Earth Rise: Symposium

Earthrise ch1





Prologue
********

The Moon was a ghostly galleon, tossed upon cloudy seas.   Yes, of course, thought Lex Luthor.  But if it were a galleon of ghosts, it was his galleon, and full of treasure.  The only sort of treasure that was worthwhile.  

Real Estate.

As of today, the Moon belonged to him.  Well, a good portion of it did.  The courts had all rendered their verdicts.  When Lionel Luthor had laid claim to large portions of the Moon, no one had contested him.  Now Lionel Luthor was dead, and Lex Luthor was his son and heir.  Lex Luthor had inherited Real Estate upon the Moon.  And he already knew what he wanted to do with it….

Something red and blue flashed by, at the edge of his vision.  The resulting wind tore at Lex's long black coat.  Lex himself didn't react, not even to blink.

'Superman,' he said, softly.

'Luthor,' came the answer.

'Now that we've established our mutual acquaintance, what can I do for you?'

'You won your case,' said Superman.

'You've heard,' said Lex.  'Could this conversation get any more banal?'

'Are the news reports true?'

Lex laughed.  'You should know,' he said.  'About the relative truth or untruth of the news media.  But what particular news bite would you wish for me to elaborate upon?'

'Are you intending to build a colony on the Moon?' asked Superman.

'Yes,' Lex replied.  'Do you have a problem with that?'

Superman floated in the air, several metres away from Lex.  His cape flared out, stirred by the gentle breeze, but his face was carved in stone.  A statue come to life, but still, in a way, a statue.  Lex wanted to take a chisel to him.

'Do you have a problem with that?' Lex asked again, with exaggerated patience.

'I don't know,' Superman admitted.

Lex gasped.  'What?  There's something the Great Man… excuse me, the Super Man, doesn't know?  What would the news media make of that?'

'Lex,' said Superman.

'Excuse me,' Lex replied. 'I wasn't in any way suggesting that I would tell the news media any fucking thing about you.  Superman.  I was joking.  It's getting cold out here, so if you have no further questions for me, I'd like to go inside and get warm.'

'No,' said Superman, at last.  'I have no further questions at this time.  But I'd like to have a look at any building plans, and to check out the materials you intend to use.'

'Of course.  I'd appreciate that.  And I'd appreciate it if you would look over the dome and its safety features and so on, once it's built.  I intend to live there myself, part of the year. Do you have a problem with that?'

'No problem,' snapped Superman.  And he sped off, faster than a speeding bullet.

Lex turned to go inside, but then he realized he was alone.  No one to see.  He sank to the balcony pavement, suddenly drained and tired.  It was the most words they'd exchanged, in relative politeness and harmony, for several years.  The old longing, the tug at what was left of Lex's heart, was too much to deal with, on top of everything else today.

'Superman,' said Lex, bitterly.  You have broken down all my carefully constructed defences, he thought.  The work of years, gone in an instant. 

'Damn you,' he whispered to the wind.

Only the wind answered.  It was cold, as he had told Superman.  Time to get back inside.




Chapter One: The Moon Colony
************************

'And so.  Ladies and Gentlemen.  Moon Colony One.'  Lex swept the curtains aside, and revealed the table of models.  The large full colour photographs.  'Please.  Take your time to look.  Ask all the questions you want.'

'Moon Colony One?'

'Yes, Mr. Kent.  Moon Colony One.  A temporary name, I assure you all.  I wanted to call it Alexandria, but I understand the name has already been used?'

His audience, for the most part, laughed.  Clark Kent smiled briefly, then bent over his damned reporter's notebook, and scribbled something scurrilous.

Lex counted to ten, then said, 'Well, if there are no more questions….'

Kent raised his hand.  'I understand that Superman checked out all the specifications.'

Lex counted to ten again, but only got half-way there before he realized the question probably wasn't intended as a personal affront.  Indeed, it gave him an opening.

'Superman has been very helpful,' he offered.  It was only true.  'More than helpful.'  All too true.  'Superman helped in the construction of the materials for the dome.  He tested its strength and resilience.  He tested all the operating systems.  Air.  Artificial gravity.  And so on.  And look!'  Lex pointed to the photographs of the small forest that was growing in one corner of the colony.  'The trees have settled in nicely,' he said.  'It's my hope that eventually we won't be entirely dependent on recycled air.'

Lois Lane, Kent's partner in crime reporting, studied the pictures for a moment, then turned her icy eyes on Lex.

'Terraforming?' she asked.  Her tone of voice sounded suspicious, for some reason.  'How far do you intend to go?  The Moon has been so… peaceful, so… untouched, for millions of years.'

'Peaceful?  Untouched?  Ms. Lane, death is peaceful.  The grave is peaceful.  Life is not.  Life… We cannot but affect the world around us, if we're alive.  The Moon has been there, above us, untouched for millions of years, as you observed.  But now we dare to touch it.  I dare to touch it.  But not in hate.  Not to harm it but to love it.  To make it live!'

'I see,' said Ms. Lane.  

But of course reporters were suspicious. It was their continuing mission to seek out new lies and new conspiracies.  Whereas it was his vocation to boldly go where no one had gone before.

'It would not be feasible, or worthwhile, to terraform the entire Moon's surface,' he went on.  'Colony One is near the South Pole.  It receives a considerable amount of solar light, and the solar panels will be able to power the entire habitat base.  We found water in the Shackleton Crater.  And of course the view is spectacular.'  Lex indicated the photographs of Earth rising over Malapert Mountain.  'But the rest of the Moon isn't quite so appropriate.  Not for terraforming, at least.  Mining, yes.  Communications bases.  Transportation bases.  The far side of the Moon for radio telescopes.  But my Colony One is in the best place to build a true human colony, that could, in the future, be entirely self-sufficient.'

Several other reporters and guests asked questions, which he answered automatically.  Then something  roused Lois Lane's curiosity again.  She lifted her pen, interrogatively.

'How will you govern this colony?' she asked.

'Govern it?'

'How will you govern it politically?  What will be the political system, if any?'

'Ms Lane!  You have taken me to task for transporting a few trees to the Moon.  And now you wish for me to transport human politics?'  

The room erupted in laughter. Even Kent smiled.  

'But that is a fair question, of course,' Lex went on to admit.  'I had two ideas on the subject.  The first was to establish Moon Colony One as an autocratic state, with myself as absolute ruler.  Anyone who questioned my decrees would be pushed outside the dome.  Thus would the Moon remain peaceful -- you must admit, Ms. Lane.'

'Ah… yes.  Peaceful, no doubt, Mr. Luthor.'

'Please.  Call me Lex,' he smiled.  'My second thought was to hold a Symposium on the matter, to be held next month. I have already sent out invitations to Earth's most notable philosophers and judges and political scientists.  The Dalai Lama.  Archbishop Tutu.  Queen Elizabeth.  People of that ilk.'

'Superman?'

'Superman!'  Lex stared into Kent's eyes.  'I sent him a gold edged invitation,' he lied.  'But I haven't heard back from him yet.  Perhaps he has to wash his hair that night.'

'Is it true, Mr. Luthor, that you hate Superman?'

'Hate Superman?  Ms Lane, hate is a strong word.  I feel… a certain antipathy towards the man, which I have never bothered to hide.  But I appreciate his talents and his qualities.'

'But why do you hate him?'

'Good question.  The next time you interview Superman, why don't you ask it of him?'



Chapter Two: The Symposium
*************************

Metropolis was the centre of the world tonight. It was Opening Day of the Symposium on Moon Colony One, and the Moon herself was smiling down upon them all. Considering the short notice, I have managed to put on a good show, thought Lex.

Many of the invited guests had agreed to come, Archbishop Tutu among them.  Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain was otherwise engaged.  Lex was not surprised.  In fact, he had been surprised that anyone had accepted the invitation at all -- considering the short notice.

