This charade was rooted in trust. The Martian Manhunter had taken Superman's place several times before, with Superman's consent and blessing." (5)
Hikari nodded thoughtfully. "But Superman disappeared after Second Impact. Was that still the Martian Manhunter?"
"Yes. I am not aware of how or why J'Onn J'Onnz disappeared. But without him, there was no one who could continue the charade. Not convincingly enough."
Shinji held Asuka's hand, "What happened to Superman, then?"
The Stranger waved a hand, and the group found themselves walking through space. Next to them, Superman flew away from Earth, with a respiratory mask attached to his face, and his tears evaporating into the cold space. "In his grieving, Superman sought solace far from the planet where his heart had been broken. But there is no escape from his own memories, and no distractions to focus on. No one to care for, no one to talk with, no one to give him a reason to continue. So he flies away, further and further away from Earth. He carries with him a small supply of air, and he takes a single breath every two hours. He is lost in his grief, as he flies to meet his demise. The hook in his heart clouds his thoughts, driving him to a premature end."
Asuka gasped. "No! NO!" She shook her head in denial, "He can't end like this! Not him!" Shinji wrapped her in a hug, comforting her awkwardly.
"He did not." The Stranger spoke respectfully. "In his wandering, Superman crossed paths with a warship. His presence was detected, and mistaken for an Almeracian."
"Like Maxima?" Shinji ventured.
"Correct. Though an individual with Superman's power level would have to be either a high-ranking military officer, or part the Royal Family." The Phantom Stranger noted. "Not that it mattered much to the crew of this Saleir ship, for their hate for Almerac blinds them."
The ship launched a missile, that Superman, no longer lost in grief, evaded. But the projectile changed course, and followed him until it detonated in a cloud of shrapnel. The three children gasped, as Superman tumbled helplessly through the void, barely conscious.
"Are they invaders?" Shinji wondered aloud, his left fist closing and opening.
"Rebels. Almerac is a warrior empire, they have conquered their neighbor species, always looking to expand their territory and influence, much like Apokolips does. Though they are harsh masters, they are not irredeemable, for they greatly admire strength and courage, and even the lowliest slave can earn freedom and status. Probably the closest Earth analogue would be the Roman Empire at its height. As the Romans did, they watch constantly over their frontiers, and their answer to hostile action is swift." He seemed uncomfortable at mentioning the Roman Empire, but didn't elaborate.
The Stranger pointed at a new ship arriving, its shape somewhat reminiscent of a manta ray.
"Who?" Asuka whispered, as the new ship set in a collision course against the larger ship, firing multiple lasers at it, destroying it instantly and crossing through the debris with barely a scratch. "How can a small patrol ship destroy a… a… cruiser or whatever the big one was?"
"It's not a patrol ship, Miss Soryu. That small ship is the equivalent to a pleasure yatch." The three teenagers gasped at the sheer amount of destructive power it had unleashed.
Shinji shook his head, while Hikari covered her mouth with both hands and Asuka's eyes locked on the ship as it stopped next to the unconscious body. "Look! A hatch opened!"
A red haired woman wearing a green and gold armor suit, designed more for looks than actual protection, emerged from the ship, caught Superman, and returned to the ship in just a few seconds.
"Maxima!" Hikari exclaimed. "What's she doing here?"
"The Royal Family of Almerac is very involved with their empire's military operations. And Maxima has more than one reason to be here. After her brief stint with the Justice League (6), she was recalled back to Almerac. Her council demanded she returned from her search for a proper mate, and prepare herself for an arranged marriage."
A wave of his hand, and the group found itself inside the ship. Superman lay unconscious on a high tech bed, his clothes almost destroyed by the metallic fragments that had, somehow, pierced his invulnerable skin. Thin rivulets of blood stained the sheets. The three teenagers gasped when Superman's body went rigid with pain, and each fragment changed shape, burrowing into his body like worms.
Carefully, Maxima prepared the delicate process of extracting the technoshrapnel, her face a mix of desire and contempt.
Superman whispered a single word. "…Lois…" and relaxed into unconsciousness. Maxima kept on working, whispering to herself. "(No need to violate his innermost psyche. (6) His recent past festers like a wound, poisoning his consciousness.)" She ripped his shirt and threw it aside. "(A powerful love… then loss… raw sorrow… GUILT! He blames himself for the death of his wife!)"
