From Part 36 ...
Kal nodded and picked up the globe. “I am unsure if this is meant for you or me,” he said to Tek.
Tek reached for the globe. As his hand made contact, the globe lit from within.
An arc of light illuminated the cave wall.
And in it, an image appeared.
Of two men.
Part 37
“That’s my father,” Tek faltered. “And yours.”
Lois heard the quick intake of breath from Kal. He stepped forward, closer to the image, his right hand raised. Lois slid her fingers down the inside of his left arm and took his hand.
In the image, the men began to speak.
“Have you made your decision, Sir?” Kip asked.
Jor-El turned slowly. “I have, Kip, my friend,” he said.
“You’re staying, Sir? You’re staying on Krypton?”
“Yes, Kip, I’m staying. La is too weak to travel and I will not leave her.”
“I regret you will not be journeying with us.”
“I have lived my entire life dedicated to my people,” Jor-El said. “But now they must come second to my wife.”
“And your son, Sir?” Kip enquired. “Have you decided Kal-El’s future?”
“Yes, I have.” Jor-El held out the scroll he carried. “My son, I leave in the good care of my trusted friend.”
Kip hesitated. “I will defend him with my life.”
“I know, Kip. I know.”
“But I worry I may not be enough.”
“Take it, Kip,” Jor-El said. “Take the jurisdiction of my son knowing it comes with my full confidence in your loyalty and abilities.”
Kip took the scroll. “Have you determined his destiny?”
“His destiny is to lead a unified people – his mother’s people and my people.”
“Before that, Sir?” Kip said. “Is it your decision that he travel to New Krypton with us?”
Jor-El waited – waited as the silence stretched. “No,” he said finally. “No, the dangers are too great.”
“You wish him to be transported to The Distant Planet?”
“Yes – despite my fears for him, that is my decision.” Jor-El drew an anxious hand across his chin. “To send him to an unknown place, to live amongst unknown people. The risk is great.”
“If he were to stay within the reaches of Ked and Nor, the risk would be greater – though you know if that were your decision, I would defend him with my life.”
“But if you were to defend him, you would become a target. And were you to die, he would be easily extinguished,” Jor-El said. “If he stays with La and myself, he will die with us. The Distant Planet is his best chance for life.”
“I concur.”
The men were silent for a moment, both engrossed in their thoughts. “Kip?” Jor-El said.
“Yes, Sir?”
“When the time comes, don’t take him from The Distant Planet unless you believe it is the only chance for peace on New Krypton.”
Kip looked shocked. “You would have him give up his destiny? Give up your family’s seat?”
“Neither destiny nor power are worth ripping him needlessly from the life ... and the people ... he will come to know,” Jor-El said. “But should you believe my son represents the only hope for his people to have a future, then he is Kal-El and his life on The Distant Planet must be sacrificed.”
“As you will, Sir.”
“I assume you have prepared for his journey?”
“Yes, Sir. His capsule is equipped with everything he will need.”
Jor-El paced away, then turned. “I hope there are good people,” he said, his apprehension clear on his face. “I hope he finds welcome and acceptance.”
“We can only trust, Sir. Physically, he will be similar enough that he won’t be obviously alien.”
“The parting will be traumatic for La,” Jor-El said. “She is resigned to her imminent death, but relinquishing her son – sending him alone into the unknown - that will be her hardest moment.”
“I understand.”
“You will keep a record of this conversation to give to Kal?”
“Yes,” Kip said. “I will show this to him should he ever return to his people.”
Jor-El raised his folded fist. “This is goodbye, my friend. Journey well.”
Kip hit his chest with his open hand. “Goodbye, Sir,” he said. “It has been my honour to serve you.”
“Not serve me, Kip,” Jor-El said. “We have served together for the betterment of our people. In you, my son could not have a better example of dedication and courage.”
Kip turned and, carrying the scroll, walked away.