He had gone home after the press conference, and dragged his secretary out of bed to write up the invitations and mail them that very night.  It was not out of guilt.  Lex never felt any compunctions about lying, for any reason.  But Clark's frank stare of disbelief had offended him nonetheless.  He'd thought about such a Symposium, he told himself. Once or twice he'd thought about such a thing.  How dare Clark suspect him of lying?  

The Metropolis Police were escorting another luminary to the Empire Hotel.  Lex looked over the balcony railing in time to see two uniformed bodyguards emerging from the limousine.  Red coats.  Brown Stetson hats -- or whatever they were called.  Mounties.  Ah!  The Prime Minister of Canada had arrived.  Stephane Dion.  Good.  A true Democrat… er, Liberal, and he spoke French.  If Lex was going to do this Symposium business, he might as well do it right.  

Lex scanned the skies to see if his intended audience had seen this display of Democracy in Action, but Superman was indeed a no-show.  

'I suppose you are washing your hair after all,' murmured Lex.

*****

'How do I look?'

'You look very dashing, Boss.  As always,' said Mercy.  'I'm sure he'll be impressed.'

'Who?' asked Lex. He surveyed himself in the mirror, again. Dashing. Yes.

Mercy yawned, and smiled.  Then shrugged.  'The Archbishop?' she suggested, wickedly.  'But I hear he's married.  Not that that's ever stopped you before.'

'You know too much about me, my dear,' said Lex.  'Soon you may know entirely too much, and I'll have to kill you.'

Mercy laughed.  'I've known too much about you for years.  And I'm still walking around alive.  It would be a wasted bullet, Boss.  I'm loyal, and you know it.'

'Yes.  I know.  I admire loyalty.  It's one of the few virtues I've managed to obtain myself.'

'You think?' asked Mercy.

Lex turned, slowly, and studied his bodyguard.  'Don't be flippant,' he advised.  'You may know a lot about me, but not everything.  And if you ever learn everything, I might have to kill you, whatever the state of your loyalty to me.'

Mercy stared back at him, calm as ever.  She leaned against the door frame, all elegance in her long black evening gown.  Her gun was in her handbag, or down the bosom of her dress, or tucked into her stocking top -- or all three.   'I don't talk,' she stated. 'I wouldn't tell anyone any secrets about you.  Not if they ripped out my guts and burned them before my eyes.'

Lex raised an eyebrow.  'That's my girl,' he said.  'And don't worry.  If it ever comes to that, I'll see your mother gets your pension.  She trained you, right?'

'Yeah, she did,' said Mercy, as they started down in the elevator.  'Screw Mom.  Send my pension to my sister instead.  She'll use it to help pay for bumping Mom off.'

'A family after my own heart,' Lex observed.

*****

'Suits,' Mercy commented, surveying the room.  'Dark colours.  No blue tights.'

'Shut up,' said Lex.  In his softest, sweetest, most dangerous voice.  'Why would I be looking for a man in blue tights -- or tights of any colour for that matter?  I go for butch men, not those simpering, dainty, ballet dancer type….'

Mercy's hand tightened on his arm, as she looked toward the doors.  Lex followed her gaze.  Lois Lane.  And just behind her, of course, Clark Kent.  

Yes.  Mercy appeared to know far too much.  Lex closed his eyes for a moment, imagining it.  Slicing her open.  Tearing out her guts.  Burning them.  Of course, she wouldn't actually feel that last part, unless they were still attached to her body.  So he'd stretch them out as far as they'd go, and set fire to the ends and let them burn, slowly.  No, Mercy wouldn't tell any of Lex Luthor's secrets.  She'd never do anything again but scream and scream and….

Mercy was shaking his arm, whispering.  'Boss.  Boss?  Snap out of it. They're coming this way.'

Lex opened his eyes.  Mercy was right.  Here came the news media, represented by Lois and Clark.  'I wasn't aware they were invited,' he said.

'They weren't,' Mercy told him.  'I guess they're party crashers.  Want me to run them off?'

Lex laughed down at her.  You're forgiven, he thought.  You can keep your guts. For now.  'Go mingle, my dear,' he said out loud.  'I'll be safe with Kent and Lane.  They might misquote me, but they won't kill me.'

'If you say so,  Boss.'

'I say so.  I'm a constant source of news bites.  Why would they be plotting my demise?'

'Why would who be plotting your demise?' asked Clark Kent, as he got within range.

'You have good ears, Mr. Kent.  Why would anyone be plotting my demise?  Especially now.  What I'm doing will benefit all mankind.  Excuse me, all human kind.'  He smiled at Lois Lane, in a patronising fashion, but the tough reporter refused to be baited.  She smiled back, sweetly.

'You're right, Mr. Luthor,' she said.  'Why, this colony you're building will house how many people?  Several hundred at least.  That will solve the population problem.  The human race is saved.'

Lex laughed.  'I'm not such a megalomaniac that I believe that, Ms Lane.  Moon Colony One is a beginning only.  And no, I haven't thought of a better name yet.  Perhaps I'll hold a contest.  Name the Colony.  What should be the prize?'

'An expense paid vacation here on Earth,' Lois suggested.

'Have you been to the Moon, Ms Lane?'

'No.  Why do you ask?'

'You seem rather disparaging about a place you haven't visited.  Is that appropriate for a reporter?  Shouldn't you check your facts?'

'My facts?  Mr Luthor, the Moon is a….'

'Harsh mistress?' Lex suggested.

'A harsh environment.  Hostile.  No oxygen, water, heat….'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'Exactly.'  So like his home when he was growing up, he thought.  'It is dangerous.  It's a challenge.  I like challenges.  I want… not to tame the Moon, but to make her more inviting.  To show her true beauty to the universe.  She's a part of Earth, after all, even if she is strange and distant and alien.  She is part of us.  Part of all of us.  I've been there, Ms. Lane.  Many times.  And I love her alien beauty.  And you should see the Earth Rise.  She glows in the sky.  Oceans of blue, against the black of space.'

'Goodness, Luthor,' said Clark Kent.  'How very poetic you are.'

'Aren't I?' sneered Lex.  'Clearly my poetic nature is wasted on such as you.'

Mercy bumped into him, lightly.  'Oh! I'm sorry, Boss. Didn't see you there.  Can't see very well without my glasses.  Shouldn't be so vain,' she added, in Lois Lane's direction.   'But men don't make passes and all that….'  She giggled and simpered, clearly not understanding how very close she was to having her guts set on fire once again.  Her hand tightened on his arm, her nails digging into his arm quite sharply.  Very sharply indeed, thought Lex.  What were those nails made of, anyway?  Stainless steel?

It brought him to himself.  Only a few people had noticed the slight altercation.  And Clark did not appear to be among them, so maybe things had not yet reached altercation level.  Maybe the fiery rage existed only inside his own guts.

'Oh, look,' said Mercy.  'It's about to begin.  The Symposium, I mean.  I think they're looking for you, Boss.'

'Thanks, Mercy,' said Lex.  'That was good timing.'  He allowed himself to be led to the podium. 

Kent watched him walk away.  His face was set, and blank, and cold as the deepest reaches of space.

*************


'Ladies and Gentlemen.  Honoured guests…. Members of the press.  Welcome to the Symposium on Moon Colony One.  

'As you all know, it was my father's idea to lay claim to territories on the Moon.  It was his dream to build a colony there, and to this end, he built a small home base, lived there part of each year, and went out on exploratory missions, looking for water and mineral deposits.  It is because of his work that I have finally achieved his goals.'

I am just the son carrying on his father's legacy, thought Lex.  If the plan fails, it's Dad's fault.  If it succeeds, then I have achieved what he could not. What's more, it's all true.

'The superstructure is in place.  The geodesic domes have been built, and checked out carefully by Superman.  All systems are go.

