Two From Beyond: An Elseworld Tale
By Philip Mogul <phmogul@mindspring.com> and
Carolyn Schnall <carolyn.schnall@verizon.net>
Rated PG-13 
Submitted: August, 2002 
______________ 

***CAUTION*** This story contains some descriptive scenes 
that are of a violent nature. I set this warning for those 
individuals who may have difficulty with this kind of 
material and who still may wish to read this story.
______________ 

Author's Note: Carolyn's name appears on the credit line, 
because in the revision of this narrative we had many 
intellectual and sometimes heated discussions about the 
story's development. While she didn't contribute to the 
writing of this narrative, Carolyn did help emotionally and 
intellectually and thereby helped move this tale to 
completion. Therefore, following my academic tradition (the 
sciences), those who contribute to a paper are entitled to 
be credited. So, I've included her name on the mast head of 
this story. I felt that it was only right, considering her 
supportive and intellectual input into this endeavor.

Before you embark on this mental adventure, I would like to 
thank Irene Dutch and Jenni Debbage for their beta reading 
and encouragement, and Joy Sowell for her tweaking and for 
her support. If it were not for these gals, this story - my 
first in this genre - would still be sitting on my desktop 
with its four siblings - all written during the spring and 
fall of 1999. Thanks, Ladies.

The delay in expediting this story was caused by an 
unexpected attack of by my Chron's affliction. This attack 
was so severe that I needed to undergo two rather severe 
surgeries all within a year. I'm just now starting to 
regain my strength.

For sometime now, I've wondered why my rather lengthy tale 
was composed. Thinking back, I recall that one quiet 
evening a thought struck me. After pondering its 
ramifications, I became angry at the abrupt cancellation of 
the Lois and Clark series. Perhaps angry is too strong an 
emotion. Let's just say I was very, very perturbed. So I 
decided to compose a story which began pre-Lois and Clark 
and ends with them passing from this life together. This 
tale is a complete story with closure.

This narrative is what many of you would consider an 
"Elseworld" story. It bears some resemblance to the canon 
of the Lois and Clark series, except for some of the 
characters themselves. With my imagined personages, I 
fashioned a story which I hope you will enjoy.

I must tell you that initially writing these narratives was 
like a catharsis. Lois and Clark stories allowed my mind to 
run free and helped calmed my nervous disposition. For some 
time now, I've been involved in some relatively complex 
technical writing program - a ten year project to compose 
two research monographs and a new kind of chemistry text 
book. If I have the years, I may even complete these 
academic tasks and write other Lois and Clark stories which 
I've outlined. From time to time I've said to myself, 'why 
bother?' Then I recall an old biblical statement that goes 
something like, "It's important to start an enterprise even 
if you are aware that there is a strong possibility that 
completion of your task is not feasible." In other words 
it's important to start a journey knowing you may not 
finish your trek.

It has been pointed out to me that the first section of 
this tale - entitled the Prologue - reads somewhat like a 
dissertation. It may have this overtone, since, for many 
years I was an academic who just dealt with technical 
works. Now I'm in the midst of a transition, learning how 
to write stories with dialogue and interactions between 
human subjects, not just forces or molecular interactions. 
This current FoLC story is my first in this genre, I have 
three other 'What If' stories similar to this one, but less 
science oriented and less extensive. They are still resting 
on my desktop. Other stories which I've hand sketched, 
since 1999, are stored somewhere under my desk.

I am aware that most people have little knowledge of 
scientific concepts. While I consider this condition 
deplorable, it is nonetheless a fact that I must deal with 
in the real world. Therefore, I have attempted to make any 
of the scientific concepts used in the story line palpable 
by applying analogies common to every day occurrences. I 
may have failed in this attempt, but at least I've tried. 
Except for the Prologue, the story does not hinge much on 
scientific matters. Please don't give up on this tale 
because of the first section. I believe it is a necessary 
to the entire saga. Tough it out.

The Prologue was written mainly to look at the political 
and emotional reasons why Krypton was destroyed and the 
rational for the conceptions of Clark and Alicia and their 
subsequent departure for Earth. The main action of this 
story essentially begins with the second section entitled 
"The Meeting."

Enjoy. 

[Story was started June 7, 1999; completed September 13, 
1999]. 
______________ 

PROLOGUE: THE FOUNTAINHEAD

Jor-El paused at the entrance to the laboratory situated 
beneath the El family's living quarters. As he scanned the 
room, Jor noticed Lara, his life partner and colleague, 
tinkering with some equipment. She was working 
expeditiously and with a calm that belied the urgency of 
her task. Lara's tranquil behavior masked the imminent 
catastrophe that she knew would soon devastate their home 
world, the planet Krypton. 

Sensing Jor-El's presence, Lara briefly raised her head and 
saw her husband gazing at her with an expression of love 
that made her blush. In return Lara smiled at her soulmate 
with a radiance that magnified her beauty a thousand fold. 
After they looked upon one another for several seconds, she 
lowered her head and returned to her chores.

Jor-El's life partner, a mathematician and scientist by 
training, was in the final phase of electronically storing 
the knowledge the Kryptonian people had amassed over the 
aeons. As Jor watched, Lara was uploading Krypton's legacy 
to one of three interstellar vehicles situated at the 
center of their laboratory.

As Jor-El continued to look about the room, he recognized 
his cousin and spiritual brother Zor-El, like himself, a 
physicist, whose scientific expertise was in the 
disciplines of subatomic particles and molecular spectra. 
Working next to him was his wife Kennra, a physicist with 
strong biological interests. Both were busy preparing the 
navigational instrumentation for inclusion in the 
spacecrafts and performing the final diagnostic tests on 
each ship's interstellar generator. The interstellar 
generator was the heart of the spacecraft and was the hub 
of the ships intergalactic engine; an engine which would 
thrust the vessel across the cosmos to a destination nearly 
half-way across the known universe. When their spacecrafts 
were ready, they would carry a precious cargo: two infants 
upon an unimaginable journey, a journey, which if 
successful, maybe would be the salvation of their doomed 
people.

After looking over the laboratory facilities, Jor seated 
himself at a computer console and began once again to 
review the family's plan to save a portion of Krypton's 
civilization.

Soon after Jor-El became engrossed in the theoretical 
equations flashing across his monitor, Zor-El left his 
wife's side and walked toward the opposite side of the 
laboratory where he would inspect other equipment needed 
for their spacecraft's coming voyage. While he traveled 
across the room, Zor-El became aware of his kinsman. Jor-
El, or Jor, as he was affectionately known by his family, 
was a controversial scientist who by his views and actions 
had antagonized the government's position concerning 
interstellar travel. This quiet, unassuming man was the 
theoretician of their group and its unofficial leader and 
guide.

Arriving at a new lab bench, Zor-El seated himself at a 
particular console. As he his watched his cousin for a 
moment, Zor started to recall the events which led to the 
current planet-wide crisis and their haste to complete a 
project which, if successful, could preserve Krypton's seed 
and its heritage. 

As Zor started setting up a new series of experiments, his 
mind drifted back to a time nearly fifteen years ago. 
Kennra's soulmate recalled the day when he and Jor-El had 
presented vital information to Krypton's Science Council. 
The data they had inadvertently collected strongly 
suggested that element 126, a radioactive by-product of 
Krypton's major energy source, was undermining the 
geological stability of their planet - from the mantle to 
its core.

Zor recalled that the members of the Science Council 
listened politely and promised they would study the 
information which he and Jor-El had just submitted.

About a month later, Zor remembered noting in his diary, a 
communique from the Council informed Jor and himself that, 
while their experimental data appeared to be valid, their 
interpretations of the experimental information included 
certain assumptions which rendered their deductions 
suspect. The Council's response was a slap in the face to 
them both. The governmental agency had obviously kowtowed 
to the planet's financial interests - Krypton's planet-wide 
energy cartel.

To justify their actions, the Science Council informed the 
Council of Elders, Krypton's governing body, that because 
of the implications which the El data suggested they needed 
to perform their own in-depth geological study. The newer 
investigation revealed a fallacy in Jor-El's and Zor-El's 
deductions. In an attempt to placate the two renowned 
scientists, the Science Council indicated in their report 
that the failure of the El group to catch their error was 
due to an extremely subtle phenomenon which made the true 
nature of the test results nearly undetectable. The El 
error was only discovered by the Science Council's 
investigation team because of the massive man power and 
equipment that was focused on the supposed problem.

When the Science Council's official report concerning the 
El family's work was announced, the two cousins realized 
that Krypton was now on a path which would lead to its 
destruction unless he and his kin could find a way to re-
stabilize the geological structure of their world.

Of course the El group appealed the Science Council's 
finding because a government agency had conducted the 
research that had nullified the El group's findings. Such 
research should have been carried out by an independent and 
highly reputable science contractor.

As they left the Hall of Science after the appeal hearing, 
both Zor-El and his cousin were well aware that because of 
the Science Council's cavalier indifference to the proper 
research procedures, any countermeasures to save Krypton 
would not be forthcoming any time soon. Any such moves by 
the Council could demonstrate that science agency to be 
fallible and maybe incompetent and discredit the government 
who always supported the Council's views.

Jor and his cousin Zor-El knew that the Science Council 
would move when the signs of Krypton's impending doom were 
at hand. But their efforts, at that point in time, would be 
useless.

However, all the Els could think about now was that their 
world and its people were moving closer to oblivion. Jor-El 
would now have to ask their colleagues for support. The 
geological changes would soon become irreversible.

In the coming months, the intellectual conflict with the 
Science Council moved into the political arena. As the 
arguments between the Council and Jor-El's family 
intensified, his group's research funds were suddenly 
suspended by the Science Directorate which cited 
conservation and a mounting deficit as their reason.

Again appealing the Council's decisions, the two El 
scientists were quietly informed that times were tough and 
their rather meager research funds were needed to support 
more fruitful projects. Jor-El was also told privately that 
his esoteric studies produced little or no immediate 
benefits to Krypton's people. He and his colleagues were 
wasting valuable resources. It was a subtle way of telling 
Jor that if he kept his mouth shut, research funds would be 
restored. 

As they walked home from one of their many meetings with 
the appeal board, Zor-El heard his cousin mutter, "Unless 
we find a way to stabilize the geological structure of 
Krypton, the arrogance and stupidity of those fools will 
have doomed our people to extinction. All their political 
power and money will not buy a reprieve from death."

Then an angry Jor almost yelled, "Those idiots on the 
Council have forgotten a most basic scientific tenant. 
Theory guides, but experiment decides. They have ignored 
our data and applied their own misguided thoughts to our 
findings. Now they'll reap the whirlwind and take the 
planet with them."

After leaving their last meeting with the governmental 
bureaucracy, it was obvious to the two scientists that the 
Council's edict was the result of a political decision - 
one, unfortunately, with dire consequences for the 
inhabitants of their planet. 

That evening it was decided that Jor-El and Lara and their 
kin Kennra and her husband Zor-El would live under the same 
roof to conserve their monetary assets. There was adequate 
room for both couples in the living quarters above the lab 
and the monies obtained from the sale of Zor's and Kennra's 
properties would be more than adequate to maintain them and 
their laboratory facilities until a time when Krypton no 
longer existed. 

Over the next several years, instruments and construction 
materials for a new kind of interstellar spacecraft, were 
quietly acquired by the politically ostracized El 
scientists. From these scavenged materials, innovative 
probeships were designed and constructed. When the El's 
secret space project was at last complete, the performance 
of a revolutionary spacecraft was tested under a number of 
extremely stressful conditions.

It was during this testing period that Jor-El produced a 
mathematical model of a new subatomic particle. His view of 
this new subatomic fragment came to him in one of those 
spontaneous flashes of insight which people of genius get 
from time to time. In proving that such a particle actually 
existed, Jor-El utilized a ten-dimensional space-time 
paradigm created by his soulmate, Lara. 

According to Jor-El's reasoning, his new particle did not 
resemble a point-like bit of matter, but consisted of a 
tiny one-dimensional loop like an infinitely thin rubber 
band. Such a subatomic shape would behave as an oscillating 
filament which Jor-El, with a literary flair, called a 
"flexible string or for simplicity just a string." 

Jor-El's string theory, as it became known, added an even 
smaller dimension to the subatomic particle domain. The 
string, if it truly existed, could be viewed as a piece of 
microscopic material which behaved like a vibrating loop of 
matter. From Jor's studies it would fit well into the well-
known progression of atoms to proton and neutrons, then 
electrons, and finally to quarks. Until now, these were the 
only accepted subatomic species.

As Lara came to understand Jor's new idea, she realized 
that the string concept, if valid, was the controller of 
all the wondrous happenings in the universe - through its 
vibrating characteristics. She was aware, too, that her 
husband viewed his subatomic particle as tiny one 
dimensional loops of energy which existed deep within the 
heart of all matter. Until Jor had further information, 
speculation about the string's properties and what it could 
do would have to be put on hold.

To test Jor-El's hypothesis, Lara received permission from 
the Science Council, which wanted to placate the El ire, to 
use one of the planetary computer networks. Such a computer 
web could generate mathematical equations for the strings 
(if they existed). Such expressions would describe, in an 
unambiguous way, the characteristics of her husband's new 
particle and illustrate how this subatomic fragment 
effected matter.

Seven months and eighteen days later, the world-wide 
computer system gave Jor-El, Lara, Zor-El and Kennra 
immense joy; the mathematical relationships associated with 
Jor's string particle had been produced and the results 
sent to Lara's desktop computer. As Lara and her husband 
stared at the monitor, hope of saving their people was once 
again rekindled in their hearts.

