Kal-El bided his time, trying not to let his feelings show as he waited to hear his fate. The room he was being held in had radiation emitters and they were on low – enough to keep him from breaking free and wreaking havoc.
Footsteps heralded the arrival of those who would deliver his fate. Zara in full regal garb approached him, as she was the temporary leader of Krypton. She turned off the force field and emitter field, allowing him his freedom.
“My lord Kal-El, I grant you right of ascension.” She bowed down, showing the form of proper protocol.
“Lady Zara, honorable council, I accept the right of ascension.”
He felt her presence before he saw her. Lois. Lois, here in this awful place. She was remarkably calm, and he fought the urge to listen to her heart rate. He faced her, and whatever she might truly be feeling, she did not allow her gaze to falter. Admiration for this brave person filled his heart. He felt a sense of loss, knowing that their paths would never cross again. Whatever they were supposed to have been, it had been destroyed by his own people. Of course that was the least of the horrors wrought by his people’s villainy.
“Welcome,” Kal-El said humbly, faintly lowering his head in respect, letting those present know that he considered Lois his equal.
“I am the representative of my people,” she told him calmly. “I am here to discuss your withdrawal.”
“Of course. You are also invited to decide the fate of those who harmed your people. You may order their deaths, or expulsion into the phantom zone.”
“Yes. We discussed it and agreed that we choose for them to die. We cannot risk them escaping and returning to plague us.”
Kal-El nodded without any expression, but she sensed his approval.
“I am not a leader who seeks to act vengefully or wrathfully,” he told her calmly, sensing her increased heart rate, knowing that words he uttered would trigger painful memories. Nonetheless, they had to be said. “I, however, agree with your assessment. The danger to earth is extreme, and we cannot guarantee that the prison is inescapable.”
“I’m not so high minded. I do want them to die because I loathe them for what they did. And I want them to know it’s me who called for their deaths. “
“You do not need to justify your choice. However, I understand, for what that is worth to you.”
She felt a pang of hollowness in her chest while talking to him. There was a part of her that once was the whole of her – and that part wanted to explain – to not be seen as a vicious and bloodthirsty person. But that part was a very small part now. The woman she now was had been forged from brutality and was no longer capable of compassion to her enemies.
“Then let’s start talking withdrawal.”
Kal-El, Zara and Lois secluded themselves away from the rest of the council by Lois’s request.
“Do you feel safe,” Zara murmured to her, hoping she didn’t offend her friend. “If this is too much, we can do this at the resistance headquarters.”
“If Kal-El has bad intentions after all this, we are doomed anyway. Just want to get this over with.”
Zara nodded and Lois winced.
“Look – you – have been very dear to me – but – we can’t co-exist here. You know that. And I’m just trying to move my world past this invasion and into healing.”
“You owe me no explanations. You are also my dear friend. I see you as a sister. But our time together is at an end.”
Lois smiled at her. “He’s waiting patiently. Let’s go?”
“Lois, I owe you my life – my freedom – everything,” Kal-El spoke awkwardly . “I did not want to reveal this in front of the council, because I was trying to follow protocol. I do want you to know that I am aware without you, I would still be trapped.”
“Just watch your back,” she said seriously. “Don’t ever let this happen again. “
He nodded. “I promise you I will not.”
She exhaled through her tense muscles. He could not really promise not to fall afoul of bad subjects, but at this point, it was all she had. She had to trust that he would be more careful.
“Our first order of business – we will personally free all the slaves from earth. I trust you both to this task, and Ching. I also trust the Kryptonian resistance members that I personally have worked with. With enough people to the task, we should be done within a few hours.”
“Where will they go? Our people have destroyed buildings and many people have no homes or sustenance left.”
“It will be chaos here as we rebuild. I suggest we leave this place as a refugee camp. The resistance quarters too.”
“Will Lex accept that?”
“I am de facto leader of my people. I will insist.”
“Whatever help is needed, we will provide. Those of us that you don’t count as trusted allies will leave as soon as possible – as soon as we can get ships readied. We will keep a close watch on our people to ensure no further abuses happen to yours. And those of us that you do trust will remain to offer our services to aid in rebuilding. We will stay as long as you bid, and leave as soon as you bid.”
“That might be … weeks – months - “
“We will do exactly as you ask. Our help is given because we have wronged you. Our servitude is a small price to pay for your forced enslavement. We cannot undo the horrors of what you endured, but we can at least help. We will share technological knowledge, equipment - anything you need. As well as red radiation emitters."
Lois nodded, trying to keep her emotions at bay. His talk of servitude kept pushing her towards terror, but she was in shock right now and that was enabling her to function calmly.
“Okay. Agreed. Let’s plan for who can stay, after we free those enslaved.”
Last edited by L; 09/27/16 08:18 PM.
