Clark & Lois – When Worlds and Universes Collide - Matchmaker Chronicles V 8 23/36
By KenJ <ken.janney@kjanney.com>
This version is rated PG-13
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 – Canon Lois and Clark universe also called – Prime
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -124 – Alternate Prime - Lori and Clark
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 036 – Alt 1, Alt Clark and Kryptonian Lois – (Alt 1 )
Alpha -120 x Gamma 255 x Tau -190 – Alt 2 Kryptonian Lois' home universe.
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 040 – Alt 1 alternate (Alt 3) Alt Lois and Alt Clark
Previously
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Universal Locator Designation
Alpha -120 x Gamma 255 x Tau -190 – Alt 2%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
A/N – Alt 2 is Kryptonian Lois’ home universe.Nor offered, “You are outnumbered, surrender and we will not kill you.” <At least not right away.>
Blaze looked around. Suddenly to Nor’s surprise she started to laugh.
Nor couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He challenged, “You think I jest?”
Blaze stopped laughing long enough to say, “Three to one odds? You’ve GOT to be kidding. You want us to surrender based on those odds? Tell you what, I’ll give you the chance right now to surrender. Do that and we’ll go easy on you.”
Nor still could not believe the audacity of her statements. No woman had ever defied him in this fashion before. He sputtered out, “You are calling on us to surrender? How can you even think that we would surrender when we have you outnumbered three to one?”
“Because those aren’t great enough odds for you to win. One last chance, surrender now or suffer the consequences.”
This ‘female’ was not going to get away with mocking him in this fashion. Nor bellowed in rage and flew to the attack.
Blaze waited for him to close and at the last instant shifted to the side and up then performed a snap kick to the side of Nor’s head. He instantly started falling from the sky. Two of his followers closed with her. They each grabbed an arm while a third came at her. Using the two holding her for support she lashed out with her feet again and kicked the third assailant. One foot in the stomach and the other catching him under the chin snapping his head back. As he started to fall out of the sky she zoomed backwards suddenly and as she did she brought her arms together so that the two holding her arms flew into each other, their heads crashing together. Their grips relaxed and they followed Nor and the other toward the ground.
While this was happening Rena and one of Nor’s followers flew at Saint. He allowed them to come within range and then he grabbed Rena’s arm and spun her around at superspeed, using her as a club to attack his other assailant. Both fell out of the sky.
They had both finished with their opponents at about the same time so Blaze asked, “You okay, JJ?”
With a smirk he replied, “They never laid a glove on me.”
“I think we will need some help to restrain them.” /”Lara and Mike, Cele and Bill, we need help! Come to Mount Rushmore.”/
Within a minute Ultra Woman 2, Torque, Noel and Shield were on the scene. They all headed for the ground where their opponents were just regaining their bearings, but as they landed the Nor contingent were on their feet and seeing like numbers lost all of their motivation for the conflict and flew off as a group.
Lara turned to Hattie and asked, “You guys took all of them out?”
Hattie smiled and said, “Yeah, they thought they had an advantage, 3 to 1,” she looked over at JJ and said, “I guess we taught them a lesson, didn’t we, honey?”
JJ added, “I don’t think they’ll be so confident with those odds again.”
Lara said, “I guess we need to go back on patrol. Call if you need us again.”
Hattie stopped her, “Remember what Aunt Lois said?”
Lara laughed and asked, “Which one?”
Hattie also laughed and said, “Yeah, it is confusing, isn’t it. The local one. The one that is all Kryptonian. She said that karate was unknown on New Krypton. You guys have all studied Tae Kwan Do. I’ve studied the softer styles and I’ve had JJ take classes with me. That was what gave us the edge. They couldn’t cope with the moves.”
Torque said, “If that’s the case maybe you should show us some moves.”
“I think Lara will have to show you.”
Bill spoke up, “I learned self-defense as a cop. Do you think that will be enough?”
“We can only hope. I’m a black belt and JJ is the equivalent of a brown belt in Ishon Ru and Jeet Kun Do. We were able to wipe the floor with them.”
Patting his cheek, Cele said, “I’ll teach you, honey. What they teach you as a policeman just isn’t up to what we have to do. It will be better than nothing, but we’ll work on it when we finish up here and get home. She looked over at Mike and said, “Maybe we’ll have a group class.”
Mike said, “Sounds like fun. Lawyers don’t have much call for knowledge of the martial arts.”
Lara looked him up and down and said, “For a lawyer you sure have a good build.”
Mike laughed and said, “Is that what attracted you, my body?”
