There And Back Again By Philip Mogul Rated PG-13 Submitted: February, 2007 ______________ Standard Fanfic Disclaimer's apply 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. ***CAUTION*** This story contains some descriptive scenes that are of a violent nature. I set this warning for those individuals who may have difficulty with this kind of material. NOTE: An addendum at the end of the tale will assist the reader in identifying key characters and their relationship to each other. ***Prologue*** Lara and Jor-El, two soulmates, were taking a leisurely stroll through the rose garden attached to the palatial estates they would inhabit once the couple had completed their marriage rituals within a month's time. The year of mourning following the death of Tor-El, Jor-El's sire, would be concluded within the next moon signaling the end of the mourning period. And, as tradition dictated, Jor-El, being the eldest offspring of his father's house would become the First Lord of Krypton and shortly thereafter marry his beloved Lara. Together, the two soulmates would preside over the Council of Lords, which together with the House of the People govern the affairs of the planet Krypton. Although Jor-El and his bride to be did not wish to assume the mantle of political power, they were bound by tradition to accede to the will of the high council, a conglomerate of the People's House and the Chamber of Lords, which would be the advisors to the First Lord of Krypton and his soulmate. Jor-El and Lara were both scientists and very much wished to continue studying the mysteries of the cosmos. Knowing of her brother and sister-in-law's desires, Jor-El's sister, Kitara, was willing to assume the political office that was being thrust upon her brother and his wife. However, she was disallowed from doing so because, Kit, as she was generally addressed by her family and friends, was second in the line of succession after Jor-El - a female head of government would take the title of First Lady or Sela. When Lara and Jor had reached a relatively secluded bench within the rose garden, both soulmates seated themselves and waited until the garden area was devoid of people. As they waited for the number of people to dwindle, Lara summoned Jor-El's sister, Kitara, to their secluded locality within the rose garden. A few minutes later, Kitara joined Jor-El and his life companion in the rose garden. It was there that Kitara became aware that Lara and her brother were pregnant. Because of her gravid condition Lara's life was in jeopardy. While many soulmates were not chaste before their final marital vows were expressed, most people didn't really care. They knew that the soulmates were lovers, and the Kryptonian population was well aware that the connubial bonds between the life partners often became too potent between lovers and had to be satisfied before any final nuptial statements were articulated. However, when it came to the First Lord and his consort, the Kryptonian people expected, no demanded, that the couple's virginal purity be in tact. If the couple were found to have been lovers before their nuptials had been completed, the First Lady would be executed according to the laws of Krypton. The male in this situation would be sent into exile for life. It was fortuitous that Jor-El's sister was a practicing physician. Jor-El also had some knowledge of the medical arts. To be of service to Krypton, Kitara had earned advanced degrees in gynecological medicine. Using her gynecological skill with Jor-El's assistance, a special kind of surgery was secretly performed later that week in Jor-El's hidden laboratory. The developing fetuses (there were two growing children in Lara's womb) were removed from the body of Jor-El's soulmate and placed in a life capsule - where the unborn children would continue to develop until term was reached. In this manner, Lara and her unborn family were saved from a hideous execution and Jor-El from exile. After the gynecological procedure was carried out, Kitara then performed a second surgical function which removed any evidence of Lara's pregnancy. As Lara was recovering from her medical ordeal, Jor-El, Lara, and Kitara discussed what should be done with the children when their gestation period came to term and were born, so to speak. The conversations on this subject continued for many days. Finally, it was decided that Kitara would take Lara and Jor-El's developing babies and using one of Jor-El's secretive faster than light interstellar ships would journey to a world known as Earth eight billion light-years across the cosmos. The journey, Jor-El computed, would require seven years. Jor and Lara reluctantly consented to Kitara's journey across the universe with their unborn progeny because she didn't have a soulmate and at her age it was unlikely that she would encounter a potential spouse on her home world. As it now appeared, Kitara would travel the highways and byways of her thousand year life span alone. Although Jor-El and Lara would keep her close, it would not be the same as having a soulmate lover and with such a companion enjoy the benefits that such a relationship would provide to the a loving couple. Most Kryptonians who remained single for one reason or another generally became explorers and traveled vast distances through the void - generally within a hundred million light-years of their home world - and transmitted the knowledge they acquired to the Kryptonian academy of knowledge, where it was stored in their home world's planet wide archives. After Jor-El had reluctantly agreed with Lara and Kitara's scheme, the future first lord fashioned a communication device and placed it within Kitara's intergalactic vessel. This surveillance instrument would allow Jor and Lara to remain in video and audio contact with Kitara and their children's spacecraft and watch as their children matured during the first few years of their existence. While not telling Lara and Kit, Jor-El doubted that the communication system he'd installed on Kit's interstellar spacecraft would function when the interstellar vessel was beyond three light years from Krypton. When contact with Kitara's intergalactic vessel finally ceased, Jor and Lara would have to wait until one of five miniature intergalactic spaceships launched from the Earthian habitat would inform them whether Kitara and their children had arrived safely on Sol Three and how they were faring. A repetitive message within each of the returning miniature ships from the Earth solar system, sent by Kit over intervals of time after they reached their destination, would read "trip completed, all is good." Before Kitara and Lara and Jor's fetuses left Krypton, Jor-El informed his sister, "From the evidence I've acquired about the planet Earth, the genome of the people inhabiting Sol Three is nearly identical to the people of Krypton. There seems to be a slight modification between chromosomes nineteen and twenty-one in the Earth and Kryptonian populations. From my study," Jor-El added, "this slight variation is primarily caused by the solar radiation bathing the planets within both star systems - Krypton's sun is red, while the Earth's solar furnace produces a yellowish hue." Jor-El continued, "My dear sister, your physical characteristics will place you in a Caucasian grouping according to the Earth's racial hierarchy. You and each of our infants will have a slight ruddy complexion, according to Earth's scheme of things. Your bone structure will indicate that you and our children possess a slight Asiatic tinge when your physiognomy is viewed by the indigenous population of the Earth." After a slight pause, Jor-El further remarked, "Lara and I want you to name the children, after their birth, of course, Kela for our daughter and Ari-El for our son." Kitara nodded, and replied, "You know," Kit reminded Jor, "Kela is my middle name." Jor-El just smiled and then gave his sister a rather vigorous hug. "Another detail you should know, Kitara," Jor-El said to his sister. "During my examination of the radiation bathing Earth from a type G star, I discovered that a Kryptonian test subject became stronger and could elevate itself at will defying Earth's gravitational field. When the yellow light source was removed, the Kryptonian experimental animal's unusual behavior returned to normal over a short time. It is just possible, my sister, that you and our kids will develop marvelous unique super abilities under the yellow sun of Sol Three. "And, Kitara, my sister," Jor added, "you and my children are biologically compatible with Earth folk. If you and/or they can locate soulmates on the new world of Sol Three, procreation is a definite possibility. If you and the children survive in this space venture, remember that chromosomes from Kryptonian genome will be the dominant factor if my children or you create a family between our two peoples. It also appears," Jor stated, "once the predominant genetic material has been passed to the hybrid progeny of a Kryptonian-Earth mating, the genetic dominance of the Kryptonian genes will continue to exist as long as that family line subsists. Also, my sister," Jor continued, "the soulmate characteristics will function within an Earth-Krypton individual as it would on Krypton itself. It appears," Jor added, "physical contact would be required to create an auric bond between soulmates involving a Kryptonian-Earth individual and another pure human or one of Kryptonian stock." Smiling, Jor said, "Maybe, Kit, my kids and you could be the progenitor of a new species, one that is biologically compatible with Earth folk and those from Krypton itself. I placed some further information on the ship to help if what I surmised comes to fruition." As Kitara, toting two life chambers, boarded the interstellar spacecraft, Lara said, "Good luck and G-d speed." A short time later, Jor's sister and her unborn cargo were off on their great adventure. ***The Journey To Sol Three*** While Kitara and the unborn children sped away from Krypton across the wilderness of space towards Earth, Kit began to feel the pangs of loneliness and, at the same time, joy that she had chosen this notable enterprise for her life's work. After Kitara left Krypton, she had to wait five months until her fetal charges became independent entities and left their life tube - were born so to speak. During the intervening time, she explored her traveling home, an interstellar vessel, which would keep her and the coming children safe and comfortable for their cosmic voyage of seven years. As she investigated her space sailing home, she discovered that the intergalactic ship was made from a substance Jor had called stabilized neutronium, a nearly indestructible material. There was a weapon system also built into the fabric of the spacecraft and an electronic library system to be used for Kela's and Ari-El's education and her enjoyment. Kitara also encountered ten functioning droids with material and plans to construct more of the intelligent electronic robots if needed. Her immediate entertainment and news were provided by Jor-El's communication system, which would function for approximately three years in her voyage. ******* The babies made their appearance right on time. She and the droids were constantly busy with the infants for the next four months or so. While Kit had to rest at intervals, the droids, with proper maintenance, could function nearly twenty-four/seven. About four to five months after Lara and Jor-El's babies emerged, the infants began developing their own internal living schedules. As the babies' sleeping and eating patterns became more matter-of-course, Kitara and the droids had more time to do their own thing - for Kitara to rest and study as she saw fit and the droids being cared for at regular intervals. Just when Kitara thought she had it made in the shade, the babies' first birthday arrived, a time which commenced the children's education and caused another time upheaval in the children's differing biological schedules. When the babies were nearing their third birthday, Jor-El's communication system between the interstellar spaceship and Krypton began to deteriorate, as predicted. The hurtling intergalactic spacecraft was reaching its cosmic intercommunication limits, and its ability to maintain contact with Kitara's home world was rapidly degenerating. Then it happened. One day, not long after the communication signals started to worsen, the electronic transmission between Kit and her family vanished - Jor's sister and his children were now alone in the vast universe as they hurtled through the desert of interstellar space from one cluster of stars to another. ******* Seven years and four months after leaving her home world of Krypton, Kit's interstellar space cruiser glided into orbit about Sol Three - the planet called Earth by its inhabitants. As the Kryptonian space vessel approached Earth, a stealth field generator, imbedded within the fabric of the interstellar spaceship, was automatically activated. The spaceship's stealth field functioned by refracting special light frequencies, which made Kit's spacecraft indiscernible to the surveillance instrumentation used by Earth's nation states to spy on countries that were perceived as potential military threats. Astronomers and astrophysicists also utilized similar equipment to peer into the enormous cosmic void - the immense universe that surrounded humankind's little cosmic home. Kitara and her niece and nephew remained in Earth's orbit for fifteen additional years. During this time, Kela and Ari-El matured and mastered nearly all the knowledge in the colossal Kryptonian library housed in their planetary home - their star vessel from Krypton. Kitara noticed during her charges' maturation that Lara and Jor-El's offspring were mentally alpha tam primes, brilliant individuals whose metal abilities could not be unequivocally measured even on the sophisticated Kryptonian intelligence measuring scale system. The birth of such people was very rare - only several dozen of such men or woman could be expected to be born into a general Kryptonian population every one hundred thousand years or so. Also, the yellow star which nourished Earth seemed to have provided Kitara, Kela, and Ari-El with the unique abilities that Jor-El had eluded to - learning rapidly, impenetrability of one's body, levitation, x-ray vision and laser eyes, super hearing, and freezing breath. They might have developed more superpowers, but the discovery of any further abilities would have to wait until they settled somewhere on Earth's surface. Because of Kela's and Ari-El's enhanced leaning capabilities, the speed at which they could absorb information within the ship's library was phenomenal, as was the ability to master most of the languages used by the inhabitants of the planet their star ship orbited. Kitara, too, rapidly learned to verbalize and read most of the languages common to humankind. When the twins were fifteen years of age, after an intense discussion about attending an Earth university within a country called The United States of America, U.S.A., Yale University was selected as the school for Kela's and Ari's matriculation. Looking at her kin, Kitara was now well aware that her niece and nephew were fully mature and ready to enter the world at large. During Kela's and Ari's maturation, Kitara had managed to pass on to her niece and nephew the dignity of what freedom provides to a society, and she showed them how to utilize their unusual powerful abilities. Kitara also instilled upon her charges that their superpowers should always be utilized for a blessing never to be employed in conquest or to hurt other life forms. Kitara was justly proud at what she accomplished during her nurturing of Lara and Jor's progeny, Kela and Ari-El, to their full mental and physical potential. During the next six months, using Krypton's advanced computer technology, all the necessary documentation was installed in the official repositories throughout the country - grades, transcripts, diplomas from a reputable secondary .school, birth certificates, SAT scores and other pertinent social information. Just