'All the physical systems, at least.  But what about the social systems?  Should these be left to chance?  Well, there always is going to be an element of chance.  No one can plan everything in advance.  Science has shown us that order and chaos co-exist, and perhaps in equal measure.  But should we trust in this?  Should we assume that all manner of thing shall be well?  Should we transpose the social and political structures of Earth to this new planet?  Or should I, as the builder of this new society, assume full responsibility and rule by decree?  I like none of these alternatives.  

'There is, however, one more possible course of action.   We, as humans, could discuss ahead of time how Moon Colony One should be conducted.  We could plan in advance the most humane, just and reliable form of government.   And that is why I have called you all here tonight, and over the next few days.  

'Some of you are scientists.  Some are politicians.  Some of you are religious leaders.  But all of you have valuable input that I wish to gather and use to build that social superstructure that is still missing.  

'Please!  Everyone take a seat, and make yourselves comfortable.  How shall we begin?'

There was a moment of silence.  Then the room erupted in applause.  Lex nodded and smiled, and descended from the podium to find his own seat, beside Mercy.  

'Good speech, Boss,' his bodyguard allowed.  

'Thanks,' said Lex, with a cool smile.  

He carefully avoided glancing over in Clark Kent's direction, expecting to see only disdain for his pretensions to honour and probity.  Why had Kent come tonight?  Lex had sent Superman his own invitation, but had received no answer.  Was this the answer?  Had Kent come as Superman's friend and deputy?  Or simply as Lois Lane's partner, at Perry White's command?  

Whatever the reasons, it was all too disconcerting.  He had learned to deal with Superman, when it was necessary. He could deal with Clark Kent, too, if the reporter showed up at press conferences asking his infernal questions.  But to be forced to deal with Kent in a situation like this, when he asked to see Superman?  

Mercy nudged his arm, and he realized that someone was speaking to him.  

'I'm sorry,' he said.  'I must have been wool gathering for a moment.  Archbishop Tutu?  You had a question for me?'

'Yes.  Mr Luthor.  I was wondering… several of us were wondering… if you intend to give up all aspirations to govern Earth Colony One, yourself?  Are you intending to be merely a simple citizen of this new nation?'

'I don't know,' Lex admitted.  'That is partly what we are here to discuss.  If all of planet Earth seems in agreement that I should surrender all political power over the Moon, I will do so.  And certainly I have no desire to be a tyrant, here or on the Moon.  I am a businessman, Ladies and Gentlemen.  I will be honest with you here.  I spent many millions of my own dollars on building this colony.  Well, even before I built it, the court costs alone in consolidating my ownership of the territory nearly gave my accountants heart attacks.  I want to do great things for the human race, by building our first colony in space, but I need to make a profit whilst doing them.  I don't think I can make that profit by giving up all control over what I have built.  Such an action might be interpreted as ceding my monetary rights, as well.'

'So, you do intend to govern the colony, Mr. Luthor.'

Lex turned with a smile.  'Ms. Lane,' he said.  'This is not an interview, or a press conference.  At the moment, I am claiming nothing, nor am I conceding anything.  We are here to discuss what is the best course of action.   I want to hear the opinions of everyone here, about what I should do.  What we, all the people who will be colonising the Moon, should do.  There are other people involved in this enterprise.'

'How many so far?' asked Ms Lane.

'Several hundred workers.  Nearly one hundred people have leased homesteads.  Some of these are wealthy landowners in their own right, here on earth.  Others are communities who have raised funds to send a few representatives.  There are people from nearly every nation on Earth, who are waiting for the first shuttle next year.'

'And you are responsible for them all,' Archbishop Tutu pointed out.

'Yes.  And I feel that responsibility deeply.'  Lex waited for the snickers, but none came.  Not even from Kent's direction.  'I don't want to end up being hated, as a tyrant, or as a fool who screwed up.  I want… I want to be loved, as the father of Earth's first colony.'

Now he truly expected to be laughed at.  Why was he making this confession, he wondered.  If it was a real confession.  Was it really what he wanted?  To be loved?  Or had he simply gotten too deeply into his role?  

'Love…' said someone who had not spoken before.  Someone with a French accent.  Oh, yes.  The Canadian Prime Minister.  'Love cannot be bought, Mr. Luthor.  It must be earned.'

'Earned?  Do you think?  Can love be earned?'  

'Ah.  Mr. Kent, is it not? The reporter?' The Prime Minister turned to his new interlocutor. 'If love cannot be bought, nor can it be earned, then from whence do we get love?'

'Love,' said Clark Kent, in a slow, deep voice. 'It should be given freely, I suppose.  Because people want to give it.'

Lex realized he was holding a glass in his hand.  It was a wine glass with a narrow stem.  He realized this because the stem had snapped.  His own red blood was dripping down onto the carpet, along with the red wine.



Chapter Three: Broken Glass
**************************

'I think the first evening went well, Boss.'

'Did it?' asked Lex.  

'Yes.  It did.  Trust me.  I spoke with almost everyone.  Almost everyone was impressed.  With your passion, your intelligence, your resolve….'  Mercy ticked off each point on her fingers as she went on.  

'Good!' said Lex, with mock heartiness.  'And if I become Miss America, I want to fight world hunger, and fight for peace, and….'

'It's been a long day, Boss.  Why don't we both turn in, before we try to kill each other?  Okay?'

'I'd get you first, my dear.  However well your mother trained you, my father trained me better.'

'Sure, Boss. Whatever you say.'

'No!' screamed Lex.  He threw his wine glass at Mercy, and she stepped neatly out of the way.  Lex took one slow step closer to his intended victim.  'No,' he said, again, softly this time.  'Don't try to mollify me. We are not equals.  You don't get a vote.'

'No.  I know that.  You are my Boss.  I know that.'

'Then stop talking to me like I'm your child.'

'Yes.  Sir.'

'Thank you, Mercy.'

'You're welcome, Mr. Luthor. May I ask a question?'

Lex shrugged.  'Sure,' he said. 'Fire away.  Metaphorically speaking, of course.'

'With whom are you really angry, Sir?  Because I don't recall what I did wrong.'

'That's because you did nothing wrong,' said Lex, after a moment.  'I'm angry at myself.  I think this Symposium was a bad idea.'

'Because Superman didn't show up?'

Lex suspected that Mercy was unaware she had a death wish.  But then everyone hid something or other from themselves.  

'Yes,' he said.  'No doubt that's the reason.  Now, as you said, it's been a long day.  Why don't you turn in. I'll be fine.'

'You sure?'

'The security here is quite stringent,' Lex pointed out.  'And we're 80 stories up.  Go get some rest.'

Mercy nodded.  'Should I send someone to clean up the broken glass?' she asked.

'Leave it,' snapped Lex.  'I like it.'

Mercy left without another word.


*************


'That was rather… tense.'

Clark Kent walked on to their car, seemingly oblivious.

'It was, you know.  Tense, I mean.  I thought it was tense.  There was most definitely tension in the air.  Yessir.'

Clark Kent pushed the little button on his key chain, and the lock on the car door popped open.

'Then again, maybe I was just imagining it all.  Maybe I'm the one who's tense.  Maybe you're not tense at all.  And certainly Lex Luthor wasn’t the least bit tense.'

Clark Kent pulled open the left side door of the car, and started to climb inside.  Behind the wheel.  Behind the wheel of Lois Lane's car.  Without asking her first.

'Hey!  Smallville.  That's my car, in case you didn't notice.'

Clark Kent turned to Lois Lane, his face all innocence.  'Oh, yeah?' he said.  'Your car? You want to drive?  Sorry. I didn't think you wanted to drive.  I thought you wanted to talk.'

'I can do both.  At once.'

'Not with me in the passenger seat you're not. Not tonight.  Make up your mind.  You wanna talk, I get to drive.'

'What's with you, Kent?  What's going on?  With you and Luthor, I mean?'

'Nothing's going on with me and Luthor.'

'Ah.  I see.'  Lois Lane opened the passenger side door.  'Go ahead,' she said.  'You drive.'  She got in, sat down, and buckled her seat belt.

