By popular demand...
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“You look like a man with worries,” Kirk said, peering at his friend and first officer over his coffee.
Spock had finally come out of his quarters after closeting himself for several days. ‘Research’ Spock had repeatedly said, but he had refused to say exactly what he was researching. They were now having breakfast on the top deck restaurant of Star Fleet headquarters. San Francisco was spread out below them like a multi-colored quilt.
“Concerns, possibly bemusement,” Spock corrected. “Mister Kent’s ‘fairy tale’ had me intrigued.”
Kirk smiled inwardly. Kirk had been intrigued as well, but Spock’s curiosity was legendary. “What did you find?”
“According to the histories the New Kryptonians gave the Federation, an infant Kryptonian named Kal-El was sent to Earth for safety. He would have arrived in approximately 1966 c.e.,” Spock said. “In 1996 c.e., the New Kryptonians sent a delegation to Earth to locate and repatriate Kal-El. The first contact apparently did not go well. There was an incident and two high ranking members of the delegation were killed.”
“But that would mean…” Kirk began.
“That would mean that Earth’s official first contact with an alien civilization was with New Krypton, not Vulcan,” Spock completed for him. “And it was a violent one. The histories they gave us gave no details on what precipitated the incident.”
“Oh, the historians are going to love that,” Kirk commented. “Did Kal-El leave Earth with his people?”
“Apparently not.” Spock had his reading padd out and turned it so Kirk could see. On the screen was an old-fashioned newspaper front page – The Daily Planet. The headline read ‘Superman Back to Stay.’ The photo was of a young dark haired man in blue tights, red briefs and boots, and a flowing red cape. On his chest was a familiar symbol. The date on the paper was September 26, 1996.
“That’s the symbol for the House of El,” Kirk said. “So Kent’s story wasn't just a fairy tale? There really was a Superman?”
“So it would seem,” Spock said. “This is the only concrete evidence that I could find that he did, in fact, exist. And I was frankly surprised I found this. It is almost as if someone had deliberately hidden the information on him. Of course is it unhelpful that Old Metropolis was one of the targets during Earth’s last war. The Daily Planet and its archives did not survive. And what information that did survive is extremely fragmentary.”
“Pity we can’t go back and at least save the archives,” Kirk said. “This article says he could fly. Antigrav technology?”
“Unclear,” Spock said. “It is known that the New Kryptonians are telekinetic. Their abilities increase when exposed to moderate ultraviolet radiation. It is possible that includes the power of flight, although I am not aware that they have it. What I find more interesting is the byline on the story.”
Kirk zoomed in on the text. “Lois Lane and Clark Kent. Clark Kent?”
Spock nodded solemnly. “Our Mister Kent appears to be the most recent of a long line journalists and writers with that name, dating back to the late Twentieth Century. But again, the records are fragmentary. The records on the current Clark Kent indicate he was born on a small mining colony, the son of Marta and Jon Kent of Earth.”
Spock wasn't quite frowning, but Kirk recognized the expression. Spock wasn’t happy about something he had found.
“But?” Kirk prompted.
“Jon Kent is also the son of a Clark Kent. I also found evidence that Jon Kent’s records had been tampered with but I doubt anyone besides myself and a handful of others would have detected it. However I do have some reason to believe that he and his wife were never on the planet their son was alleged to have been born on.”
“Which means?” Kirk asked.
“I hesitate to voice my deductions without further supporting evidence,” Spock stated solemnly.
There were gasps from the surrounding tables. Kirk looked over to see people pointing to something in the air. He turned to see what they were so astonished about.
Floating about twenty feet away from the building was the New Kryptonian delegation. There were no signs they were wearing antigrav belts or boots. There were no signs of propulsion units keeping them aloft.
The New Kryptonians seemed to be enjoying themselves as they ‘played’ in the air like swimmers in water. The people on the rooftop were murmuring in wonder at the display.
“Uh, Spock, unless I miss my guess, they’re flying,” Kirk commented.
“I wonder what else they can do?” Spock wondered.
“Enhanced speed, hearing, eyesight, strength,” Kent said, suddenly beside Kirk on the rooftop. “Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive…”
Kirk saw the New Kryptonian ambassador beckon to Kent. “Come on Dad, it’s time.”
The reporter grinned back at her and before Kirk realized it, he had launched himself off the building, spinning as he went. When Kent stopped spinning, he was wearing the same suit as had been in the photo on the front page of the Daily Planet so long ago. His glasses were gone.
“Who is that?” someone asked.
“That, gentle beings,” Spock said with a touch of awe in his voice, “is Superman.”
