BLAST FROM THE PAST -- PART 1: FIELD TRIP

An IRC Round Robin by

ChrisM (mulders@mindspring.com); Ckgroupie (NKWolke@t-online.de); Eraygun (Eraygun@aol.com); Lansbury (Lansbury1@aol.com); Misha (mhall@sound.net); zoomway (zoomway@aol.com); chrispat (cp13607@aol.com); EmmyRose (emmyrose@sprint.ca)

"I'm tired of winter. I'm tired of being pregnant. I'm tired of this story, and I'm especially tired of no chocolate!"

Me, too, Clark thought, as he listened to the love of his life letting off steam.

"I know these past couple of months have been tough, sweetheart--"

"Three! It's been *three* months, Clark!"

"Sorry, honey. I know it's been tough, but Dr. Klein said that the morning sickness should disappear soon, then you can go back to chocolate again." In fact, he thought, I'll personally fly to Switzerland and stock up.

"Oh, Clark, it's not just the chocolate, and I'm sorry to be so grouchy today." Another hormone-induced mood swing was hitting her and she could feel herself getting teary. "I don't know what's wrong with me lately."

Clark gave her a hug. "There's nothing wrong with you, Lois. You're just pregnant."

"Pregnant and moody and grouchy and--"

"Beautiful," he told her as he kissed her.

A big tear rolled down her cheek, but she was giggling a bit, too. "You're just saying that."

"Only because it's true."

Now she was able to chuckle, and the tears were completely gone. "Thanks, Clark. You always seem to know how to cheer me up."

"You're welcome. My pleasure, Mrs. Kent." He held her for another moment, then she seemed to remember that they were supposed to be getting ready for work, because she slipped out of his arms with a sigh.

"Now if only you could get us a more interesting story to work on, Clark, I'd be eternally grateful."

He grinned at her. "You mean you haven't enjoyed poring over those ledgers and account books, Lois?"

"You know I haven't. What we need is a good scandal or crime wave. Something more exciting than S&Ls playing fast and loose with depositors' cash."

"Well, we'll be able to finish this up today and then maybe Perry will give us a new story to work on."

"I hope so!" Lois responded fervently. "If I had some excitement in my life maybe I could forget how lousy I feel. I'm ready for *anything!*"

Clark held her coat so she could slip it on. "Be careful what you wish for, Lois," he reminded her with a grin.

* * *

"We're almost there!" Kara whispered excitedly to her friend Dara who was standing next to her, intently watching the monitors in the control room of the spaceship.

Dara nodded. It had been a long journey from New Krypton to Earth.

Lord Trey also watched the monitors, carefully directing the small ship towards Metropolis, the city he knew from his last visit two years ago. It would be interesting to see Lord Kal-El again, and he hoped it also would be informative to the pupils he had with him.

He hadn't been so sure it was the right thing to do, taking twenty young Kryptonians to Earth, but the citizens of New Krypton, those not part of the ruling families, were asking difficult questions about what had happened on Earth. The students who attended Trey's classes in Ancient Kryptonian Law and Culture discussed nothing else, and the Lady Zara had proved a surprising ally in their demand for more firsthand information.

Maybe he should try to reach Lord Kal-El before they arrived? He certainly would be surprised to see them.

Trey heaved a heavy sigh as he thought more about the prospect of seeing Kal-El again.

Jor-El and Lara had been his closest friends back on Krypton. He remembered the day young Kal was born. He also remembered the many arguments he had with Jor about his plan to send the child to Earth rather than New Krypton with Lady Zara.

But his attempts to change Jor-El's mind had been futile. Both he and Lara had been adamant about their decision and had even sworn him to secrecy about their plan.

He had intended to keep the location secret, but the passage of time had convinced him that despite Jor-El and Lara's feelings, Kal needed to be with his own people. And so he'd revealed his knowledge to Lady Zara when she expressed her concerns about the rise of Lord Nor and his disruptive influence in New Krypton's society.

Trey sighed again. Seeing Lord Kal-El fighting against Nor for the people of Earth only reminded him of how much New Krypton needed a leader like him. And to see him living on a backward planet in this tiny corner of the universe was just a bit much, though Kal did seem content there, whatever the reason.

