some progress here.
it strikes me that Clark has ceased to be a real leader of NK - he's become too immobilised by his own depression to be the vital leader that Nk needs.
Nevertheless, that's not a problem in the larger sense (although it might be hard for *him* to accept
) - Zara's really capable , and there are others, too. They don't really need Clark - maybe they never really did.
What they had to do was find the strength within themselves, and they have. Clark helped them do that, and that was his real mission, although he may not have realised that when he came.
This never really was his war in anything other than an atavistic, genetic way. It was sort of like an American born in another country, but having no memory of it, going back to 'the old country' to fight in its civil war (you can fill in the countries here <G>)
Nor will face a great many charges - the crime against Clark is just one of those, and not the most heinous. So at this point, Clark has to decide whether to stick out the whole trial or to head home. I can see that he might feel the need to gain the closure that the trial would bring, but the trade off is another year lost from his life on Earth, and from Lois too. So it's she as well who will pay the price of his decision to stay.
Another year of this. A year of waiting, effectively held hostage by Nor and his trial. Clark wasn't sure he had it in him to do this. But what choice did he have? He was going to see Nor punished. He was going to do whatever it took to ensure that Nor didn't escape justice.
There is another option - he can return to Earth for most of that year, and return to NK later - no reason why that can't be organized. As well, Clark has to realise he's part of a team of very capable people, like Zara, Ching, Talan, and others. In fact, at this point, I'm thinking, given his emotional state they're more capable than he. Time for him to acknowledge their strengths.
Increasingly, I'm struck by Lois's loneliness.
And now Talan has a new challenge.
c.
