As the days passed with frequent crises that needed his attention, Sparga continued to throw himself into his role as the Superman despite the ongoing public protests, reminding him that for as thankful as some people might be for his efforts, there would be lingering memories of Kal-El's cruel regime and relentless oppression haunting Earth's shadow for a long time. But with each occurrence, Sparga continued to reinforce into his own heart that the world needed a Superman to combat any doubts he had about his legitimacy of inheritance. If he hoped to bring mankind hope, he couldn't afford to have any doubts. Doubts and fears are what allowed Kal-El to fall victim to his own emotional imbalances and Sparga wasn't going to let himself make those same mistakes. He couldn't afford to. There was too much riding on his shoulders - the weight of an entire world. He held his flight over Central City, holding vigil and patrolling for anything that might need his attention with only the stars in the night sky keeping him company.

He had heard that diplomatic envoys from Kahndaq were visiting to negotiate improvements toward relations between their nation's sovereignty with the rest of Earth's united alliances so as to allow both Kahndaq's ruler and King Furry to come to agreeable terms that don't impose any threats toward one another's rule. Sparga hadn't spoken to the King of Kahndaq in some time, not since the events preluding to the Qliphoth Crisis. The young Saiyan of Steel had an unspoken agreement with the God King - leave him to rule Kahndaq in peace and he would not act to threaten the rest of Earth. But if Adam was sending envoys to negotiate terms, then something was likely on his mind. And whatever that was, Sparga had no idea but he knew he'd need to keep tabs on it. That was a man that Sparga couldn't afford any tension with given the precarious position he was in while trying to overcome public opinion. And the power he held? If the two came to blows, Sparga knew he could win that fight. But the collateral damage? That wasn't something he wanted to imagine. But if he was making moves, then his position as Superman demanded that he remain cognizant of it. As he coasted through the clouds above Central City, he kept his senses sharp and vigilant so that his super hearing and vision could make sure no detail escaped his notice. From his vantage point, he could see the envoy's car travelling at a leisurely pace and with a comfortable ease that had no distractions. And for a moment, Sparga was relieved that it seemed like things were going off without a hitch.

And then an object moving at high speeds zoomed through the planet's atmosphere, swift and silently off toward the northern wastelands. As it breached Earth's air space, Sparga's senses heard the hum of vibration resonating in the winds even across the thousands of miles and he tilted his head up toward the direction he knew the sound was coming from. Was this another alien invasion? Someone from the deep cosmos that was here to challenge him? Sparga frowned and readied himself to rocket toward it but then down below on the city streets, an explosion boomed and stole his attention, warning him of danger to the Kahndaqi envoys. Twisting to see another explosion detonating just a short mile away from the envoy's car, Sparga grit his teeth in frustration. He couldn't be in both places at once and was forced to choose. And he didn't like either option.

Sparga: "Shit…"

Reconciling with knowing that this would likely have consequences that would come back to haunt him, Sparga threw himself down into Central City's skyline so he could stomp onto the asphalt and use his own body as a shield against the next detonation before it might damage the envoy's car. His hands bracing against the hood of the vehicle, it screeched to a halt with a burn of rubber that skidded across the pavement when it found its momentum ground to a halt against the unmoving object that was the Saiyan Kryptonian hybrid. Inside, he could see the two delegates with expressions of confusion and panic on their faces. But he was here now and he'd have to make sure no harm befell them.

Sparga: "Get to safety. Go!"

Nodding in understanding, the car began reversing and quickly drove off leaving Sparga alone with the culprit of these explosions standing in the middle of the busy city thoroughfare, brazen and bold wearing a patchwork ensemble of military-grade equipment. As the assailant stood in full and obvious display of his presence, as if he were making a statement, Sparga turned to face him and he began marching toward the man. It looked like he was wearing some kind of mechanized power armor and Sparga frowned with a furrowed brow. Whatever or whoever this man thought he was, Sparga wasn't in the mood.

The man wore a harsh smile as he stared at Sparga like he had just caught a prize, the helmet he wore revealing just enough of his features to show that he was indeed smirking a dirty sneer at the Superman. As Sparga approached, he shouted out to interrogate;

Sparga: "Whatever you think you're gonna get for attacking those Kahndaqi envoys, you're mistaken. I'll give you a chance to stand down and turn yourself in. This doesn't have to get ugly."