Trey's musings were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Jax-Ur, one of his students, at his side.

"Excuse me, Lord Trey?"

"What is it, Jax?"

"I was wondering if you'd allow us to use the telecom to pick up some transmissions from Earth?"

Trey nodded. "Certainly. It would be wise for you and the others to obtain any additional information you can about Earth and its culture. Just remember to maintain shield integrity during your monitoring. Our ship must remained cloaked at all times, if we are to avoid being detected by the Terran military..."

Before he could finish his statement, Jax had darted to one of the ship's control panels and the entire vessel began to vibrate with the sound of what Trey perceived as electronically enhanced stringed and percussion instruments.

"What in Rao's name is *that*?!" Trey shouted.

"Earth music," Kara replied calmly from her station at the navigation console. "I've been monitoring this frequency for the last few minutes and the ..." She hesitated and frowned slightly as she struggled to think of the proper Terran term... "*pronouncer*," she continued, "said, 'This is WMET - home of the hits - your 24-hour source for rock and roll!'"

Trey shook his head. Perhaps he should have thought more carefully about this trip and its impact on his charges after all.

As the ship went into a low orbit, Trey turned the controls of the vessel over to the student who was acting as co-pilot.

"Take the controls while I once again warn the others of the dangers of Earth and Earthmen. I don't want any accidents while we are there."

The sounds of the Earth music were still echoing through the ship as Trey made his way towards his charges.

"Gather around quickly. We are almost there." He watched the young Kryptonians made their way to him their eyes full of excitement as each watched his every move. "While we are visiting here there are a few things you must remember. First, we want to blend with the populace. That means, once there, refrain from using any strengths you might acquire. Do you all understand what that means?"

The tall one called Leva looked around at the others. She repeated in a sing-song voice. "Lord Trey has said again and again. 'If we couldn't do it on New Krypton, we can't do it on Earth.'"

Laughter could be heard from the back of the group.

"Is there something funny about that, Dara? Do you want to share with the rest of the group what you consider so humorous?"

"No, Lord Trey. I...I must have had something stuck in my throat. I beg your forgiveness for interrupting you."

"Well, see that you listen more carefully."

Leva and Dara's eyes met. Each gave the other a mischievous grin.

<Misha>

Trey, oblivious to the machinations of the Kryptonian teenagers before him, counted the gathered students quickly. "Now, I need four volunteers for the first group down to Metropolis."

He was nearly toppled over by the mass of students who stepped forward, and he scrambled a few steps backwards. Composing himself, he eyed the students closely. "Four volunteers, not forty."

"But Lord Trey, there are only twenty of us," Dara interjected.

"Yes, I realize that, my dear. Kara, Jax-Ur, Mir and..." Trey pointed at students randomly, then when Dara's lower lip started quivering, "Dara. You will accompany me to Lord Kal-El's domicile. The rest of you may divy yourselves into groups of four. I will accompany each group to the surface in turn."

The undercurrent of grumbles among the students left behind was mercifully telepathic, and not a peep of outward disgruntlement leaked from the unfortunates not chosen for the first foray. Trey caught the edges of a few 'It's not fair.' comments that leaked from his students, but mindful that discipline was a skill only mastered by time, he kept his own counsel.

Trey and his students emerged from their cloaked ship into the growing gloom of a Metropolis evening. The chill of night was swiftly settling on the city, with its companion neon glow of nightlife.

"Where are we, Lord Trey?" asked Kara silently as she sidestepped an imposingly smelly dumpster.

"I believe it's called an alley. There are apparently many in Metropolis." Trey sniffed once, then covered his nose and led them quickly away.

"These Earthers are so careless," Jax-Ur sneered as they dodged pedestrians right and left on the crowded sidewalk.

Dara shot him a much-practiced glance of disbelief in his utter stupidity. "At least they've still got their original home planet."

Jax-Ur looked down his nose at her, not a far distance, as she was an inch taller. "Like that's so special."

Kara elbowed him in the side and glanced quickly at Trey before admonishing them both telepathically to shut up before they looked like complete weirdos and were sent home without even meeting Lord Kal-El.

Trey smiled to himself as they approached the brownstone.