past their sixteenth year, Kela and Ari-El, with their aunt Kitara, made their way to the off campus lodging's department of the university. A small house was rented from Yale's housing unit, which was several blocks from the main campus and close to the science annex. The science building contained mathematics classes, physics and chemistry courses, and provided instruction in the life sciences. That afternoon, three super beings quietly cleaned up their rented abode and placed a teleportation transmitter, disguised as an armoire, within the second floor hallway that linked the twins' sleeping quarters. The rented abode was at eighteen Pine Street. It was specifically requested from the housing office because the landscaping about the house could provide a camouflaged area for their Kryptonian activities, if they needed to be executed in a location other than their space habitat. If special super activities had to be employed on the Earth's surface, the teleportation transmitter would be utilized to transmit them to a clandestine location where superpowers could be applied without discovery. As a routine, Kela and Ari would teleport to their space dwelling each evening and return to their earthly university residence each morning at sunrise. Because of Yale's testing policy to advance students to higher level courses, Ari-El and his sister Kela were admitted into the junior level physics and mathematics programs. Their course advancement was the largest the university would allow an undergraduate. Entering their math and physics junior classes, Ari-El and Kela were somewhat startled that students in their courses numbered less than ten. Kela also discovered that smaller classes also existed within the chemistry and geology disciplines, while they discovered that the biology lectures were a bit larger. Ari-El later found out that engineering students followed the same trend as the physics and chemistry disciplines. When Kitara was told of this situation, she murmured, "A low number of students in any discipline will eventually hurt the research output in those academic areas." While deploring the low numbers of science students, Ari-El and Kela never-the-less pushed on. As the semester progressed, their grades, as expected by their Aunt Kitara, were the highest among the junior class. Ari also excelled in journalism, while Kela outperformed those in her literature and poetry classes - courses she adored. A few weeks into the semester, a young man about six-two with blue eyes and nearly platinum blond hair introduced himself to the twins. His name was Michel Kivi Miller. As Michel approached the two Kryptonians, Kela felt a strange, but pleasant sensation, a feeling she recognized from her Kryptonian studies on the orbiting star ship, her home in space. As Michel was about to invite Ari and Kela to dinner, another young man with rather coarse mannerisms pushed his way between Michel and Kela and her brother. He said quickly, "My frat is having an open house this eventide and I would like you to both attend." Then, Kela noticed that a group of other young fellows had entered the lecture hall and intentionally blocked Michel from getting closer to the twins, and to Kela especially. She inquired of the repugnant frat person, whom she later learned was called Nigel Luthor, "What about Michel? Is he invited to your soiree this evening?" With a rather sarcastic smile the young Luthor promulgated, "Michel is not the proper sort to be invited to my frat house." "And, what type is that?" Kela asked. "Why, he's a descendent of Abraham," Nigel replied somewhat surprised at Kela's query. Reviled by Nigel's rather prejudicial remark, Kela said, "Then, Mr. Luthor, I don't believe my brother nor I would be considered as the proper sort to rub elbows with you and your pontifical clique. We come from a non-prejudicial family and would have difficulty in dealing with your sort." Being rebuffed in such a manner was something Luthor and his fellow maggots could not stomach, and they stormed out of the physics classroom in a huff. Turning toward Michel, Kela said, "You were going to invite my brother, Avi-El, and me to dinner before we were so rudely interrupted." Michel smiled warmly and nodded his head in an agreeable manner. After a brief pause the young physics student added, "Please call me Kivi; it's a name my mother liked best, and that appellation is less formal than Michel. Kivi is sort of a nickname for Jacob. Jacob was the grandson of the Abraham which Nigel referred to. I am of Hebrew descent, the last of my line. Most of my immediate family, unfortunately, perished in the world wide conflagration which ended a few years ago - It is estimated that fifty-five million people, worldwide, perished during that global struggle which preserved the dignity of freedom. "I'm not sure why I've disclosed so much of my personal info to you, Kela, and your brother, except that maybe I want nothing to interfere with what may be developing between the three of us. Nigel and his ilk make me angry, for I, like you, cannot understand hatred between people." Kela glanced at her brother with a knowing look as they left the physics hall to locate an inexpensive eating place. Finding an inexpensive restaurant near the campus, Kivi and his new mates dined with relish. While the food wasn't lobster or some caviar dish, it was tasty, and enjoyable, all the same. As their banquet carried on through the evening, the conversation among the three became ever more lively, and soon many varied topics were traversing their dinner table. Later that evening a small-time ensemble began providing music for their customers at the relatively small bistro. Without saying a word, Kivi rose from the table and offered his arm to Kela as they both moved toward the dance area. When they reached the center of the dance floor, Kivi clasped Kela to him and both of them effortlessly and with grace began moving with the music. As their bodies made contact, an electrical surge flowed through their bodies. Kivi, after the electric phenomenon subsided, pulled his dance partner closer to him. His gesture just felt like the natural thing to do. Throughout the musical rendition of the popular tune, Kivi and Kela danced cheek to cheek as their bodies pressed more tightly together. The electrical surge seemed to have initiated something special. An ever growing feeling linking Kela and Kivi kept pulsating through both Kivi and his dancing partner. As they continued to shuffle about the dance floor, the feeling born of that electrical sensation was transformed into a sweet sensation that was emotionally binding Kivi and Kela ever closer - a union of two emerging lovers, soulmates whose intimate adoration would transcend all time and space. Kela knew full well by the end of her dance with Kivi that she was his soulmate, a relationship that would exist through all eternity and beyond that nearly infinite but finite expanse of time. Returning home that evening, the titillation still coursing through both Kivi's and Kela's circulatory systems caused both of them to endure an edgy slumber that evening and a fidgety sensation throughout the waking moments of the following day. While Kela controlled her passions to some degree, Kivi, to steady his hot-blooded state, purchased a container of wine and imbibed the alcoholic beverage to repress his ardent feelings directed toward Kela, the woman he now adored. Realizing that Kivi was also battling to control his impassioned feelings and intense desire to embrace Kela, Kitara made her way to Kivi's lodging. She awakened the young man, and Kela's aunt waited until Kivi dressed and then escorted him to her stealthy home which was still orbiting the Earth. While waiting for Kela to appear within the main room of the spacecraft, Kivi was mesmerized as he gazed at his home planet a hundred and twenty - four kilometers below the starship. Suddenly, Kivi heard the patter of quickly moving feet. He turned in time to grasp Kela as she flew into his arms. As they stood in a loving embrace, holding each other tightly, Kitara asked them to please be seated. When the two lovers quieted down, Jor-El's sister told Kivi the entire tale about Kela, her brother Ari, and the planet Krypton as it related to the planet Earth. As Kit told her tale, Kivi placed his arm about Kela shoulder. After a few minutes, Kivi declared, "I don't care where Kela was born or came from. I love her; that's all that matters. She is my soulmate, and that's all that is important to me and probably will be the motivating factor between us for all time to come." After a pause, Kivi added, "As a scientist, Kitara, don't you think that I haven't speculated about life on planets scattered throughout the cosmos we inhabit? I well understand," Kivi continued, "the entropy occurring in our universe, a naturally increasing thermodynamic function that tends to inhibit an orderly process such as the formation of life forms of all types that attempts to evolve on planets that can support our kind of life. The creation of bio-life in our universe constantly battles the destructive inclination brought about by the increasing entropy factors, which is a natural consequence of our processes in our cosmic domain." Although Kitara was surprised at Kivi's thoughts, she said, "Young man, you must be aware that your and Kela's life forces have somehow intertwined - from the energies emanating from your home world, Earth, and a planet my people call Krypton. When I discovered that your and Kela's biological bonding had transpired, that news didn't seem to be upset by that information's psychological profile. "I asked myself why, and after some thought, I received no logical response from my query. The only thing I could conclude was that your bonding process felt right." "I'm happy that your feelings and mine, Kit, are in agreement," Kivi stated. "However, my concern is the differing marrying procedures between our two worlds. Kela and I would like our nuptials to be performed within a reasonable amount of time. If there are major obstacles blocking our nuptials, I would like to be informed what kind of laws exist and how they could be solved or thwarted to eliminate any difficulties operating against our marital desires." Kitara then replied, "On Krypton, the earliest nuptials that could transpire lawfully would be when a member of a soulmate pair reached his/her twenty-third year." Placing his head down, Kivi looked forlorn. Since he and Kela were of the same age, Kivi was not sure that his emotional situation could remain rational for an additional three years. Pausing, Kitara remarked, after observing Kivi's despair, "Since we're not living on Krypton but on the planet Earth, I declare the Kryptonian marital time factor from this time forward is null and void. To be honest with you, Kivi," Kitara remarked, "I have never observed such intense passion between a soulmate pair. You should know that there are other kinds of nuptials which can occur on my home planet. They are called birth-marriages. These unions are generally not fulfilling to the couple and were generally created to maintain political power by forming or strengthening alliances between two noble houses." After a pause, Kit presented Kela and Michel Kivi Miller with a glass filled with gravaka, a potent Kryptonian alcoholic beverage. This drink was used to initiate the wedding ceremony that would link two life partners - Kela and Kivi. Within the hour- Kitara and Ari-El acting as witnesses - Kela and Kivi were joined in wedlock by employing the traditional Kryptonian binding rituals. After the traditional Kryptonian nuptials had been concluded, Kivi underwent a genome modification procedure. Then Kitara, Ari-El and the newlyweds, using a scout ship flew to Las Vegas. There, they located a synagogue and were married according to Hebraic traditions and ordinances established by the State of Nevada. Married in this manner their union would be officially registered by the State of Nevada and be recognized by all earthy governmental domains. Having informed the university of their marriage, the married soulmate couple partook of a week long honeymoon. The lovers flew to a quiet location in the Micronesia archipelago, where a friend had provided the newlyweds with a bungalow for their honeymoon. After returning to school, the young Nigel Luthor again tried to entice Kela on a social expedition into a romantic realm of his making. As Nigel was engineering his romantic advances, Kivi moved to his soulmate's side and remained there as Kela informed Nigel that she was a married woman. As Kela's information finally registered on Nigel's warped brain, Kivi and his beautiful wife saw the flash of psychopathic anger, which would become the hallmark of the Luthor family's emotional behavior in later years. As soon as Nigel Luthor was informed that Kela was a married woman, he dropped out of her life. Somewhat later in the academic year, Kivi and Kela learned that Luthor had transferred to another university. His attempt at a conjugal relationship with Kela was at an end. But, his insane antagonism toward the Millers had been ignited. Nigel especially maintained his grudge against Kela and Kivi and from time to time attempted to harm Kivi and/or Kela, but to no of avail. Some ten years after the Miller's marriage, Kivi and Kela learned that Nigel, too, had married, and he and his wife had conceived a son, who was named Alexander or Lex by the parents. A generation would pass before the house of El and the House of Luthor would again come into deadly conflict with the formation of a Utopian civilization depending on its outcome. ******* After receiving their academic degrees from Yale, Kivi, Kela, and Kela's brother Ari-El headed west to California and matriculated at Cal.Tech. Three years latter, they emerged from their academic experiences with earned doctorates. With sound schooling in the sciences and engineering - physics, chemistry, and mathematics - the Millers began searching for professional positions - in an educational or an industrial capacity. Nigel, who had been keeping tabs on Kivi and his spouse, used his immense economic power to prevent the Millers from acquiring any kind of meaningful scientific employment unless it was to labor for the growing Luthor organization - LexCorp named for his son. Obviously, unless the Millers used their creative abilities to benefit Luthor's various worldwide enterprises, they just wouldn't work - rot-on-the-vine. Unfortunately, for Luthor, his plan to undermine Kela and Kivi was flawed. The Millers, Ari, and Ari's Aunt Kit, retired to a farm in Ulysses, Kansas, about thirty miles southwest of a hamlet called Smallville. There, the couple could raise their burgeoning family in safety and continue to study in areas which excited their scientific interests. They also constructed research facilities beneath the house Kitara initially built while Ari, Kela and her soulmate, Kivi, were still attending school in California. The Miller Farmstead, which Kitara assembled, was put together to make sure that Ari, Kela, and her soulmate Kivi had the necessary implements for them to function reguardless of Nigel and his evil plans. Kit had constructed the house when she sensed that Nigel Luthor would continually block any attempt of the Miller family and its progeny to do meaningful work within the established scientific community. Money was no option to Kitara and her family. They possessed more capital than most countries existing on Earth and certainly more money than Luthor. If he were aware of this situation, Nigel's mental condition would have become more irrational. The cavern carved from the granite substrate beneath the farm was large enough to create an ancient, but beautiful, Kryptonian seaside city. The subterranean domain, which Kitara and her kin constructed, consisted of a small town that contained ten Kryptonian styled homes, while the research facilities were erected about a mile from the subterranean hamlet's center. It was the Miller farm and the hamlet under the farm that the Miller clan eventually came to call home. Ulysses, Kansas