Gateway - Infinity Plus One
By Philip Mogul <phmogul@mindspring.com>
Rated PG-13 
Submitted June, 2005 
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Standard Fanfic Disclaimer's apply
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Again many, many thanks to my GE, Jeanne Pare, for her invaluable 
assistance in assembling this Superman story into a more readable 
and interesting tale.
_________________


Oren Kal-El Lane-Kent Gellmann and his soulmate Lara Ya-El Lane-
Kent Cogen were to meet for supper at the Flamingo Bistro in 
Scobey Montana, a small hamlet not far from their wilderness 
laboratory retreat.

Scobey was a small village, not far from the ancient Canadian 
border on a planet once referred to as Earth, but now known as the 
Terran Republic. The third planet in the Sol star system had 
formed a federation with the planet Krypton some twelve thousand 
years in its past. In the intervening time, four other space 
faring civilizations had united with the Terra-Kryptonian 
Federation forming a vast and peaceful union that encompassed a 
sizeable portion of the Milky-Way Galaxy.

While old Earth was administered by republican laws, the 
Kryptonian society supported a governmental structure which on old 
Earth was similar to a constitutional monarchy. The supreme leader 
of Krypton's governmental bodies was given the title as either the 
Selar (first Lord) or the Sela (first Lady).

Also, an interplanetary body existed which was composed of elected 
members from the six planetary societies that formed the 
Federation's commonwealth of star systems. These elected 
representatives were responsible for the fundamental ordinances 
that permitted six diverse cultures to be joined and peacefully 
work together for the betterment of all members.  Aside from some 
minor conflicts early in the Federation's history, the political 
machinery of these federated worlds now functioned smoothly, and 
the peoples of the interstellar coalition lived in a near utopian 
harmony.

***The Tale of Two Worlds***

So it was that in fall of the year twelve thousand and one that 
Lara Lane-Kent Cogen, a prominent Federation scientist, was 
preparing to teleport early one evening from the great city of 
Metropolis to the hamlet of Scobey. In this small Montana town, 
Lara was to rendezvous with Oren, her lover and soulmate. 

Teleportation was the preferred mode of travel throughout the 
inter-planetary Federation. This method of transit could whisk an 
individual nearly instantaneously between any two locations within 
the galactic league.

Residents of the spatial commonwealth could depart on a journey 
either from their homes or from numerous public teleportation 
portals. Both types of entries had direct access to towns and 
cities throughout the worlds within Federation space.

The transit network, as were the Federation's interstellar 
spacecraft, was the result of devices developed from The String 
hypothesis - a monumental work propounded some twelve millennia in 
the past by the Kryptonian soulmate team of Lara and Jor-El - the 
progenitors of the current seven Lane-Kent genetic lines. 

It was this couple, the natural parents of Kal-El, aka Clark 
Jerome Kent, the first Kryptonian known by this name, who first 
fabricated a string propelled interstellar spaceship. A spacecraft 
that, under their control, reached the planet Earth midway across 
the known universe, as measured from their home world of Krypton.

Unfortunately, the spaceship's computer failed as the Kryptonian 
vessel was preparing to land near Smallville, Kansas. Failure of 
the spaceship's principal computer caused a crash, killing the 
adult Els, Lara and Jor-El, and their daughter, Kara. However, the 
couple's infant son, Kal-El, survived this calamitous 
happenstance, and the spaceship's remains were located a short 
time later by a childless couple, Martha and Jonathan Kent. These 
kindly people, whose ethics and morals were beyond reproach, 
raised the boy as their own lad. Fortunately, in the close-knit 
hamlet of Smallville, no one challenged either the acquisition or 
the adoption of the new Kent baby - named Clark Jerome by his 
adoring adopted Earth parents.

When the Kryptonians made their next intergalactic voyage to 
Earth, forty-six years had elapsed. By this time, Clark and Lois 
Lane had been married for sixteen years and had conceived seven 
children. Lois' first issue was triplets followed over the next 
decade by two sets of fraternal twins.

So, when the second generation of Kryptonian's star sailors 
arrived at Sol-Three, the extraterrestrials were easily guided to 
Lois and Clark by the unusual - super -activity occurring in and 
around the large cosmopolitan center known as Metropolis of New 
Troy. After the Kryptonians successfully contacted Earth's super 
beings, Ultra Woman and Superman, the Kent clan immediately helped 
the new Kryptonian arrivals to establish a small colony in a 
subterranean chamber evacuated under Clark's boyhood home. From 
their Smallville location, the Kryptonian emigres began to 
cautiously interact with the people of Sol-Three and begin to 
enhance Earth's technological base. The knowledge imparted by the 
Kryptonian colonists, in a relatively short time, allowed the 
people of Earth and Krypton to meet under peaceable conditions, 
and from that beginning rapidly developed a dynamic partnership 
between the two planetary societies.

After the Terran-Kryptonian working agreements went into effect, 
more Kryptonian space sailors visited Earth and many of those 
established themselves on Sol-Three. Other colonists soon followed 
and founded numerous communities on Earth. Over the ensuing years, 
Kryptonians residing on Terra began to encounter soulmates from 
among Earth's teeming population. The offspring from these Earth-
Krypton marital unions became the social driving force which 
eventually caused the politicians to bring about the unification 
of two distinctive interstellar cultures - Earth and Krypton - and 
the foundation of the Federation. Like Clark's life partner, Lois, 
Terrans who joined in marriage with a Kryptonian soulmate had 
their genome modified - chromosomes nineteen and twenty-one were 
physically mutated.  The genetic metamorphosis of the Earthlings 
in a Terra-Kryptonian marriage allowed them to acquire the unusual 
superior abilities of their consorts from Krypton. 

The unique super powers acquired by the natural Kryptonians and 
their Terran soulmates were discovered to be solar induced - 
powers generated by certain wavelengths within the radiation 
absorbed from Earth's G-type star. These unique abilities were 
caused, therefore, by Sol's radiation interacting with the genomes 
of natural Kryptonians and the modified genetic's material of 
their Terran spouses. The descendents resulting from Terran-
Kryptonian unions not only produced healthy offspring, but ones 
with super powered abilities.

The Earth's name, by a planet wide referendum, during this time, 
was changed to Terra. 

With her altered genetics, Lois Lane-Kent acquired her greatly 
increased life span. It matched the life span of the Kryptonian 
people - a thousand years seemed to be the norm. All Earth natives 
whose genetic characteristics were altered to mimic the Kryptonian 
genome could expect the same life expectancy of their soulmates. 
The life expectancy of the progeny from all Terran-Kryptonian 
couples was also found to be in the millennium range, as measured 
in years - the same as their parents. As was determined, the 
genome modification procedure was responsible for the longevity 
trait, which would be passed from one generation to another. Over 
time the two distinct planetary cultures, as expected, merged and 
became essentially one people.

Clark was especially delighted when he discovered the results of 
the genetic modification procedure. Now he and Lois would not be 
separated by time. They would always be together - now and 
forever.

The earliest Kryptonian scientist who settled on old Terra Firma 
discovered early on that the characteristics controlling their 
super abilities were a dominant genetic trait, which could be 
stimulated by yellow type suns similar to the star that bathed 
Sol-Three with its special radiation. As the Terra-Kryptonian 
study into this phenomenon continued, it was discovered that pure 
Kryptonians and the descendents of Terra-Kryptonian unions would 
also acquire solar induced super powers from all suns similar to 
old Sol.

After twelve thousand years, seven Lane-Kent lines existed, 
established by the original Lois and Clark progeny. Five clans 
made their homes on old Earth, while two Lane-Kent family groups 
resided on Krypton.

Although outsiders occasionally married into one of the seven 
Lane-Kent lines, most of the Lois and Clark descendents found 
their soulmates within one of the existent Lane-Kent family 
groups. While it was believed for a short time that soulmate 
unions from within the seven clans would eventually lead to 
unhealthy progeny, it was discovered that there were as yet 
unknown genetic factors within which would abrogate any inbred 
genetic conditions that might cause sickly and/or still born 
progeny between Lane-Kent soulmate couples.

Oren and Lara, for example, were from two different Lane-Kent 
family lines whose genealogy attested that they were fourth 
cousins twice removed. As their time of marriage approached, 
genetic testing gave the two lovers a clean bill of health. The 
obligatory genetic testing revealed that any progeny from their 
union should be perfectly normal. Mentally, the children from 
their union were expected to be of the alpha-prime category - 
mental measurements beyond the genius level.

***The Adventure Begins***

After Oren and Lara's scrumptious evening meal at a local supper 
club, The Flamingo Bistro, the fated pair retired to Oren Ka-El's 
current Laboratory-home.
As the soulmates, Oren and Lara, were leisurely walking toward 
their Scobey home, they talked excitedly about the experiments 
they would perform on the morrow. Both forever partners were 
mindful that if their investigations proved successful, the 
results of their research project would herald a new age of 
exploration for the Terra-Kryptonian Federation.

Early the following morning, the two lovers arose with the rising 
of the sun and, after a light breakfast, descended into their 
subterranean laboratory. 
By noon, the equipment needed for Oren and Lara's ground-breaking 
experiment had been assembled and connected to their individual 
power modules. Then, each piece of equipment in the experimental 
array and its power source were checked and rechecked to verify 
that the entire system was good to go. Following this phase in 
their experimental routine, the equipment now just awaited 
activation. When the inter-dimensional vessel was activated within 
the next few days, the historic inter-dimensional journey, on 
which Lara and Oren had directed their energies for the past two 
years, would be set in motion, and their adventure of a lifetime 
would commence.

Now that Lara and Oren were on the brink of completing their 
inter-dimensional equipment check, Lara started to reminisce how 
nearly two years ago she and her soulmate had uncovered, within 
Jor-El's original String Theory documents, mathematical 
relationships which strongly suggested that other dimensional 
spaces existed side by side with their own universe. Each 
dimension, Jor-El speculated, would be separated from one other by 
an ultrasonic curtain or energy barrier. Oren and Lara had also 
discerned from Jor-El's and his soulmate's commentaries of twelve 
thousand years ago that if these other dimensional expanses 
existed, they should be similar to their own colossal macrocosm.

It was shortly after their initial discovery that Oren and Lara 
obtained a small house in Scobey Montana, a section of North 
America. In the cellar of their house the soulmates constructed a 
laboratory, filling it with all the needed equipment for their 
dimensional hopping venture.

Now, after nearly two years of planning and fabricating the 
material for their inter-dimensional vessel, the time had finally 
arrived for Oren and his beloved Lara to embark upon a voyage of 
discovery and to ascertain whether Jor-El and Lara's String 
hypothesis was indeed the key to traveling between inter-
dimensional spaces. As the soulmates looked over their exploration 
gear, goosebumps blanketed their bodies as they both realized that 
their adventure of a lifetime was finally at hand.

***The Investigation***

After completing one last painstaking inspection of their 
equipment, the scientists began to activate the various components 
of their inter-dimensional transport vehicle.

First, a constant ultrasonic field was generated between two 
stabilized neutronium posts situated six point one meters apart 
(about twenty feet), and the ultrasonic fields then steadied. A 
high powered variable LASER was then positioned ten meters from 
the ultrasonic field with its discharging aperture perpendicular 
to the ultrasonic energy web pulsating between the stabilized 
neutronium girders.

When the ultrasonic curtain had been balanced, the LASER was 
activated and discharged toward the center of the energy screen 
pulsating between the stabilized neutronium posts.

When the Ultrasonic generator and the LASER discharges were 
behaving in a normal pattern, Lara began tuning the LASER - a 
light beam device - like a radio. She slowly alternated the 
frequency of the energy pulses. As Oren's soulmate was tuning the 
LASER, a portal abruptly appeared at the center of the ultrasonic 
field - the ultrasonic curtain between the stabilized neutronium 
posts. Soon after the appearance of the portal, Oren checked the 
stability of this new doorway and the tunnel he observed behind 
the pulsating energy field. Satisfied that the new portal and its 
connecting tunnel was relatively stable, Lara maneuvered the 
recording equipment, housed within a special mobile vehicle, 
toward the new ultrasonic entranceway. The recording equipment 
would be used to assist Oren and Lara in their exploration of the 
unknown regions beyond the ultrasonic portal.

The equipment within the mobile exploration vehicle consisted of 
primarily audio and video detectors. These detection devices were 
utilized to both record and to send information. The exploration 
vehicle was mounted on antigravity lifters, which allowed the 
exploration conveyance to be in a levitated position as it 
traveled through the passageway beyond the ultrasonic portal. A 
small propulsion unit attached to the exploration unit was used to 
push this vessel and provide it with some degree of 
maneuverability. Sometime during the fabrication phase of the 
exploration vehicle, Lara dubbed this vessel  the 'Rover.' The 
name had flare and stuck. As construction of the Rover neared 
completion, a fiber optics system was attached to the experimental 
transport. The fiber optics wires that protruded from the Rover 
were encased in a stabilized neutronium sheath and would shield 
the detection system's optical bundle. This fiber cable would be 
released and retrieved by the Rover as it moved through the tunnel 
beyond the portal. All information gathered by the Rover would be 
transmitted through the cable arrangement to the recording 
instruments located in the Scobey subterranean laboratory.

Finally, after checking and rechecking the Rover power modules and 
similarly scrutinizing the sensitive recording devices, Lara sat 
down at the Rover's control panel and activated the propulsion 
mechanism of the exploration vehicle. She then slowly routed the 
Rover through the ultrasonic gateway into the passageway behind 
the energy curtain.

As Lara carefully maneuvered the Rover into and through the 
tunnel, Oren closely watched the monitors. All systems appeared to 
be operating satisfactorily.

