The Return of Ultra Woman
Chapter 20
For the second morning this week, the start of the day in the Planet bullpen is like a celebration. The pictures Jimmy shot for the front page provided a perfect visual to go with the three-part story. Perry keeps saying that this edition will be one of those “special” ones that people will talk about for years. On the strength of the Ultra Woman report, my note of congratulations and Clark’s Guatemala piece, Perry decided last night to risk a double production run. He seems to have guessed right because the early indications are that even the double run is going to sell out.
I’m finally having some success in getting back to the investigations I sidelined during the Ultra Woman debut. However, there is one report that I don’t think I’ll be revisiting. While sorting through my project list, I run across the notes I had prepared about the men committing crimes to try to meet Ultra Woman. I scowl at them before getting up and heading for the shredder. After the substantive pieces in today’s paper, this feels like tabloid trash. I wonder only briefly if I should check with Perry, but I’m sure he’ll back me on this. An instant later, to the accompaniment of a buzzing and grinding sound, the lover-boy notes are no more. I have to admit that I’m looking forward to regular journalism again.
At about 10:00 I hear my newly replaced phone ring. I had received a stern lecture from Perry about office etiquette and a less stern caution about trying to be careful until I’m used to the enhanced strength. In all honesty, he’s letting me off easy for the broken phone. I’ve resolved to be polite and professional toward anyone who might call with Superman or Ultra Woman questions today.
As I reach for the phone, I prepare myself for a tabloid-type call. In my most professional tone I answer, “Lois Lane”
“Hi Lois, it’s Bernie.”
“Hello, Dr. Klein. What can I do for you?”
"I’ve completed those tests you and Clark asked me to perform. When will the two of you be able to come by so I can show you the results?”
Bernie uses a phrase like this when he wants to talk about something related to Superman or Ultra Woman. Since he’s calling me instead of Clark, I have to guess that he has discovered something else about my newly changed metabolism. “How will early afternoon work for you? We can come by at around 2:00.”
“That will be fine. I’ll see you then.”
Although I can’t help but be curious, I’m sure Bernie would have said he needed to see us immediately if it was anything critical. I manage to get back to my work and the rest of the morning flies by.
***~~~***
A few minutes after 2:00 pm, Clark and I arrive at Star Labs. Based on how quickly Bernie comes out to the reception area, he was clearly waiting for us. He never says very much in the lobby when we come by, and this time is no exception.
Once we get into his office Bernie immediately becomes both more friendly and animated. As soon as the door is closed and we’re seated, he asks excitedly, “What do you know about the aging process?”
I’m not sure what I expected today but this wasn’t it. I can see that Clark is as confused as I am.
“Not much,” Clark replies. “I remember the mess with that Doodsen woman and the youth stealing machine. I also remember you said that I don’t seem to age like a normal human and I might live for a very long time.”
Bernie shakes his head in a dismissive gesture. “That machine didn’t have anything to do with real aging. And you don’t need to remind me that at the time I said it was aging. When I had the time to perform a more detailed analysis, I found that the effects of that machine only appeared to be aging at a superficial level. That machine had a energy draining capability we still haven’t quite cracked. As near as we can tell, it drained the vitality of the victim and transferred it to the recipient. The people that died didn’t die of old age. The draining process was a shock to their systems and they had no energy reserves to recover. If they hadn’t been drained to such an extent, her victims would have recovered on their own. Think about it, if she was truly turning back the age clock, why was the result so temporary?”
I think Bernie’s forgetting something. “What about Jimmy? And I remember the way Conner Schenk reverted to a baby.”
“What happened with Mr. Olsen proves exactly my point. Once you restored energy to his system, he appeared to be back at his proper age. As for the ‘reverting to a baby’ incident, we still don’t understand precisely what happened. However, consider that even then it took the almost unlimited energy of Clark’s biofield to achieve that transformation. And, after all that, Mr. Schenk reverted to his real age in a short amount of time. No, there was no true age modification going on.”
I can see from his impatience that this isn’t what he wanted to discuss. “Bernie, why don’t you tell us what aspect of aging brings us here today.”
Now he looks a little embarrassed. “Sorry.” He takes a deep breath and I can feel him shift into lecture mode. “As near as science can tell, at the cellular level, aging is a combination of an accumulation of errors in cellular replication and a shortening of Telomeres that eventually causes your cells to stop reproducing themselves.”
“What are Telomeres?” I ask?
“They are extensions on the end of your chromosomes. You can think of them sort of like the plastic tips at the end of your shoelaces. Every time a cell reproduces, the Telomeres get a little shorter. Eventually, they completely wear away. When that happens it serves as a signal for the cell to stop reproducing. In your body, an ever increasing percentage of cells that don’t reproduce is a key component of aging. When this was first discovered there were some tests to see what would happen if you could prevent the Telomeres from wearing away.”