Clark Kent got behind the wheel of the car, and buckled himself in.  He started the engine.  The car slid smoothly out of the parking space, and down the street.

'What are you hiding from me, Clark?'

'Don't talk to me, Lois.  I'm driving.'

'Oh, you are so funny.  And you are so screwed.  You can't hide things from me.  I'm a reporter, and you're my partner.  You can't keep secrets from your partner.'

'We're not that kind of partners.  We're work partners, not domestic partners.  I can keep secrets from you if I want.'

'Can you? If it affects our work?'

'What!  What is affecting our work?  Nothing's affecting our work, Lois.'

'We're covering a story involving Lex Luthor.  And there's something going on between the two of you, I can tell.  I thought at first you just didn't like each other, but it's more than that.  It's like you hate each other, or something.'

'We don’t hate each other.'

'He looks at you like he hates you.  He did tonight, anyway.  And you were all cold and distant.  You hardly spoke to him at all, and we were there to interview him.'

'Were we?  To interview Lex Luthor?  I thought we were covering the Symposium.'

'Well, yes.  You're right.  But still.  It was odd.  Every time we spoke to him before, you seemed at least… friendly.  Tonight was different.'

'It was the atmosphere, Lois.  That's all.'

'The atmosphere?'

'It was all so formal.  We were uninvited.  They could have refused to let us in, since we didn't have invitations, but they accepted our press passes, instead.  But I still felt a bit uncomfortable.'

'Yes, well.  I didn't.  Feel uncomfortable, I mean.'

'Of course not.  You're Lois Lane.'

'You're right, and don't you forget it, buddy.  I keep on digging until I get to the truth.  And there's more going on here than the atmosphere.'

'You're right, Lois.  I give up.  You win.  Lex and I grew up together in Smallville.  We used to be lovers, but we broke up.  So, any hostility between us should just be expected fallout from our former relationship.  How's that?'

'Ha ha ha ha ha.  Very funny, Clark.  Pull the other leg, next.'

Clark Kent pulled up in front of her apartment building, instead.  'Here you are,' he said.  'Home safe and sound.  I'll walk.  Night, Lois.'

'Clark?  Clark, listen….'  But Clark had already disappeared.  'You were joking, weren't you?  You were, right?'  A horn honked behind her, and Lois realized she was parked in a no-parking spot.  In a bus zone.  A bus was trying to pull in.  She slid behind the wheel, and then realized she didn't have her key in the ignition.  Clark had used his own key, and taken it with him. The bus honked again, and it sounded even louder and more impatient. She spent several tense moments finding her key, and starting the car.

'You are dead, Kent.  Dead meat.  Just wait.'

But surely he'd been joking.  She was sure of that.  Lex Luthor ruled Metropolis.  He was the son of the late billionaire tycoon Lionel Luthor.  He'd never grown up in Smallville.  No way.

************


Lex looked down at the shards of broken glass littering his expensive marble floor.  Twice in one night, he thought.  At least the second glass he'd broken, he'd known what he was doing.  It was more satisfying that way.  

Sometimes it was satisfying to break something.  To smash it, to grind it under your heel.  Yes, like that, to grind the tiny shards of broken glass into the marble with your foot, to imagine it was something else, or someone else you were grinding down, into dust….

There was a gust of wind outside the penthouse, and his balcony curtains billowed inwards.  He turned, expecting to see that idiot in his red and blue uniform.  

'Lex,' said the apparition standing in the balcony doors.  'Do we hate each other?  Lois thinks we hate each other.'

Lex sighed.  'Clark.  You flew here?  Dressed like that?  To ask me that?  Have you lost what's left of your tiny alien mind?'

Clark walked toward him, with that slow grace Lex remembered.   Not in the slightly bumbling way affected by Clark Kent, reporter for The Daily Planet.  

'You broke another glass,' he said.  'What's wrong?  And your hand?'

'My hand is fine.  I heal quickly, remember?'

'Do you?  Lois thinks you hate me.  Do you hate me, Lex?'

'Shut up.  No, I don't hate you.  I don't waste that much time on you.  You just turn around and fly back out the window.  But change into Superman first.  Someone might see you.  They might figure it all out.'

'So what?  What do you care?  You never liked this masquerade in the first place.'

'Why do I care?  Because it was the point.  Part of the whole point.  What you wanted.  You wanted to protect your identity as Superman.  You wanted to be the noble superhero, and you couldn't do that if you lived with me, because I'm not noble, and besides, I'm famous, and anyone living with me would be in the public eye.  So you nobly gave me up, and went off to Metropolis to pretend to be the nerdy reporter, Clark Kent during the day, and fly around nobly saving lives in your off hours.  All because loving me wasn't worth it.  Because I hadn't done anything to earn your noble love.  And now you say that love shouldn't be earned?  That it should be given freely?  Was that all a lie, what you said before?  Did you never love me at all?  Did you really sacrifice anything?  No, I don't hate you.  I despise you.  Please close the balcony doors when you go.  Thank you, and goodnight.'

'Lex, we were so young….'

'Young?  Is that it?  You think I forced you, molested you or something?  I remember you being very willing, and you aren't that much younger than I am.'

'No, no.  That's not what I meant.  I meant that we were both young, and it was all so scary, then.  I couldn't see how we could possibly have a life together.  Lex?'

'I told you to leave once.  This is the second time.  You don't get a third chance.  I'll call my bodyguards, and have them throw you off the balcony.  You won't die, of course, but you will be exposed as Superman. Your choice.'

Lex's face was cold as ice, and Clark remembered.  It was useless to try to argue about anything when Lex was like this.

'I'll go,' he said.  'But I'll call you tomorrow.  We need to talk.  I don't want you to hate me.  I don't want to be enemies.  We should be friends, at least.'

'Friends?'  Lex spat the word.  The glass beneath his shoes crackled as he started to walk toward Clark.  

Clark backed up, quickly, out of the penthouse, and onto the balcony.  In this mood, Lex was likely to attempt to hit Clark, and thus hurt himself, but it wouldn't be wise to explain such a thing.  Better to look like a coward.  'I'll call you tomorrow, Lex,' he said, again, and flew off.

'Idiot!' he heard Lex call after him.  'I told you to change before you left.'



Chapter Four: Cells
********************


He really should have changed all his phone numbers, thought Lex.  He'd changed most of them, but somehow forgot this one.  

Or perhaps not.  As Freud said, there are no accidents.  And Lex had to admit that for a long time he'd dreamed of Clar… Supe… Him calling this number late at night and begging to come back to him.  Lex would have listened to him beg, made him beg some more, and then some more, and then at the last moment, just when he had almost run out of breath from begging, Lex would have casually said, 'Oh, sure darling.  Why not?  Come on over and we'll fuck around.  For old times sake.'  

And here he was, calling Lex on the phone, asking to be friends.  Friends?

'Sorry, Clark. I think we've gone way past that.  We're far too far apart to be friends now.  I mean, what do we have in common?  Not that we ever had much in common to start with.  We're from different worlds, you know?'

'Well, we do share an interest in space exploration,' Clark said.  And the son of a bitch had the effrontery to sound amused.  

Lex hung up on him.

A few minutes later, the phone rang again.  

'Lex.  It's Clark.'

Oh, joy.

'Lex?  Listen.  I'm serious, here.  If we can't be friends, at least we can be… non-enemies.  Can't we?'

'Non-enemies?  Be still my beating heart.  I'll get back to you on that one.  Bye bye.'

Lex sat staring at the phone, considering whether or not he should try grinding it into the floor, like last night's wine glass.  But when it rang again, he answered it.

'Yes, Clark?'

'Lex, I'm sorry to bother you, and I won't do it again, but I just want you to know that I don't hate you.  You don't hate me, do you?'

'If I say I don't hate you, will you stop calling this number?'

Silence.   Then, in a small voice, Clark said,  'Okay.  Sorry.  Goodbye.'  Click.

