Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic The Roads They Walked Alone Part 54 - Comments

Any and all comments welcome.

Thanks!

Rac

Ah Rac, how true this is. We may wish so fervently that our choices were all good or all bad, all white or all black. But only in the world of wishful thinking (and in some feelgood fanfic - and you won't have me necessarily criticizing them) do we find anything but shades of grey. I hope Lois will find it in herself to forgive herself for choosing a lighter shade of grey over a darker one, when she chooses the life of a child over the capture of some horrible war criminals and her own integrity.

This really moved me. I haven't really understood what New Krypton looks like, and how amenable its natural conditions would be to farming. It turns out that they are not very amenable at all. Your description of this part of the planet, which is said to have red rocks and be bone dry and relatively warm compared to the rest of the planet (which is obviously cold), made me think of the cold, dry Red Planet of our own solar system, planet Mars. So many people hope that it will be possible to terraform Mars, that is, to turn it into a fertile, living planet similar to our own. I'm skeptical, because the obstacles to terraforming Mars aren't just huge, they are truly planet-sized. Clearly conditions are better on New Krypton, which seems to have substantial, breathable atmosphere, if nothing else. Even so, there is something inherently melancholy about all these planets everywhere that are so harsh and inimical to life. And we treat our own Earth as if worlds like it are a dime a dozen. Wake up, people, the Earth is the only one of its kind. Mars won't be even marginally habitable for millennia (if ever) and the next planet teeming with life is light years away, that much is certain. Good luck making the journey there after you have located this extrasolar Earthlike world.

Anyway, I found it so moving that Clark, the farmboy from Kansas, would be so interested in how you make things grow on this Kryptonian farm. It was so beautifully in character for him to want to know about this, and it was so appropriate.

I love how Clark broke away from the guards and saved Talan. That, too, was so in character for him. And I'm extremely grateful that nothing happened to him, of course. He could easily have been killed.

I also love how you so clearly demonstrated Clark's innocence in his relationship with Talan. He deeply admires and appreciates her, but I found nothing in this chapter to suggest that he is in love with her. This sounded perfectly innocent to me:

Clark doesn't think twice about putting his arm around Talan's waist to steady her, considering that she is injured. It's only Talan herself who is bothered by it:

Clark can see that something is not all right with Talan:

Yes, something is wrong, but Clark honestly doesn't understand what it is.

This is a suggestion that Clark would never have made if he had known what Talan's real problem is.

I was very moved by Talan when, earlier during their conversation, she explained why it was so necessary for her to keep Clark safe:

The only way for Talan to keep her own self-respect is not to give in to her feelings for Clark, and to help make sure that he makes it safely back to his true soulmate, to Lois.

Ah, and the last time we saw Lois on the Earth it was Thanksgiving. Now Christmas is approaching. (So more turkey, the American holiday food par excellence, is coming up! Where is the "Stars and Stripes" icon?)

Lois is finding it hard to get into the proper Christmas spirit this year, but as Ultra Woman, she is going to deliver toys to kids. That sounds like an assignment as good as any that Ultra Woman could ask for, in my opinion!

And she is going to help Jonathan chop down a Christmas tree:

Where is the "smiling through tears" icon?

Zara and Ching's speculation about why Clark took such risks to save Talan was interesting. The way I see it, Clark is just totally fed up with being helpless and weak and doing nothing. He needs to be a hero again, and I think he loved saving Talan just because it made him feel a little like "Superman to the rescue" again.

Hmmm. And Zara doesn't want Ching to apprehend Alon. She wants him to be free to keep doing his traitorous business, so that he can lead Zara's and Clark's forces to Nor. Okay, but the risks involved are great.

And Lok Sim and Enza are falling in love. We have already seen that they would be perfect for one another. Please, please don't kill him, Rac. (Or her, of course. Or Thia.)

Ann

Hi,

Great part!


More ASAP, please.

MAF

Nice line, more soon

~Lois Lane Wanna Be

Well, I was right (in a sense) that Talan would be Clark's great temptation. He succumbed to the temptation to be a hero and save a life again. And he had no clue that Talan would rather eat ground glass and drink fresh lava than confess her feelings to him.

The idea of using Alon to draw out Nor is a good strategy, but it could backfire on Ching and Zara because Alon isn't reporting to Nor, but to Rae Et, and neither Zara nor Ching seems to realize it. I wonder if this misguided assumption will have serious consequences later on.

Oh, a note about sergeants in the military. They are classed as "non-commissioned officers" in Earth armies, which means that they can order a private to do anything that a commissioned officer (lieutentant or above) can order. The main difference these days is the level of education and training received, and the limits of promotion (officers can go as high as general rank, non-commissioned officers cannot receive lieutenant's bars without a special qualifying process or event). So there wouldn't be that much of a problem in the US Army between Sergeant Lok Sim and Captain Enza, especially since you pointed out that they're not in the same chain of command or even in the same class of specialty.

But that's not a problem at all, and it does make for an interesting wrinkle in their relationship. Let me add my plea to the chorus: Let Lok Sim Live! (t-shirts available with credit card order only)

I only hope Lois can stay true to her ideals despite having compromised some of them for the greater good. I still think her biggest trial is yet to come, and if that's true, it'll be a whopper when it does finally arrive.

Hi everyone, thanks for your comments.

Ann, thanks for your very detailed and thoughtful feedback. I was definitely hoping to capture just how awful Lois's situation is and how it is all about shades of gray. Situations where you have to choose the lesser of two evils are always tremendously unsatisfying and often gut wrenching. I think that would apply even more to someone who was used to being powerful enough to solve most problems quickly and cleanly. I'm also glad you enjoyed Clark's visit to the farm. I've always thought that one of the things he would bring to New Krypton would be a common touch - an ability to connect with people in profound, yet simple ways. When he takes an interest in something like growing food, he's connected intimately with a very basic and vital human endeavor. It makes him even more human and makes it easier for people to relate to him, especially in a society where so much effort is expended just trying to scratch out a living on a harsh planet.

I agree that there is a very innocent quality to Clark's relationship with Talan. It almost borders on an adorable cluelessness, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here and assume that he doesn't sense any of the undertones because Talan plays her cards pretty darn close to the vest. He has tremendous respect and admiration for her and he considers her friendship to be incredibly important, even as that friendship is doing a bit to throw Talan into a state of emotional turmoil. But I also agree that Clark racing to help her was indicative of him being 'Clark.' He doesn't sit back and watch people in danger and not help. The need to help is part of who he is, with or without the powers.

Hi Maria. Thank you for always commenting on every section. Clark certainly did put himself in danger, but I think it's certainly something in character for him. As for whether he still loves Lois, I definitely think so.

LLWB, thanks for reading and commenting. There will be more soon.

Thanks for your comments, Terry. You're right that there isn't a force on New Krypton that could make her confess her feelings for Clark. I agree that Zara's plan is a risky one, but it's the first real shot they've had at capturing Nor.

I hope you'll indulge me for going into geek mode for a moment. Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice was amended in 2000 to make the anti-fraternization rules stronger. Whereas previously, there was a more flexible rule that considered circumstances such as whether the individuals where in the same chain of command, the new rule prohibits all romantic relationships between an officer and an enlisted person. The new rule defines an officer as commissioned officers and warrant officers, but not non-commissioned officers. A relationship between an officer and an NCO is still prohibited. However, a relationship between an officer and an elisted reservist is fine if the relationship developed from their civilian interactions or if the reservist is not on active duty. Of course, this is neither here nor there, since New Krypton is decidedly outside the jurisdiction of the UCMJ.

More is coming up soon! Thanks for commenting, everyone!

Rac