Although the computer results had raised the hopes of Jor-
El's family group, they were all cognizant that a 
mathematical construct was not equivalent to a working 
artifact.

The El group was now well aware that if the string could be 
controlled, routine interstellar journeys would become an 
everyday event. It was their fervent wish that mastery over 
Jor's new subatomic particle could be achieved in time to 
save at least a portion of Krypton's heritage and some of 
the planet's population from the rapidly approaching 
catastrophe. If their ability to control the string was not 
successful, all remnants of their aeons-old civilization 
would perish when Krypton exploded and would wander, with 
the planet's debris, silently and forever throughout the 
immensity of space.

As required by law, the string theory results were sent to 
the Science Council for their evaluation. Aside from a note 
informing them that Jor-El's and Lara's information was 
received by the governmental agency, no further 
communication regarding Jor-El's new theory was ever 
received from the authorities.

After six months, Jor-El and his family were quite aware 
that Jor's remarkable views about the make-up of matter 
were deliberately being ignored. Because of the Science 
Council's inaction, it was now clear to Jor's family group 
that any kind of salvation of Krypton and its people was no 
longer possible; the destruction of the planet and the 
death of its population was now only a matter of time and 
that was running out.

The lack of interest in Jor-El's string studies, aside from 
the Council's obvious political bias toward his work, was 
also prompted by government's long standing philosophical 
views about interstellar travel. The opposition to such 
treks into the void had been strongly influenced by 
experiments performed nearly a thousand years earlier. From 
the analysis of these ancient data, the Kryptonian 
scientific community had concluded that the speed of light 
would always be a detriment to interstellar voyaging. 
Therefore, except for sending a few costly robotic trips to 
nearby star systems, space funding was severely curtailed, 
discouraging many interested scientists from venturing into 
this research area.

Over the next thousand years, space researchers, although 
now few in number, still attempted to hurl a spacecraft, at 
near light speeds, through the cosmos. Try as they may, the 
light barrier held.

During Jor-El's time, too, exploration of interstellar 
space was still limited because the speed of light barrier 
was still an impediment to long interstellar expeditions.

So, as it was a thousand years before, only star systems 
relatively close to Krypton were periodically explored.

Jor-El knew that as long as the velocity of light was 
perceived as a barrier, the Kryptonian scientific community 
would feel obliged to minimize the resources allocated for 
space research.

Knowing full well that acquiring funding for space research 
was a hard sell, Jor-El still joined those who hoped to 
achieve interstellar flight by studying and manipulating 
the natural laws governing light speed phenomena. 

In his quest for space research support, Jor-El again 
antagonized many members of the Science Council. Because of 
his quarrelsome and irritating ways, many of his other 
works were either ignored or maliciously branded as 
hogwash. The continued political vilification of Jor-El's 
works by the Science Council, however, would, in time, reap 
its own terrible rewards.

As Zor-El reminisced further, he reflected on the space 
research debate. Zor recalled that while Jor-El's little 
scientific community agreed with the Council's conclusions 
with respect to the speed of light issue, they vigorously 
denounced the Council's decision to keep funding for 
interstellar research at near nonexistent levels. Such a 
program of discouragement would dash any hope of ever 
creating an intergalactic exploration program.

Sensing the Council's hostility toward any of his ideas, 
Jor-El, who by now had evidence that his string theory 
could circumvent the lightspeed problem, did not bring any 
of his new ideas into the interstellar fray.

As he left the Science Council meeting, Jor-El knew that 
his words once again had fallen on deaf ears and the task 
of trying to save some portion of Krypton's heritage would 
have to be borne by his family alone.

With a better than even chance that from his string 
particle a workable interstellar engine could be 
constructed before doomsday arrived, the Els set to work at 
warp speed. The El clan was well aware than even if such an 
engine could be fashioned in time there was only a small 
likelihood that a planet, suitable for Kryptonian 
habitation, could be discovered before their home planet 
was history.

Zor, still sitting at his console and recalling the past, 
chuckled as he remembered a very special day.

Because of the rapidly approaching date for the destruction 
of Krypton and its culture, Jor-El decided to abandon the 
traditional approach to researching new ideas. The time 
remaining to them would not permit years of slow, cautious, 
and tedious investigations coupled with exhaustive testing 
to finally produce a working model of a string-powered 
interstellar engine. As uncomfortable as Jor's radical 
ideas appeared, because of the time line, the rest of the 
family agreed with his proposals.

With the certain knowledge of Krypton's impending doom, 
Jor's clan now followed a very unorthodox research 
methodology, one that assumed that a premise being 
investigated was valid without any testing and proceed from 
that position. Therefore, the string theory was not only 
considered a credible concept, but would be regarded as a 
controllable physical entity.

Scientifically, of course, they were all out of their 
minds. However, desperate times throughout history had 
always fostered unorthodox approaches to very troubling 
problems, especially those that dealt with life and death 
situations.

Having made their decision, Jor-El's little scientific 
"family" began to acquire the equipment required for 
spacecraft construction. Begging and cajoling were often 
used to acquire the needed implements for their 
undertaking. From their tireless efforts, a small quantity 
of the critical materials were secured in a relatively 
short period of time. The amount, however, was not 
sufficient to build a large space vessel -- one that could 
transport them and a sizable group of Kryptonians away from 
their dying world.

However, with the help of friends and colleagues, the four 
intrepid scientists managed to acquire the necessary 
material to fabricate twenty-three small interstellar 
probeships. Still, they were fortunate. The spaceship 
building material they had secured allowed them to 
construct the probes which now would be used to scour the 
universe for a safe haven for their people; a world which 
would be capable of supporting and nurturing Kryptonian 
life.

As the probeships were coming together, the data from the 
first string engine test firing was, to their surprise, 
very promising.

When the info from the string test reached him, Jor-El 
immediately ordered the joining of each interstellar 
probeship with a string engine.

Looking heavenward, Jor-El mused that for once providence 
seemed to be on our side. 

After the probeships were completely assembled, Lara became 
aware that a small amount of material was left-over and 
placed in storage. In time, Jor's family group hoped to 
acquire more of this essential spacecraft building material 
and construct an interstellar ark.

While the probeships were being coupled to interstellar 
engines and readied for launch, Lara returned to the 
storage facility and measured the mass of the extra 
spaceship fabrication material. She determined that there 
was enough building material to manufacture several small 
interstellar vessels. These ships, Lara reasoned, could 
send a few Kryptonian couples to a world that could sustain 
Kryptonian life forms. There, in time, she remarked to 
herself, "Their people might flourish once again."

As Lara Looked at her computations once again, she suddenly 
conceived a daring idea. If somewhat smaller spaceships 
were constructed, Lara mused, there would be enough 
material to fabricate three vessels. If two of the 
spacecraft could each carry a baby, the third ship could be 
outfitted to carry Krypton's heritage electronically 
embedded in the fabric of the interstellar vessel. 

Lara realized that her notion was too important to keep to 
herself. However, for the moment she would say nothing. 
When she felt that the time was ripe, Jor-El's soulmate 
would have a serious chat with her cousin Kennra. Together 
they would explore the ramifications of her ideas and 
decide upon a course of action. Then, they would talk to 
their husbands about Lara's rather audacious scheme.

But for now, while Kennra and Zor-El were monitoring the 
space probeship construction, she and Jor-El had to 
continue analyzing the mathematical relationships which 
placed Jor's string theory in concise scientific terms. 
These equations needed to create a methodology which could 
both activate and control the string particle.

After more than two years of exhausting research, Lara 
finally developed a set of empirical relationships which 
when combined with a specially designed generator could 
activate and guide the motion and direction of a string. 
The controlling mechanism was relatively simple to operate. 
It functioned like a light switch with a dimmer slide. The 
controlling device could modulate the desired string 
frequencies like one tunes a piano. It was the variation of 
the string's vibrational modes that controlled the motions 
of this subatomic particle and drove the device to which it 
was attached.

A bonus to Lara's and Jor's research endeavors was the 
discovery of a space-time compass. This unique instrument 
could function in both normal and multi-dimensional spaces. 
According to their studies, this instrument could guide a 
string-driven craft to any position within the known 
universe.

When Jor's and Lara's equations were again examined by the 
planet-wide computer network, the mathematical results 
indicated that Jor's string concept had passed from a 
theoretical idea to a working part of matter.

That evening, in the quiet surroundings of their lab, Jor's 
family group built the last of their string devices and 
tested them with the probeships. From the results of their 
trial runs, the El family knew that the speed of light was 
no longer a barrier to interstellar voyaging. Jor's string-
driven ships now presented Kryptonians with a ticket to a 
new cosmic address.

During the testing of the interstellar probeships, the El 
family group was astonished to learn that the time required 
to travel between any two inter-galactic locations would be 
nearly instantaneous.

In essence, Jor-El's string engine would substantially 
shorten the distance between any two interstellar points, 
causing the time of travel from a starting position to some 
destination to be nearly nonexistent.

To further test the feasibility of Jor's new space engine, 
a special string driven ship combined with the space-time 
compass was assembled and readied for a test flight.

After several days of preflight inspection, a new kind of 
spacecraft lifted from the surface of Krypton by 
conventional means. Once in space, the navigational space-
time compass computed the flight path to a star system 
about one hundred light years from El's home world. As the 
compass oriented the probeship, the string generator 
reduced the distance between the Kryptonian solar system 
and the probeship's destination by folding the fabric of 
space.

This shortening process can be viewed as shortening the 
diameter of each atom in the ship's flight trajectory by a 
small amount. In space, the each of the myriad atoms along 
any flightpath would, in essence, be slightly compressed. 

The total effect of the reducing power of the interstellar 
engine, now called for simplicity an IE, would be analogous 
to pulling upon the African continent until it touched 
North America. Although this example is absurd, the 
distance between these two land masses would indeed be 
diminished and the time to travel from one continent to the 
other would be considerably diminished.

By using Jor's interstellar engine with a conventional 
spaceship, the cosmic distances between any two points 
could be shortened and travel between them reduced from 
billions of years to mere seconds.

After traveling to one's destination, deactivating the 
ship's IE would return the perturbed region of the universe 
to its original state. The resulting flight of such an 
interstellar spacecraft would be a new cosmic address - the 
ship would be in a new star system.

A string driven spacecraft could also be viewed as 
overlapping the regions of space between a spacecraft's 
original position and its destination. The effect would be 
like touching the opposite corners of a rectangular piece 
of paper as it was folded.

When Jor's clan launched their special probeship, its 
journey lasted less than two hours. As instructed, the 
probeship returned with samples from the selected solar 
system to substantiate its historic trip.

Upon the return of the test craft, Jor-El, Lara, Zor-El, 
and Kennra became jubilant. After the reverie had abated 
somewhat, a report was hastily prepared and sent to the 
Science Council.

Perhaps with this new information, the El family hoped, a 
small fleet of IE driven vessels could be constructed 
allowing a portion of Krypton's population to survive by 
leaving the planet before doomsday.

Unfortunately for the people of Krypton, the report 
informing the Council of the El family's new method of 
interstellar travel arrived during a very severe seismic 
event. These planet-wide discontinuities consisting mostly 
of ground quakes, disrupted all kinds of essential 
facilities. Therefore, the report was all but ignored for a 
considerable period.

Although the occurrence of such tremors had been steadily 
increasing over the past few years, the inept Science 
Council, playing the political game successfully, was able 
to deflect their ominous warnings.

However, shortly after the test probe returned to Krypton, 
the quakes had suddenly become more prevalent and their 
intensity many times more violent. The growing instability 
of the planet finally prompted the government to act. 
Unfortunately, because of its political influence, the 
Science Council was able to quash the government's 
uneasiness and the El report by launching an investigative 
committee to study the matter further.

As the seismic events became still more destructive, Jor-El 
and his family became aghast when they discovered that the 
ruling body of the planet, Krypton's Council of Elders, 
were doing virtually nothing but studying the situation. 
Only propaganda from the Council of Elders flooded 
Krypton's communication systems telling the people that 
everything was under control.

While the ruling council was attempting to pacify the 
people, the seismic conditions were steadily worsening. 
With conditions deteriorating, fear began to spread through 
the planet's population and the fabric of society began to 
deteriorate.

As the governmental apparatus become paralyzed by the 
impending chaos, Jor-El and his family increased their 
efforts to implement an interstellar flight system. Jor's 
clan was now well aware that their string driven spacecraft 
was the last hope of saving a few of Krypton's inhabitants 
and some remnants of Krypton's glorious past.

From information given to them by friends high in the ranks 
of officialdom, Jor-El and his kin finally knew that no 
governmental program would ever be implemented to build a 
fleet of life saving interstellar vessels based on the Jor-
El design. The Jor-El family group now understood that any 
effective efforts to save a portion of Krypton's people and 
their civilization would depend on them and them alone. 
Things the family had discussed not so long ago now were 
rapidly coming to pass.

While the El clan was in the process of severing all 
connections with Krypton's governmental institutions, 
unknown to them and, to the consternation of Jor's 
political foes, the El clan's predictions about element 126 
were proving to be all too correct. Because of the mounting 
planet-wide crisis, these facts had to be reported to those 
higher in the government -- The Council of Elders.

To save face, the Science Council resorted to a favorite 
tactic of theirs -- shift the blame. They told the powers 
that be that Jor-El's time-frame was faulty and the demise 
of Krypton appeared to be approaching at a much faster rate 
than the El clan had originally anticipated. Therefore, 
there seemed no urgency on the part of the Science agency 
to act for some time.