Lois sighed hearing the knock at the door. It was like peddlers and phone solicitors knew when the wine was poured and the ER reruns were starting. Or in this case, when the milk was poured, but it was the principle of the thing ....When she didn't get her dose of hospital angst lately, she became homicidal.

She opened the door and saw Trey. It was an awkward moment. It was as if her mind deliberately blanked. She knew him ... from somewhere, but ...

"Oh, God!" she shouted, and slammed the door. Trey, partially in the threshold, was propelled backward into his students.

"Claaaaaark!" Her baleful cry brought her husband instantly to the ... rescue?

"Honey, what's wrong?" he asked as he looked around the room. He wasn't sure any longer what might trigger a mood swing. "Is TNT preempting ER with another "Back to the Future" marathon?"

"Clark," she said, grabbing the front of his shirt. "They're back!"

"*Who*?" Clark asked, feeling exasperated, and a little helpless.

"Your homeboys, the Kryps from the 'hood, the --"

Clark rubbed his temples. "Honey, is this about that 'Yo MTV Rap' nightmare?"

Lois, still holding his shirt, dragged him to the doorway, opened the door, and pointed to Trey and his young charges. Trey bowed politely just a second before Lois slammed the door again. "See? They're back!"

"Okay, calm down. I'm sure there's a good explanation."

Lois folded her arms. "Borrowing sugar? Collecting for the paper?"

Clark straightened his shirt. "Why don't we find out?"

"Let's not, and say we did."

Clark looked at her sympathetically, but sternly. "It'll be fine, Lois. I'm not going *anywhere* with them."

Lois nodded. "You're right. It's not like Earth recognizes the Kryptonian draft board."

Clark winked at her. "Exactly. We'll be okay."

Clark approached the door with Lois right behind him. Trey backed away as the door opened but beamed when he saw Clark, not the deranged Earth woman.

"Lord Kal-El! I am pleased to bring you greetings from New Krypton." He gestured to the little group of teenagers. "And I have brought some of your subjects to meet you."

Clark shook his head in bewilderment. "Trey. I thought New Krypton had an agreement with Earth. No more visits. Do the rest of the Elders know you are here?"

Trey looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, this isn't an official visit. The children here were curious about why you chose to stay on Earth and not return to your rightful place as their leader." He faltered to a halt under Clark's glare.

"Trey, I can't believe you, of all people, would go against the wishes of the Elders."

Trey looked even more uncomfortable. "I ... uh, I just thought I would check to see if might have changed your mind about returning."

Clark rolled his eyes. "Well, you're here now. You might as well come in."

He stepped back and Trey scuttled in, throwing an apprehensive glance at Lois as he passed her. The kids followed closely, trying not to stare at Lord Kal-El and his concubine.

Kara and Dara's eyes widened as they took in Clark's appearance. He was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt...unfamiliar attire to them. Both gasped and looking at each other began to giggle.

Lois watched the two young Kryptonians as they eyed her handsome husband, and cleared her throat in decided disapproval. They hurriedly began to exam the decor of the Kents' living room. Trey looked around to see what was going on and also came in contact with Lois' disapproving glare. He turned back to face Lord Kal-El, perhaps thinking his chances of survival were better.

"My humblest apologies, Lord Kal-El, for ... invading your home in this manner." He smiled up at the young lord, but saw no answering smile in Kal-El's eyes. "If I may explain further ...?" he continued nervously.

Clark sighed, looking over at Lois, his natural instincts for politeness warring with his desire to keep Lois calm and happy. Correctly interpreting Clark's dilemma, Lois rolled her eyes, then shrugged, granting her approval. Both Clark and Trey knew, however, that they were on borrowed time.

Clark gestured for Trey to sit down, then held out his hand for Lois to join him on the other love seat. She was glad to do so. It seemed like a good idea to make her claim on Clark as obvious as possible.

"All right, Trey," Clark said, "we're listening."

"Thank you, my lord." He paused for a moment to make sure his pupils were behaving themselves, then, apparently satisfied, he began his tale.

"You are a legend on New Krypton, Lord Kal-El."

Clark was startled. "What! Why? And, my name is Clark, or have you forgotten?"

Clark felt Lois squeeze his hand a little tighter and he glanced in her direction. She approved of this assertion of his Earth identity, and was letting him know it.