The son of a bitch actually had the effrontery to hang up on him.    

***************

'Damn!'  Clark gave his cell phone a disgusted look, and tossed it down on his desk.  

'Lead not working out?'

'Huh?  Oh, Lois, hi.  Yeah.  Bad lead.'

'That's too bad.  I feel so bad for you.  Almost bad enough to forgive you.'

'Forgive me?  Why? What did I do now?'

'Last night?  With the car?  You dropped me in a bus zone, Kent.  Damned bus nearly plowed right over me.'

'Oh.  Sorry.  Didn't notice.'

'I guess not.  Guess you were thinking about your boyfriend.  Lex Luthor?'

'Lex… Mr. Luthor is not my boyfriend, Lois.'

'Oh.  I see.  So that story you spun for me last night was just a joke.  That's what I thought.'

'Yeah. A joke.  Hey!  I hear Perry calling me.  Be right back.'

'I don't hear anything…  Clark?'  

But Clark was gone.  He was good at that, thought Lois.  Really good at just disappearing.  Especially when she tried to ask him any personal questions.  

Lois stared at Clark's desk.  It really didn't look any different from yesterday.  No sign that Clark had been working on a new story at all.  It had been her own assumption, she realized, and Clark had simply gone along with it.  Rather unconvincingly, Lois now realized.  

But there was the cell phone.  Clark had just casually tossed it down, and it was lying right there.  Lois closed her eyes for a moment, trying to resist temptation.  But when she opened her eyes again, there temptation was, in the existence of the cell phone, still lying openly on Clark's desk.

Before she could change her mind, she reached out, and picked the cell phone up.  She pressed the redial button.

The phone rang several times, and Lois almost gave up.  Then, a voice spoke in her ear.  A man's voice, and it didn't bother with a normal 'hello'.

'Oh sure, darling,' said the voice.  'Come on over and we'll fuck around, for old time's sake.'

Lois' mind reeled.  The voice sounded familiar somehow.  Then she got it.  'Mr. Luthor?'

A long silence.  

'Hello?  Mr. Luthor?  Is that you?'

'Uh?  Who is this?  You're not Clark.  But the number you're dialling from says….'

'Oh. I'm sorry.  I borrowed this cell phone for a minute. I must have hit redial by accident.'

'You're Lois Lane?' In tones of horror.

'Yes.  My apologies. It won't happen again.  Goodbye.'

'Wait!… Uh.'  Lex Luthor sounded more than a bit worried for some reason.

But Lois turned the phone off. So. It was all a joke, was it?  She thought a moment, then turned on her computer terminal, and googled several words.  

Lex Luthor Smallville.

************



Something was different, Clark knew.  Several of the items on his desk had been shifted, ever so slightly.  Lois seemed distracted.  She was working at her computer, but turned it off when she saw Clark coming.  Her eyes, when they met his, looked hard.  Lois Lane, Star Reporter.  The Huntress.

She was jiggling a pen in her fingers.  It looked like his pen.

Clark grinned at her.  The Nerdy Young Reporter.  'Whatcha doin', Lois?  New story?'

'Uh… yeah.  I have to go talk to Perry,' she said.  'Be right back.'

Lois was good at disappearing, thought Clark.  Especially when he asked her personal questions, like, 'Whatcha doin'?'

It had indeed been Clark's pen in her fingers.  She had pens of her own, so why had she been using his.  Items on his desk had been shifted around.  Lois?  When she was looking for a pen she didn't need?  What had been moved?  His notebook.  His calendar….

His cell phone.  The cell phone on which he had been calling Lex, just before Lois showed up for work.  Clark pushed the redial button, and waited for Lex's phone to ring.  It rang once.  

'This number is not available.  Please check the number and dial again.'

Hmmm.

His personal dialling history showed… that yes, the last number he'd dialled was Lex's.  There it was.  6:35 AM…  6:45 AM… 6:55 AM…  7:02 AM….

What?!

But there it was.  7:02 AM.  Lex's number.  And he'd only called Lex three times, not four.

Three times, right before Lois Lane showed up for work.  He'd contemplated calling Lex back, but decided against it.

Clearly Lois had other ideas.

Lois Lane was in Perry's office.  It wasn't kosher to listen in, now was it?  

'… this is the 21st century, after all,' Perry was saying.

And?  His point was?  What was going on here?

'But I thought you were against the whole idea, Lois,' Perry went on.

'Yes.  Times are changing.  It's a new world, and a scary one to some people.  I'm not sure I like the idea myself, but someone told me the other day that reporters shouldn't judge before all the facts were known.'

'So, you want to do a thorough investigation?'

'Yes, and I think you should make it official.'

'Telling me how to do my job now, Ms. Lane?'

'Oh, come on, Perry.  Of course not.  If you don't like the idea, you don't like the idea.  But I like the idea, so I'm pushing for it.  I think it's a good idea.'

'Because it's your idea.'

'Yeah.  And I am your best reporter, so shouldn't you listen to my ideas?'

'I do, Lois.  I do listen.  And I'm listening now.  Okay.  Let's talk to Clark.  Get his opinion.'

'Clark?'  Lois sounded mystified, as if she never considered that Clark might have an opinion on this subject.  Whatever the subject was.

'Clark.  Clark Kent?  Your usual partner.  Remember?'

'Well, yes.  He's my usual partner.  But Perry.  I can work without him, you know?  I did it before.  I can do it again.'

'Not in this case.  No.  I want Clark there.  I want his input as well as yours.  He has a level head.  You don't.'

'Well, thanks, Perry.'

'You're welcome.'

Perry's office door opened.  'Kent!' he bellowed.  'Get in here.'

'Yes, Mr. White?' he asked, as he joined them in the office and carefully closed the door.

'Have a seat, Clark.  Lois here has had one of her brilliant ideas.'

'Ah.'

'Yeah.  Ah.  She thinks we should open a bureau on the Moon.'


*****

'What was all that about, Lois?'

'What was all what about?'

'Don't play games. All that. In Perry's office.'

'What's wrong, Clark?' asked Lois, sweetly. 'Don't you want to be the first reporter on the Moon? The first reporter ever to cover news in Space, from the front lines? Well, I do.'

'You didn't sound so enthusiastic about the Moon Colony when we were interviewing Lex Luthor the other day,' Clark pointed out.

'Well, I've had a change of heart. Or change of mind. Or something. My curiosity has been aroused, and when that happens....'

'Yeah,' said Clark. 'Look out.'



Chapter Five: Playing Pool
************************


'Are you in a better mood, tonight?'

'A better mood than what, Clark?  Or when?' asked Lex, without turning from his contemplation of the pool table.

'A better mood than you were in this morning, or last night, or the other night, or last week, or….'  When Clark thought about it, he realized something.  Lex hadn't been in a really good mood for a really long time.

'You keep track of my moods, Clark.  How sweet!  Is that why you dropped in, out of the sky, so to speak? Uninvited, I might add.  To check up on my mood?'

'No.  I came to tell you something.  And to ask you something.'

Silence, except for the snick of the pool balls.  

'Lex?'

Lex turned with exaggerated patience.  'Yes, Clark?  And what is your problem?  Go ahead.  Ask. Tell.'

'Lex, did Lois call you on my cell phone?'

'Lois?  Lois Lane, you mean?  Oh!  Was that her?  I thought your voice had suddenly gotten a lot higher for some reason.  Maybe that your tights were too tight.'

'I'm sorry about that.  I left my cell phone on my desk, and I guess she must have borrowed it, and….'

'And accidentally hit redial. Gotcha. In fact, that was what she told me.  Doesn't she have a phone of her own?'

Clark scratched his head.  'Yeah, well….  But I hope no damage was done.'

'So do I, Clark, so do I.'

'Um, what did you say to her.  If you don't mind my asking?'

'Well, I do mind.  It was a private conversation, with a lady, and despite so much evidence to the contrary, I am indeed a gentleman.'