"Oh, shut up with the heroic diatribe! I knew you couldn't resist coming to those sun-backs' rescue. You think you're a hero? You're no better than the last Superman! Just some freak who thinks he's better than us cuz he's stronger than normal folk!"

Sparga frowned and clenched his fist at this revelation. All this guy wanted was him, and he was willing to assault innocent lives to lure him out. His brow furrowed in anger as he stopped his march about fifteen feet in distance from this thug. The man just stood there smugly, crossing his arms and daring Sparga with that crude grin. And the more Sparga stared at it, the longer it made him sick. The disregard for life just to send him a message infuriated him and made him want to bring whatever plans this creep had down to a screeching halt. And this man could see the facial features on Sparga's face twisting into rage and he laughed.

"That's right! You got a look on your face like you wanna tear my head off! Just like your old man! Well you ain't gonna!"

And then the man held both his arms out and the machinery around his wrists and gloves whirred to life, discharging a pulse of concussive force and light that shot to hit Sparga in the chest, causing plasmic sparks to burn the air and crash against the Superman's torso, knocking him backward in a forceful propulsion that sent him crashing onto his back and sliding against the asphalt. Grimacing against the sudden influx of pain, Sparga winced and clenched his teeth while slowly sitting up. As he sat upright and began picking himself up, another echoing pulse of static release smashed against the ground and Sparga looked up in time to see the man shooting through the air into an arc that sent him on a path to slam both his boots onto Sparga's abdomen before he aimed the gauntlets at Sparga's face and began releasing the plasma bolts in alternating shots to machine gun the releases in rapid succession. The jarring repetition of discharging plasma scorched against his head and the concussive force made Sparga's skull repeatedly bounce against the pavement like a drumbeat. While he kept his volley of shots raining down onto Sparga's face, the man laughed tauntingly and cried out.

"Yeah! You ain't so tough! This Luthor tech is an equalizer, big guy! You ain't shit! You think you're Superman!? Well just like the last one, the sun's gonna set on you tonight!"

The nonstop barrage of searing electric blasts kept pounding against Sparga's face and slowly but surely, a crowd was gathering. People were watching the Superman be laid low by a man with nothing but some man-made equipment and a brass pair. Some people began cheering and some stared on quietly in disbelief, hesitant to voice their opinions.

"Let this be a message to any other capes thinking they can come back around! The Sundowner is here to look out for the little guy! We don't need no frikkin' aliens or wizards thinking they can be heroes!"

Holding his arms up in triumph, the man proclaiming himself the Sundowner waved to the crowd as if expecting unadulterated applause. But the gauntlets around his arms were still humming and then another discharge of the blaster fired off into a nearby high rise building, sending a chunk of brick and concrete to go spraying out and when the man panicked and retracted his hands down, a vice grip locked in place around his wrists and compressed around the machinery where Sparga grabbed hold of the wrist-mounted blasters with such strength that the casings caved in and the circuitry and wiring sparked and fizzled out, creating stray currents of electrical energy running loose to fade away. Sparga hovered to his feet while holding the clench around the malfunctioning devices to cripple the mechanism and halt its backlash. And when Sundowner stared up at him, he realized that none of his hits barely so much as scratched the Superman. In fact, he just looked… bored.

Sparga: ""Really? Luthor tech? You're really trying to make a statement here, out here blasting those concussive shots like you forgot to turn the safety back on. Got guts, I'll give you that. But it's gonna take more than guts to break me."

Sparga yanked the damaged blasters off of his assailant's wrists, leaving him unarmed and stupified as he lowered his elevation to stand eye level with him. He took one step forward with a casual air of confidence and bemusement while the Sundowner retreated with a stumble backward.

Sundowner: "No way! All those hits should have you bleeding from your ears! Ain't no way!"

Sparga: "Yeah, about that. I guess you really didn't get the memo; I'm Superman."

Sundowner: "Yeah, and everyone knows Superman is a murderer! You think I'm scared of you?! Folks were scared of your old man, but we ain't scared of you!"

Sparga: "If I was a murderer, do you think you'd be standing here? Think, man. I don't wanna hurt you or anyone else. I'm just trying to make up for what my father did… "

Sundowner: "... What he did? You wanna atone for his mistakes? Then you should've stayed out of the cape game, alien freak! This planet doesn't need your kind anymore! It needs real heroes - human heroes!"