Lara floated over and kissed him, “You were a skinny kid when I fell for you.”
“Ahhh, young love. There’s nothing like it.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
Mike reached for Lara’s hand and waving to the others said, “We’ll see you guys later,” and they took off.
Cele laughed and said, “I guess they’re right. We’ve spent enough time gabbing. Time to get back to work.” She and Bill took off closely followed by Hattie and JJ.
After a period of time Nor found Rena again and asked her to accompany him in yet another attempt to distract the parents so that he could finally have a clear field for an attempt on the child.
Outside of Metropolis they started a fire at a refinery. 2013 Lois - Ultra Woman and 2013 Clark - Superman responded. Seeing just how big a job this was going to be they sent out a call, /"Jimmy and Peg, Lucy and Rob, we need help! The Metropolis refinery - fire!"/
/"Be right there, Mom!"/
Seconds later the four superheroes swooped in and started assisting with the fire.
Seeing that the kids could handle the blaze, UW and Superman took off after Nor and Rena. Nor was nowhere to be seen, but Rena taunted the pair into following her. When they did she led them a merry chase.
And now -
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Chapter 23 – Dissention Within the Ranks
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Universal Locator Designation
Alpha -120 x Gamma 255 x Tau -190 – Alt2
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Six year old Carrie was on her way to the baby’s room. She knew something was about to happen and she knew that she had to protect the baby.
She entered the baby’s room and closed the door. She hadn’t said anything to Grammy or Grandpa because she didn’t want them to be hurt. She stood just inside the door and waited.
Suddenly there was the sound of shattering glass and there was another presence in the room. Carrie saw a figure materialize next to the cradle.
She said, “Bad mans leave baby alone!”
Lord Nor looked at Carrie as if seeing her for the first time and smiled an evil smile. He said, “Just who are you?”
“I’m Carrie! Carrie Harris Kent.”
Nor was taken aback, “Kent? Are you another child of
them?”
“You try to hurt Mommy and Daddy. I will not let you hurt baby. Go away!”
“First I will deal with this child, and then I will deal with you.”
Nor started to reach into the cradle to remove the sleeping child.
In a dangerous tone, Carrie said, “I said leave baby
alone!” Her eyes started to glow with a bright light as she said, “Go away!”
When she said this Nor was suddenly seized by a power to strong for him to resist and hurled back out through the window and dropped to the ground. When he hit the ground he actually felt the impact as if somehow his powers had deserted him temporarily.
He picked himself up from the ground and brushed off the dust and, taking off at superspeed, headed for the window to the baby’s room. When he arrived he crashed into a barrier and the impact stunned him. In surprise fell to the ground again.
This time it took him longer to arise and when he did he was shaking his head trying to recover his equilibrium. He looked up at the open window. He could see the curtain flapping outside of the frame and decided that whatever barrier had been there must now be gone. He took off again and accelerated away in an attempt to give himself enough room to build up some speed. When he was at a distance he reversed course and flew as fast as he could at the window again. When it was too late for him to stop or even turn he saw the curtain suddenly stop fluttering and hang limply. A second later he hit that impenetrable barrier with so much force that there was an audible crash as irresistible force met the immovable barrier. This time it was several minutes before Nor recovered his senses as he lay unconscious on the ground.
His sister Rena was the one who found him. He was just starting to open his eyes. She knelt next to him and assisted him in sitting up. She asked, “What happened?”
He replied, “I’m not sure. There was a child. She told me to leave the baby alone then I was out here and … I couldn’t get back in. Why are you here? You were supposed to be keeping that Superwoman and Superman busy so that I could get the baby.”
“They were becoming too much for me. I managed to elude them and decided to see how you had fared. Who is this child that you were talking about?”
“Another child of Kal-El’s somehow. I don’t know how it is possible, but she called him Daddy.”
Suddenly, standing between Nor and the Kent farm house was 2013 Lois in her Ultra Woman uniform, her cape blowing in the wind. A second later Superman appeared by her side. Ultra Woman had her hands fisted and on her hips while Superman folded his arms across his chest.
2013 Lois - Ultra Woman asked, “Just what do you think you are doing?”
With all of the arrogance he could muster, Nor replied, “I’m eliminateing a threat.”
Ultra Woman looked back over her shoulder and seeing the broken window said, “It doesn’t look like you’ve had much luck doing that.”
Nor grumbled, “If it hadn’t been for the other child. I wasn’t expecting her.”
