From: "L-Soft list server at Indiana University (1.8d)" To: "ARTF@MemoryAlpha.nil" File: "LOISCLA-GENERAL-L LOG9709A" ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 23:10:55 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Got an idea....Working with it slowly.... In-Reply-To: <199709010154.TAA08730@sage.cncc.cc.co.us> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 7:54 PM -0600 8/31/97, Sheila Harper wrote: >That doesn't mean I'm going to go out and use someone else's story world >(i.e. Lori's Clark's Fantasies series or Anne's Dayzs series), but I don't >have a problem with taking an interesting idea they alluded to and >developing it in my own way. Thanks, Sheila, for saying what I probably should have said. I guess this is all I meant, really, that you shouldn't specifically set up a "sequel" to someone's fic without crediting them in the story and/or letting them know you are going to be doing it. But there are certainly "different angles" on the same story, and that's something we are never going to get away from. (Nor would we want to - can you imagine if someone said "oh, so and so did a revelation story; guess I can't now"? ) We'd have all of ten stories on the archive. Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kbrown@toolcity.net KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 23:14:09 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: quick! Need ideas for...! In-Reply-To: <2.2.16.19970831210218.2497f842@swcp.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 9:05 PM -0600 8/31/97, Debby Stark wrote: >I knew a Penelope... who did *not* want to be known ever as "Penny"... hmm, >Lois Penelope (aka Penny) Lane... ;) Oh, geez. Thanks, Deb. Now I've got this tune in my head. LOL!! Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kbrown@toolcity.net KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 22:33:43 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: Fanfic: NEMESIS (2/4) Clark balanced a large pizza box, a white bag, and a bottle of wine and dug into his coat pocket for his key. As he opened the door, the bag slipped from under his arm. In a move too quick for the human eye to follow, he caught it and clamped the top between his teeth. Lois stood beside him, her arms filled with file folders, thick with clippings and computer printouts. "My hero," she said with an exaggerated sigh, and laughed at his mock frown. "We could have sent out for pizza, you know. It wasn't necessary for you to fly to Rome for it." Clark considered her comment, and then shook his head. "Nope, I promised you Italian for lunch, and Italian it is." He smiled and added, "I spent so many years not using my powers except in emergencies, trying to keep a low profile. I'm kinda getting a kick out of indulging myself now. And you." His eyes held hers for a moment, and the warmth in them was palpable. Her skin heated in response and she took a step forward, then stopped. "Oh, no, you don't, Clark Kent. We're here to work, remember. We filed the bomb story and now we're going to start reviewing these notes. Somewhere in this stuff has got to be a clue. Something I missed before." They had entered Clark's apartment while Lois was speaking, and Clark began to lay out their lunch on the small table in front of the window. The authentic Italian pizza was still hot, and Lois sniffed at it appreciatively before dropping her armload onto the sofa. She went into the kitchen area, and opened the cabinet where the dishes were kept. Clark rummaged in the utensil drawer, finally bringing out the corkscrew. He began opening the wine. "Lois, are you absolutely sure that what happened to you in the Congo was connected to your story? It's a dangerous spot - maybe you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And you said yourself that everything is pretty hazy. You were in a coma a long time, some memory loss is normal with that kind of trauma." The thought of Lois bludgeoned and left for dead in a wilderness gave Clark a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. What if she hadn't survived? What if she'd survived but hadn't remembered Metropolis was her home? God, what if he'd never met the other Lois and had married Lana? He gave the corkscrew a savage twist at the thought. He refused to even consider *that* possibility. "I don't remember everything, but I do know what my attacker said. I was lying there, and I guess he thought I was dead, or near it. He was going through my bag, and my pockets, and taking everything that could identify me, I suppose, in case my body was found before the animals finished me off. And he was talking." Lois's voice was matter-of-fact, as though she were describing something that had happened to someone else long ago. She took the now open bottle and started pouring the wine as she spoke. The sick feeling in Clark's stomach grew. "He said - 'That'll teach you to keep your long reporter's nose out of other people's business. Metropolis will be a lot better off without your meddling.' That seems pretty unambiguous to me." When Clark didn't answer immediately, Lois looked up from the glass she was filling. She put down the bottle and went to him with a little sound of concern. "Oh, Clark, don't look like that." She brought his face down to hers, and kissed him slowly and thoroughly. They were both breathing a little heavily when she leaned back into his encircling arms. "It's over, I survived. That's what matters, and I don't want you to think about it any more. *I*'m not going to." She