Listening to the Science Council's excuses and condemnation 
shocked the ranking  government officials.  After the 
trauma of disclosure had abated somewhat, the Science 
Council leaders were immediately executed for treason and 
the others in that agency were imprisoned to await trial.

The government then attempted a crash program to evacuate 
the planet. It was too late. Not enough time remained to 
rescue Krypton from its impending doom.

While the government brought all of its industrial might to 
bear to save their world, Lara was talking to her family. 
"I believe," she said, "the basic cause of Krypton's 
current plight was brought about by hate. The hatred of 
Jor-El by a politicized Science Council combined with 
natural geological forces are together causing Krypton's 
coming destruction. What a way for civilization like ours 
to go! No rational being will ever believe this story. Yet 
my friends it's all true."

"What we have here is a classic case of envy," Lara 
continued. "Jor-El, who you know to be a kind and gentle 
soul, was secretly scorned by many of his Kyptonian 
colleagues less able than he. Because of his scientific 
successes, mindless hatred for my husband steadily 
increased. Over the years, these rather insipid individuals 
slowly gained seats on the Science Council by political and 
other unsavory means and took control of that body. At the 
same time, my scholarly Jor-El, oblivious to the changing 
political climate, delved ever deeper into his studies of 
nature's mysteries."

"When Jor's successes continued, even though his funding 
was steadily curtailed, the jealousies of the Science 
Council members turned from envy to hate. It was the hatred 
intertwined with the political power of the Science Council 
that thwarted all of Jor's interstellar projects and 
eventually sealed Krypton's fate." 

"Because of the Council's irrational behavior," Lara 
continued, "the planet-wide stage was set for havoc and 
chaos to run rampant throughout Krypton. It will end 
shortly with the destruction of this planet. The political 
folly of the science committees have set the stage that 
will be used by death to serve up a banquet of souls." As 
she finished her harangue, Lara wept. She cried for those 
who didn't understand and she sobbed for the unborn who 
would never know the beauty of life.

As Jor-El's group planed for some Kryptonians to survive 
the approaching doom of their world, the people of the 
planet began to panic. Fearing a revolution, the Council of 
Elders, disbanded the Science Council after reading Jor's 
and Zor's seismic report hidden in the archives of the 
Science Council. They then formed a special task force, 
composed mainly of academicians, to examine the El's 
squashed report, hoping against hope that it was flawed, 
but fearing it was not.

When finished, the results of the new seismic study 
thundered through the scientific community.

While nothing could be done to allay the time of Krypton's 
destruction, at least the truth was known at last.

During this revisionist period, a scared government began 
preparing for Krypton's end.

Like the government, Jor-El's family group quietly began 
protecting their home and laboratory. They placed a mud-
like fluid around the foundation posts of their dwelling. 
While their home might oscillate severely during the coming 
quakes, floating in its mud encasement, the Jor-El family 
group knew that their home would survive, keeping them 
safe.

Soon after the El's house had been protected, Jor and his 
cousin Zor received an official notice from the Science 
Council indicating that his family's interstellar report 
had been received. As they perused the document, both men 
were not surprised to read that no action was ever enjoined 
to execute even those parts of the study which had proposed 
possible lifesaving features.

The governmental document was, of course, just procedural. 
Newly selected members of the Science Council were just 
following political etiquette as they cleaned up the mess 
their predecessors had left behind.

As in the case of the government's initial refusal to 
seriously consider the danger of element 126, there also 
could be many reasons for the Science Council's final 
catastrophic act in rejecting the El's interstellar 
proposal.

When Zor was showing Lara and Kennra the almost laughable 
message from the new Science Council board, Jor wondered 
what prompted this recent round of lunacy on part of this 
government agency. Was it political intrigue, jealousy, or 
the havoc caused by the ever increasing ground tremors? 
They would really never know. At this point in Krypton's 
history, it really didn't matter what the government did or 
didn't do. Time had run out and the El's report was no 
longer an issue. The point of no return had been reached 
and passed. Krypton was in its death throws. In less than 
five, or maybe as little as three years his world would no 
longer exist.

When the Science Council had failed to act on Jor's 
interstellar project, for all intents and purposes, Krypton 
had served itself a death warrant.

When the hated, jealousy, and political wrangling had at 
last become apparent to Jor and his family, they bemoaned 
the situation because of all the precious time wasted in 
their attempt to persuade the Science Council to support 
their interstellar project.

Furthermore, as more and more resources were being 
committed to control the ever increasing seismic activity 
now scourging the planet, Jor-El's family was made aware 
that no further material for their interstellar project 
would be forthcoming. Constructing a spacecraft large 
enough to carry their family to safety was no longer an 
option.

Lara knew it was now time to have that talk with Kennra.

The plan Lara had thought out some years before now 
dominated her thinking. It was an alternative course of 
action; a plan born out of both hope and desperation. With 
the imminent destruction of Krypton now at hand, she needed 
to present her ideas to the family as soon as possible. 
First, however, she needed to talk to her sister-in-law and 
dear friend, Kennra. Her approval of Lara's plan was 
crucial to Lara's scheme.

Later that day, Jor's soulmate approached Kennra who was 
busy incorporating biological and psychological equipment 
in all twenty-three probeships. Next to her was her life 
partner, who was placing optical equipment 
(spectrophotometers and interferometers) into the same 
vessels.

When the probeships scoured the universe, the biological 
and psychological tools in these craft would secure tissue 
samples and psychological profiles of life forms they 
encountered. Semen and ovum samples would also be obtained 
if the life-forms encountered reproduced sexually.

The spectrophotometers and interferometers in the 
probeships would survey the physical attributes of the 
life-bearing world and the characteristics of that planet's 
sun and the kind of radiation it emitted.

The light gathered by the spectrophotometers and 
interferometers would also guide the probeships toward star 
systems capable of supporting Kryptonian life-forms. 

When Kennra finished her loading task, she noticed Lara 
gesturing to her.

Telling her husband that Lara wished to see her, Kennra 
followed Jor's soulmate to an empty room.

When the Kennra had seated herself, Lara closed the door 
and locked it. After she seated herself next to her kin, 
Lara said softly to her sister in law, "You know, of 
course, that we and our beloved soulmates will perish when 
Krypton explodes. Taking a breath, Lara added, "My husband 
is now computing the precise time for that catastrophic 
event, plus or minus a couple of days."

Kennra nodded and sobbed a little.

Talking more softly, Lara said to her cousin, "If we are 
fortunate, our probeships will locate a world whose 
inhabitants will possess psychological and physical 
characteristics similar to our own. More important, though, 
will be the biological compatibility between our people and 
those of the new planet.

Pausing for a few seconds, Lara dropped her bombshell. 
"Would you, my sister, consider bearing a child and sending 
him or her to the kind of planet I've just described?"

After recovering from the shock of Lara's rather bold 
statement and considering its ramifications, Kennra 
replied. "Yes I would my sister." Before Kennra could add 
to her reply, Lara remarked, "Given the chance, so would 
I."

Lara then told Kennra about the existence of three infant-
sized space vessels she had secretly fabricated over the 
past several years.

Pausing to allow Kennra to considered ramification of her 
thoughts, Laura then added, "Since our family is now in 
possession of three interstellar ships, arks of life I call 
them, we could use two of these vessels to transport our 
offspring to the new world."

"What about the third ship?" Kennra inquired.

"The third ship," Lara replied, "could be used to house an 
electronic library and carry vital supplies. In the third 
craft, we could electronically archive the knowledge 
Krypton has amassed over the ages. If we can accomplish 
these objectives, Kennra, our little family could be the 
instrument that saves the genetic and public heritage of 
our people. And, through our progeny Krypton's wisdom may 
be passed on to a people far across the cosmos. Knowledge 
that could be of immense value to a burgeoning civilization 
whose people possess the same ethics and moral base as our 
own."

Listening to her sister in law, Kennra was at first taken 
aback as the full impact of Lara's proposal impacted upon 
her mind.

Gathering her thoughts, Kennra remarked, "You know, of 
course Lara, that such a world, as you have envisioned, 
must be discovered at least thirteen months prior to 
Krypton's extinction level event. We would need that much 
lead time for us to conceive, gestate, and deliver our 
first born, and prepare them for their cosmic journey."

Zor-El's soulmate then paused for a moment and again 
considered Lara's bold proposal. Thoughts like, was there 
any alternative to Lara's plan? Would their kids survive 
such a journey? It was a gamble. What were the odds of 
success? If her plan worked, Krypton's heritage and the 
knowledge its civilization had accumulated could be saved. 
These thoughts and a myriad of others flashed through her 
head. In the end of her catharsis, Kennra knew in her heart 
that Lara's plan was sound.

Gazing at her cousin, Kennra smiled and told Lara that she 
would support her plan. Lara hugged Kennra and said, "Let's 
go talk to the guys.

Before they left the room, Lara embraced her kin, conveying 
without words her profound gratitude to Kennra for her 
support and her courageous decision.

After supper that evening, Lara asked their men to join 
Kennra and herself in the general living quarters. There, 
Lara unfolded her plan and told the men of the three 
spaceships she had secretly assembled. When Lara finally 
asked the male members of her family whether or not they 
approved of her strategy, Jor and Zor-El both nodded their 
consent without so much as a moment's hesitation. Then Jor 
gave his soulmate a bone-crushing embrace. The die was 
cast; a concentrated effort would now be made to locate a 
planet which supported a population that was both 
physiologically and biologically compatible with their own.

Now it was time for both couples to think about conceiving 
a child. With Krypton's advanced technology, conception was 
never an issue in Lara's plan.

On the day following the families' historical gathering, 
all twenty-three probeships were made ready for immediate 
departure.

Several days later, as Lara entered the lab, she noted that 
Zor-El was adding a final piece of hardware to each probe. 
It was a string-based telemetry system. His communication 
device would allow information from the probeships to be 
continuously monitored as they searched the cosmos for 
their children's new home.

To increase the speed of communication, Lara wrote and 
compiled a computer program which would translate the 
probe's telemetry into an easy to read format as the data 
was sent back to probeship's embarkation point.

After launching the probeships, the four scientists began 
modifying Lara' starships that would soon make an 
incredible journey. Two ships were converted to carry a 
small child, one in each vessel, and the third was 
transformed into a library of sorts, which would carry 
Krypton's heritage and its knowledge base acquired over 
many millennia.

Slightly over eighteen months later, information received 
from probeship thirteen caused jubilation among Jor's 
family. A star system had been discovered, eight billion 
light years across the cosmos. In a solar system of nine 
planets, the third from the sun was a world very similar to 
Krypton itself. Earth, as the inhabitants called their 
world, orbited a moderate size star.

The physical attributes of Earth's people were nearly 
identical to their own. A scan of the genetic code of the 
planet's population indicated biological compatibility with 
Kyptonians. If a second check of the probeship's data 
agreed with the first informational set, then their 
children would be able to fit in with Earth's society and 
successfully mate with its people. The only major 
difference was in the nature of their suns. Krypton circled 
a red star, while Earth was a satellite of a G-type solar 
furnace.

While most of the physical characteristics of Earth: 
atmospheric content, gravity, orbital period and distance 
from its sun closely matched those of their home world, 
there were bound to be some differences.

Dissimilarities in star coloration, for example, about 
which Krypton and Earth revolved initially was a detail 
that concerned the El family. However, a rapid analysis of 
the new star's characteristics dispelled their fears. 
Radiation from a yellow sun, they discovered, would pose no 
threat to Kryptonian life forms. In fact, from a later 
examination of the new star, the El's found that the 
radiation generated by Earth's sun just might enhance their 
children's well being.

As they continued to study the conditions existing on 
Earth, Lara murmured, "Eight billion light years. When the 
time comes, our kids will be taking a mind-boggling 
journey."

The vastness of space between Krypton and Earth was 
incredible. For scientists accustomed to strange and 
unusual findings, the distance traveled by the probeship 
still evoked a sense of awe. The new planet and Krypton 
were separated by half the known universe. 

The information from probeship thirteen also informed them 
that the new planet was civilized. However, by Kryptonian 
standards, Earth's civilization was not considered a 
technologically advanced society. In fact, the probeship 
data suggested that Earth's society was like Krypton nearly 
a hundred million years ago.

After receiving and reconfirming probeship thirteen's 
preliminary telemetry, it was recalled and was expected to 
arrive within the hour. If the more detailed physiological 
and biological data procured by the probeship was as 
encouraging, then phase two of "Operation Life" could 
commence - the conception of their children. 

As soon as the probeship returned, Kennra rushed the 
physiological and biological information pods to the 
analyzer, while Zor-El started an in-depth study of the new 
planet's more subtle physical characteristics. 

Five days later, a "conference" was convened. Zor-El's 
report was succinct and simply recommended that the new 
planet become the living sanctuary for their children and 
the repository of all of Krypton's knowledge. 

Kennra's information required a more lengthy discourse. "I 
have determined," she told her kin, "that the physiological 
characteristics between us and the Earth people, are 
identical except for the special DNA inherent in our 
genetic systems. You recall the history of our society DNA 
project. Some seventy-five thousand years ago using well 
known biomedical engineering methods chromosomes nineteen 
and twenty-one were modified to enhance the general well 
being of our people. Other than those modified bits of our 
genome, we have on this new planet an almost a perfect 
genetic match between our two peoples. Zor-el then said to 
his family, "What we have fortuitously stumbled upon is a 
sister planet to our own. I wish we had the time to study 
the whys and hows of this fascinating puzzle."

