Chapter 29: Confrontation
“I’m not sure this is the best plan ever,” Lois whispers to Clark, now dressed like Clark Kent in glasses and shirt and jeans that he borrowed from his double. No point in ruining one of his double’s suits considering what they were doing.
“The you coming along part I have to agree with,” Clark whispers back. He hadn’t wanted to let her come but Lois sprung that ‘look’ on him. The one he could never say no to. “But it is the easiest way to get onto Darkseid’s command ship,” he points out to her.
Clark, Lois, Diana in her Diana Prince disguise and Bruce are in a group of people who will be teleported aboard Darkseid’s ship. They had learned from Lois’ sister Lucy who had managed to escape from Metropolis that every day people are taken aboard as slave labour. It was their best guess that this is where Clark’s double was being held. No doubt so he was in easy reach for Darkseid to gloat over or just inflict good old fashioned torture upon.
They are soon met by numerous parademons who are accompanying Lashina, leader of Darkseid’s elite fighting force the Female Furies, and her fellow Fury Mad Harriet. Lashina addresses the gathered people. “You are here to work for the glory of Darkseid. That alone is your reward.” She then activates a switch on her wrist and they are all teleported aboard the ship.
Clark looks around with his x-ray vision. He had tried earlier but found his eyes couldn’t penetrate the outer hull. He hoped the inner bulkheads weren’t as shielded as heavily.
“Well?” Bruce asks in a hushed voice.
“4 levels down in a cell with red solar lights,” Clark informs Bruce at finding his double.
Lois can’t help the joy that wells up within her at knowing they have found her husband. “Is he ok?” she asks.
Clark could see obvious signs of torture and the red solar lights prevented his double from healing rapidly but all things considering he would have to say his double could look worse. “He will be,” Clark says in answer to Lois’s query.
“Silence!” Lashina orders after picking up muttering voices. She stalks over to where Clark and co are standing. “You will only speak when spoken to,” she commands.
Clark arches an eyebrow and looks at Diana. Now they were on board it was time to cut the act. Diana gives him a small smile and removes her glasses. She had fought Lashina back in their universe and she was quite looking forward to this. She draws her fist back and with no small amount of gratification punches Lashina hard.
The leader of the Furies was totally stunned at the sheer power with which she had just been hit. She had been unprepared for it and consequently went flying back and slammed into the wall of the teleport chamber.
Next Bruce drops some smoke bombs and in the ensuing chaos he, Lois, Clark and Diana vanish off down the corridor. It doesn’t take long for an alarm to sound but it no longer matters. The time for subtle had long since passed. The four of them reach an elevator and head down to the level where Clark’s double is. During this time Bruce and Diana change into their respective costumes. Clark doesn’t yet but he will shortly.
“You know Flash is going to be so upset he didn’t get to do this part,” Diana mentions.
“He and Shayera are our escape plan. His speed is better utilised on the outside keeping the parademons occupied,” Bruce says reiterating the plan they had worked out earlier.
The elevator stops 4 levels down at the detention cells. The door opens to reveal several more parademons. Clark sighs loudly. “Shall we?” he asks Bruce and Diana.
“After you,” Diana offers.
Clark shrugs and walks out and the parademons jump him. As soon as they are all around him Clark simply throws them off with a flex of his muscles. They almost all slam into the surrounding walls unconscious. For the few who didn’t Diana and Bruce move quickly forward and incapacitate them too.
“Wow,” Lois says with some awe.
Clark peers over his shoulder. “What?” he asks her.
“You made that look so easy,” she comments. Lois had seen her Clark do a lot of amazing things but he never made it look as easy as this Clark did right there.
Clark shrugs his shoulders and walks off into the detention area to rescue his double.
Bruce walks next to Lois as they follow Clark. He feels the need to explain what Lois seems so in awe of. “Lets just say Lois that what Clark lets people see and what he is actually capable of are 2 different things.”
Lois looks at him. “Huh?”
“If you stick around for him fighting Darkseid you’ll see.”
Clark has stopped outside a cell. “He’s in here,” he announces before he rips the door off. Lois rushes past to find Clark, her Clark lying on the floor, still wearing the tattered remains of his Superman outfit. The bruises and cuts on him are obvious.
Bruce presses his finger to his communicator. “Hawkgirl. We’ve found him. You’re up.”
“Clark,” Lois says, the worry in her voice all too evident. He opens his eyes. “Lois?” he says in a weak and feeble voice. Tears roll down Lois’ cheeks as she kisses him repeatedly. “You shouldn’t be here,” he tells her, the fear for her evident in his voice.
“Nope but she never did listen,” Clark says as he walks in. He had taken the opportunity to change into his Superman outfit. He hands his civilian clothes over to Lois. “Here get these on him. Darkseid can’t know there are two of us.”