smiled. "But if we ever run into that guy, I have definite plans for him." Clark's smile in response was a little grim. "Yes. So do I." Lois kissed him again, quickly this time, and stepped out of his embrace. "Well, okay. You can hold him. I'll do the rest." Her teasing glance over her shoulder was irresistible, and Clark shook off his dark thoughts and joined her at the table. Somehow Lois made living on the edge of disaster seem as normal as - well, as normal as flying to Rome for pizza. ***** The parking garage was shadowed and quiet in the section reserved by LexCorp for the owner's personal fleet of automobiles. Lex's footsteps echoed as he approached the black sports car and unlocked it. As he pulled on the handle to open the door, a man stepped out from a concrete pillar on the far side of the car. He was short and stocky, with a bald head, and a small dark beard that curved around his mouth. His brown suit was well-tailored, but rumpled and stained. "Hiya, Mr. Luthor." The man grinned ingratiatingly. He had very large, slightly yellowed teeth. "I was hopin' you'd be comin' down soon to try out this beauty. You're a hard man to see - in private, I mean." "Why the melodrama? If you want to speak to me alone, you can call my office for an appointment," Lex replied impatiently. "But if you're looking for a handout, don't waste your time or mine." He opened the door, and set his foot inside, preparatory to sliding into the driver's seat. The man held up a manila envelope, thrusting it at Lex. "Take a look at this, Mr.Luthor," he said. "Then maybe you'll be interested in what I got to say." The man slid it across to Lex and he picked it up. It was very light. He lifted the flap and turned it upside down. A photograph clipped from a newspaper fluttered out and landed on the car's roof. It was a familiar picture - Lex recognized the face immediately. Tempus, that mysterious figure who had for a time threatened to become the kingpin of Metropolis. The shot had been taken during the confusing altercation in the GBS television studio. Tempus was holding a rock in his hand, brandishing it at a figure that lay on the floor, writhing in pain. Lex frowned at the photograph. He knew what everyone else did about that day - the rock had somehow been hurting Superman until the strange woman who had claimed to be Lois Lane had tossed it into the crowd. Lex looked at the man. "And the point of this is...?" "I know where the green rock is," he replied simply. "You interested now?" Expressionlessly, Lex stared at the news photo, and then at the man. It was a scam, he thought. Someone had heard he was not... happy about the arrival of Superman, and was trying to capitalize on it. But what if it wasn't a lie? he thought with rising excitement. What if this dirty little man knew something? "Perhaps," Lex said non-committally. "Anyone can *say* they know something. Do you have it with you?" "Nah, I ain't that dumb." The bald man's large teeth showed briefly in a cocky grin. "First we deal, then I bring it to you." Lex eyed him narrowly, and then shrugged. "How much?" "Two hundred thousand, cash, and a promise you'll forget you ever saw me." "That seems a rather small sum to ask for such a unique item," Lex said. The man's answer was tinged with bitterness. "The rock's worth nothin' to me, Mr.Luthor - all I want is to get out of Metropolis without attracting anybody's attention, especially Mr.-Almighty-Superman," he said, and Lex heard the ring of truth in his words. "I been hidin' from the cops since the boss disappeared. No one will hire me. My face was plastered all over TV that night - I just want to get as far away from this place as possible. And for that, I need money. So, are you interested?" "How do you come to have this rock"? Lex asked. "According to all reports, it was confiscated by the police and sent to Star Labs for study and safekeeping." "Most of it was," the man agreed. "When the dame threw it away, it broke into a bunch of pieces. The cops thought they had 'em all, but I managed to pick up one in the confusion. I thought it might come in handy sometime." "So it's not the whole thing." Lex frowned. "That's disappointing. Perhaps it's not worth two hundred thousand." "It may not be big, but it's the only bit of that green rock that ain't locked up tight, Mr. Luthor. And it could be all yours." "I still need to see the item, Mr. ah -?" Lex was still cautious, but there was something about this ridiculous creature's story that seemed genuine. And if he was on the level, he was right. That little bit of green rock represented unimaginable power in the right hands. In *my*hands, he thought with savage satisfaction. "Johnny Domo," the man replied. "The boss used to call me *Major* Domo - I dunno why. He'd laugh and say it was a "private joke" - the boss was always sayin' stuff that didn't make any sense. I didn't care. He paid real good and everything was goin' great until that jerk in the tights showed up." "The item, Mr. Domo?" Lex repeated sharply, and the man snapped to attention at the tone of command. "Right. Do we have a deal?" he asked, and at Lex's nod, Domo grinned happily. "Can you get the money by tonight?" "Yes," Lex said in sudden decision. "I can meet you back here at midnight. Bring the rock and we'll make the exchange. Simple and direct, agreed?" "You bet," Domo said, and thrust out a grimy hand. "But not here. We make the swap on my turf. Hobbs Bay, Dock 51." Lex stared at him for a moment, ignoring the proffered hand. What harm could it