was a sleepy little town, mainly a farming community, where most people passing through the area would stop and purchase gas and a few other commodities as they traveled across the state. Other than purchasing gas and other basic necessities, people didn't know the name of the location where they had paused on their journey. As Kitara and Ari-El became more acclimated to the planet's surface, they spent more time living in the farm house soon to be known as the Miller homestead. After Ari and Kitara both acquired teaching positions at the Smallville extension of Kansas State University, they spent more time with Kela, Kivi and their growing children. Their gathering often occurred within the fabricated underground Kryptonian grotto constructed beneath the farmstead. Since the El clan operating from the Miller place didn't work the relatively huge quantity of farm land themselves, they allowed the town folk in and around Ulysses to use the farm's forty thousand acre tract without any financial obligation to the farmers of the region. The only non bonding agreement that the Miller family suggested, but not demanded, was a charity donation, based upon each farmer's profits from working the Miller's land. Some of these monies would be placed in a fund to be used by the town for its current educational needs and long-range social goals. The first objective would be the construction of an elementary school so that the town's tots wouldn't have to travel thirty-three miles twice a day to attend the county's only primary school. The town's second target was the construction of a secondary school. Using some suggestions from the Miller family, the town agreed that twenty percent of the charity contributions for their agricultural ventures would be set aside to hire and continue to provide for the town's teachers. Hire the finest educators that were available and don't skimp on their salary. Because of the enlightened views of the Miller family, the social and education events in the town of Ulysses began to flourish. Soon, the hamlet and its surrounding township had its own elementary school, and the economics of the area improved markedly. However, like the Garden of Eden, a serpent, this time in human form, had quietly moved into the Ulysses community and had gathered his evil forces to strike and destroy the creations propagated by the Miller clan. Nigel Luthor had covertly purchased the four financial institutions in the Ulysses area, the banks and credit unions, which held the mortgages and other bonds that could be used to control and/or wreck the Ulysses community. After the banking institutions in and about Ulysses had been quietly gobbled up by the gigantic financial empire controlled by Nigel Luthor, all of the public and private deeds and charters owed by the Kansas community were quietly transferred to one of Luthor's Metropolis centered financial institutions. While the people of Ulysses worked and were beginning to enjoy the fruits of their labors by raising the income of their individual families and the Kansas community's ability to improve its public ability to provide for the local population, the snake in the grass struck. The people of Ulysses, during their fall harvest, received letters from a Bank in Metropolis calling for the county and individual loans to be paid within a month or their real estate and other properties would be expropriated to meet outstanding loans in the Ulysses County of Kansas. Luthor meant to smash the small Kansas community and punish its people for being in cahoots with Kivi and his household. However, Nigel Luthor's humiliation in the Metropolis financial establishments was quite evident - within a week the Ulysses folk were free from all community and personal debt. Their outstanding loans were paid up and all the legal documents accounting for the community's financial ties to the Banks of Metropolis controlled by Luthor were redeemed. Luthor obtained money but lost control of his enemies' properties. Kivi's only request, as he spoke for his family, was that no questions should be asked about where the money was obtained that cleared Ulysses from its debt. The Miller family made a request that was honored with the appreciation that such an unselfish act deserves. From that time forward, nothing more was heard from the Ulysses town's people and from whom or how the region was rescued from its financial destruction. Some two weeks later, Nigel Luthor received a note from one of his financial divisions describing, in detail, what actually occurred in the Ulysses Kansas township. Staring at his clandestine note for nearly a half hour, his anger mounting by the minute, Nigel, his anger now white hot, finally exploded. Locking his office door, Nigel commenced to wreck his lavish work place with a fire axe. When Nigel finished his mentally unstable tantrum, the furniture that made up the better part of his office was reduced to nothing more than kindling. As Nigel attempted to recuperate from his periodic bouts of destructive exasperation, he hired a psychiatrist and vanished into his Metropolis retreat for help. During the next year or so his unstable personality returned only to a modicum of his former pseudo-normalcy. When Luthor did return to the world of business, the ruthless top banana of Metropolis' financial markets appeared emotionally stable. As Nigel cautiously entered his newly redecorated office complex, he was guided by several attending physicians and psychologists to help maintain some stability in the super business magnate's outward appearance. While Nigel would never cease in his attempts to destroy or at least repress Micheal Kivi Miller and the members of his family, the people in Luthor's employ never spoke of his ghastly fit of pique that nearly wrecked the house of Luthor. Unfortunately, it would take another fifty years before Nigel's evil empire, then directed by Lex Luthor, did finally collapse. Although Nigel did not directly interfere with the Millers of Ulysses, Kansas during the remainder of his lifetime, he did manage to keep Kivi's family under constant surveillance for what purpose, only G-D knew. While the Millers, an ever vigilant household, were aware of Nigel's clandestine activity, they partially dropped their safeguard devices only once during this extended period. When Nigel's network of spies penetrated the Miller clan's internet network for a brief period, they learned that Ari was a teaching fellow at the four-year Kansas State University extension near Smallville. Regrettably, because Ari's cover was unmasked, the family's faux pas allowed Nigel to use his political contacts and vast funds to see to it that Ari was removed from his university position. After the Ari episode, Kela and Kivi utilized unique electronic implements to shield the Ulysses township region and nullified complete surveillance devices and systems in the Ulysses area. Aware that he would not be able to acquire another academic position, Ari applied for a position as advertised by the Daily Planet for a science department chairperson, which would predominantly deal with weather conditions. When Ari arrived in Metropolis for his interview with Perry White, the Editor and Chief of the Planet, he was asked to be seated until Mr. While had the time to interview him. After Malcolm Nash, the associate editor, had delivered his communique, apparently to the Editor in Chief, he left the area. As Ari seated himself, he developed a wary feeling. After some time had passed, Ari used his cell phone and telephoned his Kansas home and explained his uneasiness about his forthcoming interview. Kela, his sister, calmed him down and said to Ari, "Give it some time before making a move." After waiting for nearly three hours for his powwow with the Planet's editor, Ari went to the Chief's office and knocked on the door and stepped inside - Perry's secretary had stepped out for a cup of coffee, which gave him his opening. Looking at Perry with an unpleasant countenance, Ari, with a baleful eye, said, "I do not appreciate being stood up. Our meeting was for eight AM, nearly three hours ago. If that's the way you run this newspaper and treat your employees, your news publication is no better than the Weehauken Gazette. You've wasted my valuable time, and I bid you adieu. I'll return to the Midwest now where people are treated with some dignity. The Kansas Star wanted to see me about a science position. I should have interviewed with that news organization instead of traveling east and wasting my time in this frivolous venture. Your paper apparently prevaricates when advertising for a job. The Star may not possess the Planet's credentials nor its physical facilities, but at least I'll I get a fair shake when I apply for a position at that Kansas City daily." Ari Looked Perry up and down like a varmint that had slithered in from a swamp, then turned leaving Perry's office and promptly exited the Planet building. When Perry recovered from the shock of his dressing down, he called his secretary into his office and inquired whether a resume of Ari Elenger had been received by his office. She replied that no one by that name had applied for the science position. Since Ari did specify a type of position, the chief got a gut feeling that something was amiss. Before Perry attempted to interrogate his secretary, the chief needed to question Malcolm Nash, one of the Planet's youngest associate editors. Meanwhile, Perry asked Lori, one of his top investigative reporters, to look into Ari's background. When he gave Lori her instructions, he also told Jimmy to search the Planet bullpen and attempt to locate anything on Ari Elenger and keep the search hush, hush. Within two days, Lori reported to Perry that a parcel - a return certificate was requested - had been sent from a post office in Kansas to the chief's office. The time on the parcel indicated that Ari had most likely applied for one of the Planet's newly advertised positions. Although Lori's evidence was more than just circumstantial, it still was not weighty enough to dismiss his long time secretary and one of his new associate editors. A few days later, Jimmy entered Perry's innersanctum with two documents in his hands - both records were identical and were Ari's missing resumes. Within an hour Perry White was looking for a new secretary and Malcolm Nash was leaving the Planet building, sacked. Within several days, four more journalists also resigned their positions. After a series of intensive investigations, it was discovered that all the reporters who suddenly departed the Planet's employ were found to be connected with Nigel Luthor. From Luthor's obvious spy network, Perry learned a valuable lesson. Perry then swore that the Planet would never again become infiltrated by a potential criminal organization operating in Metropolis or from any location in the world. Because of Luthor's clandestine operation at the Planet, other newspapers in Metropolis became more wary about the journalists in their employ and tightened their recruiting operations. After the consequences caused by Luthor's clandestine network at the Planet quieted down, Perry asked Lori to visit Ari and apologize for the employment behavior of the Daily Planet. Lori nearly exploded. She said to Perry, "You mean you want me to shuffle-off to nowheresville to see a hack who probably could not cut it in the big city and apologize for something that was not my responsibility." "Lori," Perry said, "let me tell you about Ari. He is a graduate of Yale University with an earned doctorate in chemical physics from Calf tech. Ari taught in the physics department at Kansas State University until Luthor politically had him ousted from the school. Somewhere along the way he managed to earn a master's degree in journalism. He then applied to our newspaper for a job. That's your so called hack from nowheresville, Ms. Lori D. Lewis," Perry sarcastically responded to his top reporter. Perry, as he turned on his heel, said, "Now, my dear, go and do what you were told or dog shows will be your bailiwick for the next six months." The next day found the Lewis Gal winging her way towards Wichita Kansas. Arriving at one of Kansas' international jet ports, Lori rented a car and headed toward the Miller's home in the village of Ulysses. Arriving at the Miller's residence in the early evening, Lori Debra Lewis, the daughter of Isaac Newton Lewis, an army officer and inventor, and the issue of Dorothea Lewis nee Langmuir, currently an educator and research chemist, introduced herself. Entering the vestibule, Lori was greeted by Kela who escorted her to the dining room where she was introduced to the family and helped to a seat by an ungainly looking individual referred to as AI-26. Starring at the entity constantly referred to as AI-26, Lori, out of curiosity, asked, "What is an AI-26?" Kela then told her guest that AI was an abbreviation for artificial intelligence, while the numeral value of the unit signified that the droid was the twenty-sixth mechanism of this type which had been created. "These contrivances," Kela added, "were designed and fabricated by Ari and myself after an older model that our parents had devised years ago. Not only are the AI's intelligent mechanisms, but they are also kind and capable companions for my children." Just as Kela finished informing Lori about the AI units, Ari bounded into the dining room and asked in a whimsical way, "What's for dinner, folks?" "Well," Kela said, "you finally left the lab, Ari. After seventy-two hours of fiddling around, you decided to rejoin the living." Smiling at Kela, he commented, "You and Kivi create life in multiples of two and three and study the forces within the cosmos. What's left for me to do?" Then Ari picked up the newest members of the Miller household and kissed the twin girls on the cheek - they were now six months of age. Both infants giggled as they grabbed their uncle's hair. "I'll work in the lab to occupy myself," Ari answered his sister, "while you and Kivi procreate kids for me to play with. Now tell me what's so important that I had to leave my lab?" While Ari was busy tickling his nieces, Kela said, "Nigel has infiltrated the Kansas City Star. What are you planning to do?" "Now, that's a question that interests me," Lori stated. As the Planet's ace reporter waited for Ari's response, Kela's brother's face took on a rather serious appearance. Placing his sister's babies in the lap of AI-26, who took them to be changed, Ari commented, "Are you sure Luthor and his flunkies have inculcated themselves at the Kansas City Star?" "Yep," his sister replied. "He's now the majority stock holder and on the board of that paper." "Well, well," Ari responded sadly, "it looks as if my plans to work as a journalist will be blocked again." After a slight pause, Ari added, "No use searching for another paper. All the news establishments that I've examined appear to possess the Planet's flaw. They're susceptible to a Luthor style clandestine infiltration." "Are you sure, my brother?" Kivi asked Ari for clarification. "I'm afraid so," Ari added. "The statistical analysis of my current data supports my views." To emphasize his feelings, Ari shook his head and said, "I'll stay here in Kansas and conduct some research for a while. There's so much work to be done on my studies of the universe that I'll probably be busy for the remainder of my life. If my work habits tend to bother you, Kela, or you, Kivi, there are other locations we both know that exist where I can continue my research activities away from this abode. As long as Earth's society will put up with the Luthor's of this world, they can go straight to the devil. We'll protect this home and our friends living in and about the Miller farm area, but not the people that are brainwashed to do Nigel's bidding. If we're not troubled by Luthor or his sycophants," Ari added, "then I'm free to locate my research activities in other places. Do you, Sis, or you, my brother-in-law, want me to leave? I can be off the premises by morning." "Don't talk nonsense," Kela replied. "This is your home." After the disagreement between Kela and