“Did it work?” Clark asks.
“Well, sort of. There is an enzyme called Telomerase that will extend the Telomeres. In studies using lab animals where Telomere shortening was successfully stopped, the aging process was slowed to a near standstill. Unfortunately, it seems that there is a delicate balance between aging and cancer. Telomere shortening is a critical element in fighting off cancers. In those tests, the subjects didn’t age, but the cancer rate went way up. It seems that for the most part, aging is a natural defense mechanism against cancer. In normal organisms, aging and cancer seem to work against each other and the best we seem to be able to do is trade one for the other.”
Sometimes listening to Bernie can be very challenging. “This is interesting but what’s it got to do with us?”
“Back when I first analyzed Superman’s cellular structures, I found that in his case there didn’t appear to be any Telomere shortening taking place. Normally this would mean an increase in cancer tendencies but that wasn’t happening either. That combination of behaviors is why some time ago I estimated Clark would probably live much longer than anyone else on Earth.”
I’ve always hoped Bernie was wrong about this. “Bernie, this can’t be right. When the New Kryptonians were here, they had a normal spread of ages in their people. They didn’t talk about any ultra-long life spans and seemed to have aged normally.”
I can see the defensiveness in his posture before I hear it in his reply. “Believe me, I considered that aspect. I’m not sure I have the whole answer, but I’m convinced it’s all part of the fact that they didn’t have special abilities until they arrived on Earth. I have some ideas as to the underlying cause but it’s not germane to Clark’s longevity. Even in light of what we saw with those people, I’m convinced of the correctness of my projections and, as long as he stays on Earth, I believe Clark will live a substantially extended lifetime.”
I’ve been successful at keeping this out of my thoughts for a long time. “All right Bernie. We’ve known all this for some time and have tried not to think about it. Clark and I simply resolved to make the best of the time we have together.”
Bernie seems determined to stay on this track and continues. “Let me fill you in on the rest of what I’ve learned and I think you will understand why this is important.”
He pauses long enough for us both to nod. I know he can see we’re becoming impatient.
“When I discovered this in Clark, I was curious about the cancer problem. At the time, I had no knowledge of KEs. It seemed that Clark’s body was just different. Once I discovered the KEs and their role in why Clark is different, I returned to these earlier studies and found the answer. It seems the KEs can detect when cells malfunction and start replicating incorrectly. In those situations, the KEs act to kill off the defective cells. That is the essence of cancer prevention. The KEs also act similarly to Telomerase and keep the Telomeres from shortening.”
This is getting exasperating. “Bernie, please?”
“Lois, I have tissue and blood samples from when you first got pregnant. Recently I was doing a comparative analysis of how you’ve changed. One of the more subtle differences is at the cellular level. Your Telomeres have actually lengthened. They are the length that I would normally expect to see only in a young, but fully mature, adult.”
“I don’t understand.”
“To be honest Lois, I’m still trying to sort it out. If I go by the indicators, there is some evidence that, at least at the cellular level, you’ve gotten younger.”
My reply is almost a shout. “Younger?”
“As I was saying, some time ago, I concluded that the biological and cellular evidence suggests Clark seems locked in a fully mature adult state where he appears outwardly to be in his mid to upper twenties. Recently when I reviewed similar data from your latest round of tests, I saw the same indicators in your system.”
Now I don’t know what to say. I haven’t thought about this issue for a long time. At first, the idea that I would grow old while watching Clark stay young was devastating. A lot of getting past that was simply not thinking about it. I’m so lost in thought I almost miss it when Bernie continues. “I have to conclude that however long Clark is going to live, you now have the same potential. I hope you like each other, because based on the information I have, you have the opportunity to be together for a very long time.”
I feel Clark’s hand in mine and look up to see *that* smile beaming at me. After a few seconds, Clark turns to Bernie. “Thanks Bernie. This is wonderful news. We were already married when you first told me that I might remain young while Lois aged. As you can probably guess, it was the source of some distress.”
Bernie nods briefly then continues. “There’s one more thing. Consider that biologically, you are both… well, stuck at the optimal age for reproduction. Since you no longer have any problems with reproductive incompatibility, and based on how long you are likely to live, unless you take some birth-control steps, you might end up with a great many children.”
Now Clark is blushing a tiny bit so I respond. “We never intended Lara to be an only child. However, we will keep your warning in mind. Was this all you wanted to tell us today?”
“There is one more thing that showed up in my last set of tests.”
“Yes?”
“Congratulations, Lois. You’re pregnant.”
The End