'That bad, huh?'

'Is that all, Clark?'

'No.  I have something to tell you, remember?  Lois… Perry is sending Lois and me to cover the opening of Moon Colony One.  In person.  Live.  On the Moon.'

'Okay.'

'And he wants us to stay there for a while, and monitor the situation, or something.'

Silence again.

'Lex?'

'How did all this start?  Do you know?'

'Lois got suspicious about us.  She thought something was 'going on between us', as she put it.  I tried to deny it, but….'

'Nothing is going on between us.'

'That's what I tried to tell her, but she didn't buy it.  She wondered why we seemed to hate each other.  So… I told her the truth.'

'The truth.'

'Yes.  I can't lie to Lois, it doesn't work.  She just keeps on digging and digging. So, I told her the truth, but in a way that made her think I was joking.'

'You told her the truth, about us, but as a joke.'

'Lex….'

Clark felt amazingly tired, all of a sudden.  He wondered if there were Kryptonite around.  Lex hit a pool ball hard enough to make it flip over the side of the pool table and roll away under a sofa.

'You know, Clark.   It's really fortunate for you that you're almost invulnerable.  Because otherwise, someone would have murdered you by now.'

'You, Lex?'

'I don't know.  Certainly I've considered it.  I don't know if I could ever actually do it, because if I did, I'd go mad.  I'd run down the streets like a mad dog, foaming at the mouth, and trying to rip out the throats of everyone who passed me by.  They'd have to shoot me down like a dog, to stop me.  And you make jokes about that, about my feelings for you.'

'No!  No, that wasn't how I meant it.  I swear, Lex.'

'This Lois Lane.  Are you in love with her?'

Clark smiled.  'In love with Lois?  I love her, in a way, yes.  She reminds me of Mom.  Why?'

'You tell her the truth.  Have you ever done that with anyone before?'

'I told you the truth.'

'When you had no other choice.'

Clark pulled up a chair, and straddled the back.  He looked at Lex, standing there with his pool cue.  Lex's eyes were dark and shadowed, as if he hadn't slept in a long time.

'I'm not human,' he began.

'So, that's your excuse?'

'How do you tell people you're not human?  I'm serious, Lex.  How do you just tell people that?  How can I just be myself with anyone?  With Mom, yes.  She knows who I am, but she's always known.  She loves me, as if I came from her own body.'

'And how do you think I love you, Clark?'

'I didn't want you to be unhappy.  I didn't think I could make you happy.  I was sure I would make you very unhappy.'

'Well, you did.  Happy now?'

'No.  But my life as Superman isn't causing you any problems, is it?  You don't have to worry about me.'

'Don't I?'

'I know you hate Superman.'

'I do, yes.  I hate Clark Kent, too.  You know who I love?  Do you?'

'Lex….'

'I love Kal-El.  I love you.  The person you really are inside, when you're alone, or with your mother.  The person you were when you were alone in bed with me, for that short time.  That's who I love.  And I wanted you to reciprocate.  But you couldn't, because I'm not good enough for you.'

'That's not true.  Lex.'

'That's what you told me.  Were you lying?  Again?'

'I knew you wouldn't listen to me, if I made it clear I was trying to protect you.'

'No.  I wouldn't.  So, you just made it all up, about me being too evil to love?'

'I never stopped loving you, Lex.'

'I'm tired, Clark.  Why don't you go home now?'

'Lex?'

'Please.'

'Okay.  If that's what you want.'  

'That's what I want.'

'Can I call you tomorrow?'

'Well…'

'The number I had for you isn't working, now.'

'You're a reporter.  Do some investigating.  Find my new numbers. Or get your friend Lois to find them for you.'

'I'll do that.  Get some sleep, okay?  You look tired.'

'I'll get some sleep.  Change into Superman before you fly off.  You're getting sloppy lately.'

Clark smiled.  He tore open his shirt, and exposed his mighty chest, covered with the big gold symbol.  Lex couldn't stop himself.  He moved toward Clark as if hypnotised, and reached out his hand, as if toward a bright flame.  

'I thought you hated Superman,' said Kal-El.




Chapter Six: Ethics
*******************

Clark opened his eyes.  The room was dark, but he could tell it was morning.  The darkness was the result of the heavy draperies at the window.  He sent tentacles of his super hearing out into the penthouse, but Lex was not at home.  

Clark sat up and looked around.  The bed was a mess of torn sheets, sweat, and other substances.  

Lex's blood was one of those substances, but not by any kinky choice of Clark's.  Lex had battered himself against Clark's impervious body, at first in rage over their long separation, and then in a transport of erotic release.  Clark had tried to stop him, worried he'd hurt himself, but eventually just let him go, certain that the other man knew his own limits.

It seemed he did.  Eventually, Lex had fallen asleep, and that let Clark fall into one of the most restful sleeps he remembered having since childhood.

But now it was morning.  Clark looked for his watch, then remembered taking it off back in the pool room, just before Lex had persuaded him to climb up on the pool table. Lex had spread him out, on the green top, wearing his Superman costume, right down to the boots.  

'I dreamed of this moment,' he said.  'Having you at my mercy.  Even if it is just a fantasy.'

'I'm not a fantasy, Lex.  I'm yours.  You can have whatever you want.'

'Once I wanted you to beg,' said Lex.  'I imagined you on your knees.  Begging.  But no.  You would never beg, would you?  Not Kal-El.  Clark might beg, but not Kal-El.  You are above all that.'

'What is it you want, then?' Kal-El whispered. 'Tell me.'

'Swear… swear to me you're not lying,' Lex demanded.

'I swear it.  I swear it, Lex.'

They'd moved to the living room, the large roof-top patio, and eventually, Clark suggested they just go to bed.

'Bed?  You want to do it in bed?  How kinky,' had been Lex's response.  

His clothes must be scattered over the entire penthouse… but no, there they were, neatly folded on a chair beside the bed.  His watch was on the bedside table.

It was 6:30 AM.  Okay, not too bad.  If he just….

30 seconds later, he'd showered and dressed in his clothes of the night before.  He couldn't go to work like that.  Not Clark Kent.  It was not his style, and he'd never hear the end of it.  He had to go home and change.  But to just fly off, without a leaving a note or something for Lex? That was not Clark Kent's style either.  Not now.  Not ever again.

Even if Lex had seemingly done that very thing to him.  

He opened the bedroom door, and stepped out.  There would be paper in Lex's office, which was just down the hall….  

At the end of the hall, stood a woman.  Tall.  Black.  Magnificently beautiful.  She wore black leather, and her hair hung in long dreads.  

'Hello?' said Clark.  Such experiences were not part of his normal daily life, but he was a grown man, and a sophisticated city reporter, so it didn't embarrass him as it might have once upon a time.

'Hello,' said the woman, with a cool nod.  'I am Hope.  You are Clark Kent.'

'Yes,' said Clark, feeling a little as if he should thank her for authenticating his identity.

'Please come with me.'

Clark wanted to protest that he must hurry to work, but it seemed a crass way to behave, considering that he was in someone else's home.

Hope led him to a room, bright with morning light.  A table and chair were set up in a large bay window. It was an old-fashioned setting, for someone like Lex.  

'Mr. Luthor thought you would enjoy eating your breakfast here,' Hope explained.  'And he asked me to give you this.' She handed him a cell phone.  His own cell phone.  'He told me to explain that he borrowed it.'

Borrowed it?  Clark took the phone, and examined it, curiously.  He checked the calling records.  Nothing unusual.  Then he had an idea, and looked at his personal phone number directory.  Number after number had been added.  Lex's cell phone numbers.  All ten of them.  His office numbers.  His homes in California, New York, London and Paris.  Peking and Beirut.  On and on.

Clark laughed.  'When you see Lex, would you do me a favour?  Give him a message from me.  Tell him I'll call him.'

'I'll do that,' she said.  'I think you might be good for him, though I don't know why.  You seem very ordinary.'