The illumination faded and the cave congested with its lingering intensity. Lois looked from Kal to Tek. Both were staring into the nothingness where the image had been.
Then, slowly, they looked at each other.
“Our fathers,” Kal breathed.
“Our fathers,” Tek said. “They worked together to try to secure the future of our planet.”
“I didn’t sleep away half of my life,” Kal said, dazed.
“Do you know of The Distant Planet?” Lois asked.
“No,” Tek said. “It is not mentioned in all of my father’s research and notes.”
“Do you think the spacecraft is programmed to The Distant Planet?”
Again, the men looked at each, searching for answers.
“Surely that would seem the most obvious place,” Lois said. “Once Kip had brought Kal here, he left him with a means to return to the home of his childhood.”
“Why?” Kal asked.
“Maybe he felt regret about what he had taken you from and wanted to ensure that, if New Krypton ever became stable, you would have the option to return,” Lois suggested.
“My father would not leave the means for Nor to go to another planet and wreak havoc there,” Tek said with certainty. “Particularly a planet where the people had cared for one of our own.”
“Perhaps he didn’t know he was going to die,” Lois said gently.
Kal slipped his hand from Lois’s grasp and cradled the globe, which had returned to its former dormancy. “Although this seems triggered by both of us, it belongs with your family,” he said to Tek. “I want you to keep it for your son Kip, who will one day be a Regal Noble.”
Tek took the globe. “I am indebted to you.”
“As I am to you,” Kal said gravely. “And your father.”
“Because of you both, Kal has a chance at a new life – again,” Lois said.
Tek looked to Kal. “There is something you need to know,” he said. “Time on The Distant Planet ... the past ten years on New Krypton could be any number of years there. It is likely they have counted more years than you have.”
“Why?”
“Because the rotation of New Krypton has been slowing,” Tek explained. “We have four moons with strong gravitational pull. That is what causes the huge variation in water levels. It also exerts force on the surface of the planet and that causes it to slow.”
“Slowing how much? Enough that if I had a family, they could all be dead?”
“I have no way of knowing; I merely wanted to warn you not to presume anything. The slowing of New Krypton has been more pronounced the past few years.”
Kal sighed. “It doesn’t matter – I have no memory of them.”
“You still have no memories?” Tek asked. “Even with the knowledge from our fathers?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Kal said wistfully. “Whether I was asleep or not - I’m not sure it changes anything, not for me anyway – in my mind, nothing happened.”
Tek withdrew a small tin from his pocket. He removed the lid and held it towards Kal. It contained two blue tablets.
“What are they?” Kal asked.
“They will blur time,” Tek said. “They will make it pass quickly and easily and when you arrive at your destination, you will recall little of the journey.”
“No.”
“The journey could be long and arduous,” Tek said. “This will slow your metabolism, making you sleep more. The more rested you are, the greater your chance of survival.”
Kal shook his head. “No,” he said firmly. “I won’t take anything that affects my mind.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Kal said. “I would rather risk dying with my memories than risk living without them.”
“These will not affect the memories you already have,” Tek said. “They will merely blur the time of your travel.”
“No,” Kal said, his tone leaving no room for the possibility he could be persuaded differently.
Tek turned to Lois and offered her the tin. “Lady?”
“No,” she said. “I am with Kal. We will do this together.”
Tek returned the lid to the tin and slipped it back into his pocket. “We should go now,” he said.
He turned and walked into the alcove. Kal took Lois’s hand and together they surveyed the cave one final time. It was the place of their wedding and their honeymoon; Kal’s final home on New Krypton.
Lois picked up her bag. Kal glanced to her, his face a medley of mixed emotions. Together they walked from the cave.
+-+-+-+
Kal walked steadily along the tunnel.
These were his last minutes on New Krypton.
He was leaving the only home he knew.
Leaving for a home he had perhaps once known.
A home on the other side of the barricade across his mind.
The obstacle he couldn’t budge.
The tunnel veered right and they stepped left into Tek’s laboratory cave.
