Destiny
Part Four
By Hordak Alpha

            The ocean of Brainiac drones almost completely covered the floor of the dome structure.         Lightning energy crackled about within the structure and soon began to gather within the center of the dome structure as a long, massive crystalline rod began to slowly ascend from the ground.              “Yes, it is almost time.” Said the voice of Brainiac, “I can feel the power gathering.  It is almost enough.”           There was no sign of Clark.     The ocean of drones searched for him as best as they could but they could not find him.         “Where is he?” said Brainiac, “We must find him!   He cannot interfere in our plans not when we are so close!”

             Outside the dome structure Lois Lane was still arguing with the cop at the barricade.    “Doesn’t the press get special treatment here?” asked Lois, “We are from the Daily Planet, the city’s number one newspaper and one of this country’s greatest.”  

             “I wouldn’t care if you were from the U.S.A Today I still wouldn’t let you in.” said the cop,   “No one gets in here.     We have already evacuated the entire area effected by this thing and I’m sure as hell not going to allow people to go back in there.”    

         “Uh, Lois.” Said Chloe, “Maybe we should head back to the Planet since we can’t in.”               

	 “We aren’t leaving until we get our story.” said Lois.        

	The cop shrugged.   “Suit yourself, lady.  I’m still not going to let you in.” 

        The Brainiac drones continued to search for Clark but they still could not find him.         “Blast it!!!” shrieked Brainiac,   “We will find you, Kal-El, sooner or later!!!”                   

	 The jagged crystalline rod rose higher and higher into the air.    Lightning energy streaked out from the jagged interior walls of the dome and shrieked into the rod, crackling as they did.         Suddenly the ground began to rumble and a massive fissure cracked open in the crystalline ground.         Clark shot out of the hole and flew through the air towards the crystal rod.     “I’ve been playing possum long enough!” shouted Clark as he neared the crystal rod, “This thing is coming down now!!!”                     Considering all of the drones were on the ground there were none in the air to run interference with Clark.       

	“You shall not prevail, Kal-El!” shrieked Brainiac,   “I fill this entire structure for I am this structure and you are but a tiny germ within my body that I shall exterminate!”           

	 Lightning crackled from the walls of the dome and shot towards Clark.             The lightning licked through his every nerve and even though every one of his muscles was screaming in pain Clark refused to give up.             He landed on the platform that the crystalline rod was attached to.       “You’re going to have to do better than that, Brainiac!” shouted Clark.          Clark began to pound at the base of the crystal rod with his fists, sending powerful tremors throughout the entire rod structure.   

	“No!!!!” screeched Brainiac.                    

	More tongues of lightning poured into Clark’s body but he ignored them.    His adrenalin had now kicked in and all of the pain centers of his brain had been deactivated so he could concentrate his power into each powerful strike against the crystal rod.                      Three Brainiac drones managed to reach Clark and they grabbed him.             They forcefully pulled him away from the rod and held him in midair.       

	 “You have tried valiantly to thwart my efforts, Kal-El.” Said Brainiac, “A worthy opponent until the end but it was all for nothing.”                 A swarm of drones flew up and began to pummel Clark.           Clark struggled to get free but each time he did more and more drones would restrain him.            The kryptonian hero groaned under each powerful blow the attacking drones issued unto him.       Their strength was incredible.   

                 Lois got out of her car.    “Get back in your car, lady.” instructed the cop, “It isn’t safe here.”                 The ground shook once more and the cop lost his footing.      Lois took this opportunity and made a mad dash for it towards the dome structure.         

	Chloe got out of the car and ran towards Lois.    “Lois, come back.   It isn’t safe!!!” she screamed.          

	 The cop got to his feet and grabbed Chloe’s arm.       “Hold it.” He said, “Your friend made her choice.   I can’t let you go in there and endanger your life too.”      

	Chloe sighed as she watched Lois disappear into a fissure in the dome’s hull.    ‘Clark I sure wish you were here right now.’ Thought Chloe, ‘If there was ever a time we needed your abilities it is right now.’

                   Lois staggered over the jagged formations of crystal that lay fused to the ground within the dome’s interior.       She looked around and up and saw all of the millions of Brainiac drones high in the air.    “Oh my God.” She said out loud.    