Ultra Woman and Superman looked at one another and nodded. Together they took off and flew into Nor and his sister. Ultra Woman supersped in and delivered a series of punches, one to the solar plexus which forced all of the air from Rena’s lungs and two rapid blows, one which actually bloodied her nose, and another to her left eye. Rena was staggered and she stumbled back. Ultra Woman pursued her and delivered a wheel kick combination to the outside of her left knee and the ribs on her left side. Rena collapsed in a heap as Lois stood over her. Lois looked away to see how Clark was faring. When she did, Rena seized the opportunity it afforded to take off at what speed she was able to muster.
Since they were both unarmed, Superman closed with Nor and simply used his closed fist to deliver a super powered uppercut which did more than lift him off of his feet sending him airborne after his sister.
As they watched both Nor and his sister recovered, thanks to the sunlight, and streaked off in the direction of Metropolis where the rest of the combatants were.
Superman said, “I don’t think Rena is going to want to tangle with you again.”
Ultra Woman turned to Superman and said, “Against anyone else that shot you gave Nor would have been a knockout punch. We make a pretty good team, lover.”
She moved into his arms and gave him a kiss. "We have always worked well together. Even before I got the pendant from Herb. Remember the time ... Oh, what am I doing? We've got a war to fight and here I am reminiscing. Come on, Clark, there's work to do. It looks like things are okay here. We need to win this thing so that we can get home."
Looking around Clark said, “I agree, it looks like it will be quiet here for a time. Shall we head back?”
Lois nodded and they took off side by side and headed for Metropolis following Nor and Rena.
They weren’t looking in that direction as they flew away so they didn’t see Carrie looking out the window and smiling as they flew away.
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Rena headed for the ship rather than Metropolis. When she arrived she went to the audience chamber. She found Fina already there. She moved to her chair and sat, nursing her injuries.
Fina was shocked, she asked, “What happened to you? There’s blood on your upper lip and your left eye is going black and blue.”
“I had an encounter with the one in the pink suit. Don’t let the color of the suit throw you off, she’s no prissy female. She’s a hellcat. She uses a style of fighting that I’ve only read about in history books. It is impossible to defend against. I was lucky to get away when I did and that was only because she was distracted by Kal-El’s fight with Nor.”
Shocked, Fina blurted out, “Nor was fighting one-on-one with Kal-EL? How did that happen?”
In a sardonic tone, Rena replied, “It wasn’t by choice, I assure you. You know our brother better than that. His preferred odds are usually something in excess of ten to one with the ten being on his side. I’m really having doubts as to his suitability to be High Lord. Not only is he arrogant, domineering and cruel, but he is also a coward. Too much of a coward to allow this to be a fair fight the way it is supposed to be. I have a bad feeling about this whole thing. I’m almost to the point of going to the council.”
Fina gasped, “Don’t let Nor hear you say that. I’m afraid of what he would do to you.”
Rena gave a very unladylike snort of deision, “Nor won’t do anything. Doing something would require courage, something that he is sorely lacking in. I’m not going to go along with this much longer. If you have any smarts, you won’t either. No, I don’t think you’ll bow out. You’re too afraid of Nor. Ever since we were kids he has bullied us all around, you especially. What did he do to you? Why do you put up with all his crap?”
“I’m just afraid of him, that’s all.”
Rena was becoming more and more concerned about her sister. She grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at her. Fina looked down. Rena knew that her face had not completely recovered as yet, but that did not explain Fina’s reaction. Fina’s reaction was one of … shame.
Rena shook her sister and said, “What
did Nor do to you?
Tell me!”
Fina’s reply was almost so quiet that Rena couldn’t hear. “We were perhaps closer than most brothers and sisters.”
Rena burst out, “Nor
abused you?”
Fina simply nodded her head slightly. “You can’t let on that I told you. Please Rena, He’d do something awful.”
“He should have been denounced. Why did you not tell mother and father?”
“He threatened me. He said that if I told anyone that it would kill mom and dad and that he would be in charge. That if that happened, he’d be able to do whatever he wanted to do with me.”
Rena was fighting mad at this point. “Fina, that was an empty threat! You should have told someone.”
“I was only ten at the time and he was so much older. He convinced me that what he said was true. I worried about mom and dad. I didn’t want them to go away and I was afraid that if I went to them that was what would happen.”
“What about when you were older?”
“By then we were on the ship and when we woke up we found out that mom and dad hadn’t made it. Nor told me that he had arranged it and since he was now the head of the family I had to do what he told me to do.”
“And that meant that you had to go to his bed when he summoned you?”
With her head hanging down she almost whispered, “Yes.”
