From Last Time:
"I object to this entire line of questioning," Nor's attorney announced indignantly. "The acts of these two other men are not at issue in this case. The defendant is not responsible for the actions of every single person with whom he has ever met."
"On the contrary," Mar Dov countered. "A commander is responsible for the actions of his subordinates and we will prove that these men acted at the direction of the defendant."
The head jurist turned toward Nor's attorney. "The prosecution has the opportunity to prove its case. Counselor, you will have every chance to rebut that case."
Enza felt a small smile turn up the corners of her mouth as she nodded. The commander was going to link Nor to every unspeakable act of evil perpetrated in his name at Silban.
********
New Stuff:
Martha leaned in closer to her husband, feeling his arm come around her shoulders, and brushed away a tear before turning the page. She already knew the skeletal outline of each of the stories Lois recounted, but only through the sterile, clinical filter that distance and journalistic detachment provided. Until now, she'd had no idea what Lois had been through, how she'd felt, what she'd thought. She could see now why the younger woman had been so afraid, why the responsibility had weighed down so heavily on her. And it hurt to know what Lois had suffered alone, trying so desperately to keep Ultrawoman from taking over her family's life. "I wish she would have talked to us about these things. I wish she would have let us help her," she murmured.
Jonathan placed his coffee mug on the table. "I know," he replied softly as he kissed her temple. "But she had to find her own way to come to us, on her own time. And we can be there for her now. I don't think it's too late."
"I hope you're right," she said. Her daughter-in-law was strong. She'd been asked to shoulder tremendous burdens, but Martha had to have faith that Lois would find her way through this. She and Jonathan would do everything they could to help. They were family, they would take care of each other.
********
"Hello, love," his wife said as she entered the apartment. Lok Sim crossed the room in long strides. He leaned down and kissed her softly.
"Hello," he replied with a smile as he took her bag. She pulled him down and kissed him again, her lips parting beneath his.
He sighed as he reluctantly broke off the kiss. Her moan of protest was nearly his undoing. "Much as I'd rather stay here, I have to be at work."
She reached up to caress his cheek, her hand warm against his skin. "I think my worst attributes are rubbing off on you," she murmured, lightly tracing the outline of his lips with one finger.
He kissed the tip of her finger. "I'm the Chief of the Watch tonight," he replied. "Which means…"
"Which means, you'll be gone all night?"
Lok Sim nodded reluctantly. "I'm afraid so. I'm sorry."
"It's all right," she smiled. "Where's Thia? Is she doing her schoolwork?"
He nodded. "She's in her room."
"I love you," Enza whispered, still smiling.
"I love you," he replied. He threaded his hand in her hair and kissed her once more. "Good night. Pleasant dreams," he said as he softly kissed her forehead.
"Good night," she whispered as he left.
He took a transport to the administrative compound and the engineering department; it was the center of the colony's nervous system. From here, the engineers monitored the communications and life support systems, as well as transportation and infrastructure integrity. It was his turn to supervise the night shift of engineers and maintenance crews as they kept watch while the colony slept. He made his way to the monitoring floor, where the staff engineers were busy working. Lok Sim took his seat at the post at the back of the room, elevated off the monitoring floor, and logged into the network. As yet, he'd had no luck uncovering any additional insights into the anomalies he'd noted many weeks earlier, but for now, he had nothing but time on his hands. While the staff engineers kept close track of the colony's vital systems, he scoured the networks, searching for something—anything—out of place.
Looking up from his monitor, he made eye contact with Sur Ahn, the Damage Control Chief with whom he shared responsibility for monitoring the colony during the shift. She sat at her station on the other side of the command center, probably as frustrated and tired as he was. Lok Sim smiled faintly in silent commiseration. Sur Ahn looked away immediately, her expression nervous. He frowned and narrowed his eyes as he regarded the Damage Control Chief. The structural and civil engineers all held her in high esteem. So what was she nervous about? If he remembered correctly, she was recently promoted to her position; he thought this might in fact have been her first shift in charge. Perhaps she was simply worried that something was going to go wrong on her first shift. While the night watch was generally a rather boring assignment, there was always the potential for catastrophic emergencies.
This, however, was not one of those nights of catastrophic emergencies. Lok Sim spent hours hunting for the evidence, poring over records and databases in search of some proof of tampering, but again, his search proved fruitless. At least he could cross several potential sources of infiltration off his list. His shift as Chief of the Watch concluded without incident. Wearily, he made his way back home, frustrated by his lack of progress.