Kal stopped. Lois’s hand tightened around his.
A small crowd of people stared at them.
Should they run?
Run where?
Ching was there.
Kal searched for the soldiers.
Were they to be thwarted? This close to escape?
There were no soldiers.
No sound of running footsteps along the tunnel.
Riz was there.
And Za.
Kal looked to Tek searching for answers.
Tek had no answers; he looked as alarmed as Kal felt.
Za stepped forward, head high, shoulders straight. “Ching and I assured Riz we mean you no harm,” she said. “Riz graciously afforded us this opportunity for a final meeting with you.” Za continued forward until she stood only inches from Kal. She looked up into his face. "Kal-El,” she greeted. “You could never have my heart, as I could never have yours, but you have my respect and my sincere hope that you will find a home with your Lady where you will live long and be greatly fruitful.”
Kal searched for words of reply. He cleared his throat, but his words still came roughly. “I wish you well also.”
Za turned to Lois. The women contemplated each other, neither flinching. “In other circumstances, we could have been allies,” Za said.
“Yes,” Lois replied.
“I know little of you, but the little I know leads me to believe you are worthy of the heart of Kal-El.”
Lois nodded.
Za returned to her place beside Ching.
Kal waited.
Everyone seemed to be waiting.
Then Ching moved forward. “Kal-El,” he said.
“Ching.”
The young man lifted his head and established direct eye contact. “I regret many choices I made,” Ching said. “I have gained much from those choices.” He glanced across to Za. “But I have lost much too. Much respect, much honour. I will always live with the knowledge that I cost my people a good man and an inspirational leader. I cannot change the past – my mistakes will forever be displayed in History – but I can vow that I will try to lead the best way I know. I will try to lead as you have led.”
Kal swallowed, trying to clear the bottleneck that had swelled into his throat. He needed to speak for his people. One final time. “The people of this planet ... my people ...” He blinked hard. “Lead for them, not for yourself.”
“I will,” Ching vowed. He raised his hand, open. Kal raised his, also open. Ching grasped Kal’s hand and curled it into a fist, then hit his chest with an open palm as Kal’s fist mirrored Ching’s movement.
Ching turned and left the cave, followed by Za.
When their footsteps had died away, Tek turned to Riz. “What happened?” he hissed.
“They came to our residence in the deep of the night.”
“They?” Tek asked, shocked. “Ching? And Za?”
“Yes,” Riz said. “They said they knew Kal-El and Lady were in the caves. They said a large vigilante group of Southside men loyal to Nor planned to raid the caves and accept nothing less than death in their crusade to kill Kal-El and the alien woman.”
“You *trusted* them?” Tek asked.
“I believed not trusting them would mean certain death for Kal-El and Lady. And possibly you.”
“You chose well,” Kal said.
“Yes,” Tek agreed.
“How did Ching and Za know about the planned attack?” Lois asked.
Riz glanced briefly to Kal, before returning her gaze to Lois. “There are many people who are loyal to Kal-El. People who do not quickly forget.”
“They told Ching and Za?”
“More than that,” Riz said. “They planned to guard the caves. To death, if necessary.”
A wave of trepidation rolled through Kal. “Civil War,” he muttered.
Tek gestured to the adjoining cave. “We must prepare now.”
Riz stepped forward, her arms outstretched. She took a dazed Lois into her embrace. “Journey well, my friend,” she said. “I wish our time could have been longer, but though your stay was short, your legacy will be long.” She released Lois and took a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her gown. “Read this later,” she said.
Lois took the paper, her tears very close to the surface. “Thank you for being my friend,” she said.
Riz turned to Kal and held up her palm. He also held up his straight palm and together they completed the sign of greeting. “Kal-El,” Riz said. “You led your people with honour and distinction. Without you, my children would have no future.”
Tek stepped towards the hole, but Lois stopped him. “Will you both do something for me?” she asked.
“Yes,” Tek said.
“Say ‘thank you’.”