When Lara advanced the exploration vehicle about fifty meters 
through the tunnel, she reversed its direction and returned it to 
the Scobey laboratory. After retrieving the Rover, Oren and Lara 
gave the exploration apparatus another thorough checkup. Nothing 
appeared to be out of sync.

To be certain of their check-over of the Rover's various 
mechanisms, the soulmates utilized other and more dependable 
diagnostic equipment to examine all aspects of their exploration 
ship's mechanical tools and electronic instrumentation.

Since the more sensitive inspection of the Rover would require at 
least ten hours, Lara and Oren departed for supper after which the 
two soulmates grabbed a little shuteye.

If the diagnostics went well, tomorrow would see the beginning of 
their great adventure, a sojourn into the great unknown.

Early the following day, Lara and Oren examined the results from 
their special diagnostic analysis of the Rover's systems. They 
were delighted to discover that the new screening process agreed 
with the initial set of data and the Rover's own internal checks.

When everything was green to go, the Rover was returned to the 
tunnel and two hours later was moving at a moderate rate towards 
an unknown destination. It was hoped that a terminus to the 
ultrasonic generated passageway would be encountered before days 
end.

After the Rover traversed about eleven hundred and fifty meters 
(close to seven tenths of a mile), the exploration vehicle 
suddenly emerged from the ultrasonically created tunnel into what 
appeared to be a heavily forested region. Lara and Oren were 
informed of the Rover's breakout and the conditions of the 
surrounding area by the Rover's electronic monitoring systems.

Using the specialized diagnostic tools built into Rover's scanning 
devices, the soulmates discovered that the environment of this new 
terrain was very similar to the conditions on their own planet. 

After retrieving the Rover at sundown, the two scientists spent 
nearly a week carefully scrutinizing the information their 
exploration vehicle had gathered.

>From a rigorous study of what appeared to be the physical and 
biological conditions of a new world, Oren and Lara were firmly 
convinced that journeying to this new land was feasible for their 
kind of life forms. The two scientists, after much discussion, 
decided to journey to the new expanse they beheld through the 
Rover's monitoring instruments.

It must be noted that the information acquired by Rover was one of 
the dominant factors that convinced Oren and Lara to make their 
trek. So, without much ado, the soulmates began modifying their 
exploration vehicle to carry them and 'Infinity' their pooch 
through the ultrasonic gateway, hopefully to a new world.

***The New World***

As Lara and Oren were modifying Rover, Oren's older brother, 
Joshua, unexpectedly popped in for a visit. While his stop over 
was somewhat of a surprise, it, as always, was nevertheless a most 
welcomed visitation.

Joshua Lane-Kent Gellmann, like his brother Oren, was a scientist 
and soon to be the brother-in-law to Lara Lane-Kent Cogen. 
Although Josh was a trained physicist, he generally applied his 
talents to engineering projects - the more practical side of his 
profession.

Josh was jovial, but a lonely man. He had never located his 
soulmate and therefore, more often than not, was alone in a 
society that catered to couples. While Josh's single status didn't 
produce unfavorable professional repercussions, socially Josh was 
considered sort of a third wheel. While never shunned by his 
peers, Josh's unique situation within the Terra-Kryptionian 
societal structure, where soulmate couples were the norm, did have 
its awkward moments.

So, eventually, Joshua Lane-Kent Gellmann unintentionally attached 
himself more often than not to Oren and Lara. While Josh's friends 
and other acquaintances never intentionally excluded him from 
their activities, they never made him feel quite comfortable.

On-the-other hand, Oren and Lara never minded Josh's presence and 
always thought of him as part of their immediate family. Wherever 
Lara and Oren resided, Josh was always welcome to subsist. When 
Lara and Oren finalized their soulmate union, they fully expected 
Josh to become and remain an integral part of their household, 
even as their family naturally expanded.

With Lara and Oren's strong family ties with Josh fully 
established, Oren's soulmate had no qualms about apprising her 
future brother-in-law about their discovery and intended trek into 
the unknown. Upon hearing Lara's news, Josh became very excited 
and insisted that he too should be included in their forthcoming 
adventure.

After the impact of Josh's promulgation subsided, Oren and his 
soulmate attempted to dissuade the older Gellmann from joining 
them on their expedition. He was cautioned again and again that 
this trip was risky at best, and to take an unenlightened 
individual with them would increase the perils of their journey.

 "If you would just considered the odds," Oren said to his older 
brother, "you would realize that there is a strong possibility 
that Lara and I may never return from our venture into the unknown 
- our new world." 

However, Josh argued that since he didn't have a soulmate or other 
pending future responsibilities within the Federation societal 
structure, Lara and Oren could not deny him a spot in their 
exploration party.  "If anything happened," he added, "Josh Lane-
Kent Gellmann wouldn't be missed. Without a soulmate," he reminded 
his kin, "my life already feels like a dead-end street."

Then, after a lengthy discussion, which lasted long into the 
night, Lara and Oren finally agreed, but reluctantly so, to allow 
Josh to be a part of their scientific journey.

The pooch Lara and Oren had named Infinity really wasn't a true 
dog. It was a beastie hybrid - a genetic mixture between a Terran 
Lynx and a Kryptonian Soran. The resulting crossbred animal had a 
mass of about seventy kilograms (near one hundred-fifty pounds), 
stood about hip high, and moved on four legs. Each limb possessed 
a set of retractable razor sharp claws, while the mouth of 
Infinity was packed with five centimeter long knife-like teeth. 
This varmint, as Josh often affectionately call Infinity, was very 
intelligent and readily domesticated. This Terra-Kryptonian hybrid 
was a loyal animal and exhibited a keen array of senses. Infinity 
was usually well aware of the doings within its territorial 
habitat and in essence was the protector of Oren and his immediate 
family.

As was well-known, this cat-like hybrid was not only a loyal 
companion but was fiercely protective of its adopted family or 
clan. This Terran-Kryptonian hybrid could also distinguish whether 
a stranger entering its territory was friendly or a possible 
threat to his family. Animals like Infinity continually proved 
that they were loving protective shields to their household, 
especially when baby-sitting younger children associated with its 
home.

Eight days after Josh's arrival, the exploration party was ready 
to move out.

Just before they embarked on their epic journey, Lara recorded 
their observations to date and setup a communication Link with 
Zara Lo-El, Oren's great-great-grandmother - a gifted scientist in 
her own right. This communication link would be activated, 
dispatching a come hither message to Zara ten days after Oren, 
Lara, and Josh's departure to the new world, the soulmates had 
dubbed New Terra. If Zara was notified, such a message would 
indicate that the exploration team had not returned from the 
planned safari and might be in some difficulty.

Once Lara's special communication system and other back up 
procedures were in place, the explorers traversed the ultrasonic 
passageway to New Terra or dimension X as it was so named by the 
three Terra-Kryptonians.

As soon as the Terra-Kryptonian exploration party reached their 
destination, Lara, Oren and his brother Josh, quickly established 
their base camp and ringed it with standard security devices. 
Infinity also prowled the perimeter of the camp and protected the 
explorer by its unique physical prowess.

A short while after the New Terra base camp was operational, long-
range observational aircraft was sent aloft to examine the 
topography of the planet and to ascertain the kind of living 
creatures, if any, inhabited this world. As information was fed to 
the electronic data banks from the soaring electronic spy in the 
sky drones, the Terra -Kryptonian explorers began to visualize an 
Earth-like world possessing a civilization that was perhaps ten to 
twelve thousand years younger than the current Federation's 
culture. The data from the low flying drones also corroborated 
other information acquired from satellites launched into low level 
orbits about New Terra. The data gathered from the entire 
assemblage of reconnaissance vehicles were stored in the 
electronic collection systems aboard the Rover. After thoroughly 
analyzing the mounting data describing their newly discovered 
planet, the scientific trio could almost say with certainty that 
they had uncovered an Earth like planet with a primitive 
civilization similar to one which once existed within their own 
island universe.

After several additional days of data collecting and study, Lara 
and her colleagues could not avoid the inescapable truth that this 
new world possessed an Earth-like civilization similar to one 
which existed on their home world some twelve thousand years in 
the past.

When still more information had been recovered from the 
reconnaissance aircraft, Oren and his scientific mates found out 
that within this new universe they named dimension X, a Superman 
and his soulmate Ultra Woman existed and were active. Oren, Lara, 
and Josh also surmised that since Ultra Woman was now assisting 
her super partner, this world's super couple already possessed a 
growing family of their own. This presumption was generally 
confirmed when other less mature super humanoids were eventually 
spotted flitting through the atmosphere of New Terra and, at 
times, aiding Superman and his spouse in their rescue efforts.

While everything appeared to be proceding normally, Josh still 
kept a wary eye on the conditions in and around the camp. On the 
ninth day on New Terra, Josh noticed that the portal allowing the 
expedition entrance to the passageway leading to their home world 
was beginning to deteriorate - becoming obscure and ill defined.

Upon learning of his brother's observation, Oren hurried to the 
portal's entranceway and after several attempts to thrust 
different objects through the gateway, the expedition's leader 
knew that he and his comrades could not reenter the inter-
dimensional passageway and return home by that route. The 
dimensional gateway was closed to him and his colleagues. After 
reconfirming the condition about the portal leading to the inter-
dimensional tunnel, Oren quickly returned to the expedition's 
encampment and informed his soulmate and brother that it appeared 
that they were marooned, at least for the present, on this world.

Although Oren became listless for a moment, he still managed to 
sustain the spirits of their little group by reminding them that 
enough fundamental goods and essential equipment had been brought 
with them to sustain a Federation like existence on New Terra for 
more than a millennium. "So you see," he added, "we possess 
sufficient gear to sustain us for the remainder of our lives. If 
we can never return to Federation space, we'll teach our 
descendents how to produce these selfsame items from the 
habiliments extracted from this world and other planets in this 
and nearby star systems."

Pausing for an instant, Oren then continued, "Of course, what I'm 
describing is the worse scenario between us and returning to our 
own time-space continuum."

For the remainder of that day, the little group of explorers 
watched as the gateway leading to their home world continued to 
dematerialize. Near sunset the ultrasonic portal and tunnel 
system, the way home, completely vanished from view.

When the last vestiges of the inter-dimensional gateway finally 
vanished, Oren placed his head between his hands and mumbled 
repeatedly, "What happened? Oh, G-D, what happened? How did our 
figuring go awry?"

After his illogical mantra induced by this tragic happenstance 
finally ceased, Lara embraced him. As his soulmate caressed him, 
the overwhelming despair that had engulfed his body dissipated. 
Soon, Oren was asking himself rational queries again. Did he and 
Lara overlook some critical, but subtle details, when they 
performed their calculations, and so on, until Oren had 
essentially reviewed each step in the expedition's preparation 
procedures.

Then, as Oren began to ponder his family's predicament, Lara 
reminded her soulmate that the link with their Scobey laboratory 
was still functioning. Apparently, the stabilized neutronium 
shield had prevented the communication cable from being destroyed 
when the ultrasonic portal became inoperable. Apparently, the 
bundle of fiber optics - the cable - had not been pulverized when 
the inter-dimensional door collapsed. Smiling for the first time 
that day, Oren knew that a means of contact still existed with 
their own island universe.

Later that evening Oren spoke quietly to his soulmate and brother 
and informed them that he had discovered the computational error 
that brought about their present predicament. It was such an 
asinine error, he added. An error that one would expect from a 
novitiate Federation scientist.

The mistake, Oren added, was not considering the entropy 
differences among the various dimensions, within the larger void, 
where all the independent island universes moved relative to one 
another. Incorporating this thermodynamic factor into the 
mathematical model of the inter-dimensional drive engine would 
have corrected for this randomness factor brought about by the 
mutual influences between all the island universes - entropy is 
defined simply as a measure of disorder. Here, the entropy problem 
was the result of not considering the entropy generated by the 
relative motion of the independent island universes throughout 
infinity.

Oren then apprised his soulmate and brother, "It appears that each 
different dimension is in a state of flux (a dynamic condition). I 
wrongly assumed that the positions of each of these separate 
universes would remain fixed relative to one other. As we have 
unfortunately found out, this assumption is not valid. All 
dimensions moving within the larger dimensional continuum, like 
the stars in our own universe, are constantly changing positions 
relative to each another."

Pausing for a moment, Oren added, "As each dimensional macrocosm 
(a universe) shifts, the coordinates that governed the ultrasonic 
portal's position would be altered causing the coordinates of our 
connecting passageway to vary and over time become nonfunctional 
at the terminus of the ultrasonic passageway. While the starting 
point would still be viable, a return through the ultrasonic 
corridor would be impossible."

"Can be we still receive material from our home world?" Lara asked 
her soulmate.

"Yes," Oren replied. "However, in time even this connection will 
be lost to us as the Scobey coordinates also vary. However, I 
expect these changes to progress very slowly. Millions of years 
may be required for such shifts to occur."

After his castigating discourse, Oren paced about the campsite for 
a bit. Returning, he said to his little family, "While our current 
situation is alarming, it is not insurmountable. One of the 
Federation's planet wide computer networks could be employed to 
solve the corrected mathematical relationships needed to fashion a 
rescue operation."

Oren then elaborated, explaining to Lara and Josh that at present 
there existed only a single set of valid coordinates, essentially 
one point, which connected this planet to Terra, their home world. 
"As you are aware," Oren pointed to a mark on an earthen graph, 
"we are just a mathematical singularity, one point representing a 
lone locality which could be used with an infinite number of other 
loci (points) and could create many erroneous relationships.