If Trey noticed their silent communication, he gave no sign, choosing instead to continue his story.

"My apologies ... Clark. You defeated Lord Nor, destroyed his followers--"

"That wasn't me!"

"Perhaps not directly, my l-- Clark, but Nor and his followers were killed, despite their apparently superior tactical position. You followed that by being merciful to the remaining Kryptonians, helping the Lady Zara to achieve her heart's desire, and then deciding to remain behind with ... Lois."

Clark looked from Trey's intense face to those of his companions and had to suppress a groan. He had only done what he'd thought was right. How could things have gotten so out of hand?

"Being with Lois has never been a sacrifice," Clark asserted, squeezing his wife's hand. "Even when she's been without chocolate." Her gentle squeeze in return soon transformed into a tight clench that could rival the strength of her Kryptonian husband.

Clark winced in spite of himself. "I was kidding, Lois!"

"You said the "c" word, Clark," she whined. "It's not fair."

Trey's eyes darted back and forth between the couple, fixated in a look of pure bewilderment. What strange relationships these Earth people have, but, he reminded himself, Lord Kal-El was still a Kryptonian. His thoughts, and the couple's conversation, were suddenly interrupted when a loud bang resounded in the brownstone.

"Uh-oh," muttered one of the Kryptonian girls.

The girls had been poking around in the kitchen and had accidentally knocked over the breadbox in their curiosity. A large pile of Double Fudge Crunch bars lay on the kitchen floor, along with a package of Oreo cookies and a bag of Rosebuds.

Clark bolted up from his seat and dashed into the kitchen to find the source of the noise. Lois' intuition advised her to quickly follow her husband. Still perplexed about the couple's antics, Trey stood and joined the parade into the kitchen.

Clark rushed in, and was halted by the crunching sound beneath his feet. "Lo-IS!"

"Uh...umm...yes, Clark?" she cooed.

"What happened to the 'no chocolate' thing? So this is why your morning sickness has been so bad," he said, giving her a stern look.

"What *is* this 'chocolate'?" asked the quizzical Dara.

"The evil of Earth I had warned you about," interjected Trey. "Or at least in this household."

Lois' eyes bore into Trey's. "If Earth is so evil, then maybe you should go back to where you came from."

"Lois." Clark's voice betrayed his disapproval.

"I'm sorry, Clark. I'm just a little pregnant right now."

Trey looked stunned. "Pregnant?" He pointed at Lois. "Does that mean that she is going to ..." he hesitated and stared at Clark.

"Have a baby?" Clark finished with a smile, as he pulled Lois closer to him.

Trey nodded.

"Yes, that's exactly what it means."

The older Kryptonian swayed a little and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Sheesh, and I thought my mother took the news hard," Lois said with a smirk.

"Trey are you all right? Would you like a glass of water?" Clark asked.

"No, no, I am fine my lor-, I mean ... Clark. It's just this is something of a surprise." Trey sat quietly for a few moments and then suddenly stood up as if galvanized into action. "This changes everything." he said forcefully. "I must get word back to New Krypton and to Lady Zara and her consort Lord Ching."

"What?!"

"Why do you need to do that?"

<Misha>

Trey stared at them as if they'd suddenly achieved negative IQs. "Why, to start the plans, of course."

Clark moved in front of Lois. "What plans, Trey?"

Lois stepped around her over-protective husband with a sidelong 'Don't even try it' glance reserved just for him. Then she upped her glare to Killing-Glare-Mark 4, reserved only for Kryptonians, and demanded in the same tone as Clark, "What plans?"

Trey backed up to the kitchen counter. "The celebrations for the upcoming birth, of course." He swallowed as Lois settled her ruffled feathers. "And to elect a Regent from the Council and arrange a birth-marriage." He paused. "This could well prove fortuitous, as Lady Zara has confided in me that..."

Lois ratcheted her glare up to Mark 5, and Trey suddenly thanked Rao and every other deity that might be listening to him that the yellow sun of Earth provided him with invulnerability.

Then Clark again moved between Trey and Lois, his eyes blazing. "You will arrange nothing for my child. No celebrations. No Regent. No birth-marriage." He fairly spat out the last phrase.

"My Lord Kal-Clark! It is expected! After all, no one really believed that you would continue the House of El with a..."