After a slight pause, Lara said, "You believe that the 
people of Earth could possibly be descendents of marooned 
Kryptonian star sailors." Zor nodded. "Wow," Lara said, and 
added, "you're right, my husband, I wish there was time to 
research your views." Then Lara became more pragmatic and 
said, "Time is too pressing to study the hows or whys of 
this fascinating mystery."

When the group returned to the subject at hand, Lara 
remarked, "I want you to know that I've combined the semen 
and ovum gathered from several Earth inhabitants with their 
Kryptonian counterparts. The resulting fertilization 
produced a normal cell cluster.

After some discussion Lara added "You should all be aware 
that our engineered DNA will be transferred when an 
individual from Earth and another from Krypton produce 
offspring. It seems that our special engineered genes are a 
trait that will appear in all Tera-Kryptonian progeny."

Upon hearing the summation of Lara's analysis, Kennra 
mused, "Perhaps one path to immortality is to pass on your 
nucleic acids and that of your soulmate's to future 
generations?" 

"You are getting philosophical," Jor-El said to Kennra. 

"I know," she replied and then added, "Jor, do you believe 
in some form of continuation of life after we leave this 
plane of existence?"

"Do you mean some sort of life after death?" Jor remarked.

"Uh huh," Kennra replied.

After a slight pause, Jor said, "I must admit that I've 
speculated off and on for some time about the existence of 
a master creator and the kind of ethereal state people 
would enter when they pass on."

Taking a breath, Jor continued, "There are times when I 
feel very spiritual, and there are instances when I've 
doubted the presence of an all powerful being; a being who 
can affect the affairs of the universe including its 
advanced life forms. Why does my spirituality wax and wane? 
I'm not sure. I can't answer you with a clear and concise 
statement."

Smiling at his kin, Jor-El then added, "I must admit to you 
that from time to time I've questioned my skepticism 
concerning an eternal being." Clasping his hands, Jor 
continued his commentary by saying, "The only logical 
solution for my turmoil, it seems, is my inability to see 
and converse with such an entity face-to face. If I could 
communicate in some way with such a being, I could accept 
the existence of an eternal being and my psyche, I believe, 
would be a peace.  Since there are no known means of 
measuring whether or not a master creator exists, my 
dilemma persists and I cannot find solace in this area of 
thought. There is no closure to my problem, a closure that 
my mind desperately, I must admit, craves. So my friends, 
I've remained dubious through the years about an all 
powerful presence, one who has the power to shape the 
universe. 

After a moment or two of silence, Jor-El continued to 
expound on the concept of the eternal. "To tell you the 
truth," he said, "at times, during my contemplations about 
a G-D figure, I sometimes feel that all happenings in life 
are random events; but even in evoking such a logical 
thought, still I wonder about an eternal being. My 
perplexity exits because I know that the difference between 
faith, coincidence, and certainty is just a fine line.

"What irks me most," Jor-El added, as he continued to 
articulate, "is the question many people ask: 'why is 
science so devoid of spirituality?' Such a comment is 
asinine. This misunderstanding between science and religion 
I believe is the fault of our education system. Our 
instructional methods can't seem to differentiate between 
science, which is simply a process of investigation and the 
scientist, a person who may or may not believe in a supreme 
being. People should be aware that the primary function of 
science is to record and study observable items. The master 
creator, for example, if one truly exits, is not detectable 
by physical means and, therefore, cannot be recorded. Such 
an entity can't by definition be studied by the so-called 
scientific method. Of course, you all are aware that there 
is no scientific method. The so-called scientific method 
presented in our schools gives me the chills. It is a 
product of an education system which is scientifically 
illiterate. Each problem must investigated in a manner 
suitable to that particular study. There are many ways to 
approach a problem and each one can be classified as a 
scientific method.

"The scientist," Jor-El further stated, "is generally a 
pensive and slightly reclusive individual who ponders the 
forces which bind our universe together. My good friend and 
colleague, Gelefan, himself a scientist, strongly believes 
in a master creator or supreme being. He argues that the 
laws which govern our universe are not only breathtaking in 
design and function, but were created by an unseen hand. He 
contends that the so-called natural postulates that govern 
universal processes could not have occurred by random 
chance. Gelefan argues in this manner because there is a 
natural tendency for disorder to continually increase 
within our universe - the entropy factor. If entropy was 
the only driving force within the cosmos, Gelefan once 
declared, it would preclude the existence of life. My 
friend Gelefan believes that the master creator has 
controlled the entropy factor - the violence within the 
universe by creating a counter force, living entities.

"Gelefan also contends," Jor went on, "that life somehow 
reverses the destructive effect of the universal entropy 
processes and he believes that the master architect, 
created and placed living systems throughout the cosmos to 
impede the copious chaotic forces. From our numerous 
discussions concerning spirituality, Gelefan and I finally 
had a meeting of minds. He and I agreed that the most 
important item that exits on this and other planets was 
life forms; not material assets or power, but just living 
systems. In creating new life, random molecules are 
organized into what we call living networks composed for 
the most part of nonliving molecules.

"Shortly after we leave this plane of existence, Gelefan 
told me he believes that most departed souls will become 
less than a memory in a relatively short period of time. 
The possessions the departed one accumulated and held dear 
may no longer be treasured by a new owner and eventually be 
discarded as a useless or valueless item. He is convinced 
that nothing in the physical realm is forever. Only the 
soul, which is spiritual in nature, has permanence."

Jor-El then added, "If Gelefan's predictions are valid, in 
the coming catastrophe, all of our possessions and thoughts 
be they rational or nonsensical, will be swept away like a 
spring rain washes the air clean."

Continuing, Jor said, "My spiritual friend once told me 
that because all life has a finite life span, it should 
always be cherished like a gift. Love, which eventually 
binds our lives with another, is the most precious gift two 
individuals can share. That's why the act of creation, 
itself, is so highly regarded."

At this point in their discussion, Kennra interjected and 
reminded her cousin that the love of their people and the 
desire to save Krypton's civilization from oblivion was the 
dominant reason for their crusade and it was time to return 
to that problem.

Smiling, he nodded, affirming her poignant remark.

After Kennra's comment, a silence ensued for some moments. 
The group knew that their philosophical tete-a-tete had 
ended for the time being, at least.

Kennra broke their silence by commenting, "I've arrested 
the development of several Earth-Kryptonian cellular 
structures and placed them in a stasis chamber. It would be 
unconscionable to bring the beginning life forms to full 
term only to have them perish painfully when Krypton itself 
dies." The other family members nodded their approval of 
her actions.

Zor-El was next on the agenda. He reported that probeship 
thirteen had again been routed back to Earth. On this 
particular journey, the probeship was instructed to search 
for two nurturing families and implant a 'come hither' 
message in the minds of each chosen couple.

Jor's cousin then added, "When the babies reach their 
Earthly destinations, the implanted suggestion will draw 
their surrogate parents to our children's respective 
landing sites. When the selected families arrive at these 
locations, they will be compelled to retrieve their 
individual charges and hide the spacecraft. The couples to 
be chosen must be childless and possess an overwhelming 
need to love and nurture a baby." 

"Of course," Zor commented, "you are aware that our 
children must be initially separated for their mutual 
protection. If one child is unfortunately discovered, the 
other will still have a chance of survival by being raised 
in a different household some distance away from its kin." 
The family was in full agreement with Zor's advice.

Zor-El then added, "We could use the metabolic rates of our 
offspring as a timing mechanism.

Lara added, "Their biological clock could be used to 
terminate the children's isolation from one other, say, 
soon after their sixteenth birthday." 

Zor agreed with Lara, and then added, "I suggest that the 
auras emitted by our kids act as a seek mechanism at the 
appropriate time. After a few moments of debate, the family 
added both features to the children's survival package.

As Zor-El finished speaking, Lara chimed in saying, "I feel 
that each household chosen for our kids should approach the 
creator of the universe by a different path. I believe 
that, on Earth, they are called religious affiliations and 
the supreme being is referred to as G-D. Each child must 
learn about Earth's master creator from the persuasion of 
their surrogate parents. When our children rediscover their 
Kryptonian heritage and start families of their own, 
obviously with life-partners from among Earth's population, 
they will create their own distinct pathway to the Eternal 
one. What they create, of course, will be based, in part, 
on the religious customs acquired from their Earthly 
experiences and upon Kryptonian beliefs they will acquire 
as adults. Like all new approaches to the master creator, 
their religious practices will be unique to them. Someday, 
I believe, their views of spiritually will be incorporated 
into an innovative society establish by our progeny." 

"I have a question," Kennra interjected.

"Why have you, Zor-El, my soulmate, created such an 
elaborate collection scheme? I would also like to know why 
our children should be pre-assigned to a specific family 
before alighting on Earth." 

Lara looked at her husband and said, "I would like to 
respond to her query." 

Jor-El immediately said, "Go ahead, sweetheart." 

Hearing his affectionate reply, Lara gazed, for a moment at 
her life partner with eyes that seemed to gush love for her 
soulmate. While gazing at Jor-El, Lara thought to herself, 
"My life partner has become a much more romantic person 
over the years. I hope that when we pass beyond the pale, 
our life essences will remained lovingly entwined for all 
eternity."

Lara then faced Kennra and said, "As you are aware, our 
children will not only represent an extension of our love, 
but they will also be the only genetic continuation of the 
Kryptonian people. The information ship, which will 
accompany our kids will embody the accomplishments of our 
culture and will be their mentor as they mature. Our 
progeny and the library ship must not be allowed to become 
the property of iniquitous people. Therefore, those who 
will care for our offspring cannot be subject to a random 
selection process. The choice of specific nurturing 
families, who have been programmed to find our children, is 
necessary to reduce the chance that our children will be  
discovered by people who don't posses the proper moral and 
ethical values we cherish."

After hearing Lara's discourse, Kennra simply nodded, 
accepting Zor's collection scheme.

Ten days after Jor's clan had their last conference, probe 
thirteen again returned to Krypton. It had carried out the 
family's collection instructions. The two Earth families 
selected to nurture the Kryptonian children were Jonathan 
and Martha Kent of Smallville, Kansas, and Joshua and Sara 
Gerstein, residing in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Within a week of receiving the probe's information, both 
Lara and Kennra conceived. Two hundred and sixty-five and 
two hundred and eighty days later, two children were born: 
first, a daughter to Zor-El and Kennra that they named 
Alliah-El, followed by a son to Jor-El and Lara, whom they 
dubbed Kal-El. 

Soon after Lara had delivered her son, Jor-El ascertained 
that just forty-nine days remained before their world would 
perish. That knowledge urged Jor's family group to greatly 
increase their activities. Final preparations to transfer 
Kal-El and Alliah-El to Earth were completed. The library 
container ship was loaded. Special message globes were 
programmed and commanded not to function until Kal-El and 
Alliah-El each neared their sixteenth year. These global 
bodies would be attached to each infant and would follow 
them throughout their lives. The globes would not only 
provide their children with needed information after they 
were activated, but would also be a chronicler of their 
lives on their new world.

As the four labored almost day and night during Krypton's 
final days, the seismic activity of their planet greatly 
intensified. Mountains crumbled and sections of the 
planet's land mass near the coasts were swallowed by the 
sea.

Nearing Krypton's end of days, huge seismic waves undulated 
through the planet's surface, destroying or damaging 
everything in their path. These phenomena appeared like 
ocean-born waves, but traveled rapidly through the mantel 
of the continental land masses. 

These land waves produced large fissures, which disfigured 
the land. From these rifts, lava and poisonous gases 
gushed. One of the ingredients of the lava was a toxic form 
of element 126. This material, as it flowed, coated the 
surface of the planet.

The seismic energy cascading through the planet also 
spawned many tsunamis, extremely large sea-born waves, that 
devastated the islands and coastlines of the planet. Great 
shafts of subterranean material were thrust through the 
planet's surface and stood like huge tombstones that dotted 
the surface of Krypton. Some of these monoliths were two 
hundred feet or more in height. 

Throughout this period of extreme planet-wide devastation, 
Jor-El's family remained relatively secure within their 
laboratory facility. Their living quarters had been 
seriously damaged by seven-hundred-mile-an-hour wind gusts 
which now continuously battered their city and made it 
well-nigh uninhabitable. Because of their planning, the 
subterranean sections of their home withstood nature's 
onslaught.

The days of the final preparations passed rapidly.

One evening, as Zor-El gazed at the family's motoring 
system, he became all too aware that their rendezvous with 
destiny was fast approaching. The visual display on his 
measuring instruments registered the bleak news. Only about 
fifteen hours remained until Krypton reached its crisis 
threshold.

While the time of Krypton's destruction rapidly approached, 
the babies were reluctantly placed in their respective 
space arks. During the short time in which Kal-El and 
Alliah-El had been part of their lives, the El adults had 
become very attached to their children. An indescribable 
bond of love had developed between the couples and their 
offspring. They did not want to abandon their babies. 
However, they were well aware that not sending their 
children across the universe to a new home was a sentence 
of death. With heart wrenching feelings of both loss and 
elation, two Kryptonian infants, the last of their kind, 
were secured within their spacecrafts and launched into the 
void.

As the interstellar ships rose from the planet's surface, 
Jor-El embraced his wife and placed his face into her hair 
and began to sob. Lara, hearing her beloved becoming 
distraught, hugged him tighter and placed her head just 
under his chin. She talked to him with quiet cooing words 
that helped settle his emotional state. He was aware of 
what she was doing to ease his pain and loved her all the 
more for her selfless act.

As death gazed upon her lovely countenance he kissed her 
tenderly upon her forehead and further tightened their 
embrace.