"(Why? It's not his fault his mate was not genetically suited to carry a child of Krypton.)"She shook her fiery red mane, "(If only I could make you whole and happy as she…)"
A woman irrupted into the room, her pink skin, four arms, and three eyes marked her as an alien. "(Máxima! What is this care you show for him? He is your enemy! And you are soon to be betrothed to De'Cine!)"
"(De'Cine is a Krenon, a cyborg monster and a barbarian! For all his techno duchy is one of the most powerful of the rebellious states, I want nothing to do with him, Sazu!)"
The now named woman spoke conciliatorily now, "(There is a great need for powerful allies like the Krenons…)"
"(Don't you dare to remind me of that!)" Maxima threw her diaphanous cloak at Sazu, who barely caught it in time. "(The Saleir ship that attacked Superman is another proof that Almerac is losing its grip on the empire! Every day, another rebellion is revealed, like jackals yapping around a lion trying to kill it with a thousand bites! What we need is not treacherous allies, but strong offspring that can hold the empire together into the future!)"
"(I have despaired from finding you a proper mate,)" Sazu retorted, "(the Kryptonian is strong in body, but he is a weakling at heart!)"
"(Gentle he may be, Sazu, but even you must admit he is not a weakling.)" Maxima seemed to calm down after her rant, "(Bring me the chirurgicam, I must operate before the techno shrapnel pierces his heart.)"
A moment later, she had skillfully extracted the most dangerous fragment, the one closest to Superman's heart. He was lucky to be unconscious. Almerac's medical procedures rarely included enough anesthesic.
While they watched the Almeracian Princess work on Superman's wounds, Asuka studied her carefully; finally, she spoke, looking at the Phantom Stranger. "She is desperate too. Cornered by expectations. Superman is her last hope. And she will do anything to get him."
"Indeed she will, Miss Soryu. And in doing so, she will change the course of her empire in ways she couldn't have imagined."
Author Notes:
1. After the Crisis on Infinite Earths series ended, several characters were fully rebooted, to streamline their stories and backgrounds. In Superman's case, he was rebooted in the 6 issue miniseries Man of Steel (Oct to Dec, 1986). Each issue dealt with an aspect of his new in-universe background. In issue 1, it was shown that the new version of Krypton was an overtechnified society, with citizens that rarely had any personal, direct contact with one another. Even reproduction was completely artificial. Each parent donated genetic material, which was then combined into an artificial womb. The future parents didn't even have to meet in person. Jor-El was an outlier in Kryptonian society, as he actually met his wife, Lara, in person. When he realized Krypton was doomed, Jor-El put the gestation chamber, with the fetus still developing inside, in a small interplanetary rocket, and send the infant Kal-El to Earth with not a minute to spare. By the time the rocket was found by the Kents, the baby was ready to born. Unlike previous versions, post-Crisis Kal-El didn't even met his biological parents!
2. Though I really, really like the Adventures of Superman chapter of the Armageddon 2001 event (Annual 1991), there are a few loose ends that still bother me. Specifically, how come nobody put two and two together about Lois Lane's death and her relationship with Superman. At a minimum, there should have been some nasty rumors about an affair. I may be too idealistic, but I think having the medical staff pull a cover-up was a simple way to solve the problem.
3. These two are the shapes J'Onn used to watch over a still growing Clark Kent. The woman was Mrs. Klingman, a high school civics teacher in Smallville. The other was Josh Johnstone, a migrant worked, who for a brief period was a helper in the Kent Farm when Clack was still a child. Josh had already been mentioned in this story, back when J'Onn asked the Kent's for help placing the children of missing heroes. Both identities were part of the first chapter of the story arc Revelations, and appeared in Martian Manhunter issue 20 (Jul, 2000).
4. Martian goddess of life, counterpart of Hronmeer. Apparently, her only mention was in a prayer in the Young Justice animated series, season 4, episode 4, "Involuntary".
5. Action Comics 595 (Dec, 1987).
6. Technically, I had to hammer events into the SV timeline. The Adventures of Superman Annual 3, was part of the Armageddon 2001 event, and offered a view into a possible future for Superman, but the events in the story were cancelled due to Waverider's interference. In Stranger Visitations, there was no Armageddon 2001, as Third Impact cancelled that storyline and the events in the Adventures of Superman Annual happened without interference. In the canonical DCU, after the Justice League International was disbanded, and reorganized as a new Justice League of America, with Maxima as a member; the whole group was beaten into the dust by Doomsday. Here in SV, Maxima left Earth and went back to Almerac after Superman's death and resurrection.
7. For the sake of the narrative, I chose to let Máxima verbalize her thoughts.