"Lord Trey! This isn't evil!" Dara and Kara piped up from the quiet corner in which they had swiftly been erasing the last vestiges of evidence of Lois' chocolate stash. Their conscientious scientific studies were very much in evidence around the corners of their mouths.

Lois and Clark rounded on them, and the two girls shrank into themselves at the blazing fire in the two pairs of eyes. "Um. We'll just be ah...leaving now." They backed quickly out of the kitchen, leaving the doors wildly swinging behind them.

"I think you'd better leave too, Trey," Lois warned him, struggling with playing the part of the logical half of the partnership.

Trey sighed and nodded. "I'll just collect the boys, and..." He swept the house with his x-ray vision. "Oh dear."

Clark double-checked. The girls were huddled over the last few Double Crunch bars, foreheads pressed silently together. The two boys who'd been there only a few minutes earlier complaining about Lois and Clark's taste in Earth music were conspicuously absent.

"Great!" Clark said, and gave an exaggerated shrug.

"Now what?" Lois asked.

"Where could they be?" Trey's words moaned out as if he'd received an IRS audit.

"Who!?" Lois asked.

"Out there," Clark sighed. "Among eleven million unsuspecting humans."

"Who, dammit!" Lois asked, and both Kryptonians fell mentally and orally silent.

Clark ran a hand through his hair. "Jax-Ur and Mir, the two boys. They're ... gone."

"I've had bad ideas," Trey said, "and made bad judgments, but coming back to Earth in direct violation of the "no-fly zone" ban of Earth..." He shook his head and sat down heavily. "Mental illness used to be rare on Krypton, but I seem to have brought it back into fashion single-handedly."

Clark, feeling his natural compassion overriding his earlier outrage, patted Trey on the back. "We'll find them, Trey. I .. I'm sorry about losing my temper, it's just that--"

Trey looked up thoughtfully. "I find so much of your culture unfathomable. However," he said, recouping some dignity, "I finally understand that expression."

"Which is?" Lois asked curtly, her own compassion slower to kick into gear.

"Finding a needle in a haystack."

* * *

"Bars?" Jax-Ur asked, his unflaggingly haughty tone in place.

"Yes," Mir said as he walked up the crowded street. "There are all kinds of these .. social gathering spots." He consulted a phone book he had broken from its two-inch thick chain at the phone booth. "There's "cigar bars" and "bars and grills" and a bar for "aroma therapy"."

"Aroma therapy? Hmm, remember that 'dumber' thing we passed earlier."

"Oh," Mir smiled. "I believe it was 'dumbster'. Yes, I recall. Perhaps Earthers who have had their sense of smell abused go to an aroma therapy salon."

Jax-Ur considered that a moment. "But do Earthers have anything that actually smells *good*?"

Mir's expression became wistful. "Lord Kal-El's concubine smelled quite pleasant."

Jax-Ur shrugged. "Yes, I suppose she did," he admitted grudgingly.

Mir pointed to a large building near the waterfront. "'The Ace 'o' Clubs,'" he said and frowned. "Curious name, though their building advertises 'fine food and entertainment.'"

Jax-Ur nodded. "I would say it is a sign of class to advertise on your building. Shall we.. investigate?"

"In the name of science."

"Naturally."

The two boys approached the building and stood outside for a few minutes watching the Earth people entering and leaving. They noticed that the people entering were showing something to a burly individual stationed at the door before they went in.

"What are they showing him?" Jax-Ur whispered to Mir.

"I don't know, but they seem to need it to get in."

Suddenly, Jax-Ur winced and covered his ears. "Ow. I think that superhearing Trey was telling us about just kicked in. He's asking them for ID, whatever that is."

"Then we'll just have to get some ID," Mir said, looking around. He noticed a couple of Earthers approaching, taking in their leather jackets, shaved heads and multiple piercings with interest. "Hey. Can you tell us what ID is and where we can get some?"

The Earthers goggled at them and the bigger one growled, "You talkin' to me, Pretty Boy?"

"Pretty Boy? Is that a derogatory name?"

The thug looked puzzled. "Yeah...I think. What's derogatory?

Jax-Ur straightened to his full height of 5'6". "You take that back. No one insults a member of the House of Ur!"