	 Brainiac heard Lois.      “There is someone else here.” He said, “We must destroy all interlopers.”            A swarm of Brainiac drones broke off and flew down towards Lois.         Lois saw the drones coming at her and she screamed as she tried her best to get away.       She stumbled and tripped over a crystal formation and fell to the ground tearing a hole in her jacket.

            Clark used his telescopic vision to see what was going on.          His eyes grew wide as he spotted Lois.     “Lois?” he whispered under his breath.          Seeing the drones gain closer to his old friend filled him with the fear that she would be killed.             Clark struggled against those who restrained him.      “You are going to let go even if I have to force you.” said Clark.             As the resistance increased the drones tightened their grip on Clark.          Suddenly a rage boiled through out Clark and he unleashed it in one, great explosion of strength.                  He tore his arms lose from the hands of his captors and drones were tossed away from the shear strength of the maneuver.                 Clark dodged past every drone that came his way as he flew faster and faster towards Lois.                     

	A drone grabbed a hold of Lois by the wrist and she shrieked in pain as it squeezed her wrist with a crushing force.   Lois looked into the face of the drone and watched as its head exploded from a well placed blast of heat vision.             The lifeless drone released Lois as the remaining drones around her turned towards the source of the blast.          Clark flew at them with blinding speed and tackled a drone to the ground.       He placed both hands on the drone’s chest plate and tore a massive hole into it.           He then ripped the drone in half and hurled the fragments at the other drones close by.              The speed and strength of the drone debris was so powerful that the drones that were unfortunate enough to get hit were impaled and knocked away.      

             Clark hurriedly scooped Lois up into his arms and shot off towards the fissure that Lois had used to gain entrance.         Lois looked into the face of her rescuer.         A sort of familiarity came to mind when she gazed into his blue eyes, which were at the moment staring off towards the fissure.      “C…Clark?” stammered Lois,   “Is it really you???”                 Lois was puzzled considering the Clark Kent she knew had been an average all American farm boy and not a powerful flying superhero with the strength of ten million men.          

	Clark’s eyes gazed upon Lois’ face.        “Believe it or not it is me.” He said, “I’ll explain later.  Right now I have to get you safely out of here.”    

	  In an instant Clark flew through the fissure and hurriedly set Lois down by her car where the cop and Chloe were waiting.          Chloe caught a glimpse of Lois’ rescuer before he shot off into the air and disappeared back into the dome.          

	“Lady, who was that?” asked the cop, surprised.        

	 “A…” said Lois as she paused trying to think up a decent excuse on the spur of the moment,  “….A friend.”           Lois took Chloe by the arm and forced her to get back into the car.            Lois hurriedly got into the driver’s seat and started the car.                As soon as she backed the car away from the barricade Lois put the pedal to the metal and the car screeched away from the barricade at full throttle.              

	  “Chloe, do you know who that was?” asked Lois, obviously surprised and flustered by the whole experience,  “That was Clark Kent, that farm boy we used to know.”             

	“I…I already knew that, Lois.” said Chloe, “You see….I’ve kind of known that Clark was special for quite a long time now.”

      	“You didn’t even bother to tell me?!” exclaimed Lois,  “Your own cousin?”      

	“I can explain everything.” said Chloe,  “Lets just get back to the Planet.”        

	 “Are you kidding?” said Lois,  “We aren’t going to miss the story of the century.   I’m just getting us away from that cop barricade so we can slip back into that dome unnoticed.”                  

	 Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes.  

               Clark shot through the air and slammed his fist into the face of a Brainiac drone.    The force of the blow was so powerful that the drone was tossed backwards and it collided with another drone close by.        The crystal rod began to rise higher into the air and an opening irised open at the top of the dome.          “There is already enough power here to open the gateway, Kal-El.” said Brainiac,  “All that needs to be done is the energy to be focused outside.”             Brainiac drones hurriedly swarmed in front of Clark with a new found speed.         The drones launched attack after attack upon Clark and he found it fairly difficult to parry and block their blows.     ‘It is like they are getting faster by the second.’ thought Clark.            Some quick shots of heat vision cut a gap in the swarm just wide enough for Clark to squeeze through.        He shot up through the opening and into broad daylight. 

