from part 13:
"Ok, that's enough!" snapped Clark. "Why are you calling me 'Lord' Kal-el?"
"It was written that the sole surviving son of the House of El would marry me," Zara admitted. "In fact, when we were infants, we were engaged."
"Well, clearly, that can't happen, I'm already married – and very happily, I might add," Clark asserted. "I'm pretty sure that when Krypton exploded and my parents rocketed me to earth, all of those Kryptonian customs stopped applying to me," he added. "I'm sure there are plenty of men on your planet that would be more than happy to take my place. Like Lieutenant Ching here." Clark had observed how attentive her supposed "assistant" was. Using body language as a guide, it seemed quite obvious that he was in love with Zara.
At that exact moment, Lois came bouncing in the apartment, then at the sight of Clark with two strangers stopped her dead in her tracks. "Clark? Who the hell are these people? And *what* are they wearing?" she snarked, noting the skin-tight jumpsuits that they were wearing. . "Are we filming a 'Star Trek' episode or something?"
Lois' bluntness never failed to elicit a smile from Clark. "Honey, this is Lady Zara and her assistant, Lt. Ching. They tell me they're from a place called 'New Krypton'. This is my wife, Lois."
and now,
Chapter Fourteen
Not entirely familiar with the earthly concept of shaking hands as a form of introduction, Zara and Ching nonetheless managed to mimic Lois' proffered hand.
"*New* Krypton? Is that in a galaxy far, far away?" Lois snarked.
"We’re here because we need Kal-El's help," Zara replied. "To avoid an invasion of your planet by someone who considers himself a God."
Clark's eyes opened wide. "Someone from your world wants to take over the earth? Why? I would have thought that an advanced culture such as yours must be, to have traveled here, would be well beyond the luster of power and greed."
"Ah, but in this particular environment, your yellow Sun and lighter gravity bestows all of us from New Krypton with Godlike abilities over time. Lord Nor plans to take over your government and figures with his powers, no one – but you – will be able to stop him. That's why we're here – to figure out a game plan to protect your world as well as ours," Zara informed them. "And to ensure your safety, Kal-El."
"So let me get this straight. You didn't know I was here until you intercepted that message sent by our scientists?" Clark said, needing clarification.
"Legend has it that your father, Jor-El, had sent his son away just prior to Krypton self-destructing. We didn't know if you had actually made it or not, or exactly what solar system you were headed for. As I said before your wife came in, when we were infants, protocol stated that we would wed some day; since you disappeared, Lord Nor is next in line to be my husband."
"The man who wants to take over the earth?" Clark exclaimed. "Pre-arranged marriages? For an advanced culture, Krypton seems to be a bit backward in some ways!"
"Well, quite honestly, the other reason for our visit was to hope that you would return to New Krypton as my husband," Zara disclosed. Spying Lois' shocked, ticked-off expression, she continued with, "Don't worry, Lois. Even though Kal-El and I were technically betrothed at birth, I won't interfere with your earthly customs. We will respect your marriage to Kal-El, and we'll find another way to get back at Nor."
Lois' eyeballs were simply bulging out of their sockets, filled with rage and possessiveness. "Look, *Lady* Zara… I'm sure Clark here wants to help you, but going back to your world as your husband…definitely *not* an option!"
Clark turned to her and gently put his hand on her shoulder as a calming mechanism. "Lois… honey… she just said that we'll find another way… you know I would never leave you." He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. "But it's so exciting to know that I'm not the only Kryptonian left standing," he added. "Quite honestly, I would *love* to see your world."
Lois shot Clark a fiery glance. "Look, Smallville, if you're going there, so am I!"
"I think that the Elders would be against that, Lois. After all, earthly law and customs have no meaning on New Krypton. The only way you could come with us is if you were dressed as a concubine," Zara said.
Clark starting laughing hysterically, picturing Lois in a harem outfit. "Lady Zara, you really don't know my wife well enough to suggest that. You might be stronger than her, but she'll find a way to kick your butt!"
Lady Zara, using telepathy, received Clark's image of Lois trying to kung-fu her. She smiled. "Oh, so that's what the expression 'kick your butt' means!"
Lois walked over to Lady Zara and got in her face. "You mean the only way I can travel to New Krypton is as a love slave to my own husband?"
"And for others as well," Lieutenant Ching added, with a barely evident twinkle in his eyes. "There is a pool of available ladies that service the elders and the high council."
"What kind of backwards hell hole are you people from, anyway?" Lois ranted.