Sparga's gaze softened momentarily, the irritation and anger tempered under the hammer strikes of a heavy and deep sadness when the reminders hit. This wasn't about just him alone - it never was. It was about the last few memories of how Kal had acted and how the world remembered him - how they remembered everything that he did. Every act of tyranny, every life taken and every promise broken. Every promise of kindness and love and compassion broken. What reassurance did these people have that he wouldn't break those same promises? Those scars ran deep. Sparga clenched his jaw and exhaled slowly.

Sparga: "You're right about one thing. This world doesn't need another tyrant. But ask yourself this; What's separating you from him right now? You'd risk innocent lives just to draw me out so you can prove your point. You're no hero. You're just another bully in a suit pretending that how hurt he is can justify him taking his anger out on everyone else."

Sundowner sneered with a snarl, as if Sparga's words were venom and he lunged, throwing his unarmed fist out to unleash a desperate punch at the hybrid's jaw. And Sparga didn't even flinch. The punch landed with a dull thud against his jaw and it might as well have been a breeze against steel as a sickening crunch cracked out as every bone in his clenched fist shattered against Sparga's face. And Sundowner recoiled, howling in pain and clutching his fractured hand to his chest, reminding everyone that though he wasn't the same as his predecessor, Superman is still the Saiyan of Steel.

Sparga: "Look, you've made your point. You hate me. You hate everything I stand for. But if you really think I'm the same as him, ask yourself this: Why are you still breathing?"

The crowd that had gathered around them murmured, some in awe, others in doubt. Sparga's super hearing made it easy for him to hear snippets of their conversations.

"Maybe he's not so bad…"
"Yeah, the last one made us the same promises too."
"He's just trying to do better."
"But can we really trust him?"
"Look at him. He's still really just a kid…"
"He's a damn smug fool. Look at him lording over us."
"He just wants to help."

Sparga knew that trust wouldn't come easily. It wouldn't - couldn't come in a day or even a year. But he wasn't doing this for accolades or approval. He was doing this because it was the right thing to do and that's the only reason he needed - and would ever need.

Sparga grabbed the "Sundowner" by the scruff of his armored collar and lifted him effortlessly into the air. The man shouted obscenities and threats at the Superman, but Sparga remained calm.

Sparga: "This ends now. You're going to be turned over to the authorities, they'll take care of your hand, and then you'll face the consequences of your actions. If you're lucky, maybe you'll get a chance to figure out what it really means to protect people. But until then, I'm not gonna waste my time entertaining your hate anymore."

With a single leap, Sparga bounded up into the air to carry his captive with him so he could head to the nearest police station. As he soared above the city, he glanced down at the crowd below. Some were cheering, while others were just watching in silence.

He didn't need their approval. Not yet. But maybe - just maybe, this was a step toward earning it.

And as Sparga flew off, he couldn't help but worry about the object that crashed through Earth's atmosphere earlier. If he was fast enough, he could probably find it. Once Sundowner was in police custody, he'd go after it. Dealing with that wouldn't take long at all. But then, there was a faint hum in the air - like earlier. The vibrational resonance of some sort of engine firing off. Casting his gaze up, he watched an object dart at extreme velocities outside of Earth's atmosphere, before turning sharply and rocketing off who knows where. Sparga's brow furrowed - Someone had definitely come to pay Earth a visit, and he had missed it. Frowning to himself, his grip on Sundowner's collar tightened. He made a choice, and he'd have to deal with the consequences later whenever they come back around to bite him. And he knew they would. So he'd be ready for them. Flying through the city to locate the authorities, he quickly dropped off his captive and informed them of the situation.

As the police took Sundowner into custody and began treatment for his broken hand, Sparga floated silently above the scene with his long mane of hair flowing in the breeze. From up above, he scanned the gathered crowd - some faces held cautious admiration and others starkly cold distrust. The weight of their expressions reminded him of the delicate balance he had to maintain - He wasn't of a mind to let their doubts define him, nor could he afford to do so, but it's not as if he could just ignore them either. Sparga exhaled slowly, turning his eyes toward the horizon. His work here was done, but there would be something somewhere else that needed his attention.

And the call for it came sharply with a high-pitched tone that assaulted his senses, causing him to wince in discomfort. The frequency of this noise was too high - this was something calling him specifically. He couldn't tell who it was calling him but the droning screech that didn't sound too different from a whistle crashing against a chalkboard was something only a person with super hearing like his could detect. Which means that someone else was calling for him specifically. And trying to fight off the pain in his ears, Sparga flew off toward its direction.