"Oh yeah?" The thug sneered and took a swing at Jax-Ur.

Jax-Ur easily sidestepped the blow aimed at his head, which caused the other man to lose his balance, spin halfway around, and fall right on his rather broad butt.

The young Kryptonians had never seen anything quite like that and they made the mistake of laughing. Other people ... large, broad-shouldered people with assorted concealed weapons were converging on the scene. Things might have gotten ugly, but just then an even larger person thrust himself into the middle of the crowd.

"Awright, what's goin' on 'ere?"

At the sound of Bibbo's voice, the more prudent members of the crowd decided that they had business elsewhere. Jax-Ur and Mir stood, mouths agape, staring at the largest human they'd ever seen.

"You!" Bibbo pointed to the man sitting on the pavement, "Make yourself scarce, see!"

A couple of the men seemed inclined to argue, but Bibbo effortlessly picked one of them up by his collar and explained the situation to him. "I don't want no trouble outside my place. Ya got that?"

"Yeah, sure, Bibbo. Sure. Anything you say. We was just gonna teach those two punks a lesson for laughin' at Matt."

Bibbo set the man down and turned to look at the two Kryptonians. "I ain't seen youse guys around here before. Whatcha doin' here? Tryin' to start trouble?"

Mir actually found himself stuttering. "N-n-no."

Jax-Ur, with more bravado than bravery, stepped between the advancing Bibbo and Mir. "You'd better not d-do anything to us. We're friends of Ka-- er, Superman!"

Bibbo considered the two youngsters before him. "So, you're friends of my pal Sooperman, eh? Well, we'll just see about that."

He grabbed them and ushered them towards the bar. "Ya don't look old enough ta be in here, but if youse are really friends of Sooperman, I guess I oughter look afta ya."

Jax-Ur and Mir looked at one another. Well, at least they were actually going to see the inside of a real Earther bar.

* * *

About an hour later, Clark, in the familiar red, yellow and blue outfit, walked through the door of the Ace o' Clubs. Up on the stage were two slightly inebriated young Kryptonians. Their invulnerability hadn't completely kicked in yet, it seemed, probably because they'd landed at night rather than in the daytime.

Clark didn't recognize the song they were singing, but he thought that it might be the Kryptonian version of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction."

Bibbo lumbered from behind the bar, belched and gave his 'fav'rit' a huge grin.

"Sooperman! I only half believed 'em when they sez dey wuz friends o'yours, but I guess that call to Miss Lois paid off," he said as he grabbed Clark's arm and began to pump it up and down.

Clark sighed. "Let's just say I know them, Bibbo, and leave it at that," he replied as he disengaged himself from the burly barman and made his way to the stage.

Clark winced as the two boys brought their song to a very loud --and very off key --finale, and then slumped to the floor.

Mir looked up and grinned and pointed at Clark. "See, Jax. I told you Lord Kal-El would find us."

Jax stood up and staggered over to Clark. "Yes, you did, Mir," he replied with as much dignity as he could muster in his intoxicated state. "It would appear I have underestimated you, my lord," he slurred to Clark with a deep bow.

Clark fanned the air as Jax's stale beer breath reached his sensitive nostrils. "Yeah, I've found you," he replied. "Now the question is what am I going to do with you?"

* * *

"Do you think Lord Kal, I mean, Clark will be much longer?" Kara asked Lois as she watched her prepare popcorn and fudge in the kitchen.

"Not if he knows what's good for him," Lois mumbled.

<Misha>

Lois turned her attention back to the popcorn. Even halfway across the room, the fudge was making her stomach churn, and while the sharp scent of butter and salt cut the nausea a bit, she mourned the loss of one of her favorite treats. After a long silence, she grew conscious of two pairs of eyes staring at her in amazement.

"What?" she finally asked.

"Well, it's just that..." Dara trailed off and Kara traded a thought-laden glance with her.

"You don't act like any concubine we've ever met."

Lois rolled her eyes. "That's because I'm not a concubine. When will those half-witted excuses for a Council that can't even find their own..." She glanced at the two girls. "Anyway, I'm Clark's wife, not his concubine."

"But..."

Kara finished Dara's sentence again. "But Zara is Ka-Clark's wife. They've been married since birth."