“Who are you?” Clark’s double asks in totally confusion at seeing this man who looks exactly like him.
“Long story. Can wait till later,” Clark tells his double. “Now you better get changed. I have a demigod to go fight.” Clark leaves the cell while Lois helps his double get changed. “You know this is very strange,” he just has to mention to Bruce and Diana.
“I know. If one corn-fed boy scout wasn’t enough I now have to deal with 2,” Bruce jokes.
Clark folds his arms across his chest not particularly amused at Bruce’s humour but he can see a twinkle in Diana’s eye that tells him she found it funny. “So you sure you can find the control room for the magma-tapers?” Clark asks Bruce. After all that was Bruce’s part of this. To destroy the magma-tapers.
“Reasonably. This command ship seems similar to the one Darkseid used when he invaded our Earth. The control room should be in the same place as long as you can keep Darkseid busy.”
At the end of the corridor they are in a sudden crunch of metal indicates that Shayera has found them. Suddenly the outer hull is breached and she is standing there, mace in hand. “You called for an exit?”
“Took you long enough,” Bruce feels the need to comment.
Shayera rolls her eyes as she walks up to them. Clark’s double is now changed. Shayera walks in the cell and supports him. “I’ll take him,” she tells Lois and she helps him out of the cell.
“Flash having fun is he?” Diana asks Shayera.
“Too much fun.”
Clark is staring at the ceiling. “I found him. He is on the command deck.”
“Be careful Kal,” Diana says with great concern for his safety.
“You know me,” he says with a boyish grin. He then shoots upward blasting through the decks like they are paper towards his confrontation with Darkseid.
Diana shakes her head. She hates it when he says that. She turns her attention to Lois. “Right come on Lois. The quicker we get you and Clark out of here, the better.”
Lois lets Diana take her in her arms. “What about Batman?” she asks and looks for him but he is gone. “How did he do that?” she asks.
Diana smiles. “Oh trade secret,” she says which causes Shayera to snort with laughter. The four of them head back for the breach. Once Diana gets them safe she intends to get back as soon as possible to help Kal.
Darkseid sits on his throne on his command deck. Today had been a very different day to almost any other since he conquered this planet. The invasion had gone as he had planned. He had defeated the only realistic opponent to his plans; Superman. He had made it the first thing he had done. Always eliminate the strongest foe first. Of course he hadn’t eliminated Superman. At least not yet. He was useful as a means to further break the spirits of the people of this planet. He knew it pained them to see their great hero chained, humiliated, defeated. This world’s puny military was no threat to him and had been annihilated easily.
This planet, like all the other he conquered, was merely a steeping stone to his ultimate goal; the Anti-Life Equation. With its power at his command he would tear the universe down to its original building blocks and then recreate it in his image. His universe would be perfect. Yet toady alarms go off and he gets reports of intruders including a woman who seemed to best Lashina with a single blow. He would have to capture this woman. She would make an excellent replacement for Lashina. He has another report of his parademons in the city below being pestered by a being able to move at tremendous speed. Where had these beings come from? They had been reports of the odd bit of resistance in a few cities but nothing compared to what was happening today. Darkseid’s musings are interrupted by rumblings from below him which get louder and louder until the deck in front of his throne buckles and bursting out of it is Superman.
Clark floats in front of Darkseid, arms folded across his chest. The demigod dictator of Apokolips remains sitting on his throne with his adviser Desaad at the side. “Sorry about the mess.” He looks down at the all the holes he has made. “Wow bet that will cost a bit to fix.” He then looks back up at Darkseid. “Hope you know where to get a good deal.”
“You dare mock me,” Darkseid growls.
Clark shrugs. “Guess I’ve been hanging around Flash too long.”
Darkseid stands. Upright he is taller than Clark is. If his grey skin showed colour it would be red with suppressed rage right now. “Your arrogance is astounding Kal-El considering the beating I gave you last time.”
Clark smirks. “Yeah but that is only because I wasn’t wearing my lucky suit. It was in the wash that day but some friends brought me it as you can see,” he says in an explanation of how he appears. Darkseid doesn’t need to know that he is not this universe’s Superman.
“It seems I have to once more teach you respect Kal-El.” At that his Furies consisting of Lashina, Mad Harriet, Stompa, Gilotina and their leader Granny Goodness appear next to him. Clark remains impassive. The next moment there is a loud ripping apart of metal as the ceiling above is ripped open and in fly Diana and Shayera who having dropped Clark and Lois off made their way back here as quickly as they could.
“Well it seems oh great Darkseid,” Clark says in a mocking tone, “that this time you’ll have to defeat both me and my friends.”
Darkseid’s eyes glow with fury. “Lashina deal with Kal-El’s companions. He is mine,” he orders.
Lashina bows. “Yes my Lord.”