do to meet there? It had been a lot of years since he'd skulked in the shadows of Suicide Slum near the river, but he was still quite capable of taking care of himself. And if there was even a small chance that he could obtain a weapon against Superman - no risk was too great for that. "Agreed. Hobbs Bay at midnight." ***** Lois groaned and flopped backwards onto Clark's couch. The floor around her was covered with discarded files, and she threw another one down onto the pile with a sound of disgust. Clark looked up from the printout he was scanning. "What?" he asked, but then, seeing her drawn expression, got up from the kitchen table and sat down beside her on the couch. "You're exhausted," he said, and began to massage her shoulders. "Time for a break. You want some coffee, or something to eat? There's cannoli left." Lois let her head drop forward, and relaxed into the motion of Clark's hands. "Mmmm, that feels wonderful," she murmured. "And, no," she added, "I don't want any coffee, or cannoli, or to take a break. I want to *find* something." Her tone was fretful, and Clark bent and kissed the back of her neck. "I know. And we will. But it's been hours and you're too tired to see straight, so take a break, please, and then we'll start again, when you've rested." His lips trailed across to the spot where her neck curved into her shoulder, and then up behind her ear, and Lois shivered at the sensation. She smiled and closed her eyes, savoring the delicious uncoiling of tension in her muscles and the rise of a different kind of tension in the wake of Clark's touch. "Just for a little while," she agreed, but then abruptly sat up straighter, placing some distance between them. "I think I would like some coffee after all," she said brightly, "and then let's go over these company records again. I just know there's something there I'm not seeing." Clark sighed. The yielding woman who had melted against him had turned back into Lois Lane, Ace Reporter, in the blink of an eye. And people called him a quick-change artist, he thought wryly. "Coffee coming up," he said, getting to his feet. Lois watched him pour out two cups from the pot they had made earlier. He lifted his glasses and stared intently down at the cups. Steam began to rise and the aroma of warm coffee filled the room. He brought the two cups to the couch and placed hers into her hands, setting his down on the table in front of them. Dropping cross-legged to the floor next to her, he picked up one of the discarded files. It was labeled OFF-SHORE HOLDINGS. "What's this?" he asked, flipping through the stack of papers inside. "The weak link in any illicit operation is the point at which money changes hands," Lois explained. "Off-shore companies are often used as fronts for money laundering - these were the ones I'd marked as particularly suspicious. Sudden shifts of large sums for no clear reason, names on the official paperwork that don't match up to actual people, that sort of thing." "I'm impressed," Clark said sincerely. "But you came up empty?" "I never finished checking into all of them. I had just put out some feelers when I got a very solid lead from one of my sources that led me to the African connection, and Perry agreed to the Planet bankrolling a trip. The rest you know. I was followed from the time I got off the plane. I never got a chance to even *start* investigating." Clark looked thoughtful. "Hmm, interesting - the sequence of events, I mean. You start asking questions about these off-shore companies, and suddenly get a tip that takes you halfway around the world. And when you get there, you're met by a killer who knows who you are and what you're doing." He handed Lois the paper with the names of the companies. "Which one of these had you been asking about?" Lois stared at him, her expression of frustration gradually giving way to appreciative understanding. "Clark, you're right. That *was* awfully convenient, wasn't it? Let me see," she took the list and scanned it quickly, "there were two or three good possibilities, but the most likely was this one." She pointed halfway down the page. "Theroxull, Ltd, - a holding company for a group of foreign investors, identity unknown." "Theroxull?" Clark looked at the name, and then laughed. "Lois, don't you do anagrams?" he teased. "It could just be an amazing coincidence, but that name would sure set off alarms for me." "Anagrams? What - ?" Lois frowned down at the paper, and then her eyes met Clark's with amazed delight. She launched herself at him with a whoop. He grinned and caught her easily, easing backwards until he lay flat on the floor with Lois sprawled on top of him. She kissed him, and then crossed her arms on his chest. "Anagrams - the arrogance of the man," she said, but she was smiling. "It's not a crime to be arrogant, Lois," Clark reminded her. "It's just a possibility to be checked out. There's no proof that he's done anything except make a great deal of money he doesn't want to report to the government." "Maybe," Lois said thoughtfully, then suddenly stopped, with an arrested expression. "But if he is the one, that throws a different light on the explosion this morning. You say the amount of explosive was small, the effect very localized. There was a lot of broken glass, but nothing was really destroyed but that hideous sculpture. Why?" "Metropolis has an art critic that takes his work very seriously?" Clark suggested, and Lois punched him lightly in the chest. "Idiot," she said. "Then why stop with one? The lobby was