her twin had been terminated, the two siblings sat down at the dinner table and an AI unit served Ari and Kela a hot meal. Then an unrecognizable voice said, "Are your statistics and other patterns infallible?" Ari looked up and smiled, saying, "My dear, only G-d can be infallible when statistics are considered. What is your name?" "Lori Lewis of the Daily Planet," was her reply. "I was asked by Perry White to come down here and apologize for my paper's second-drawer treatment of you when you attempted to interview for the paper's advertised science position. We have strong evidence that your negative interaction with the Planet was the result of foul play caused by a man called Malcolm Nash and several of his associates linked to Luthor's stratagem to thwart the news media through the country." Ari smiled and said, "Ms. Lewis, what have you done to prevent Luthor's plan from applying his newspaper infiltration scheme to small town news dailies? All that would be required to repeat Luthor's espionage plan within would be to use what Nigel called the greed plan. Money supplied by Luthor, who has an abundant supply of that stuff, and locate enough news people who are economically in difficult straights, and acquire these desperate individuals to play his subterfuge game. Luthor's greed card will eventually corrupt most of the news organizations, and the public will eventually be separated from honest news or as some people say manipulated new print." Ari added, "Already, I can't obtain a position at the Kansas City Star because Luthor's tentacles have infiltrated that once great news organization." Lori said, "Ari, the Planet people do not possess enough hard evidence to have Luthor indited just by using the data from your rigged interviewing situation. So, unfortunately, the Planet can't act directly against Nigel's organization." "So, the vile corruption of Nigel's philosophy marches on," Ari said. "Don't misunderstand me, Ms. Lewis. I understand your situation," Ari responded. "Just remember, my dear, justice takes flight when corrupt business men and their lawyers and their shrewdly tactful might serve injustice and destroy the common people's righteous plights." "A poet who doesn't know it," the Planet reporter commented with a jocular lilt to her voice. When he finished eating, Ari arose from the table and walked toward Lori to thank her and the Planet for considering his feelings; suddenly his exhausted body caused him to sit down. After a pause, Ari commented, "I think you and Kela will have to excuse me. Suddenly, I've become extremely tired and my body is telling me to rest and go to bed. So, I'll see you both in the morning. Of course, if you're still here, Ms. Lewis." As Ari was about to leave the dining room, he added, "I sense, something special about you, Lori - a distinctively good feeling, like a high quality perfume with a come hither sexy message." Ari then bowed and left the room to get some well needed rest. Kela then gave her husband, Kivi, a look and viewed the Planet's top reporter and hoped in her heart she could untangle Lori's interest in the Miller family while still protecting her family's crucial secret. As Lori was attempting to understand Ari's unusual behavior, Kitara entered the dining area. She overheard Lori say to Kivi, "What a peculiar brother-in-law you have." Kitara responded in kind to Lori's comment. "What can you expect from a theoretical scientist who, like his sister, Kela, is a genius?" Kitara's somewhat droll statement took the edge off a rather tense atmosphere that was slowly developing in the Miller's dining room. After Kitara's somewhat humorous comments, chuckles could be heard as Lori and the Miller clan began to relax. Kela telepathically thanked her aunt for her fortuitous arrival and asked Kit to meet with her later that evening in the den area. As the Miller household and their guest from Metropolis bedded down for the night, Kit and Kela met in the home's common great room. After describing the subtle incident that had occurred during the dining hour, Kitara asked the proverbial question, "Can we presume that Lori and Ari may be related soulmates?" "It's a chance," Kitara responded, "and, therefore, we should explore the possibility." During the ensuing several hours, both Kela and her aunt worked out a plan where Ari could be enticed to accept a research position at STAR Labs, a Metropolis based research facility directed by Kivi's colleague and good friend Davi Stone. By the ending of the following week, Kela and Kitara, with constant nagging, had persuaded Ari to accept a position at STAR Labs located in midtown Metropolis. While at the world renowned research institution, Ari would be able to add new knowledge to the Star Labs repository and subtly enhance those factors that would bring Earth's diverse civilizations closer to their Kryptonian counterparts - a project the Miller clan had wanted to initiate for some time. With Ari in a central scientific position, the Miller family could begin a host of scientific undertakings intended to benefit Earth's entire global community. Furthermore, a STAR lab position would include part-time employment at the Planet's science desk. Ari's adjunct employee status would be one of STAR lab's chores when such an opportunity presented itself. Access to the Planet's archives would also make Ari's Metropolis research assignments somewhat more intriguing undertakings. His reporter's role at the Planet's science desk would allow him to occasionally visit with Lori Lewis. Conversations between the two would help Ari ascertain whether or not a pheromone connection existed between himself and the young journalist, Lori Lewis. However, as fate would have it, Ari didn't take the Star Labs/Planet position. ************ Going back several years before Lori and Myra enterd the Metropolis scene, a shift in the political authority on Krypton was quietly being modified. Soulmates, Ez-Ra and Ma-Ra, again became the first family of the Northern Ra clan - they were also the genetic parents of two girls, Lo-Ra and Mi-Ra. That same year the noble Trey of the Lo clan retired as the chief political administrator of Krypton's parliamentary government. Trey, who during his thirty-year stewardship of the people's house and the leader of the high council, faithfully served the First Lord (Selar) and the First Lady (Sela) of Krypton. His honest service benefited the entire Kryptonian community. Trey was a man in a million. He never considered his own personal gain during any of his actions on behave of the government and the people he represented. The Selar and Sela throughout Trey's stewardship, as they would remain until Krypton's cataclysmic demise, were Jor-El and his lovely soulmate Lara. As Trey's tenure passed into history, a clever and charming individual called Lord Poco became the chief executive of Krypton's great council and the director of the governing assembly. However, unbeknownst to the people of Krypton Lord Poco was in reality an unprincipled knave. He used his charisma and witty mind to seduce many politicians to carry out his unsavory political urges. If Lord Poco could not entice a colleague to follow his lead or if an assembly member questioned his policies too often, the head of the great Council, always smiling, would find a way to insert a stiletto into the back of his political advisory. Lord Poco allowed nothing to frustrate his great plan, a plan that would remove the hereditary inheritance of the El clan to elect the First Lord and Lady from among the clans of Krypton. When Poco's plan had been set into operation, he would see to it that the El clan's patrimony would be transferred to the Nor clan, his folk. At present, Poco had just gained the highest political position in the governmental hierarchy, and his clandestine strategy was ready to begin bringing his game plan to fruition. Once his key operatives were in place, Lord Poco's blueprint for change and conquest would begin to function. First, to bring the Northern Ra Clan under his control, Lord Poco had to convince the Selar, Jor-El, to send Lord Ez-Ra as the envoy to the Tau Ceti star dominion to cultivate friendly relations between their two civilizations. After some discussion with the Selar, Lord Poco accomplished his goal and Jor-El sent Ez-Ra as ambassador to the Tau Ceti people. Then, Lord Poco's henchman, as ordered, placed an explosive device aboard Lord Ez-Ra's ambassadorial spacecraft. The evidence provided by Lord Poco's marauders would make it seem that the Kryptonian vessel came into contact with a cluster of asteroids and collided with one of the rapidly moving space rocks. Unknown to Lord Poco, however, the explosion only partially damaged Ez-Ra's ambassadorial spaceship. After the explosion occurred, Ez-Ra's vessel still managed to function. With the skillful engineering and navigational abilities of Ez-Ra's crew, his starship made a successful crash landing on an Earth like world within an unknown solar system on route to the Ceti star cluster. Although marooned, for the present, the envoy's crew began to repair Krypton's interstellar vessel. As the crew worked tirelessly on the spaceship repairs, Ez-Ra managed to contact his soulmate telepathically and inform her of what had occurred and that he was in good health. Additional communication he feared might be intercepted, so for the present, contact between the soulmates remained mute. Before their communication was mutually severed for safety, Ma-Ra was told by her husband to get close to the Sela, Lara, and casually say to her, combined in some expression or other, the words "Andromeda seven." He tod her that Lara will not seem to react, but she will make an effort to reach her later - promptly, and in a safe environment. The last telepathic thought between Lord Ez-Ra and his soulmate was the star coordinates providing the location of his marooned spacecraft. Several weeks later, Ma-Ra, Lord Ez-Ra's wife, made a visit to Jor-El and Lara's home. Lord Poco was present at the gathering and tended to hover close to Lara and Ez-Ra's life partner. Suddenly, Jor-El called Lord Poco away from the ladies to help him examine several documents from the assembly that immediately needed his attention. As soon as Lord Poco left Ma-Ra and Lara's presence, Ma-Ra, gazing at a far off cluster in the night sky, commented to her host, "Isn't that star arrangement called Andromeda seven? It's a beautiful arrangement of starry objects." "I believe you're correct," Lara replied smiling. A few weeks later, Lara invited Ma-Ra and her two daughters to an outdoor luncheon at Zara's private residence. Zara, while very much loved by her parents, lived a quiet almost hermit like existence on the lavish El estates. Zara didn't involve herself in grand balls nor super celebrations that were nearly an everyday occurrence because Zara's soulmate, Ching, a minor noble of Krypton, was prohibited by custom from attending such affairs. Zara maintained this living style even after Ching was murdered. Because Jor-El was aware of the absurd practices of Krypton's nobility, he had attempted to dissuade Zara from marrying Lord Ching, but to no avail. Although Jor-El still loved his child, the Selar was somewhat peeved at his daughter for not listening to his advice. Communication between father and daughter after her wedding was therefore somewhat strained and remained so even after Ching was slain. Because of her disobedience concerning her marriage to Lord Ching, after their nuptials, Jor-El held his son-in-law responsible for the isolation in Zara's social life. Jor-El couldn't have been more amiss in his view of the Zara-Ching marital relationship. Theirs was a love affair that would reach further than tomorrow and beyond eternity. It was shortly after the Zara-Ching matrimonial union that Lara had initially met with Ma-Ra and her husband. Ching still lived. The Noble leaders of the Northern Ra clan were like Ching and Zara in many ways. They were not the party type, but more of the intellectual kind. Socially, Ching and Zara interacted with a small, but select, group of friends who together enjoyed the finer things of life. However, because Zara disobeyed her father's wishes and married Ching, Jor-El often publicly snubbed his son-in-law. Because of her father's attitude toward her life partner, Zara rarely went to the palace and instead stayed in a reclusive state within her home on the El estates, especially after Ching was murdered. So it was that Lara chose Zara's residence as the setting for the luncheon. To inform those who would be interested for various reasons, Lara allowed information to be broadcast that she was preparing a small luncheon for her daughter and let this info circulate within the council chambers. She then allowed information to be known that the luncheon would also include Ma-Ra, the Sela of the Northern Ra clans. The reason for this meeting was to better aquaint the Northern Ra Sela with her daughter, Zara. Since Lara was often involved in such social functions, especially when her daughter was involved, no-one thought much about the coming event. A few weeks later, a noon repast took place at Zara's home. After Ma-Ra, Lara, and Lara's daughter, Zara, enjoyed a pleasurable outing, the three ladies proceeded to the rose garden adjacent to Zara's home. As they made themselves comfortable, Lara, placed a flame red figurine, which appeared like an Art Deco object, under the serving table where tea was now being poured. The oscillations emitted by the statuette could only be recognized by a very low hum generated by the covert electronic device. When the figurine was activated, it would block any snooper device within a relatively large area and mask any conversation transpiring within the household. With the colored figurine functioning at full capacity the gals began discussing Ma-Ra's plight. As the ladies' conversation focused on Lord Poco's treachery, several of Lara's guards excused themselves and proceeded to an interstellar cruiser concealed below Zara's abode and began to ready the spaceship to sail. As the ship was checked, other guards scrutinized Zara's home to make sure that her dwelling was free from any additional snoopers. As the El warriors moved about Zara's home, these sentinels were very much aware that their mistress and her lady friends were discussing Lord Poco and his evil schemes. Leaving Lara and her lady friends, the Sela's loyal guards rendezvoused with her other staunch warriors who had earlier secured the perimeter of Zara's abode. Several minutes after Lara's zealous warrior contingent had converged, and under sealed orders, the plan to rescue Lord Ez-Ra was set in motion. As Lara's recovery vessel began tearing through the immensity of space, her military clique of faithful followers were well aware that Lord Poco had just acquired two more political adversaries, people that had become part of Lara's anti Poco alliance. Within forty-eight hours, Lara's troopers had retrieved Ez-Ra and his surviving crew members and returned them to a top secret base on the El estates. After the rescue of Ma-Ra's soulmate, the Northern Ra Clan leaders, Ez-Ra and his wife, started attending the anti-Poco meetings at Zara's abode. These gatherings were aimed at finding methods of hampering the unprincipled political goals of Lord Poco. The long range goal of these meetings was to remove the underhanded Lord Poco from his ministerial post one way or another. While Lara and her allies diligently worked to eradicate Poco's ominous influences over the Kryptonian people and to obliterate his control over their freedoms, the despotic Lord Poco was still plotting and planning to achieve his corrupt aspirations. Assuming that Ez-Ra was now dead and his wife Ma-Ra was pining for her soulmate at Zara's dwelling, her temporary home, Lord Poco foolishly appointed Nag-Nor as the protector of the Northern Ra clans telling the council his decision was to avoid chaotic occurrences in the region. After waiting a reasonable time, it was Poco's intent to subtly ask Jor-El to sanction a marriage between Ma-Ra and Lord Nag-nor, his cousin, to preserve