He slipped quietly into the apartment, taking care not to make any noise. In his bedroom, he stripped off his clothes and gently pulled back the covers, lying down gingerly next to his wife. She curled up beside him immediately.
"Mmm…hello," she murmured drowsily as she placed her hand on his chest.
He kissed her forehead and placed his hand on top of hers. "Sleep, love," he whispered, wishing his wife weren't prone to wake at the slightest disturbance. Lok Sim fought off a yawn and closed his eyes, feeling the heavy pull of sleep drawing him in.
********
The hallways were bustling with activity at this time of day, but all the staffers and civil servants rushed to step out of their way, practically tripping over one another to keep the path clear. "I know that charges of command responsibility are extraordinarily difficult to prove, but Captain Enza assured me that with your testimony, the prosecuting team is well on its way," Zara said as she kept pace with Talan.
"I hope so, ma'am," Talan replied. They turned a corner in the administrative compound, walking at a rapid clip. "Did she mention how the testimony of Nor's lieutenants was received?"
"Their credibility is badly compromised, by their acknowledged actions at Silban and the deal we had to make to get their testimony, but since all we needed from them was corroboration of other testimony, both Enza and Mar Dov believe it was worthwhile putting them on the stand."
"What sort of deal did they get?"
"They'll still spend the rest of their lives rotting in a cell. Enza got their testimony in exchange for promising not to seek exile and hard labor."
"I seem to recall she does that rather effectively," Talan replied. If Zara didn't know better, she would have thought there was a touch of humor in the commander's tone.
"Speaking of the captain, it is almost time for her review. I know she has spent a good deal of time under your command. I was wondering if you have any input for the review panel."
"I obviously cannot speak to the specifics of her legal work, though I'm sure Mar Dov can, but she's shown true leadership and courage. She cherishes the values we defend and more importantly, she lives them. Captain Enza is one of the finest officers who's served under my command," Talan replied.
"Thank you, Commander, that's very helpful." Zara knew that the commander didn't offer unearned praise and her assessment of the more junior officer was honest and considered. It went to support what she already knew about Enza and what she'd heard from all of the other officers and attorneys with whom the young woman worked. And it further her conviction that she and Ching should ask her to be their chief of staff once Ching was confirmed. Enza may have been young, but not all that much younger than Ching himself was when he'd undertaken that responsibility, and about the same age Zara was when she became the First Minister. Besides, they'd asked a great deal of the lawyer over these last four years and she'd always performed ably.
"If I might ask, ma'am, how much longer does Mar Dov expect the trial to last?"
"He's putting on his last witnesses now. As Nor's counsel has decided not to use Nor as a witness in his own defense, Mar Dov imagines the defense's case will be rather brief. Closing arguments should be wrapped up within two weeks," Zara replied, glancing up at the other woman.
"I'm sure everyone is looking forward to the end of this particular ordeal, ma'am." Talan's expression was serious, almost grim.
"Indeed, Commander. I, for one, would love to put this entire business behind us. We still have much work to do just to undo the damage caused by the war. It's hardly possible to get started on it while everyone's attention is focused on the trial." Zara stopped in front of the corridor branch that led to General Command, where Talan was headed. "Thank you again for your time, Talan," she said.
The other woman saluted. "Of course, ma'am," she replied. Turning neatly on her heel, she continued toward General Command while Zara turned toward the center of the compound and the conference room where she could expect a briefing from Councilor Shai.
********
"Story!" Jon exclaimed happily as he ran into the living room. He was wearing the new pajamas covered in baseballs, mitts, and bats that his Grandma Ellen had sent him for Christmas. Jon stretched his arms out and let his mother pick him up. She lifted him up, swinging him around to his delight.
"Ready for your bed time story?" she asked him, smiling.
"Yes, Mommy," he agreed.
"All right, little man, let's go." She carried him back upstairs. "Did Grandpa help you brush your teeth?"
He nodded and smiled, showing off his pearly whites. She carried him into his room and tucked him into his bed. "What should we read tonight?" she asked him.
"'Hop on Pop!'"
"'Hop on Pop' it is," she replied as she removed the slender hard cover from his little bookshelf. This would be the fourth night in a row of 'Hop on Pop,' but he seemed to love it. She pulled the chair up beside the bed and read the story with him. Jon followed along happily, repeating the silly rhymes as she read them. By the time they'd finished the story, he still wasn't ready to sleep. "Another story, huh?"
"Yeah!" he replied in an excited whisper.