Like their cousins, Zor-El and Kennra were also in a 
lover's embrace. Their lips touched in an all-encompassing 
kiss that would last to time's end and beyond. 

As Jor's family watched the monitor, they saw three 
spacecrafts begin their transit to a new solar system and a 
new life. Jor-El mused, "I am amazed and overjoyed that our 
project succeeded." Pausing for a moment, he added, "You 
know, guys, each of our investigations and tests provided 
us with a positive result after only a single trial. 
Theoretically, an endeavor such as ours should have taken a 
lifetime or more of study and frustrating experimentation 
to achieve such results."

Smiling at last, he added, "You, of course, realize what we 
accomplished? In less than a decade, we achieved the 
impossible."

Shaking his head in near disbelief of what he had just 
said, Jor-El added, "If I were a mystic or religious man, I 
probably would say that in our quest we were helped or 
guided by some benevolent entity. For what reason I still 
can't fathom." 

When Jor-El grew silent, Kennra said, "You know, Jor, your 
statement about some mysterious entity may not be so far 
fetched. Personally, I believe we were aided in our attempt 
to achieve interstellar travel. Like you, I really don't 
know why we were helped."

Thinking for a moment, Lara broke out in a smile as she 
added, "Maybe the answer is so simple that we overlooked 
its meaning. I believe we were helped because our quest was 
the right thing to do." 

After a moment of silence, Jor, looking at his soulmate 
reverently, replied to her, "You may be right, Lara. We 
chose life over despair and death. Perhaps the most 
essential element in our universe is the life force 
contained within its ever-expanding boundaries. Since we 
chose to preserve life and didn't renounce hope and didn't 
allow the forces of destruction to overwhelm our sense of 
purpose the master of the cosmos, in his/her infinite 
mercy, looked with favor upon us. Like, in marriage, we 
somehow had a meeting of minds."

Jor laughed and commented, "You know during the past 
several weeks, whenever I've pondered our children's fate, 
a euphoric feeling has touched me. This sentiment has not 
only strengthened my resolve, but has given me a feeling 
that all our work was not in vain. Whenever that feeling 
swept through me, the message it left was always the same 
and very calming. The epistle always implied that our 
children would be well, and because we cared and tried to 
help our people, a wonderful and meaningful future awaited 
our offspring and their descendants." 

"Jor-El," Lara said, tears cascading down her beautiful 
face," I sense that you just gave us a glimpse of our 
children's future." 

Zor-El quickly added, "Remember that discussion we had 
about the existence of a master creator." 

"Yes," Jor replied. 

"Well," Zor-El said, "you may get that face-to-face 
discussion sooner than you realize." Jor-El smiled at his 
spiritual brother, and simply nodded. 

Lara then pressed her mouth to Jor-El's in a tender and 
passionate lover's kiss.  Reluctantly separating from him, 
she murmured, "Our adoration for one another, my beloved 
Jor, will endure through all eternity as it has throughout 
our lives together. Don't ask me how I know, but I do. Just 
accept my prophecy, dearest."

As Lara continued to voice her love and cling to her 
soulmate, the rumbling sounds arising from the dying planet 
reached a crescendo. One third of Krypton's mass suddenly 
and violently blown into space by the force of a titanic 
explosion. The fury of the cataclysmic event thrust the 
remains of the planet from its solar orbit and hurled it 
into Krypton's fiery red sun. 

************
As one travels the highways and byways of creation, there 
are always new beginnings. While rest is necessary from 
time to time, the mandate of life is to move forward, 
forging new pathways, not knowing whether one will ever 
complete the journey. While life never decrees a conclusion 
to an individual's aspirations, to pursue a goal is an 
imperative.

So it was, as Krypton perished, two infants, the last 
representatives of a doomed civilization, together with its 
accrued knowledge, survived a perilous journey and were 
about to make landfall on a planet half a universe from 
their now lifeless home world.

Unfortunately, fragments of the exploding planet were also 
captured in the wake of the interstellar ships and followed 
the spacecrafts to Earth. Eventually, these meteorites 
would become known as Kryptonite, element 127, a deadly 
substance for Kryptonians and their descendents. 

The unstable element 127 produced during the nuclear 
disintegration of element 126 had spewed onto the surface 
of Krypton by the rampaging geological forces. This 
poisonous material coated the planet's surface and became 
part of the planet's fragments after Krypton's destruction.   

Although a great civilization had perished, a new saga was 
now beginning in the shifting patterns of life within the 
universe; life controlled by a master creator and 
orchestrated by the forces of destiny.

The end of the beginning.

************

Soon after the Kryptonian civilization passed into history, 
three interstellar spacecraft entered the Terran solar 
system just beyond the orbit of Pluto. Upon emerging from 
the string-generated hyperspace, the interstellar drives 
shut down and conventional space engines were engaged. Once 
these normal space drives were fully operative, the three 
Kryptonian spacecraft hurled themselves, at near-
lightspeed, toward the third planet in the star system - a 
planet called Earth by its inhabitants. 

Arriving at their destination some three hours later, the 
three interstellar vessels went into orbit about the new 
world. When the surface coordinates had been verified and 
rechecked, the spacecrafts descended to their pre-assigned 
locations. Kal-El's ship landed near the Kent farm, in the 
vicinity of Smallville, Kansas, while Ailah-El's vessel 
made landfall close to the Gerstein home just outside 
Colorado Springs. The library craft plummeted toward the 
Himalayan mountains and came to rest within an ice cave 
near the summit of a lofty peak. Here the library ship 
would remain, in a semi-dormant state, until the two 
Kryptonian infants reached an Earthly age of twenty-six 
years. A telemetry link would monitor the El children and 
record the events of their lives as they matured. This 
information would be placed within a special electronic 
archive for future reference and study. 

When the children's spacecraft made landfall, the "come 
hither" compulsion command immediately brought both the 
Kent and the Gerstein families to their respective 
touchdown locations.

Soon after the interstellar ships had alighted, each child 
found themselves in the arms of their new family. As the 
adults of both families held the children, both households 
instantly formed an unqualified loving bond with their 
Kryptonian infant.

After each child and their space vessel were taken to the 
Kent and Gerstein homes, respectively, nearly identical 
behavior patterns occurred. The Kents hollowed out a hidden 
chamber beneath their barn in which they placed the 
Kryptonian spacecraft and some special artifacts it 
carried. Likewise, the Gersteins excavated a camouflaged 
sub-basement under their home and set the ship from space 
within this underground hideaway. Then, both families, 
using the good auspices of their friends and neighbors, 
obtained birth credentials and social security numbers for 
each child. The children's documents were obtained, 
naturally, by sub-rosa means, and transcribed into the 
municipal records.

It should be noted for the record that the individuals 
aiding the Kent and Gerstein households were never told 
exactly how their child was acquired.  No questions were 
ever asked, nor were any explanations expected. The Kent 
and the Gerstein friends and family members just assumed 
that a loving couple, devoid of children, had somehow 
managed to complete their family. Both households were 
fortunate in that their friends and neighbors were people 
who delighted in helping others when the need arose, and 
never questioned the circumstances.

For some years, both children and their adopted families 
lived relatively normal lives, aside from the fact that 
Ailah-El, now called Alicia, and Kal-El, whom the Kent's 
named Clark Jerome, were exceedingly more intelligent than 
their peers. By the time both Clark and Alicia entered 
their primary schools both children were demonstrating 
scholarship at the post-university level. Both children 
tended to excel in their science and mathematical subjects. 

In addition to their academic prowess, other attributes 
surfaced as Clark and Alicia matured. Clark demonstrated 
exceptional writing abilities, with an added flair for 
poetry. He also developed art skills and became a very 
gifted painter, specializing in both oil and water-color 
murals. Alicia developed into a gifted essayist as well. 
She also blossomed into an incredible musician and became 
an accomplished artist on both the violin and piano. 
Alicia's passion for classical music and the technical 
mastery of both instruments would have classified her as a 
world-class performer if she had desired to follow that 
career path. Unknown to the world at large, these children 
were the Da Vincis of their age. 

Almost from the beginning of their formal education, 
fortune favored both children with remarkable first grade 
teachers. Both of these educators, unaware of one another, 
recognized the genius of each child. They quietly, with the 
permission of their respective parents, performed an Otis 
Lennon IQ test to determine the intellectual potentials of 
these remarkably talented individuals. Unfortunately the 
data from the tests were so skewed that no significant IQ 
information could be deduced.

From the results of the IQ tests, both teachers could only 
conclude that Alicia and Clark had inordinately high 
intelligence quotients. Any other inferences from their 
testing would be pure speculation on their part. However, 
it was obvious to both educators that the mental abilities 
of Clark and Alicia were off the IQ scale and obviously too 
high to be assessed with any certainty.

Fearing that their children would be exploited if the IQ 
information became generally known, the Kents and the 
Gersteins independently asked their children's teacher to 
withhold the IQ results from their local School Board. If 
hiding their kids' IQ data could be accomplished, then the 
unusually high intelligence of their kids could be 
concealed from the public at large.

Fortunately, for both families, the children's teachers 
were born in large cities and were street wise. The 
children's educators were fully aware what crafty 
politicians, school administrators, and school board 
members would do with such information. They would probably 
use it to enhance their public image and line their pockets 
if they could. Understanding the nature of the political 
arena into which each child could be thrust, the two 
teachers unknown to one another knew instinctively what 
needed to be done. The IQ information had to be either 
concealed or falsified.

Each teacher clearly understood that if the IQs of their 
young student ever became public knowledge, the normalcy 
and maybe even the safety of a child and their family could 
be a risk.

Fate was kind to the Kent and Gerstein families. The 
street-wise teachers agreed to honor the request of Clark's 
and Alicia's parents and conceal the real IQ information 
and substitute spurious data in its stead.

To accomplish this task, both educators placed misleading 
IQ information in the children's permanent school records.

Many years later, Clark was to comment that their primary 
teachers behaved as if they were telepathically linked to a 
higher power.

Throughout his primary and secondary schooling, Clark's 
first grade teacher, Bill Matheson, when possible, procured 
books or manuscripts Clark's family requested. In time, 
"Uncle Bill," as Clark affectionately called him, became 
like a member of his household. He and Clark remained close 
throughout the remainder of the educator's lifetime.

Unlike Clark, Alicia did not have the same level of 
difficulty acquiring scholarly information. Her parents 
were both civilian employees of the United Sates 
Government. They were professors in the math and science 
departments at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Both Alicia's 
mother and father had earned doctoral degrees. Her mother's 
degree was in mathematics, while her father's earned 
doctorate was in physics. Because of her parents' academic 
positions, Alicia had at her finger-tips a vast source of 
scholastic information.

As Alicia and Clark matured, their intellectual pursuits 
became more and more multifarious. While their minds 
searched through many diverse intellectual disciplines, 
slow, but subtle, changes in their physiology were also 
occurring. At approximately seven years of age, both 
children had already developed an invulnerability which 
protected them from all physical harm. During the next nine 
years, other special abilities developed: heat vision, 
enhanced hearing, telescopic vision and microscopic vision, 
freezing breath, enhanced olfactory senses, and finally the 
ability to levitate. Near their sixteenth birthdays, their 
levitation skills developed into full flying capabilities. 

While their unusual powers were emerging, these normally 
shy and sensitive children became even more solitary. 
Except for their parents, no other individual on the planet 
knew of their unique abilities. Hiding their special powers 
placed a strain on their relationships with their peers. 
They began to limit their contact with those whom Clark and 
Alicia considered normal. After each of their special 
abilities developed, it made them feel more and more 
isolated - they didn't fit in. They became more cautious 
toward friends and neighbors alike.

Loneliness was the result of their self-isolation. To 
escape the anguish caused by their self-imposed solitude, 
Clark and Alicia used their flying abilities to escape 
their seclusion by soaring into near space. 

During the summer of his sixteenth year, just after 
commencement from high school, Clark flew high into the 
stratosphere and began floating somewhere between the Earth 
and the shimmering celestial bodies that were sprinkled 
throughout the firmament. 

On one of his flying sojourns, Clark sensed the presence of 
another salient life force. Swiftly rotating his body, he 
saw not ten yards away, a young woman with green eyes and 
flaming red hair. When their eyes met, she smiled and he 
heard a voice coursing through his mind, which greeted him 
with a simple, but affectionate, "Hello, my name is Alicia 
Gerstein." 

Clark, after regaining his composure, replied, "Hiya, my 
name's Clark Kent."

While Clark did not fully comprehend, at that moment, how 
he had spontaneously greeted Alicia telepathically, he 
innately understood that this would be the natural form of 
communication between them. 

Smiling, Clark commented, "I think you and I need to have a 
rather lengthy
conversation." She nodded in agreement to his suggestion.

Clark then said to the red headed girl, "I know of an 
island in the western Pacific basin that is relatively 
isolated. Would you like to go there?" 

A resounding "Yes!" leaped into his head. He then beckoned 
her to follow him 
as he started to plummet Earthward. They both leveled their 
descent at about fifty feet above the surface of the 
Pacific Ocean and then flew west at hypersonic speeds to 
the island of Palau in the Micronesian Archipelago. 

When they landed on Palau, both Clark and Alicia 
instinctively grabbed one another in a big hug. As they 
clasped each other, their personal auras overlapped. Their 
physical embrace initiated the beginnings of a life-long 
fraternal bond. This linkage would permit them to locate 
and communicate telepathically with each other throughout 
all time and space. 