And his velocity brought him to Conton City. His speed projected him forward to arrive at his destination instantaneously where he arrived to see Trunks and Chronoa standing there in waiting and Trunks released his thumb from pressing down on a button and the offensive noise assaulting Sparga's ears halted. The whine in his senses ceasing finally, he gave a pat of his palm against his eardrum to make sure his hearing wasn't damaged before addressing the two of them and spoke.

Sparga: "Thanks for turning that off. Is everything okay? What's wrong?"

His last conversation with them hadn't gone well, so he wasn't expecting them to reach out first. But here he was, summoned by them. And then Chronoa walked forward and pulled Sparga into a tight embrace.

Chronoa: "Thank goodness. You're not hurt."

Sparga blinked in surprised before returning the hug gratefully, holding her against him with a soft smile. Trunks crossed his arms over his chest and looked away, trying to hold an expression of disinterest but Sparga could tell it was feigned.

Trunks: "We saw the news. That guy got a few good hits in. What did he call himself? Sundowner? You okay?"

It took Sparga a moment to let this wash over him, taken aback. Seeing them concerned for him wasn't normal these days - especially against an opponent they knew was no real threat to him. So why were they suddenly worried about his wellbeing? Still holding onto Chronoa, he gave a dismissive, confused chuckle before turning to face Trunks.

Sparga: "I'm fine… That guy wasn't really a threat. But he was willing to hurt people just to lure me out. It's a good thing I was there, who knows what might have happened to those Kahndaqi envoys if I was even a second later."

Chronoa: "Yeah… He really hated you, didn't he? Or at least… That symbol on your suit."

Chronoa held herself in Sparga's embrace for a little longer before finally pulling back, her eyes meeting Sparga's with a softness that masked an underlying tension. She hesitated for a moment before continuing, and Sparga could tell she wanted to say something, so he waited patiently for her to go on.

Chronoa: "You're doing everything you can, Sparga. But…"

More hesitation, and her voice trailed off as if trying to find the right words to convey a difficult truth. But Trunks didn't hesitate.

Trunks: "But are you sure that symbol is helping? Sundowner isn't the first, and he's not going to be the last."

Sparga frowned and took a step back. So that's why they called him. It felt like salt being rubbed in a wound. They couldn't even wait a day? Crossing his arms over his chest, he sighed in frustration and closed his eyes to try and gather his composure. He was almost insulted that they called him so suddenly and so shortly after the events only moments ago. He didn't want to be angry with them, but it was hard not to.

Sparga: "Did you really just sound off a cosmic dog whistle to call me over here to tell me something I already know? I've seen the way people look at me, the fear, the distrust… But this symbol - It's not about me. It's about what it stands for. Kal might have tarnished it, but it's my responsibility to remind people that it stands for hope."

Chronoa stepped forward, her expression pleading as Sparga took another step back, but she grabbed hold of his arm to anchor him and their eyes met and it was hard for the Saiyan of Steel to not melt under her gaze - her affectionate eyes boring into his to undo all the tension in his jaw, begging him as if saying "please come home."

Chronoa: "And what if your presence keeps drawing out more people like Sundowner? Or worse? Sparga, you've already seen how so many people are cropping up just to challenge you, to make a statement against this legacy you're so insistent on repairing. Sparga, the harder you push to restore Superman's honor, the more they're going to push back - and the more people are going to get caught in the crossfire!"

Sparga: "So what are you saying? That I should just give up? Abandon my responsibilities and let people think Superman was nothing but a tyrant in the end?"

Sparga's gaze hardened, and even though Chronoa held onto his hand, she could feel the tension sharpening in his arm. Trunks sighed and uncrossed his arms from over his chest with his own tone softening for a change.

Trunks: "We're not saying that. We know this is important to you, Sparga. But there has to be another way. Something that doesn't paint a target on your back - or the people you're trying to protect."

The tension was thick in the air, and Sparga's jaw was taught and tight. He took a moment, glancing down at the scarlet S on his chest emblazoned across his chest.

Sparga: "You don't understand. I have to do this. I don't wear this symbol to make myself a target - I wear it because the world still needs Superman. If I walk away from that, if I let fear or doubt stop me, then I'll just be proving people like Sundowner right - that Superman won't be there when they need him. And I won't let that happen."

There was tense moment of silence between the trio and Sparga was about to take another step back before another voice called out, cutting in from the side. "Wait a second!"