"You two know that at least two valid points, and better yet three 
real locations, would be needed to produce favorable mathematical 
functions that could be utilized by our people on Terra to extract 
us from this world."

After meditating for a moment, Lara said, "Gathering those two or 
three additional mathematical points could take a century or more 
even if a computer with a planet wide capacity were allotted for 
our rescue attempt.

"Since we do not possess that kind of computing capacity ourselves 
at our current location," Lara added, "and we cannot expect our 
home world to expend such resources on three people, we're 
essentially marooned." Both Josh and Oren nodded agreeing with 
Lara's comments.

Soon after Oren had finished apprising their condition, their 
discussion ended with Lara's views. Then the three Terra-
Kryptonians, utilizing their super abilities, excavated a large 
cavernous area near the spot they had arrived on this new world. 
When completed, the subterranean structure was lined with 
stabilized neutronium for protection and acted as a stealthy 
material, which would conceal their underground lair from possible 
prying eyes.

When the subterranean chamber was completed, all members of the 
exploration party agreed that their new hamlet was a secure 
habitat and would serve them and their descendents well if 
assistance from the Federation never materialized.

Soon after the completion of the grotto, dwellings were 
constructed within its prodigious interior. A small town quickly 
arose within the cavern. Houses and work places were expeditiously 
established, and then the three Terra-Kryptonians speedily 
landscaped their new subterranean habitat - parks, lakes, and 
foothills became part of their little world. Grass and trees were 
planted to beautify the subterranean surroundings within and about 
their new town. When their underground world had been complete, 
for the present, the marooned explorers moved the Rover and the 
expedition's other equipment into storage facilities within their 
new hamlet. After settling in and activating their communication 
equipment, the explorers waited for a message they hoped would 
come from their home world.

*** A Message From Home***

Six days after their passageway leading homeward dematerialized, 
the face of Oren and Josh's paternal great-great grandmother Zara 
Lo-El suddenly graced the Rover's monitors.

Zara Lo-El, the sister of Krypton's first Lord, had married Seth 
Dar-El Lane-Kent Gellmann. Like many others before her, she too 
had found a soulmate among the seven clans of her people - clans 
peopled by the Lane-Kent descendents.

Seeing his nanna's small image on the Rover's monitoring units, 
Oren raced to the hamlet's primary communication center and 
activated the town's master viewing screens. As the large monitors 
came to life, Zara, immediately recognizing her two great-great 
grandchildren, began weeping, a very unusual and note worthy 
happening for such a self-willed woman. However, within moments, 
Zara Lo-El was again in control of her emotional state.

As Zara was preparing to speak, her soulmate Seth was by her side 
holding her hand to add his strength to hers. He was also using 
Zara's closeness to help maintain control over his own languishing 
emotional condition. When Lady Zara Lo-El began speaking with her 
great-great grandsons, Seth's eyes started to glisten as unshed 
tears began pooling in his eyes. Soon, after Zara was conversing 
with the kids, Seth lost it, and rivulets of salty liquid rushed 
over his cheeks as his sobbing became ever louder while he 
increasingly mumbled, "They're alive...Lara and our great-great 
grand kids are alive."

Hearing her soulmate's distress, Zara quickly excused herself and 
drew Seth to her, placing his head on her chest. Then she began to 
massage his back and neck with both kneading and caressing 
motions. Within a few minutes, Zara's physical ministrations 
helped her soulmate and forever partner to gain control over his 
troubled emotional state.

Never before had the three marooned Terra-Kryptonians seen this 
affectionate side of Zara Lo-EL. They were stunned and amazed to 
see this tough lady behave in such a tender fashion.

Later Oren was to say to Lara and Josh that Zara's behavior was 
not really out-of-line. She was ministering to her soulmate, the 
other half of herself and the love of her life.

"You'll have to excuse Seth, my children," Zara said. "He was 
always something of a softy when it came to our immediate family. 
When we received Lara's message, my beloved thought that you were 
already lost to us. He nearly collapsed when he found out that all 
of you had survived your mishap. The tears and actions you see now 
are mainly those of relief and expressions of gratitude to the 
creator of the universe." 

As the marooned Terra-Kryptonians watched the monitors, they could 
see the relief that was becoming more evident on both Seth's and 
Zara's facial features. Relief that their great-great 
grandchildren and Oren's soulmate Lara were alive and well.

Following a series of loving sentiments by nanna Zara, Seth again 
became more serious and commented, "Since you are now in a 
different dimension, the three of you should be aware that any 
rescue attempt will be severely hindered by the lack of more 
positional information. I'm sure you are cognizant of this 
condition and know that many computers will be needed to pinpoint 
your current location.

"At present the Federation is mindful of only one point within 
your new dimension. Being mathematical scientists, you all know 
one point is only representative of a singularity. At least two 
loci are necessary to produce the simplest function, a straight 
line - one which could generate the data that could enable us to 
locate your current location. Three points, as you are well aware, 
would greatly enhance the Federation's inter-dimensional search 
patterns and greatly enhance the probability of a successful 
search."

When Seth ceased his verbiage, Zara then informed her marooned 
family members that only the Federation's world-wide computer 
networks could solve their dimensional impasse in time. While she, 
Zara, had already submitted their situation to the planetary 
computing board, there appeared to be some political hanky-panky 
from a member of the supreme Federation council that was hindering 
the startup of the needed computational project.

"While political hassles are somewhat archaic in the Federation, 
the Frelo-Le clan has moved to halt the use of any planetary 
computing systems, which would be required to discover a way to 
bring you all home. Our opponent in the high council used the echo 
argument that valuable resources would be squandered in this 
computational endeavor. While the scientific community, given a 
chance, will eventually debunk this false logic, Aric of the 
Frelo-Le's clan can politically stymie our attempt to rescue you 
for a number of years."

Zara's soulmate, Seth, now functioning on all thrusters again, 
told Oren that his wife didn't pull any punches in her 
presentation to obtain planetary computing time. "Our current 
situation is serious," Seth added. He then told Oren and the 
others straightup that it might take a century or more for the 
Federation's planet wide computing system to discover a solution 
to their dilemma after Aric's political maneuvering was swept 
aside.

Since the life expectancy of a Terra-Kryptonian was in the one 
thousand year range, time was at present not a critical factor.

After Zara and her soulmate had concluded their remarks with their 
marooned family members, Oren told his great-great grandparents 
that he wished to talk with his sister, Debra.

As Zara, Seth and Lara were discussing her coming marriage to her 
soulmate Oren, Josh was busy collecting a special cargo of 
critical material which had been forwarded through the inter-
dimensional tunnel on orders of Zara and her husband Seth. Enough 
material and gear had been sent to support her marooned great-
great grandchildren for many lifetimes. Zara's keen mind had 
fashioned a scenario where her great-great grand kids might never 
return from their sojourn to their home dimension. So she was 
supplying them with critical materials not only for their current 
usage, but for their possible descendents as well.

While the Terra-Kryptonian castaways could not return via the 
inter-dimensional tunnel, it was discovered that equipment could 
be shipped to the new world through the same dimensional artery 
which had ferried Oren, his soulmate Lara, and his brother Josh to 
their newly discovered planet. The tunnel, because of something in 
the entropy phenomenon, had become a oneway thoroughfare - away 
from their home world.

The most important items forwarded to the castaways were three 
complete library systems. These electronic knowledge bundles 
contained all the Federation information back to the dawn of 
history.

As the materials from the Federation worlds arrived, Lara, Oren, 
and Josh constructed more storage facilities to store these 
supplies. The library bundles, however, would be situated within 
the abode of each marooned Terra-Kryptonian and linked to one 
another - new information acquired by one of the library system 
would be automatically transferred to each of the other archival 
knowledge arrays - library systems.

Some two hours after his request, Debra Kar-El Lane Kent Fine, nee 
Gellmann, Oren's sister, appeared through Zara's communication 
network.  After Oren explained the entire inter-dimensional 
scenario to his twin, Debra sent a copy of her confidential work 
regarding ultra fast computers through the inter-dimensional 
tunnel to her brother.

By the end of the month, Debra and Oren had completed their 
theoretical study and had fabricated a working model of their new 
kind of computer. A computational system that produced data some 
fifty to one hundred times faster than the current planet wide 
computer networks.

When completed, each of Debra's and Oren's new computer systems 
could be accommodated on a desktop and be easily carried from one 
location to another. The older Planet wide computational systems 
needed to be housed in a building with an area of 1.44 square 
meters (about one mile square).

These new high speed desktop computers were also presented to each 
of the seven Lane-Kent clans.

While the political battle raged in the Supreme Council regarding 
the new dimension situation, all the Lane-Kent Clans went to work 
on their cut off brethren's problem. When the new Lane-Kent 
computers were up and running, four operated on the New Terra 
extraction problem simultaneously, while the other three 
computational units were utilized for more conventional research 
issues.

After the new computers were functioning, Oren's mind moved from 
the political wrangling within the halls of the Supreme Council to 
more pragmatic issues relative to the explorer's plight except in 
one specific area. He asked his nanna Zara to inquire as to why 
Aric was behaving in such a ruinous manner. If his reasons were 
belligerent, when the new world exploration group was again united 
with their clan, as a member of the warrior cast, he would ask 
for, no, demand first kill rights with Aric as the objective. The 
reason - cruel and unworthy practices while acting in the capacity 
of a Federation official.

***Soulmate Union - Marriage***

After the survival details had been sorted out, to insure the 
explorers continued existence, Lara then brought up the subject of 
her final soulmate union with her beloved Oren Gellmann. Since 
Lara was unsure how long Oren and she would be isolated on New 
Terra - an appellation coined by Josh for the new world - she 
wanted her soulmate unification question resolved as quickly as 
was possible. The youngest age, by current Federation law, that a 
soulmate pair could wed was twenty-three years. In her current 
situation, that time line was unsatisfactory.

Currently Josh was twenty-two, Lara was eighteen years old, and 
Oren had just reached twenty years of age. Therefore, none of the 
marooned Terra-Kryptonians, according to their existing home 
world's legal codes, could complete a soulmate union. Therefore, 
it was obvious to Zara that the system of home world wedding laws 
had to be modified in some manner for couples or individuals 
ensnared in the same or similar untenable conditions. 

When Oren and Lara presented their nuptial dilemma to Zara Lo-El, 
she immediately approached the Federation office of soulmate 
unions with this problem. 

Because of the extraordinary conditions confronting the Terra-
Kryptonian explorers, within two days a special dispensation from 
the Federation's Governing Council was issued, which granted 
special matrimonial rights to individuals in circumstances 
analogous to the extra dimensional marooning fiasco.

Lara and Oren were united in wedlock soon after the granting of 
the special dispensation - Lara and Oren took their final soulmate 
vows witnessed by three non family members through the monitoring 
system, which connected the newly discovered dimension and their 
home world of Terra.

After becoming husband and wife, Oren and Lara took a month long 
honeymoon through New Terra's Fiji island group.

For the moment, all appeared serene for the marooned Terra-
Kryptonians.

***Soulmate Essences***

While Lara and Oren were honeymooning, Zara was almost daily in 
contact with Josh. She informed Oren's older brother that the 
Federation's spiritual philosophers believed that soulmate 
essences could be found in each closed (isolated) dimension where 
Terra-Kryptonian life forms could exist. So, with Zara-Lo-El's 
help, Josh constructed an aura detector. If Josh had a soulmate in 
this exotic dimension, the aura recognition device would be able 
to locate a life partner for her eldest great-great grandson.

Eleven days into Josh's search for a soulmate, a strong pheromone 
identification field was detected - a meeting of life partner 
auras. One part of the signal was recognized as belonging to Josh 
Lane-Kent Gellmann while the second source belonged to as yet 
Josh's unknown life distaff partner.

After an intensive search, using Josh's soulmate aura as a guide, 
his unknown soulmate was now residing in the Midwestern region of 
the United States and was currently in a university town known as 
Lawrence, Kansas. Scouring the town with more sophisticated aura 
telemetry, Josh located the young lady. Additional surveillance 
indicated that one of her areas of interest at the university's 
school of sciences nearly matched Josh's academic passions. Sally 
Stark, his soulmate's name, was focusing on material sciences with 
a specialty in mathematical modeling of physical structures.

***A New World Soulmate***

When Lara and Oren returned to their subterranean home, now called 
Helios, the newlyweds were informed of Josh's marvelous discovery.

Following an ambrosial banquet the three marooned Terra-
Kryptonians discussed how Josh could meet and court his recently 
discovered life partner and lover, Sally Stark. Oren's watchword 
for his brother's coming courtship was prudence as Josh dealt with 
his future soulmate.

"If Josh's potential soulmate panics and informs the authorities 
about us," Lara said, "Helios would be sought after like Shangri-
la by the world at large, and as we are well aware, the people on 
this planet are especially leery about unknown phenomena, and 
particularly those which embrace off world life forms."

Because the mores of New Terra were somewhat different from those 
of their new home world, it was decided that Josh should journey 
to Lawrence, Kansas, purchase a small house in that community, and 
establish a teleportation linkage between his Kansas home and the 
hamlet of Helios. The group also decided that Josh should register 
as a non-matriculating student emphasizing natural sciences as his 
major area of study. As a student, he could naturally get close to 
the Stark gal.

A week later Oren's brother, Josh, in a cloaked scout craft, was 
hurtling toward Lawrence, Kansas at more than two thousand 
kilometers per hour. In roughly thirty minutes from Helios, Josh's 
ship alighted in a secluded wooded area, which surrounded the 
university campus.

Within several hours of his arrival, Josh had purchased a small 
house, set up a teleportation link with Helios, and registered for 
three advanced courses of study - one in mathematics, another in 
chemistry, and the third in theoretical physics.

