Lois II
This is getting out of hand, Lois thought to herself. It’s sounding like Thanksgiving with my parents. “Ching, what happens if we don’t do anything? If Clark doesn’t repudiate the child and we let you and Zara raise her?”
Clark stared at her, tirade short-circuited. She knew he was scrambling for an answer and couldn’t find one, but fighting with Zara and Ching wasn’t going to solve anything. She looked over at Ching.
“Xon claims Conza was Clark’s concubine by right of victor. However, as Conza’s nearest male blood relative he can ask, and would no doubt be granted, the right to act as her child’s guardian,” Ching explained. “There is also the fact that the council of Elders declared Earth to be territory of the House of El.”
“They what?” Lois nearly screeched. “Those pompous, asinine, self-centered, idiotic, full-of-themselves jerks! How dare they!”
“They dare because Clark insists on living on Earth and by definition, anywhere the High Lord of a House has permanent residence is, by definition, a part of that House’s territory. Clark annexed Earth by coming back here,” Zara explained.
“Just annexing the house where we live wasn’t good enough?” Clark asked. Lois could hear the annoyance Clark was trying hard not to show. He was trying not to be upset.
“They felt they were being magnanimous,” Ching said. “Clark, if you don’t like us, don’t like Kryptonians, why have you been helping us? You arranged the fostering for Jos. I don’t understand.”
“It’s the same reason Lois and I invite her family over for the holidays every year,” Clark said. “We know they probably won’t show, and if they do, we’ll have a major row about something, and Lois will end up crying, the kids will be unhappy, and I’ll be praying for a volcano or tornado or earthquake somewhere, anywhere, so I can get away from them for a while. We do it because they’re family and we were both raised in a culture that values family. Like or not, you are family. New Krypton is family and it’s as dysfunctional as they come. Instead of alcoholism, and psychological abuse, my birth family tends to murder, and megalomania.”
Clark paused to watch Zara and Ching. Lois saw that they looked confused. They’re confused?
“It’s about family, about kinship,” Clark continued. “You can love them, you can hate them, be ashamed of them, despise them, but it still comes down to ties of kinship. When family calls, you help. Despite the wrongs they’ve done, you care.”
Lois watched Ching’s face as he struggled with the concept Clark was trying to express. It had been something she’d fought with for years. You can love them, you can hate them, be ashamed of them, despise them, but it still comes down to blood ties and ties of choice. When family calls, you help. Despite the wrongs they’ve done, you care.
“The council does not need to approve an adoption. It’s common practice actually,” Ching said. “It’s a simple mechanism for bringing new blood into the Houses and ensuring succession when circumstances warrant, like now.”
“But Lois is from Earth,” Zara protested.
“What does that matter?” Lois demanded. Like hell Zara was going to get away with this. I thought she was smarter, better than those know-nothing oafs on the council, the one’s who demanded Clark’s help and then sent him back to her without so much as a by-your-leave when he tried to make changes for the good of his people. Sent him back wounded, physically and psychologically. “I would think that if there was anything wrong with my kids, Doctor Klein or somebody would have mentioned it before now. My children are not mules! And I have it on good authority I will have grandchildren.”
“Zara, please be reasonable,” Ching said. “You know how much this means to my brother.”
Ching understands. Lois’s anger abated a little as she watched Clark’s anger and confusion fade into wonderment. How long has it been since Ching and Clark referred to one another as brothers? Too long, I think. That he had adopted Ching and brought him into the nobility for Zara’s sake as one of his first acts on New Krypton was one of the few things Clark had willingly shared with her when he first came back. It was something he’d been proud of, keeping his vows to her and helping Zara and Ching get together, despite what the council had wanted.
“Besides,” Ching continued with a smile. “With the four children in line of succession before me, I am a much lesser target.”
Zara looked at her consort. “We have spent much too much time on this sloppy planet. We’re getting soft,” she said, glaring at Ching. After a moment she sighed. “We will need to make a public announcement, and of course, there is the paperwork. And there will be the matter of making the announcement to the Council of Elders, and letting Xon know that any attempts made against the High Lord and his consort, or their children will be met with the full wrath of the Houses of El and Ra . . .” She smiled. “He won’t be allowed to think he can get away with threatening my consort’s brother, or my sister.”
“Besides, it’ll be fun, annoying the council some more. We have to maintain the House of El’s well-deserved reputation of being troublemakers and rabble-rousers” Ching added. “The entertainment guild is still putting out their daily news service on the colony info-net, you know. The council can’t figure out where they’re uploading from.” Ching was grinning. “Of course, they do have some help.”
“I wasn’t sure the idea would take,” Clark admitted. “It was a tough concept to put across. The people’s right to know isn’t always well accepted even here. How do you want to make the public announcement?”
“I believe your newspaper is involved with an equivalent of out info-net?” Ching asked.
“We call it the Internet, and yes, the Planet has a presence there,” Clark said. “I can place an announcement on the website, in the personals, maybe.”
“We can circumvent the council by stating the actual adoption took place when we were here before CJ was born. I distinctly recall calling Lois my sister during that visit,” Zara said. She glanced at Ching. “We have definitely been around Earthers too long.”
“I wouldn’t dream of accusing you of being sloppy and emotional, my lady,” Clark said.