littered with them. No, seriously, what was special about that particular piece? Lex and Perry were being photographed near it, he had just motioned me to come over, too. Luckily, you and I were talking, or I might have been crushed when it fell." There was a moment of charged silence, as they both considered that, and then Clark said, in the tone of one who was trying to convince himself, "There are easier ways of killing a person than making a hunk of metal fall on them." "True," Lois agreed. "But oh, Clark," she said, with an excited wriggle, "I can't wait until Friday. I have a lot of questions for Mr. Lex Luthor. I have a feeling this is a real breakthrough. And so do you," she tapped him on the chest again, "don't you?" Clark had a rather strained look on his face as he answered tightly, "Yes, Lois - I definitely have a feeling." Lois stilled as she realized what he meant. She blushed, but didn't move. "I guess I should get up," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to, that is, I wasn't - " "It's okay, Lois," Clark said. "I understand. Sometimes things just happen. No, don't get up, not yet," he said, when she began to pull away from him. "I like just holding you, okay?" Lois smiled a little mistily. "Okay." She laid her head on his chest and relaxed against him once more. She really was tired, she realized. His hands stroked reassuringly up and down her back, and the soothing movements coupled with the steady thump of his heartbeat in her ear soon lulled her to sleep. ***** The area was deserted when Lex arrived on foot at five minutes to midnight. He had worn dark clothing, a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his forehead, and a black silk scarf wrapped high around his throat. He slipped from shadow to shadow as quietly as the street thief he had once been. He sensed movement in some of the alleys and darkened doorways he passed, but no one accosted him. Aside from the occasional rustle of a scurrying rat, the rhythmic lap of water against the stone and wood of the dock was the only sound. He stopped near the sign which identified Dock 51. Johnny Domo emerged from an alley as soon as Lex halted at the water's edge. "Is that it, the money?" he asked eagerly, his eyes darting to the small satchel Lex held in his left hand. "Yes, Mr.Domo, it is indeed," Lex said smoothly. He opened the bag to reveal the neat stacks of bills inside. "I've done my part. It's your turn now." Domo drew a jeweler's ring box from his pocket. He flipped back the top and held it up slightly. A small irregularly shaped sliver of green crystal lay on the velvet, barely visible against the black. "It don't look like much," Domo said, "but when the boss held it close to Superman, he went down like he was shot. He had a pretty big chunk, though," he added warningly. Lex stared at the unprepossessing bit of mineral. His mouth curved with satisfaction. "Yes, I remember,' he said, and his eyes gleamed with anticipation. "For what I have in mind, this piece will do very well." He reached for the box, but Domo held it just out of reach. "The money, Luthor," and Lex nodded. He proffered the satchel with one hand, and held out the other, palm up. The exchange was made, and Lex tucked the small box into his right pocket. As soon as Domo had the satchel, he turned to go. "A pleasure doin' business with you, Mr.Luthor. Remember - you never heard of Johnny Domo." Lex smiled, and withdrew his gloved hand from the pocket in which he had just placed the box. The nine-millimeter semi-automatic he now held was pointed directly at Domo. He fired twice, and reaching out, deftly caught the bag before Domo's lifeless body hit the ground. Lex prodded it with the toe of his elegant shoe, and then bent to roll the body over and into the waters of Hobbs Bay. He tossed the gun in afterward, and stepped back. "Never fear, Mr.Domo. I can assure you that neither I nor anyone else will ever hear of you again." He chuckled, and swinging the satchel jauntily, walked briskly away. Continued... ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 22:33:50 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: Fanfic: NEMESIS (3/4) Lois stood in front of the full length mirror on the closet door, and studied her reflection with a critical eye. The shimmering black dress was simple, a plunging V-necked halter design. The bodice was tight fitting; the skirt fell straight to the floor, flaring a little at the bottom. The very high heels of her slingbacked shoes emphasized the long sleek line even more. She turned slowly, looking over her shoulder. The dress had no back at all. She thought about dancing with Clark, his hand on her bare skin, and smiled wickedly in anticipation. There was a light tap, and Lois whirled and crossed to open the bedroom door. "Hi, Alice," she greeted the woman who stood outside, "come in and tell me what you think. I can't make up my mind how to do my hair." Alice White stepped into the room and looked Lois up and down. She was an attractive woman in her early fifties with ash blonde hair and a voluptuous figure, but Lois seldom thought of Alice in terms of her looks. When her husband had brought his newest and youngest reporter home for dinner one evening, Alice had seen the lonely girl beneath the brash exterior, and had treated her like a daughter. Lois loved her. "Lois, you look stunning. Even a Superman couldn't resist that dress," Alice laughed. "Not that I've noticed Clark putting up much resistance to you any time." She walked around Lois and