Forever and All Eternity II: Kismet By: Laura Davies Rated: PG-13 Submitted: May 2003 Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just playing with them for a while. Aw, heck. The main reasons for fanfic to exist is a basic dissatisfaction with the way a series ended (or didn't end), what-if scenarios, and/or a desire to mess with our favorite characters' lives. I'm just contributing! ;) Any resemblance to any other work of fiction is strictly coincidental. All characters besides those specifically mentioned in the series are figments of my chocolate and PEZ high imagination and belong to *me* and this version of New Krypton definitely belongs to me. All other bits of weirdness can be attributed to sleep-deprivation. ;) Authors note: My thanks goes out to the writers of the original New Krypton Arc. I also need to thank all of my wonderful beta readers who assisted in this project, Avia, Breanna, Doug, and Jenni. Special thanks go to my friends: Wanda, Mary, Lote, and Missy as well as all of the readers on Zoom's message boards for staying in for the long haul-- it's taken seven months to get this far. Thanks to Missy, Chief Pam, Paul, Colin, SQD for giving me suggestions for a certain scene. I also need to thank the regulars on #lanekent... Without y'all this story would have never been begun, let alone finished. This is Book II, so I'm afraid you'll have to read Book I for this to make much sense. **** Zara watched Clark as he fingered a pendant that hung around his neck. She supposed his wi... concubine on Earth must have given it to him before his departure. Her lips tightened as she watched him run his finger over its surface and open it. Perhaps convincing him to stay forever would be harder than she had previously thought. She simply didn't understand his attachment to this Earth woman... He was Kryptonian nobility and should be attached to his rightful wife... her. She rose from her seat and began to cross the room to speak with Kal-El... Zara jumped when Ching came up behind her and unexpectedly laid his hand on her arm. <> He sent. <> <> <> Fire flashed in Ching's eyes as he nodded his acquiescence. Deep inside his mind, behind layer upon layer of shields where he hoped that Zara could not see, he vowed that he would help Kal-El preserve his family... even if it involved crossing Zara's wishes. Zara stared at Kal-El for a few more minutes. She hadn't expected him to be broadcasting such great waves of... pain, loneliness, and fear. Momentarily, she wondered if she and the Elders of the council had been right to bring him to New Krypton. They weren't infallible--they were only Kryptonian after all. With a shake of her head, she banished the thought; Kal-El was *her* husband... a little voice in the back of her head said. Zara sighed, turned and began to walk back to her quarters. **** Lucy listened as Jimmy explained Lois's current situation. Lois would probably not ask for help, but Lucy loved her sister, so she decided to take matters in her own hands. If Clark couldn't be there to help with the children, then it was time she came to the rescue. Her schedule at the hospital was hectic, but she was sure that her bosses would cut her some slack so that she could help with Kiley and Joseph. "Jimmy," she began, "I have an idea... Lois is going to need help with the kids, and I know she couldn't stand having our mother there. We probably won't be able to see as much of each other this way, but I'm going to move in with Lois for a while to help out. Would you mind?" Jimmy studied her earnest face for a moment before replying. He had only given her the cover story for Clark's absence; she was still in the dark about Clark's second career. "I tried to come up with a way to help, but I couldn't think of anything. Lois and the kids *are* family... I'll miss you, Lucy, but moving in with Lois is a good idea." Jimmy smiled. "There is one question I would like to ask you first..." Jimmy dropped to one knee and pulled a box out of his pocket. "Dr. Lucy Lane, I love you. I never thought I would meet someone like you... I feel like I've found part of myself that I never realized I was missing until I found you. I'll never rest until I know..." He opened the box, revealing a diamond ring. "I would share the rest of my life with you... Lucy, will you marry me?" Lucy's face broke into a smile. She loved Jimmy; she had for a long time. Wordlessly, as her face lit up with joy, she nodded. She stood up, pulled him to his feet, and into a sweet kiss. "I love you, Jimmy Olsen." She said quietly as he slid the ring on her finger. "Now, you can help me pack." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her bedroom. **** Kiley wandered into her parents' room with Clarkie-bear clutched firmly under one arm and her rag doll, Annie, clutched under the other. She couldn't sleep. It was far past her bedtime... she wanted her Mommy and Daddy. She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, scrubbing away the beginnings of tears that threatened to fall. "Mommy?" she said, snuffling. "What is it, punkin?" Lois answered as she pushed herself up. "Clarkie-bear, Annie, and me can't sleep 'cause Daddy isn't here. Can we sleep with you, Mommy?" Lois turned back the bedclothes and motioned to her daughter. "Come on up, sweetie." Kiley climbed into the big bed. She missed 'Feeling' her father's presence in the house. He had been gone for less than a day, but he was already so far away from them that it was getting hard to 'Feel' him anymore. She cuddled close to her mother, taking comfort in the fact that at least she was still there. she thought. "Please send Daddy back to us soon, God," she whispered quietly. Lois hugged Kiley tightly and stroked her daughter's hair back from her face. Her mouth twisted into a wry smile as she heard Kiley's heartfelt plea. It was the same prayer she had carried in her heart and found herself whispering since the inevitable decision had been made. It wasn't long before Kiley's soft breathing told her that her firstborn had finally fallen asleep. Lois turned her face to the pillow and breathed in Clark's scent. Soon she slipped off into dreams of Clark's return. **** Clark flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He missed Lois and the kids desperately. He hadn't yet been gone a full day, but the fact that they were now millions of miles away and that he would not see them for months was a constant ache. Mentally, he pictured the brownstone, as it would look at this hour. Images of his family in their sleep flooded through his mind. Mentally, he saw Kiley curled up with Clarkie-bear and Annie, fast asleep. His mind's eye flashed to Joseph curled up around Ted E. Bear in his toddler bed. He smiled at the mental image of his children cuddled up with the toys his mother had made for them upon their birth. In his mind's eye, he saw Lois curled up in their bed with her nose buried in his pillow. He made an inarticulate moan of pain low in his throat; they needed him and yet he was far away. His fists clenched as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He buried his face into the pillow and prayed that he could go home soon. **** Lois woke to the insistent ringing of the doorbell. She rolled over, looked at the clock, and groaned; 6 AM. Carefully, so as not to disturb Kiley, she slid out of bed, threw on Clark's robe, and padded downstairs to answer the door. She looked through the peephole and was surprised to see Lucy standing on the stoop. Lois quickly unlocked the door and opened it. "Lucy?" she asked, "What are you doing here?" "I heard about Clark going undercover," Lucy began, "and I thought you might be able to use my help with the kids... I talked to the hospital about switching me to day shift. I'm here as long as you need me." Lois started to say something, but Lucy dropped the suitcase she was carrying and put her arm around Lois's shoulders. "Lois, you've done so much for me; you're my sister and you practically raised me. Let me help. Joseph and Kiley would be a handful even if you *weren't* pregnant..." Lois hesitated then nodded slowly. She knew that she could use help with the kids, but at the same time, asking for help would be another reminder that Clark was gone. But since her sister was offering... "Come in, Lucy," she said quietly. Lucy picked up her suitcase and walked through the inner door. "I'll take Clark's parents to the airport," she asserted quietly. "I'm on call today, but otherwise I'm all yours for the rest of the week." Lucy looked at Lois seriously. "Sis," she began, "What are families for but to help each other?" Lucy set the suitcase down and hugged her sister. Lois stood passively in her sister's embrace and broke it after a few minutes. She turned around, expecting to see Clark's solid presence behind her and almost burst into tears with renewed grief when he wasn't there. The Kents were leaving, Clark was gone, and it felt like nothing would be right ever again. She hadn't felt so alone in years. Lucy had come with an offer of help when she needed it the most. Without Clark, her world was a much quieter, sadder place--but Lucy's presence would help fill the silence. Lois choked back tears as she stumbled over to the couch and sat down heavily. She wanted her husband back. He had been gone for less than twenty-four hours, but she already missed him desperately. Just the thought of his months-long absence without means of communication hurt badly. A few lonely tears escaped from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself, momentarily forgetting Lucy's presence. As Lucy watched her sister's collapse, her heart ached fiercely for the big sister who had always seemed indestructible to her. For as long as she could remember, she had looked up to Lois. Cautiously, she stepped over to the sofa, sank down on to it, and put her arms around her sister. Somehow, she knew that the best thing she could do at this moment was to let Lois cry on her shoulder. She knew how she would feel if Jimmy suddenly had to go undercover and not be able to contact her... especially if she had two small children to care for as well as being pregnant. Wordlessly, Lucy gently pushed Lois's hair back from her face and hugged her tightly. She hated to see Lois fall apart, but at the same time, she knew how temporary this was. Her sister was a fighter; she would keep going until the happy day that Clark returned. So wrapped up was she in her sister's pain that she was surprised to hear a small sleepy voice at her elbow. "Aunt Lucy?" the little voice questioned. Lucy turned her head to find Kiley standing beside her. "What is it, sweetie?" Lucy asked. "Why is Mommy crying?" she asked, her big brown eyes filled with concern. Lois drew in a ragged breath, quelled the majority of her tears and held out her arms to her small daughter. "Punkin', I'm just sad because I miss your Daddy so much." Kiley snuggled into her mother's embrace and hugged Lois. "Mommy, Daddy will be ok. I dreamed that he told me to tell you that he loves you an' that he's hurrying home." A soft smile stole over Lois's face as the rest of her tears dried up. She gently stroked her baby girl's hair and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I know, sweetheart," she said quietly. Somehow, holding Kiley made the bond she shared with Clark seem stronger; she could feel his love for her through it as if it were almost a tangible thing. As she held her firstborn close to her, the sadness of separation seemed to slip from her, replaced by a feeling of unconditional love that she had not known... until she met Clark. Lucy released her sister and watched in amazement as Lois's tears stopped falling with Kiley's embrace. Sadness still lurked in her sister's eyes, but somehow in this moment, she was not quite as devastated as she had been a few minutes before. A hint of jealously entered her heart as she watched Lois and Kiley. She envied Lois her happy family. She hoped that she and Jimmy could marry soon... she wanted what Lois had, a home and maybe even children of her own--Jimmy's children. **** Clark woke slowly, obeying some internal alarm that had nothing to do with ship time. He stared at the ceiling and absently reached out his hand to find the warm, soft body of his wife, momentarily forgetting that she wasn't with him. He frowned sleepily as his hand encountered the wall that his single bed stood against. His eyes flew open as memory flooded back. <* Lois*> he thought longingly. For a moment, he could have sworn he felt her lithe, warm body next to his and her head lying on his chest. The last time they had been separated for any length of time had been during their first aborted attempt to get married when Lex had kidnapped her. At least this time, she was safe. This time, he didn't have to worry about Lex Luthor hurting his beloved or their children. As long as the people he loved were safe, he could survive this experience. He hoped. He swallowed around the lump in his throat. He missed them terribly. He had been gone for less than twenty-four hours and already he would give anything to feel his wife slip her small hand in his, his children's arms around his neck, and to hear their childish voices calling him the name that had become so precious to him-- 'Daddy'. Slowly, Clark sat up and reached into the bag beside his bed for the journal that lay nestled in his favorite sweater. He counted himself lucky that he still had the few familiar items of clothing that had been in the bag; Zara had insisted upon taking the worn clothes he had arrived in away 'to be cleaned'. Somehow, he doubted he would ever see his favorite old clothes again. He opened the leather-bound book and stared at the smooth white paper underneath the cover before he reached over and pulled a pen from his bag. He uncapped the pen and stared at the paper a few more moments before he began to write. Over the past few years, he had become used to having someone to confide in... since Lois wasn't available, he guessed that a journal would have to do. As much as he loved writing, he had always tried to avoid leaving a personal record of his life as both Superman and Clark Kent to try and ensure that the public would not finally put two and two together. This, however, was different. Not only had Perry made him promise to keep the journal but also he needed an outlet for the emotion that threatened to overcome him. He couldn't afford to give in to his sadness, loneliness and the fear that he would never make it home... **** Zara sat cross-legged on her bed and pondered her birth- husband. He had seemed so happy when she had observed him with his family, but in the past day or so, some of the joy that had seemed to make up part of his character had faded... and she was responsible for that. While it was true that it hadn't been her idea to come and bring him to New Krypton, she still felt a little guilty for taking away some of his joy. She knew that he was the best hope for her people... But all of her earlier motives now seemed... false in light of his now palpable pain. He was a good man--she knew that. Some people from New Krypton would have taken advantage of the powers