Beyond Smallville: Fan Fiction

From The Last Daughter of Krypton: Rescue

Lois got up before Clark the next morning, though she figured that she was still buzzed, something felt different. Her attitude seemed to have improved.

She shook the cobwebs from her brain, and Lois knew that Clark was trustworthy, so she decided not to make a big deal about her unusual bed partner. He was probably just exhausted, she reasoned through the hangover haze. 

Lois hopped into the shower and made an extra effort to brush her teeth and refresh her breath. Still, there was a great opportunity to tease him, she considered. Lois double checked her teeth, making sure that they were pearly white.

 She fussed more than usual with her hair, untangling it. Now it was time to annoy Clark, Lois’s eyes sparkled as she went to his room and knocked extra hard on the door. “Rise and Shine, Smallville. We have a whole new day ahead of us to get into trouble.”

Lois made it a point to say that extra loudly, though her own head pounded away. While Clark was in the shower, Lois had cooked bacon and eggs, in an effort to make up for her behavior the night before.

The smell of a pot of fresh coffee wafted upstairs, luring Clark to the kitchen. Lois was already seated at the breakfast table, nursing her orange juice. 

“Morning, sunshine!” Clark teased as Lois glanced at him with one eye closed. He quickly examined the bacon and eggs. At least Lois hadn’t burned anything this time, he assessed the damage.

When Lois turned away to stir the milk in her coffee, Clark used his heat vision. He cooked the bacon thoroughly, and dried up the grease from the eggs.

“Thanks for coming out to get me, Smallville.” Lois said hoarsely. “I really need to get my crap together.” She added contritely. “Did I do anything stupid last night, Clark?”

He forced back the urge to snicker. “Define stupid.” He let her stew for a moment. “Not really.”  “You did temporarily lose your keys and watch, and bad mouth Lex at the top of your lungs in front of half the bar. Actually, I found that part amusing.”

Clark grinned as Lois put her tongue in her cheek. “Sorry about that.” She apologized as she shook her head. “I guess I haven’t been myself.”  Clark nodded. “Me either, and about the whole bed sharing thing…” 

“Ah, don’t worry about it Clarkie.” Lois showed off her blazing white smile. “I’m a big girl, I wasn’t worried about it. I trust you.” Though I am a bit disappointed that you didn’t try anything, she thought wistfully. “Thanks Lois, that means a lot.”

 There was an uncomfortable silence again. “Oh, I spoke to my mom last night on the phone.” Clark gallantly changed the subject. “Oooh! Was your mom pissed that I was sleeping over?” Lois wondered.

“No, she was glad that I brought you back here. You still might get a stern lecture.” Clark teased. Lois grinned. “That’s okay. Maybe I need one. It could help me get my head out of my…” 

The noise of the bubbling coffee pot cut any further comment from Lois off. “Why did you bring me here instead of dropping my sorry butt off at the Talon apartment?” Lois inquired.

 Clark had been expecting that question. He still had a hard time answering it. Clark shrugged. “I guess that I wanted to be sure that you were safe.” He began. “Besides, the Talon apartment was bringing me some bad memories.” Clark added honestly.

“Yeah, I guess we both have issues.” Lois stated. “Anyway, where’s Kara on this lovely day?” “I don’t know.” Clark said with disdain. “She’s been very temperamental lately.” Lois nodded.

“Welcome to the world of teenage women, Smallville. I had quite a few issues with my sister Lucy over the years, and still do. We all hope that they grow out of it.” Myself included.

As if on cue, young Kara Kent strolled in the front door, surfboard in hand. The eighteen year old blonde alien girl was wearing a bright red and orange bikini.

She also had a travel bag which was slung over her slim shoulder. Kara was also sporting bright black mirrored sunglasses. “Hey, Clark!” Kara flashed a peace sign at them. “Miss Lane!”

Clark and Lois gawked. “Kara, where have you been?” Clark started the questioning. “Dude! There were some bodacious waves down at South Beach! I was just hanging…whatever.” She leaned the board against the foyer closet.

“Dude?” Lois and Clark exchanged glances. “Bodacious waves?” “Okay, first, call me Lois.” She rubbed her eyes. “Second, please turn that bikini off. You’re blinding me.”

Lois gave Kara some grief. Clark snickered, despite being angry at his troublemaking young cousin. The criticism went right over Kara’s head. “Lois, what are you doing here this early in the morning?” Kara grilled playfully.