studied the effect from the back. "Hmm, I think you should wear your hair up. Simple and sophisticated, like the dress, but with a few wisps around the face. And these," Alice held up a pair of earrings, "will be the perfect final touch." Lois took the earrings with a cry of delight, and immediately began to put them on. "Alice, do you mean it? Real diamonds - are you sure Perry won't mind if I wear them? I remember when he bought them for you - your twenty-fifth anniversary, wasn't it?" Alice laughed again. "Of course he won't mind. Perry's so happy to have you safely home - he'd probably give them to you if he wasn't afraid of what I'd do." Lois laughed with her. It was a standing joke in the White household that big, blustery Perry was afraid of his wife. Lois swept her hair off her neck, holding it in an untidy twist on top of her head with one hand, and assessed the effect in the mirror. Yes, Alice was right - with the dangling earrings, the hair should definitely be up. "Thank you, Alice. They *are* perfect," Lois said simply, and then turned her attention to the older woman's appearance. "You're looking very elegant yourself. I love that color on you." Alice was in aquamarine silk that matched her eyes. "Perry and I will be leaving soon, dear. Are you sure Clark is going to pick you up? We'd be glad for you to ride to Lex Tower with us in the official limousine. Perry claims not to enjoy the pomp and circumstance of being mayor, but you know he'd love making an entrance with two women on his arm." Lois smiled but shook her head. "No, thanks. Clark promised he'd be here, and barring an earthquake in China or something, he will." Lois's smile faded, and she turned to Alice with a thoughtful frown. "Alice, do you think I'm crazy to get involved with someone like Clark?" "What do you mean, Lois, 'someone like Clark'?" Alice asked. At Lois's stunned look, she added hastily, "I mean, I know he's an amazing creature- literally one of a kind - but I still think of him as that polite, quiet young man I first met." Lois sat down at the mirrored vanity table, and began pinning up her hair, but her expression was still thoughtful. "Tell me about him," she urged. "It's hard to imagine him living like that - hiding all the time. He must have been so lonely." Alice sat down on the edge of the bed behind Lois. "Yes, he probably was. But," she added acidly, "he did have Lana." Lois wrinkled her nose. "Clark's mentioned her. You didn't like her?" "No, I didn't. Perry and I grew quite fond of Clark after he began working at the Planet - you know how Perry is - his young reporters are his children." Alice's voice trailed away, and she seemed lost in memory. Lois waited. She knew about the son who'd died long ago. When Alice got that faraway look on her face, she was thinking of Jerry. After a moment, Alice went on. "Clark was such a dear, but so self-contained. Now we know why, but at the time, I just thought he was shy. And then Lana came home to Metropolis. They'd known each other back in Kansas when they were children, lost touch when her parents moved here, and then the two of them attended college in different states. Clark seemed pleased when Lana reappeared, but I always felt there was something missing there. I can't say I was sorry she broke the engagement. I thought Clark could do much better for himself, even before I knew he was Superman." Alice smiled at Lois in the mirror. "And he has." Lois's answering smile was grateful, but fleeting. "There speaks a very partial observer," she said wryly. "I wish I was as sure." Lois turned away from the mirror and faced Alice. "He says he wants to marry me. I never thought I'd be any good at marriage with anyone, much less...well, someone like him. I just don't know, Alice. Don't you think he needs a really special kind of wife?" Alice looked astonished. "Is this the Lois Lane I've known for nearly ten years? The youngest Kerth Award winner in history? The "never give up, never give in" Lois Lane that charges through life demanding that things go her way?" Alice's mock surprise softened to an affectionate smile. "I'd say you're very special." "Alice! Aren't you ready yet?! The car's waiting, let's shake a leg!" Perry's booming voice easily traveled up the curving staircase to the second floor, and Alice stood, smoothing out her skirt. "I'm coming!" she called, and patted Lois on the shoulder as she walked by her to the door. "We'll see you at the ball, dear. And don't worry, I'm sure it will all work out. Just trust yourself, and Clark." Lois looked back into the mirror. Squaring her shoulders, she lifted her chin just a bit, and smiled brilliantly. Alice was right, she thought, this isn't like me. There's nothing I can't handle if I set my mind to it. Including Mr.Clark Kent, AKA Superman. ***** They were only a little late. Not an earthquake in China - flooding in the Midwest, but Clark had managed to get home, change to his tuxedo, and arrive on the doorstep of the mayor's mansion by 8:30. The look on his face when she opened the door was worth the small wait. "Lois. You look," Clark's hands lifted in a helpless gesture, "fantastic." She smiled and reached out to smooth the pleats of his white shirt. "Thank you. And you look just the way I thought you would. Gorgeous." She turned away to get her coat, and heard a gasp as Clark got the full effect of her dress from the back. Suppressing a satisfied grin, she handed him the coat, and he helped her into it, lingering a little at the task of drawing the sleeves