granted to Kryptonians on Earth, but Kal-El had not. Instead, he used his powers to help wherever he could with no thought of tangible reward. She admired him for that... and envied him in that he had found someone to love. Despite her protestations to the contrary and her rather predatory thoughts concerning him, she had begun to believe it was as Ching said--she did not really love Kal-El; it was just a crush. She was within her rights to demand more of him... they *were* married after all. Somehow, she just wasn't sure what she wanted from him personally anymore... **** Lois reached into the backseat of the Jeep, carefully unfastened the straps of Joseph's car seat, and picked him up. She grabbed her briefcase and purse and threw them over the other shoulder before she locked up the jeep and headed to the elevator. Gently, she pushed Joseph's hair back from his forehead and hugged him tightly as she entered the elevator and pushed the button for the lobby. Joseph looked at his mother with wide eyes as his thumb began to travel toward his mouth. He reached for Lois's hair instead and grabbed a handful of her long tresses. "Why Mommy sad?" he asked. Lois smiled sadly and kissed Joseph on the cheek. "Sweetie, I just miss Daddy." Joseph threw his arms around her neck and gave her a hug. "Jo'eph miss Daddy too." He looked at her through solemn brown eyes. "Daddy come back," he said. His face broke into a sunny smile. "I love you." He planted a wet kiss on her cheek and laid his head against her shoulder. "I love you too, scout," she said quietly and held him closer to her as the elevator opened into the lobby of the Planet. She walked slowly across the lobby toward the Planet's daycare facility and went inside. Reluctantly, she walked over to Ms. Linda and began to hand Joseph to her, but Joseph tightened his arms around her neck. "Mommy no go? Mommy 'tay wiv Jo'eph?" he asked hopefully. "Sweetheart, I have to go to work, I'll be back in a little while." Lois said, dropping a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Jo'eph 'tay wiv Mommy?" he asked, as he gave her a puppy dog look. "Scout," Lois began with a sigh, "you go with Ms. Linda and play with the toys, ok? If you need me, I'll be here really fast." Joseph stuck his lip out in a pout for a minute and hugged his mother again. "I love you, Mommy," he said before loosening his grip and allowing Ms. Linda to take him. "I love you too, Joseph." Lois said quietly before she quickly strode out of the daycare and headed toward the elevator. She pressed the elevator call button and waited impatiently for it to arrive. Finally, the doors opened in front of her and she hurried inside and pressed the button for the newsroom. Lois propped her body against the side of the elevator, sagging against the wall. Resolutely, Lois refused to give into the tears that still threatened to fall. She felt as if she had been crying for a very long time and didn't want to give in again. Instead, she forced herself to think of the holographic message she had received the previous night as well as Clark's message to her. It would only be a matter of time before she could retrieve the globe from their safety deposit box and find out what Lara had meant by the cryptic message on the ship. How could she communicate with Clark when, by now, he was thousands of light years away from her? It simply wasn't possible. At least, she didn't think it was... She felt a warm, comforting feeling pass through her. It was almost as if... Lois gasped and straightened up. Maybe there was something in the messages Lara had left for her after all; if she could feel Clark's love for her while he continued to travel further and further from their small family, than anything was possible. She squared her shoulders and strode out into the newsroom. **** Clark closed the journal with an audible snap and stuck the pen in it. Carefully, he popped part of the back off of the wardrobe and slipped it in the compartment that he had discovered the night before. He wasn't sure just how far he could trust Zara; the almost predatory looks she had been giving him made him cautious enough to hide all of the important things, like photographs of his family, that he had brought with him. He wasn't exactly sure what had prompted this new cautionary behavior, but he had a feeling that Zara wanted to create a rift between himself and Lois... Zara wanted to take Lois's place... Sooner or later, he would have to set her straight, but she had not yet done anything that he could confront her about. Clark closed the compartment, walked around to the front of the wardrobe, and pulled it open. He rifled through its contents, grimacing as he came upon some particularly ornate garments. He sighed in relief as he came upon a set of plain clothes much like the ones he had worn for practice the day before. Quickly, he dropped his new mental shields and scanned the area for people as he had been taught. Finding no one, he pulled on the clean clothes and began to tidy up the room. He had been told that Ching would come for him when the time came, and he wanted to be ready... **** Perry stood at the door to his office and watched Lois work. He grimaced in sympathy as he noticed the black smudges underneath her eyes... It was obvious to him that she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. The last time he had seen her this broken up about something had been years before... when Clark had... 'died'. He knew that there were a few things that he needed to talk to her about today. He had decided, however, that it would be best to let her settle in before he told her of this decision. He glanced at his watch and changed his mind, she had been there long enough; she needed to know right away. "Lois," he called, "in my office, *now*!" "Coming, Perry," Lois said. She stood up, reluctantly made her way over to Perry's office, and walked inside. Perry ushered her over to the couch, walked over to the door, and shut it tightly. He pulled up a chair in front of the couch and seated himself in it. "Lois, honey, how are you holding up?" he asked gently, concern written over his face. "I miss him," she said quietly. "I've always been able to feel his presence... I know it may sound a little silly, but we've always had this... connection. Even in the beginning when I was so horrible to him, I felt it... It's only gotten stronger over the years, but..." her voice caught on the word as a lump formed in her throat. "It's getting harder to feel him..." she choked out. Lois drew in a deep breath. "I know he's coming home, but I can't help but worry..." Perry moved to the couch and put his arm comfortingly around her shoulders. "Awww, honey. It will be okay. You know that Clark would walk on water for you or drown trying... So, what are you gonna do?" Perry pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. Lois looked down at the handkerchief and started playing with the edges. "Just... Keep going. Clark will come home; I just have to wait until he can... Until then, I just have to keep breathing and take things one day at a time." Lois looked up from the handkerchief; her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I need him, Perry, I need him..." she whispered hoarsely. Perry patted her on the back and hugged her gently. "There's something I need to talk to you about, honey. I want you to wrap up all of your current investigations, and then I'm offering you an assistant editorship position until Clark comes back... I promised him to watch out for you; he'd kill me if I let anything happen to you or the kids. After you file those stories, you're officially desk-bound." "I should have expected this," Lois grumbled. "Now, Lois you know that this assignment would be coming in a month or so, anyway... and without Clark here to back you up, I'd just feel better knowing that you're not out getting into trouble. Besides, this job has regular hours, so you can spend more time with the kids..." Perry looked at her anxiously and hoped that she wouldn't put up too much of a fuss; he just wanted to ensure that she would still be there when Clark came home. Slowly, Lois nodded her acquiescence. Normally, she would have argued with him, but she was simply too tired at the moment to fight him over it. It was company policy for her to be desk-bound at six months anyway... Perry had just grounded her a month and a half early. "Is that everything, Perry?" she asked quietly. "Not...quite," he began hesitantly. "I was wondering if... maybe... one day in the next week or so... I could borrow Joseph and take him to the park for a long lunch... I figure that he'll be missing his daddy... and I want to spend some time with him... I'd like to spend some one-on- one time with Kiley too if that's all right... I know they miss Clark." "Thank you," Lois said softly as tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. "You know that you're on the approved list to pick the kids up..." Without a word, Perry carefully gathered Lois into his arms and hugged her gently. A spark of anger flared up in him against the New Kryptonians who had so callously torn this family apart. All he could do was to offer comfort to his surrogate daughter while her husband got closer and closer to what might be his final destination. **** Lord Kav-Nor growled in frustration as his spy reported that Lord Kal-El was en route to New Krypton. His movements were now curtailed; it would more difficult to use Kal-El's family against him... without the benefit of the locator chip and the name Kal-El had used on Earth, they would be impossible to find among the masses of people who lived there. At least his enemy had decided to come to him; it was much more satisfying to eliminate the competition himself rather than by proxy. New Krypton would be under his absolute control. He would show the rest of the universe how sublime darkness could be... and then bring it, too, under his iron rule... **** Martha sat at her kitchen table, playing with a cup of herbal tea. They had arrived home a few hours before... and she had yet to do anything but sit and stare at the now stone-cold tea. She knew that her boy had made the right decision. After all, with the threat to the children, no other choice could have been made... Yet her eyes filled with tears as she thought of a world where the happy little boy she had raised could... It was bad enough that he had been forced into leaving the family that he loved so much behind, but combined with the fact that he could actually die... Martha shook the intolerable thought out of her head and stared blindly off into space. Her boy was coming home. She had to believe that. He would be back from this trip to New Krypton in a few months and they would welcome him with open arms. Her baby *would* come back to them. Abruptly, she stood up and ran into her studio. She grabbed her palette and some brushes and began to meticulously work on a painting of their family that she had started last week. Lovingly, she carefully began to fill in the shadows around the painstakingly painted figures. She had intended to give the painting to Lois and Clark for Christmas, but had changed her mind with recent developments... as soon as she could finish, she would give it to her daughter-in-law... **** Ching led Clark to the practice ring to begin lessons in self-defense. Because of his promise to Lady Lois, Ching was determined to teach Kal-El to defend himself better than the majority of the nobles on the council. He wouldn't put it past Nor to try and assassinate Kal-El before the official acknowledgment of his rule. Unfortunately, unless Kal-El was the type that would insure fanatic devotion in his corps of bodyguards, men could still be bribed to allow a hired killer to slip through... By the time he was finished, he hoped to have Kal-El able to hold off an assassin long enough for help to arrive. Ching hoped it would be enough; from Kal-El's memories, he knew he did not wish to face Lady Lois when she was angry. As they entered the practice room, he closed the door and turned to Clark. "Kal-El," he began, "What do you know of self-defense? That is, what do you know that doesn't involve superpowers? New Krypton, like Krypton, has a red sun..." Clark smiled as a joyful memory surfaced. "I know some martial arts... my wife made me take lessons..." he answered with a far away look in his eyes. He remembered that night as if it were yesterday... Intergang had gained possession of kryptonite and tried to kill him... again. He had been lucky that Jimmy had been snooping around, discovered where they had been holding him, and disposed of the kryptonite... When he got home, Lois had rushed over and hugged him tightly... babbling about how worried she'd been. She elicited a promise from him that night to accompany her to her Tae Kwon Do classes and learn how to defend himself... just in case. Lois had buried her head in his chest and murmured something about how she didn't wish their baby to grow up without a father... "Lord Kal-El... Lord Kal-El!" Ching's insistent voice interrupted his happy memory of the evening that Lois accidentally let slip the news of her pregnancy with Kiley... "Yes?" he answered with a sigh. "I'm sorry to interrupt your memories, m'lord, but today I must find out what you know and teach you more... I promised your wife that I would make sure to return you in one piece... and I have no wish to incur her wrath..." Ching said gently. Clark nodded mutely and began to follow Ching's instructions. **** Lois parked in front of the First Bank of Metropolis and went inside to fetch the globe. Carefully, she opened the safety deposit box and pulled out the locked metal box that lay inside it. She stuck the box in her briefcase, closed the safety deposit box, and left the bank. Lucy had offered to pick up Kiley from preschool, so she had time to find out what messages Lara had recorded upon the globe for her. Lois climbed into the jeep and left for home. A few minutes later, she walked into the master bedroom, closed the door, and sat in the middle of the bed with the box in front of her. She held the key in her hand, looking at the box in front of her with a bit of trepidation. Decisively, Lois jammed the key in the lock and with a fluid motion, pushed the lid up. Lois eyed the glowing globe for a moment... As much as she wanted the information recorded on it, she felt a jolt of nervousness about handling it when it was glowing... She drew in a deep breath and snatched the globe from the box. The globe began to hum and levitate over her hand as a hologram issued forth from it. The image was that of Lara, Clark's biological mother. Lara's image seemed to look straight at Lois before she began to speak. "My darling daughter," the image began, "If you are viewing this message it means that my son has been called away and you have discovered the message on the ship that carried him to Earth. It also means that you are his Kreh'kle'vshta. This globe and the messages upon the ship have been encoded to respond to your touch... the bond between you and my son enables this device to recognize you." "My daughter, there are some things that