Rena spat, “That despicable …”
Fina said, “Rena, don’t be too mad at him. It didn’t hurt, at least not all of the time and he hasn’t bothered me too much recently.”
“Fina, he shouldn’t have been bothering you at all. Did he ever tell you why he was doing it?”
“He said that I would need to know how to respond when he arranged for my bonding.”
Rena placed her hands on Fina’s shoulders and forced her to look at her as she said, “Fina, Nor will never lay a hand on you again, I promise you that on the graves of our mother and father. Fina, do you believe that Nor is worthy to sit in the chair of the High Lord?”
Rena could feel Fina shiver as she contemplated this. Finally she found her voice and said, “No, I do not. When I was captured, even though Nor had committed that unforgivable breach in protocol, Kal-El had his wife release me. When I compare the honor displayed by their family and the dishonor displayed by ours, I can see why they were chosen by Gee-Ra as his successors. Even as a prisoner, I was treated with honor and respect which is more than I could say for anyone that Nor captures. They would be lucky to escape with their life. I almost wish I was of family El.”
Rena replied, “As do I sister. We have both seen their family and how they interact. They are a most honorable family. The relationships displayed between the parents and children and between the children are examples of what family relationships should be.”
“I too have seen that and I weep for what should have been, but I am weak and fearful.”
Rena said, “You no longer need to fear Nor. I will not allow him to bother you again. Personally, I will no longer follow him. As far as I am concerned he has lost the right to lead our family.”
Fina looked down and said, “I wish I had your strength, but I don’t. I know that if Nor summons me, I will go. It has been that way for too many years for me to deny the summons so easily.”
“Fina, I am going to confront Nor and tell him that he is to leave you alone and also that I will no longer follow his banner. I wish that I were in a life bond so that I could claim loyalty to my bond mate’s family. I am going to actively seek a bond mate, assuming we survive this combat and the repercussions of Nor’s actions.”
With a parting admonition to Fina to remain aboard the ship Rena took off for the planet’s surface to find Nor.
When she found him, he was with a number of his followers who had created a situation which Hazel and Quicksilver had responded to.
There were ten New Kryptonians counting Nor surrounding the colorfully clad superheroes. Nor’s minions were attempting to use their heat vision to destroy them.
As she approached she saw another pair of the local heroes arrive. They both wore red tops and blue bottoms and the El family crest was prominently displayed on their chests. As they came in they each tackled one of Nor’s supporters.
Seconds later a pair wearing black and white themed suits arrived and tackled another pair.
They were quickly followed by a woman in white and a man dressed up to look like a thunder cloud.
Finally a pair arrived wearing the same colors as Kal-El and all but one of the women, however they were younger. They wore blue tops with red shorts. These attacked Nor and his last supporter.
Rena heard, /”This is Nor. We need help!”/
Rena sent, /”Do not respond to this summons.”/
/”Who sent that?”/
/”It was I, Rena”/
/”How dare you! My commands are to be obeyed!”/
/”Do not expect me to obey any more of your commands. From now on you can fight your own battles.”/
Nor could see his followers, one by one breaking away from their opponents and flying away. He flew to Rena and tried to intimidate her with a look.
Rena looked at him with disgust, “You can save those glares for your followers. You haven’t been able to intimidate me that way for a while now. I haven’t liked what you have been doing for a long time and now that I know what you have been doing to Fina I can say that you disgust me.”
Nor lashed out and backhanded Rena across the face. He growled, “Do not cross me or try to thwart my designs or you will regret you even thought to.”
Rena looked daggers at him as she rubbed her cheek where he had struck her and felt her teeth with her tongue and finding a couple loose then she lashed out and raked her nails across his cheek, drawing blood.
He was too startled to respond. He brought his hand up to his cheek and brought it away bloody and he was shocked. He stuttered, “Bu .. but … but, we are invulnerable. How could this happen?”
Rena smirked, “Think about what happened to Ran-Na when he fought Lady Lois. We are equally super powered therefore I can affect you. Just as you loosened my teeth I can tear at you.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I could go to the council; however I will spare you that. I will no longer support you in this, but that is as far as I will go at this time. Know this, ‘brother’, if you once more lay a finger of Fina, I will not be responsible for what I do and you had better hope that you die quickly, because right now I want you to live a long time and suffer. You may be our brother, but she is my sister and I will protect her from you and I will do whatever I need to do in order to do so. Beware brother.”
Nor stared after her as Rena took off and flew back to the ship. He thought, <My sister has outlived her usefulness. She will have to be dealt with, permanently. Fina may still afford some pleasure so she will be spared, for now.>
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