"How about 'Goodnight Moon?'" she asked. He smiled and nodded happily. She replaced 'Hop on Pop' on the shelf and removed the other book, one she'd read to him often, ever since he was a little baby. She wondered if he found it as soothing as she did.
"Goodnight room. Goodnight moon. Goodnight cow jumping over the moon. Goodnight light, and the red balloon..." she read softly, watching as Jon's eyelids started to droop over his big brown eyes. The deep, even sound of his breathing let her know he'd fallen asleep. She listened to soft, steady thump of his heart – one of her most favorite sounds in the world. For long minutes, she sat in her little boy's room, just listening to his heartbeat. Eventually, she stood up and turned off the lights, silently closing the door as she retreated from the darkened room.
Back in the den, she picked up her laptop and continued working on her column. She frowned as she stared at the screen, at a loss for how to finish up her piece.
"How about some tea?" her father-in-law said from the den's doorway, holding two mugs in his hands.
"Sure," she replied with a smile. Lois took the cup he held out to her.
Jonathan sat down in the armchair beside the couch and took a sip of his tea. "Clark got me hooked on this stuff."
"Me too," she replied softly. A soothing cup of oolong always reminded her of her husband.
"How's the writing?"
"Not going so well," she admitted.
"Anything you want to talk about?" he offered.
She chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Yeah," she said. It was time to quit pushing her family away. "I'm not really sure how to tie all of this together." She scooted across the couch toward the armchair so Jonathan could read the screen.
He frowned slightly as he read what she'd written so far. "This part seems kind of vague," he said. "Like you're not telling us everything."
"Well, I saw all of this as Ultrawoman," she admitted.
"Why not quote her?" he asked.
"Huh. I think that'll work," she replied. "Thanks."
He smiled. "I'm glad I could help."
She returned the smile and started typing. "What do you think of this?" she said after she finished editing the paragraph in question.
Jonathan laughed softly as he read the screen. "I think that's perfect."
********
Her sister-in-law began to gather the dishes, but Talan didn't find it particularly difficult to outmaneuver a woman eight months pregnant. "Ama, please sit, I'll take care of it," Talan said with a genuine smile as she stood to clear away the plates and glasses.
"Please, you're a guest in our home," Ama said as she slowly began to stand.
"It's not every day a war hero offers to do our domestic chores, love, I say we take advantage of it," Serick said as he took his wife's hand. "Besides, you should rest."
"I'm with child, not feeble," Ama chastised her husband good naturedly.
"Certainly not," Talan agreed. "But between your work and chasing these boys, I'm sure you could use a respite."
Her sister-in-law finally acquiesced and retook her seat at the table while Talan cleaned up after dinner, her young nephews mischievously getting under foot. They were skinny and knobby kneed with Ama's brown eyes and Serick's sandy-colored hair; one day they would grow into those awkward, gangly limbs and be as tall and graceful as their father. She'd stared down entire rebel battalions but the two little boys running around merely burst into giggles when she tried to chase them out of the kitchen. Serick finally came to her rescue, picking up one of his sons in each arm and carrying them off, all three still laughing.
Performing everyday, mundane chores should have been boring, but it had been quite some time since she'd indulged in the simple activities of ordinary life. Even when she wasn't out on a mission she still took her meals in General Command and her small quarters weren't particularly difficult to look after. There was none of the happy chaos of family life in her routine. And though she visited Serick and Ama more frequently now, she still missed them; they were her entire family and for years, their only contact had been sporadic calls dictated by her unpredictable schedule.
After the boys had been tucked into bed and Ama, too, retired for the night, she followed her brother outside. They stood at the edge of the settlement, looking out at the vast expanse of nothing under the dim starlight. It was cold, but not terribly so, and the air was still. "I can't believe how big they've grown," she mused as she thought about her six and four year old nephews.
"They tend to do that," Serick replied simply. He picked up a small, red stone, turning it over in his hands.
"Are you excited about the baby? Nervous?"
He chuckled softly. "Yes and absolutely. Being a father is the best thing that's ever happened to me. Ama and I feel so fortunate to have such wonderful children, to watch them grow up and guide them along the way. I'm not certain how to explain it, but it just seemed like there was still someone missing in our family. We wanted another little one to make our family complete. And we're so happy to be having a daughter, but we were nervous when Tyvos was born and when Gosem was born, and it will be the same with our little girl. It is the most remarkable thing in the world to hold this tiny person in your arms and know that they're going to look to you to take care of them."