"Ok, we're getting off track," Clark interjected, attempting to change the subject. "Let's get back to talking about the threat of this Nor guy. What's his game plan?"
"He is already here. He's attempting to make contact with the earthlings that sent the message into space, in the hopes that he can break down their defenses with their interest in extra-terrestrial life forms. Once he has infiltrated, under the pretense of sharing scientific information with your world, he's going to try to take over," Lady Zara stated. "Your people will be completely blindsided by his approach. He's quite a proficient – how do you earthlings say it? pathological liar."
"Trask! This is right up his alley," Clark groaned. ”I have to warn Lex and Hank right now!" Clark spun into the suit and flew out the window, leaving Lois with the two visitors.
"Well this is just great," Lois complained. "He leaves me with you two. You guys can't fly off or anything yet?"
"We can float a bit. Every day we're here, our abilities increase," Zara noted. "That's how we got into your apartment. We went to the end of the hallway and kind of floated into your window from there."
"Nice," Lois remarked, as her beeper from the hospital went off. "I have to call in to work, there must have been a big accident somewhere." By further explanation, she continued, "I am the Head nurse in the emergency room at this city's biggest hospital. I practically live at my job. Sometimes I wonder why I bother even coming home!"
"Well, we'll take off for now, and check in with you later," Lady Zara said, motioning to Lieutenant Ching.He pulled a device (looking like a television remote) out of a hidden pocket in his tight-fitting jumpsuit, and punched in a few numbers. Before Lois' eyes, the two aliens disappeared from her sight.
"Come back here you two!" Lois yelled into thin air. "I want one of those! Just think how fast I could get to an emergency with that – that – contraption!"
Realizing she was now literally talking to a wall, she resignedly grabbed the cordless phone and called the hospital. As expected, there was a major traffic accident on one of Metropolis' main arteries, and victims were being flown in to the ER by helicopter in droves. <Clark's probably already there, I'm sure he spotted this on the way to LFSR, and couldn't help but stop.>
Lois grabbed her car keys and ran downstairs to her waiting vehicle, a 1995 Jeep Cherokee (her fifth wedding anniversary present from Clark). Even though driving a vehicle in the city was more of a hassle than it was worth sometimes, when Clark wasn't around, it was better than trying to hail a cab in an emergency. And owning a 4-wheel drive SUV allowed her to get to the hospital even if the middle of a raging nor'easter!
~~~~~
Clark had indeed noticed the traffic snarled and immediately spotted competing ambulance companies that had arrived at the scene of the multiple accidents on the highway. In addition, his own beeper had gone off several times; however, since Lex was en route to LFSR ("Leff-Sir"), and he was in the air, there was no one to answer the calls for assistance back at the office. <We're going to have to break down and actually hire some EMTs>, Clark resolved. <Lex wanted to keep the business "in the family" to protect my secret, but the most important thing here is saving lives>.
Swiftly, as Superman, he determined which accident victims needed immediate attention and using a portable EMT cot, he flew away from the scene, heading towards Met General. <Lois must have gotten beeped also>. Glancing back at the apartment, he noted that it was empty. Looking down, he spotted Lois' Jeep speeding towards the hospital. Since she was the Head Nurse, she had received permission to install flashing emergency lights on the roof of the jeep, allowing her to break the speed limit – several times over. <I think she just keeps that job just so she can speed legally>, Clark smiled to himself.
On his third trip back with the acutely injured, Lois was finally pulling into the employee parking lot of Met General. Spinning into his EMT clothes in mid-air, he landed adjacent to his wife's car just as she was emerging from the vehicle.
"Hey! I figured you'd get called in," Clark said, kissing his wife hello. "I already brought 6 victims in. It's a mess at the scene."
Lois, noting her husband's attire, said, "Are you going to work, or headed to LFSR?"
"Heading to LFSR. I need to find Lex; I think I'm going to have to blow off the L&C calls for now," he replied.
"That's not very good for business, you know, Clark," Lois remarked, as all the while they were jogging towards the entrance to the ER. "But I understand. It sounds like this 'Lord Nor' guy could cause all of us some real problems."
"I just hope that Lex believes me. Where did they go, anyway?"
"Her companion – that Lieutenant guy – took out a gadget and they went – poof! – right in front of my eyes," Lois stated. "Cool device. I want one."
"Your birthday's coming up, Lois," Clark said, smiling broadly, as they arrived at the main door. "I'll get one for you! See you at home later?"
"Hope so, Smallville. This may take all night."
A kiss good-bye later, and Clark, in his official Superman garb once again, was flying determinedly towards LFSR.
TBC