'Thanks, Hope.  I am ordinary.  Just an ordinary guy.'

'No.  You can't be ordinary.  Lex would never give you the time of day if you were,' said Hope.  

She strode off, on her long, graceful legs.  A door closed, far down the hall.

Clark ate everything on the table, spun around, appeared in Superman's costume, and leapt out the open window, into the bright sunlight.



************


Clark knocked on Perry White's office door.  'Uh… Mr. White?  Hi, Lois.  I have something to tell you both.'

'Come in, Mr. Kent. What's up?'

'Mr. White….'

'We're so formal today, Mr.  Kent.  This sounds serious.'

'It is. Perry, Lois, what I have to tell you, it's, well, personal, and for now, I don't want it to leave this room.  The only reason I'm telling you, is that you asked me to report on the opening of Moon Colony One.  And I have to say that I can no longer be truly objective, because I'm dating Lex Luthor.'

'Uh?  Dating? Lex Luthor?  As in… dating?'

'Yes, Perry.  We're… seeing each other.  We're….'

'Going to the movies together?' Lois suggested.

Clark tossed her a dirty look.  'We're involved.  That's all you need to know, and I don't intend to give you detailed descriptions of our involvement.  What's important here is that perhaps I should not be representing the Daily Planet in its coverage of the Moon.'

Perry White scratched his head.  'Well, Clark, I appreciate your honesty and so on, but we're not lawyers. You don't have to recuse yourself.  The Press Association isn't going to revoke your license to practice news reporting or anything like that.  Listen, what you're saying is that you and Lex Luthor are close friends, right?'

'Uh….'

'So are you privy to privileged information.  Which I understand you're not about to use for the benefit of The Daily Planet, granted -- but still, why should you just turn a blind eye to the advantages it gives you?  The Moon Colony is a big story.'  Perry waved his hands expansively, indicating for Clark's benefit, in case he might not have discovered it for himself, the size of the Moon Colony story.  'There are many angles to be explored in such a big story.  The sort of angle you get when you step back and act objective.  And then there's the sort of angle you get when you act all up close and personal.  This bureau on the Moon plot was all Lois' idea.  I was sending you along to keep an eye on her, for the most part.  You can still do that, right?'

'Uh….'


************


'Well, I don't see a problem.'

'You don't?'

'No, I don't.  So why do you?'

'Why do I see a problem?  Lex, because there is a problem.  Just because you don't see a problem, doesn't mean a problem doesn't exist.'

'Okay, so what's the problem?'

'The problem is, that whatever Perry says, he wants me to use my… connection with you in my career as a reporter.'

'Okay.'

'That's all you have to say?  Just, okay?'

'Well, no.  I'll have a lot more to say later.  We are, after all, in public.'

They were walking in the gardens behind the Empire Hotel.  It was late afternoon, and the Symposium was taking a break for dinner, and strolls in the garden.  Lex and Clark were doing the latter, Hope and Mercy trailing them just out of earshot.  

Lex continued, his expression solemn and severe, 'You can use your connection to me, with any and all of your appendages and orifices, for any and all advantages you wish.  Connect with me, and I'll give you any information you want.  For any reason you want.'

'Lex!'

'What?'

'I am not your whore!'  Clark tried to keep his voice low, but wasn't sure he'd succeeded.  He felt his temper rising, and Lex's attitude wasn't helping.

'Of course you're not my whore.  I'm yours.'

'That's… that's not ethical.  Stop laughing.  It's not.  I don’t care if you don't care, because I care.  I can't use you like that.'

'Everyone uses other people, even people they love.  It's what we do.  No matter how noble we claim to be, we all use other people.  Even Superman.'

'Superman?  You think Superman uses people?  He tries to help people.'

'Yes, he does.  Superman is very noble, very self-sacrificing.  But are you trying to tell me he gets nothing out of it all?'

'Like what?  What do you think he gets out of it?'

Lex stopped walking, very suddenly, and Clark turned to look at him.  His face was set and stony.  'I couldn't really say why Superman does anything, or what he thinks he gets out of it.  I don't know him at all well.  Perhaps he's atoning for something.   Or he enjoys being admired and adored.  Or he likes showing off his magnificent… physique in those very revealing tights.  But don't try and tell me he gets nothing out of it.'

'Fine,' said Clark.  'I won't try and tell you that.  But tell me something.  What does Superman's altruism -- or lack of it -- have to do with us?'

'It has a lot to do with us, because you admire what you see as Superman's altruism.  You aspire to be above all mercenary desires.  And I don't. I'm mercenary.  I want power, Clark.  Wealth and power for their own sake.  I have no altruism.  I'm not about to sacrifice myself for anyone.  But I will sacrifice anyone or anything that gets in my way.  And here's the thing you have to listen to closely, Clark.  Everyone else is just like me.  We all want what we want.  We all want our own way.   All of us.  We all fight for what we believe in and desire.  Otherwise we're nothing.  Superman has power.  He fights for what he believes in.  Does that make him evil?'

'No.  No it doesn't.'

'If someone tried to take away Superman's power, would you expect him to smile, and passively hand it over?'

'No, Lex.  Of course not.'

'But you'd expect that of me?'

Clark closed his eyes, as if he could read the truth on the inside of his eyelids.  But truth was never that easy to find.  

'Lex, I'm sorry, but I have to think about all this.  I… I'll get back to you on it.'

He turned and walked back the way they'd come, passing Hope and Mercy on the way.  He could hear Lex laughing behind him, and the laughter sounded bitter.  But he couldn't ameliorate that until he figured 'all this' out, and made some sense of it.  Otherwise he'd just be lying to Lex, and he had promised never to do that again.



Chapter Seven: Fear
****************

'… so, you see, when we found you, you were terrifying for us.  Well, all babies are terrifying to their parents, but you….'

'I wasn't even a human baby.'

'No.  I loved you on sight, but still you frightened me.  So powerful.  So alien.  We didn't know what had influenced you.  What programming might be inside your brilliant mind.  You were about 2 or 3 years old, but didn't know a word of English, not even how to say Mama.'

'You had to teach me as much as you could, as quickly as you could.'

'Yes, and with all that power, we had to ensure that you wouldn't use it for your own selfish ends.  Clark… you could rule the whole planet, if you tried.  Who could stop you?'

'Well, Mom, you for a start.  I can't imagine telling you I'd suspended all democratic processes on Earth, and was setting myself up as World Dictator.'

'No.  Don't ever try that while I'm alive.  But I'm not going to live forever.  What about when I'm gone?'

'Mom… don't talk like that.  I know it's not logical, but I don't ever want to imagine being without you.  You're the only person… almost the only person… I can be myself with.'

'You need to find someone else that you can be yourself with.  I know you dated several nice girls when you were younger, but I haven't heard you mention anyone for a long time.  Don't give up hope.'

'I try not to.  But there are problems.  I can't be a father, for a start.  My DNA isn't compatible.  And whoever I married would have to be able to handle my life as Superman.  That wouldn't be easy.'

'You're a good man, even in your human persona.  You deserve someone wonderful -- as wonderful as you are.  Someone who can support you, and love you.  Your father and I gave you all we could, and I think we succeeded in our goals.'

'I was lucky, Mom.  What if I'd fallen into someone else's hands?  Someone less selfless.  Someone who wanted to use me.'

Martha Kent leaned her head on her hand for a moment, and looked at Clark.  'Yes,' she said at last.  'What if you'd fallen into Lionel Luthor's hands?  The thought has given me nightmares, once or twice.'

'Lionel Luthor,' said Clark, slowly.  'Do you think someone like Lionel could make a naturally good person evil?'

'I… I don't know, Clark.  I think he would have a strong influence on whoever he raised.'

'As he did with Lex?'

'Yes.'  Martha looked down at the kitchen table, her face troubled.

'But could that influence be altered?' Clark went on.  'People change.'