 “Clark and I just woke up.” Lois reddened as she realized her faux pas. Clark was silent, clearly enjoying the exchange. “Oh really? Way to go cousin!” Kara teased as she zipped past them upstairs.

 “Shut up, Clark!” Lois gingerly pretended to be angry. He couldn’t help himself, Clark laughed outright. Lois whipped the used coffee filter at him.

Naturally he caught it and tossed it into the garbage. Kara was in and out of the shower in record time, and back in her shorts and tee shirt. "So Kara, how can you afford to jet down to South Beach, on your salary from the Talon?" Lois asked.

"It didn't cost that much..." Kara began as Clark rolled his eyes. "While I was down there, people kept buying me things." Kara stared at Lois blankly. "I bet!" Lois shook her head. "Were you wearing that bikini the whole time?" Kara nodded.

Clark groaned. "The people were so nice in Florida." Kara smiled brightly. "Uh huh." Lois's eyebrows rose. "Were these people mostly young men and boys?" She grilled Kara. "Yes. Why?" Lois took a sip of her coffee. "Deer in the headlights." She muttered. Thankfully, there was a knock at the door.

Clark got up to answer. "It's only 8 am" Lois grumbled. "Is there a cow milking emergency?" Two strangers stood in the doorway. One was a man who looked to be in his early thirties, the other was a younger woman with long reddish hair.

"Can I help you?" Clark asked suspiciously. "Perhaps. I'm looking for Kara Kent." Lois was immediately alert. What's the kid done now? She wondered silently. "Who's asking?" Clark was ready to fight. "I'm Marcus Worthington, and this is Zara Rolfe."

"May we come in?" Marcus asked politely. Clark quickly used his x-ray vision to check for any other uninvited guests. He saw none. "I suppose." Clark said reluctantly. "Kara, do you know these people?"

She nodded. "Yes, they're customers from the Talon." Kara nervously entered the kitchen. Marcus and Zara followed Clark towards the den. "I'm Clark Kent and this is Lois Lane." Marc and Zara exchanged glances. Another one? They thought in unison.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion at this early hour." Marcus opened apologetically. "Zara and I have a full day of meetings ahead of us in Metropolis." Clark was unusually impatient. "You said you needed to talk to Kara? What about?"

Lois eyed them both suspiciously. "Um...I guess I wanted to offer her a job, not to put too fine a point on it." Marcus replied as Kara filtered in closer. "A job? In a major coffee shop in Metropolis?" Lois began the interrogation.

"No, something a little more...challenging." Marcus hinted as Zara checked over the alien's home for anything out of the ordinary. "You couldn't call or e mail her?" Lois pressed, suddenly defensive of Clark's teenage cousin.

"Awkward." Zara muttered, loud enough for Marc to hear. Clark was wary, but curiosity took over. "Please, sit down." He directed them to the den. Kara followed them in and used her own enhanced vision to check the couple for anomalies.

Lois glanced at her precious watch. "I'd love to chit chat, but I have to work for a living." She announced. Lois kissed Clark on the cheek, embarassing him, and went upstairs to gather her things. "Kara is what relation to you Mr. Kent?" Zara questioned.

"Kara's my cousin from...Minnesota." Clark lied. "I'm sorry, but this is highly irregular." He added. "Kara is eighteen and capable of making her own decisions." However odd they may be, he thought. "But I feel that i'm responsible for her."

"Understandable." Marcus dead panned. Lois bounded back downstairs, Clark's travel bag in hand. "I'm leaving, are you sure that you'll be okay?" She asked worriedly. Clark nodded. "Call me." Lois smiled brightly. "Bye, Kara, Mr. Worthington, Miss Rolfe." She sped out of the house, car keys in hand.

"What kind of a job are we talking about?" Clark probed. Kara had been silently trying to recall the couple from the Talon's conversation. "Whatever Kara is most qualified for, Mr. Kent." Zara answered evasively. A superpowered alien teen would be handy on any archaelogy dig, she thought selfishly.

"Let's back up, shall we?" Marcus offered. "Please do." Clark challenged. "Do you know who I am?" He began. "No, should I?" Clark asked coldly. "My name is Marcus Worthington, the CEO and Owner of the international company, WorthingtonCo."