"I imagine it is," she replied. He threw the little rock out into the wilderness. Talan lost sight of it quickly in the darkened night, but listened as it hit the ground some ways off.
"You know, you should really consider having a few of your own. They can be a lot fun," he said, a teasing grin on his face.
She frowned, her mood suddenly darkened. "Serick, I kill people for a living," she said gravely. "I am the last person in the world who should look after children."
"You save people for a living," he replied just as somberly. Her younger brother stepped closer toward her. Even in the darkness, she could see the earnest expression on his face. "This world, this war, perverted that, but it's not who you are. I know you. You are still a good person. You are still my sister, who raced home from the Academy to look after me when Mother and Father died. Whatever these last few years have taken from you, that hasn't changed."
"I'm not so sure," she confessed, picking up another pebble and throwing it to join its compatriot out in the arid desert.
"I am," he replied, the conviction clear in his voice. She closed her eyes, wanting to believe that he was right, that some part of who she used to be still existed. They were both silent for a long while, the only sound that of rock against rock, as they took turns throwing the little stones, imitating the game they used to play as children. Back then, he'd always been the competitive one and was so excited and proud when he could finally out throw his older sister. She, on the other hand, had never felt the need to compete with her younger brother. But then, why would she? She wasn't the one who'd grown up in his shadow.
Years later, he'd confessed how anxious he was as a teenager, afraid he would never measure up to his older sister, both literally and metaphorically; when she'd left for the Academy at seventeen, she was still a good bit taller than he was. Soon, she was the top ranked cadet in her class, winning every honor and award imaginable. It was only a few years later that they lost both of their parents and every drop of sibling rivalry that had ever existed between them evaporated in an instant. They were all they had left in the world.
He'd moved to the main colony to be closer to her, but he hadn't followed her to the Academy; she knew that he wanted to make his mark on the world his own way. During his last year at the university, he'd met Ama, the beautiful architecture student he couldn't stop talking about. Not long after she'd completed her apprenticeship, they were married. Life and work eventually caused the siblings to drift apart, but Talan knew it was mostly her fault. Just before the war, Ama and Serick had moved here to the brand new colony of Wey Rem, where she was to help design the settlement that would be their home and he would be the secondary school's first history and literature teacher.
"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if he hadn't been married when he came here?" he asked as he skipped a stone across the dusty ground. He didn't need to specify whom he meant.
"No," she replied, looking to cut this conversation off as abruptly as possible.
He turned to face her, a skeptical frown on his face. "You mean you've never wondered what it would have been like if he'd arrived here ten years ago, or if he'd grown up on New Krypton?"
"No," she repeated firmly.
"Look, I know you would never act on your feelings for him, you care about him too much and you're too good a person to do that, but are you honestly telling me you've never wondered, idly, about what could have been?"
"That is exactly what I'm telling you, Serick," she replied in exasperation.
"Why not?"
"What would be the point?" she challenged, knowing her initial hope of ending this subject of discussion before it could begin was a futile one. "What would be gained from it?"
"There's a reason it's called 'idle speculation,' sister," he said calmly.
"Why are you so fixated on this?" she asked at last.
He sighed and the growing sense of consternation in her receded a bit. He wasn't simply teasing her for its own sake. "I guess I'm just trying to understand why love seems so unfair. I know that I'm ridiculously fortunate. I have a wife who makes me laugh, and listens to my problems, even the very petty ones, who gives me perspective, and who, when I begin to wonder if we were insane to bring innocent children into this chaotic world, reminds me that we are doing everything we can to protect them and raise them to be good people. Why was I so fortunate to meet Ama when I did? Why did she fall in love with me? I haven't done anything to deserve this kind of happiness."
"Ama married you because you're a good man," she replied. "Because she loves you every bit as much as you love her. You're happy because you both try to make each other happy. The two of you have built your life together. You've made your own good fortune. We can't control whom we fall in love with, or whether they will love us back, but whatever this world chooses to put in front of us, we're still responsible for finding our own way and making ourselves happy." Talan turned the rock in her hands over a few times before dropping it to the ground by her feet.
She stared out at the desert because it was easier than making eye contact with her brother. "I love Kal El," she said, certain she'd never actually uttered those words aloud. "Deeply, painfully so. But he'd chosen his path long before I met him and he has someone to walk that path with him. He didn't come here looking for his future or his place to belong; he left those things behind, because he put the safety of a world he didn't know before his own happiness and the happiness of the one person he loves most. It does me no good to imagine that he left nothing behind. I have to find my own way, not pretend that it lies where it doesn't."
