Chapter Three: Reunion

Althea took AL through the forest into the large meadow. As they drew nearer, AL noticed the glowing, green rocks scattered about, unlike any rocks on Alnilam. She frowned at them, then leaned over to say to her mount, “Althea, get these rocks as far away from here as possible. That’s Kryptonite. I’d know it anywhere.”

“Right,” she replied.

There was a rather large crater in the ground and, in the middle of it, was an unconscious figure in blue, yellow and red, surrounded by Kryptonite.

“Clark!” shrieked AL. “Clark! Althea, let me down. Clark!”

Althea stopped to let AL off her back, then turned on her hooves to gather help to get rid of the Kryptonite shards. AL scrambled to the still Superman while squirrels and birds emerged from the forest, using paws, claws and wings to take the green rocks away.

AL felt for a pulse and found one that was weak and fluttering. There were cuts and scrapes all over his body, and his knuckles were raw. None of them would heal while there was Kryptonite around him. She had no hope of carrying him back to the house, so she draped herself over his body and teleported him out to the small meadow. She couldn’t concentrate enough to get him into the house, but she did, at least, appear right outside of it.

“Guys!” she called. “Guys, give me a hand!”

“Lisa…?” whispered a barely conscious Superman in AL’s arms.

“Shh,” she soothed, stroking his hair. “You’re safe, now.” She didn’t notice that his wounds weren’t healing.

All the guys and Hooks came running outside – Hooks hitching a ride on Luke’s shoulder, as usual – though only Data lifted Superman, being the only one to have the strength to.

“Is he all right?” asked Adam.

“There was Kryptonite around him,” said AL. “He’ll recover in a few minutes, and he’ll be able to tell us what happened.”

Data set Superman down gently on a bed in a room down the Hall O’Rooms. He, Luke, Tommy, Hooks and AL gathered around the bed while Adam, Jesse, Jamie and the three Doctors stood outside the room.

“Lisa,” said Data, suddenly, “he is still bleeding.”

“What?”

Jesse came closer and helped AL examine Superman. Indeed, none of his wounds had healed like they were supposed to.

“This makes no sense,” said AL. “When the Kryptonite’s taken away, he heals. What the hell?”

“Lisa,” said Jesse, “look.” He waved her over and pointed to a gash in Superman’s side. Inside it was something glowing green.

“Great Orion,” breathed AL. “It’s inside him. Jesse…you’ve got to get it out.”

There was a mad scramble to collect the instruments needed to extract the shards of Kryptonite from Superman’s wounds. Working delicately, Jesse removed all the pieces from Superman’s body, placing them in a bowl. With every incision, Superman gasped in pain, squeezing AL’s hand with the little strength he had left.

When he was done, Jesse ran to dispose of the shards. Without their influence, Superman’s wounds healed, and he started to breathe easier.

“Guys, back up,” said AL. Only she remained at his side, holding his hand. “C’mon, Clark, wake up.”

Superman groaned and his eyes fluttered. “Lisa…?” he whispered again. “Lisa…”

“I’m here,” she said. “What happened?”

Superman looked around at the group standing in his room. “I made it,” he said, then turned to AL. “There was a meteor heading here. I didn’t know it had Kryptonite in it. Even so, I couldn’t let it hit…so…”

“So you kamikaze-ed it.” AL said.

Superman nodded.

“That wasn’t very smart, was it?” asked Doc9.

“But it was right,” said both AL and Superman together, causing them both to smile. “I still know you, Clark. Well, now that you’re here, why don’t you stay? You can move in.”

“Another added to this place?” said Luke.

“Why not? So you said yourself that there’s enough room for everyone here. That’s what the Hall is for, after all. How about it, Clark?”

Superman smiled. “Of course.”

And, so, it was. Clark Kent, AKA Superman, moved into the blog and is recovering from his collision with the meteor.

The End

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