the stability within the Northern House of Ra. Once Lord Poco could persuade Jor-El that such a marital union would be beneficial for Krypton's long term stability, the evil minister was positive that Jor-El would consent to the nuptials. With Lord Nag-nor and Ma-Ra's nuptials complete, Poco's dethroning scheme could become operational because the Norian Lord would now possess a strong ally - his cousin - in control of the powerful Northern Ra clan. Lord Poco would then be in a position politically to begin crippling Jor-El's connections with the other Kryptonian houses, the actual source of his planet wide power. Lord Poco was also planning to remove Lo-Ra and Mi-Ra, Ma-Ra's daughters, from becoming potential leaders of the Northern Ra Clan. To accomplish his goal, Lord Poco planned for a mishap to occur that would thrust Ez-Ra and Ma-Ra's royal children into a wormhole propelling them into the wilderness of space. As the political maneuvering escalated within Jor-El's court, Ma-Ra's issue was innocuously presented with a new inter-stellar spacecraft so the Northern Ra royal successors of Ez-Ra and Ma-Ra could visit with relatives dispersed throughout Krypton's planetary dominions. On one such journey to visit a cousin, a wormhole suddenly appeared and swallowed the young girls and their interstellar spaceship sending it to G-d knows where within the wilderness of space. ***Through The Wormhole*** After the Northern Ra royal children had emerged from a wormhole, an unknown passageway through space, the vessel carrying Lo-Ra and Mi-Ra - children of Lord Ez-Ra and Ma-Ra - found themselves in a star system possessing a single solar furnace and nine planets. As the spacecraft's electronic scanners viewed the new solar system, the girls discovered that the first four celestial bodies, as one counted from the system's sun, all appeared to be small rocky orbs. The girls discovered that the third planet from the system's star contained a large quantity of water. Since water was generally a powerful indicator of life forms, the spaceship began moving towards the third planet in the solar system. A few hours after entering the unfamiliar planetary system the spaceship, carrying Ma-Ra's children, was in orbit about the third planet from the sun, or Earth as it was called by its inhabitants as the girls soon discovered. About a week after the Kryptonian spacecraft began orbiting Earth and analyzing the conditions on the planet, Lo-Ra and her sibling Mi-Ra decided to make landfall. To remain in orbit would have been more secure, but Lo-Ra, the older and more educated of the young girls, was aware that their spacecraft had already been electronically scanned. So, she was fairly certain that beings living on this planet's surface were probably aware of their presence. Because of the girls' ability to perceive at a rapid pace, within a month or so, the young Kryptonians had mastered the languages associated with the major powers that existed on Earth. On a night devoid of nearly all heavenly illumination, the Kryptonian spacecraft with its occupants noiselessly descended to the topmost position of a heavily wooded mountain area near the outskirts of Colorado Springs. Because of the Kryptonian cruiser's stealth devices, the ship, containing the Northern Ra girls, could not be detected unless the beings on Earth possessed special electronic equipment capable of determining the Kryptonian spacecraft. Settling on the mountain top, the effects of Earth's solar radiation began to cause changes in the girls' physical development. As the Ra girls' exposure to Earth's sun increased, their unique Kryptonian abilities also rapidly developed. One evening as Lo-Ra and her sister were soaring over their temporary mountain top home, Isaac Newton Lewis and his wife Dorothea were startled when they noticed two young girls levitating over the forest canopy. Becoming somewhat anxious, Dorothea stepped back and tripped over some snow hidden debris and struck her head on a rock. Her husband, seeing his wife fall, immediately sprang through the snow and grasped her in his arms. After carefully looking over his wife and finding her in relatively good health, he began looking about for the hovering children's parents. Suddenly, the flying Kryptonian children swooped down, picked up the Earthlings, and took them to their secret habitat which also accommodated their interstellar spacecraft. Once in the intergalactic spacecraft, Lo-Ra told the Lewis couple about their life on Krypton, a planet Lo-Ra and her sister had recently computed to be a distance, as measured on an electronic scale, that was nearly halfway across the universe from Sol-three - their ship's star library with its data charts were most useful with their ship's computers to determine this information. Afterwards the girls also described their wormhole anomaly in which they were plunged and which had whisked them to Earth and essentially marooned them within this Sol-three solar system, probably for the remainder of their life. When the Kryptonian girls became silent, Dorothea informed them that her husband, Isaac Newton, was at present assigned to Fort Kit Carson, a military establishment, and was now excavating an area near Colorado Springs to locate a suitable track of land which could be used to construct an academy for the United States Air Force. After completing these new Air Force Academy buildings, Colonel Lewis would retire and he and his wife would purchase an abode near the new academic institution. Once settled in, he and his wife would teach at the Air Force Academy - he would instruct in history and tactics while his wife Dorothea would teach chemistry and physics in the academy's science division. As the beings from two different cultures talked, the Kryptonians discovered that the Lewis family was barren - Dorothea was infertile without the ability of conceiving offspring. Lo-Ra and Mi-Ra became aware as they began to know the Lewis couple that they had a great love for kids. Therefore, it was decided that Lo-Ma and Mi-Ra would live with the Colonel and his lady as their kin folk - his deceased brother's children. The Colorado Springs community had no problem accepting the Kryptonian girls as the adopted offspring of Isaac Newton's deceased brother. The spacecraft and other Kryptonian items were concealed within a grotto constructed by the girls and their new parents below the basement level of the Lewis's new abode. Over the years Lo-Ra and Mi-Ra, now called Lori and Myra, grew into beautiful young ladies. They excelled academically and by their mid twenties had earned advanced degrees in mathematics and the sciences. Lori also added a degree in journalism to her educational repertoire. Both young women eventually made their way to Metropolis. While Myra obtained a research position at STAR Labs, Lori was hired by the Daily Planet as a city reporter, a job in which she excelled. In Metropolis, Lori and Myra shared a small house. Below their dwelling the young women concealed a teleportation device, a Kryptonian mechanism which could transport Lori and Myra across the planetary surface instantaneously. They also could fly from one location to another if the situation warranted that type of translocation. However, with the evolution of more sophisticated electronic surveillance devices, flying was becoming more perilous because of the military's ability to locate objects hurtling through the atmosphere at great speeds. As more and more efficient electronic detectors increased in sophistication and were capable to detect various kinds of rapidly moving flying devices as they moved across the skies above the planet, Kryptonians moving at great neck speed were detected and considered hostile military hardware. However, when special stealthy garments were developed by the Newtons and their girls with equipment furnished at Star Labs, the electronic detection units searching the heavens by the nations of the world could easily be negated when the Kryptonians took to the skies over their adoptive planet. ***The Metropolis Scene*** After Lori, at the Daily Planet, and Myra, at Star Labs, had begun developing their career lines within Earth's society, super personalities began appearing throughout the world - Superwoman and Fantastic-Girl. These two super beings swooped from the skies of Metropolis to foil injustice and help strengthen the virtues of humankind and support the truths the world accepted and were self-evident throughout the globe. As Superwoman and her sister battled the knaves of the planet, right wing organizations and large hooligan populations slowly joined forces to eradicate these gallant super ladies. While the basic goals of belligerent associations were identical in design - destroy the Superwomen - the reasoning behind their hostile objectives were far from being equivalent. Most of their antagonistic aspirations were from right wing individuals or semi-crazed people who believed that the superwomen represented the initial representatives of an invasion force, which would allow aliens to subdue Earth and enslave its people. The second tier of the anti super alliance was reacting against the super gals with the intent on destroying the superwomen and halt them from interfering with their enormous profit-making operations through their illicit enterprises functioning daily throughout the world. Nearly a year later, the "Save the Planet Organization" - SPO - came into existence. This establishment developed a laser device that, when used in a dark environment, could drain the energy from an experimental subject. It was believed that if the laser beam with a high specific frequency could be found to immobilize strong animals such as tigers, it was possible that such an energy contrivance could also be made ultra strong and be able to crush the lady super beings. More testing on guinea-pigs and other experimental animals by one of Nigel Luthor's scientists created a fabricated contrivance containing a special laser discharging unit to be produced which could reduce a human's energy output to a deadly low ebb. Working with these special devices, Nigel's scientific personnel produced a devastating energy weapon that could immobilize and destroy any living being by manipulating and then disrupting the organism's cellular energy by the super laser mechanism. At a secret council meeting, headed by Nigel Luthor, it was decided to utilize the SPO's new weapon system upon the superwomen to eliminate their presence from the planet Earth. After Nigel had fabricated a single super laser device, Nigel believed that his energy project was ready to fulfill his objectives and would be successful in exterminating his foes. So, he foolishly had his scientific personnel and their staffs create a laser system to eliminate the super gals. Unknown to Nigel, the research scientists at LexCorp and their supporting staff, fearing for their lives, destroyed all plans and techniques required to duplicate the killer laser's destructive potential. Without knowledge of the destruction of the laser's plans, Nigel secretly murdered the technological employees of LexCorp. When the killing occurred, Nigel's right hand man lost his only access to the production of more weapons. In his rash move, Nigel had inadvertently destroyed all the technological designs and human understanding that would enable them to create copies of the LexCorp laser contrivance. After Nigel's slaughter of his energy weapon architects, Luthor was without plans to produce more of the new instruments of destruction. Nigel's faux pas was discovered several weeks later when an alarm was detected emanating from the warehouse belonging to a company which fabricated and stored the laser weapon. A few moments later, Lori plunged through the roof of the lab facility to apprehend the criminals who had gained entrance to one of Luthor's science buildings. Almost as soon as she began searching for the culprits who had gained entrance to the laser building, Lori found herself thrust into a sea of total blackness. As she continued to scan the darkened building for signs of the felons, beams of red colored energy bursts struck her repeatedly. After the first few strikes on her torso, Superwoman was weakened and started falling toward the floor. With the lack of light, she could not recharge her energy reserves, which were being rapidly diminished causing Superwoman to be in danger of expiring. As Superwoman's sister watched the scene in horror, she felt a hand grasp her shoulder and say, "I'll dive into the warehouse and grab your sister and punch a hole through the wall on the antipodal side of the storage structure. Be there when I emerge with your sister from the building. I will probably need your support when I break out of the building. I'll explain this affair after our little operation has been concluded." Before she could say more to the unknown individual at her side, he had embarked on his life saving activity. Mi-Ra watched as the masked man flew into Nigel's trap, lifted Lori and headed toward the opposite wall of the science facility. Positioning herself at the designated wall location, she watched as the stranger began transporting her sister to safety and destroying the new weapon system with his laser eyes. As the unknown super being was transporting her sister and breaking through the wall, he was struck in the shoulder by a red beam. Turning his head, his laser eyes and freezing breath demolished the last remaining energy weapon. As the grievously injured super being was himself falling toward the ground, he handed Lori to her younger sister and said, "Go. Our adversaries are nearly upon us." While Mi-Ra headed home carrying her sister, she saw the unknown man moving near to the ground, scarcely able to levitate. As Mi-Ra was making a turn at a street corner and streaking towards home, she observed another man and woman descend swiftly from the clouds and retrieve her sister's injured rescuer, carrying him hastily in a westerly direction. A few hours after Lori had been placed in bed, Mi-Ra heard a rap at her door. Scanning the door front with her x-ray eyes, she recognized the man's profile and other physical characteristics that informed her that she was about to confront her sister's deliverer. Within a few minutes, the man was speaking with Mi-Ra in her living room. After informing Mi-Ra that the injuries from Nigel's light beam weapon could be resolved by radiation sources produced by sunlamps, Ari began placing sunlamps in a circle about Lori. A short time after the sunlamp therapy Lo-Ra showed effects of healing. The sunlamp devices soon invigorated Lori's bodily functions - a few hours of this solar healing method were all that was necessary, it appeared, to help strengthen Lo-Ra's bodily functions. The lamp array about Lo-Ra's body produced enough curative solar radiation rays to bring superwoman back to health. To all Kryptonians interacting within the Earth's electric-magnetic field, the solar energy lamps would quickly rejuvenate any Kryptonian's unique super power abilities. Ari added that he had mended quickly because of these particular solar lamp arrays his family had developed. While Lori rested under the influence of the solar radiation lamps and regained her stamina, Ari and Mi-Ra, using stealthy garments, hastened toward Ulysses, Kansas. Once Ari and his guest arrived at the Miller's residence and introductions were made, Kitara took Mi-Ra aside and explained the entire saga that led to the Miller clan's formation. As Kit babbled, Kivi entered the discussion and strongly requested that Mi-Ra say nothing about the Miller family to anyone, even to her sister. They wanted as few individuals as was possible to know about the special family group now living at the Miller's homestead in Kansas. Mi-Ra , after some discussion, agreed with Kivi. Within several weeks, the super sisters were again functioning throughout the highways and byways of Metropolis. ***Working In Metropolis*** When the events surrounding the attempted slaying of the superwomen settled down, Mi-Ra and Ari's familiy persuaded him to accept a position at STAR Labs. While