With that Diana and Shayera leave so they can battle in a more open space. They are pursued by the 4 Furies leaving Clark and Darkseid staring at each other. “I give you this one chance to leave this planet and never return,” Clark offers Darkseid.
“Your words are meaningless Kal-El since you lack the means to enforce your offer.”
“Don’t be so sure of that.”
“I will have you on you knees in front of me before this day is out.”
“We’ll see.”
“Yes we shall.” Darkseid eyes glow and he aims his Omega Beams at Superman.
Clark responds with his heat vision and the two conflicting energies clash for dominance. The temperature in the room quickly begins to rise causing everyone who is there to flee in fear for their lives. Clark and Darkseid carry on regardless, neither willing to concede.
Meanwhile a few decks down Bruce is battling his way through the guards and parademons around the magma-tapers control room. As he had hoped it seemed to be the same as the one they encountered back in their universe. Once he defeats the last of the parademons he gets to work in trying to gain access to the computers. After a frustratingly long period of time he finally manages to access the taper control systems. A few well placed commands and he’ll get them to destroy themselves. Just as he finishes inputting the last command he finds himself blown backwards by a massive explosion and Bruce fades into unconsciousness.
As this is going on Diana and Shayera find themselves battling the 4 Furies above Metropolis. Diana notices that Shayera has that little smile on her face. The one she always has just before she goes into battle. Apparently Thanagarians love nothing more than a good fight Diana had learned over the years.
Diana dodges one of Lashina’s steel whips. She can remember the pain one of those can inflict when Lashina charges them with electricity. Lashina on the other hand is most annoyed that this strange woman had seemed to almost anticipate her first attack. She was done right angry at the fact this woman had humiliated her before. Darkseid would not be pleased with her unless she redeemed herself by defeating this woman.
Assisting Lashina is Gilotina. She tries to strike Diana with the swords she carries only to find her attacks blocked by the bracelets on Diana’s wrists which makes no sense to Gilotina. Her swords were specially made to be able to cut through anything. She had managed to cut even Superman’s skin when they had defeated him before yet this woman somehow deflected them. She doesn’t have long to dwell on her failure as she finds herself on the receiving end of a vicious kick and Gilotina tumbles from the sky and crashes into one of the nearby skyscraper rooftops.
Diana takes a second to see that Shayera seems to be coping in her battle against Stompa and Mad Harriet so she gets back to Lashina. However before they cam get back to their battle both of them have their attention caught by a huge explosion which rocks Darkseid’s command craft. Diana looks long enough to see two figures fly out from it. One is unmistakable with his red cape. ‘Oh Gods Kal!’ she thinks in terror.
Clark picks himself up from the crater in the middle of the street. He wasn’t quite sure what caused the explosion but he guesses it had something to do with the battle between his heat vision and Darkseid’s Omega Beams. Ow is his first thought as he stands up. That had stung and…oh no his cape is all tattered and his suit is torn and this is his favourite suit as well. He knows that they all look identical but there is a slight difference in the feel when he wears them and this was his favourite. Before he can dwell on that for much longer a shadow falls upon him. He turns round to be met be several punches followed by a massive uppercut from Darkseid which sends him literally flying across the street and he crashes into a nearby building about 10 stories up. He shakes his head to clear it and looks around and realises that he is in the Daily Planet building. Well that’s ironic he guesses.
Clark picks himself up again and returns to the opening he has made in the building only to find himself grabbed by Darkseid and thrown down to the ground. Clark lands face first back on the street and then he finds himself being pounded into it by Darkseid’s foot.
“This is where you belong Kal-El. Under my feet,” Darkseid mocks.
Then there is a loud whistle. “Hey Darkseid!” Darkseid is then hit by something moving very fast on the back of the head. He turns to find a man in a red costume standing there tossing a stone in the air and catching it repeatedly.
“You dare challenge me?” he asks disbelieving that someone would be so foolish. “Madness when your Superman is under my heel.”
Wally smirks. “Oh I’m not challenging you. I’m distracting you.”
Before Darkseid can work out what he means he finds his foot being twisted and he is thrown to the side. Clark gets back to his feet not in a good mood. He is getting tired of this very quickly. He had let Darkseid have the advantage over him. Something he would correct very shortly. By now the command carrier has crashed to the ground. Clark realising they haven’t heard from Batman turns to Wally. “Flash go find Batman. Darkseid is mine.”
Flash salutes and zips off in the direction of the command carrier.
Clark glares at Darkseid. “It is just you and me Darkseid.”
“Insolent worm,” Darkseid growls at Superman. He once more fires his Omega Beams but this time Clark simply dodges them.
“You’ll have to do better than that.” The mocking tone in Clark’s voice not letting up. He knows an angry Darkseid is an unfocussed Darkseid.
“You will pay for your insolence Kal-El,” Darkseid warns. “Once I have defeated you I’ll make these beings you care for so much pay more than they already have. The rivers and seas will turn red with the blood of countless millions and it will all be on your head.”