up and over her bare shoulders. "All right," she said briskly, and took his arm. "Let's go see what Lex Luthor has to say for himself. I have a feeling this is going to be an evening to remember." ***** He had been working the crowd for nearly an hour, moving from this wealthy businessman to that influential politician with a smile and a personal word for each one, but Lex knew the moment Lois and Clark entered the room. He immediately signaled the orchestra to switch from unobtrusive background music to the seductive rhythm of a romantic Gershwin tune, and headed straight for the couple standing in the wide doorway. "Lois!" Lex was there, reaching for her hands. "You look beautiful." His welcoming smile cooled as he looked at Clark. "Kent." Clark eyed Lois' hands held firmly in Lex's and his jaw tightened, but he managed a curt nod. "Luthor." Lois had noticed the small muscle that flexed as Clark clenched his teeth, and hurried into speech. "Lex, the ballroom is stunning - and you must be gratified by the turn-out. Is that Senator Morris over there?" "Yes, it is," Lex said with an indifferent shrug. "Come, you promised me the first dance." He led Lois out onto the floor without waiting for a response, and Lois followed, casting an apologetic look over her shoulder at Clark. He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets, but she could see that little jaw muscle was still dancing like crazy. Lex tried to pull Lois close, but acknowledging her resistance with a sardonic smile, gave up and made small talk as he steered her through the shifting crowd of dancing couples. When they reached the opposite side of the large room, he stopped before the door leading out into the hallway that connected the ballroom with the lobby of Lex Tower. Ignoring Lois's questioning look, he led her into the hall and over to a narrow unmarked door. Lex inserted a key into a lock beside it and when the door slid open, gestured Lois to precede him into the small elevator. She shook her head. "What's this, Lex? You're not abandoning your guests already, are you?" Lois glanced back into the ballroom. Clark was nowhere in sight. "You're the only guest I'm interested in right now, my dear," Lex said. "I thought perhaps you'd like to be the first reporter to see the penthouse. I personally supervised the decorating - it's my sanctum sanctorum. Interested?" Lois tried to read Lex's expression. Was this just a slightly more refined version of "come up and see my etchings" or was there something else behind his sudden attraction to her? Only one way to find out. She had wanted to ask him some questions about his past - what better time? "Of course, Lex. I'm very interested...in what you've done," Lois replied, and stepped into the elevator. He followed and the door closed quickly and silently behind them. ***** Clark grimaced and pushed his glasses back into position. He had been discreetly following Lex and Lois as they danced away from him and out into the hall, but when the elevator door closed, his view was abruptly cut off. There might be a perfectly innocent reason why that area was constructed with some kind of lead alloy, but somehow he didn't think so. He cocked his head slightly and focused his superhearing toward the floors above, but there were so many competing sounds nearby, it was difficult to discriminate the one distant voice he wanted to hear. "Clark! Glad you made it, son - where's Lois?" Perry's voice behind him rose above the chatter of the crowd, and Clark winced and immediately stopped trying to hear beyond the normal range. He turned and greeted his former boss and the woman beside him. "She's with our host, Perry. Hello, Alice," he added with a smile. "You're looking very nice this evening. Having a good time?" "I always enjoy the chance to dress up and dance with a handsome man, Clark. One of the perks of being the mayor's wife, you know," she said with a twinkle in her eye. Clark laughed appreciatively, but his mind had already returned to the couple upstairs. "Alice, Perry, if you'll excuse me, I, ah, I think I hear someone who's in trouble." He turned and was halfway across the ballroom before they could answer. Perry shook his head sympathetically. "No time off for Superman," he said. "I hope Lois knows what's she's getting into." Alice smiled serenely. "Oh, I think she'll cope, dear. She always has." She threaded her fingers through his and looked up at him affectionately. "Now, handsome, about that dancing..." ***** Lex flung open the double doors which led onto the balcony, and threw out one arm in a theatrical gesture. "Behold, Metropolis at my feet," he said. "And yours, too," he added with an odd intensity. Lois laughed, but when he didn't join her, she gently disengaged her arm from his and stepped away from him, looking out over the city sparkling beneath them. It was a spectacular sight, but she was too uneasy to admire it. "I'm serious, Lois," he continued. "I have a great deal to offer the one special woman in my life, and though we've only recently met - I knew the moment I saw you that you could be that woman." She took a deep breath and faced the man beside her. "Lex," she began, "I don't quite know what to say. It's very flattering, but I don't want to mislead you. I wanted to talk to you alone because I'm interested in your *story* - your phenomenal rise. I was hoping you would tell me about yourself," she paused, searching for the right phrasing, "and how you put together your empire in such a short time." Lois studied Lex's