At sundown, Josh returned to Helios to have supper with his 
family.

***Meeting Of Soulmates***

As a new semester approached, Josh prepared for his math and 
science courses. Using his unique abilities, he read and rapidly 
digested the contents of the required textbooks. Completing these 
requirements would allow him additional time to locate and begin 
sparking his soulmate, Sally Stark.

Luckily for Josh, Sally was also enrolled in the same classes as 
Oren's older sibling.

As Josh described Sally, Lara and Oren pictured a young lady who 
stood about one point seven meters in height (five feet seven 
inches), with emerald green eyes, and flaming red hair who also 
possessed a electrifying peach and cream complexion. When 
comparing Sally's physical attributes to Lara, Josh knew that his 
Sally was a stunner and would give her future sister-in-law a run 
her money in the beauty department.

As Josh was mentally admiring Sally's physical attributes, he was 
also aware that real beauty comes from within. It radiates from 
the soul and is modulated by the mind. When this kind of 
combination acts in tandem, a truly desirable and productive 
individual generally results. Such beauty is radiated by the 
person's aura and is the subtle mechanism responsible for the come 
hither message which subtly summons his/her life partner into a 
unique relationship with a lifetime kind of love.

While the university at Lawrence, Kansas, was heavily engaged in 
academics, the school maintained a strong intercollegiate athletic 
program. The commitment to a sports agenda also meant that many 
athletic oriented undergraduates were enrolled at the university. 
While most athletes were okay, some jocks were always flexing 
their muscles to advertise their sexual prowess and attract the 
feminine population at the school. Fortunately, these individuals 
also possessed an intellectual vacuum between their ears and did 
not survive as a university student for any length of time. They 
were generally not seen on campus after their freshman or 
sophomore years. Unfortunately, while these individuals wandered 
the campus as registered students, they could be a real nuisance 
and seriously disturb the more academically oriented individuals 
at the school - what they termed the campus nerds.

It was at the end of the second week of school when the physics 
division invited all students engaged in this academic discipline 
and their escorts to the department's annual soiree. It was held 
at a local inn, and it was at this shindig that Josh met his 
soulmate face to face for the first time.

As Sally and Josh clasped hands after being introduced, they both 
sensed a sudden surge of energy, which swiftly coursed through 
their bodies and bound their souls. Later, Josh and Sally were to 
realize that this energetic phenomenon was the beginning of the 
process called their soulmate union. To both individuals, at that 
moment, the idiosyncratic sensation rushing through their bodies 
just appeared to be an emotionally strong attractive force.

After their introduction, and without the utterance of another 
word, Sally placed her hand upon Josh's arm and led him past a 
group of revelers to a quiet place on a terrace adjoining the 
inn's ballroom.

As they walked toward the edge of the balcony, away from other 
couples who also came to this spot for a bit of romantic solitude, 
Sally asked Josh if he understood what had just occurred between 
them when their hands made contact. After a moment of silence, 
Josh attempted to explain the philosophical, spiritual and 
mystical aspects of the soulmate concept without referring to 
their blossoming feelings.
 
Although Josh attempted to explain the soulmate process in simple 
terms, Sally informed him that she didn't fully comprehend his 
philosophical twaddle. However, she did apprise her new 
acquaintance that she felt strongly that something had occurred 
which she somehow appreciated would have long-range consequences 
for them both.

Although still feeling stunned by the energy that had coursed 
through their beings, Sally was still rational enough to suggest 
that they should begin dating and explore their special feeling 
for one another, a feeling which had suddenly corralled the two of 
them without prior warning and possessed amorous implications.

Over the ensuing months, Sally and Josh dated with increasing 
frequency and became ever more ardently linked to each other.

By mid-year, they were a couple and were expeditiously approaching 
one of the major events of their lives - their engagement to 
marry. While Sally and Josh's courtship had reached a flat-out 
pace, other students at the school were still attempting to 
disrupt the couple's developing romance, but to no avail. Those 
despoilers were generally individuals from the athletic clique who 
just couldn't comprehend the meaning of true love. To these 
individuals, love was equated to just a lustful relationship, and 
therefore, any male or female was fair game depending on your 
gender preference.

By the end of their freshman year at the university of Kansas, it 
was obvious to all who had any sort of brain that Sally and Josh 
were an item and headed for a life long union - life partners as 
Sally and Josh often referred to their budding relationship.

***The Truth Revealed***

Near the end of the academic year, Josh with his new fiance, Sally 
Stark, attended a gala sponsored by the university at the student 
union. Accompanying Josh to this affair was Lara Lane-Kent Cogan-
Gellmann and her soulmate Oren Kal-El Gellmann. Within the 
Federation worlds, the Lane-Kent portion of the appellation or 
other official names were generally not specified. They were 
mainly used to denote descent. However on special occasions, the 
official names were used to express the status of an individual 
and his/her family line. Most of the time, therefore, Lara would 
be known as Lara Cogan-Gellmann by her family and her 
contemporaries.

As the grand party was winding-down, Josh, accompanied by Lara and 
Oren, escorted Sally to a secluded part of the rose garden, which 
rimmed the edifice that was holding the end-term affair.

When the two couples reached their destination, Josh seated his 
fiancee and proceeded to tell her a tale of two worlds.

When Josh completed his narrative, Sally, smiling at Josh, said, 
"I've always had a feeling that you were different from anybody 
I've ever met or dated. I sensed that difference when you and I 
first met. I somehow perceived that you were human, but different. 
Your behavior at times was not part of this world's customs. I 
must tell you, beloved, that at times I thought my sanity was up 
for grabs. However, I learned one truism during our courtship. 
One's feelings for a lover don't change because of unusual 
circumstances. True love is forever because it just is, and the 
feeling it engenders between two loving individuals is the 
greatest feeling one can experience during an individual's 
lifetime. When the love bug strikes, grab it with both hands and 
hold on tight for all eternity. Two people bound to one another by 
that kind of view can accomplish almost anything together.

"Love," Sally then quietly said, "borders on a heavenly blessing. 
One that was given to Adam and Eve in the Garden."

When Sally Stark completed her mini dialogue, Lara hugged her 
future sister and said, "Welcome to the family, sis."

Later that week, Sally told her parents, Michael and Lori Stark, 
of her engagement to Josh Gellmann and showed them the nearly 
perfect diamond mounted within a platinum setting that sealed her 
commitment to Joshua Lane-Kent Gellmann.

Wedding preparations commenced almost immediately, which concluded 
three months later with the nuptials of the soulmate pair.

After a traditional New Terra marriage, Josh and Sally were wedded 
according to the customs of the Terra-Kryptonian Federation. 
Present at these off world nuptials were members of all the Lane-
Kent clans. These Lane-Kent lines were linked to the wedding 
proceedings by the Federation's electronic broadcast media.

After settling down in Helios, Sally's genetic system was 
modified, and she began upgrading her knowledge base via special 
study programs using the town's electronic library system.

***Super Children***

During the following seven years, seven children were born to Lara 
and Oren - triplets and two set of fraternal twins - four males 
and three females in all. Also during this time frame Sally 
delivered five offspring, a set of triplets, two girls and a boy, 
and fraternal twins, one male and one female.

It was an idyllic time for the two couples.

The two families essentially remained within the hamlet of Helios 
and raised their children - education of all Terra-Kryptonians 
youngsters began at a year old. During this crucial period the 
underground village of Helios was enlarged so that the kids, all 
of whom at an early age had mastered the art of levitation, could 
fly about their subterranean home unhindered.

Intelligent synthetic robotic devices were also fabricated during 
this period and maintained by the Helios community. These 
ingenious machines were programmed to explore the domain of New 
Terra and monitor the ever-changing civilizations that inhabited 
their new planet. Furthermore, these ingenious robotic 
fabrications were instructed to establish concealed teleportation 
sites throughout New Terra so that reconnaissance excursions to 
various locations on this new world could be seen periodically.

Generally, these hidden locations were frequently utilized as 
observation posts to scrutinize the ever-changing customs of the 
New Terra's inhabitants. In time, these teleportation sites would 
be employed to help educate the Terra-Kryptonian children about 
the world in which they were born.

During this period of relative isolation, the marooned households 
frequently used their communication network to send information 
about New Terra to their home dimension.

Conferences between Zara Lo-El and Helios occurred about once a 
month on the average. As one would expect, these deliberations 
were filled with noteworthy happenings regarding New Terra and the 
island universe in which that planet existed.

As one year silently followed another, Oren and the inhabitants of 
Helios became aware that their periodic discussions with Zara were 
increasingly directed toward the planet on which they now resided 
and the kind of universe in which their world existed.

While the denizens of Helios slowly became aware of the subtle 
content shift in their monthly rap sessions with the Federation, a 
sense of foreboding surfaced, brought about by the altered agenda 
of their monthly meeting with Zara and occasionally with her and 
other Federation officials.

For a while, the marooned Terra-Kryptonians still accepted the 
premise that their meetings with the Federation were to assist in 
formulating a plan that would return the occupants of Helios to 
their home world.

One particular day, when Oren and Sally were returning with their 
kids from a sojourn to Metropolis, he was informed that his great-
great grandmother had left a coded electronic message for him, 
which was stored in the communication center.

After extracting and decoding his great-great grandmother's 
message from its electronic mailbox, he sent for the other senior 
members of the Helios community to inspect the information within 
Zara Lo-El's communique.

When the four Gellmann family members of the Lane-Kent line made 
themselves comfortable, Oren activated his great-great 
grandmother's decrypted electronic message and displayed it on a 
monitor.

***A Deteriorating Universe***

Her communique began, "Oren, my dear great-great grandchild, I 
bear heavy tidings this day. Please share these thoughts with my 
other beloved family members, Lara, Josh and his soulmate Sally."

After a momentary lull in her message, Zara added, "About ten 
years ago, several eminent astrophysicists, after extensive study, 
were able to unravel a scientific enigma - a mysterious phenomenon 
that had baffled some of the Federation's best minds for 
generations.

"The solution to the old scientific brain teaser has been sought 
by many souls over the centuries and has to deal with what is 
generally called dark matter, or more simply the void that exists 
within the globs of matter permeating the known universe. The 
astrophysicists, whom I cited, discovered that the voids between 
atoms were responsible for the dark matter and caused the 
repulsive forces permeating our cosmos and have been slowly 
overpowering the forces of gravity through the ages. This new 
hypothesis, which has already been confirmed, is a simpler 
explanation and essentially stipulates that our accelerating and 
expanding universe has been created by the various energy systems 
occurring within the empty region that exists between the atoms of 
normal matter we encounter throughout the cosmos. This energy, 
which forms in the atomic vacuum regions, produces the repulsive 
forces that are thrusting familiar objects like stars and planets 
apart with increasing speed. So, in time the luminous objects that 
appear in our night sky will become dimmer and eventually cease to 
exist. The current theory has also indicated that as the stars in 
our heavens vanish, we, and the universe in which we now subsist, 
will also perish.

"To corroborate the inferences predicted by the new dark matter 
hypothesis, the Federation sent probes to the frontiers of our 
island universe to secure more information, which would either 
authenticate or discredit the new universe ending scenario.

"When our probes reached the farthest reaches of our universe and 
secured the required data, the Dark Theory concepts were 
unfortunately confirmed. The universe, as we know it, will slowly 
wink out over time. Fortunately, this event will not occur for 
billions of years. In that time, the Federation scientists firmly 
believe that a life saving scheme for our people could be devised.

"However, a more immediate threat to the Federation's existence 
was unexpectedly discovered by our reconnoitering vessels. Another 
island universe was sighted and traveling in our direction. While 
two island universes in one dimension space are unlikely, it's 
still a possibility, as was recently confirmed by the Federation's 
scout ships - information gatherers.

"From the analysis of the survey ships information, actual 
collision between our island universe and this new neighboring 
cosmos will not occur in a real sense. The fields from each 
universe will interact by rubbing together, generating a 
frictional energy of sorts that will flood both plenums - the two 
separate island universes that are in collision.

"As these special energies penetrate each universe, it will begin 
to annihilate the matter within the realm of each cosmos. As 
destruction of matter persists, geometric distortions of the 
surrounding normal space will begin to occur. Wormholes will be 
generated. These spatial holes will provide the frictional energy 
with short cuts through hyperspace to other parts of both 
universes and produce a rapid proliferation of the frictional 
energy's destructive capacity. This proliferation is analogous to 
sparks from a roaring fire, which would speedily assist the spread 
of the conflagration.

"Within a hundred thousand years - ten Terra-Kryptonian 
generations - the frictional energy will reach us and end our 
civilization - destroying all traces of the Federation. Soon after 
our demise, our island universe itself will cease to exist.

"My children," Zara added, "after we perceived that the demise of 
our universe is imminent as far as geological time goes, the Lane-
Kent Clans fabricated seven additional super computers - still an 
unknown quantity to the Federation at large. This additional 
computing capacity will speed our ability to locate the spatial 
coordinates leading to your universe. Our new estimated time of 
our arrival within New Terra universe is now estimated at forty-
seven years from this point in time.

"While we are making plans to move the Federation into your 
recently discovered dimension, you must send your exploration 
vessels close to the edge of your universe and comb the space 
beyond your macrocosm to ascertain whether more island universes 
exist within your dimensional continuum. While the likelihood of 
this event occurring in two different dimensions with the same 
chemical composition is very low, the Federation must be certain 
of this condition before our people crossover to your space.

"Plans for the probe ships and the necessary materials for their 
construction are currently being sent through the one way inter-
dimensional passageway leading to New Terra.