you must know about the Kreh'kle'vshta bond. Children from the union of two such bonded people are said to be special--their abilities and gifts tend to develop earlier. Your little ones will be extraordinary. I only wish I could meet you and possibly even my grandchildren." The image of Lara smiled sadly before continuing. "No matter the distance, it is possible for you to speak to Kal. Kryptonians are telepathic. While Earth humans are generally not, the Kreh'kle'vshta bond will enhance any latent abilities that exist. Though the bond is rare, it is well known from our history that those without the gift may still speak mind-to-mind with a telepathic partner... My daughter, I will tell you how this may be accomplished... in this manner you may talk to my son... "Clear your mind, Daughter. Clear your mind and focus on Kal. Keep that focus and look within yourself for the Kreh'kle'vshta bond--the link between you. Once you have found it, focus on it and concentrate on talking to him. Send your thoughts on this link and he will hear you. "This connection will remain with you always... It is said that the Kreh'kle'vshta bond remains in place after death; it is simply recycled in the next life. You and my son are now connected forever... Remember my instructions so that the lines of communication remain open. Take care of my son..." The image faded from view as the globe went dark. Lois stared at it for a moment before locking it back in the box and placing the box on the dresser. She settled herself on the bed again and began to attempt to follow Lara's instructions. **** Clark lay face down upon the bed in his quarters. He was supposed to be resting, but all of his thoughts were turned inside... to his heart, to Lois, to their children. He was tired. Ching had ran him around the practice room all morning and finally sent him back to rest. He had stripped off his sweat-soaked tunic and collapsed upon the bed. Restlessly, he pulled at the waistband of the too-tight pants they had provided... his suits were much more comfortable than the clothes he now wore... He rolled over and winced slightly as one of his muscles protested the movement. He had only experienced soreness like this after being attacked with Kryptonite... a day and a half without the effects of the yellow sun were already starting to make its results known. He still had a few of his powers, but if the soreness of his muscles after a morning's exertion were any indication, by the time he arrived on New Krypton they would have completely dissipated. Clark closed his eyes and began to imagine Lois, as she would be at that moment. His imagination and memory took him back to a happier time. His mouth curved into a smile as, in his mind's eye, he watched her bend over her keyboard typing furiously to finish a story before deadline. He imagined Joseph eating lunch, smearing it all over his face. He watched Kiley playing on the preschool playground with the other kids... With a happy sigh, he surrendered himself to his memories and began to relive the last night with Lois. The memory was bittersweet, but remembering that night hurt far less than the emptiness caused by her absence from his side. <> he heard. He sat up suddenly, not quite believing the voice that echoed through his head... his heart leaped, it sounded like... Lois. the little voice in the back of his skull argued. <> he heard again. Clark ran his hand through his hair before answering. <> He sent incredulously. <> << Clark, I miss you so much! I love you. It has something to do with the fact that we're soulmates...>> Lois sent with some effort. It really wasn't easy to talk to him like this. <> Clark started as he heard the chime that signaled someone knocking at his door. <> <> Clark felt the telepathic link waver and break off. The feeling of Lois's presence by his side lessened. He sat up and sighed a little before answering the door. "Come in." He called. Ching entered the room. "Milord," he began, "The Council wishes to speak with you." Ching rummaged in the wardrobe and pulled out a set of slightly more formal clothing than Kal-El had was wearing. Quickly, he laid them out on the bed. "You must hurry, milord. They will be waiting to have speech with you in an hour." Ching turned and walked toward the door. "I will be back for you in a few minutes." He walked out the door and headed back to the control room. Clark sighed deeply and pushed himself off the bed. Talking to Lois had helped, but the last thing he wanted to do was speak to the men responsible for taking him away from his family. Slowly, he made his way to the sonic shower cubical to get rid of the traces of the exertions of the day. A few minutes later, he returned to his sleeping chamber to pull on the clothes that Ching had laid out for him. He grimaced as he fastened the collar; it was far too tight for his liking... in fact the entire outfit was a bit snug... Clark walked over to the mirror and combed his hair. He was beginning to really dislike the ridiculous clothing they insisted that he wear. He tugged at the collar and wished that he were home in Lois's arms. He walked over to the armchair that sat in the corner and picked up the hand-held computer that rested on the table beside it. Slowly, he began to read through the English translation of a Kryptonian law primer that Ching had provided. Ching would be back for him soon to take him to talk to the Council. **** Kav-Nor paced back and forth in the front room of his mansion, deep in thought. He had to gain control... as he stood in thought Kal-El sped towards New Krypton. There had to be a way to stop Kal-El from taking the throne. He scowled as he contemplated the thought of his most hated enemy having power over him. "Father!" he heard a small voice call. Kav-Nor turned around and scooped up his seven-year old son, Tak-Nor. He held his child close for a moment before a smile crept over his face. He settled the child on his hip and beamed down at him. "Tak, you've just made me very happy... How would you like to get a new... playmate?" Tak looked trustingly up at his father through big blue eyes. "I'd like that, Father." He said quietly. It was always best to agree with Father... he tended to hit Mama when she disagreed with him. Nor smiled evilly; he had to contact the Council immediately. **** Perry smiled to himself as he held Joseph securely in his arms and began to walk towards the front doors of the Daily Planet. The daycare facility employees had been surprised to see him; he rarely picked up one of the Kent children... especially not in the middle of the day. He hugged Joseph gently as he began to walk to a nearby park. "Gan'pa Pewy?" A little voice interrupted his thoughts. "Where we goin'?" "Well, scout," Perry began, "I thought we'd go to the park and feed the pigeons." "Jo'eph like birdies." Joseph buried his face in Perry's shoulder for a moment before turning to look at Perry. "When Daddy come home?" Joseph asked. "He'll be home soon, scout." Perry said as he lifted his hand to stroke the child's hair. Joseph's thumb found its way to his mouth as his other arm crept around Perry's neck. "I miss Daddy," he said around his thumb. "I know you do, kiddo," Perry said as Joseph sat up a bit straighter and began to look around. It wasn't long before they reached the park. Carefully, Perry set the child down and sat upon a nearby bench to watch. It was rare that he found time to spend with little Joseph like this, but he always enjoyed watching the child try and catch the pigeons. He smiled as he watched Joseph walk quietly up behind the bird and try to capture it. "C'mere, Joseph," he called. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sandwich baggie full of crumbs. "I've got food for the pigeons." Joseph grinned winningly, came over, and thrust his hand into the bag that Perry held open for him. "Tank you, Gan'pa Pewy," he said happily. Perry leaned forward. "Scout, what are you gonna do if you catch one of the pigeons?" he asked. Joseph looked at him blankly and ran off to stalk the pigeons once more. It was obvious that Joseph didn't know what he'd do with a bird if he caught one... Perry supposed that the fun was in the chase; just as his fun was in attempting to catch Joseph. He didn't know what he'd do if he actually caught him; but he had to try... He had missed out on so much with his own children and now his grandchildren that he wanted to catch every moment he could with the grandchildren that Lois and Clark had provided him with. He hoped long after he was gone that Kiley, Joseph and any other little ones that his heart- children produced would fondly remember times spent with himself and Alice. He'd have to remember to convince Lois to allow the kids to come over and play soon; Alice missed them terribly after a few weeks separation. Perry sat in the warm sunshine for a while longer, giving Joseph more breadcrumbs when the toddler ran out. After a few more minutes, he looked at his watch and called to Joseph. "C'mon, scout! Time to go!" Joseph glanced back at him as a mischievous smile spread over his face. Giggling, he ran in the opposite direction. Perry chuckled and gave chase. Joseph stopped every once and a while and turned to make sure Perry was still on his trail. "Gan'pa Pewy come get Jo'eph!" he called. Perry caught up and swung Joseph into the air as the little boy squealed in delight. He pulled up Joseph's shirt, blew on his tummy, and grinned at the laughter coming from the little boy. His grandson would be okay... He knew that Joseph missed Clark, but during the child's short life, Clark had gone away for short periods of time before... In Joseph's mind, it was just like the newswriters convention in Washington that he had sent Clark to the month before. "Scout, it's time to go back to play with your sister," Perry said gently as he headed in the direction of the Planet. "Jo'eph want down," he demanded, "Jo'eph walk." Perry chuckled and put Joseph down. Joseph flashed a 100- megawatt smile at Perry and walked alongside him, attempting to stretch his little legs into Perry's longer steps. Suddenly, Joseph stopped and threw his arms around Perry's leg. "I love you," he said with another smile. He let go as they approached the street. "Joseph," Perry began holding out his hand, "Hold my hand while we cross the street." "NO!" Joseph said, stomping his foot. "Jo'eph hold *own* hand." Joseph slipped his right hand into his left and started across the street. Perry rushed over to the child and snatched him away just as a car zipped over the place that the child had been standing just moments before. "Joseph Samuel Kent! Don't you *ever* scare me like that again!" Perry hugged the child close. "You can hold your own hand, all right, but we're crossing the street together." Perry carefully crossed the street and made his way back to the Daily Planet, thankful that he had managed to catch his grandson in time for disaster to be averted. He'd have to tell Lois of this recent development... Just in case Joseph decided to try and cross the street by himself again... It seemed as if Lois wasn't the only one who had a tendency to jump in without checking the water level first. **** Clark stood between Ching and Zara in front of the view screen. Warily, he watched the men who sat upon the Council Seat. The only person he completely trusted in this crazy place was Ching; the rest of them were at fault for his departure from home. It wasn't usually in his nature to be suspicious of people he hadn't met, but somehow his suspicion seemed warranted if he were to make it home alive. "Kal-El, my name is Xek-Lo," a white haired man began in perfect English. "Thank you for coming to help us in our time of desperate need. Lord Kav-Nor is marshaling forces even as we speak. With you coming, he will have to stand down for the present... Law and tradition govern war, like everything else in our society..." Xek-Lo's gaze softened as he looked upon Clark. "We are grateful that you survived to return to us as the leader you were born to be. When you arrive home, Kal-El, the remaining members of your extended family wish to meet you, our lost child." Clark faced the Council and carefully assessed its members. "Sirs," he began, wishing to make his position clear from the beginning. "I will assist you in your quest for a peaceful New Krypton... But I have a life on Earth that I must return to. I knew nothing of any of this until Lady Zara and Lt. Ching approached me. My wife and my children await my return to Earth, and I have promised to return." "Kal-El, we eagerly await your arrival... and we understand your position... Hurry to us to prevent Kav-Nor from tearing our world apart." Xek-Lo said. With that the transmission cut off, leaving the trio in silence. "Why and how did he learn to speak English?" Clark asked finally. "Xek-Lo is the only member of the Council that does; it's why he was the one to speak..." Zara began. "He is something of a linguist and studied your language once it was found out where you had been sent... We're not even sure where he managed to learn it, or even why he did, but we think it was just in case we ever found you... Don't worry about learning Kryptonian; your Aunt has the gift of Memory... she can give you the language when we arrive." Clark nodded slowly to show he understood. The world and culture he came from seemed stranger the more he got to know about them... **** Lord Nor stood in front of the door to the Council chamber, awaiting admittance. He had come to make his proposal today... Victory would be so much sweeter if it was given to him by the rule of law. He could always dispense with the Council once he had consolidated his power. Power and how it was used were the most important things. Pain and Power. These things drove him to great lengths. Pain and darkness in particular fascinated him. People were his pawns. Their only purpose was to serve and amuse him. He found their pain particularly amusing... He had never understood the wording behind the traditional covenant. To him, endless all-encompassing darkness was nothing to be afraid of. He loved the feel of being surrounded by it; he loved feeling its arms wrapped around him. Soon he would introduce the entire world to his joy. They would embrace it and help him initiate the rest of the universe into his darkness. **** "Kal-El," Zara began quietly, "Come, I will show you the way back to your quarters... I am sure that you must have questions about your family on New Krypton." Zara headed to the door with Clark trailing behind. She glanced over at her silent companion, mentally cataloging what she had to tell him. "Kal-El... Clark, you have some family left on New Krypton... Your mother's sister... Kyrin-Wys. She has a daughter named Kirim and a son named Grsek... and your Uncle, Ganul-Wys, is on the Council. Is there anything else you want to know about your family?" Zara looked at him expectantly. At the mention of the word 'family' she saw pain flash in Kal-El's eyes. "No," he answered hoarsely. "My family is back on Earth... where I belong." Zara looked at him worriedly. They needed him on New Krypton... and with the chip still in