"I'm Professor Zara Rolfe, a sort of independent archaelogical contractor. I'm currently employed by Mr. Worthington." She chimed in. "And you know Lex Luthor." Kara accused, sending shivers down Clark's spine, and warning bells went off in Clark's mind. "Yes, Lex Luthor is a business associate...actually more of a rival." Marc said.

Now we're getting somewhere, Clark mused. "A rival? What possible cause could a billionaire business owner have to hire a coffee house worker?" He added the jab. "We both know that Kara is more than a coffee maitron, don't we?" Marc baited.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Clark countered. Kara gulped audibly. "I'm going to get right to the point..." Marcus paused for dramatic effect. "Are you familiar with the Swann Institute for Developmental Knowledge?" He threw down the gauntlet.

So that was it! Clark felt his eyes burning, a prelude to anger. "Dr. Swann is dead." He stated, as Kara glanced at him in complete bewilderment. "Unfortunately true." Marc admitted. "He trusted Zara and I with his research. Virgil was afraid that certain knowledge would fall into the wrong hands."

"I suppose this knowledge fell into the right hands, namely yours." Clark snapped. "Wait! What's this about?" Kara stood between Clark and Zara facing Marcus. "Yes, Clark, it did. You have no idea what you're up against." Marc sent chills down his own spine with the knowledge that there was now likely more than one Traveler.

"You'd be surprised what I know." Clark said defensively. "I don't doubt it, Clark. I am not your enemy or your problem. Zara and I feel we need to help in any way we can." Clark was getting restless. "What makes you think that we need any help?"

Zara shifted uneasily, knowing that primarily, she was in the presence of two aliens from another world, and second, that in the blink of an eye, either Kara or Clark could kill them both. For the first time in her life, Zara was truly scared.

Clark noticed that Zara's heart beat faster with his superior hearing. Marcus, amazingly, was still calm, cool, and collected. "It is we who need help Clark." Marc placated. "We on Earth, need you and Kara to help." The teen alien gasped.

The phrase, 'we on Earth', told Clark a lot, none of which, he liked. "Clark, or Kal El, we know that either you or Kara are the Traveler, and no, we're not part of Veritas. Yes Clark, we know all about or most of the story surrounding Veritas, and how everyone involved has met an untimely death, usually under suspicious circumstance.

Zara and I are not your enemies." Clark was speechless. Kara gawked openly. "What proof do you have that this Traveler exists?" Clark hoped that Marcus was bluffing, he wasn't. "Dr. Swann sent me four DVD discs, delivered to me personally, by his daughter, Patricia Swann." Clark nearly swallowed his spit.

"How do we know that you didn't kill Patricia?" Clark asked, not expecting a full answer. "Who's Patricia Swann?" Kara asked warily. "Someone who died because of us." Clark replied solemnly. "Not because of you, Kal El, for you." Marc stated.

"Zara and I don't want to die, yet we feel we must do something." Marcus commented. "What are you afraid of?" Clark fished. "Anyone that can usurp Kara or you for their own ends, namely for monetary or influential gain."

"Why do you care?" Clark asked cynically, shocking Kara into silence. "Because, were we of Earth to lose you or Kara, we would be destroying our own future." Marcus answered elegantly. Clark checked his vital signs. Marcus believed in what he said.

"What if Kara and I weren't here? Earth would go on without us." Clark tested. "Maybe, for a while. Eventually we would be eliminated, either by destroying ourselves, or some beings from another world would bring about our demise."

"You know of others?" Clark challenged. "I have no proof, Kal El. It's a logical conclusion, isn't it? Jor El believed in you." Marcus name dropped. "What do you know of Jor El, he's been dead for eons?" Clark asked, as Kara neared tears.

"Jor El had left a message piggybacked on his original transmission that he'd sent to Dr. Swann. It had been encrypted in a disc that we were sent. We don't know what it says, because it's written in Kryptonian." Marcus informed them. "Here."

He handed Clark a DVD. "What makes you think that Jor El wrote this?" He asked suspiciously. "Who else would?" Zara asked as her vitals finally returned to normal.

"Zor El, Brainiac, even Lara." Kara said before she'd thought it through. Too much information, Clark winced. "What's it say, Kal?"

"It says that the fortress array system has been compromised." Clark read the Kryptonian verses. "You mean all the information we've received from Jor El isn't legit?" Kara wondered out loud.

Marcus and Zara stared at them blankly. "Fortress?" Zara repeated. Clark shot her a dirty look. "You may not reveal that information, under any circumstances." He threatened them. Marc gulped.