All three of them turned to see what looked like a Saiyan approaching them, spiked hair standing on end in lengthy waves. His uniform was a mismatch of practical gear that was standardized among Saiyan armor with the Time Patroller logo stamped on his breast among other personalized flair and his tail wagged eagerly while he strode forward. The trio all recognized him as Leek, a confident and proud combatant who mostly saw his membership in the Time Patrol as a means to an end to continue finding strong opponents to test his ever-growing limits against. But he wasn't an extraordinary warrior in any regard, and all around an average combatant - strong-willed but unremarkable. And as he approached, he pointed a gloved finger at Sparga, his face a mixture between curiosity and excitement.

Leek: "You're Superman, right? The Saiyan-Kryptonian hybrid everyone's talking about?"

Sparga blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the directness. Did Leek not recognize him?

Sparga: "Uhh… Yeah, I–"
Before he could finish speaking, Leek cut him off.

Leek: "Wow, that's pretty cool! So listen, do you know Sparga? He's another Saiyan-Kryptonian hybrid like you! But he's a Time Patroller. And he's been gone for a while. You help people right? You think maybe you could help us find him?"

Trunks raised an eyebrow and glanced at Chronoa, who exchanged the look while trying not to lose herself to the giggle fit that was about to erupt. Meanwhile, Sparga just stared at Leek in disbelief.

Sparga: "Leek. Buddy. It's me. I'm Sparga."

Leek stared at Sparga in scrutiny, rubbing his chin thoughtfully while leaning closer to inspect Sparga's face and features. He hummed thoughtfully, holding his fingers to his chin while scoping every detail of Sparga's face in earnest study. The inspection lasted several seconds longer than it should have, past the point of uncomfortable and intrusive, but Leek just kept craning his neck and leaning close enough to Sparga to look into his pores and Sparga could do little else but stand there in the hopes that he was convincing enough.

Leek: "Hmmm…. Nah, no way. Sparga was my buddy. But he was a grump who never smiled. He was kind of a jerk, to be honest. But he was still my friend! And everyone's seen the news footage of you. You're like, ALWAYS smiling. You got that whole 'hope for humanity' thing going on."

Chronoa coughed into her hand, stifling what was clearly a laugh and losing her willpower against the bubbling giggles brimming to the surface and Trunks smirked despite himself and had to cover his face with a gloved hand. Sparga pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in exasperation.

Sparga: "Leek, man. Think. If I'm not Sparga, how do I know your name?"
Leek laughed and gave Sparga a friendly pat on the shoulder.

Leek: "Ha! You're funny, man. Everyone knows you've got that x-ray vision! And you probably used it to see that I wrote my name on the inside of my armor! You're good, man! But seriously, if you see Sparga, let him know he still owes me a match! He's strong. I bet he could kick even your ass! Nobody's stronger than Sparga!"

And with a jaunty salute, Leek walked off. Sparga stood there shellshocked and Chronoa gave in to her impulse, filling the air with the sound of hysterical laughter. Trunks walked up and gave Sparga a pat on the shoulder as he remained frozen from the disbelief of the encounter.

Trunks: "Maybe next time, we can get Leek to talk to Sundowner for you."

Sparga: "I'm glad I could provide tonight's entertainment."

His tone was dry and bemused. Did his old friends really see him that way? And Trunks wasn't letting him off that easily.

Trunks: "He might have been onto something there, you know. Sparga never smiled."

Sparga glared at him, and Trunks laughed again, and Chronoa's own hysterics finally subsided as she walked up and draped her head against Sparga's shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Chronoa: "Oh wow, I can't remember the last time I laughed like that… Sparga, listen… We aren't asking you to give up. Just… Think about what this is doing to the world around you. You don't have to carry this all on your own."

Sparga met her gaze and after a moment, he spoke in a tone that was firm, but not unkind.

Sparga: "I have to do this. This world still needs Superman. If I walk away now, I'm letting fear win. And that's something I can't accept when this world so desperately needs some hope."

Chronoa's shoulders sagged, disappointment flickering across her face, but she didn't press further. Trunks shook his head, his frustration evident but subdued - for now.

Trunks: "You're as stubborn as ever."

Chronoa tightened her squeeze around Sparga's neck and planted a soft kiss against his cheek before he gave her arm a reaffirming squeeze of his own and pressed his brow against hers. And then he took a step away, his stance resolute.

Sparga: "You guys called me here to talk. And I've heard you out. But my mind's made up. I won't turn my back on this. Not now, not ever."