his arm Nor would be able to find both him and his wife and children. Silently, she led him to his quarters. "Here are your quarters, Kal- El... If you want or need anything, just call... " Clark looked at her sharply. He still didn't quite trust her, but somehow he sensed that she was telling the truth. "Thank you," he said quietly before he turned and entered his quarters. He loosened the collar of the tunic and dropped down on to the bed. He missed her. He wanted Lois beside him... Zara leaned against the wall and dropped her shields. With the way he was broadcasting his feelings, she needed to see if she couldn't manage to throw some shields around his emotions... Nor had strong empaths in his employ that could use Kal-El's emotional state against him... She carefully 'looked' into the room behind her and was sucked into the maelstrom that occupied his heart. Zara slumped against the wall, shocked at what she found... Kal-El's emotions raged through her consciousness. His loneliness, pain, and grief over his absence assailed her... But at the center was great love for his wife, children and parents on Earth. Quickly, she threw up a shield around him, linking it to draw power from his own gifts. Zara knocked hesitantly on Kal-El's door, and was startled when he answered almost immediately. "For what it is worth, Kal-El, I am sorry we had to drag you into this mess." Zara turned and walked away quickly, leaving a bewildered Kal-El standing in the doorway and vowed to talk to Ching about teaching Kal-El to shield the empathic gift that he had to possess in order to draw her in... **** Perry dropped Joseph off in the daycare center and went upstairs to his office. He sank down in one of his office chairs and dropped his head into his hands. If he had been one second later, Joseph would be seriously injured at best and maybe even dead. He knew exactly how lucky he had been. He didn't want to add to her pain ... but Lois had to be told. He sighed deeply before heading over to the door. "Lois, I need to see you in my office," he called. "Coming, Perry," Lois called. She pushed away from her desk and walked over to his office. She had come straight back to the Planet in a happier mood after talking to Clark. Perry shut the door behind her and motioned for her to take a seat. "Lois, honey... I thought you should know what happened today when I took Joseph out..." He cleared his throat and looked down at the floor uncomfortably. "On our way back from the park ... he said he could hold his own hand; he wouldn't let me... and he ran out into the street... If I had been any slower..." Perry trailed off. Lois closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to clear the images of her baby boy being hurt out of her head. She took a deep breath... "Is he okay, Perry?" she asked urgently. "He's fine, Lois." Perry answered. "I just can't shake the thought of what might have happened." Lois stood up and laid her hand on his arm. "But it didn't, Perry. Joseph is safe and so are you. Don't torture yourself with might-have-beens." She looked at him pleadingly before continuing. "Perry, I've been thinking... could I still work as an assistant editor from Smallville? Not right away, but I'd like to be there for the baby's birth. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem, but since I have to fly commercial with Clark gone... I mean, with faxes and email, it would be just as easy to edit articles there as here... And I wouldn't have to worry about Joseph or Kiley wandering out into the street when I start blowing up like a balloon again..." she finished. Perry looked at Lois consideringly for a moment before replying. "I don't see why not," he said finally. "So, when are you thinking of leaving us?" Lois looked down at her hands. She knew that airlines didn't like to let women on the planes after their sixth month, so it would have to be soon; she was almost five months pregnant as it was and liable to pop out any day now. "Two weeks?" She said with a question evident in her voice. Perry nodded, stepped forward, and pulled her up into an embrace. "All right, darlin', two weeks... Have you told your parents that Clark isn't here yet?" "No... I haven't," Lois said uncomfortably. "I mean, they're back together, but my mother is still likely to overreact..." "Darlin'," Perry began, "you have to tell them, sooner or later they're going to come to visit..." "I know, Perry, I know." Lois began. "Tonight. I promise," she said with a sigh. **** Zara stared out the window and sighed. She had been sitting in the same place for the better part of an hour, trying to figure out what she should do about Kal-El. His emotions had surprised her... while she had known that he missed his wife and their family, she hadn't realized the depth of feeling that lay behind it. For the most part, members of the noble class among her people simply weren't like that. Marriages were arranged at birth with little thought of love involved. In her case, her guardians had even encouraged her infatuation by telling stories of Kal-El that probably had very little basis in reality. One thing she knew for sure, she and her people had no right to put him through more pain than he was already in. Zara vowed to do her best to see that his time on New Krypton was at least relatively happy... and that he would be able to go home as quickly as possible. **** Lois sat on the sofa and stared at the telephone with dread. Ellen had mellowed over the years, but she was still afraid that her mother would deliver a lecture on how men couldn't be trusted. She picked up the telephone with trepidation and began to dial. "Hello, Mother?" Lois began. "I... There's something I need to talk to you and Daddy about... Perry sent Clark away on an undercover assignment... No, we don't know how long... *Mother* he has *not* deserted me and he is *not* cheating on me. Clark would *never* do that! The kids and I are going to go to Smallville for the baby's birth... It may take Clark that long to crack this story wide open... No Mother, I am *not* trying to run away from you. Tell Daddy I said hello. I have to go now. Bye." She hung up the phone in relief. Now that her parents had been informed, it was time for communication of a different kind... Lois walked into Kiley's room, dropped a soft kiss on the child's head, and pulled the blankets back up from where the little girl had kicked them. She stood there for a moment and watched her daughter sleep with her bear under one arm and her rag doll under the other. She turned and walked out of the room, carefully shutting the door behind her before entering Joseph's room to check on him. She walked over, knelt beside his bed, and smoothed his hair back from his face before kissing him on the cheek. He looked so sweet and peaceful when sleeping that it was sometimes hard to remember what a holy terror he often was when awake. Gently, she tugged his thumb out of his mouth and covered his arm up with the blanket. Lois rose and quietly tiptoed out of the room and across the hall into the master bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Lois settled herself comfortably in the middle of their bed and leaned back against the pillows. <> She sent with a grunt of effort and waited for an answer. She hoped that this would work a second time; as long as he answered her, she knew he was safe. <> his voice echoed in her head clear as a bell. <> Lois sent laughter back to him... talking like this was easier the second time around. <> Clark answered. <> he sent wistfully. <> <> <> With those last words, Lois cuddled down under the covers and drifted off to sleep. She spent that night and many nights to come happily dreaming of being with her Clark and sleeping in his arms... **** "Lords of the Council. I, Lord Kav-Nor, stand ready to attack the capitol city, Ka'tra'anl. I will stand down my forces and send them home if a compromise is reached as to the true leader of New Krypton. We as a people know nothing of Kal-El or the world he was raised on. He is as alien to us as we are to him." "Only one raised in our culture might possibly understand it. Therefore, I come before the Honorable Council today with a proposition. Let there be an alliance between the House of El and the House of Nor. My sources say that Kal- El has a four-cycle old daughter... the same age as my son." "Such unions are not unknown in our illustrious history... I... rather Lady Zara and I will rule as regents for them until they are of age, and Kal-El may return to his life on Earth, leaving his daughter here to rule. By ancient law, Zara is her legal mother, so she would have as much protection as any other noble child would on our world... Zara may act as an advisor to the children until they come of legal age." "Milords, please consider this proposal... for continuing peace on New Krypton." Nor bowed to the Council and left the council chamber. He had one of the Lords in his pocket. Soon his new plan would be set into motion. After all, children died so easily... Kal-El, his son, and his concubine could be taken care of afterward to further eliminate any claims on his seat of power. The concubine could be pregnant after all... Lady Zara would be easily disposed of after the children were out of the way... Becoming First Lord shouldn't be that hard once the Council agreed to his plan... **** As soon as Lord Nor cleared the Council Chamber, the discussion commenced. The head of the Council, Lord Sarn- Ra, spoke first. "Nor's proposal makes a kind of elegant sense, but we must not forget who we are dealing with. Kav- Nor is, to be frank, insane. He should have been placed in the care of the mind-healers years ago." "Such illnesses of the mind are said to be inherited... can we really afford to take the chance that his son will be as dangerously unbalanced? If we consent to this union, it is very possible that in twenty years we might be dealing with a lunatic for a First Lord." Sarn-Ra looked around for a moment. "Lord Fryn-Trey, you may speak next." "I agree with Sarn-Ra that the idea has merit, but we are forgetting a few things. The child is half Terran... While we are almost genetically identical, Terrans are much more fragile than we are. Their planet not only has a yellow sun, but lighter gravity. My studies have shown that the Kryptonian genes are 99.9% likely to become the dominant ones, but there is a slight possibility that the child would not survive the radiation from our red sun or the effects of our heavier gravity." Trey looked at the rest of the Counselors seriously. "I also oppose taking the child away from her biological mother and the only home she has ever known. We have already taken her father away from her... must she lose one parent or the other? From Lt. Ching's observations, Kal-El is not likely to leave his daughter here with us either. As long as she remains, so will he." Trey finished. "So noted," Sarn-Ra said. "Lord Ganul-Wys you are recognized." "According to our laws, both parents must consent to such an alliance," he began. "Neither Lord Kal-El nor Lady Zara have consented to this. From the reports, it is highly unlikely that my nephew would consent to marrying his daughter to Nor's son. Zara also is unlikely to do so... to grant Nor access to the child is tantamount to signing her death warrant. Nor has already kidnapped Kal-El's children once. By all rights, we should have left bodyguards on Earth with them. After all, they are of the royal household and should be under our protection." Ganul-Wys fiddled with the edge of his robe... He should have sent bodyguards with Zara and Ching to leave with his nephew's family. He hoped that he could still remedy the situation. "The alliance is a good idea, but placing Nor at the head of our government as regent is not. The binding ceremony between Zara and Kal-El has not yet been solemnized. To agree to any of this now would be extremely premature. I move that we table the proposal and send bodyguards to Kal- El's family to protect them lest Nor make any more attempts on their lives." "An excellent proposal," Sarn-Ra began, "Lord Jen-Mai, I believe you have something to say?" Jen-Mai stood and faced his fellow Lords. He could not let them dismiss Lord Nor's request. After all, Nor... knew certain things about him that could get him exiled at the very least if they were to see the light of day. The money Nor gave him for supporting him in open council didn't hurt either. "Milords, all the points made have been excellent ones... But what better way is there to protect Lord Kal- El's firstborn child than to have her with us? "The new quantum singularity drive has been shown to be faster and more effective than the old hyperlight drives and should be able to reach Earth in two weeks. She would arrive here soon after her father and be under our protection. We can also leave bodyguards with Kal-El's family to insure that Nor cannot attack them again." Jen- Mai sat down quickly. "Does anyone else have anything they wish to say?" Sarn-Ra asked, looking around the chamber. "Since it seems no one has anything else to say, we will put it to a vote. All in favor of tabling the alliance for the time being please show by the uplifted hand." He looked around the room and noticed that all of the counselors had their hands raised... still, procedure must be followed... "Any opposed by the same sign." Not a single hand was raised. "All in favor of bringing Lord Kal-El's daughter to New Krypton for her own protection and leaving bodyguards with his family, please show by the uplifted hand." All hands in the Council chamber raised... except one. "Any opposed by the same sign." Tentatively, Lord Fryn-Trey raised his hand. "Yes, Lord Trey?" Sarn-Ra asked. "Lords of the Council. I must once again voice my objection to taking the child from her biological mother's care. She is only four cycles old... such an experience would be frightening for her and potentially damaging. Surely her best interests must be considered." "Duly noted..." Sarn-Ra thought for a few moments. Blood was always a bond he could not overlook... and Kal-El did have relatives on New Krypton... "We will send one of her cousins along to care for her and give all members of the party the language. The mother will know where her child is, and we will provide everything possible for the care and well being of Lord Kal-El's daughter. Lord Kal-El and Lady Zara will also be notified. Is this sufficient, Lord Trey?" Reluctantly, Trey nodded. "So let it be done. Outfit the quantum singularity drive prototype ship immediately for the care of Kal-El's firstborn. I will hand pick the bodyguards that will protect Kal-El's family. The ship will leave by the end of the week." **** Nor snarled at the missive from Lord Jen-Mai. The Council had refused to make a decision... and they were decidedly against having him as regent in any case. he thought. He supposed that half a loaf was better than none; Jen-Mai's clearance was not high enough to discover where Kal-El had lived on Earth... His family was inaccessible as long as he knew not where they were. Even then, it would take far too long to fetch any of them to use to convince the