"As I end this communique, I must say that it seems fortuitous 
that Lara and Oren discovered the inter-dimensional notions found 
in Jor-El and Lara's original String Theory manuscripts.

"Because of Lara and Oren's work, we now are aware that there are 
an infinite number of inter-dimensional island universe systems 
within the creator's domain separated by sonic curtains of energy. 
And, in at least one of these new cosmos, we've discovered that 
life forms, similar to those within our Federation, can flourish. 
Most probably, many other dimensions will some day be discovered 
that will also be able to support our kind of life forms.

"So, because of your discovery, my children, we of the Terra-
Kryptonian Federation will probably survive the dissolution of our 
present island universe.

"Once we are sure that your present island universe is a 
singularity within your dimensional plane, the Federation will 
prepare an exodus to its new living space.

"You should also be aware, guys, that it will take the combined 
scientific muscle of the entire Federation star systems to move 
our people from their present dimension to the safety of your 
island universe.

"At present all the Federation star systems are being moved to 
within five light years of the planet Krypton. When this new 
planetary array has been created, the Federation worlds will await 
the exodus directive, which allows us to move into your island 
universe and our new home.

"To prepare for the coming migration, the Federation's Great 
Council wants you to explore the space close to New Terra - to 
within twenty to fifty thousand light years of your star system, 
and locate a moderate size star cluster where the Federation can 
set up shop once the exodus has been effectuated.

"Again, don't worry about us, my children. If there is any kind of 
delay, remember the Federation has nearly a hundred thousand years 
before the matter in the space about Krypton deteriorates and all 
vestige of our culture vanishes. However, kinder, I'm sure when 
the frictional energy invades our current spatial region, we would 
have been long gone and be settled within a star cluster somewhere 
within the New Terra dimension.

"Another point, kids," Zara added, "the spectral information 
you've sent us indicates that the dimension you now inhabit is 
about half the age of our present universe. So, when the 
Federation passes into your space, our civilization will not have 
to emigrate again for about eight billion years. In that period, 
I'm quite sure our scientific establishment would have unraveled 
the mystery of dark matter and learned to control its destructive 
potential.

"So, kids, it looks as though you won't be coming home after all. 
We'll be coming to you."

After a slight pause, Zara added, "If you need anything at all 
during this tumultuous period, just make a request and your needs 
will immediately be heeded and sent through your inter-dimensional 
tunnel."

Then Zara addressed Sally. "My newest great-great granddaughter, 
do you think that you could persuade your parents to come and live 
within the Helios habitat? If they can find a way to join your 
family group, you'll have additional nurtures for those fast 
growing Lane-Kent kids or yours, and your parents' actions would 
free more adults to explore the galactic regions surrounding the 
New Terra star system."

Then Zara declared, "May the creator of all things bless you and 
guard you, show you his favor in all worthy undertakings, and be 
gracious to each of you. May the architect of all the island 
universes show you kindness and grant everlasting peace to you and 
your descendents.

"Zara Lo-El, out."

***Strangers Among Us***

As the Terra-Kryptonian youngsters, born on New Terra, grew into 
young children, they quickly learned to levitate. To enhance their 
flying abilities, they would practice their unique soaring skills 
under the dome of the Helios habitat for hours at a time. 

In time, unbeknownst to their parents, they would leave the 
confines of Helios and sail through the New Terra atmosphere above 
the primeval forests that blanketed their underground home.

Unfortunately during one of their airborne sojourns, a civilian 
aircraft pilot captured several of the soaring super kids on film.

Some months later, the telltale pictures found their way to the 
desk of Marc Thompson who administered a small agency within the 
government bureaucracy entitled the "Search For Extra Terrestrial 
Phenomenon," SFETP.

After Marc had thoroughly scrutinized the surreal photographs, he 
was able recognize the region where the pictures were exposed. 
After some thoughtful considerations, the bureau director decided 
to use part of his agency's rather limited budget to investigate 
the flying children caught on film - without any fanfare, of 
course.

Marc then summoned Dani Sigel. She was his assistant, a charming 
young woman with attractive features and a keen mind. Dani also 
was a scientist with an earned doctorate in physics and, in 
addition, she was a heck of a chopper pilot.

Several weeks after receiving the intriguing photographs, Marc and 
Dani were cruising unknowingly over the densely forested country 
covering the hidden hamlet of Helios.

After making a survey of the region, he and Dani made a landing in 
a forest clearing near the spatial coordinates Marc deduced from 
his picture data, and the two SFETP members then set up camp.

At sunrise the following day, Marc and Dani arose and by seven 
a.m. had commenced their search for further evidence that beings 
who possessed unique flying abilities existed on their world. This 
could be accomplished if the images of the subjects imprinted on 
his photographic film could somehow be verified.

On the second day of their search, the two government agents ran 
across another individual trekking through the dense underbrush 
and were rather surprised. His name was Oren. When Dani shook 
Oren's hand, she knew that he was no will-o'-the-wisp.

After some congenial introductions the three settled down to enjoy 
a delectable luncheon and share information about the surrounding 
forested terrain.

During this restful period, Marc and Dani were informed that Oren 
was a scientist from Iowa State University at Ames and was 
studying the propagation of the flora and fauna on the forest 
floor in this area.

Although Oren's research activity appeared valid, as the two 
government snoopers initially believed, the off worlder's task 
that day was, in reality, to check the structural integrity of the 
dome concealing his subterranean home. When Marc and his partner 
spotted Oren, he was measuring the stress levels on the large 
hemispherical roof safeguarding the hidden hamlet of Helios.

Several days later, however, the SFETP investigators had 
discovered that the person known as Oren Gellmann was not employed 
as a field scientist by Iowa State university - Marc Thompson had 
checked Oren's credentials and found them wanting.

When the government employees again located the supposed Iowa 
State researcher in the dense brush studying the forest floor some 
days later, Oren was immediately confronted with the fact that 
they were aware of his bogus credentials.

Instead of reacting in a vitriolic manner or defending his 
position with another bold face lie, Oren just smiled and produced 
a small device from his jacket. When it was activated, a portal 
appeared.

As Oren was stepping through the entranceway of the virtual door, 
he beckoned Marc and Dani to accompany him. When the last member 
of their party had pasted through the portal, the doorway slid 
shut. After the doorway had been sealed, artificial lighting 
automatically illuminated a tunnel, which Marc noted was about 
twenty-five meters in length. As Oren and his two visitors reached 
the other terminus of the passageway, they passed through a second 
opening that led them to a small, but beautiful, village.

Bringing Dani and her companion into his home, Oren introduced the 
government people to his soulmate Lara and their two eldest 
children Kitra (Kit), their first born, and her twin brother Ari-
El (Ari) born six minutes after his sister.

As Dani took Ari by the hand during their introduction, a strong 
energetic pulse surged simultaneously through their bodies causing 
Ari and Dani to grasp each other as they collapsed to the floor 
gasping for breath.

Surprised at what just occurred, Lara telepathically summoned her 
husband, Oren. He had taken Marc into the family's rose garden to 
get a better view of the town's beauty.

Startled by his soulmate's mental summons, Oren arrived in the 
dining area several seconds later pulling Marc along with him. 
Lara then expeditiously recounted the events that had just 
occurred between Lara's first male issue and Dani of New Terra.

As Lara narrated the events that had just unfolded she noticed 
that her life partner became somewhat unnerved. When Oren faced 
the youngsters, Ari and Dani, he realized that his premonition 
founded on Lara's information was all too valid - he was gazing on 
a pair of newly created soulmates. Lara, reading her husband's 
thoughts, gasped, as she also understood what had just occurred. 
Thinking back, Lara then recalled the time of her own soulmate 
recognition happening. That occasion occurred in a very similar 
fashion.

This milestone, Lara knew, was just the first of numerous 
biological signals that Ari and Dani would issue and encounter. 
The biological transmissions between her son and the New Terra 
woman, Dani, would steadily pull them together leading to a 
completed soulmate union. At present, Ari and Dani were still 
unsure how to manage their new passions, which Lara and Oren knew 
were already beginning to blossom between this soulmate couple.

While Lara and Oren were surprised about the speed and intensity 
of the soulmate linkage between their son Ari and his new life 
partner, Dani, Lara and Oren were not really concerned about the 
event itself. After all, it was a well-known fact among the Terra-
Kryptonian people that soulmate recognition signals and soul 
binding could occur any time after the onset of puberty and were 
not damaging to either partner.

How to handle the current situation with the proper finesse was 
Lara and Oren's main concern.

As Ari and Dani began to acquire control over their faculties, 
Lara, looking at her future daughter-in-law said, "We'll talk 
about what occurred this afternoon and what it means for the 
future. Right now, just enjoy the repast that's on the table and 
try to get acquainted."

That evening Dani, Marc, and the entire Gellmann family assembled 
in the living room. After the family quieted down, Lara announced 
that a special incident had occurred earlier that day. Taking a 
breath, she told the gathering that her son Ari and the New Terra 
woman, Dani, had become soulmates.

Following the whoopla her statement caused, she also told those 
assembled in the den that this event was similar to what occurred 
between her and Oren early in their teen years.

Lara smiled and said, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." 
Following her cliche, laughter erupted for a time through the 
lounge. As semblance of decorum again returned to the gathering, 
Ari and Dani slipped out of the den into the rose garden.

Remembering what occurred after her bonding sequence to Oren was 
initiated, Lara again asked the family members to leave Ari and 
Dani to themselves so they could thrash out any problems which 
might complicate their budding relationship. 

After a few moments, Lara added, "I know that we should be 
rejoicing with Ari and his soulmate Dani. However, the situation 
here is delicate and will require patience and understanding from 
us all. If the new soulmates resolve their differences and decide 
to remain together, then we'll party. Remember, Ari and Dani are 
from two different cultures."

For the remainder of this family gathering, we'll allow the new 
soulmates to direct their questions at the adults of this family 
group. The children will be allowed to stay, since all but the 
very youngest of you are close or have already entered puberty. 
What has occurred today will probably affect you kids sooner than 
you think. So, what you learn today may be beneficial in the not 
too distant future with an individual whom, like yourselves, will 
be born on this planet.

After Lara finished her comments, Oren chimed in and told 
everybody present that Zara had informed the people of Helios that 
they could never return to their home universe. "We must await the 
exodus of the Federation to this dimension before we can rejoin 
our people.

"Since you, our children, were born within this dimension space, 
it is likely that each of you will locate your soulmate from this 
world. So, listen and learn well what could occur in your soulmate 
quest."

Then, turning toward Dani and Ari, who had returned to the 
gathering, Lara remarked, "Do you have any questions for me?"

Ari responded to his mother, "I've already studied a good deal of 
our soulmate philosophy, so why don't you concentrate on Dani's 
queries?"

Lara agreed and faced the young New Terran.

After a few seconds, Dani asked, "Suppose I do not wish to follow 
the soulmate dictates. How will that affect my life?"

Lara answered Dani succinctly by telling the New Terran that her 
life would not be altered as long as Ari's life was not somehow 
terminated - that is, he passed from this plane of existence.

"You see," Lara added, "an aura, specific to you and Ari has 
formed about your existing bodies and has linked your souls.  If 
Ari were to live out his normal life span, a thousand years by 
your standards - you too would exist the same length of time and 
perish when he dies. Since your life expectancy would have greatly 
increased, you'll have to devise a clandestine method to live 
through forty generations of your people without being singled out 
as an idiosyncratic individual and probably be incarcerated in a 
research institute to study your longevity. Or, on the other hand, 
Ari could perish in battle, and you would cease to exist, die, 
almost simultaneously. If the death scenario were to occur, your 
two essences would return to the well-of-souls together and await 
your rebirths at some future time, where it is hoped your soulmate 
forms will create a successful union.

"When a soulmate pair has young children who would need additional 
nurturing to survive, this circumstance prevents the automatic 
death of both soulmates in the event one of them perishes. This 
modification of the death mechanism is to insure the continued 
survival of the couple's defenseless offspring."

"When you talk of children, Lara, how do I know that your son and 
I can conceive? We are of a different species."

Before Lara could respond, Sally stood and said, "I'll respond to 
that question, my sister.

"Dani," Sally said to Ari's soulmate, "like you, I was born and 
raised on this world - in a small town on the great planes of 
North America. More information you don't need, and I wouldn't 
tell you anyway to safeguard relatives who still reside in my 
hometown."

Pausing for a moment, Sally added, "My husband and all the others 
here are of the same species. The only differences that exist 
between us are man-made. Several chromosomes have been modified, 
and this slight transformation provides us with our unique 
abilities. You have seen some of our special capabilities in 
action as you wandered about our grotto. Ask yourself, have these 
genetic modifications caused any monstrous mutation? I think not. 
The rest of this discussion I leave for you to ponder."

After Sally's chat with Dani, the questions and answer period 
continued for a further two hours and then the meeting adjourned.

As Dani and Marc were about to leave the gathering, Ari said to 
Marc, "Please inform Dani that I will not attempt to follow you. 
She's fearful that if I do so, I will become an annoying figure in 
her life. I have no intent to impose myself upon her and interfere 
with her freedom of thought and action. Also, please inform Dani 
that at some future time when I'm a half-forgotten memory I hope 
she realizes that I was not some silly immature boy she has 
assumed was being forced upon her by a set of silly superstitious 
beliefs in an effort to make her my life partner."
 
Pausing briefly, Ari continued, "From my observation of Dani 
during the question and answer session, I had the feeling that 
Dani's mind was closed to what concepts she encountered and 
therefore learned virtually nothing of our soulmate views. As 
things now stand, I'll not attempt to see her again. It's best for 
her if I take this course and slowly fade from her life." Then he 
bid Marc goodbye and disappeared.