Clark’s eyes narrow dangerously. Threatening to kill innocent people is the last straw. “You can’t beat me Darkseid and not one more person will die at your hands.”
Kal-El’s arrogance was really beginning to grate on Darkseid’s nerves. “Oh why do you think that now when you know that this battle is hopeless. I shall be victorious as I was before.”
Clark chuckles darkly and moves toward Darkseid at a walking pace. “You know what my problem is Darkseid. I’m too nice.” Darkseid swings a punch as soon as Clark gets near but Clark blocks it easily and then hits Darkseid back causing the demigod to roll backward before getting back to his feet. “You see I have to be nice all the time even to people I hate. Too much anger and I accidentally kill someone. You think because you beat me before you know what I am capable of.” Clark's grin turns almost sadistic. “You have no idea but you will because you are about to witness that very rare occasion where I cut loose and show everyone just how powerful I really am.”
Clark then launches himself at Darkseid his right fist drawn back. The he hits him. The force of the blow shatters windows for blocks all around. The crowd that had gathered by this point stares in disbelief as Darkseid sails off into the distance. He smashes through building after building for miles not slowing at all. By now Superman has vanished before their eyes. In the crowd Lois turns to her husband who by now she had filled in on what was going on. “You never told me you were capable of doing that,” she says a little bit accusatory.
That Clark shrugs then regrets it. Being out in the sunlight has healed him somewhat but not yet completely and he still aches. He answers Lois. “Like he said I’m too nice. I didn’t realise what I had to do to beat him and by the time I did it was too late. He had already won and by the way we are going to have a talk about this trip of yours to a parallel universe Lois.”
Lois rolls her eyes. She knew he would say that. Sometimes he is far too overprotective of her. Luckily everyone is so focused on watching what they think is Superman they aren’t listening to this strange little conversation.
Flash who has managed to find Bruce amongst the wreckage of the command carrier comparatively unharmed watches in awe as Darkseid sails off. “Whoa.”
Bruce says nothing feeling a little worse for wear but secretly he agrees. Whoa is a good description for what he just witnessed.
The pause in Diana’s battle with the Furies hadn’t lasted long. All of them had been caught off guard by the explosion but now she was back to fighting off both Lashina and Gilotina. Part of her hadn’t wanted to go to help Kal but the warrior in her would not allow her to abandon Shayera. Diana feels she is winning her battle. They have drifted away from where she believes Kal is fighting Darkseid. Diana prepares for what she calculates will be the attack that defeats her opponents when she hears a boom. She takes a moment to glance in the direction it comes from and is totally stunned to see Darkseid flying through the air straight at her. Then like some apparition Kal appears floating there, his arms across his chest, waiting. She sees his cape is tattered and his suit has tears on it but to her great relief he seems unhurt.
By now all 6 of them, her and Shayera and the 4 Furies have just stopped and are staring. Darkseid reaches Superman’s position and he delivers a double-handed chop and his opponent is sent hurtling down to the ground, carving out a crater a couple of stories deep.
“My Lord!“ Lashina exclaims in disbelief. The 4 Furies rush from their position flying past Superman to aid their fallen leader.
Clark floats down. He notices that Diana and Shayera are following him down. He would love to take a moment to check on Diana more thoroughly but she seems alright. The 4 Furies are now standing at the rim of the crater ready to defend their lord from him. As if they could even hope of stopping him. Clark sees Darkseid gingerly get to his feet. “Darkseid! This is your last chance. Leave and never return,” Clark says in his final warning.
Darkseid glares at Superman. How? How had Superman done this when he hadn’t been able to before? He sees his loyal Furies prepare to sacrifice themselves if necessary to protect him. It is then he hears a clap of thunder and a smile forms on his face. Several Boom Tubes open around him and through them pour hundreds more parademons led by his son Kalibak who it seems has done something right for a change. “I think not Kal-El. I think it is you who will now yield.”
Clark looks around as the parademons surround him and aim dozens of weapons at him. Their combined power would probably be enough to stop him, perhaps even kill him. Shayera and Diana are hovering next to him prepared to make this their last stand. “Regret coming along?” he asks Diana.
Diana takes his hand. “Never,” she says emphatically. She would never regret a second she has spent with Kal even if this is their last moments in this world.
Darkseid floats up from the ground till he reaches the same level as Superman. “So Kal-El do you and your allies yield?”
Shayera snorts. “As Flash would say; Go suck on a lemon” she says derisively to Darkseid.
Both Clark and Diana chuckle. Talking of Flash at least he and Bruce would probably survive and make it back home Clark thinks. “That would be a no.” Clark feels he should translate Shayera‘s words.
“Very well.” Darkseid signals to his parademons. “Destroy them!”
