Author's note:
Hi everyone! After months of procrastinating, I'm finally posting my first fic here. I'm really excited for it finally to be out in the world. You all have been nothing but welcoming and encouraging, and I really appreciate it. Joining a community like this is a bit daunting (even without added confusion about how forums work coming from myself being Gen Z), but everyone has been so nice and excited to have me here that I got over my fear pretty quickly.
Anyway, I won't keep you from the fic any longer.
Happy reading! * * *
In the darkened laboratory, Dr. Timaeus and his research assistant were hard at work making the final preparations for their unmanned submarine. At present, the craft was suspended a few feet above the ground by cables. Dr. Timaeus ducked under it and proceeded to unscrew a panel from the base.
He gestured to his assistant. “Would you please hand me the sonar device?”
After passing it his way, the assistant asked, “You know, you never did tell me what that thing was for. What's the point of sonar if we’ve got cameras?”
Dr. Timaeus laughed. “I thought the purpose was obvious. It’s so they can’t hide from me any longer.” He placed the sonar device on the panel and pushed it up into the base of the submarine.
The assistant shook their head. “You can’t be serious. That’s what this is about? I thought the research committee told you to leave that crackpot theory where it belongs… in your overactive imagination.”
Dr. Timaeus fastened the last screw, standing back with satisfaction. He pulled a lever that began lifting the submarine towards the vaulted ceiling of the laboratory. “I’m completely serious. This is the last time the scientific community will laugh in my face. This time I’ll have proof...”
His assistant muttered under their breath. “We’ll see about that.”
* * *
In the lobby of the Daily Planet building, a woman in a wheelchair approached the front desk. She looked around before reaching up to ring the bell. The receptionist looked up, confused. The woman waved to signal her to look down.
The receptionist craned her neck over the shoulder-high desk and got her first good look at the woman trying to get her attention. She was dressed in an orange turtleneck, which shone brightly against her dark skin. A long gray skirt covered from her hips down to past the footrests of her wheelchair. Her curly black hair was in tight braids along her scalp, which joined in a bun at the back of her head. She looked up expectantly.
The receptionist cleared her throat. “Yes?”
“I have an appointment with Clark Kent.”
“Hm…” The receptionist scanned her eyes over the clipboard on her desk. “And you are?”
The woman smiled. “I’m Dr. Lemaris.”
“I see. Well, you’re on the list. The newsroom is on the seventh floor.”
“Great, thank you.”
Dr. Lemaris made her way towards the elevator and pressed the button. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the armrest of her wheelchair. After a quick elevator ride, she found herself overlooking the newsroom. There was no sign of Clark.
She chuckled. That was so like him to be late. That boy was always on the move.
As she made her way down the ramp, she ran into a familiar face, Jimmy Olsen. He stopped in his tracks abruptly, almost dropping the stack of papers in his hand. “Dr. Lemaris!” he exclaimed.
She smiled warmly. “Jimmy!” she replied. “I didn’t know you worked here.”
Jimmy dumped his papers into the arms of a passing copy-boy. “Yep, sure do. I’m finally achieving my dreams of becoming a photographer.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful! Is it just how you imagined?”
“When the Chief puts my pictures in the paper, it is. But sometimes not so much. So, what brings you to the Planet?”
“I’m here to find Clark Kent. He’s a college friend of mine.”
“Oh, cool.” Jimmy pointed across the room at an unoccupied desk. “That’s his desk. He went out to get something a few minutes ago. You can wait over there until he gets back.”
Dr. Lemaris patted Jimmy on the arm. “Thanks, kid.”
While she waited at Clark’s desk, her eyes drifted around the newsroom. The aisles and staircases were full of constant comings and goings. About every 30 seconds, a phone rang. Those calls were answered by reporters seated at their desks or by the ever-active copy boys. She could even hear the faint rhythm of the printing press below. As she waited, she fidgeted with the ring she wore on her left middle finger. The intricately carved blue stone shimmered under the bright lights of the newsroom.
After a few minutes, Jimmy disappeared into the editor’s office and Dr. Lemaris’ gaze fell on the reporter at the desk across the aisle from her. She was typing furiously at her keyboard, occasionally blowing a stray hair out of her eyes. Her black blazer with white speckles matched her pencil skirt. As she wrote, the heel of her shoe clacked against the ground. Dr. Lemaris hadn’t been in Metropolis for long, but she could swear this woman looked familiar.
The chime of the elevator distracted her from her attempts to identify the reporter. It was Clark, at last. She waved to grab his attention and he rushed down the stairs to greet her.
“Lori! You made it.” He leaned down to hug her. At the mention of her first name, the female reporter across the aisle raised an eyebrow in recognition and glanced towards her. As Clark pulled away, Lori noticed a black smudge on his cheek.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She beckoned him back towards her. “Now, c’mere. You look like you’ve been in a coal mine.” He bent toward her, laughing nervously as she wiped the mark off his face with her thumb. When he straightened up, he ran a hand through his windswept hair.
“Hey, why don’t I introduce you to Lois?” he suggested. The female reporter she’d been watching spun around at the mention of her name. When face to face with her, Lori’s earlier sense became clear.
“Lois Lane!” she exclaimed. Lois’ eyes went a little wide, but she managed a light-hearted chuckle. “That’s why you looked familiar. I’ve seen your poster.”
“Oh, right,” she replied, “You’re Lori Lemaris?”
“Well, most people call me Doctor, but yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Lori extended a hand to shake. Lois accepted the gesture. “Has Clark mentioned me?”
“A few times. He said you two dated for a while, back in college."
Lori chuckled and replied, "That's more than I thought you would say.” She glanced over to Lois. “Clark's awful at keeping in touch."
"I tried my best," he defended himself, "I was… busy." Lois shot him a knowing glance and laughed to herself. "And besides, calling long-distance is expensive."
"It couldn't have hurt to send a letter," Lori complained with good humor, "You even got married without telling me! Congratulations, by the way."
Lois opened her mouth to question, but Lori quickly explained, "Your wedding rings, they match."
"Oh, right," she admitted as she glanced down.
Clark chuckled. "I probably should've warned you. One of the first things you learn about Lori is that she's very observant. It's no wonder she became a research scientist."
"Oh, really?" Lois asked, "What are you studying?"
Lori's face lit up with excitement. "I'm a marine biologist. My research is about how deep-sea fauna have adapted to the extreme temperatures and pressure of oceanic trenches."
"That sounds… fascinating."
"I'm glad you think so." She glanced over at Clark to see him furrowing his brow and looking off into the distance. When she tried to follow his gaze, her eyes landed on a stocky, gray-haired man rushing across the newsroom.
As the man walked, he pointed to Lois and Clark and shouted, “Keep your social calls to your lunch break, you two. We’ve got a fire at the steel plant downtown and I need you both on it!”
“Sorry, Chief!” Lois called back. She looked to Clark, who still had a puzzled expression on his face. Lori knew that face very well. It was the one he made before he rushed off to God knows where.
“I’ll meet you there,” Clark said, “I gotta grab something on the way.” Lois nodded and began gathering her things from her desk. Clark did the same. Then, he tried surreptitiously to lower his glasses and look out the window. Something was going on out there, Lori could tell. She just couldn’t see what it was.
“Should I come back later?” she asked, “For lunch?”
Lois replied, as she threw on her trench coat, “Sure. We should be done with this story before then. Clark?”
Still looking out the window, he replied, “I’m gonna have to get a rain check on that, but feel free to go without me.” He reached down to grab his coat and started to make his way to the stairwell.
Lori chuckled. “He’s always on the move, isn’t he?”
Lois sighed. “Tell me about it.”
