Click Here For TOC From Part 1:
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Lara turned her attention back to the baby. She heard Jor-El’s footsteps retreat into a small room in the back of the laboratory, leaving her and their son alone. She cradled the infant tightly against her and dropped a kiss on his head. “Oh, my son,” she whispered. “My son, my little Kal-El. I am so sorry. Please forgive us. If circumstances were different, we would gladly keep you and raise you!” Her eyes became misty. “Jor-El and I both love you.”
She was unaware of the passage of time; she could have been sitting there for two minutes or two years. All too soon, she felt Jor-El’s hand on her shoulder once more.
“Lara, it’s time. Everything is ready, and we must report back to the council tomorrow.”
She looked up into his eyes, and noticed that they were uncharacteristically filled with tears.
“It’s time.”
**********
And now, Part Two: **********
YEARS LATER
**********
It was a typical day, for the most part. Everyone’s minds were on their work, so no one noticed when a beautiful woman entered the room and began scanning the sea of faces for her partner and husband. At last, she spied a tall, dark-haired man in the middle of the room and called his name. He turned, his face immediately lighting up when he saw her, and frowned when he saw that she was troubled about something. She began walking toward him, and he met her halfway. When he asked her what was the matter, she looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears, but she said nothing.
“You miss him, don’t you?” It was a statement, not a question.
“It’s just not fair, Clark! I mean, right when we’re starting to accept our own inability to have children, *poof* --- one appears. And then when it seems like we’re going to be a family after all, his real family turns up! Or what passes for his family---I don’t know *what* those people are!”
“Lois,” Clark put a comforting hand on his wife. “We knew from the beginning that Adam wasn’t ours. We were actually *looking* for his parents, remember?”
Lois reluctantly nodded.
“And besides, Lois, I already told you. We *are* a family---just a very small one.”
“I know.”
Clark slid his arms around her and pulled her close.
Lois wrapped her arms around his neck. “But it’s just so hard, you know?”
“I know.”
“I was just starting to warm up to the idea of being a mom.”
“I know.”
They stayed in their embrace for some time, until Perry walked up and grumpily informed them that this was a newspaper and not the honeymoon suite of the Lexor hotel. Reluctantly, they released each other and drifted toward their desks.
“You didn’t have to come in today.”
Lois shrugged. “I couldn’t stand being alone in that empty house.”
Clark nodded empathetically. “I know what you mean.”
“He was such a cute little guy. I’ll really miss having him around.”
“Yeah. Can you imagine what his mother had to go through?”
**********
A lonely figure sat in the hall, just outside the door. With a swish, the door opened and the immaculately white clad physician stepped out.
“There is nothing more I can do. He wants to see you.”
Lara nodded and entered the room, seating herself on the bed next to the gray-haired man lying there---the man she loved. She was only vaguely aware of the door closing.
Jor-El reached out a hand and touched his wife’s face. “My Love…”
“How are you, my husband?”
“As well as can be expected. I feel no pain.”
Her vision blurred, and Lara felt something wet on her cheeks. She swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “Please. Don’t leave me.”
“I must, Lara.”
“No, you mustn’t!” Lara cried.
“It is best, Lara. In time, you will see that.”
Lara stared at him mutely, not comprehending. Tears trekked down her face, unheeded.
Jor-El took her hand in his and ran his thumb in small circles over it. He looked up into her eyes. “Lara, I have no regrets.”
“None, my husband?” Lara cast him a cynical look.
Jor-El was unfazed. “None. I did, once, but I have since come to terms with it. You, on the other hand, have not.” Images flooded his mind---the image of his heartbroken fiancee collapsing against him as a small rocket lifted into space. The image of his bride giving him a look only he could understand as the priest mentioned bearing and caring for children. The image of his wife lying in blood, screaming in pain and crying that Rao was punishing her for what they’d done.
The image of his wife sitting before him, right now, still haunted by their fateful decision years ago.
“Lara, I am leaving soon. I have two requests, and I want you to promise me that they shall both be fulfilled.”
Lara nodded.
“First, I want my ashes buried next to those of my father.”
She nodded. “It shall be done.”
“Now for the second.” He raised his head as far as he could and glanced around the room, as if to make sure they were alone. Upon seeing nothing, he laid his head back down upon the pillow. “Lara, years ago, I went back to the laboratory at Kandor. For years I went there and I worked, little by little, on a second rocket. One that can carry an adult.”