reluctantly accepting a research situation at the internationally famous laboratories, Ari found that this time the new position was also linked to a part time appointment as the Science Desk coordinator at the Metropolis Star, a rival Metropolis newspaper to the Planet. As a research assistant within the STAR Lab's research complex, Ari could again study and begin fabricating his meteorological device without being disturbed by any outside annoyances. As his research program began providing him with sufficient data, Ari's hypothesis concerning Earth's erratic weather patterns and its unusual behavior was being borne out. As Ari's studies progressed, his new instrumentation would soon be able to gather the kind of parameters needed to predict violent storms that periodically ravaged particular sections of the planet. Although not quite finished, his meteorological device was functioning well enough to predict, with a more than ninety-five percent accuracy, information concerning atmospheric disturbances. While not fully complete, Ari's weather apparatus was still producing reliable data, which delighted the people at Star Labs. Furthermore, Ari was scooping the Daily Planet with his reliable weather forecasts, which seemed to please the Star's hierarchy to no end. Why? Ari never understood rivalry when people's lives were at stake. Within a year Ari finally had his meteorological brainchild up to a predictability factor on nearly ninety-nine point five percent, which was now acceptable to his remarkably creative mind. As things progressed in Ari's life, he and Mi-Ra would often see one another for lunch. At meal time he would often explain some of his more scholarly theoretical concepts, which defined his ideas of space-time. At these moments in life, Ari would explain to another living being, Mi-Ra in this case, how his ideas of time and space could be used to transverse the cosmos. Occasionally, Dr. Klein - known as Bernie to his colleagues and friends - would join them for lunch. It was on one of these occasions that Ari mentioned to Bernie that Mi-Ra was his kin, making the young woman feel warm and fuzzy all over. Over time, Bernie began to realize that Ari was a more gifted and sophisticated scientist than his credentials revealed. On a hunch, Dr. Klein teamed Mi-Ra and Ari on several novel and difficult projects and found that their minds were completely in sync with one another, and they completed their project ahead of schedule and under budget. Things were moving along swimmingly until his new weather apparatus signaled that the weather patterns near the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico were becoming alarmingly unstable. After several hours of pondering the sea borne and atmospheric information from his new weather system, Ari was forced to deduce that large amounts of geothermal energy and Tsunami like sea floor conditions from several oceanic sources were combining and causing an ever increasing violent storm pattern with unmeasurable fury. Ari's weather device indicated that the merging forces driving the developing storm were creating the largest turbulent storm in recorded history, churning its way into the Gulf region. And, if the horrendous storm maintained the trajectories suggested by Ari's weather artifice, the destructive paths of the storm would jeopardize much of the USA's gulf coast and shoreline and its Mexican neighbor. When the various storm patterns had been analyzed, Ari rushed to the STAR Labs facilities and created a detailed weather description in which his device forecasted the immensity and destructive power of the impending storm. Ari also warned the maritime traffic in the storm's vicinity of the great peril they were in. Ari then informed the crews on the oil rigs functioning in the Gulf to vacate their sea platforms and to abandon the area. The lives of the crews on the sea platforms were in terrible danger. In his report to the weather service, Ari included a map where he expected the greatest menace to Mexican and USA coastal areas to strike. In his maritime article, Ari also pleaded with people within the threatened coastal regions to evacuate the warned territories as swiftly as was possible. Unfortunately, Earth's standard global weather forecasting system, at that time, was still in its rudimentary developmental stage and had not yet detected the ferocious intensity of the on rushing storm front. While there were transmissions from the fishing fleets operating in the Gulf that a behemoth storm was rushing through the Gulf, these electronic reports were more often than not garbled because of the adverse atmospheric conditions and, therefore, disregarded at the expense of those still working in the Gulf region. When Nigel Luthor became aware of Ari's article concerning the current Gulf storm, his prejudices swayed his logic and he avoided reevaluating Ari's data even with his own rather crude metrological equipment. Instead, Luthor had his short range communication center, based on LexCorp's oil rigs, using the stations rather inefficient detection devices - five in all - to search the surrounding sea for verification of Ari's information. From his company's equipment, Nigel was informed that while the waters about the rigs were unusually choppy for that time of year, no indication of an intense storm had been detected. While Luthor was receiving the information he desired, the storm front was rushing into the Gulf at sixty knots, and at that speed an immensely powerful storm could be battering the rigs before the crew on the oil platforms were aware of the event. Also, instead of Nigel continuing his rigs' investigation using other atmospheric detection sources, Luthor contacted his political allies. Possessing enormous wealth, people tended to believe Nigel's utterances that he often spread from his radio transmitters. People, unfortunately, and foolishly, believe individuals who have accumulated great wealth can be trusted because of the notion that those who become wealthy must be in the know and therefore their veracity is infallible and should hardly be questioned. To give the devil his due, Luthor did contact the Weather Service for some sort of verification. Nigel was advised that while a storm warning had not as yet been posted, the skies east of the Floridian peninsula did look very suspicious in a weather sense - the Weather Service, while hopeful to disprove Ari's storm alarm, was still worried that something menacing was brewing within the Gulf region. Luthor was informed that two weather aircraft had just been sent to confirm or disprove their growing apprehensions. Forgetting about the potentially large storm surge that could accompany the storm that Ari had predicted and the possibility of the destruction in the wake of such a ferocious storm, the revenge factor made Luthor a captive, overiding his usually careful and logical mind. As the Weather Service continued its investigation, Luthor, to avoid a panic and the loss of an immense amount of oil revenue, called his friend, John Dillard, the Secretary of Commerce, and discussed Ari's data. Luthor pointed out that Ari's Metropolis Star story emphasized only the negative aspects of the supposed gigantic storm. And, since weather information was not truly infallible, his story, Luthor stressed, could only be considered doubtful at best. Therefore, Nigel, with his charm, convinced the government officials to cancel the Weather Bureau's investigation, sub sea searches and aircraft weather detection flights, and allowed Luthor's electronic network to broadcast, using LNN as its main radio source, that Ari's weather prognostications in the Gulf region were groundless and possibly fraudulent. Nigel also convinced Secretary Dillard to prevent the Metropolis papers from publishing more of Ari's weather material, which was in direct violation of the Constitution and eventually caused many individuals their jobs, including the Secretary of Commerce himself. The deaths that eventually occurred in the wake of the storm were a great embarrassment to the current administration and cost the President the next election. Now, however, and before Ari could utter a word in his defense, he found that Star Labs had terminated his position, and the Metropolis Star to protect themselves also had him sacked. Ari's dismissals were caused by Luthor's political manipulations of the boards controlling these particular institutions. Ari managed to say goodbye to Mi-Ra, even though the building administrators were anxious for him to expeditiously vacate the building - his presence was an embarrassment. Because of Nigel's slanderous onslaught against Ari, his enemy, LNN, with Luthor's further accusations, stigmatized the scientific journalist as a pariah. Kela's brother had nowhere to hang his hat. So, he quietly returned to his Metropolis abode, packed his things, and teleported to his home in Ulysses, Kansas before dawn of the following day. Without sleeping, he unpacked his things and arranged his bedroom. Ari then meandered into his lab area located under his apartment and began refurbishing his old research facility. Since returning to his Kansas home would most likely be for an indefinite period, Ari's mind was already considering a host of new ideas. One particular space-time concept that particularly tickled his interest caused the space born Kryptonian to immediately begin working on this project by writing out his theoretical concepts. As Ari began readying himself for his new research effort, the fury of the Gulf storm finally made its presence known. When the storm began to wail and wain some two days after Ari's warning had been ignored and he had returned to the Miller Homestead, announcements were made that Luthor's oil platforms and most ships operating in the Gulf had been destroyed - many thousands of people had perished. Most of the west coast of Florida was ravaged by the fury of the storm, leaving a mass of devastation in its wake and the coastlines along the southeastern United States had been decimated by nature's gigantic storm, accompanied by the mythical pale horseman. The loss of life and the physical destruction of the region was too horrible to contemplate. From rough estimates, it was feared and later verified, the monstrous storm, which rampaged through the Gulf, had caused more than two hundred thousand casualties - injured, maimed and killed - and those numbers concurred with the values Ari had predicted if evacuation from the threatened area were ignored. Hearing the information arising from the storm as Ari puttered about his new basement laboratory, all that Lara and Jor-El's first male child could do was lift his head heavenward and whisper, "I tried." After a pause, Ari murmured, "I wonder who the politicians will scapegoat for this calamity?" Some thirty minutes after the devastating news had been broadcast from LNN, Kit, accompanied by Mi-Ra, entered Ari's new lab facility. As Ari recognized his visitors, he discontinued what he was doing and embraced Mi-Ra, who he often called his Metropolis sister and hugged her. He also gave Kitara a hardy hug and kissed her on her cheek. After greeting his aunt, Ari again pulled Mi-Ra into his grasp saying, "What can I do for you, my little sister? I hope you are aware that you're welcome here at anytime." Then placing his head upon Mi-Ra's forehead, Ari hugged her again. Then as Ari was explaining what he was doing, Mi-Ra got her nerve-up and commented, "I hope I'm getting an impression that you hanker for a stronger interaction between us, one that would lead to more than a brother sister connection." Ari nodded his head and replied that while he was happy with their current relationship, he was unhappy that the two of them were not soulmates, which inhibited a deeper emotional linkage between them. "Our current relationship I feel is not a very satisfying one." Ari began to move equipment about his lab to avoid continuing the conversation along the lines Mi-Ra had initiated. Soon, Mi-Ra began to help him move his equipment. Out of curiosity, Ari asked Mi-Ra, "Has anybody inquired about my well being in Metropolis?" To Ari's question Mi-Ra shook her head in a negative fashion. Ari, with a Mono Lisa type facial expression asked whether any of his so-called Metropolis friends expressed any kind of consideration for him or his actions. "In truth, Sis," answering his own interrogative, "why should the population of Metropolis think about me at all. The leaders of Metropolis probably believe that I'm an embarrassment, and the politicians who control the city will attempt to influence the people of my former home to refrain from thinking positively about my works and hope in time that the memory of my existence will fade into obscurity." The embarrassment of Luthor's political meddling had caused untold hardship on the Gulf region of the country, causing a clamor for retribution against those responsible for the Gulf catastrophe. The memory of the Gulf event nor Luthor's involvement would not disappear. After discussing Luthor and observing Ari's stockpile of electronics, Mi-Ra curiously asked, "What will you do with the stock of electronic equipment you've gathered?" Pausing for a moment, Ari said, "I'm attempting to fabricate a time-space mechanism from a theoretical model that I've been developing and embellishing for some time." Looking at Mi-Ra, Ari added, "If I'm successful, my spatial teleportation unit will be incorporated with my temporal mathematical statement converter so that the coordinates of Krypton and Earth can be positioned simultaneously. Then, my sister," Ari said, "we shall be able to surreptitiously return to the world of our birth." Mi-Ra said, "I hope you're successful, Ari. I would like to see my mother again. I'm sure Lori also has a similar desire." In Metropolis, Mi-Ra usually walked from Star Labs to the Planet building to have her lunch with her sister Lori. Several days after returning to Metropolis, Mi-Ra again met with her older sibling. While they were enjoying a hardy meal, Perry White, the newly designated editor in chief of the Planet, joined them at their noon repast. As they conversed, Mi-Ra asked, "What happened to Ari Miller, the Star Lab assistant and science department director at the Metropolis Star?" After a quiet pause, Mi-Ra added, "I knew him very well, and found him to be a person of high integrity." "In what capacity did you known him?" Lori inquired of her sister. "We both worked at STAR Labs," Mi-Ra replied. "He was a man who, if listened to, could have saved hundreds or maybe thousands upon thousands of people's lives from either injury or death during the past gigantic Gulf storm." "You know, Lori, maybe there's a great story in his dismissal from Star Labs and the Metropolis Star. Why don't you look into the info surrounding that man," Perry chimed in. "It may be important that Metropolis remembers what was done to an honest man by a slime-ball, who calls himself a philanthropist, and his sycophant politicians still attempting to slander a man who attempted to saved innumerable lives. I regret that we did not hire him when we had the chance." "I wouldn't call Luthor a slime-ball. When I went out with him, Luthor didn't seem so bad." With Lori's comment, Mi-Ra almost yelled, "Nigel is a married man. What about the Biblical entity called fidelity, especially in a marriage?" "He was not getting along well with his wife," was Lori's weak response to justify Luthor's philandering. Mi-Ra didn't reply any further. Shaking her head, Mi-Ra rose from the table and left the room. Before Perry also left, he said to Lori, "Nigel Luthor, my dear, is the personification of evil. He allowed his employees working in the Gulf, including a first cousin, to perish in order to seek revenge on a man who had done nothing but help people since he'd arrived in town. Now Nigel is going to prison for at least ten years, no parole, and the Secretary of Commerce has been forced to resign his cabinet post even though he was duped by that lummox Luthor into committing what some would call a treasonous act. "Lori, note that our society, encouraged by the actions