face, trying to read how he was taking what amounted to a brush-off *and* an interview at the same time. He was looking down, staring at the large signet ring on his right hand. He rubbed the raised surface with the index finger of his other hand, and Lois saw the design was made up of two intertwined "L" 's - gold on a shiny black field of onyx. Lex looked up suddenly, and catching the direction of her gaze, held up the ring closer for her to see. "My new ring - do you like it? I just had it made to very particular specifications," he said with a wolfish grin. He seemed unaffected by her rejection of his startling declaration. "Mmm," Lois said, grateful for the change of subject. ""It's... impressive." "You have no idea, my dear. But, it's not my ring you asked about, was it?" With another rapid change of mood, Lex was now brisk and business-like. "What you really want to know is how I made my fortune. Isn't that right?" "Well," Lois said, with a small relieved laugh, "in a word, yes. I've been doing some research on you, and it's hard to figure out just where your original stake came from. For instance," Lois tried for a casual tone, "I believe you were involved with a group called Theroxull, Ltd. Just what exactly does that company deal in?" Lex went very still, then laughed softly. He brushed the back of his hand gently down Lois's cheek and she flinched at the feel of the ring's rough surface against her skin. "Ah, Lois. So lovely, so single-minded, so...transparent." He sighed. "You were asking questions about Theroxull nearly four years ago. I'd hoped you'd forgotten all about it by now. So much has...befallen you... in the interim." "I don't know what you mean, Lex," Lois said, but her feeling of relief had vanished. "Oh, I think you do," Lex replied easily, and taking Lois's hand, he led her back into the large combination sitting room/office. The only light came from a lamp on a low end table next to the couch. "Sit down, my dear. I'm going to tell you everything you want to know. " Lex seated Lois in a high-backed wooden chair, and took up a position directly in front of her. Despite his pleasant manner, Lois's uneasiness increased. There was danger in the room, and for the first time, she doubted her decision to question Lex alone. Lex sat also, in a matching chair directly across from Lois. Steepling his fingers beneath his chin, he considered her thoughtfully. "I wonder...if I had approached you in the beginning, Lois...courted you," Lex said, "would you have been more receptive? Could I have diverted you then from prying into my personal affairs? Tell me, would you have been charmed enough to look the other way while I amassed a fortune selling high tech illegal weapons to anyone with the money to meet my price?" Lois opened her mouth to answer, but Lex rolled on, still speaking in that musing tone that frightened her more than if he were raging. "No, don't bother to lie, my dear, I can see the truth in your eyes. You wouldn't have compromised yourself, not even to become the consort of the richest man in Metropolis. I suppose it was just as well I didn't meet you then - I would have been tempted to try, and that would have been dangerous for me. You've proven annoyingly hard to dispose of, and later there still would have been...*him*. But, no matter," he shrugged, "I'm going to remedy all that tonight." "So it *was* you all along," Lois said. "You sent someone to get rid of me in Africa, and the bomb at the dedication - that was for me, too. Just because I was asking too many questions." Lex inclined his head, and Lois felt a chill at his easy admission. Why was he being so cavalier about her knowledge? "So what are you going to do now, while the ball is going on downstairs? You can't just disappear in the middle of the evening like this - your guests are probably wondering where you are. And Clark - Clark will be looking for me. You don't want *him* up here, do you? He tends to be a bit... protective." The warning was clear, but Lex merely smiled. "Yes, he's revoltingly conventional, isn't he? The two of you are quite a matched pair. But you mistake the matter if you think I don't want him here. Au contraire, my dear - I'm *counting* on his flying to the rescue. That's why *you*'re here - to ensure his presence." Lex held out his right hand and Lois stared in bewilderment at it. He passed his thumb under the ring finger, and the monogrammed onyx setting flipped up to reveal another stone beneath. Lex detached the outer covering and put it in his pocket. "I knew when that arrogant meddler appeared that he was the only true obstacle to my goal, and thanks to a...former associate...I've found a way to neutralize him. Then I'll deal with you, but nothing baroque this time. Simplicity is the mark of true genius, don't you agree? " He held the ring up, and Lois could see a glint of color as the newly revealed stone caught the dim light. "Nothing can hurt Superman," she said scornfully, but then realization hit. Though she'd only heard about it from Clark, she knew what that glimmer of green meant. "I see you know what this is," Lex said, approvingly. "Good. I won't have to go into any tedious explanations." He got up, went over to the massive desk, and reached behind it. A panel slid silently out of the wall, blocking the doors to the balcony. "I designed these apartments especially with our young superhero in mind," he explained. "An alloy in the walls to block his vision, heavily reinforced to slow him down in the event he decided to