Serick's arm came around her shoulders as he pulled her into a fierce hug. "You'll find it," he said quietly. "Even if you have to tear apart every desolate inch of this space rock to do it." They laughed together for the first time in what felt like ages. She missed this - the comfort and permanence of family, the gentle teasing she would only tolerate from her younger brother.
"Come on," he said at last. "It's getting late and you promised the boys you'd take them exploring in the morning." They started to walk back toward the building, his arm still draped over her shoulder.
"I don't actually need the sleep you know," she replied.
"Yes but I do, and who do you think is going to be waking up to get the boys ready in the morning?
********
The lead jurist of the panel pounded his gavel to quiet the gallery. "Closing arguments having been completed, this tribunal shall render its verdict in four weeks' time. The defendant is remanded into custody and these proceedings are adjourned," he announced loudly. With his simple statement, the trial was over. Clark's ordeal was over. Almost. All he had to do now was endure a month's worth of agonizing, interminable waiting. Everyone present in the courtroom stood as the judges filed out. Out of the corner of his eye, Clark could see the guards put the shackles back on Nor's wrists and ankles before marching him back into detention. He turned to congratulate Mar Dov, pleasantly surprised by the weary, yet genuine smile on the lawyer's face.
"Excellent work, counselor," Clark said.
Mar Dov bowed deeply. "Thank you, sir." The old attorney made his way toward the courtroom's doors, while Enza continued to put away the files.
"I never would have gotten through this without you," Clark said.
Enza smiled as she shook her head. "Of course you would have, sir," she replied. "You did wonderfully."
He grinned in response. "Only because I had a lot of help. Now I hope you are finally going to take some time off and spend it with your family."
"Indeed, sir," she said. "I'm looking forward to finally being home before Thia goes to sleep at night."
"You should bring her by to visit soon," he said, realizing sadly that in a few months, he would never see the little girl again.
"I'm sure she would like that," Enza replied. The digital tablets and trial exhibits finally packed away, Enza followed him out of the courtroom and into the hallway where her husband was waiting.
The young man smiled at his wife as he took the bag from her shoulder and placed a hand on her arm. The couple shared a silent exchange, just brief, warm smiles, before Lok Sim looked back toward the First Minister. "Good tidings, sir," he said pleasantly.
"Good tidings," Clark replied. Zara made her way toward the small assembled group.
"Congratulations, counselor, you performed admirably," she said to Enza as she took Clark's proffered arm.
"Thank you, ma'am," Enza replied humbly with a slight bow.
"I trust that Kal El has told you that we do not want to see you in the library or your offices for a few days at the very least," Zara said sternly. "That goes for both of you."
"Yes, ma'am," Lok Sim said, a warm smile turning up the corners of his mouth. He turned toward Clark. "But before we're banished from the library, sir, I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I took you up on your offer?"
"Another book you'd like to borrow?" Clark asked.
"Yes sir, if you don't mind, of course," the young man said politely.
"Well, since it's on the way, there's no harm in stopping by there," Clark replied with a good natured smile.
The two couples – one a political pairing, the other very much in love – walked away from the courtroom, cutting through the administrative compound to the First Ministers' library. Lok Sim followed Clark into the large room, remaining a deferential half pace behind his First Minister.
Clark watched as the other man scanned the shelves silently. "Something else to read with Thia?"
"Ah, no sir," Lok Sim replied with an almost nervous smile. "This one is for me." He turned back toward the shelves and found the object of his quest. Lok Sim stooped down to remove the book from one of the bottom shelves. Clark grinned knowingly as he caught a glimpse of the title printed on the book's spine: "The Songs of Times Now Lost," the one truly classic volume of ancient Kryptonian love poems. He highly doubted the young engineer would in fact be reading this particular book alone.
"Was there anything else you needed?" Clark asked.
"No sir, thank you," Lok Sim responded in his low, but quiet voice.
"How's that search that you and Commander Ching were performing coming along?"
"We decrypted a back up routing log and traced the improperly accessed files to a fairly junior civil engineer. It's possible the entire thing was just a misunderstanding." The young man frowned slightly, the conflicted look on his expression making clear that he was holding something back.
"But?"
"But I'm not ready to sign off on that conclusion, sir. I'd like to talk to the engineer first. I'm supposed to meet with him next week."
Clark chewed his lip thoughtfully. "Keep us informed," he said.
"Of course, sir," the other man replied with a nod. He held up the slender, old volume in his large hand. "Thank you again for the book."
"You're quite welcome," Clark responded.