Council into taking his course of action. They had played into his hands by sending for Kal- El's daughter... The ship had already departed... Darkness would be forthcoming. **** Clark stood at the window, contemplating the starfield as it moved past him. More than anything, he wished he were home with Lois. He had been en route to New Krypton for three weeks and his prolonged absence from her had created a hole inside of him... a hole that could only be filled by Lois and their children. Without his soulmate, he felt like a shadow of his former self. He mentally prodded his memories of their life together. Remembering both the good times and the bad hurt, but the pain of remembering was infinitely better than the aching sense of loss that walked with him night and day. He missed Lois horribly. His wife. His beloved. His lover. His best friend. The mother of his children. His soulmate. Without her, he would never be whole again. Just being able to talk to her had brought a measure of healing, but he knew that until he could again hold her in his arms, it would never be complete. Ching walked quietly up behind Kal-El. He had expected to feel pain coming from his Lord because of the separation from his family, but the gaping wounds he sensed went far beyond what should be. He had to find out what the cause of these open sores were... now was not the time to quibble about ethics; it was time for action. Carefully, Ching entered Kal-El's mind, searching for how to ease the emotional distress. His eyes widened in shock as he discovered... he thought. It was true however. Lord Kal-El was one of the chosen who had found his Kreh'kle'vshta... And they had separated them. Zara and the Council had to be informed. To meddle with the bond was said to bring death and destruction upon the entire society... Zara must be made to see sense; Kal-El literally belonged to someone else just as if his wife had tattooed her name and 'hands off' all over him. Silently, he broke contact, turned around, and went to see Zara. **** "Zara?" Ching called as he stepped into her quarters. Zara put the brush she was holding down and turned to face him. "Yes, Ching?" "Zara, something has come to my attention... something you must know of." "What is it, Ching?" she asked quietly. From the expression on his face, she knew that it was serious... and could mean trouble. Ching sighed before he continued. "It would be easier to show you..." He stepped forward and lightly touched the back of her hands, allowing her to see his memory of what he had just discovered. Zara nodded slowly and withdrew her hands from his. She was surprised to discover that she... missed the contact. "I see... And I was going to..." she closed her eyes in shock. "By the One Who Holds Us All! I didn't know... I didn't realize..." Zara looked at Ching again. "I must beg his forgiveness... if he will still help us, our 'marriage' will be in name only; I will even insist on separate rooms..." As Zara began to turn away, her mind inadvertently made more contact with Ching's than she meant to. She closed her eyes again and took a deep breath as she accidentally discovered his... She turned to him quickly, surprise flashing in her eyes. "You... *love* me?" She asked incredulously. Ching hung his head before her, refusing to look her in the eye, his posture one of defeat. Convinced that she could never care for him, he had hidden his feelings for a very long time... Now that they had finally been revealed he was very much afraid. He glanced at Zara quickly and noticed not disgust as he had feared, but an air of quiet contemplation had settled over her. Long ago, after their first meeting, Zara had recognized something within herself that could quickly turn to love. Ruthlessly, she had suppressed it, knowing that she could not choose Ching--her choice had been made for her long ago. She had nurtured her crush for Kal-El, knowing that he was safe to love for he belonged to her and she to him. Since meeting him, she had begun to recognize her crush for what it was but at the same time had tried desperately to hold on to it. She knew true love when she saw it... and she saw it in Kal-El's eyes for his wife. He and Lois obviously loved each other; she would do her best to re- unite them. Slowly, Zara held out her hand to Ching. "I never knew," she began quietly as he took her hand. "I never thought you cared at all... I knew my crush on Kal-El for what it was... But you of all people know what my life is like-- cajoling Councilmen into doing what is best for New Krypton. I never dare to show emotion for fear of being labeled as an 'emotional' woman... never can let anyone too close for fear of them either trying to use me or being used against me... My crush on Kal-El was different... showing emotion about the person you're married to is safe... especially since he wasn't around." "I know, Zara," Ching said softly. Hesitantly he slid his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together. "I think... perhaps... we should go talk to Kal-El?" Zara answered with a sharp nod and they headed towards the observation room where Kal-El had been seen last. **** Clark wandered over to a soft chair and sat down. It was hard to believe that in a few short days, they would be on another planet... Zara had mentioned something about getting the chip immediately removed from his arm upon their arrival and having the doctor give him inoculations for Kryptonian diseases. After all, he didn't have the proper antibodies and if he caught what might be, to them, a minor illness, there was the possibility that he might become seriously ill. He didn't like the thought of getting sick; the only time he had ever gotten sick before he'd almost died. He supposed it would be a really good thing if he could obtain some medical information... after all, if one of the children ever got sick their Kryptonian heritage might cause problems... Clark pulled the locket out from underneath his shirt and opened it. He ran his finger gently over the picture, as if he could really touch them through the paper of the photograph. He was so wrapped up in his memories that he didn't hear Zara and Ching approach. "Kal-El?" Zara's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Yes?" he answered, closing the locket and tucking it away again. "Clark," Zara began firmly, playing with a strand of her waist-length hair as Ching stood behind her and offered his moral support. "I need to apologize... I know I already told you that I'm sorry we had to involve you in this... But I just wanted you to know that I had thought to convince you to stay with us--I am sorry for that. After the Ceremony of Union, which makes it legal for us to..." Zara colored prettily, "...consummate the marriage, I will insist on separate rooms." Zara regarded hum seriously, "If you had told us from the beginning that you and Lois are Kreh'kle'vshta... in your language it would be 'soulmates', this would have been a little more clear from the beginning... I swear by the One That Holds Us All that I will make sure that you make it home to your wife..." Zara trailed off. "Thank you," Clark said softly, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "You can't know what this means to me..." Ching leaned over and grasped Clark's hand. "Yes," he began quietly, "I think I do." **** Lois sat in the living room, watching Kiley and Joseph play. She smiled as Joseph scooted his cars around the floor, making "vroom, vroom" sounds. It felt strange to be in Smallville without Clark... She still missed him horribly, but being able to 'talk' to him on an almost daily basis helped immensely. Lucy had been surprised when she was informed of their planned trip to Smallville, but she was happy to be able to spend time with Jimmy once more. With a weary sigh, she settled back in her chair and laid her hand on her distended abdomen. She smiled as she felt their baby kick. What she wouldn't give to have Clark beside her so that he could feel their child move! They had yet to discuss names, but it was still months until her due date, so they didn't have to worry yet. She half-closed her eyes and imagined Clark beside her, his strong arms encircling her in a loving embrace. It was the little things she missed the most, his soft breathing beside her at night in the darkness, his arms holding her close as they slept, the way he teased her when she needed it. Every day and every night, the prayer was the same--'Please, God bring him home to us quickly.' "Mommy?" a little voice interrupted her musings. Lois looked up to see her daughter holding a tiny teacup and saucer. "Yes, punkin'?" Kiley held out the dishes, "Clarkie-bear, Annie, and me are having a tea party. Would you like some, too?" Lois smiled and accepted the cup and saucer. "Sure, sweetie... I'd like that." Kiley walked over to a small table where her 'tea things' sat. After putting cups and saucers in front of Clarkie- bear and Annie, she carefully picked up the teapot, walked over to her mother, and poured a light brown liquid into Lois's cup. "It's choklat tea, Mommy," Kiley said with a big grin. "Thank you, punkin'," Lois raised the small cup to her lips and took a sip. It tasted like... chocolate milk. "Chocolate milk, sweetie?" "No, Mommy. It's choklat *tea*." Kiley insisted. Lois laughed, set the tiny cup and saucer down, and pulled Kiley into an embrace. "Chocolate tea, then," she agreed. "Thank you for the chocolate tea, Kiley." Kiley wiggled out of her mother's arms to go put plastic cookies in front of her bear and her doll. "You're welcome, Mommy... Want some more?" Just as Lois was about to answer, the doorbell rang. "Jut a minute, punkin'," she said as she levered herself out of the chair and headed towards the door. She opened the door, expecting to see the Irigs; they had been planning on visiting that day. She was shocked to see the slender form of a woman dressed in what she considered outlandish clothing... who was the exact image of Lara in the hologram. Quickly, she shut the door and turned to her children. "Kiley, take Joseph and go find your grandma and grandpa... they should be in the barn. *Now*." Kiley took one look at her mother's face, and grabbed Joseph's hand. "C'mon, Joseph. Let's go find Grandpa." Joseph wrinkled up his face. "No! Play cars." Kiley grabbed the cars and stuffed them in her pocket. "We'll play cars with Grandpa. C'mon." Joseph pouted for a moment before following his big sister through the house and out the back door. Lois watched them leave before taking a deep breath and opening the door. "May I help you?" She asked, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Lois Lane-Kent?" the woman asked in a slightly accented voice. "Lois Lane," she asserted quietly. "I don't use my husband's name much." The woman inclined her head in response. "I am Kirim- Wys... your husband's cousin. The Council sent me to warn you... and offer you some protection from Lord Nor. May I come in to explain?" Lois opened the door a little wider and ushered her inside. She really didn't know what to think. Why had they come back? They had already taken her husband from her... what more did they want? Lois collapsed into the chair she had vacated earlier, gesturing to Kirim-Wys to take a seat opposite her on the couch. "The situation with Lord Nor has deteriorated," Kirim-Wys began. "A few weeks ago, he approached the Council with a proposal... he asked for an alliance between the House of El and the House of Nor." She paused for a moment and glanced at Lois, trying to figure out what her cousin's wife was thinking... "He has a son near enough in age to your daughter. His proposal is to marry them and put himself on the throne as regent. The Council has yet to make a full decision concerning that, but they are in agreement about one thing; Nor must not ever gain the seat of power." "Lois, my father is sure that there is a leak in the Council. It may only be a matter of time before Nor's informant tells him where to find you and your children. We found you by the simple expedient of accessing the records of where your husband landed... especially since you were not present at the last location Lady Zara and Lieutenant Ching sent us a message from. If Nor's informant lets him see the records, he will find you, the children will be taken, and you and Kal-El's adoptive parents will be killed. The council sent me with the bodyguards your family is entitled to under ancient law as part of the House of El. They also sent me to bring the Heir, your firstborn, to New Krypton... to Kal-El. They believe that as the current Heir, she is in grave danger and will be safer with her father, surrounded by the Elite Guard until this matter with Lord Nor is resolved." "Let me get this straight," Lois began, fire igniting in her eyes. "In the six weeks we've known about you, you've ripped my husband away from us, taken him to another planet where his safety and well-being is in question, and now you want to dump a covey of bodyguards on us and steal my daughter as well? Call your Council, however you do that and tell them that they can have my daughter over my dead and lifeless body. It's bad enough that you've taken my husband, you will *not* get my daughter as well!" She pushed herself up and pointed toward the door in an imperious manner. "Out. *Now*." Kirim-Wys stood and quietly walked toward the door. "Milady," she began, "We only wish for your safety... I will be back." With that thought, she exited the house and walked off to disappear into the trees. Martha and Jonathan came in a few minutes later, carrying Kiley and Joseph. "Lois, honey, what's the matter? Kiley said there was a strange woman here." Carefully, they put the children down and sat down on the couch. Kiley, sensing her mother's distress, came over and climbed into her lap. Lois hugged her tightly and kissed her on the forehead fiercely. "Kiley, sweetheart, I need you and Joseph to go into your room and play in there for a while... I need to talk to Grandma and Grandpa." Wordlessly, Kiley slid off Lois's lap and took Joseph by the hand. She knew something big was happening, but when her mom looked like that, it was best to obey without argument. She headed towards the stairs, pulling Joseph behind her. He resisted at first... until she offered to share the treat that Grandpa Kent had given her earlier that day. Lois watched them start up the stairs before turning to Martha and Jonathan. "The woman's name is Kirim-Wys... she's Clark's cousin. She was sent to leave bodyguards in case Lord Nor comes hunting for us... and to take Kiley back with them because she's our eldest child." She drew in a shaky breath. "Damn them," she whispered hoarsely. "First Clark... now they want Kiley. Will it never end? Will they come back for Joseph and our baby next?" Martha came over and put her arms around Lois, hugging her tightly. "We won't let that happen! They won't be allowed to take our grandchildren without a fight. How do we know that we can believe their intentions are good? Did she say why they wanted Kiley?" Lois grimaced. "She says the Council wants to make sure that she's safe from Nor. They want to surround her with