I'm so glad that you didn't end this first story here. I'm sure the other cliffhanger you have planned for us in 3 parts will be harder to accept than this one.
It was kind of a jolt having Lois switch from accusing Kent of being evil, to her reconsidering her decision to push him away, to return to full acceptance. Perhaps if I were to read those parts in one sitting, it wouldn't seem so much of a 180 degree turn. Her rejection of Kent somehow stayed with me longer than his rescue of Lioli.
I somehow had forgotten this about him:
"Whatever they've been told, nothing is going to be as important as the fact that you saved Lioli. Life means everything to the Bangala. In their eyes, you're going to be a hero."
"A hero?" Clark muttered. "I've never thought of myself as …"
He has always thought of himself as an other, an outsider, even with Lana, she wouldn't accept the goodness in him. This is why there's always something about Alt-Clark which keeps drawing me back.
What a great experience for him to be somewhere with a group of people who not only accept him, no matter what, but also think of him as a hero.
Lois has had a crazy day. First they fight, because he has to leave. Then she rejects him, because she thinks he's someone other than who she thought he was, even after telling him that she loved him and would never reject him. Then he leaves and she thinks she'll never see him again (and both the good and bad about that). He rescues Lioli and that knocks her back to realizing that he's a good guy, and she accepts him back into her heart completely. Now, she has to watch him still leave as he said he had to.
I understand why Clark doesn't want to bid farewell to Diddi. Hopefully, Diddi will understand it as well. I wonder how Lois will explain it to him. Perhaps that Kent has gone to hunt the bad men who hurt him (back on the moon,
perhaps) and will come back as soon as possible. Only the Bangala don't really understand the concept of "bad men", so she will have to explain it another way.
Let's hope Kent can fly back to Metropolis, scan the right places, see that Lana is all right and return quickly. But, somehow, I can't see that happening.
Will Tempus somehow see him? Will he get captured?
Will Lois have to leave Diddi and the Bangala and go rescue him, even though she just worked through why she couldn't leave?
Good luck with your internet troubles. I hope they are cured soon.
Apologies in advance if there are typos any etc. I don't have time to do a final check.
More, please!!!