Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Destined: Journey (1/4)

Summary: Until recently, young 16-year-old Kal-El’s entire life has been about training and preparing to be Supreme Ruler of Krypton. But when he learns his planet is doomed, he faces a new journey—not just to be Krypton’s sole survivor on a distant planet called Earth, but also to find a way to create a life and a legacy his parents would be proud of. Part one of a three-part epic.

Author’s note: This AU has consumed me since I started seriously working on it, and it grew in the oddest of ways—starting with a little hint of an idea based on an old fic I read and then a few lines of dialogue that popped into my head. I wanted to tell a sort of love story that I've never seen before in an L&C fic but that I've really wanted to read. And as I started thinking about it and beginning to outline a story, I realized I really, really, really needed to tell the whole backstory if I was going to do it justice… So, 275,000 words later, and here we are…

I need to send HUGE thanks to KSaraSara and lovetvfan, my wonderful cheerleaders—without the two of you, I don't know whether this story would have ever gotten finished, and it certainly wouldn't be what it is. And of course, thank you to KSaraSara for BRing, helping with Summary writing, making some INCREDIBLE images and banners to go with the story, and for…other stuff that I'll leave for my author's note for the other two parts.

This first part, Destined: Journey, is part one of a three-part story (part 2, Destined: Friends and part 3, Destined: Legacy are fully written and awaiting final edits). Although the entire story is LONG, Destined: Journey is fairly short (and only four chapters long). I'll be posting maybe every other day.

Rating: PG



Banner by KSaraSara



Destined: Journey
By Bek



The boy walked with purpose down the long corridor, his shoulders squared and his head held high. Father would be waiting for him at the laboratory, and he was already running late. But it couldn’t be helped. He’d had to finish the task his father had given him first—the gathering of books from the library.

And now, he carried the stack, weighing heavily in his arms, as he hurried along, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet hallway. He passed an older man dressed in all white, and the man bowed his head and knelt as the boy passed, but he was used to the gesture, and he did not slow or acknowledge the man. It would be seen as improper if he did anyways.

The boy’s own flowing robes, which he was required to wear over his skintight leisurewear when passing through the hallways of the palace, were also white but were adorned with intricately embroidered geometric patterns in a shimmery dark blue and with his family crest on the chest. He wore his crest proudly. After all, he was Kal of the House of El. And, in just four years, on his twentieth birthday, his title would be exalted to Lord Kal of the House of El, and he would take his place as Supreme Ruler of Krypton.

But for today, for right now, his task was to assist his father in…some way. Kal’s forehead creased slightly in thought as he remembered his father’s words from earlier in the day.

“After midday exercise with Jin-Dal, go to the library and bring me three books. The titles are these: Planets of the Fifth Realm, Hyperspace Travel, and Lost Languages: English of Earth. Meet me here no later than sunset, Kal. It is important that we speak. And tell not a soul of this. Not even Drek-Dal.”

The concern in his father’s voice had tugged at something in him, and an unfamiliar feeling—nervousness, maybe?—had settled over him. But he had gone on with his day, trying to push away the odd feeling that something was terribly wrong. He had eaten midday meal with Drek, as they always did after morning teachings, and then they had headed to the exercise wing to practice fighting techniques with Jin-Dal, Drek’s father. And then, he had bid farewell to his friend, donned his robes, and hurried off to the library, where he had silently waded through shelves of books to find the three his father had requested. They were dusty and old and looked as though no one had pulled them from the shelves, well, ever maybe. Yet, they intrigued him. And whatever his father had planned also intrigued him.

Kal made the final turn down another long corridor and saw his father’s laboratory at the end, the closed door embossed with the pentagon-shaped symbol of the House of El. He quickened his pace more and closed the distance in a matter of seconds. As he approached, the door automatically shimmered out of existence for him and then rematerialized with a faint pop behind him, and he hesitated; the pop sound meant the door was locked—no one could follow him in. They were effectively sealed off from the outside world.

He swallowed back the same emotion as earlier—nervousness, he decided again—and stepped forward into the laboratory. Jor-El, Chief Scientist and Advisor to the Supreme Ruler of Krypton, stood next to a holographic panel, flicking his fingers rapidly along control keys that Kal could not make out. An outline of a small spacecraft rose up into the air, and Kal’s eyes widened briefly before he blinked away the surprise and once again took on a more neutral expression.

“Good evening, Father,” he greeted. “I have brought the three books you requested. I apologize for being late. The Lost Languages book was difficult to find.”

“Kal, please bring the books here. I have news to share with you.” His father’s voice was deep and oddly resonant in the small laboratory.

Kal complied and placed the books on the table as he stepped up to his father. He stood as tall as his father now and shared his father’s broad shoulders and jet-black hair. However, he had gotten his deep blue eyes from his mother, La-Ra, who was currently on a journey to the eastern city of Valandar and was not expected back for three more days.

Jor-El turned to face his son, his expression impassive as always, and Kal straightened up taller as his father seemed to appraise him.

“Divest of those robes; they are no good in a laboratory, my son. And then, we shall speak of…this,” he instructed, gesturing to the holographic projections in front of him depicting the small spacecraft and, Kal now saw, a flight path with a trajectory to the Fifth Realm.

“Yes, Father,” he responded, and he moved back toward the front of the room as he removed and folded his robes. He placed them on a shelf at the front of the room and then returned to his father’s side, now clad in his simple black leisurewear, also embroidered with his family crest in shimmering dark blue on the chest.