Lois shook her head and smiled sadly. "Marriage isn't about whose kid is going to make the best dynastic alliance. It's about sharing yourself with someone who loves you and it's about how every moment you spend with your partner is the best moment of your life."

Dara sat back with a small 'oh' on her lips.

Kara pressed the point, a small wrinkle growing on her forehead. "But how do you provide for your family, your clan? How do you ensure the safety of your vassals?"

Lois looked her in the eye. "That's the job of society." Her eyes took on a glow. "That is every sane person's goal- to make Earth, or wherever, a safer, better place for everyone involved, not just one or two privileged or wealthy families."

She waved the bowl of popcorn, spilling white kernels across the counter. "It's my job as a reporter to find those people who have abused their position or their wealth and expose them and to inform the public of what they can do to make society a better place."

Kara's puzzled frown deepened, but she subsided into silence.

Lois placed the bowl down on the counter and felt two familiar arms wrap around her expanding waist.

"Thank you," Clark whispered in her ear.

"For what?"

He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. "For just being you." He kissed her cheek, and brushed his lips lightly across hers.

"I take it you found them?" she murmured as she returned his kiss.

"Um-hmm." He sighed and drew away. "Time to send them home."

"But first," Lois said softly, "I think you should make a few things clear to Trey."

Clark smiled weakly. "Honey, there's nothing he can do to or for our child, but--" Clark looked into her gently pleading eyes. "I'll have a talk with him."

Lois sighed with relief. "I love you too, Clark."

Clark walked into the living room where he had left Trey and Jax-Ur and Mir. The two young men were dozing side by side, the effects of fermented hops taking a toll on their unaccustomed palates.

Clark took a bracing breath and faced Trey, who seemed to be busying himself with a small calculator device.

He glanced up. "Ah, Clark, I'm making departure calculations. The remainder of this field trip is canceled. I and my pupils will be leaving you shortly."

Clark nodded. "That's great, Trey. I ... well, I want to make sure that we part company on good terms and an understanding about--"

"Your son?"

"I don't know if it's a son or daughter," Clark said and raised a hand. "And before you feel x-ray inclined, I don't *want* to know."

"Very well," Trey acknowledged. "However, I believe you would be passing up a wonderful opportunity if you don't at least consider having your child raised and educated on New Krypton."

Clark's expression of incredulity matched his thoughts. "Trey, you've got to be kidding. I'm not going to send my child to New Krypton, Old Krypton, or Old Miss. Lois and I will raise this child, if you don't mind too much."

Trey's expression remained placid. "Of course, Clark. I didn't mean to imply that you and your wife wouldn't be raising your child. You and Lois can come to New Krypton. We can easily devise a pressure suit for her."

Clark removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He laughed, but without really laughing. "Neither I nor Lois are going to New Krypton, and quite frankly, if you tried to put her in a pressure suit, you'd be up to your knees in floor."

Trey frowned. "I don't understand how anyone could resent a life-saving pressure suit."

"That's just it, Trey," Clark said and sighed with exasperation. "You don't understand *life*."

Trey shrugged. "What's to understand? Life is the absence of death. A very simple equation."

Clark shook his head and sat on the arm of the sofa. "Okay, Trey, then how about the *quality* of life?" he asked. "When I met Ching and Zara, I wondered why my father sent me to Earth instead of New Krypton as he was apparently ordered to."

Trey lowered his gaze. "It was heresy."

"Exactly," Clark smiled. "I have a feeling my father was a passionate man."

Trey folded his arms. "Too passionate. Too ... different."

Clark's smile widened. "I gathered that when I met Ching and Zara. They were cold, logical ... pragmatic."

"Naturally," Trey agreed. "The ideal of Krypton and its teachings."

"And my father, Trey?"

Trey softened. "A great and brilliant man, and a good friend." Trey cleared his throat, emotion almost overtaking him. "But he was so far outside the mainstream of Kryptonian law and teachings--"

"That he was branded a heretic."

Trey nodded. "I warned him not to send you here, but his mind was made up. He said--" Trey cut himself off and lowered his head.

Clark touched his shoulder gently. "He said ...?" he prompted.