"How long has your kind been here on Earth?" Marcus asked after he regained his composure. "I thought that Kara and I were the first. Recently, we've learned otherwise." Clark admitted, purosely to spread the couple's paranoia. We have to keep them guessing.

Zara swallowed hard. "You mean that there could be an all out invasion?" Clark picked out the fear in her voice. It was mean, he knew, but they seemed to have very few options.

"We're not really sure." Clark continued to bait them. "It's up to us to remain ever vigilant." Kara was lost in thought. "I think we should hear them out, Kal." She put in. "You mentioned a job?"

"Now wait a minute,  Kara." Clark interrupted. "We don't know anything about these people." He pictured Kara lying in a bed in a lab somewhere with kryptonite liquid running through her veins.

"Kal, you've been ragging at me to fit in, to assimilate into Earth's culture. What better way than to get a normal full time job?" She argued. Zara was amazed. They're just like us! Squabbling like siblings! Suddenly she began to feel comfortable with them.

"That's the key, isn't it? a normal full time job." Clark pointed out. "How would you define normal?" He posed the question to Marc and Zara. Clearly, Marcus had been prepared for this.

"Thank you for listening." He began as Clark waited patiently for an answer. "We have a number of opportunities for young ladies at WorthingtonCo." Marc gave them the standard pitch.

Superman noted that he'd said 'young ladies' not young men. Marcus seemed singularly interested in Kara. "WorthingtonCo is one of the top companies to work for in the world." Marc was a polished speaker, Clark observed, though he was still suspicious.

"We build things...unusual things..." Marc teased. "WorthingtonCo is always on the cutting edge of research and development." Kal bristled at the word 'research' and decided to press the point.

"Who pays for all this research and development? What has your company built that we would know about?" Clark grilled, sounding more and more like a journalist every day.

"Our most recent project was bidding on a new International Space Station and Zero G Laboratory." Marc explained. "We partnered with WayneCo Technology. Fortunately, we were able to outbid Luthorcorp and a group of foreign investors for the contracts."

"As for who bankrolls our business...it's me." Marc stopped to let that statement hang in the air. Now Clark was becoming impressed. Worthington seemed legit, and he'd heard of WayneCo as well.

"Luthor was going to use his space station as a weapons depot!" Marc went for the kill to close the deal. Kara gasped and Clark whistled. "You can prove that?" Kal asked. Zara shook her head.

"No, the bugger was too slick, we couldn't pin a thing on him." The British archaelogist added. "It bloody took a week of baths to wash the blooming slime off me from being in the same room with Lex."

Kara laughed and Clark forced a quick smile. "That sounds like Lex." Marcus mentally crossed his fingers. Had we gotten to them? He wondered silently. Would Kal let Kara go out on her own?

"Lex was planning to be the first to mass produce weapons in space." Marcus informed them. "His private interests, as he called them, included a Star Wars type missile defense system. Though the concept has been around for a while."

"This time, Lex would've held all the cards. He could've literally done anything with his project, held any country hostage, charged enormous 'protection fees' to the U S Government, simply altered the balance of power in the entire world."

"It's fortunate that WayneCo and I were able to stop him. His own board of directors turned down any further requests for funding." Marc concluded. "It's bloody likely that Lex's directors will end up 'missing' or taking an early retirement package." Zara added.

"The bottom line is that we may not be able to stop him next time." Marc continued. "I also expect that Lex will try to sabotage our joint project as it moves forward." Clark shook his head. "That's bad."

"Yes it is, Kal." Marc agreed. "How can we help?" Kara asked. Clark felt like someone had hit him in the stomach with a kryptonite bullet. "You know what this means, don't you?" He asked Kara.

"We won't be able to live simple lives here on the farm." She replied. "We would have to 'come out' so to speak. With that kind of visibility, eventually someone would catch us." Superman stated.

"Catch you?" Zara repeated. "Yes, catch us using our powers." Kara responded. Marc swallowed hard, saddled with the enormity of their problem. "Observe." Kara zipped away and back. In the blink of an eye, she'd come back to the den with a dozen eggs.

"Wow!" Zara exclaimed. "You must be handy to bloody have around the house." Clark was horrified. "We'll have to think about it." He said reluctantly. "That's all we ask. Don't take too long." Marc countered. "We never know when Lex will strike again."

link to chapter 2: Flight Training