of our gallant political system, had ostracized Ari for his attempt to save many people's lives and prevent the recent tragedy. Think of it, Lori. The politicians are protecting each other and attempting to destroy Ari's competency as a scientist to coverup their faux pas, which was instigated by Luthor. Lori, you should be aware that even after the evidence gathered by the government's commission to study the storm incident clearly showed that Ari's information was correct, not one apology from the involved establishments for their vile treatment of Ari, a guiltless man, has ever been offered in any form. And, Lori, the organizations which are really responsible for the Gulf catastrophe by following Luthor's lead haven't been prosecuted, and the organizations which fired him haven't offered to return his positions for exposing the truth nor compensate him for his financial losses. "Lori, I don't believe the vendors of this city will ever offer Ari a job or redress him for his losses. Such a move by our fair city would be an admission of collusion with Luthor and his cohorts and, therefore, an admission they should share, if only in a philosophical sense, the guilt that led to the reckless slaughter of many people." Perry then rose from the table and commented as he left the room, "The Daily Planet will publish articles every day about the Ari incident until those buzzards are driven into bankruptcy or by some other financial means be forced from our city. Ari's story will not be killed by the politicians of this guilty city. The fight to keep what happened to Ari Miller has just begun. You know, I have a horrible notion that this town will pay a terrible price for what it has done to the character of an honest person." Since Lori did not agree with Perry or her sister, she wrote an article in which she supported Luthor's corrupt beliefs and murderous attitude, which added support to the same views as Ari's assailants. Even after her story was awarded a Kerth for political reasons, Perry never mentioned her article again, and the Planet, during Perry's tenure as editor in chief, never accepted a call from the Kerth committee or attended another of their shindigs. Because of the conduct of the Kerth board, its yearly gala essentially became an insular affair and its directors, during Perry's lifetime as the Planet's editor in chief, were never invited to another national or an international news event. It was only after Perry had retired and passed from this world that it was discovered that the Kerth panel had been paid handsomely to present a Kerth to Lori for her anti Ari Miller story. When Lori had returned home after her row with her sister, Mi-Ra was gone. The bond between the siblings had been torn asunder. Mi-Ra had packed her things and flown to the Miller homestead in Kansas. There, she was given an apartment for as long as she required its use. Within a week, Ari accompanied Mi-Ra back to his Metropolis abode. After she settled in, he explained how to use the teleportation unit concealed within her new Metropolis home. When that was accomplished, Ari teleported back to Kansas telling Mi-Ra she was expected for supper that coming Friday evening and every Friday thereafter. While Lori and Mi-Ra no longer lived together nor generally socialized within the same social group, they still functioned as a super team - Superwoman and Fantastic-Girl were still active throughout the world. *** The Abandoned ones*** On a cold and dreary winters day, Ari was making his way to a science convention in the Fogy Bottom area of Washington D.C. This conference was about time-space phenomenon and was held at the Watergate building complex in the nation's capital. As Ari was passing near the freshman dormitories of George Washington University, he spied a woman in her mid-twenties with a young child clutching frantically to her body for warmth and what little additional comfort the young woman could provide for her babe. Now exhausted from crying profusely for a considerable time, the infant just whimpered. Looking at the pair, Ari knew that the sting of winter would soon cause the demise of the young child and the woman who cared for the infant. As he looked on, Ari's heart went out to the two who were in distress and hurriedly crossed the broad avenue, picked up the freezing youngster and his mother, covered them beneath his coat close to his breast and further wrapping his coat about the child's body. Ari's warm Kryptonian body soon revived the child who clasped his arms about Ari's neck and laid his head upon the alien's shoulders. Soon, The boy fell into a healing slumber. Then bending over the woman, Ari, fearing that she had already passed from this world, picked her up, keeping her head and body close to his torso. Soon, Ari heard a frail almost inaudible voice refer to the baby as Seth as she gestured towards the toddler. Following the Hebraic traditions of her people, she told Ari about her baby's spiritual appellation. Then holding tightly to Ari and taking a final sigh, Seth's mother was gathered to her fathers. Gone to the creator of all things, Seth's mother passed from this life to another plane of existence. Finding a deserted alleyway, Ari donned his stealth jacket and flew to his home in western Kansas carrying the young boy and his now deceased protector - a loving mother. While Ari waited for the clergyman, he fabricated a coffin devoid of iron nails and had the woman's bedraggled raiment removed from her body and ritually washed according to her traditions. Then the body was covered with a shroud and sealed in the burial container, a coffin, which used only wooden pegs in its construction as she had asked. Leaving Seth with his sister, Kela, he asked Kivi to contact the rabbi residing in a nearby town to help provide the necessary funeral rituals as Seth's mother was laid to rest. After the funeral had been completed, Ari returned to Washington where he rejoined the science conference and could gauge the needs his colleagues would require to continue the theoretical work that would be needed to enhance learning in the space - time area. Soon after Ari left for DC for the second time, a rabbi arrived. The Miller family in the presence of the rabbi donated a section of the farm as a Hebraic cemetery next to a Christian burial ground, and an entombment sanctuary area for the people of Islam. The entire burial site was about an acre square for each sanctified section. After a grave was exhumed and prayers said, a coffin was again interred according to the laws of Moses. The rabbi was amazed by those who came to help the little boy, Seth, with the burial and mourning procedures that followed the burial. The strangers who came to the ceremony moved the consecrated soil, which, as the rabbi observed, was nearly as hard as concrete. The rabbi, during the remainder of his lifetime, never mentioned what he observed at the funeral on that day. The coffin was finally covered with earth, and ten men from the surrounding communities patiently waited in the bitter cold to complete the final earthly ceremony for Sara Rebecca, Seth's natural mother. The prayers now being chanted were for a valiant woman who struggled to save her son's life while hers was lost in the endeavor - Sara Rebecca, the daughter of Isaac and Judith, had now returned to the earth from which all life returns. These words would be engraved on the eternal monument that covered that section of earth and which would be erected in the spring of the coming year. Through the killing cold of winter a life was lost, and a life had been preserved by a man whom the world would not appreciate nor understand until long after this moment had passed. To Rachel, Ari's adopted and loving daughter, was now added a new brother, Seth, four years of age. Rachel had joined Ari's family several years before Seth's mother was spirited to death's realm. The brutish murder of Ari's good friends Josh and Yael Stein had precipitated Rachel's adoption. Rachel's natural parents were dispatched by a band of butchering terrorists when, as State Department Consulate employees, they were working in Ghana to increase the quantity of clean water in a desolate region within that country. Rachel's parents' murders occurred when an untainted water system was being constructed to provide clean drinking water for a local village then underway. A sewage complex was also being erected to remove the refuse from the village's water facility. This intricate sewage-water complex, when completed, would reduce the amount of defiled water that flowed near the village and reduce the number of corrupted cisterns endangering the lives of the children living near the village community. After the Millers' cemetery was consecrated, Rachel's natural parents were disinterred from their Ghana burial site and re-interred in the Millers' cemetery in a plot next to Seth's mother. Since no immediate family for either child existed, the Miller household was pleased that Ari assumed responsibility for both Rachel Dinah and Seth David. It also provided Ari his own family, which he sorely needed, and provided him with a meaning for his own existence and those of his adoptive children. Like his adopted daughter, Rachel, Seth, too, underwent the genome transformation process, which produced yet another earthborn Kryptonian. One evening, not long after Seth had joined Ari and Rachel's household, Seth climbed onto Kitara's lap and looking his great aunt straight in the face said impulsively, "Kit, I'm very glad you're my aunt." He then fell into a contented slumber on her shoulder. Ari, looking in Kit's eyes, saw tears of joy cascading down her face. Ari knew that somehow she, too, loved this little boy. As Seth's head continued to doze on Kit's body, her surge of love for him increased. Ari was right when he had told Kit when Seth first joined their family, "My son may not be genetically connected to us, but our souls, yours and mine, Kit, are one with his." Now Kitara, too, understood that all life forms, especially one of their own kind, are connected in some unknown manner, and all are responsible for the well being of each other. This had been borne out when Rachel was about five years of age. She found a baby eagle with an injured wing struggling to survive on the Millers' farm. Running quickly, Rachel picked up the impaired avian and scampered for her Aunt Kit. The bird, of course, clawed at Rachel's face in an attempt to free itself. Of course, Rachel, like all Kryptonians, possessed impenetrable skin. So, fortunately, Rachel was unaware that she was under attack by a very frightened and ferocious bird. A few minutes after locating her aunt, an argument ensued between Rachel and Kit about whether the bird should be left in the field. The little five-year old yelled that all life forms must be protected. A few minutes later Kitara and Rachel were on their way to an ecological organization called "Stars In The Forest," where the eagle could be cared for until its injuries were ameliorated. As Rachel leaned against Kit, she recalled what Ari and she had talked about concerning all life forms. Rachel, too, apparently felt the same way. Later that evening Kit asked Ari where his kids had learned their philosophical ideas. He got out of his chair, took Kit by the hand and led his aunt into a small study chamber overflowing with philosophical and religious texts gathered from the world at large. Before he left her gazing at the books, he commented, "All the children in our family use the materials found within this special room." Kitara was also informed that the materials in the room were not just for Seth and Rachel alone, but for all those living at the Miller homestead. He smiled at Kit and returned to his own theoretical studies of multi-universes. A few days later, Rachel came running through the house yelling with a big grin on her face; the eagle will be okay. Then for the first time she levitated practically to the ceiling doing somersaults as she soared. Over the next three years, Ari, with Mi-Ra's help, worked diligently on his time-space device. Then early one morning it happened. The two scientists suddenly heard sounds and beheld sights starting to appear on the large monitor, which suspended on their laboratory wall. Mi-Ra said to Ari after a few moments, "The noises and video images emanating from the monitor are very similar to Kryptonian scenes I'll familiar with." The landscapes viewed on the monitor were not as yet quite clear enough to discern all the subject material. Then Ari asked Mi-Ra, "Please arouse Kit and ask her to come to our lab." As Mi-Ra hastened to find Ari's aunt, Ari was striving to fine tune the video signals now being received by the electronics of the detectors-monitoring system. Ari was still fiddling with his space-time equipment when Kit with Mi-Ra hurried into the Ari's laboratory. After Kit greeted her nephew, she listened to the chatter coming from Ari's new inter-spacial instruments. Within a few moments, Kitara confirmed that the language she perceived was definitely Kryptonian in origin. After Kit had completed her investigation, her nephew and Mi-Ra studied Ari's space-time device and could find nothing wrong; they all sat-down in frustration. While Kit and Ari discussed the situation, Mi-Ra, looking over the designs, computations and fabrication methods associated with Ari's inter-spatial mechanism suddenly yelled, "Eureka! Guys, we haven't considered the relativistic effects conjoined with the electromagnetic phenomena driving the time-space device we've created." At that point, totally exhausted, Kit returned to bed while Mi-Ra and Ari began to modify the mathematical relationships and mechanical components that controlled their time-space contrivance. When Kit returned from Star Labs the following day, Ari and Mi-Ra had just completed the modification of their time-space device. After supper, Ari again activated the modified time-space mechanism and this time the three Kryptonians saw and heard more clearly what was transpiring on the planet Krypton nearly halfway across the cosmos. Continuing to scrutinize the time-space signals, Kitara commented, "The time period we're receiving appears to be that of a timeline close to our own. Until we can control any unwanted variation in the time-space patterns emanating from Ari's device and are confident in the ability of our equipment's capability to control any variabilities in the cosmic frequencies from Ari's equipment, I believe we should lock-in on the Kryptonian era we've discovered. In that way, we'll have a bit of reliability associated with the data generated from our time-space equipment and know that the electromagnetic waves emanating through the time-space detection apparatus are relatively stable." After some discussion, they agreed on Kitara's diagnosis and agreed on how to use the time-space equipment electromagnetic waves through the immensity of space. ***A New Soulmate and Delay*** After the evening meal on their momentous day, Kitara commented, "Ari, something occurred at Star Labs during this past week that I'm certain to some degree will affect our lives." "What is it, Auntie?" Ari eagerly queried his kin. "Is it a good thing or..." Smiling, Kit replied, "A very good thing," Kitara announced. "I'm fairly certain that I've finally located my soulmate." Ari beamed and said to his aunt, "That's great, Kitara. Please bring him around tomorrow or sometime this week." Then Ari quietly said something that bought tears to Kitara's eyes - "I've been praying for a long time that you would find a soulmate, a forever partner, among this planet's population and be filled with love, my Aunt Kitara." With tears streaming down his face, Ari further remarked, "Now, Auntie, I can be content." Ari then said, "In the name of the seven dragons of zoo-loo, how did you manage to meet this guy?" Ari, Mi-Ra, and the others present were informed that about a week ago two new scientists were employed by Star Labs. One was a chemical physicist who possessed an earned doctorate, while the other was schooled as a chemical engineer and possessed an experimentally