“That word doesn’t translate.”
“I know,” Lois said. “Could you try to watch my mouth and copy the sounds I make?”
“All right.”
“Thank you,” Lois said, slowly and clearly.
Tek made a noise deep in his throat – a noise that bore no resemblance to either Kryptonian or Lois’s language.
Lois smiled. “Try to say ‘tan koo’.”
Again Tek came forth with a guttural sound.
“Would you try please, Riz?” Lois asked.
She tried, but the sounds were no closer than Tek’s efforts.
“I appreciate you trying,” Lois said. “I appreciate everything you have done for me. For both of us.”
“We need to fire the engine,” Tek said. He crawled through the hole and into the cave that had housed the spacecraft for so long.
Kal followed. The sand wall had been broken and pushed back. Ahead was a long stretch of sand. In the distance he could see the grey of the ocean. A tiny glow of light – the first natural light he had seen in two days - shimmered in the distance.
Kal watched as Lois turned to Riz one final time and they hugged. When Lois backed away, Kal saw Riz’s eyes were shimmering with moisture.
Through her own tears, Lois smiled.
Lois turned and hugged Tek warmly. He seemed a little taken aback, but Lois didn’t notice. She took Kal’s hand and climbed into the spacecraft. Kal also hugged both Riz and Tek, then leapt into the seat next to Lois. They strapped into their harnesses.
Tek leant into the capsule. “All instructions you will need are in here,” he said, as he pointed to a sliding door in front of them. “I will fire the engine.”
He stepped down and disappeared from view. They heard him move to the back of the spacecraft. Kal took her hand and clasped it in his. They heard a click.
Then another click.
Then a third.
Kal turned in his seat. “Is everything all right?” he called.
“The engine won’t fire,” Tek said.
They heard another click – crisp in the silence.
Tek appeared again, his face worried. “I don’t know what to do,” he said. “I checked everything in the plans, everything in the manual – everything indicated it would work.”
There was a tense silence as Kal searched Tek’s face, willing it to solutions.
“Of course!” Lois shrieked.
Kal spun to her.
“Kip wouldn’t have made it that simple for anyone to operate this spaceship,” she said. “He wouldn’t have left a way for Nor to get to the far planet – whether Kal was there or not.”
“What are you saying?” Tek said quietly.
“There will be something on here – something stopping anyone else from using this.”
“You think it is programmed to be activated by me?” Tek asked.
Kal remembered the hollow in the side of the spacecraft. He undid his seat belt and stood. Leaning over Lois, he pointed to concave oval. “Put your hand there, Tek.”
Tek put his hand flat into the concave dip. With his other hand he pushed home the starter. Again they heard the click.
The engine still didn’t fire.
Kal slumped back into his seat. Tek’s face appeared, his shoulders dropped in despair.
“Both of you!” Lois screeched into the defeated silence. “Just like the globe, it needs both of you.”
Both men straightened. Kal leant over her again and placed his hand in the hollow. Tek positioned his hand next to Kal's and reached for the switch.
They didn’t hear the click – it was overwhelmed by the roar of the engine.
Kal sat down and together, he and Lois hurriedly refastened their seatbelts. Tek lowered the canopy lid - shutting out the roar of the engine – and sent home the row of clips.
Riz had already gone. As Tek got to the hole, he turned one final time and looked at Kal. His flattened palm silently met his chest and he hesitated for half a second. Then he dropped to his knees and crawled from their view.
Kal took his wife’s hand. “I love you, Lois,” he said. “Together we are more than enough.”
Lois didn’t reply verbally, but the look in her eyes said much. She squeezed his hand.
Then ... they were pushed back into their seats and the walls of the cave sped by.
Kal saw the flash of water below them as dim light showered over them. They rose steeply and his stomach dropped. He released Lois’s hand and slid his arm across her shoulders, pulling her against him. He leant against her ear. “I love you, Lois.”
“I love you too, Kal,” she said.