something she called the 'Elite Guard' to protect her. They think that Nor might be able to find us, take the children, and kill us. She said that they're leaving bodyguards to protect us just in case. They have yet to offer us any proof that they're on Clark's side." "If they're telling the truth, and assuming we let them have her, are they going to send her to Clark?" Jonathan asked quietly. "Yes," Lois answered slowly. "If she's telling the truth, and if we let her go." "Are they convinced that she'll be safer there than she is here... does Clark know?" Martha asked. "Yes... No..." Lois looked at her in-laws with anguish in her eyes. "I don't know..." "Then I guess the question is, how do we keep them away from her..." Jonathan began. "Our safety is in our anonymity... and they'll take her when hell freezes over." Lois's eyes filled with tears. She didn't want to send Kiley with these people... and with Martha and Jonathan on her side, she wouldn't have to. Nor would never get his hands on her little girl... none of the New Kryptonians would. **** Clark pulled at the uncomfortable collar of the colorful, form-fitting tunic that Zara had insisted he wear. He wasn't looking forward to meeting the Council in person... or the Ceremony of Union that would make his 'marriage' to Zara legal in the eyes of New Kryptonian society. They were to arrive in Ka'tra'anl, the capital city, within the hour where he would almost immediately be confirmed as First Lord. He was thankful that Zara had come to him and apologized... She had assured him that she, as well as Ching, would do her best to see him safely back to Earth after Lord Nor was defeated. Abruptly, he stood up and crossed the room, his boot heels clicking against the floor of the ship. Clark stopped near an observation window and stared out into the endless darkness of deep space. He closed his eyes and imagined Lois with him... she had always loved to fly among the stars cradled in his arms... Clark smiled-he could almost feel her arms slip around his neck and her small, lithe body press against his. He opened his eyes and glanced around the room; for a moment there, he had thought he smelled his wife's perfume. Leaning against the wall, he tried to decide if he had finally lost his mind; it wasn't the first time that he had sensed Lois beside him, smelled her perfume, and even felt her arms slip around his waist and hold him tight. He sighed, sure it was a hallucination brought on by his longing to be at home with her and their children. Some nights when he closed his eyes, he could see her and the evidence of her advancing pregnancy. He wondered if it really could be a sign that he was losing his mind... then again, it could be part of the fact that they were soulmates... Zara and Ching had implied that being Kreh'kle'vshta meant something special to Kryptonians, but hadn't said much about how it worked. Ching had promised that his Aunt would explain such things, hopefully, he wouldn't have to wait very long. **** Kirim-Wys stood quietly as her crew put in a call to the Council. As the images of the twelve Lords shimmered into life on the screen, she stepped forward and bowed. "Lords of the Council," she began, "The Heir's biological mother has listened to our plea and, understandably, steadfastly refuses to allow her child to leave with us. I await your orders." Kirim bowed again and stepped back to wait for the transmission to go through. "Lady Kirim," Sarn-Ra began, "are you sure that she will not permit the child come?" "Yes sir... Her public thoughts as well as her words are definite on that. She already isn't too happy with the fact that we forced her husband to come to New Krypton... taking her child will most definitely not endear us to her." Kirim wisely decided not to say anything to the Council of Lois's pregnancy... after all, if there really were spies on the Council, it would put her cousin's wife in yet even more danger... Sarn-Ra sighed heavily. Sometimes he hated this job. "Kirim, the Heir must be protected. Tonight, you must fetch her... Leave the message ball and the bodyguards; we know they will protect Kal-El's Terran family--the memories questioned them extensively. Report directly to me when you have left Earth with the child and come back to us at full speed. We will have the Naming ceremony for the child after you arrive. Take care of her for us, Kirim; we are counting on you." Before she could reply, the transmission cut off. Kirim grimaced and began to make plans. She was thankful that she had convinced the Elders of the Council to include a two-way communicator in the message globe... That way, Lois could be assured of her daughter's safety. With a nod to the captain of the ship, Kirim hurried off the bridge and toward her quarters... she had a note to write. **** Lois walked soundlessly into the children's room and carefully pulled the covers back up from where Joseph had kicked them. She leaned over and kissed her son tenderly before moving over to Kiley's bed. Gently, she tucked the blankets more securely around her daughter and pushed a curl off her forehead. She pulled a chair up beside the bed and sat down for a few minutes to watch her baby girl sleep. Lois smiled as she watched her daughter. Kiley slept curled around her two favorite toys, Clarkie-bear was clutched tightly to her with one arm while Annie's dress was held tightly in the little girl's fist. The doll's dark brown hair was tangled wildly with Kiley's own. Lois kissed her daughter gently and wondered how anyone could contemplate taking her away... It was the same kind of wrong-headed thinking that caused Clark to break up with her 'for her own good' years before. Lois tugged the covers up gently around Kiley and stood to make her way to the door. Days started early on the farm, and it was high time she joined the rest of the house in slumber. Lois changed into one of Clark's old football jerseys and slid underneath the blankets on Clark's old bed. His presence was still tangible in the room he grew up in. It had not changed much since the first time she had ever slept in it... remnants of his childhood still lay scattered all over the room. She hugged the pillow to her chest and let the good memories of this place wash over her. Lois smiled as she remembered the times they had spent together on the farm, the lazy weekends away from work where Superman emergencies were unlikely to interrupt them. It was here that Martha and Clark had finally succeeded in teaching her how to cook... here that Kiley had been conceived... and here where the holidays had been spent together as a family even before the children came along. Lois cradled the memories close to her heart and as she fell asleep, she could have sworn that she felt Clark's arms around her. **** Kirim walked into the transport with four bodyguards trailing behind her. The men were outfitted with a full kit and prepared to spend the next few months roughing it while they protected their Lord's family. If the conflict had not been resolved by then, replacements would be sent... They understood that their duties would include helping on the farm as needed as Kal-El's adopted father was getting on in years. Kirim checked the handwritten note and the message globe once more before tucking them into the pocket of her charcoal gray suit. She hated to do this, but it was imperative that the Heir be kept safe on New Krypton while Nor was in position to gain power. They entered the transport and flew down to land in the farmyard. Silently, they exited the vessel and the men dispersed to secure the perimeter. They had devices with them to help monitor the property... if anything larger than a cat entered the Kent's land, they would know. Kirim entered the house through an unlocked window and crept up the stairs, checking each sleeping chamber as silently as she could for the child. Finally, she found the children's room. She stared at the face of the little one who was the hope for New Krypton's future, barely registering the presence of the younger child in the next bed. She carefully untangled the Heir from the bedding and picked her up, making sure to bring along the toys that the little girl had clutched in her arms, leaving the message ball and the note on the little girl's pillow. She froze as Kiley stirred slightly and gently brushed a curl away from the child's face. Kirim crept soundlessly out of the house through the same window and made her way back towards the transport, cradling the child close to her body. She entered the transport, laid the Heir down on a small couch before she opened her mind to give the men their final orders. She glanced over at the couch, noticing how the Heir had curled herself in a tighter ball around her playthings. <> <> came the response from all four of them. Kirim nodded to the pilot, who immediately took off and flew back to the ship to make their way back to New Krypton. She picked up the little girl and carried her out of the transport. One of the officers offered to take her, but Kirim refused--she knew that the child was safe with her and she trusted few others with her charge's safety. She walked quickly back to the child's quarters and laid her on the bed, covering her with warm blankets. She looked around the room, satisfied with the toys and other objects of childhood that lay scattered around the chamber. Tomorrow she would obtain clothes for her cousin and have her checked out by the ship's doctor--it would be necessary to have a locater chip implanted in her arm and she would need vaccinations against the diseases that she might come in contact with. Kirim drew a soft chair up to the edge of the bed and arranged it into a reclining position... When the Heir awoke, she knew her presence would be required; the little one was sure to be scared when she awoke in a strange place far away from the people she loved. **** Clark pulled at his collar nervously as they approached the landing site outside Ka'tra'anl on New Krypton. He clasped his hands behind his back and stood stiffly between Zara and Ching as the vidscreen began to come to life. "Relax, Clark," Zara murmured, poking him with an elbow. "They'll give us an hour or so for you to meet your family here before the Ceremony of Union which will solemnize our alliance... Once it becomes known of your Kreh'kle'vshta bond with Lois, no one will expect us to consummate the union... It is said that to do so would bring destruction upon our race. They won't bite... hard." She looked at him with mischief dancing in her eyes and he couldn't help but smile a little. "She's right," Ching whispered, "Your tek'l or... aunt gets to see you first. She has the gift of Memory, so she can give you the language... it will be like you grew up speaking Kryptonian..." Clark took a deep breath and nodded as the image of the Speaker of the Council of Elders popped up on the vidscreen. "Welcome to Ka'tra'anl, Kal-El. My name is Sarn-Ra, I am the Speaker for the Council of Elders. We welcome you to your home, New Krypton. Your people joyfully await your presence. We will see you in the Palace in a few hours." Sarn-Ra bowed low and the image winked out. "I'm not so sure about this," Clark muttered uneasily. "I'm just a reporter... How do you people expect me to lead an entire society?" Ching grasped Clark's shoulder. "You're not just a reporter; you're also Superman... you've *been* helping to lead an entire world for nine years... And right now, all you have to worry about is meeting your tek'l--Lady Kyrin- Wys." Ching moved away from Clark, sat down at the control panel, and brought them in for a landing before standing and joining them. The threesome made their way over to the correct wall and went through the exit. A small group stood waiting for them at the edge of the landing platform. An elderly woman stepped forward and walked gracefully over to where they stood. Clark gasped in recognition; the woman looked like an older version of the holograms of Lara from the globe. The woman reached out and grasped Clark's hand. "My little lin'dra. How you have grown! " She began in heavily accented English. "The last time I saw you was at your Naming... somehow I expected you to still be the tiny baby my sister and her husband put in their ship... Come, Kal. We will find a quiet place so that I may give you your native tongue... and my personal physician must see you to deactivate the locater chip and give you some vaccinations..." She smiled at him softly, "We can also talk. My little love, I would very much like to hear of your life on Earth." Gently, she tugged him towards a hovercar while Zara, Ching, and the rest of the crowd tagged along. The car dropped them off at a large house and Kyrin led him into a small sitting room. "Kal, I need your permission to do this... I want to give you our language... May I?" She twisted a long strand of hair around her fingers and looked at him quizzically. "I guess so..." he said skeptically as he dropped into one of the chairs. "What do I need to do?" Kyrin smiled and studied him for a moment. "Just relax," she said softly, "and drop your shields." She watched her nephew relax before walking over to him and carefully rested her forehead on his. She accessed her language memories and began to implant them in his head, building the language up from an instinctive level, just as it would be if he had grown up speaking it. He needed to know how to read and write in his native tongue as well, so she carefully added memories of written language with the memories of the spoken language. With a happy sigh, she delicately broke contact and withdrew from his mind. "My little nephew," she murmured, "How I missed seeing you grow up... Zara told me that you have a family on Earth... I very much would like to meet the woman who stole your heart and the great-nieces and great-nephews that must be back there." Clark started as he realized that not only was she speaking to him in a language that he'd never heard more than a few words of, but that he actually understood it. "Aunt Kyrin..." he began in perfect Kryptonian, "How am I doing this? I've never heard this language before..." "It is the gift of Memory..." Kyrin began. "Those with the gift can impart memories... discern truth from falsehood... give language to others... and if they're not lucky or careful, fall into a state of never-ending Memory where they literally live only in their memories until they die..." Kyrin pressed a button next to her chair. "My physician should be here in a few minutes to remove the chip and check you out." Kyrin regarded him with a slight smile. He looked as she had pictured him and almost as the hologram age progressions had predicted. Kal was her long-dead sister's only child... who must have children of his own by now. She had often wished that Jor and Lara had sent him to her rather than Earth, but Ching had said that her nephew was happy there. His happiness was what she had desperately hoped that he possessed for years. "Will you tell me about your family and your life on Earth?" she asked quietly. Clark nodded and pulled the locket out from under his shirt. "Would you like to see what they look like?" he asked, opening the locket. Wordlessly, she stood and came over to join him as he opened the locket. Kyrin smiled as the pictures came into view. "Is this your wife?" she asked, running a finger over Lois's picture. Kyrin looked at him suddenly. "She's pregnant isn't she?" "Yes," he answered quietly as he caressed the tiny braided lock of her hair with one finger. "I didn't want to leave her... Her pregnancy with Joseph was difficult... she was sick and was confined to bed for most of it... even then, he came a month early and the doctors couldn't stop the labor. Come to think of it," he said thoughtfully, "Kiley was born a month early too." Kyrin laid her hand on his arm. She wanted to hug her nephew and press a kiss to his forehead as she had when he was a baby, but despite her memories of him, he was a stranger and she was unsure how he would react. "And these are your children?" she asked, pointing to Kiley and Joseph in turn. "They're adorable!" "That's Kiley, and that's Joseph." He said softly. "And these are my parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent." "I want to hear all about them," she began, "But first, we need the doctor to see about the chip in your arm. Since we don't want you to get sick and you probably don't have immunity to our diseases, my physician also needs to give you the full complement of shots..." She tipped his head up so that his eyes met hers. "I know you miss them, Kal, but they will be all right... and it is very possible that you will be reunited with them soon," she said softly before she hurried off to answer the door chime. **** Lois woke and stretched slowly. Her dreams the night before had been wonderful and filled with Clark. She smiled as she felt their baby kick. "It's okay, little one," she murmured, "Daddy will be home as soon as he can..." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and rose to dress. She pulled on one of Clark's flannel shirts and a pair of maternity jeans before heading to the kids' room to get them up and dressed. Lois paused in the doorway, anticipating the peaceful sight of her little ones sleeping. She looked around the room, expecting to see both Kiley and Joseph curled up in their beds. Noticing that Kiley's bed was empty she hurried over to it, thinking that her daughter might have rolled out of bed in the night as she sometimes did. she thought as her eyes lit on the pillow where a note and a globe exactly like the one from Clark's ship sat. Lois reached over and grabbed the note, hoping for some sort of explanation. Kiley had been learning how to write and loved leaving pictures lying around for her to find. It was remotely possible that Kiley was playing a game... despite the fact that the paper the note was written on was unlike any she'd ever seen before. Lois opened the note and began to read... at the first line, she fell to the ground in a dead faint from the shock of what it said... Joseph opened his eyes and looked sleepily around the room. Something was wrong. Clutching Ted E. Bear close to him, he scooted out of bed and walked over to where his mother lay crumpled on the ground. He leaned over and looked at her quizzically. "Mommy seepin'? Mommy sick?" he asked and waited for an answer. Upon receiving none, he laid his small hand on her cheek and began to pat it soothingly. "Mommy, *wake up*!" His lower lip began to tremble as he still received no answer. "Mommy?" he said as he began to sob. "MOMMY!" he yelled, trying to obtain a response. Joseph tugged at her hand, frightened. Martha hurried into the room, alerted that something was wrong by Joseph's cries. "What's the matter, sweetie?" she said before noticing Lois's crumpled form. "JONATHAN!" Martha yelled as she checked Lois's pulse and began to try and pull her up. Joseph abandoned his bear in favor of latching on to Martha's leg. He buried his face in her long skirt and held on for dear life. Jonathan, after hearing Martha's cry, ran up the stairs and into the children's room. Upon seeing Martha attempting to move Lois, he ran over, shoved the globe out of the way where it promptly became lost in the bedclothes, and helped his wife lift her onto the bed. "Martha, what happened?" Jonathan asked. "I don't know, Jonathan," Martha said as she reached down to disentangle Joseph's hands from her skirt and pick him up. "I'll stay here with Lois while you go downstairs to call Doc Robinson." Martha patted Joseph gently on his back as he hid his tearstained face in her chest. "Good thing he still makes house calls," she said softly. Jonathan turned, walked to the door, and paused for a moment to look back. "Do you think she's okay?" he asked quietly. "I mean, with the baby coming..." Martha looked at him with a touch of fear in her eyes. "I hope so, Jonathan... hurry!" Jonathan hurried out the door and to the nearest phone. He hoped that Old Doc Robinson would hurry... He wanted to make sure that his daughter-in-law would be okay... **** Kiley opened her eyes slowly. She sat straight up, noticing right away that she wasn't in her room with Joseph at her grandma and grandpa's farm. The room she was in was much fancier than her own... and someone was asleep in a reclining chair next to the bed. Kiley slid off the bed, taking Clarkie-bear and Annie with her. She didn't know where she was, but her experience of a few weeks ago had made her a bit wary. Carefully, she tiptoed around the still sleeping adult and started looking for a place to hide. She spotted a wardrobe and struggled to open the heavy door. After much tugging, the door opened enough for her to slip inside and shut it behind her. Kiley burrowed behind the clothing and huddled in the corner. She was scared. Where was her family? She had gone to sleep in the familiar, loving atmosphere of her room at her grandparents' farm and woken up in a strange room with a strange person beside her. Kiley's lower lip began to wobble as she contemplated her situation... Daddy was far away on New Krypton, so he couldn't come to help her. She buried her face in Clarkie- bear's fur and began to cry. she thought longingly. She wanted her parents, her brother, and her grandparents. She wanted to be at home. Kiley started as the door to the wardrobe swung open. She shrank back in the corner, hoping to avoid detection. She knew that the last person who kidnapped her had wanted to hurt her and Joseph... why should this person be any different? Kirim winced slightly as she felt the waves of fear coming off Kal-El's daughter. She had heard of the kidnapping by one of Nor's creatures and she supposed that the child's fear was part of the after effects. She slowly held out her hand to the little girl. "Little one, you have no need to fear," she began, broadcasting soothing thoughts at the same time. "I'm Kirim, your father's cousin... your cousin, too. We're taking you to him." Kiley looked at her suspiciously. "I don't believe you!" She shrank back in the corner, away from Kirim's outstretched hand. "*Daddy*!" she yelled, with voice, heart, and mind. "DADDY" she screamed again as tears fell faster down her face. Kiley curled up in a tight ball as far away from Kirim as she could. She looked up at Kirim. "Go away." She ordered through her sobs. Kirim recoiled a bit from the child's mental screams. She made a low soothing sound deep in her throat as she reached into the wardrobe and pulled the sobbing child out. She carried the struggling child over to the couch and sat down, arranging the girl in her lap. "Shhh. Lin'dra, it's okay. You're a strong one, child. We'll have to see about teaching you how to control those gifts of yours." Kirim drew the child closer to her, and began to murmur soothing, inarticulate nonsense in her ear. She stroked the crying child's cheek, knowing that the blood connection, the Lishra' kre'vatha, would help calm her. The blood connection was older than time immortal... For hundreds of years, it was speculated that it had something to do with their race being telepathic, but no one was sure. Blood literally called to blood... all it took was a connection of three generations, and they could feel it. Fathers to children, children to fathers, cousin to cousin. They were all bound by blood forever. **** Clark leaned back in the chair as the physician, Hir-Qre, ran a device over his right arm. "Almost finished, Lord Kal-El," the doctor murmured. "This device is keyed to vibrate the molecules of the chip and disintegrate the biological components... the mechanical ones will be naturally flushed out by your body after the organics that keep it in place are gone..." he explained as he passed the device over Clark's arm a final time. "There we go," he said before he turned around to pull a few vials out of his bag. "Now for those vaccinations..." Hir-Qre began to prep the needle carefully, gesturing for Clark to roll up his sleeve. He carefully inserted the needle into the top of the packaging for the vaccine and withdrew the correct amount. Just as he prepared to inject the vaccine, Clark suddenly sat straight up. With a far-away look in his eyes he gestured the doctor away. "Something's wrong with Kiley," he said worriedly. "I can hear her screaming!" "But Kiley's on Earth... or she should be," Kyrin said quietly. "How can you hear her from here?" Clark shook his head. "It's in my head... she's screaming my name." Clark reached out his hand and grasped hers. "Let me show you," he said, before connecting her to what he heard. <> she heard, <>. It was the heartbreaking sound of a terrified child. "Lin'dra, if you can hear her, she can hear you... We'll find out what's going on; I promise. It's probably just a nightmare... I will have one of our long-range telepaths look into it for you... But right now, we need to keep you healthy." Kyrin gestured for Hir-Qre to administer the vaccination and stepped back. Clark sat back and closed his eyes. Kyrin was right... It probably just was one of Kiley's nightmares... But nightmare or no, Kiley was his baby girl, and he would do almost anything to be there for her when she needed him. <> He gritted his teeth and hoped it would be enough. He desperately wanted to know what had so upset his little girl and set things right... personally. **** Martha smoothed Lois's hair away from her face as Joseph's sobs began to quiet. Kiley wasn't in the room, but the door to the bathroom had been closed when she had hurried past, so she logically assumed that her granddaughter was in there. Joseph rubbed his tearstained face once more against Martha's shirt before looking up into her face. "Mommy sick?" he asked anxiously as he tugged on Martha's sleeve. Martha kissed Joseph. "Yes she is, sweetie. But your grandpa went to call the doctor. Doctor Robinson will make her better." "Where Kiley?" Joseph asked. "Scout, Kiley is probably in the bathroom," Martha said. "Nuh uh," Joseph began. "Jo'eph seepy. Pitty lady up Kiley. Kiley go bye bye with lady. Where Kiley?" Martha's eyes widened in shock. "We'll find out, sweetheart." She said quietly. Frantically, she began to scan the room, looking for some clue as to what had happened. She spotted a crumpled piece of paper on the floor near the bed and snatched it up. The paper was of a heavier weight than they kept around the house and it also seemed to be made of a strange material. Quickly, she scanned the note, growing angrier as she read. "To Lord Kal-El's family, the Kents. The Heir is safely with us and guarded. I am sorry I had to take her, but Nor has made it a necessity... Despite your wishes to keep you with her, the Council of Elders has decreed that she be brought to New Krypton, placed in her father's care, and under the Council's protection. You need not fear for her safety and well being. I will make sure that she is well taken care of. The globe I left in her stead will allow you to see her and bring some measure of reassurance. It also contains a message from the council. Four bodyguards have been left behind for your protection. I am sorry. Kirim-Wys" How could they do this? They had already taken Clark with them, why did they have to have Kiley too? Martha clenched her fists in anger. She was beginning to question whether Clark should have even left with them. Why couldn't they leave her family alone? If they could steal Kiley from her bed, would they steal Joseph and the baby after it was born too? Would her family ever be rid of these people? Joseph began to whimper again, so Martha took a deep breath to calm herself before turning back to her grandson. Jonathan hurried back into the children's room. "Old Doc Robinson is on his way to check on Lois," he said. Jonathan stopped as he noticed the anger in Martha's expression. "Martha, honey, what's the matter?" Wordlessly, Martha handed him the note. He scanned it quickly, his face tightening in anger as well. "They're long gone by now," he said quietly. "Unfortunately, I don't see that we can do anything about this... What are we going to do? Call the intergalactic police?" "I know, Jonathan... If anything happens to that baby, I swear that they'll regret the day they were born." Martha sighed. "I also don't like the idea of having Kryptonian bodyguards on the farm..." "Neither do I; but I don't see how we can get rid of them, and it wouldn't be right to unleash four potentially superpowered people on the world... Here at least, we can hide them and teach them to use their powers responsibly... and I won't hesitate to put them to work to earn their keep." Martha grimaced. "There isn't that much to do around here in November... and the only place they can sleep is in the barn--I'm not letting them in the house if I can help it." Jonathan nodded slowly. "Right now, let's wait for Old Doc Robinson to check out Lois... I'd better go find these guys and let them know about the doc coming to visit so they won't do something foolish..." Jonathan leaned over the bed and pushed Lois's hair back, stroking it lightly. He straightened up and hurried out of the room, determined to stop the bodyguards they had been gifted with before Old Doc Robinson got hurt. **** Zara and Ching waited patiently with the others in the antechamber of Lady Kyrin-Wys's manor. Zara knew it wouldn't take long for the physician to administer the vaccinations to Kal-El... it was necessary for him to have them. They had not yet managed to completely conquer disease and they did not wish for Kal-El to sicken... with as little immunity he had to their illnesses, it would be like the plague of 9345... he might not survive the experience. The Ceremony of Union was to take place as soon as they arrived at the Palace; all of the nobles would be there to watch their union be solemnized while it would be broadcast to the rest of the people by vidcam. After the Ceremony of Union, Kal-El would be the First Lord of New Krypton. Zara smiled as Kal-El emerged from the sitting room with his tek'l close at his heels. "Come, Kal-El," she said quietly, "there is much to be done." Clark nodded shortly as they headed back to the hovercars and started on the short trip to the palace. Zara sat next to him in the car, wondering how they could manage to carry out this farce. Political marriages