Jor-El stared at the hologram, but was silent for several minutes. Kal stood next to him, studying the image in front of him. The spaceship was a single-person craft with a simple, sleek design. The list of specifications designated that the ship held enough fuel for two hyperspace jumps, which Kal quickly calculated could transport the ship to the Fifth Realm, but only on a one-way journey. He blinked at the hologram again. Only a one-way journey.

“Father—”

Jor-El turned abruptly toward Kal, interjecting with unfailingly blunt words. “Kal, my son, Krypton is dying. The planet’s core has been exploited by our people for too long, and the life of the planet is nearing its end.”

Kal stared at his father, unable to respond as he processed the meaning of his father’s words. Jor-El continued, twisting back toward the hologram. He reached out and touched one image—a planet—and the image enlarged and began to rotate.

“In mere months, maybe weeks, my son, Krypton is going to explode as the core becomes unstable. You see, Kal, we have been mining iron from the core without consideration for maintaining the balance of other metals, primarily nickel. This imbalance has led to the generation of excess heat, and that heat will result in a detonation large enough to break the entire planet apart.”

Jor-El again touched the hologram, and the planet began to rotate faster and faster. Kal flinched involuntarily as the planet then exploded in a burst of light, virtual debris flying everywhere and then disappearing as the holographic space rocks blinked out of existence, leaving only the small spaceship and its spec list.

“Father… Surely, the Council…?” Kal could not find the words to finish his sentence. He turned away from the hologram and toward his father, but the older man offered no comforting look or embrace. Kal straightened up taller and again pushed away his nervousness.

“I have approached the Council as well as the Advisory Committee on Sciences several times. Unfortunately, they have decided that my calculations are incorrect and that we have nothing to be concerned with. In short, my son, they have abandoned us in this, and they will do nothing to support any measures I have suggested. My son, there is nothing left to do. Krypton is doomed.”

Jor-El turned his back to Kal then and seemed to hunch over a bit, but only very briefly. When his father faced him again, his eyes gleamed with determination, and he motioned for Kal to follow him. Together, they walked through a doorway connecting the main laboratory to an even smaller room. Jor-El pressed a button on the wall next to them, and a control panel materialized in front of him. After another moment, robotic arms emerged from the ceiling and began reaching into a void, methodically pulling out small pieces of a shiny, silvery metal and arranging them on a platform. Kal recognized the fabricator machine at once.

“You are building the spacecraft. The one from the hologram,” Kal stated.

Next to him, his father nodded, and they watched in silence for several moments. The machine’s progress was very slow; each piece was assembled with the utmost care, and the arms paused every few seconds as though running more calculations. Kal turned to his father.

“Why, Father? What will you do with this spacecraft? It is only for one person. It cannot save everyone.”

“No, son, it cannot. We cannot. I tried and failed. I am but one man, and the Council will not listen to me in this instance. I believe they feel the problem is too big, and they do not want the people of Krypton to panic if they heard the news. Or, I suppose it is possible that they indeed do not believe me. In any case, Kal, this ship, this spacecraft—it is for you, my son.”

“Me, Father?” Kal could not keep the surprise out of his voice this time. He shook his head slowly as he stepped closer to the platform. “No, Father, I cannot leave Mother…I cannot leave Mother and you and all of Krypton. That is not right, Father.”

Jor-El was again silent, and Kal spun back around, his heart pounding in his chest. He suddenly felt as he often did when Jin-Dal made him and Drek run laps in the exercise wing for hours.

Finally, Jor-El spoke, his voice quiet but firm.

“You must listen to me, Kal,” he said. He placed his hands on Kal’s shoulders and almost shook him as he spoke. “This spacecraft will take you to a planet in the Fifth Realm. A planet the inhabitants call simply ‘Earth.’ They are a more primitive people than us, but they are like us too in many ways. You will fit in there, Kal, and you can grow and reach adulthood and build a new life there. Your mother and I have decided this, Kal. You shall not argue with us.”

Kal’s chest seemed to heave with the effort it took to breathe, but he maintained his posture, standing upright next to his father.

“Yessir,” he said, and he bowed his head.

“I have asked you to bring the three books because those are the books you will study by,” Jor-El explained. “You can learn the language that is most commonly spoken on Earth and some of the history of the planet and its solar system. And the book on hyperspace travel will prepare you for your journey.”

“I understand, Father.” Kal did not trust himself to say anything else or argue with his father anymore. It seemed he had no choice. The decision had already been made for him by his mother and father. He would abandon them, all of them—his entire race of Kryptonians. He would abandon them. He uttered one final word to his father. “When?”

“The spacecraft will be ready in twenty-one days, my son. I can only hope that will be enough time. Consider yourself relieved of all other household duties so that you may study. However, I do wish for you to continue with your daily teachings and exercises with Jin-Dal and Drek-Dal. Otherwise, they may become suspicious and wonder why you are absent. We cannot have anyone else knowing of this. It would be much too dangerous, my son.”

“I understand, Father,” Kal answered in a monotone. “I will begin my studies right away.”

Jor-El simply nodded to his son and then turned and watched as the fabricator machine continued to add pieces bit by bit to the spacecraft. With a final bow to his father, Kal turned and left the small room, dressed himself again in his robes, and lifted the three books into his arms.

He would do as his father told him.

After all, he really had no choice.