When Dani and Marc were about to leave Helios on the following 
day, Oren presented each of the STETP operatives an electronic 
key, a special implement that would allow them to return to Helios 
and visit with the small group of Terra-Kryptonians living in the 
village. Each Key was a ticket to the subterranean habitat, but 
could only be used by the original holder of the electronic 
device.

***Behold A Pale Horse***

Within a week after Zara's dispatch about the coming destruction 
of the Federation's island universe, Sally's parents entered the 
hamlet of Helios. Their arrival freed a few more Terra-Kryptonians 
to explore New Terra's galactic neighborhood.

As their cosmic quest went into high gear, Oren instructed their 
mechanical allies, the artificial intelligence modules- android 
population - to establish monitorial outposts throughout the 
galaxy, which housed the New Terra star system. From these 
surveillance outposts, all suspicious bodies were monitored 
approaching or entering New Terra's galactic turf. Such objects 
were automatically scrutinized to insure non-hostile intent.

About a year after the Helios exploratory project had been 
inaugurated, a cluster of young stars - about six thousand in 
number - was located approximately twenty thousand light years 
from New Terra. The star systems within this galactic cluster 
possessed enough planets to sustain the Federation's teeming 
billions and all its myriad races for an immeasurable time period.

As the Terra-Krptoninans in both dimension spaces were rejoicing 
over the favorable news transmitted from the crews of the New 
Terra galactic exploration parties about a star cluster that would 
be suitable for the Federation populations to colonize, warning 
signals were being received by the residence of Helios from their 
android guardians located on various outposts established 
throughout the New Terra galaxy.

After reviewing the influx of the outpost information, Oren, in a 
subdued but terrified voice, yelled one word, "Hellhounds!"

As Oren's voice pierced the air, Lara gasped, and Josh's 
complexion took on a death like pallor.

"What are Hellhounds?" Sally immediately inquired.

"The pale horsemen of space," Josh Gellmann gravely replied.

Gathering his wits, Oren quietly told Sally that the Hellhounds 
were a race of beings who wandered the cosmos singling out Terra 
like planets for conquest. When these belligerent life forms 
discovered a Terra like world, uninhabited or one populated with a 
technology inferior to their own, these bellicose terrors of space 
would either settle on the unoccupied planetary site or conquer 
the indigenous population of the technologically weaker world and 
then literally rape the planet.

When a Hellhound horde had finished vanquishing the inhabitants of 
a planet, the subdued population was immediately rounded-up and 
sterilized. This procedure was to ensure that the surviving 
indigenous population of the devastated planet would be the last 
generation of their kind. After the sterilization process was 
complete, the original inhabitants, now infertile, would be herded 
together and resettled in the harshest living areas on the planet 
to hasten their extinction.

Then the Hellhounds would plunder the conquered planet until its 
natural resources were all but depleted.  They would then move on 
seeking other worlds to pillage and to live upon for a time.

The Hellhounds are a moderately intelligent life form and could 
best be described as very aggressive canines. They have a 
predatory drive similar to dinosaurian raptors and the glutinous 
appetite of a Tyrannosaurs Rex.

The instruments from several outpost stations had already deduced 
the trajectory of Hellhound's space armada. As feared, their 
interstellar war ships were proceedings on a trajectory that would 
bring them directly into New Terra space.

"Even with their antiquated spacecraft," Oren told his family, and 
later to lady Zara, "it will take these beasts onlyabout six 
months to reach the New Terra star system, which is their present 
home."

"How many Hellhounds ships constitute their invasion fleet?" Sally 
inquired.

"From all past information concerning these creatures and our 
current assessment, there appears to be about fifteen hundred 
spaceships in this Hellhound task force," Lara added to her 
husband's information.

"How can you be sure of our adversary's number?" Sally queried her 
sister.

"Historical records, Sal, are our main source of information," 
Lara replied. "Twelve thousand years ago, on our home space, 
Krypton, while attempting to contact the young civilization on old 
Earth, we were forced into a battle of annihilation with a large 
force of these very aggressive creatures. Now, it appears that 
these canine varmints have unfortunately evolved within this 
dimension as well and have set their sights on New Terra - an 
inhabited Earth like world, and our current home planet."

"What are our options?" Sally asked her kin.

"Well," Oren replied, "we can vacate New Terra after first 
contacting the Lois and Clark of this world, apprising them and 
their offspring of the Hellhound situation, and presenting them 
with the same options we'll have to consider.

"First though," Oren continued, "I think we should talk with Zara 
and others of our clan in Federation space."

Then Oren, with Lara on his arm, slowly walked around the room. 
Placing her head on his, Lara was aware of the various options 
Oren was contemplating.

Oren suddenly stopped pacing.  Facing his family, he commented, 
"There are really only two options for us. Do we vacate Helios and 
establish a new home in some nearby planetary system and await the 
Federation's exodus to this dimension, ignoring New Terra's 
people, or do we fight the Hellhound scourge and attempt to save 
this world?"

Pausing for a few seconds, he continued, "Even if this planet's 
super folk, Lois, Clark, and their kids decided to defend this 
world, Oren added, somewhat depressed, they would be overwhelmed 
by the sheer numbers of Hellhound invaders. Faced with this 
military catastrophe, this world's super family would eventually 
have to withdraw from the fray and abandon New Terra allowing it 
to fall into the clutches of the Hellhounds - the world 
despoilers.

"However, the people of Helios," Oren added, "could help Lois and 
Clark's family save a cross section of people from this planet - 
people of letters, scientists, artists, physicians, etc. - and 
move them to a planetary sanctuary the people of Helios themselves 
are considering establishing in another planetary system and wait 
for the arrival of the Federation.

"If such a scheme were utilized, part of the New Terran population 
could be saved, preserving the genome of the New Terra indigenous 
population. While I believe that all the unique genetic 
information indigenous to this planet could be preserved by this 
cross-sectional selection game plan, there is still a possibility 
that much genetic info could still be lost.

"Or," Oren said after a short pause, "should we four Terra-
Kryptonians give into our anger bordering madness and battle for 
New Terra's right to exist even knowing our fight for this world 
and its people may be futile at best."

As Sally gazed at the others in her clan, she noted a change in 
their demeanor. She sensed something she couldn't explain and 
watched as an intense flame filled their eyes. This disposition 
intensified as Oren was finishing his final and somewhat radical 
suggestion.

As Oren gazed at his family after he finished summarizing the 
family's options in this crisis, he smiled. After a few seconds, 
Oren remarked, "I guess our position is clear and our path of 
action determined."

Then with eyes flashing and filled with the passion of a warrior, 
he said, "We stay, and we fight for this world and its people."

At that moment Sally was so proud of her kin that her chest nearly 
exploded. Given time, Sal would have performed a series of barrel 
rolls as she flew to the moon and back again.

That evening, the adult inhabitants of Helios had a long and 
profound discussion concerning the Hellhound situation and in the 
end they somewhat reluctantly agreed with Oren's strategies for 
the coming battle. His plans were also firmly supported by the 
other Terra-Krytonians within the Federation's military.

During their conference, it was also agreed that none of the 
Helios children would be engaged in the coming hostilities.

While many past civilizations, and a few existing ones that had 
arisen on New Terra, had espoused many altruistic  views, most of 
these cultures backed-off and disregarded their supposedly deep-
seated convictions when confronted by an opponent with a stronger 
military establishment. Especially one that threatened their 
comfortable life styles. By Oren's action and with the support of 
the other Federation members, Sally realized that her husband's 
civilization not only embraced altruistic views but would commit 
itself, if necessary, in the defense of others, not necessarily 
belonging to their own social grouping, and defend people from the 
fear caused by injustice and terror of an aggressor society. To 
support their principles and help all cultures seeking freedom, 
the people of the Federation had on occasion even waged war to 
defend civilizations who sought to preserve the dignity of freedom 
for themselves and their descendents - Societies who were in no 
position to defend themselves.

That next evening Oren had a long strategy meeting with his great-
great grandmother, Zara Lo-El. Battle plans were summarized, and 
the specific war materials needed for the coming campaign were 
itemized and orders rapidly dispatched to expedite this equipment 
to the Helios citadel on New Terra through the still functioning 
inter-dimensional tunnel.

Unfortunately, the finest cruisers, those with hulls overspread 
with stabilized neutronium, were not available. The entire fleet 
was on maneuvers and would not return to their bases in time to be 
used in conflict with the Hellhounds. Even if some of the super 
warships of the Federation were immediately recalled, they would 
still not arrive in time to intercept the advancing Hellhound 
fleet.

So, Zara had to send Oren and his kin older assault vessels, which 
were the backbone of the Federation's armed forces in the past. 
These fighting vessels were a generation out-of-date - retired 
after the last fleet modernization. Fortunately, the weaponry 
forwarded with these older war ships was the latest and most 
lethal in the Federation's arsenal.

Within forty-eight hours, fifteen Federation battle cruisers were 
sent through the dimensional tunnel - four of these vessels would 
be kept in reserve in the coming conflict. These vessels would be 
utilized to plug gaps as they occurred in their battle array.

The armor plating protecting these Helios battle cruisers was an 
alloy composed mainly of spent uranium.
The crews of these starships would, for the moment, have a 
compliment of Oren and the other Terra-Kryptonian adults. Forty or 
so AI personnel (artificial intelligence units) would complete the 
ship's compliments. An ultrasonic Laser system - defensive 
weaponry - would protect each ship and was capable of rending all 
kinds of matter; they would be used at close range. These laser 
devices would be utilized also when the enemy vessels attempted to 
close with the New Terran war craft.

The main offensive battle weapon in the Helios fleet was called 
the Disrupter. This military attack device possessed an almost 
infinite range and created a space warp dragging an enemy to a 
null continuum - normal matter ceased to exist in this spatial 
plane. Emitting an electromagnetic ray, whose properties were 
known only to a hand-full of individuals within the Federation's 
military-science complex. This weapon would draw any object 
captured in its field to a null continuum and its destruction.

The Disrupter would essentially envelop a selected area of the 
cosmos that contained large numbers of the enemy. The 
electromagnetic field produced would then pull that specific 
region of space, loaded with the attacking space ships, and thrust 
the void itself and any objects within it into a null continuum 
where neither space nor mass could exist. If a hostile space 
armada could be corralled in one fell swoop within the disrupter's 
beams, the battle would essentially be terminated as the enemy 
space fleet, trapped within the en-globing field of the disrupter, 
was destroyed.

The backlash caused by the Disrupter was usually called a space 
quake, and was caused by the surrounding normal space as it rushed 
to fill the spatial cavity created by the weapon. As normal space 
moved to fill the empty spatial cavity, stars, planets, and other 
celestial bodies would be pulled along within the normal time-
space continuum. During such a spatial dislocation, stars might 
collide and destroy planetary systems and spew other interstellar 
objects about the disrupted area. Because of the space quake that 
accompanies the use of the Disrupter, the Federation was extremely 
cautious when using weaponry of this character.

The day following Oren's discussion with his great-great 
grandmother, military equipment began arriving by way of the 
inter-dimensional passageway at a prodigious rate.

As the martial accouterments arrived, Sally, after some 
experimentation, discovered that living organisms could no longer 
pass through the inter-dimensional gateway unscathed. They simply 
perished. The slightly displaced inter-dimensional entranceway now 
generated a local electromagnetic field that would eradicate 
living entities. The off-center inter-dimensional doorway had no 
adverse effect on inanimate objects.

While their AI were busy transferring the incoming military 
supplies from the ultrasonic portal to the hamlet of Helios, Oren 
called a meeting of the four Terra-Kryptonians adults.

When they had seated themselves around the conference table, Oren 
outlined the battle strategy and the tactics that they would 
employ when the Hellhounds were bushwhacked near the Deneb star 
system.

It was during these deliberations that Oren informed his kin about 
their fighting equipment - the laser rendering device and the 
Disrupter system.

While the preparation of New Terra's defenses was proceeding, it 
was decided by the Terra-Kryptonian colony members, with the 
Federation Council's blessing, that Kal-El and Lo-El - the Clark 
Kent and Lois Lane of New Terra- be apprised of the situation. 
However, it was also decided that the Kent/Lane offspring were not 
to be informed of the Helios colony just yet.

The logic of the Federation's council concerning the Lane/Kent 
kids was puzzling to Oren, but he would follow the council's 
orders for the present. Irrational thinking by Federation 
politicians was the least of his problems at the moment.

So, several days later, Oren entered the Daily planet searching 
for Lois Lane and/or Clark Kent. Seeing the hustle bustle of the 
bullpen, he was stunned by the apparent chaos that accosted his 
eyes.

As he stood at the entrance to the news floor, Oren attempted, by 
using his super senses, to locate the whereabouts of this world's 
home spun super beings, Lois Lane and/or her husband, Clark Kent.

While Oren was surveying the Daily Planet's bullpen, a young man 
approached him and introduced himself as Jimmy Olsen. After some 
friendly chitchat, Oren was courteously asked whom he wished to 
see. When Jimmy was informed, he directed Oren to a small office 
at the Northeast corner of the newsroom.

Arriving at the front of the rather small office, Oren introduced 
himself to the secretary and asked if he could have an audience 
with either of the Kents. The secretary then inquired if he had an 
appointment with either of the Kents. When Oren replied 
negatively, the Terra-Kryptonian was asked to take a seat.

For the remainder of that workday and the entire following day, 
Oren sat in the foyer of the Kent's office - known to him also as 
Superman and Ultrawoman.