Lara’s eyes widened at this statement.
Jor-El continued. “Now, at last, it has been completed. And when I have gone to Rao’s valley, I want you to board the rocket and go where it takes you. Whatever happens after you land is up to you.”
“But Jor-El, I am too old for space travel!”
“Nonsense. You are no more old than he was young.”
No explanation was needed as to who ‘he’ was, and Lara was also certain she knew the rocket’s intended destination.
“Promise me, Lara.”
Lara bit her lip. How could he ask her to do this? How could her husband’s last wish be so cruel? She couldn’t do it!
“Lara, promise me!”
She looked into his eyes and his eyes looked back. They bored into her very soul. They saw the fear and pain that lay within, yet still they insisted. Finally, her own eyes dropped. “Very well, my husband. I promise. I shall do as you wish.”
A small smile crossed her husband’s face. “Lara, my love, my wife. I love you, and I wish you happiness.”
She bent and kissed him. His smile grew. Then, with a sigh, he closed his eyes and was gone.
**********
In the dead of night, a woman in a black hooded cloak stumbled through the darkness toward a massive building that stood, lonely and forgotten, beyond the borders of the old capital. Lara pulled the cloak tighter around her. It had belonged to her husband, and still carried his scent. She could almost feel his presence in the dark garment that protected her---from the cold, from spying eyes. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine him walking beside her, turning to her with that brilliant smile and...
Cursed root!
Lara rubbed her ankle for a moment before standing and brushing the dirt from the cloak and her deep blue dress. How much farther to the entrance?
Not too much farther, thank goodness. She resumed her course, the slight limp disappearing by the time she reached the door.
She pressed her hand to the lock, praying that it was still functioning and would grant her access. After a one-second delay, a small red bar at the bottom of the lock lit up. The huge doors slid apart with only a slight groan of protest, and then gratefully slid themselves shut behind her.
Lights flickered to life, completely illuminating the large room, as well as the hallway beyond. The sudden transition from gloomy darkness to brilliant light made Lara blink.
As soon as her eyes adjusted, she continued down the hall toward a door at the far end. Again, she pressed her hand to the lock, and after a pause, the doors parted. She entered the room.
There it was.
Just as Jor-El had said, there was a rocket in the middle of the room. It was reminiscent of the one they’d---of the first one, only much larger. Its nose was pointed at a point on the ceiling.
Lara reached out a tentative hand and touched it. The cockpit slid open.
She couldn’t do this!
A disease on Jor-El’s last wishes, she simply couldn’t do this! He couldn’t expect her to climb into a metal canister and be sent hurtling at light speed through the vast expanses of space, to leave their friends and family and the comfortable life-style of Krypton for a barbaric alien planet…
…A planet in which she’d be so close to the son they abandoned.
She couldn’t do this. Didn’t he see? She couldn’t do this!
To live the rest of her days on the same world as him, always facing the chance that she might actually meet him…
She would suffer.
But then, maybe she deserved to suffer.
Fear gave way to determination. Lara approached the rocket. Taking a deep breath, she climbed into the cockpit and made herself reasonably comfortable. As soon as she was inside, a button in front of her lit up. Lara pushed it.
The cockpit closed, sealing her inside the rocket. Slowly, the ceiling of the great laboratory began to roll back, revealing a sky filled with stars. There were a few strange metallic sounds, then a roar, and Krypton was behind her.
Forever.
**********
Forever. That was how long Lois wanted to stay here, warm in her husband’s arms as they lay together on the beach of a secluded island in the pacific. The past week had been hectic, and so they were taking a much needed break, courtesy of Superman. She started to doze, lulled by the sound of Clark’s heartbeat beneath her ear, when she spotted a streak of light in the starry sky above them.
“Look, Clark!” She said, sitting up, “It’s a shooting star.”
“Are you going to make a wish?” Clark grinned as he shifted to a sitting position and reached for Lois again.
“Oh, don’t be silly. Wishing on shooting stars? That’s ridiculous.”
“You’re absolutely right, Lois,” Clark agreed, “and so are ghosts, and flying aliens, and clones, and invisible men, and---”
“All right, already!” Lois laughed and swatted him in the chest. “So why don’t we both make a wish, then?”
“All right.”
They shut their eyes and sat for a moment in complete silence, each sending up a heartfelt request to whatever deity or celestial body might be listening.