                 Lois and Chloe had left the car and had managed to sneak their way through an alleyway to get a closer look at the dome.      Chloe pointed up.   “Lois, look, is that Clark?” she asked.      

	 “It sure looks like him.” said Lois,   “Something big is going on here and we’re going to be the first to bring the story to the public.”    

	“Yeah, sure.” said Chloe,  “If we don’t get killed first.”

                 Clark hovered above the dome structure as the crystal rod emerged into day light.     The dome structure appeared to heal itself and crystal material locked in place around the crystal rod.           The entire dome structure now glowed with a brilliant light and lightning arced and licked  across the surface .    Energy was gathered and focused into the rod as the air around the dome rippled violently.   

	 “At last General Zod shall be free.” said the voice of Brainiac,  “His vision will finally be realized.”           

	  “Have you forgotten something?” asked Clark,  “I’m still here and I say Zod can stay put in the Phantom Zone.”         Clark shot down through the air towards the glowing, crackling crystal rod.        

	 “Your interference has grown tiresome, Kal-El.” said Brainiac.                  Lightning lanced out from the dome and wrapped around Clark.        The hero was pulled down towards the dome’s surface.    Energy fury ripped through his body and the lightning trapped him against the electrified surface.       Forks of lightning lanced out from the crystal rod and shot up into the sky.                   The lightning began to focus and the energy streams merged.              A massive, rotating energy cube began to emerge.     As Clark struggled against his energy bonds he gazed upon the massive cube.     He saw shadowy images begin to gather within the cube and a familiar silhouette was prominently featured at the head of the group.          

	“Prepare yourselves, my people.” said the voice of General Zod as it echoed out from the cube and touched the ears of Clark,  “Behold, the world where our new nation will rise and take form.   We shall rule the universe with the incredible powers we shall receive from the very sun itself.”                 The gateway appeared unstable and Clark knew that if he didn’t get free soon Brainiac would be able to stabilize the gateway and the entire world would be doomed.

              Lois and Chloe could hear Zod’s voice echo out from the cube.   “Oh no.” said Chloe,  “It sounds like General Zod.”    

	      “General who?” asked Lois.     

	“That must be a doorway to the Phantom Zone.” said Chloe,  “Something very bad waits to be freed from there, Lois.   We had better hope Clark can stop all of this.”    Lois remained quiet and was suddenly awestruck at the incredible spectacle in the sky. 

             The gateway cube began to flicker and fade in and out of focus.      With an angry cry and a powerful burst of strength Clark broke free of his energy bonds and flew towards the crystal rod.              He grabbed a hold of it and began to wrench on it with his powerful strength.    

	 “No, you cannot stop fate, Kal-El” said Brainiac.     Lightning energy surged out from the dome and into Clark.       

	Clark ignored the pain.      “Watch me.” he said.             

	With a tremendous groan Clark poured all of his strength into his task and he succeeded.        With a powerful wrench and twist the crystal rod was torn free from the dome.           The gateway cube began to flicker and fade.      

	“No.” cried out the voice of General Zod,   “My destiny.”         

	Clark hefted the glowing crystal rod high over his head and slammed it down atop the dome.            The force of the blow caved in the top of the dome and gave way under the weight of the rod.               The crystal rod plummeted into the interior of the dome and landed hard on the crystal floor.            Without control the energies within the rod grew unstable and began to shoot out all around the interior.     Brainiac drones were incinerated apart by stray bolts and the howling of Brainiac echoed through out the entire dome.               Stray energy bolts struck the dome itself and the force of power was too great for the dome to take.       Glowing fissures creaked and caressed their way through the crystalline material.          The entire dome began to cave in. 

                   Lois and Chloe were very close to the dome as massive chunks of crystal toppled from the dome and slammed to the ground around them.     Lois and Chloe began to shriek in terror.       Clark’s super sensitive hearing picked up on this and he shot down and scooped the two women up into his arms and flew off away from the dome.             The dome structure collapsed and, in a massive and powerful explosion, was destroyed leaving a massive crater in downtown Metropolis.      The gateway cube faded out of existence.   