On the third day of Oren's vigil, Lois became cognizant that there 
was a young man seated in the antechamber of her office who looked 
familiar.

After entering her office, Lois called her secretary, a woman who 
serviced both herself and Clark, and asked about Oren. She was 
informed that this man had been waiting more than two days to see 
either herself or her husband. Because he didn't have an 
appointment, the secretary informed Lois that she'd been ignoring 
him, hoping the man would just leave. Lois was shocked at her 
secretary's response. Tomorrow Lois Lane would speak with Perry 
and obtain a more professional and humane administrative assistant 
from the secretarial pool. She and Clark must always be available 
to any individual who wished to see them. Her current secretary's 
attitude really shocked her. For now, however, she told her 
current secretary to send the young man to her office. The 
intrepid reporter realized that the man had been sitting in her 
office antechamber for the past several days, far too long, to see 
either herself or Clark. "What persistence," Lois thought as Oren 
entered her office and took a seat himself when Lois offered him a 
chair. When Oren was comfortable, Lois introduced herself.

As Lois reached across her desk toward Oren, he immediately arose 
and clasped her hand to complete their introduction. She smiled. 
Not since Clark had acted in a similar fashion, when Lois first 
met him, was she exposed to this type of manners especially in the 
Planet's usually chaotic bullpen.

After they had shaken hands, Lois asked, "What can I do for you, 
sir?"

After a slight lull in their conversation following their 
introduction, Oren remarked, "I'm here to speak with either you or 
your husband, Ms. Lane."

Smiling Lois said, "You mean that either one of us can be of 
service. You must admit that sounds a little odd."

"Not at all, Ms. Lane," Oren responded. "One needs to converse 
only with one member of a soulmate pair, and the other life 
partner will be aware of what was transmitted to his/her life 
partner."

Although Lois was momentarily taken aback by Oren's language, she 
rapidly regained her composure and invited the young man into an 
isolated section of her inner office, one she shared only with her 
husband. Nothing said in this part of the office could be heard 
outside this area.

As Lois was seating herself, she invited Oren to make himself 
comfortable.

When Oren was seated, Lois asked, "Are you an emissary from NK?"

"NK?" Oren inquired.

"New Krypton," Lois replied.

Smiling, Oren said, "I was unaware that any Kryptonians survived 
the destruction of their world in this space-time continuum, 
except, of course, baby Kal-El."

Before Lois could field more questions, Oren raised his hand and 
said, "It is important that you and your soulmate come to Helios, 
which is our subterranean hamlet. In our concealed village you'll 
meet the rest of my family. During your sojourn all of your 
questions will be answered to you and Clark. But, please hurry, my 
inter-dimensional kin. Time is short, and becoming dangerously 
shorter even as we speak."

"Inter-dimensional kin?" Lois queried her guest.

"Please, Lois, come to Helios. I really can't say more at this 
location."

Then Oren handed Lois what appeared to be a button-like device. As 
she examined the smoothly rounded instrument Oren told her, "When 
activated, this contrivance will connect you to a teleportation 
network which will allow you and your soulmate to be whisked to 
Helios, the home of my people.

"Another thing, Ms. Lane.  Please don't tell your children or any 
other individuals about our little tete-a-tete."

Before Lois could say more, Oren activated his own teleportation 
implement and disappeared.

When the Lane-Kent household had settled down one evening a week 
later, Lois and Clark, adjourned to their secluded home office, 
activated the teleportation device and were instantaneously 
transported to the hamlet of Helios.

Soon after they arrived, the New Terra's home-grown superheroes 
saw a host of youngsters flying rapidly above the village. As they 
watched, it became obvious that the youngsters were apparently 
involved in some sort of game as they streaked across the sky 
toward a large grotto leading away from the village.


As the kids moved off, Lane and Kent of New Terra focused on the 
village and saw four adults walking rapidly towards them.

When the six super beings finally met and introductions exchanged, 
three couples made their way to Josh and Sally's abode.

After a small repast, Oren told the New Terra Kents the entire 
saga leading to their arrival and settling upon their world. Then, 
Zara, by using an inter-dimensional communication system between 
the Federation and Helios, added her comments about the marooning 
of Oren's family and informing the Lois and Clark of New Terra 
that after her great-great grandchildren's inter-dimensional 
experiment, the Federation had discovered that their space-time 
continuum was rapidly approaching its end. She also informed the 
entire group that in about forty years, the Federation would enter 
New Terra's space and establish itself in a cluster of stars 
discovered by Oren and situated about twenty thousand light years 
from New Terra itself.

Then Zara gave Lois and Clark the cold water treatment by 
informing them about the possible forthcoming Hellhounds invasion 
threat.

To sooth Lois and Clark's fears, Zara explained that her four 
great-great grandchildren aided by a number of androids would do 
battle for their planet's survival. As her kin prepared for the 
coming military engagement, Zara asked Lois and Clark to create a 
list of one hundred thousand New Terra inhabitants who would be 
transported to Helios by the Terra-Kryptonian teleportation system 
if the battle appeared to be going against her great-great grand 
kids. In Helios, they would find an ark, a large spacecraft, which 
would carry those individuals on Lois and Clark's survival list, 
including the offspring of the New Terra's super beings. Room in 
the ark had also been reserved for Sally's parents and the 
children sired by Oren and Josh.  When loaded, the ark would 
transport these people to star systems within a cluster of solar 
furnaces twenty thousand light years from their current world. 
Here, they'd be lodged in villages that had already been erected 
and provided with necessary provisions.

After a slight pause in Zara's rhetoric, she added, "Please don't 
be alarmed when the Federation enters your island universe. We 
will not interfere with your maturing civilization, except to 
provide protection from space born enemies, if needed. Eventually, 
we'll begin to add to your knowledge base, surreptitiously of 
course, so the social and physical conditions on your world will 
improve. Of course, we'll first talk to you about any such 
endeavors before we become embroiled in any undertakings."

Zara also informed Lois and Clark of New Terra that when the 
Federation entered their dimension space, any Hellhound 
populations still in existence would be promptly eradicated.

When Zara finished her comments, Lois Lane sought out Oren's wife, 
Lara. After a few friendly words, Lois quietly remarked, "You and 
my first born, Laura, could almost pass for twins. Except for hair 
and eye color differences, your complexion and to some degree your 
features could pass for those of my daughter."

"I'm not surprised," Lara replied. "In each dimension where our 
life forms can exist, an essence permeates all new life as it is 
conceived, and after birth, that life form will seek its soulmate. 
In your case, Lois, it was Kal-El who sought you out, and after 
your soulmate recognized its life partner, a forever partnership 
was forged between each of you. If you look closely at Oren, 
you'll see many traits that are common to your husband and my 
beloved. You shouldn't be surprised when the men we love behave in 
many similar ways. Although Oren and I are Lane-Kent descendents 
in a Federation founded within another dimension, if you examine 
our DNA, Lois, you'll discover that it's very similar to yours and 
your offspring. Lois, always remember that Oren and I are Lane-
Kent descendents born twelve thousand years after Jor-El and his 
family reached old Earth within our dimension and perished, 
unfortunately, upon landing. So in each isolated universe, I 
believe, identical soulmates exist. When the Federation enters 
your dimension, however, that condition will cease - two 
dimensions will combine to become one."

Lara then became more solemn and said to Lois, "I'm glad that you 
told me about your Laura." Pausing for a moment, Lara added, "If 
I'm slain in the coming battle with the Hellhounds, please get 
your daughter and Oren together, somehow. It is more than likely 
that your daughter and my Oren are soulmates, born in two 
different dimensions. They could have a life together." 

After a slight pause Lara also told Lois, "Normally, if one half 
of a soulmate pair dies, the remaining half perishes as well. It 
appears, however, that among isolated dimensions duplicate 
soulmates can exist. If I am correct, my Oren would survive. Your 
Laura and my Oren would be able to form a soulmate union because 
of this unique soulmate duplication condition. As I indicated, 
when our dimensions become linked, future soulmate duplication 
will cease to exist."

Lois took Lara by the hand and remarked, "Let's hope and pray that 
none of you will perish during the approaching conflict of which 
Oren and Zara both spoke.

"Anyway, Laura is too young to be considering a serious romantic 
relationship - she's only sixteen," Lois informed Lara.

Then Lois added, "There is a guy who frequently takes Laura out 
and wines and dines her. His name is Lyle Langdon. At present, 
he's on the executive board of LL Industries, Inc."

When Lara heard the name of Laura's occasional dating companion, 
she asked Lois, "Do you happen to know what the initials LL refer 
to in the name of Lyle's corporation?"

"No, I don't," Lois replied.

"If I were you, Lois," Lara remarked, "I'd find out more about LL 
Industries. When I once gazed upon Lyle Langdon an ill wind blew 
through my soul."

"All I can tell you, Lara," Lois commented, "is that the meaning 
of the LL letter grouping appears to be a corporate held secret, 
known only to a handful of trusted board members. Lyle is a 
ranking member of that official body."

"I know your planetary civilization doesn't yet possess the 
technical means to expeditiously investigate LL industries," Lara 
said to Lois. "But," Lara continued, "my colleagues and I do. I'll 
see what I can discover about Lyle Langdon and LL Industries in 
the next few weeks. The Helios androids will help speed up my 
quest."

Several weeks later, Lois received a message from Lara asking that 
she meet her at Ferdangos of Metropolis for Lunch in two days. A 
postscript in the note simply said that the meaning of LL notation 
had been deciphered."

Sitting at the restaurant, Lara first described her research 
methods. Then she said to Lois, "You can certainly understand why 
Lyle's firm would wish to keep the LL tag as a proprietary item. 
As you well know, Lex Luthor became, before his demise, one of the 
most scorned men in Metropolis, if not the world. Knowing that 
Luthor was somehow attached to LL Industries would not bode well 
for the financial future of the LL corporation.

 "Here's the kicker, Lois," Lara said, "Lyle Langdon is Lex 
Luthor's grandnephew. Also, my New Terra kin, Lyle's surname is 
Luthor not Langdon. Langdon is a fictitious appellation designed 
to conceal Lyle's real family connections."

Upon hearing Lara's news, Lois paled for a moment. History seemed 
to be repeating itself. Lois Lane-Kent realized that Langdon, by 
making use of his charm and wealth, was attempting to gain the 
trust of the Kent family.

Looking at Lara, Lois asked, "Is Lyle attempting to win Laura's 
hand in marriage by playing up to us? Lex Luthor knew, just before 
he was dethroned and perished, that Clark was Superman. So," Lois 
commented, "it would be natural to assume that Lyle was now 
cognizant of the Kent family secret and would act against us in 
some manner."

"It's more insidious than you can imagine," Lara responded to 
Lois' worrisome questions.

After a brief pause, Lara informed her inter-dimensional kin, 
"Lyle intends to prevent your children from marrying and 
procreating another generation of Lane-Kent family. If his plan is 
successful, New Terra's super family will become extinct. When 
your kids pass on and leave no descendents, the vision of Utopia 
will vanish."

While Lois was recovering from the shock of Lara's info, Oren's 
soulmate added, "Remember that Lyle is not a psychopath like his 
great uncle Lex. However, he is not above using devious methods to 
obtain what he desires. I must tell you that Lyle, like Lex, is a 
control freak. Since there appears to be no true affection between 
your daughter and Luthor's grandnephew, he seems to have two 
objectives where Laura is concerned.

"His first goal appears to be one of effecting her negative views 
concerning LL Industries. Then, after altering your daughter's 
opinions about his company, have her compose complimentary 
editorials about his business ventures.

"Secondly, by creating a false romantic impression and dating 
Laura on occasion, Lyle expects to discourage other males from 
becoming attracted to your daughter as a romantic interest and 
perhaps begin a relationship leading to marriage. Laura's marriage 
must be avoided at all costs.

"Oh," Lara asked, "do to you have a neighbor, a young man, by the 
name of Damon Bainbridge? Sort of a large brutish type guy."

"Yeah," replied Lois. "His folks own a house a little way down our 
street."

"Lois," Lara added, "LL corporation is paying Damon to prevent 
guys from visiting your twins girls, Kara and Rebecca. Damon is 
doing Lyle's bidding to earn monies for his education fund.

"My nephew, Jeremy, came to your home when he was about twelve 
years of age because he was attracted by a come hither pheromone 
aura from one of your girls. However, he was prevented from 
meeting either of your daughters by Lyle's gargantuan guardian, 
Damon.

"After you received Damon's report about male prowlers, you helped 
Lyle's plan along by restricting Kara's and Rebecca's ability to 
adequately socialize.

"Your boys, Jon and Sam, thus far, seem to be A-OK. You and your 
soulmate seem to allow them more freedom to mingle with opposite 
gender. If either of the boys locates a soulmate, I believe Lyle 
will hirer a hit man to eradicate the young lady in question."

After some thought, Lois said to Lara, "What am I to do?"

"If Laura were my daughter," Oren's soulmate replied, "I would not 
forbid her from seeing Lyle after, of course, apprising her of his 
plans. Let her enjoy herself at his expense. He'll provide her 
with an international education while he wines and dines her in 
his attempt to secure control of her thought processes and control 
her views about the actual aims of LL Industries. As Lyle plies 
her with an unrealistic life style, Laura will be able to provide 
your family with valuable information that will help stifle his 
iniquitous activities.

"Your youngest offspring, Kara and Rebecca, are still too young to 
be affected by a lack of more sociable activity. However, I would 
loosen up a bit and allow them to have more freedom of movement 
and a bit more party activity within your neighborhood.

