Thanks for the comments, guys!
I'm still getting things set up at this point in the story; it should get more interesting shortly.
Thanks, Rachel
I was inspired by the trailer for Hearts Divided, actually; in some of the scenes, Clark was wearing a dark red vest, and that seemed to suit Kal better than electric blue.
Wendy.... yes.
Thanks Ankit, Tricia, Carol & Jose ... the encouragement is much appreciated!
Maria, about the H.G. Wells thing... I've never been able to properly explain it in the context of the story -- none of my characters could even come close to guessing it -- but my theory is that our Herb was bopping around the universes and ran into this one, wherein baby Kal-El does not get sent to Earth. So, being helpful, he thought he could at least plant the *idea* of Superman, and he slipped the manuscript into the effects of *that* universe's Wells, so everyone assumed it was home-grown. Like so many of his good intentions, though, this didn't work so well in practice, and left a mess Lois & Kal will have to try to work through. I alluded to this at the end of Hearts Divided, but that's the most I've been able to manage. What do you think, should I add an author's note, at some point?
Vive, thanks for delurking; that makes me feel pretty good <g> They've got a problem, of course, but they have some factors in their favor, too -- for one, there is not and never has been a Clark Kent in this universe. H. G. Wells glossed over some of the details of the backstory, too; he didn't reveal where the baby had come from, just that he arrived alone in a tiny spaceship.
You guys will have to let me know if my eventual solution doesn't hold water
I said I'd post every other day, and since Wendy posted yesterday, this afternoon should be a safe time
so... part 5 will be along in a minute.
PJ
So funny! And after all that work getting his....