Trey raised his head and searched Clark's eyes. How like his father he was. "He said when you opened your eyes on a new world, he wanted it to be a place of passion and feelings, like Earth. That he did not want you on a world that no longer understood nor had a name for ... love."

"Don't you see, Trey? I'm living the life my father wanted for me. For a long time I didn't feel like I belonged here, I wondered why I was sent here. My Kryptonian heritage was stolen from me by a madman named Trask, but you know what, Trey?" Clark smiled. "I wouldn't trade anything I've experienced here for a hundred years of peace and logical contentment on New Krypton."

Trey nodded. "I told your father that he was banishing you to a chaotic wilderness. He told me that you would be a hero to Earth," Trey said, shaking his head. "How he knew this, I don't know, but he said that the job of a hero is to bring meaning to chaos." Trey finally looked up. "For what it is worth to you, Clark, he loved you very much."

Clark tried to swallow but couldn't. He blinked several times, fighting back tears of mourning for the death of a man he never met. "Thank you, Trey," he said, his voice hoarse. "If it makes you feel any better though, it's Lois, more than Earth, or Krypton, or even Never-Neverland, that gives me that feeling of belonging. I wanted to be a hero for her, and she helped me be a hero for everyone else."

Trey smiled with grudging admiration. "Are you saying she's Superman?"

Clark laughed softly. "She's half of him, yes. The best half."

Trey stood and offered his hand. "She is indeed, Lord Clark Kent."

He tapped the two young men to awaken them, and mentally called Kara and Dara from the kitchen where they had been helping Lois break ... wash dishes.

The two young ladies hurried from the kitchen and fell in step with their groggy male counterparts. Dara turned to Clark. "Your wife could certainly teach the women of our planet a lot of things."

Trey pushed Dara along. "She'd never get into the pressure suit, and I don't want to be up to my knees in floor."

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Never mind," Trey smiled, but then stopped as the students began retrieving their traveling satchels that had lain unused by the door since their arrival. Taking one from Jax-Ur, Trey removed a small statue. It was shaped a bit like a trophy of some sort.

Trey handed it to Clark. "We brought you this Kryptonian artifact, and during the hectic events of the visit, I almost forgot to give it to you."

Clark smiled, but looked puzzled. "Thanks ... Not to seem ignorant, but .. what is it?"

"It belonged to the El family. Something your father would have sent with you to Earth had he thought of it, I imagine."

Clark examined the curiosity. "Well, I guess I'll never know what it is, but just knowing it came from my father is enough. I appreciate you bringing it to me."

"I was happy to, Clark," he said, smiling a final time as he and his pupils exited.

Clark held the object in his hands and examined it. "I wonder where I should put it?"

"How about next to the Kerths?" Lois suggested. "It looks sort of like one," she added, studying it with a frown.

"Thank you, honey," he murmured, placing the artifact down and wrapping his arms around her. "Thanks for understanding. I know this hasn't been easy."

"Well, nothing for us has ever been easy," she stated with a grin. "I'm only hoping labor will be the exception to the rule. And 'the terrible twos.'"

"And 'threes'," he added.

"'Fours' too, I guess."

"Yeah, by that time he or she will probably be flying."

"Good babysitters are hard enough to find," joked Lois. "We'll have to get someone who's got a pilot's license."

"Super," muttered Clark under his breath, just realizing what he had said.

Lois started to giggle and Clark joined in soon after, answering her laughter with a rain of kisses on her face.

"Sometimes I can't believe that I'm the luckiest woman alive."

"Then we're a perfect match," added Clark. "*I* am the luckiest man alive because I have you."

"The luckiest man with the deepest, chocolate-colored eyes." Lois bit her lip. "Uh-oh. I said the 'c' word again."

"How about a 'b' word, Lois?"

"Baby?" she guessed.

"No, dear--bed."

"Ah yes. That's what got us the other 'b' word in the first place."

Clark scooped Lois up into his arms and carried her up the stairs. In the darkened hallway, he fumbled for the door and whisked them both into the warm familiarity of their bedroom, shutting the rest of the world outside.

As he laid Lois down on their bed, he accidentally knocked open the door to their night table. Another crunching sound beneath his feet greeted his ears.

"Lo-IS!"

To Be Continued in: Blast From the Past Part II: Return of Lord Kal-El