'They do. Yes. All the time. Why are you asking me all these questions?  I know you didn't come here just for my home cooking. Has something happened?'

'I always love your home cooking, Mom.  But something has happened, and I need your advice. You are the only person I can talk to about this, so even if it upsets you, try to stay calm.  Try to be objective.  Can you do that?'

'You're frightening me, Clark,' said Martha.  

'I know, but I frightened you when I was a baby, and you coped.'

'Okay.  Here's Mom, coping.  Go ahead.'

'Thanks, Mom.  I love you.  Try to remember that, okay?'  Clark got to his feet, and paced back and forth for a minute or two, feeling his mother's eyes on him.  All the way here, he'd wondered how to broach this subject, and finally decided on the blunt truth.  'When Lex and I were younger, here in Smallville, we became lovers, for a while.'

'I know,' said Martha Kent.

'It was only for a time, and it was my idea, not Lex's, so don't blame him for…  What did you say?  Mom?'

'I said I know you were lovers.  I'm not a fool, Clark.'

'Of course you're not a fool, but I thought we hid it from everyone.'

'Not from everyone.  Not from me.'

Clark sat back down, in front of his mother, and stared at her.  'And you're not angry?' he asked.

'Angry?  Why should I be angry?'

'Because Lex is not the person you and Dad even wanted as my friend.  You told me that many times.  And we were lovers.  He's a man.  That's not the sort of relationship you and Dad believed was right.  I know that.  You said so many times.'

'I know.  Your father and I were rather old-fashioned that way.  I still have trouble understanding it, but I could see that you loved Lex.  How could I be angry at you?  And I've learned a lot since then.  Love is never wrong.'

'I love Lex.  I've always loved him, no matter what he's done in his life, or what he might do.  I don't approve of many things he's done, but that doesn't stop me from loving him.'

'Good,' said Martha, with a sigh.  A sigh almost of relief.  'I feel like my work here is done,' she said with a smile.

'What do you mean?'

'I hoped to raise you to be even a little less judgmental than your father.  I loved him dearly, but we did fight over his tendency to put people into little boxes labelled Good and Evil.  Real people are rarely one or the other, exclusively.  I figure if you can go on loving Lex Luthor, even while recognising his faults….'

'Lex doesn't see them as faults.'

'Of course not.'

'And he loves me, despite what he sees as my faults.'

'Loves?  In the present tense?  I thought….'

'We split up?  Yes.  We did.  But the other night, we got back together again.  And I want it to last.'

'But?'

'Mom, I can't help but realise that Lex's ethics leave a lot to be desired.  How do I hold onto my own beliefs?  How do I change his beliefs, without letting him know what I'm doing?'

'Well, I don’t think you can.  Change his beliefs, I mean.  No one can ever really change someone else.  But you can influence him over time, if you love him.  I don't think he's had much love in his life.'

'There's a connection between us.  We're very different people, but in some ways, we're so alike.   Something inside him draws me, and always has.  I think he's like my own people.  The Kryptonians.  Larger than life.  Fierce and arrogant and ready to risk anything.'

'They all died, didn't they?'

'Because of a war, yes.  As far as I can make out from the records.'

Martha was silent for a long time.  Then she said, 'Maybe he is the right person for you, if you can learn how to hold on to your own values.  He might have the strength you need.  Perhaps there is something about him that balances… that completes you.'

'He's a bastard, Mom.  He's totally self centred and arrogant and, and….'

'Yes, the exact opposite of you in many ways.  Your Shadow.  But if you can learn to love your Shadow, rather than hate it and fight it, that can lead to a psychic wholeness.  It can lead to inner peace.'

'Sure, Mom,' said Clark.  'Whatever you say.  I need to learn how to keep Lex from stomping all over anyone who gets in his way, as if they were a broken glass.  That's what I need.'

************

'I'm not a yo-yo, Clark,' drawled Lex Luthor.  He was sprawled in a chair in his study, holding a glass of wine.  

'I'm not Clark.'

'Superman, then.  I'm not a yo-yo, Superman.'

'Not Superman, either.  Kal-El, remember?'

'Kal-El is a fantasy.  Someone I made up, to keep me company in the long, lonely nights.'

'Okay, and here I am, come to life.'  Clark shrugged out of his jacket, and unbuttoned his shirt.  He wore nothing under it.

'You flew here like that?' Lex roared. 'How many times do I have to tell you….'

'I flew here as Superman, and changed on the roof, okay?  I'm Kal-El, see?  Not Clark or Superman.'

'Fine, then.  Kal-El.  I'm not a yo-yo, Kal-El.  Is it sinking in yet?'

'Yes.  It's sinking in.  And no one would mistake you for a yo-yo.  Not anyone in their right mind, anyway.'

'And what makes you think you're in your right mind?  You keep jerking me around like this, and I swear I'll find every piece of Kryptonite on earth and build a big bomb, and….'

'No you won't.  I didn't mean to jerk you around.  I had to think.'

'Don't strain yourself.'

'I went to talk to Mom.'

'Oh.  Okay.  I love your mom.  I'd like to see her again, but….'

'She'd like to see you, too.  I told her about us.'

'Oh, yeah.  I'm sure she'd like to see me.  Kill me, is more like it.'

'No. No, she's happy for me.  She thinks  you're the right person for me.'

'Insanity must run in your family.'

'We talked for a while, about successful marriages….'

'Marriages!  Who says we're getting married?'

'And how to compromise.'

'Compromise?'

'Yeah, it means we each have to make concessions so we can get along better.'

'I see.  And what is it you want me to concede?'

'Not much.  Just promise me one thing.  You keep telling me you're ruthless.  That's good.  Ruthlessness is a fine quality.  My people, the Kryptonians, remember them?  They were ruthless.  They're all dead though, and I'm the last.  So even though I admire ruthlessness, it makes me a bit nervous.  So could you do me a favour?  The next time you want to be ruthless, could you stop and think?  Maybe there's another way to get what you want?  Just consider it?'

Lex had sat through this little speech with his mouth open.  Now, he laughed.  'That's all?' he asked. 'That's all you want of me?'

'For now.'

'For now?  What's next?'

'I don't know, Lex.  I'm just thinking about now.'

'And what are you going to concede?'

'That's for you to say.  Make your demands.'

'I want you to be more careful.  And stop spreading yourself around so thin.  The world got along before you arrived.  You're not God.  Ha!'  

Lex stared at Clark, and laughed.  His laughter was a lot less bitter than it had been in the hotel garden, but still….

'What?' asked Clark. 'What's the matter.'

"Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;"

'Lex!  That's blasphemy.  Like you said, I'm not God.'

'My father didn't raise me to worship any god but Mammon.  I felt deprived of the spiritual benefits of religion, so I decided to worship you.  Your ways art mysterious.  You giveth and you taketh away.'

'I'll try to act less like a capricious deity,' said Clark.

'No.  Don’t bother.  I like it.  Come here!'

'Is that the way to talk to your god?'


Chapter Eight:  Night at Malapert Mountain
*********************************

'You've seen the Earth from space many times,' said Lex.

'Yes, but not with you,' said Clark.  'It looks different.'

'I feel the same way.  This whole place feels different.'

Clark gazed up at Earth, as it floated in the sky above Malapert Mountain. 'Why don't you name your colony Earth Rise?'

'Earth Rise?  That's a strange name.  But it fits,' said Lex.  'Houston?  This is Earth Rise.  Come in, Houston.  I like it.'

'The Symposium is over,' said Clark.  'Was it worthwhile?'

'Oh, yes.  We have hammered out a Constitution.  A really liberal Constitution.  I may just burn it and go back to pushing people who oppose me out onto the lunar landscape without a space suit.'

'No you won't,' said Clark.

'Who's going to stop me?' asked Lex.

'I am,' said Clark.  'I'm going to be right here to stop you.'

'Okay,' said Lex.  'That's the last concession I ask of you... For now.'


*** The End ***





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