Lois opened her eyes and looked at Clark. “What did you wish for?”
Clark smiled at her. “Sorry, Lois. I can’t tell you.”
A small hint of a smile appeared on her face, and then her expression became serious. “I wished for the same thing.”
“Oh, Lois.” Clark gathered his wife into his arms. His lips found hers.
Whether they were trying to make their wish come true or consoling each other because they knew it couldn’t, neither was sure.
**********
It seemed like ages had passed by the time her rocket landed on the planet’s surface. Lara climbed out of the cockpit and surveyed the strange landscape around her. It was like nothing she had ever seen. The ground and air were so dry, and what few plants there were seemed to be covered in sharp spikes. She thought she could make out some kind of path in the distance.
The globe in her ship was glowing. Doubtless, it was a message from Jor-El. Lara touched the globe to activate it. It would be good to see him and hear his voice again.
A miniature image of Jor-El shimmered into being above the globe. “Lara, my love, that you are receiving this message means the ship has reached its destination. I trust you have arrived safely?”
Lara smiled.
“Also, the fact that you are receiving this indicates that I am no more. Even as I record this message, I am aware that my time is short. It is my hope that this means your healing will come that much sooner.
“Lara, I love you with every fiber of my being, and I do not doubt your love for me. I know that only death would have taken you from my side. How I wish I could be there with you, even now. Alas, this vessel can only carry one, and I know it is necessary for you to come to this place. Now that I am gone, you are free to do so.
“I know you have not forgiven yourself for what happened at Kandor. Do not attempt to deny it, my wife. I have seen the torment in your eyes every day since we sent Kal-El to Earth. Sometimes I’d ask myself, ‘Where is that laughing girl, that impish young woman whose eyes dance with merriment?’ I know it is not age that claimed her, Lara, and I hope that she somehow still lives.
“That is why I have sent you here. I want you to forgive yourself, Lara. I want you to be able to laugh again without the burden of past mistakes weighing on your heart. If this means reuniting with our son and telling him everything, then so be it.
“I am not foolish, Lara. I know that such a confrontation would likely not be just a simple family reunion. I will not force you to confront him now, and you needn’t confront him at all if you wish.
“You are in the same nation he was sent to, the United States of America, but I have sent you to a different province. This place is called Arizona. Touch the second and fifth key points of this globe, and you will be shown a map of where you are.
“It is up to you what you shall do now, Lara. Whatever happens, whatever you decide, know that I love you always.”
The image began to flicker and fade.
“May Rao go with you.”
With those words, Jor-El’s image died away, and Lara was left alone with the silence of an alien nightscape. So. It was up to her what to do. Well, what *did* she want to do? Part of her wanted to turn around right now and go home! Unfortunately, that was not an option. So what was she to do?
She did not know what time it was on this planet, but she sensed that she did not want to be standing in this place when the sun came up. The air was much too dry, and would probably offer little resistance to the heat of this planet’s sun. Jor-El had spoken of power and invulnerability on this world, but those were theories. Lara was much too practical minded to put all of her faith in an unproven theory.
Gently, she lifted the globe from its resting place in the ship. After briefly consulting its map to get a general idea of her location, she slipped it into the pocket of her cloak. For now, she would follow the path she’d spotted. Perhaps it led to some form of civilization. Sticking out her chin, she bravely marched off toward the dark, winding ribbon in the sand.
The path was hard. Perhaps it was some kind of road? She remembered learning about roads in history texts---ancient Kryptonians had used them before the invention of hovercraft.
After choosing what seemed like a reasonable direction, Lara set off. The road was very long, and the dry, barren landscape seemed to stretch endlessly on either side of it. She walked on, stumbling only twice. After a while, her feet began to complain, then her legs, and soon every muscle was aching. Still, she pressed on. Before her, a golden glow began to creep up from the horizon, turning the once-black sky to deep shades of red and orange.
Soon, her road joined with another, wider road. This one had a curious pattern of white rectangles going down its center. That was odd… What did they mean? Were they some types of magnetic bars that guided this planet’s vehicles? Or were they supposed to communicate something? Was there something special about this road? Perhaps it led to the nation’s capital, or some sacred place, or…
Lara’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard what sounded like a trumpet from a very large, very sick animal and turned to see a large, rusty, wheeled machine barreling right towards her!
**********