"Since you are aware of Langdon's sinister designs, any moves by 
Lyle to harm your girls or any of your kids can be easily 
thwarted. Because of their unique abilities and Dr. Klein's 
Kryptonite vaccine, I don't believe that Langdon could hurt your 
kids by any kind of physical means."

Lois then smiled at her inter-dimensional kin and commented, 
"Lara, you think exceptionally well. Your ideas about vanquishing 
Lyle Langdon merit a decoration."

"I have ancestors with good genes," Oren's soulmate replied. Lois 
just giggled.

As Lara and Lois went off to obtain some refreshments, Oren said 
to Clark, "Did you overhear what Lara said to your soulmate 
through your telepathic connection with Lois." 

Clark nodded his head and remarked, "I feel like a fool. To be 
taken in by that Langdon fellow really galls me."

"Don't fret, my friend. Your new found information can now work 
for you to the detriment of Lyle Langdon, the last of the Luthors. 
Come, let's take a stroll through the park." Clark nodded as Oren 
pointed the way and off they went.

*******Galactic Decisions*******

After Oren and Clark returned from their walk, they were off to 
Josh and Sally's abode where they found Marc and Dani waiting. As 
Marc was about to address the Hellhound problem, Lara and Lois 
joined the group and their soulmates.

After formal introductions were made, Marc again spoke with Oren 
and said, "Dani and I are aware of the impending Hellhound 
invasion of our world."

Oren, taken aback for a few seconds, suddenly smiled and replied, 
"The telepathic linkage between Ari and Dani keep you informed 
with the doings in the Helios community." Marc's assistant, Dani, 
smiled as she nodded, supporting Oren's communication thesis 
between the reluctant soulmate pair.

Then Lara's soulmate, facing the two SFETP agents, asked, "So, my 
New Terra friends, where do we go from here?"

When Oren finished his query, the SFETP director's appearance took 
on a more serious bent and he said, "Since our world and its 
people have been threatened with possible extinction, Dani and I 
feel that we should be part of any military action waged against 
the hellhound hordes wishing to devour our world."

Looking at his friend, Oren said, "I cannot stop you from 
assisting us in the coming fray. However, if Dani joined you in 
this military action, her demise during the coming battle will 
cause my son, Ari, to mount the Pale Horse and be whisked from 
this plane of existence."

As Oren made his dire comments, Dani inserted her views into their 
conversation. "Your assertions, Oren, while most likely true, are 
forcing me to make a melancholy choice. Do I enter the battle 
fearing that my death will cause the demise of another. Or do I 
fight for the greater good, the salvation of my world and its 
people and cease to worry about the consequences of my choice. 
That is the choice I now face."

Before Dani could say more, Ari, who had entered the chamber while 
Marc and his father were discussing the soulmate's dilemma between 
Dani and himself, now felt it was his time to speak.

"Father, Marc," Ari's spirited voice was suddenly heard,  "You 
have placed Dani in an untenable position. She wishes to support 
her people, which to my mind is the proper thing for her to do. 
Yes, my life will be forfeited if she perishes - it's a soulmate 
statute. However, what good is our existence if a trek through 
life would be agonizingly lonely, as the situation now exists, if 
we both survive and travel the road of life separately? Every day 
I can feel her in my mind and at night by body longs for her, my 
life partner, to be at my side. For both of us to suffer for a 
thousand years is also a criminal act. So I suggest that both of 
us become part of New Terra's defense forces and fight the 
Hellhounds in an attempt to save our world. Since there are no 
statues which govern the age at which a Terra-Kryptionian can face 
combat if that battle is forced upon him/her, you cannot legally 
prevent me from joining Dani in this muster."

After pondering Ari's words, Oren said, "You're correct, my son. 
So be it. You and Dani are now part of the Terra's military and in 
the creator's hands."

As soon as Oren acquiesced to Ari's request, a scream was heard 
throughout the room. Lara ran across the floor yowling, "No, no, 
no... He's too young." Lara's lament, while not logical, was a 
normal response for a parent, especially a mother, attempting to 
protect a cub from a situation placing a son in harm's way in a 
situation that would most likely cause his demise.

Following Lara's outburst, Oren gently took his wife in his arms 
and led her into the next room. Still holding her affectionately, 
the soulmates conversed and eventually reached a meeting of the 
minds. Both Ari and Dani would join their warrior contingent, 
which would fight against those life forms attempting to destroy 
New Terra - the Hellhound scourge.

That evening Dani sought out her soulmate. When she located him, 
he was sitting in the park and completing the final draft of an 
important scientific work - a treatise which would demonstrate how 
to ascertain which of the multifarious time-space dimensional 
fields could be populated by their species or a similar type of 
life form.

This academic work was Ari's first creative endeavor and could 
very easily be his last inventive undertaking. His coming military 
action with Dani at his side could easily be the last undertaking 
of its kind in their lives.

When Dani sat beside her life partner, she watched as he addressed 
the folder to his sister, Kit. She would know what to do with his 
new theory if he did not return from the coming military space 
engagement. He then gave it to a passing android to be delivered 
post haste to his twin.

After the android departed with Ari's manuscript, he momentarily 
forgot himself and began to seek Dani's hand. Fortunately, the 
young Terra-Kryptonium soon realized what he was doing and halted 
his advancing hand, and began to withdraw his wandering appendage 
back to its normal position - to his side.

Feeling embarrassed, Ari jumped up and said to Dani, "See you on 
the flight line and then disappeared in the dense underbrush that 
was growing throughout the park area."

As Ari vanished in the foliage, Dani could feel his mental anguish 
and became keenly aware that she also had been deprived of 
something precious.

***The Battle off Deneb***

Four months after the meeting with New Terra's super beings, 
fifteen outmoded Federation battle cruisers began their journey to 
a location near the Deneb star system. Deneb was the brightest 
solar furnace in the constellation Cygnusm, which was about 
sixteen hundred and thirty light-years from New Terra. It would be 
in this region of space, three weeks later, that a titanic 
struggle would rage between the Federation war vessels and more 
than fifteen hundred Hellhound interstellar battleships. Without 
the protection of a yellow sun, all super beings with the New 
Terra contingent participating in struggle would be vulnerable to 
injury and even death.

Marc, Dani, and Ari were assigned to one Federation battle 
cruiser; Lara and Oren, Josh and his soulmate Sally occupied a 
second Federation war craft. The remaining contingent on these 
ships would be made up of staunch and highly trained androids. 
Androids also manned the other battleships within New Terra's tiny 
space fleet. The warships from New Terra would be arranged in a 
spherical array in the coming battle. This geometric pattern would 
allow the largest volume for maneuvering and expose the smallest 
surface area to the enemy to maximize the protection perimeter 
around the teensy-weensy New Terra fleet in comparison with the 
Hellhound armada.

As the Federation-New Terra battle group waited for the 
Hellhounds, Oren explained that when a fight was forced upon you, 
numbers were not a crucial part of the engagement. Surprise was 
the critical factor - a first thrust at the Hellhound fleet.

So, when the time of battle arrived, Oren, the Federation and New 
Terra fleet commander, hit the Hellhound armada as their ships 
emerged from hyperspace annihilating a large portion of their 
fighting implements as they immerged in what we define as normal 
space. Although Oren's tactics were brilliant, the lack of 
essential war materials would not furnish the firepower to pummel 
the entire fleet and destroy or severely impair the Hellhound 
armada in one strike. Oren's guesstimate in the present case was 
that about a third of the enemy vessels would manage to survive 
Oren's initial military maneuvers and break though the New Terra's 
defensive screen ferociously attacking the fifteen Federation 
battle cruisers scattered across space. After the military 
engagement commenced, the war craft of New Terra and the 
Federation now positioned themselves to defend all spatial 
corridors leading directly to New Terra.

When the fighting off Deneb began, the fury of the pitched battle 
rapidly intensified. No quarter was given by either antagonist. 
The behavior of the hastily dwindling Hellhound warcrafts, which 
were soon facing total eradication, became suicidal in nature. It 
was during this phase of the titanic struggle that the Hellhounds 
began crashing their spacecraft into the federation ships. During 
this period of the Hellhound's suicidal onslaught, five of the 
fifteen federation star ships were quickly shattered, killing 
Oren's soulmate Lara, his brother Josh and his wife Sally. Also, 
the android personnel on these battle cruisers were obliterated.

Although Oren survived the loss of his battle cruiser, he was left 
physically infirm from the Hellhounds' suicidal onslaught. It 
would take the dexterity of a special orthopedic surgeon to 
restore Oren's physical health. That event would have to await the 
Federation's exodus to the New Terra's island universe in the near 
future.

While Oren was being whist to Helios for emergency surgery, the 
Federation fleet was moping-up the last of the Hellhound fighting 
vessels. During this action another suicidal Hellhound ship struck 
the battle cruiser containing Marc, Dani, and Ari causing a breach 
in the hull in the Federation ship.

This rupture in the fighting vessel's outer skin allowed more than 
ten Hellhound warriors to crawl through the gash in the hull and 
enter the Federation-New Terra warship.

While Marc remained at the controls of their ship and continued to 
obliterate more Hellhound warships, Ari, Dani, and a company of 
android warriors repelled the invading Hellhound troopers.

Using a sword of the El clan that his father had presented to him, 
Ari hacked his way through the Hellhound soldiers, always keeping 
his body in a position to shield Dani, who was herself giving a 
good account of herself. She eradicated many of the enemy 
soldiers.

As the fighting area steadily decreased, the final hand-to-hand 
clashes occurred in a small corner of the ship. During this 
period, a sudden stroke severed Ari's left hand from his body, 
about five centimeters above the wrist.

Mentally subduing pain and not allowing his body to be 
incapacitated, Ari dispatched the last of the Hellhound soldiers 
with his cutting weapon.

After the shipboard battle was been successfully concluded, Ari, 
like his father, was rushed to a Helios medical facility.

A month after being wounded, Oren and Ari were well enough to be 
released from the hospital. Leaving the healing institution, Oren 
and his son Ari presided over a service that sanctified all those 
who had fallen during battle with the Hellhound rapscallions. 
Those who had perished during the conflict had already been 
interred in a mausoleum, which was constructed for the honored 
dead, who had given their all to save the fledging civilization of 
New Terra. Although the mourning period had ended, Oren still felt 
it was his duty to have a service ennobling those beings who had 
won the day during the battle off Deneb.

After exalting the fallen warriors, Oren and Ari held a private 
service for the members of their family whose spirits had returned 
to the well of souls. 

When the mourning period ended, Dani and Ari were married. Two 
years later triplets were born to the fated couple.

Over the next five years, Oren, Ari, Dani, Ari's older siblings, 
and Sally's parents worked long and hard to ensure that the Lane-
Kent Gellmann children, conceived by Dani and Ari, were raised 
properly.

As Ari and Dani's kids were being educated, it became obvious that 
their youngsters were as academically ingenious as others in their 
family - cousins, uncles and aunts. The children's minds were well 
beyond the topmost level of the Federation's mental measurement 
scale.

Over this time span, Lois and Clark often visited Helios and 
enjoyed the warm interaction with Oren and the inhabitants of 
Helios. Marc, too, became a frequent visitor to the subterranean 
village, and when Dani's kids were born became their G-D father.

It was just after the birth of Oren's grandchildren when a lull in 
Helios' activities provided Marc with the opportunity to speak 
privately with his spiritual brother, Oren, about the passing of 
his soulmate, Lara.

Marc had noticed that since Lara's death Oren behaved as he was 
walking with death - he had not smiled or enjoyed the beautiful 
and boundless offerings that life provides as one travels through 
this plane of existence.

As the Helios community was celebrating the birth of new life, two 
closely linked spirits slowly walked through the town's large rose 
garden. As they perambulated, Marc quietly commented, "I know 
there is nothing I can say that will comfort you about Lara's 
loss. You know, Oren, memories are a funny thing. They mold a man. 
From a time a man can remember, his main memories are those given 
to him by women - his mother, sisters, first sweetheart, his wife, 
even those women he might like to forget, even they may give him 
memories that may help some time. No, Oren, there is nothing I can 
say that will comfort you. You are like me now, a man with a 
memory. But we're not alone. In this as in all past and future 
conflicts within the universe, wherever a destroyer appears and 
uses weapons to kill, they'll make thousands or maybe millions 
like us. Men without wives, without children, without a single 
thing they ever held dear. For those men and us there always will 
be a job to do. We must fight. Fight with hands and sticks, if we 
must, with all the weapons at our disposal. Fight to destroy 
destruction. We must destroy destruction, Oren. That's our job 
now."

Pausing for a moment, Marc squeezed Oren's shoulder, and then 
said, "Take care, my brother. I'll always be here to help." Then 
he slowly walked back toward Ari and Dani's home and the 
celebration of new life emanating from their home. As he strolled 
toward the festivities, tears began to cascade down his face.

After Marc had spoken with Oren, Zara's great-great grandchild, 
after much reflection, returned to the haunts of man and began 
working within life's great interlocking connections.

During the next five years, Lois and Clark also became deeply 
involved with the nurturing process of Ari and Dani's kids. Their 
involvement was much appreciated by the entire Helios community. 
The love and guidance Lois and Clark gave to Oren's grandchildren 
were prodigious. So great was the Kents' influence on the Gelmann 
youngsters that soon the children began calling the New Terra 
super beings Auntie Lois and Uncle Clark. When the Kents of New 
Terra heard these appellations, they couldn't help but feel a 
tingling sensation, an exhilarating feeling coursing through their 
souls. They had desired grandchildren, but, at present, had none.

Half a dozen years after the encounter with the Hellhounds, the 
children of the first generation born within Helios were reaching 
their full mental and physical