were the most common type among the nobility, but they never took place when one of the participants was Kreh'kle'vshta with another. The true state of affairs would have to be explained to the head of the Council fairly soon... It was inevitable that she would share a suite of rooms with Kal-El, but she would make sure that they had separate rooms within the suite. He had given up everything to come with her to save her world and protect his family. It was the least she could do. **** Lord Nor stood concealed in the masses of nobility waiting for their new leader to arrive. Soon enough, he would be expected to swear his loyalty to his new Lord... and he wasn't looking forward to it. His vow would, of course, be false, but swearing loyalty to anyone went against the grain. He was Lord Kav-Nor, soon to be master of this planet and one day ruler of the universe. He should not have to declare his fealty to another ruler... especially not one who would soon be pulled from the seat of power by one who was much worthier to wield it- -himself. He, like Zara had heard tales of the last son of the House of El since childhood... and he hated Kal-El because of them. It was like growing up with a perfect, invisible brother. In his guardian's eyes, Kal-El could do no wrong. For that only, he would see Kal-El dethroned, humiliated, and have his daughter taken from him. Later, he would keep him alive to watch first hand the destruction of everything he held dear... only after he had witnessed his own complete downfall would Nor let him die. This world, as well as Kal-El's Earth, would be his for the taking. **** Martha held Lois's flaccid hand in her own while Doctor Robinson began to examine her daughter-in-law. He carefully pried open one eye at a time and peered into them. "How long has she been unconscious?" he asked as he checked her pulse. "Almost an hour now," Martha said, looking worried. "There's no concussion, but it looks like she hit her head when she fainted... I'd like to bring her into the hospital overnight for observation. Has she been under a lot of stress lately?" Doctor Robinson looked at Martha and Jonathan expectantly. Joseph squirmed in Jonathan's arms. "Mommy sick?" he asked. Doctor Robinson held out his arms to Joseph who willingly went over to him. He tickled Joseph's tummy gently. "Little one, your Mommy is a little sick, but we're going to make her better." Joseph threw his arms around the doctor's neck. "Tank you," he said sweetly. "Yes, she has," Martha said. "And how far along is she?" Doctor Robinson asked as he set Joseph down on the floor. "She's around five months... why?" Jonathan said as he leaned over the bed to stroke Lois's hair. Doctor Robinson grimaced. "There's a slight chance that whatever caused her to faint may cause some... complications... I'm going to order an ambulance... I need some of the equipment in the hospital to check her out and make sure that both she and the baby are okay... Can I use your phone? It's in the kitchen, right?" At Jonathan's nod, Doctor Robinson headed out of the room and down the stairs. Joseph scrambled up on to the bed and sat beside his mother. "Mommy be ok?" He asked. "Yeah, scout, your mom is going to be just fine," Jonathan promised. He leaned over, picked his grandson up, and shot Martha a worried glance. "Just fine," he repeated softly as if by saying it everything would be okay. **** Zara and Clark approached the doors to the audience chamber with Ching following three paces behind to the left. Zara slipped her arm in his as they reached the doors. <> She sent quickly. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod as the doors opened automatically and they strode forward. Clark had been drilled in this maneuver over the past few weeks in transit to New Krypton. Zara let go of his arm and he walked forward, his empty palms open and his arms outstretched. He stopped a few feet away from the dais. As the audience fell to their knees murmuring his Kryptonian name, he greeted the Council of Elders. "Brothers in bonds, I greet thee thrice." "Lord Kal-El, I am Sarn-Ra, chief among your Elders." A white-haired gentleman began as he stepped down from the platform and came forward to greet him. "On behalf of your people and the other Elders of the Council, I welcome you to New Krypton." Sarn-Ra gestured to Zara. "Lady Zara, come forward." Zara quietly walked forward to stand next to Clark. Sarn-Ra placed Zara's hand in Clark's. "Let the Ceremony of Union begin," he said. Sarn-Ra stepped back as sonorous music began to issue forth from the corners of the room. Simultaneously, Zara and Clark stepped forward to the dais and kneeled as Lord Fryn-Trey, dressed in full regalia, wrapped an ornamental rope around their joined hands. "Kal-El and Zara, married since birth. On this day, the 10th of Gysh'na we meet together to bring this decades-old union to fruition. Thou shalt be bound together as the rope now binds thine hands. Thy lives, once two, are now one. One life, one path to travel. May this binding bring both of thee joy, and thy children as well." Trey held out a wine cup to each of them in turn, from which they both took sips. "By drinking from this cup, thou hast entered into a covenant... and this union has become legal. In the name the One Who Holds Us All, this union is now declared, in this solemn assembly, to be legal, and its consummation sanctioned by law." Trey helped them stand and turned to the crowd. "People of New Krypton, Your new First Lord and First Lady-- Lord Kal- El and Lady Zara, may they rule long and in peace." A cheer erupted from the crowd. They stood on the dais for a few more minutes before Trey led them out of the Council Chamber and down a long corridor. A young boy walked before them, swinging what looked like a censer as a bell- ringer walked behind them using his instruments to announce their approach. "Milord and Milady," Trey began, "here are your chambers. Dinner will be sent up in two hours, and your things will be brought from the ship, Lord Kal-El... have a nice afternoon and evening. Your first meeting with the Council is tomorrow morning." As the doors opened before them, Trey and the boys left, leaving Zara and Clark alone. Together, they entered the royal apartments. Zara turned to Clark as the doors closed behind them. "Clark," she said quietly, "I'll talk to my uncle, Sarn-Ra, and the Chief Elder, Fryn-Trey, tonight and make our relationship clear... There's another room next door to mine that you can have. I'm afraid that while the upper levels of the Council will understand, the people will not, so we'll have to stay in the same chambers..." Zara studied his face intently. There was something amiss... "Are you okay, Clark?" she asked softly. Clark sighed heavily and flopped into a nearby chair. He felt horrible... He knew that it would be a marriage in name only, but it had felt akin to cheating on Lois when he let himself be married to someone else. He was also deceiving a planet full of people... it was like pretending to be Superman, but on a much grander scale. He had always hated lying--he wasn't very good at it either. It was another mark against the New Kryptonians that he now had to act a lie everywhere he went. "It's this whole situation," he began quietly, "I just feel... horrible about it. I mean, now I'm a bigamist, I have to act a lie all the time, and I don't even really want to be here. I'd rather be at home with Lois and our kids." Zara laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know, Clark," she said. "I promise I'll do my best to help you get home after we defeat Nor... I know how much you miss them; especially Lois." Clark sighed again, softer this time. "I do miss her... like I'd miss my right arm. I love her more than words can express..." "Then I'll go take a look and make sure your room is made up while you talk to her! It's well known that the Kreh'kle'vshta bond lets the bonded ones speak to one another over impossibly long distances..." Zara gave his shoulder a final pat before heading down a hallway to check the room next to hers. **** Martha, Jonathan, and Joseph waited impatiently outside the hospital room while Dr. Robinson finished the last battery of tests. A few minutes later, he walked out. "Mr. and Mrs. Kent, I'm afraid I have some rather unsettling news for you..." "What is it?" Martha interrupted, looking anxious. "Lois woke up briefly while I was examining her... To be frank, she freaked out. She was saying something about her little girl being stolen..." Dr. Robinson looked at them quizzically. "Joseph and Kiley were kidnapped from their beds a few weeks ago," Jonathan explained, "We got them back, and Kiley is visiting her other set of grandparents right now." "She's been having nightmares about the children being missing... especially since Clark was sent away undercover on assignment," Martha added softly. Dr. Robinson nodded slowly. "That makes sense... I've prescribed a mild sedative for now that won't hurt the baby. The bad news is that Lois is showing signs of going into premature labor. I'm going to give her some drugs to stop that, but she needs to be kept in bed for at least a week and take it easy after that. I'm keeping her here overnight for observation as well." "Thank you, doctor... may we go in and see her?" Martha asked. "Yes... she was asking for you." Jonathan picked up Joseph and followed Martha into the room. He hoped that Clark would be able to come home quickly... they needed him badly. **** Kiley snuffled once more and looked up at the adult who still held her. "Why did you take me away?" she asked stuffily. "I want to go home." "Lin'dra," Kirim began, "we wanted to make sure that you would be safe... We were afraid that Nor might try to take you away and hurt you. We're taking you straight to your father... Your mother knows where you are as well." Kiley's lip began to tremble once more, "But I wanna be with Joseph and Mommy and the new baby will be born soon... I wanna help name her... and what does 'Lin'dra' mean?" Quickly, Kirim moved to reassure her. "Little one, we'll try to get you and your Father home by then..." Kirim sighed. "Child, it's hard to translate... I suppose that the closest I can come to it in your language is 'sweetheart'... Now, what is your name, Lin'dra? We were unable to find out before we were sent to get you." Kirim pulled out a handkerchief and blotted the remnants of tears from the Heir's eyes. Kiley looked at Kirim shyly through the long silken fringes of her eyelashes. Somehow, she trusted this person. She didn't know why... after all, this was the same person who had been with her when she had awakened, but somehow she knew that this person who called herself 'cousin' would not intentionally hurt her. "I'm Kiley Christine Kent," she said quietly. "What's your name?" "I'm Kirim-Wys... your cousin." Kirim smiled at Kiley. "On New Krypton, do you know what your name is?" Kiley shook her head vigorously. "It's 'Kiley-El'... at least for now," Kirim said matter- of-factly. "On New Krypton, your Daddy's name is 'Kal- El'..." "Is Mommy's name Lois-El?" Kiley asked, with an interested look on her face. "What do you mean by 'for now'?" Kirim winced... this wasn't something she wanted to try and explain to a four-cycle-old child. "I'm afraid not, Lin'dra. If your Mommy and Daddy had been married on New Krypton, it would be, but our laws do not allow for marriages off-planet... and your Mommy couldn't come with us because the One did not build her body to withstand the higher gravity of our planet as we were built. When we get to New Krypton, we will have your Naming... and you will get your Kryptonian name..." "Who is the One? What's gravity? Why do I need another name?" Kiley asked, trying to digest this new information. Kirim sighed... It was going to be a very long journey... **** Lois slowly opened her eyes and winced at the pain in her head. "Kiley," the word escaped with a low moan. The New Kryptonians had taken her daughter... and goodness only knew where in hell she was now. There was absolutely nothing she could do about it, either. It wasn't like the Smallville, or even the Metropolis police could hunt for her in outer space! Slowly, she looked around the room, attempting to figure out where she was. The first thing she saw was Martha and Joseph asleep in the chair beside the bed. She was in the hospital... again. Lois grimaced--she *hated* hospitals! She closed her eyes and attempted to focus enough to talk to Clark, but the pain in her head prevented her from concentrating on anything for too long. With a heavy sigh, Lois began to roll over on to her side and stiffened as she felt something like a cramp. It was much too early for Braxton-Hicks contractions... she hoped that something wasn't wrong with the baby... she thought, With a heavy sigh, Lois pulled the covers further up around her. She wished that they had never heard of the New Kryptonians... and that they had been more militant in their denial of help at the first meeting. If they hadn't showed up, both Clark and Kiley would be safe at home with her. With a heavy sigh, Lois closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Clark and Kiley running through her head. **** Zara walked slowly down the corridor towards her bedchamber. She hated seeing Kal's--Clark's pain and guilt over their course of action. She looked up to him... over the past few weeks, she had begun to see him as the brother she had never had. She hoped that he would come to see her the same way... as an ally, a friend... a sibling. She passed the door to her chamber and strode up to the next door. She opened it, stepped inside, and palmed the lights up. Zara gasped in shock as she took in the decor. The last time she had entered this room, while the furnishings had been as rich as any in the Royal Chambers, they had not been meant for... a child. In her absence, the room had been stripped and completely remade into a child's dream room. In fact it was much like the room she had occupied as a child. A large, heavy, white-painted canopy bed stood in the center of the room covered in a heavily embroidered pastel counterpane. The walls were decorated with paintings from their most beloved children's folktales and toys of every kind lay scattered around the room in colorful piles. A large bookcase stood against the wall, filled with picture storybooks of every description. The El crest seemed to play a large part of the decorating scheme... Zara strode forward into the chamber and headed toward the closet. She threw open the door and peered inside. Inside, she found clothes appropriate for a four cycle old little girl... suitable for the heir to the throne of New Krypton. Zara narrowed her eyes. She knew the law... the prepared room spoke of something she had not ordered... something that the Council of Elders had no right to order. Her Elders had some serious explaining to do. Quickly, she composed herself and let her eyes drift half-shut. <> she sent and waited for an answer. <> came back the answer in her uncle's strong mind-voice. <> she shot back. <> Sarn-Ra answered. <> <> Sarn-Ra sent with a purely mental sigh. <> Zara sent and