While they both realized that the bond between them was not 
romantic in character, they understood that the devotion 
each felt for the other was like that of a brother for a 
sister. As the euphoria of their discovery overwhelmed them 
both, they became somewhat giddy with the joy of their 
discovery. Alicia and Clark knew that neither of them would 
ever be lonely or isolated again. From that moment to the 
end of their lives, Clark and Alicia would behave towards 
one another, as do all loving siblings.

After holding each other for some time, they separated and 
sat down on logs which randomly covered the area.

As they were becoming accustomed to one another Clark said, 
"I wonder why we were separated from one another? 
Obviously, we have a common ancestry. Growing up together 
would have given us a sense of belonging. We wouldn't have 
felt so alone or alienated from our respective 
communities." 

Alicia told him, "My Globe informed me that we were 
isolated from one another for our mutual protection, and 
for us to learn a different approach to G-D." 

"Globe? What Globe?" Clark asked, somewhat perplexed. 

"The Globe that was contained in our spacecraft," Alicia 
replied.

Shaking his head, Clark replied, "That Globe. As long as I 
can remember, it has always been in a dormant state. It 
just sits beside a strange ship my parents say brought me 
to them. It glows now and then and shows me maps of a 
strange planet and then shifts to an Earthly pattern."

"When was the last time you looked at your Globe?" Alicia 
asked. 

"I haven't looked at my spaceship or its contents for 
nearly two years," Clark replied. 

"That explains your apparent lack of information about your 
heritage," Alicia remarked. Continuing, she added, "The 
Globe which accompanied me only began to function during 
the past six weeks or so. It gave me a full explanation of 
the events that required our departure from Krypton." 
Pausing for a moment, she told Clark, "Krypton was the 
planet of our birth." 

"Krypton?" Clark asked quizzically. 

"Krypton, our birth planet, was destroyed during a 
cataclysmic event. Your Kryptonian name is Kal-El, and mine 
is Ailah-El," she replied. "The Globe informed me that two 
children had been dispatched to Earth, and would be 
separated when they reached their destination mainly for 
our mutual protection. Also, our separation was necessary 
for us to learn different ways to approach the creator of 
the universe. You, Clark, were taken in by a Christian 
family, while I became part of a household that followed a 
Hebraic tradition.

Gazing at her newly found kin, Alicia asked, "What is the 
central theme of both religious persuasions that were 
taught to us?"

Thinking about her query for a moment, Clark smiling said, 
"The revelation at Sinai." 

"Correct-a-mundo," Alicia said as a smile spread across her 
face.

"Without that apparent revelation all of the moral and 
ethical teachings we take for granted would probably not 
have occurred," Alicia remarked.

"From our religious experiences," Alicia added, "I think 
The Ten Commandments - or decalogue - will become the 
spiritual nucleus of what ever kind of community we decide 
establish in the future."

Clark simply nodded, agreeing with her reasoning.

After a brief pause in their conversation, Clark went off 
on a tangent and asked Alicia, "Are we genetically 
compatible with Terrans?" 

"Boy, what a non sequitur," his cousin remarked. Alicia 
then grinned at her kin and told him, "According to the 
commentary of our biological parents, we can conceive 
children with a life-mate chosen from among Earth's 
population. However, to insure that our Kryptonian parents 
were correct in this matter, I removed an ovum from my body 
and placed it with a semen specimen taken from a sperm 
bank. I'm happy to tell you that fertilization occurred. 
The resulting zygote appeared perfectly normal." 

So, she added, "When and if we encounter soulmates and 
marry, conception should be a natural occurrence with our 
respective spouses.

Alicia then commented, "Let's leave the faith question and 
other pending spiritual issues for future deliberations. We 
should wait until we both have had an opportunity to 
contemplate a possible course of action in the metaphysical 
arena and ponder its ramifications." 

Clark again nodded, endorsing her views.

He then asked, "Alicia, tell me about your family." 

She smiled and quietly said, "My parents are educators. 
They are both professors, one in the Mathematics department 
and the other in the Science division at the Air Force 
Academy near Colorado Springs. They own a modest house 
located just beyond the town limits. I'm their only child. 
While my parents and I are not genetically related, there 
is a spiritual and a very loving bond between us, which I 
believe, cannot be severed, even by death.

"Throughout the greater Colorado Springs area, we are known 
to follow the Hebraic tradition and are members of a local 
Temple. While we are considered part of this ancient 
persuasion, my parents and I believe that the dogmas of the 
past are antiquated and many of the current rituals of our 
persuasion have become abusive to the soul. Unfortunately, 
my views are not just limited to the Hebraic community 
alone. There seems to be a general feeling among many 
members of the various religious denominations within the 
Colorado Springs community that the religious institutions 
have strayed far from the needs of the people they are 
pledged to serve.

"In our household, like many others in our town, we give 
lip service to the clergy, but follow our own path to G-D. 
Most of our neighbors appear to follow a similar road. 
While we have studied many religious texts, our main avenue 
to sacred matters centers about the Ten Commandments and 
the sayings of the prophets. My parents are highly moral 
and ethical people and their statutes have become an 
essential part of my spirituality.

"I remember," Alicia giggled, "when my parents allowed me 
to start dating, I approached my father for advice about 
his views on boy-girl relationships. He gently clasped my 
hands in his and looked me squarely in the eyes and said, 
'Your mother and I have provided you with all the moral and 
ethical tools you'll need for boy-girl encounters and other 
kinds of human interactions you'll discover as you journey 
through life. If you haven't heeded our teachings, then, as 
parents, we've failed.' He then kissed me on the forehead 
and walked away. I remembered, as I watched him stroll off, 
that tears were gushing from my eyes. For the first time in 
my life, I truly understood the meaning of commitment and 
trust and the anguish and joy of being a parent." 

After a brief instant to catch her breath, Alicia 
continued, "My parents are not passive individuals. They 
integrated their philosophical views and religious 
convictions in a conscious effort to help people. They have 
asserted on numerous occasions, both in public and at 
private gatherings, that all people on this planet are 
related and no one should ever be forsaken for any reason.

"Although my mother and father are well-known and admired 
scientists in their own right," Alicia told Clark, "I 
consider my parents' commitment to people their most 
meaningful contribution to society and, most likely, that 
endeavor will be the crowning achievement of their lives.

"My father summed up his and my mother's convictions when 
he once, "We are all our brother's and sister's keepers, 
and are equal in the eyes of G-D. When you turn your back 
on another person, especially one in need, you are mocking 
the creator of the universe.

"Many people can articulate a cause. Few, however, combine 
rhetoric with action.

"On one occasion," Alicia continued to reminisce, "George 
Milford, a farmer, had several consecutive poor harvests 
and could not satisfy his mortgage and other outstanding 
debts. The banks, in their inimical economic wisdom, began 
foreclosure procedures. Upon learning of the Milford's 
plight, my parents became incensed and called for a town 
meeting. At that gathering my father gave a most 
impassioned speech on the Milford's behalf. In my opinion, 
it was his finest hour."

"When he finished speaking," Alicia said, "Money was freely 
given in support of the Milford family. What monies the 
community freely contributed, in this cause, removed the 
debts of the Milford family and would cover their mortgage 
payments through the next harvest season. Additional funds 
were also raised so that the Milford household could 
acquire the necessities of life." 

Alicia was about to end her narration, when Clark 
interjected, asking, "You gotta tell me what your father 
said to elicit that kind of assistance for a family that 
most people hardly knew." 

Glancing at Clark, with a kind of Mona Lisa type smile, she 
asked, "Do you 
*really* want to hear what he said?" 

Clark nodded. 

Alicia then began to talk in hushed tones. "My father," she 
said, "arose slowly to speak to his neighbors and the 
friends and neighbors of the Milford family. You could see 
from his body language that my father was girded for 
battle. With controlled passion emblazoned on his face and 
his eyes filled with the fire of a zealot, he first gazed 
upon those folk who attended the town meeting.

After a few moments, he declared, "Human vultures, in the 
guise of honest brokers, have decided to literally destroy 
a family in our community. To cover up their real motives, 
people were told that these supposedly honorable lending 
institutions were foreclosing on a farm in the name of 
prudent business practices. In the name of good business, 
my father almost screamed, the most important commodity on 
the face of this planet, people's lives, was about to be 
sacrificed upon the alter of greed."

"As you all are well aware," My father continued, "during 
the past several growing seasons, George Milford's efforts, 
like other farmers in our area, to produce a marketable 
crop yielded relatively little in terms of real capital. 
The culprit for their plight has been the uncertain weather 
patterns brought about by El Nino.

"Because of the financial crisis wrought by the unsettled 
weather systems, many farmers in our township went to their 
local banks and request payment extensions on their 
outstanding loans. This process was generally just a 
formality for these thrifty folk. To my knowledge, the 
farmers in our area have always made good on their monetary 
obligations.

"This time, however, George's bank refused his request for 
a payment extension and immediately began foreclosure 
proceedings.

"Shortly before this particular town meeting was convened," 
my father said, "we discovered that the directors of 
George's lending institution had been privy to some rather 
interesting insider information. The bankers learned that 
the State of Colorado was planing to build a highway 
extension, which would cross a substantial portion of the 
Milford farmstead. Apparently, this information 
precipitated the plague of avarice within the banking 
community. This affliction of greed was especially severe 
among those banks which held the mortgage to the Mildford 
property."

As he continued to speak, my father became enraged and 
nearly yelled, "Of course, the honorable people at George's 
lending institution didn't bother to inform him of the road 
information.

"It shouldn't be difficult, my friends, to realize that the 
mortgage holders were also suffering from an attack of 
greedy guts. You know that disease of the rich. They looked 
upon George's crop failures and lack of information about 
the coming roadway as a golden opportunity; a golden 
opportunity for themselves not the struggling Milford 
family.

"To sum up," my father added, "I believe that what we have 
here is a case of legal thievery."

"When George informed his lending institution about his 
dire straights, the human locusts pounced. Bankers, who now 
had a wedge to break their mortgage contract with the 
farmer, marshaled their legal force to expropriate the 
Milford farm. If they succeed in this scheme, George and 
his family would be left destitute. You must realize that 
the Mildford's predicament matters little to the mortgage 
holders and their lust for more wealth.

"I want you to understand," my father continued, "that the 
state would pay a pretty penny for the Milford's right-of-
away. By controlling the Milford property, the bankers and 
their associates would be in a position to become extremely 
wealthy by legally extorting more money from the state for 
the right of way across the Milford land that they now 
controlled. That, my friends, is the kind of game our 
friendly neighbor bankers are playing these days.

"What I am asking of you my friends and neighbors is very 
simple. Let's help George Milford and his family through 
their crisis and send a kick to those who place money above 
human needs, right in their collective derrieres."

"You know, folks," my father added, as he looked at bankers 
seated at the rear of our town hall, "Suppose we remove our 
accounts from the offending banking institutions and 
transferred them to another investment house in town. Would 
that send a message the greedy?"

"As I looked at the huddle bankers, I saw a collective 
blanch.

"My father then informed the meeting that bankers would try 
to delay such an action by telling people it would take 
several days or a week for you to get your money. That is 
an illegal move and they know it. But they would probably 
try. So just electronically transfer your accounts from one 
bank to another. Since no money has to be paid out it must 
be done immediately. This is a state law which must be 
posted in every banking institution.

"Now, who has the power? We, the people, can decimate any 
legal thieving bank by removing our capital from their 
institutions."

"After my father finished his oration," Alicia told Clark, 
he requested a vote on his proposition. It passed 
unanimously. George then faced my father and said, "I want 
to thank you and this assembly for saving me and my family 
from financial ruin and the dire consequences that would 
have surely accompanied the loss of our farm."

"Wishing to discharge his obligations when his finances 
permitted, George asked, "How, and to whom, was the loan to 
be repaid? You know I'll not be producing much revenue for 
some time. The State of Colorado will not be an economic 
factor until the road is under construction."

"My father again faced the town's people Alicia said, and 
asked that the following conditions be attached to the 
financial note issued to George Milford: My father 
requested that the due date of the loan be extended to the 
year 5000 A.D., and that repayment over that period should 
be in the form of contributions to charitable 
organizations. The repayment records, of course, would be 
kept by the Milford family. When he again asked far a vote, 
the result again was unanimously in favor of my father's 
repayment strategy. 

"Then, my father addressed George. "There is just one more 
item of which you should be aware. Please leave two cents, 
in your will, for services rendered to the Town Council." 
The laughter that followed, eased the tension throughout 
the meeting hall.

"Then, with tears welling in his eyes, my father turned 
toward his friends and neighbors and asked, 'May I make a 
closing statement?' A resounding 'yes' echoed across the 
meeting room."

"Years ago," Joshua Gerstein said, "just after I had 
fulfilled the second of my rights of passage - the first 
having been discharged when I was eight days old - my 
father shared with me a philosophical vignette he had been 
told by his father. He placed his hand in mine and remarked 
that most things we acquire or cherish in life are 
inanimate items, things without a soul. Those objects, if 
they continue to exist, will belong to another when we are 
less than a memory. "Remember son," Papa said to me, "there 
are no pockets in a coffin. When G-D calls us, our soul 
departs this world as we entered it, with no earthly 
possessions. *Only people matter*..."

"Then he turned and faced me, Alicia told Clark, and 
whispered and repeated again, "*Only people matter*, my 
daughter" as he gazed into my eyes. Then he placed his arms 
about me and said in an emotional voice so all could hear, 
"To save a life is to save the entire world in time."

"Turning again to faced his audience Joshua Gerstein said 
loud and clear, "Today, my friends, we not only saved a 
life, but the lives of the entire Milford family. My 
household and I are humbly grateful that we as a community 
have chosen the path of life." 