procured doctorate in his field. These new hires were related - first cousins, Adam and Joshua Halle. After a slight pause, Kit continued articulating, "Prior to receiving their intense science education, both cousins were in the military for four years - they were trained in special warfare and are now magnificent warriors in their own right." Ari smiled, and remarked, "So, they also have fine military training. That's good. We need more well-trained fighting personnel within our ranks." "What do you mean by them?" Seth asked. "I don't believe we'd be able to separate these two warriors," Ari answered his son. Even Kitara nodded affirmatively to Ari's comments as she also answered her great nephew. "Now, as you were saying," Ari asked Kit, "how did you and your potential soulmate get together?" "Two days ago," Kit said, "Bernie had a get together to introduce the new hires to the rest of the staff. As I entered the room, where the party was to be held, I felt an aura come hither message. To tell you the truth, I was completely startled as I sought the source of the aura and noticed that a specific individual was behaving in a somewhat fidgety manner and appeared to be searching for the source which was effecting his emotional sensibilities. This new science fellow I learned was called Adam Halle by his associates. Adam's cousin, Josh, sensing something unique was occurring, began to talk quietly with Adam in an attempt to resolve the conditions that seemed to vex his kin. "Their discussion ceased as I approached the cousins. I could feel my soulmate pheromone becoming stronger as we came within a few meters of one another. Finally, Bernie placed his arm about Josh and led him to a group of lab employees who quickly took Josh to the spiked punch bowl. Alone, I introduced myself to Adam and asked him to join me for a walk in the rose garden. "Seeing me meander off with his cousin Adam, Josh smiled and nodded, which is an earth way of telling his cousin or friend that the girl he's with is A-Okay. "As we started our walk and how do you do's, I added quietly that I'd like to talk with him about a strange sensation that apparently was affecting our senses. Adam, being quick witted, understood my message and nodded in an affirmative manner. Adam also indicated that his cousin, with his hand signals, had urged him to get acquainted with me. Josh felt that we had something going between us and by sign language between them indicated we should go on a date." To her kin, Kit then said, "I hadn't been to one of those kinds of outings in G-D knows how long. So by taking Josh's advice, I prepared a luncheon and invited Adam and his cousin Josh to my lab where the three of us all enjoyed a scrumptious meal together." While Kit was relating this narrative to her family, a strange thing suddenly occurred to Adam and Josh, who, it just so happened, were both, at that moment, about to leave Kit's laboratory area. Suddenly, there was a flash of light that temporarily overpowered Adam's and Josh's senses, and the next thing they knew they found themselves within a rather large room of an unfamiliar house. Looking about they found themselves in the company of Kit and her family. Although the cousins felt no ominous sensations, they were quite unperturbed considering the immensity of what had just happened to them. Almost immediately, Josh said to Adam, "We were involved in some form of teleportation." Adam replied, "Yep, Couz, we probably interacted with a mode of transportation that operates by some sort of electromagnetic wave properties acting on our molecular systems." Almost out of nowhere, Ari stated, "Your speculation about the transportation method you've just experienced was correct on most points." Ari then looked at his aunt and remarked, "Let me attempt to explain the entire reason for Adam and Josh's recent transportation experience, which probably is a very unusual event for the young men." Kitara nodded her head in an affirmative manner as Ari prepared to play instructor to Adam and Josh. Then, Ari proceeded to a communication device on the wall and summoned the entire Miller clan to a meeting to be preceded by a gormandized meal within the immense room. After the meal was finished, the second for the Halle cousins, Kit rose and said to her family, "Adam and I have some important items to discuss and one that will affect us all." Kit and Adam, future life partners, left the table and made their way into the flower garden for probably the most important conversation of their lives. While Adam and Kitara walked deeper within the garden, Ari introduced Joshua and led him to the den where he became acquainted with the remainder of the family. As the family milled about, Joshua was told an incredible tale involving the Miller clan and their current farmstead. If all went well, Josh was informed, Kitara and his cousin Adam would be engaged to be married and the family would meet for a supper celebration of this auspicious event. Josh was taken aback from what he'd learned, but he patiently waited to see whether Kit and Adam were soulmates as Kit had predicted. If that turned out to be the case they would plan to wed within the near future and spend an eternity of lifetimes together throughout all the spatial time lines in their cosmos. As Ari had predicted, Adam and his Aunt Kit were soulmates and their marriage would occur during the next full moon. On the day following Adam and Kitara's engagement, the genome modification process was performed on Adam and Joshua, now the newest members of the Miller household. At sunset on the following day, Adam and Joshua were taken into the surreptitious subterranean environs of the farmhouse to select their own Kryptonian rapier and a Bowi blade, a weapon whose uses they would be required to master for the sake of the family they could now call their own. Ari knew that within a year both Adam and Josh would need to be well versed with the use of their weapons. Their coming journey through the wilderness of space and their survival during this trek to their destination would require this knowledge. Lessons in the use of their rapiers and Bowi blades began in a week or so after their weapons were selected. In the coming days, as the sun charged the unique potential of their bodies, the cousins were instructed how to utilize their rapiers and blades in a series of rather lengthy sessions. Then, thereafter, the intensity of their daily practice sessions increased markedly, improving Adam's and Josh's abilities in hand to hand combat using the rapier and Bowi blade as their principle weapons. This belligerent activity, of course, occurred after Adam and Josh worked a full day at Star Labs. During this period, Adam and Josh were also provided with stealth clothing to prevent them from being observed as they developed their flying skills and hovered near Earth's surface. As Josh and Adam developed their new fighting skills and learned to control their super powers, activity in the Miller household also increased while Kitara and Adam's nuptials rapidly approached. One of the non military science projects, which was also in the works, was the construction of a new apartment complex being fabricated for the newlyweds. When all was prepared on the domestic front, the Miller homestead would welcome several new residents. It was important at this time that the entire cadre of the scientifically talented natural Kryptonians and Terran-Kryptonian people with modified genomes be present as Ari's space-time transporter was also being fabricated and rapidly coming on line. Except for a relatively short honeymoon period enjoyed by the Halle couple, the remaining members of the Miller clan remained close to home as the transporter device could become active at almost any moment. However, it wasn't until eighteen months later that a time-space window opened across the universe and Ari, Kela, and Kit journeyed through a cosmic aperture into a canyon Kitara called the Valley of the Blue Moon - a remote region on the planet Krypton. ***And Back Again*** When the three Kryptonian trekkers returned to their home world, they were startled as they gazed at the terrain near their alighting on the planet's surface. When the intergalactic travelers scanned a larger vicinity affixed to their landing area, the trekkers further observed a silhouette of the Andal mountains in the distance and viewed the beautiful mountainous topography. Furthermore, Kit, Ari, and Kela saw a wild herd of red colored kadals, animals similar to Earth's mountain goats, as they slowly moved across the base of the nearby mountain range that rimmed the small valley where their campsite was located. Kitara had chosen this relatively isolated section of her home world, where the daily climate was uncertain at best and consisted of a rather rugged topography. From this territory, Kit did not expect to scurry across the Kryptonian landscape when she and several members of her family began to embark upon their journey across the planet. A few minutes after Kit, Ari, and Kela landed on their birth world, Kit's husband Adam and their three infants joined her in the Valley of the Blue Moon. In a little while Josh, Seth, Rachel and the sisters Mi-Ra and Lo-Ra emerged at a campsite that had been constructed on the Kryptonian landscape in the Valley of the Blue Moon. Kit and Adam, with their young family, then settled within the camp to rest, a camp constructed by Ari and the sisters Mi-Ra and Lo-Ra. That evening Kivi and his youngsters joined his soulmate Kela and made ready to begin their journey with the rest of the group. After the entire expedition had settled in for a well needed rest, Ari called for Mi-Ra. She and Ari had met and discussed their plans; Lori (Lo-Ra) also joined them during their discussion some time later. Several days later, the Terran and Terran-Kryptonian explorers and their families began their journey to Saron City, the capital of Krypton. The doorway between Krypton and Earth, produced by Ari's time-space mechanism, kept pace with the dauntless band as they crossed the Kryptonian landscape. The portal opening linking the two planets was of course concealed from the Kryptonian population by the covert fabric Ari had developed while on Earth. As the interstellar travelers from Sol-three moved toward the equator and the capital city of the planet, the weather began to moderate and conditions became more comfy-cozy. Approximately three weeks into the Miller household's journey across the central plain of Krypton, a military patrol intercepted them. Kitara explained to the security forces that they were a mixed clan of people from the mountainous region north of Saron city. After hearing Kit's explanation, the leader of the Kryptonian military unit abruptly recognized the two missing Ra girls. He then demanded that the women be placed in his charge for protection. The military leader was obviously relishing the large reward promised for the return of these missing royal females. Before the patrol commander was aware of what was occurring, he and his twenty-one troopers under his command were dead on the Kryptonian plain. The remains of the lifeless troopers were then passed through the space-time portal to the Miller's homestead on Earth. There, the corpses were transported to the energy chambers beneath the Miller's abode and incinerated within the nuclear furnaces. To insure that such an incident did not occur again, Lori returned to the Miller home while Mi-Ra used a brown wig and added brown contact lenses in her eyes to obscure her more noticeable features and therefore conceal her countenance. Ma-Ra also altered her most significant features. Several more days upon the trail and the earthly band stood before the gates of Saron City. After being questioned at the gates of the great city, it was assumed that the gypsy individuals who made up the wandering band of Kryptonians could be kin to Lara-El, the Sela of the world. In the past, other wanderers came to Saron to visit Lara-El or other relatives who had made it to high rank. Soon after this fact was established by considering Kit's genetic relationship with the Selar and Sela, the diverse group was whist before the hereditary Selar and his soulmate Lara of Krypton. As they stood before Lara and Jor-El, the personage sitting next to the El Lord and his lady sarcastically told the group to bow before their betters. Ari said, "Sir, I'll take your hand in friendship, but for me to bow before a living being I can't do. It would be a sacrilege. What you asked is reserved to my deity." Ari then held out his hand and again smiled. Just before Lord Poco was about to order Ari's and Adam's arrests, Jor-El stood and took the strangers' hands in greeting. "Welcoming of a friend is like looking into the face of G-D. It is an honor to grasp your hand with reverence." Lord Jor-El's action forced Poco to desist from his usual arrogant attitude and nearly caused the pompous lord to split a gut. As Lord Poco attempted to subdue his obvious hatred of the barbarians and absorb his rebuke by the First Lord, Lady Lara's joy at these events spilled onto her beautiful countenance, aware that the haughty and treacherous Lord Poco had received his long overdue comeuppance. When a lull in the conversation occurred, Kit, who was very well disguised, handed Lady Lara a series of documents that displayed the Lo clan symbolic markers. Lara, seeing the Lo clan official seal on the records carried by the travelers from the Northern mountains, summoned experts from the document office to authenticate the identification markings on the papers she had been given by her concealed sister-in-law. After some deliberation by the officiating department, Lara was informed that the embossed stamps were genuine. The mother of the young children was indeed Lara's kin. As the fearless group of strange wanderers stood before good and evil in the audience room - the El's and Lord Poco - Lara said to Jor-El, "Since they're kin, my lord, and have nowhere to stay, maybe we should provide them with a harborage and find useful employment for my relatives from beyond the northern mountains." Jor-El agree with his soulmate and issued a personal edict making it so. After Jor-El's decree, the little group was led to Zara's home some distance from the council chamber's complex. As the company of intrepid Earth folk was being escorted to Zara-El's residence, Lord Poco grimly said to himself, "When I send the order to exterminate Zara's children, I'll inform my lieutenants to dispatch the children of that Kit woman and her husband, Adam. The demise of such rift-raft I'm sure will soon be disregarded." ***The Time Has Come the Walrus Said*** When Zara was suddenly confronted with her mother's rather arcane kin, their gypsy like behavior perturbed Ching's widow. To say the least, she was appalled. However, being a gracious and a dutiful child where her parents were concerned, she accepted her father's official request without creating a scene and graciously provided her unbidden kin folk with living quarters within her abode. One day, when Zara returned home later in the afternoon to inquire about the needs of her relatives, she surprisingly found her home spotlessly clean and observed that Kit and Adam's bantlings were being conscientiously and lovingly cared for by their parents. As she entered the vast library situated in an secluded section of her home, she surprised Josh, who had been studying the contents of several advanced technical texts. The young man rose as a respectful expression to Zara's noble status and her position as head of a household. Surprised to see one of her rather uneducated kin behaving in such a gentle and refined manner within a learning cubicle, Zara, out of curiosity, asked him what he discovered so interesting in her home's learning center. After a slight pause, Josh responded, "As our clique was on its way to Saron city, I observed several very powerful geothermal flare-ups in the Urdi mountains. I made some notes and I'm now attempting to ascertain the proper mathematical relationships, if any, that could quantify my data." The other personage