               Clark flew away towards the Daily Planet and set Lois and Chloe down on the roof top.     

	“You two sure can’t stay out of trouble for very long.” said Clark with a grin.         

	 Chloe rushed over and into the arms of Clark.    “Thank God you got here in time.” she said,  “Who knows what would have happened to everyone if that doorway to the Phantom Zone had been completed.”         

	 “Its over and done with now.” said Clark, “I’d better be heading home.”          

	“Not so fast, Clark.” said Lois,  “You owe me an exclusive on this story.    I think the public deserves to know that Clark Kent not only saved the entire city today but perhaps the entire world.”          

	“Do you want the public to know that, Clark?” asked Chloe,  “After all of these years of keeping your powers under wraps do you really want the publicity that is going to result over this?”           

	 “No.” said Clark,   “I want to help people but I don’t want to be a celebrity.”       Clark then turned to Lois.  “I didn’t do this for publicity, Lois.     I don’t want the public to know me by name.”           

	 Lois frowned a little but nodded.   “Okay, Clark, I won’t mention you by name but what can I say in my story?” she said,  “My first hand account of the whole thing is going to be splashed across the front page of the Planet.”           

	 “You will think of something, Lois.” said Clark,  “You always have been creative.”           

	With that Clark shot off into the air and flew away.             “I am so confused about all of this.” said Lois.         

	 Chloe draped an arm around her cousin.    “Listen, I’ll explain everything later.  Then you won’t be so confused.” she said.    Lois and Chloe proceeded to walk towards the roof top entrance to the Daily Planet.

               A little later LexCorp vans were on the scene and men in hazmat suits were deep down in the crater rummaging through crystal debris and bits and pieces of Brainiac drones.          Police officers rushed down into the crater and tried to dissuade the men.    “Hey you!” yelled an officer,  “You can’t take that stuff.”          

	 One of the hazmat suited men blocked the yelling officer and flashed a badge.   “We work for Mr. Lex Luthor and are under strict instructions to examine the debris and bring all we can back to S.T.A.R Labs at once.” he said.     

	The officer backed down.   “You guys work for Lex Luthor?       Doesn’t he own S.T.A.R Labs?” he asked.       

	“Yeah, he has a massive stake in it but the federal government owns S.T.A.R and you don’t want to butt heads with the government do you?” asked the hazmat man.       

	The officer backed away shaking his head no.    The officer left the scene.   

                      A couple days passed since the whole incident and Clark had returned to the family farm in the hopes of staying out of the public eye.          This certain day he was in the old barn loft and was staring out at the afternoon sky.         Lois Lane quietly made her way up the stairs up to the loft.     

	“Clark?” asked Lois,  “Can we talk?”      

	 Clark turned to look at her.   “What do you want to talk about?” he asked.    

	“Just listen for a little bit.” said Lois,  “Chloe explained everything to me and I understand your feelings but I still had to report the story.”           

	“What did you say?” asked Clark.           

	 “Read for yourself.” said Lois as she handed Clark a newspaper.                

	It was a copy of the Daily Planet from the day after the entire incident.     What the headline said was the following:

Mysterious Superman Saves City From Alien Threat!!
Exclusive Story by Lois Lane.

	Clark handed the paper back to Lois.    “What does your story say about me?” he asked.       

	“I don’t mention you by name, Clark.” said Lois,  “It is okay, you are safe from being a public spectacle.”           

	  “Thank you, Lois.” said Clark,  “I owe you a lot.”               

	“Actually, I owe you a lot.” said Lois with a smile,  “You did save my life twice in one day.    That does count for something.”        

	Clark nodded.   “Thank you again, Lois.” he said.          

	“Listen,” said Lois,   “We never were very close friends  in the past  but from this point forward I’d really like to get to know you better.”            

	“Is that the reporter in you talking, Lois?” asked Clark.    

	“No,” said Lois,  “It is the woman behind the public mask, Clark.”    She walked forward and embraced Clark.   “I owe you my life, Clark.   I owe you so much now.” said Lois.       

	 Clark just stood and remained silent.

              Much later Clark was in the kitchen with his mother for dinner.   “Clark, you made me proud with what you did a few days ago.” said Martha,  “Your father would be very proud too.”           