As he prepared to take off, Chronoa's voiced stopped him.

Chronoa: "Just.. please promise us you'll be careful Sparga. We don't wanna lose you."

For a moment, he paused and gave them a smile. His expression softened and he gave a small nod.

Sparga: "I'll be careful. Promise. But I won't stop."

With that, he rocketed off to fly off toward the horizon to leave Chronoa and Trunks in silence. As he soared off, Leek saw him flying away and called out.

Leek: "Don't forget to pass my message to Sparga along, Superman!"

Trunks couldn't help but laugh.

Trunks: "You know, maybe it's true what they say; A smile does better suit a hero."

Sparga's only response was to accelerate out of sight even further.

The drone of the scouting ship's engine humming slowed to a crawl as it docked into place, locking in and establishing security in its lock. Zod watched the latches snap into place as the small vessel slid back into its bay snuggly before the hatch opened and two soldiers leapt out from their seats in the control panel and then came a woman, clad in black with armor plating adorning her dark compression suit. She walked with a gracefulness that matched her authoritative air, the kind of demeanor that knew she was in total control. She saluted before Zod with a sharp movement and practiced precision that was drilled into her from a lifetime of orders and Zod nodded.

Zod: "At ease, Lieutenant. Did you find the item?"

Faora reached to her side with the conscript producing two small glass spheres, orange in color with red stars in their cores, one with seven stars inside and the other with five. She held them between her fingers and presented them to Zod with a sharp respect, her movements tight and controlled. As she spoke, her tone was of utter reverence to the man as she responded.

Faora: "Better, General. We found two."

Zod: "And the cub - he didn't stop you?"

Faora: "The half-breed was otherwise preoccupied with the humans instigating rebellion."

Zod absentmindedly acknowledged her reply while picking up one of the small orbs and holding it higher to inspect. Such a small thing, something he could crush between his fingers so easily. And yet..

Zod: "It's almost amusing to think that such baubles could restore Krypton."

Faora: "And you are sure that they are capable of this, General? It sounds like nonsense."

Zod took a moment, agreeing with her quietly before replying. He wanted to agree with her. He wanted to dismiss this as just a mere flight of fancy - something to disregard as utter foolishness. But there were too many conscripts in his forces who were demonstrating utter faith in the notion. Too many of them from different backgrounds all agreeing that the rumors of these wish orbs being capable of incredible accomplishments.

Zod: "It very well could be, Lieutenant. But something tells me it's more than that. And I'd prefer not to dismiss it until proven otherwise."

Faora: "As you wish, General."

Faora saluted sharply, bowing her head gently before lifting it back up to meet his gaze. And with a pivot, Zod's red cloak flourished as he turned away to begin walking to the inner chambers of his ship. Faora followed suit, clutching the wish orbs in her hand as she followed.

Zod: "And the other task I assigned you? I know I called you back abruptly from that, but you said you had a progress report?"

Faora: "Yes, General. We failed to locate the skirmisher itself, but were able to get a return signal from its communicator. We sent a message out. They have yet to respond, but on your orders, I will resume the search."

Zod: "Good. You are to restock your supplies and resume the search after a 24 hour cycle. And then you have 72 hours. If you cannot locate the skirmisher or its occupants after that, consider them lost. Our forces are spread to thin and if the pup realizes what we are doing, then he may prove a potential danger."

Faora: "Are we to eliminate the impurity, General?"

Zod stopped his march and turned to face her with a stern, disapproving expression. He towered over her and imposed his authority in his stature and in his scowl.

Zod: "The cub is a Kryptonian, Lieutenant. He may not be pure, but he is one of us. And we need him. And we can convince him that he needs us."
Faora nodded in acceptance, and Zod took this as approval before turning to resume his march, with his second in command following.

Zod: "He could have killed me in our last battle, but he chose not to. He's grown strong. Stronger than even Kal-El. He could prove to be a useful ally if we can convince him to join his people."

Faora scowled but said nothing, accepting her General's orders and wishes. The two came to the bridge and saw a heads up display on screen which gave them a long list of information. The two scanned the list quickly before Zod turned his attention back to his Lieutenant.

Zod: "Find his father, Faora. If the Son of the House of Do̅ or his squad are out there, then we can be one step closer to restoring Krypton. Dismissed."

And then Faora saluted and turned about face to march away, leaving Zod with the two wish orbs behind to add to his collection. And he took a seat, ruminating on the three spheres sitting before him.