"When my father finished talking, there was a tumultuous 
ovation. I wept. From that moment on," Alicia said, "I knew 
the direction of my life - to help causes and those people 
who are dedicated to the well-being of all humankind. 
Somehow I will use my unique abilities to aid and protect 
my adopted world."

"Clark," she said smiling at her kin, "now it's your turn 
to acquaint me with your family."

"Aside from the fact that my parents, Martha and Jonathan 
Kent, are farmers, not educators, my family," Clark told 
Alicia, "was the mirror image your household. They marched 
for civil rights, during the sixties, my mother constantly 
shops for all types of clothing during close-out specials 
in the local stores and she hunts for living necessities at 
garage sales. What she purchases, Martha Kent gives to 
families in our town who have been devastated by flood, 
drought or other natural calamities. She also helps those 
who have been hit with other kinds of misfortune which can 
cause heartbreak and financial reversals such as severe 
sickness or death. 

"My father is one of the directors of the Smallville 
Association. It's one of those small town banks which 
provides financial assistance to community. Because of our 
Association, my father is able to block real estate 
developers or financial tycoons from disrupting the quality 
of life in our hamlet." 

Clark paused to collect his thoughts and then added, "Like 
your parents, Alicia, the central core of my parents' 
beliefs are those revealed at Sinai. Like many congregates 
of our church, they just pay lip service to the doctrines 
professed by our minister. It's the words and ideas of 
prophets and the ten commandments that are also the central 
core of their religious beliefs. You know, "What is hateful 
to me I must not impose on another soul. Things like that."

"When studying the ancient scriptures one Sunday, I 
remember my father became very excited. He had just learned 
of an ancient moral and ethical comment made by some 
ancient sage, whose name I unfortunately don't recall. This 
person's thoughts closely matched my family's spiritual 
views and have made a lasting impression upon me and my 
folks."

"What did this insightful man say?" Alicia inquired.

The biblical scholar, when asked to define his faith, 
replied, "Do justice and walk humbly before G-D. All the 
rest is commentary." 

Alicia immediately interjected and declared, "Hillel." 

"What did you say?" Clark asked. 

"The sage's name was Hillel," she repeated. "He lived some 
two thousand years ago." 

"Thanks for that information," Clark comment. "Hillel was 
certainly my kind of man. His thoughts have significance, 
even today. His thoughts have also greatly impacted upon my 
family's metaphysical beliefs, especially about how to 
treat one's neighbor." 

As Clark finished speaking, Alicia remarked, "I think that 
a visit to our respective families is now in order." 

"I agree," Clark said, "but, I think we should travel to 
your home first. It will satisfy my burning curiosity." 

"Curiosity?" remarked Alicia. 

"The globe," he replied. "I want to learn about our past, 
and your globe is active." 

Smiling she said, "Then it's off to the Gersteins' home we 
go, we go..." Alicia teased, and then giggled.

Alicia's laughter was infectious. Before long, Clark had 
joined with her in near hysterical laughter. After the two 
Kryptonians, the last of their kind, managed to gain a 
measure of control over their emotions, they launched 
themselves into the air and flew, at near light speed, to 
Colorado Springs and their kismet.

************
THE JOINING 

The sun was near the horizon when Alicia and Clark 
descended into the rustic habitat behind the Gerstein home. 
Sara Gerstein was at that moment tending to her flowers and 
shrubs as she heard a "whoosh" signaling her daughter's 
return from one of her flying escapades. Looking in the 
direction of the familiar sound, she saw not one but two 
young people striding towards her. 

'Two, two, two...' the number seemed to pulsate through her 
mind. As the amount of times the number two echoed and re-
echoed through her head began to diminish, Sara became 
agitated and then acutely alarmed. In a near panic, she 
picked up a fallen tree limb, about the size of a walking 
stick, and attacked Clark, screaming, over and over, "You 
can't take her away from me. Never, never, never...."

Clark was not only surprised by the woman's aggressiveness, 
but also by the intensity of her assault.

From the fearlessness of her attack, Clark very quickly 
surmised that Sara Gerstein's ferociousness was the result 
of a natural defense mechanism to protect her daughter and 
to ward off the possible dissolution of her family.

After a few seconds, Clark grabbed Sara's arms and said in 
a quiet and calming voice, "Please stop. I am not here to 
injure Alicia or take her away from you." He repeated 
himself several times before Sara Gerstein began to calm 
down. 

When Sara eventually composed herself, she looked at this 
strange young man and said, "What's your name?" 

Clark Kent knew that the confrontation had ended and he 
quickly replied to her query. "I'm called Clark Kent and I 
hail from Smallville, Kansas.

When Clark again looked into Sara's expressive eyes, he 
became aware that she had formulated a superabundance of 
questions which she was just itching to ask him. To avoid a 
long and tiresome question and answer session, Clark took 
the initiative and quickly described the pertinent events 
of his life, which included the meeting with Alicia and 
their subsequent trip to Colorado Springs.

Pausing for a second, Sara said in a hushed tone, "You and 
my daughter were both born on Krypton and possess the same 
unique abilities." Sara's utterance was more of a statement 
than a question. Knowing what Alicia's mother's muttering 
inferred, the young Kryptonians still confirmed her half-
question.

Sara, still taking to herself, remarked in an almost 
inaudible whisper, "Now there are two of you. Two from 
beyond."

Then in a more dynamic voice she declared, "Clark, my 
husband and I must meet your parents as soon as possible. 
We have so much in common. Tell me, what are their names?" 

"Martha and Jonathan," Clark told her. 

After a brief lull in their conversation, Sara said, 
"Clark, not only would we like to meet your folks, my 
husband and I must talk to your parents as soon as 
possible. Conversing with another couple who raised a super 
child will reduce the stress Alicia's father and I feel 
each day. Your abilities, my children, must be guarded at 
all costs. If your powers became common knowledge, all of 
our lives would become untenable. Your lives on Earth would 
become a nightmare. For us and the Kents, life as we now 
know it, would be lost. There even may be attempts on our 
lives by fanatics who hate everything and everyone who 
don't behave and look like them."

"Getting to know your folks, Clark, will allow our families 
to talk openly about our children without fear. We could 
finally be ourselves." 

While Sara was emoting, her emotions became somewhat 
unhinged. She started to cry, almost uncontrollably. Clark 
pulled Alicia's mother close in an attempt to sooth her 
emotional outburst.

As Clark continued to hold Sara, she buried her head into 
Clark's shoulder and wept bitterly. While Alicia watched 
her mother's actions, she finally understood the anguish 
and fear that her mother, father, and Clark's parents had 
endured for their sakes.

When Sara finally looked into Clark's face, she saw eyes 
that were also moist with unshed tears. It was then that 
Sara became aware that she had unwittingly motivated an 
unsettled feeling in Clark by her poignant words and 
emotional outpouring.

After gaining a measure of control over her own emotions, 
Sara said, "I better call my husband and ask him to come 
home post haste."

Turning to the two super children, Sara remarked, "I know 
my behavior was somewhat unnerving. I want you both to 
understand that while Clark's arrival was a momentous 
occasion, his coming unleashed emotions that I've keep 
locked within me for a long time." 

"While you are contacting your husband," Clark said, "I 
would like to take a peek at the holograms produced by 
Alicia's globe. Is that OK with you, Mrs. Gerstein?" Sara, 
finally able to smile, nodded affirmatively.

While Clark and Alicia descended into the Gerstein's hidden 
sub-basement to view the contents of Alicia's globe, Sara 
hurried off to telephone her husband.

As the two Kryptonians entered the Gerstein's subterranean 
chamber, they observed a globe, pulsing with an unearthly 
kind of light. As they approached, the globe, it began to 
hover stationing itself above Alicia's space pod.

When Clark reached for the floating orb, it lightly settled 
into his palm. As he examined the globe, Clark noticed that 
it felt cool to his touch and moved with an undulating 
rhythm. While Clark continued to study the globe, the light 
emanating from it increased in intensity and holographic 
images began to materialize. As Clark looked on in awe, the 
holograms coalesced into four human-like figures. The 
resulting pictorial forms had the likenesses of Jor-El, 
Lara, Zor-El and Kennra. When the holographic images had 
completely formed, the four images chronicled the saga of 
Krypton's demise. Included in the narration were the 
rationales behind Clark's and Alicia's conceptions and 
their exodus from Krypton just before their home world 
perished.

When the story of their beginnings and the intrigue leading 
to the extinction of Krypton were completed, the globe once 
again became inactive. As the globe became dormant, a 
spooky kind of stillness filled the chamber. Alicia then 
became aware that her newly discovered relative was quietly 
weeping. To comfort Clark, Alicia clasped her cousin and 
gave him a loving squeeze. Feeling her concern, Clark 
placed his head on her shoulder and continued to sob for a 
considerable period. When he at last regained control of 
his emotions, Clark kissed his kin on the cheek and sat 
down next to Alicia's space ark. As he regarded his blood 
relation, Clark mused, "I hope that during our lifetime, we 
can be as courageous and giving as our natural parents." 
Then he quietly just stared into space for a while.

When Alicia and Clark were about to leave the sub-chamber, 
he wondered if it would be possible for their parents to 
view the contents engendered by the Kryptonian globe. As 
soon as his thought ceased, an answer to his mental query 
reverberated through his head. It informed him that his 
notion was indeed possible.

"Who said that?" Clark said aloud. 

After a slight pause, a message again pulsed through his 
mind as a mental voice answered, "Kal-El, you have been 
contacted by an artificial intelligence which Ailah-El, and 
now you, have chosen to call "the globe." My kind of 
intelligence uses telepathic transmissions - not verbal 
sounds - to disseminate information."

As the two young Kryptonian walked through the Gerstein 
home, they sensed another telepathic message flashing 
through their minds wishing them well - "as you both travel 
the highways of this world may a fair wind always be at 
your backs and good fortune be your lot."

Clark then asked, "If you can alter your transmission 
frequencies, as you indicated to us, please do as you 
indicated so Sara and Joshua Gerstein and my parents can 
view your holographic projections and hear your words." 

"I am capable of implementing what you desire," the machine 
replied. "The transmission frequencies will be altered to 
accommodate the humans, as you've requested."

After regaining their composure, the two Kryptonians 
climbed the stairs and exited and sealed the hidden 
chamber.

As they walked toward the kitchen, Clark told Alicia that 
he had come to regard her more like a sister than a cousin. 
As Clark's words touched her, Alicia was deeply moved by 
what he said.

Turning toward Alicia, Clark saw her staring at him. Her 
facial expression seemed to light up the world as he and 
his spiritual sibling bonded into a unique family unit; a 
family that would endure for all time.

Later that day, Alicia told Clark that his sister remark 
was a beautiful gesture and his sentiment had literally 
bonded their souls and created something new that would 
always be special to them both.

As Clark and Alicia consider the future, the natural 
daughter of Kennra and Zor-El quietly blessed her new 
spiritual brother and the sublime partnership which had 
been created that day.

Reaching the kitchen, Clark poured some buttermilk for 
himself and his new sister. Then he commented, "You know, 
Alicia, I'm overwhelmed by the accomplishments of our 
Kryptonian parents. They were amazing people. What they 
achieved, I suspect, was borne out of love for their people 
and a desire to preserve Krypton's culture."

Clark then added, "I believe in time, my sister, we two 
will become the means of revitalizing the Kryptonian people 
and reestablishing their heritage."

"In their unselfish desire to preserve their culture and 
science," Alicia interjected, "I suspect that our birth 
parents provided us with the greatest gift they could 
bestow, or any living entity could give to their offspring 
- the gift of life." 

As they continued to converse, Clark saw Alicia's father 
for the first time as he entered the kitchen. Clark arose 
and walked towards the elderly man and clasped his hands. 
Then they hugged one another. As they embraced, Clark said, 
"Dr. Gerstein," but was quickly interrupted by Alicia's 
father, who said,  "Please, just call me Josh. My wife 
already informed me of the events that brought you into our 
lives." 

Then the two men joined Alicia at the table where pie and a 
beverage were served. While they enjoyed their simple 
repast, Josh remarked, "Clark, Sara and I need to meet your 
folks post-haste."

Clark agreed and replied, "We'll arrange a meeting as soon 
as Alicia and I surprise "my" parents." 

Sara added, "I hope that they don't react by attacking my 
daughter." They all laughed heartily, at Sara's remark.

"Nah," Clark replied, "My father will become speechless and 
mom will hug her to death."

As they continued to chat, Joshua asked Clark, "What are 
your plans for the future?" 

He replied, "In the fall, I am matriculating at Yale 
University. My major areas of study will be physics, 
chemistry and mathematics and the like. Since I also have a 
great love for literature and creative writing, I will take 
as many courses in these academic disciplines as I can 
squeeze into my schedule. If my choices are limited, 
courses that stress journalism will probably be among my 
first preferences outside my major area of study." 

As Clark was talking, Alicia started to giggle. Clark 
looked at her and asked, "What's so funny?" 

His Kryptonian first cousin by blood and sister by their 
common wish said, "I'll also be attending Yale in the fall, 
and majoring in the same academic areas as you described. 
In addition, my Kansas cousin, I'll take courses which can 
link my love of science to my mathematical interests - like 
computer technology courses aimed at creating new research 
methodologies in the natural sciences."

After Alicia finished her surprise statement, Clark leaned 
over and gave Alicia a big hug. "Not only have I found my 
loving cousin, who is like a sister to me, but we share the 
same intellectual curiosity and interests." Then giving 
Alicia a serious look, Clark added, "Because of our common 
heritage, mutual affection and scholarly interests, I have 
this feeling that we two shall never be lost to one another 
again." 