	“Thanks.” said Clark,  “Now I don’t think I can go back out in public to help people.”          

	“Why not?” asked Martha,   “Is it because a few people might have seen your face?”             

	“Yes,” said Clark,  “I want to keep helping people but I also want to retain a private life.   I don’t want you to have to put up with paparazzi out here on the back forty.”            

	“We will figure something out, Clark.” said Martha,  “But you have to keep helping people the way you did a few days ago and the way you have been for several years now.”        

	 “How exactly can I do that, Mother?” asked Clark,  “Create a whole other identity for the public?”          

	 “Why not?” asked Martha,  “When you are out in public saving lives you could wear that uniform Jor-El gave you.”       

      	“But I would be hiding who I am all the time.” said Clark,  “I don’t want to be someone else.”      

	 “You won’t be.” said Martha,  “You are always going to be Clark Kent, but when people see you in the uniform that is when they will see what you can do.”    

	Clark paused for a moment.    “Ma, I’m not a superhero like in the comic books.” said Clark.              

	“No but you are a real life hero.” said Martha, “I think you should keep helping people and not hide yourself from the public.”        

              After dinner Martha took a look over the uniform Jor-El had given to Clark.          “This all looks nice but the chest area is a little bare.” said Martha.    

	“What do you suggest, Mom?” asked Clark,  “Put a symbol on the chest like a superhero or something?”               

	  “Why not?" asked Martha,   "Who you are and what you do is heroic."            

	 "The idea just sounds different." said Clark,   "I have never thought of myself as a real life superhero before."   

             Martha rummaged around in Clark's old backpack and found the old blanket she had given him a few years before that was a family heirloom.       She looked at the Iroquois symbol that was sewn into it.     "That headline from the Daily Planet and this symbol give me an idea." said Martha.        

	"What?" asked Clark.      

	An old copy of The Torch, the high school paper that  Chloe ran, fell out of the back pack as Martha accidentally bumped the bag and tipped it over.             On the front was the image of the crow, the mascot for Smallville High's football team the Crows.         The crow mascot wore a red cape and an 'S' shield insignia like that of a superhero.         

	"That’s it!" exclaimed Martha.    

	"What?" asked Clark.         

	 Martha took the uniform, blanket and paper out of the room.         "I'm going to get my old sewing machine out of mothballs just for you, Clark." called Martha.         

	 Clark was puzzled and followed after his mother.

                 A few days later at the Daily Planet, Clark Kent walked out of the Editor-In-Chief's office with a smile on his face.    He was clad in a business suit and wore a pair of glasses that his father had worn way back in his college days.               He walked over to Lois and Chloe who were waiting for him.     

	"Well, how did it go with Perry?" asked Chloe anxiously.         

	"Well, do you remember that excuse my mother made up when I disappeared from Smallville for all of those years?" asked Clark in a low whisper.             

	 "Yeah." said Chloe.        

	"Well it and my experience with reporting  convinced Mr. White to give me an interim position as a field reporter on a trial basis." said Clark,  "If all goes well Mr. White would consider hiring me full time."           

	 Lois eyed Clark up and down.        "The glasses don't look too bad, Clark but that business suit has got to go." said Lois, "You look like a stuffy lawyer."          Clark, Chloe and Lois laughed.       Then, suddenly, Clark's attention was diverted by cries of help he heard with his super hearing.       

	"What’s wrong, Clark?" asked Chloe.        

	"Lois, Chloe, excuse me.  I....have to step out for a while." said Clark.     Clark rushed off leaving Chloe and Lois to themselves.

                      Clark Kent proceeded to the roof of the Planet and hung closely in the shadow of the massive planet statue that rested high atop.           He spun around in a whirlwind and within that he changed out of his business suit to reveal the uniform he wore underneath.  He discarded his glasses and left them with his business attire.          Clark shot off into the air and followed the cries of distress.      His uniform had been altered by Martha Kent.    A brilliant, red diamond shaped 'S' shield rested across his chest and a red cape hung from his shoulders.    Clark flew as fast as he could towards the cries for help.    This was a job for Clark Kent......or more exactly.... This was a job for Superman.  

                                      Beginning of the Legend…..