After Alicia's giggling stopped, Alicia's father asked 
Clark, "How are you financing your education?"

Clark responded, "I took a competitive examination and 
earned a full four-year scholarship to Yale. Room and board 
and other sundry expenses, however, were not part of the 
package. My expenditures in the nonacademic areas will be 
somewhat of a problem. Most of my family's capital is tied 
up into maintaining our property and the purchase and 
repair of farm equipment. With farm families, cash flow is 
irregular at best." 

Hearing Clark's problem, Josh Gerstein remarked, "While our 
family's financial reserves are not exceptionally large, I 
do believe we have sufficient funds for my proposition." 
Looking directly at the young man from Kansas, Josh said, 
"Suppose that our two families rent a house in the New 
Haven area, one where Alicia and you can live while 
attending the university. Sara and I could provide the rent 
monies if your parents could furnish the foodstuffs. The 
cost to us," Josh continued, "would be about the same as if 
Alicia lived in a school-operated dormitory. By living in 
the same house," Dr. Gerstein added, "you two will have a 
measure of privacy and a much needed sanctuary. You'll find 
that it is essential at this time in your lives that your 
unique abilities remain hidden from the world."

Thinking over his house rental idea, Josh Gerstein again 
asserted, "I believe that my approach to your housing at 
Yale is sound. As I said, "My plan should ensue that your 
special abilities remain hidden and a non issue to the 
world at large."

"Furthermore," Josh added, "I don't want you to be 
concerned about Alicia's tuition; it has been waived. 
Academic reciprocity is a wonderful perk." 

After some thought on the housing subject, Clark remarked, 
"I'm sure that my parents will be delighted with your 
proposition." However, Clark told the Gersteins, "Out of 
courtesy, You'll need to present your proposal to my folks 
and allow them to make up their minds about your housing 
plan." 

"That's a given," Josh answered Clark.

When Joshua Gerstein and Clark Kent finally ended their 
tete-a-tete, the young man from Smallville looked around 
for his spiritual sister. Scanning the house he located her 
in her bedroom. She was pacing to and fro with a very 
pensive expression on her face.

Sensing Clark's presence, she telepathically told him, 
"We'll speak later. Right now," Alicia mentally said to 
him, "I need some space."

"A-okey little sister," Clark commented, as he severed the 
telepathic connection.

After having supper with the Alicia and her folks, Clark 
hugged Sara and clasped Josh's hand. This act of affection 
further served to deepen the growing bond between Clark and 
the Gersteins. Then, he and Alicia readied themselves for 
their trip to Clark's Smallville home. 

************ 
At dusk, as Josh and Sara descended into the hidden chamber 
beneath their home to view the contents of the globe, Clark 
and Alicia ascended into the stratosphere and flew towards 
the western part of Kansas. The final quarter of their trip 
was at tree-top level to avoid detection by the radar 
network that blanketed the country. 

Soon after dark, two figures alit near the Kent farm. They 
quietly moved toward the main house and slipped into the 
kitchen. There they saw Martha Kent sipping tea and reading 
the Smallville Post.

Sensing a presence, Martha looked up and saw her son, 
together with a lovely young woman, coming towards her.

Placing his hand on his companion's shoulder, Clark added, 
"I would like you to meet Alicia Gerstein of Colorado 
Springs, formally Ailah-El of the planet Krypton. She's 
family." 

"That's nice," Martha replied, as she once again glanced at 
her newspaper while consuming more tea.

Several seconds elapsed before the significance of her 
son's remarks struck her. An aroused Martha Clark Kent 
quickly looked up and scrutinized her son and his lady 
friend. As Martha gazed at them, she gasped as she noted 
that Alicia Gerstein was levitating a few feet above the 
kitchen floor.

Martha then reacted like she was hit by a bolt of 
lightening and yelled for her husband. "Jonathan, come 
quick!" she cried out. Clark's mother then lost her 
composure and started to giggle. 

Recognizing the concerned and compulsory nature of Martha's 
call, Jonathan rushed into the kitchen murmuring to 
himself, "What is it now...?" When he saw a young girl 
hovering above the floor adjacent to his son, he lost it 
and became dazed and speechless. 

Alicia floated toward Clark's parents and settled to the 
floor in front of them. She gave Martha a meaningful hug 
and kissed her on the forehead. She then repeated her 
affectionate salutation to a somewhat stunned Jonathan 
Kent. 

After Jonathan recovered and the Kents tenderly returned 
Alicia's greeting, Clark beckoned his parents and Alicia to 
sit down at the kitchen table.

When they were comfortable, Clark proceeded to explain how 
he and his spiritual sister met one another and what had 
transpired during the past few hours. He also informed 
Martha and Jonathan that the globe, sheltered in the alcove 
below the barn, should now be active, and would provide 
them with information about his and Alicia's origins. 

As the elder Kents excitedly entered the hidden chamber 
under the barn, which contained Clark's Kryptonian 
artifacts, they saw their son's globe glowing and 
levitating several feet off the ground.

While the globe was informing the Kents about Clark's and 
Alicia's early history, the children from Krypton leisurely 
wandered around the farm. As they strolled, Alicia said, 
"Clark, how would you like to be a miner for a day or so?"

"More specifically," she added, "a super miner that 
gathered gold and other precious items?" 

"What?" he replied, somewhat startled.

Before Clark could butt in, Alicia continued, "With our 
special abilities, we could procure enough gold and other 
precious items from the bowels of the Earth to take care of 
our financial needs and also sustain our parents for the 
remainder of their lives." 

"That's a beautiful gesture," Clark finally answered, "but 
wouldn't it require procuring that stuff from territories 
claimed by other nations? I'd have a problem with that."

"Not necessarily," she said. "We could obtain the gold, 
gems, platinum, and other valuable articles either from the 
moon or the "ring of fire (a volcanic belt)," which 
encircles the Earth."

"In either case," Alicia argued, "the territory we would 
excavate would not belong to any individual or sovereign 
nation."

After Clark considered Alicia's mining scheme, he agreed to 
her proposition.

When Martha and Jonathan finished viewing Clark's globe, 
the Kents immediately contacted the Gersteins and invited 
them to visit their farm as soon as they were able. The 
Kents were hopeful that such a meeting could occur that 
weekend. After talking a bit, the Kents' wishes were 
fulfilled. A visit was arranged for the following Saturday. 
When the telephone conversation ended, Sara and Josh 
excitedly prepared for their trip of discovery.

The next phase in the saga of Alicia and Clark, the wayward 
waifs from Krypton, was about to begin.

As the Kent and Gerstein families were preparing for a 
historic meeting, their children were rocketing westward at 
tree-top level then descended to an altitude of fifty feet 
as they flew over an ocean that was Pacific in name. When 
they reached Hawaii, which intersects the ring of fire, 
they followed the lava-filled canyons and fissures to an 
isolated spot near the center of the great ocean. Then, 
Alicia and Clark plunged into the water and descended to 
the floor of the ocean. A large bin-like container was 
constructed at this point and awaited filling. From the 
ocean floor, two super beings bored into the Earth until 
they reached its mantle. Here they began gathering gold, 
rare minerals, and precious gems until they filled the bin 
on ocean floor.

The valuables collected by Clark and Alicia were first 
taken to the island of Palau. Here, the two Kryptonians 
shaped the gold into ingots and transported them, with the 
other valuable items dredged from the Earth's mantle, to 
Switzerland where they were marketed. The proceeds were 
then deposited into numbered Swiss bank accounts. When the 
sales were complete, the tally showed that the amount of 
gold sold had a market value of 1.64 billion dollars US. 
The gem stones and rare minerals fetched another 0.36 
billion in US currency.

After the banking transactions were concluded, they 
streaked homeward knowing that the monies they acquired 
would protect their parents for the rest of their lives. 
Part of it would also be used to acquire scientific 
equipment for subterranean laboratories to be established 
beneath each of their parents' homes. In addition to 
research activities, the young Kryptonians envisioned their 
subterranean grottoes as places for inquiry and some 
serious contemplation. Of course, using their underground 
facilities for rest and relaxation were definitely not 
excluded from their plans.

After leaving Switzerland, the super pair flew directly to 
Colorado Springs, arriving at Alicia's home as the sun rose 
on Saturday - the date of the first Kent-Gerstein meeting. 
Following breakfast, Clark and Alicia transported the elder 
Gersteins to the Kent farm in Smallville.

As they were landing, Martha rushed out of the house and, 
after reaching Sara, embraced her. The men at first clasped 
hands, then hugged, slapping each other on the back.

Alicia, looking at Clark, saw the joy she felt in her heart 
also radiating from his eyes. The two children 
instinctively understood by their parents' simple acts of 
greeting that a new and larger family had been formed. The 
time of loneliness for both households had, at last, been 
altered to some degree.

After greeting one another, the entire group followed 
Jonathan into the farmhouse for a scrumptious breakfast. As 
they dined, Alicia told them about the mining and banking 
ventures that she and Clark had successfully completed.

When Alicia finished her tale, she asked Martha, "Do you 
know a banker in the Smallville community who can be 
trusted?"

"Sure," she replied, "Bob Wayne. We grew up together. He's 
now the president of the local bank."

Finding Alicia's request intriguing, Martha asked,  "Why in 
tarnation would you need a banker?" 

"Not me or Clark specifically," Alicia replied. "What Clark 
and I have in mind will be beneficial and useful to all of 
us." Before Martha could ask another question, Alicia 
asked, "Can you arrange for Mr. Wayne to visit the farm 
within the week?" 

"I believe so," Martha replied, with curiosity written all 
over her face. 

************ 
Several days later, Bob Wayne visited the Kent homestead. 
After a delicious lunch, with the Kent and Gerstein 
families, Clark began to talk. His comments were not to 
enlighten the newly formed Kent-Gerstein clan, but to 
convince the president of the Smallville bank to undertake 
a rather delicate financial matter.

Clark said to Bob Wayne, "We, sweeping his arm cross the 
Kent and Gerstein families, wish to create three special 
bank accounts, each of which will contain a sizeable amount 
of money. These accounts must be private, very private. No 
one, nor any government agency, must be aware of their 
existence. The monies to be deposited will come from a 
banking institution located in Switzerland. To allay your 
fears about the funds, let me assure you they were obtained 
by honorable and legitimate means. You know the Kent family 
well enough to appreciate that our word is our bond."

"Furthermore," Clark added, "my family and I will staunchly 
vouch for the integrity of the Gerstein family."

Bob smiled and said, "How much money would be involved, and 
what kind of accounts were you considering?" 

Clark smiled and continued, "Initially, fifty-four million 
dollars, US, to be equally divided among three checking 
accounts. The names on these accounts will read Martha and 
Jonathan Kent, Sara and Joshua Gerstein, and Kal and Ailah 
Ellis." 

As Clark finished, Bob looked puzzled and said, "Who are 
the Ellis'?" 

Alicia grinned and chimed in, "Clark and myself. As the 
names suggest, we wish to remain anonymous." 

Alicia then added, "In addition to the original deposits, 
about ten million dollars will be added to the Ellis 
account each quarter of the banking cycle. These quarterly 
deposits will occur indefinitely." 

Clark remarked, "You know, of course, Mr. Wayne, money is 
just a bartering tool for us. If it's not benefiting 
people, money is really a useless commodity." Bob nodded 
accepting Clark's views as a maximum.

Collecting his thoughts, Clark then informed Bob Wayne, 
"You can use the monies in the Ellis' account to increase 
your profit margin at no cost to the bank. However, with 
these monies, you will be obligated to help people secure 
desperately needed loans, 'at no interest' to the borrower. 
The Ellis' account will provide the funds for such 
transactions. No mention of the monies' source must ever be 
revealed. Repayment of such loans will have no time limit.

"As I indicated previously, if repayment of a loan can not 
be made for legitimate reasons, the Ellis' account will 
absorb the loss. No questions, which could embarrass the 
borrower, must ever be asked. People have dignity and 
should not be coerced into discussing their forfeiture and 
never prosecuted for their inability to repay the loan. Is 
that clear?" Bob Wayne nodded in agreement with Clark's 
views.

"We understand," Alicia chimed in, "that what Clark and I 
have proposed is not smart banking, but it is good people 
business." 

Bob Wayne looked at Martha and quietly said, "I was always 
aware that you had a kind and caring heart, but to 
encounter five others with the same good-heartedness and 
generosity was something I never thought to behold during 
my lifetime. I will be more than happy to help you and your 
family in these matters." 

The Kent-Gerstein clan rejoiced when Bob Wayne agreed to 
manage the Kent-Gerstein banking arrangements. Then Bob 
made a toast as they celebrated an agreement between caring 
people. "To all caring people," Bob said, "may goodness be 
with them all the days of their lives."

Turning to Bob Wayne, Alicia hugged him, as a seal to their 
accord. No legal papers were ever signed and none would 
ever be needed.

When Bob Wayne departed, Clark said, "I still feel a little 
uncomfortable about this situation." 

"Why are you upset?" Sara asked. 

"Lying," Clark commented. "I've always been uncomfortable 
when I had to resort to such tactics. Afterwards I'm sorta 
depressed." 

Alicia chided, "Lying. We certainly were not untruthful. 
Maybe we could admit to bending the facts somewhat, but 
outright prevaricating, never." 

"Either way," Clark said, as he chortled at Alicia's 
comment, "the entire truth was not revealed to Bob Wayne. 
He's a good man who may have exposed himself to some risk 
by agreeing to our requests."