come *through* them, and soundproofing." Lex looked around the room with satisfaction. "I wouldn't have been able to keep him out forever, but I did want to make things difficult for him." "I won't help you," Lois said quietly. "You were right about that. I may not be able to stop you, but I won't do anything to put Clark in danger." She swallowed, and went on, putting into words the fear that had been growing since Lex had blithely admitted his guilt. "Not even if you threaten to kill me. I won't call for him." I can do this, she thought. I've survived worse situations, and I can get through this. She measured the distance to the elevator, and tensed her body in preparation for her move. "I've turned off the soundproofing temporarily," Lex went on, as if she hadn't spoken. "I'm sure Superman," his mouth twisted on the name, "is, as you say, even now trying to locate you. Let's give him a hint, shall we?" Lois surged to her feet, dashing past Lex, and reaching the door of the elevator, pressed the button to open it. Nothing happened, and she looked back at Lex who had made no move to stop her. "Waste of energy, my dear," he said mildly. "I locked the elevator controls when we came up. The only way down is the fire stairs," he tilted his head to a door on his right, "and you'll have to come past me to get to them." His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Or you could just scream." "No," Lois said flatly. Lex sighed. "Very well." He came toward her and Lois turned to face him, her back pressed against the smooth metallic surface of the elevator door. ***** Clark stood in the hallway where he had last seen and heard Lois. He had removed his glasses and was gazing in frustration up at the ceiling. No matter which way he turned, his ability to see stopped at the one hundredth floor, the penthouse. He had tried listening again, too, straining to locate the one voice, the one heartbeat that would lead him to Lois, but there was nothing. How could she have entered that elevator with Lex and suddenly become invisible to his powerful senses? A floor specifically designed to hide from his eyes spoke of long-range planning. Clark frowned and whirled in sudden decision. He had to find out what was going on up there. He headed for the main entrance of Lex Tower, loosening his black tie as he went. A few seconds later, Superman hovered above the balcony of Lex Luthor's penthouse apartment, staring in disbelief at the blank wall that barred the entrance to the interior. Continued... ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 22:33:47 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: Fanfic: NEMESIS (1/4) The characters in this story are based on the television series "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," particularly the episodes "Tempus, Anyone" by John McNamara and "Lois and Clarks" by Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming. The usual disclaimers apply and this story is not intended to be an infringement on the rights of any corporate entity. "Nemesis" is a continuation of my only other fanfic "Alt Shook Up" which was an Alternate World version of "All Shook Up" by Bryce Zabel. The Alternate World is a wonderful springboard for "what if" stories. It allowed me to play around with the characters without violating the continuity. (I *like* the established continuity. ) Though I started out with the idea that the Alternate World characters would be quite different from our Lois and Clark, I ended up trying to bring them into sync with the world of our L&C- I guess because I think it's a pretty good world to live in. ;) The echoes and parallels to events and dialogue in various episodes are deliberate. I wrote "Alt Shook Up" at a time when there was still a possibility for another season of L&C, and expected we'd get a chance to see Alt Clark find his Lois for real. I still wish we could. I had no intention of writing a sequel, but the loose ends were there, and I just had to tie them off as best I could, though I think it will be obvious A plots aren't my forte. ;) In case anyone cares enough to ask, let me say up front I don't ever plan to visit the Alternate World characters again as a writer. Considering the things that happened to them already, I think they deserve to be left alone to live happily ever after. :) An enormous thank you to Eileen Ray, whose story ideas, knowledge, steady encouragement, and occasional nagging ;) kept me going. She really deserves a co-writing credit. Thanks, Eray. Comments are welcome to Gwalden@aol.com or gwalde14@mindspring.com NEMESIS It was a typical spring morning in Metropolis. Traffic surged through the streets, people crowded the sidewalks, and a playful April breeze carried the sounds and smells of the city to every one of its nine million inhabitants. The sun, obscured by clouds promising a shower later in the day, broke through intermittently and touched the windows of tall buildings, turning them into walls of light. At the base of the most glittering skyscraper, a group of smartly dressed men and women stood and watched as Mayor Perry White snipped a ribbon that hung across the entrance. Photographers and a TV crew from GBS recorded the moment, while a few print journalists, looking bored, took notes. "It is with great pride and pleasure that I officially dedicate this magnificent building, Lex Tower. May it always stand as a symbol of the contributions its owner and namesake has made to our city. Ladies and gentleman - Mr. Lex Luthor!" The mayor kept his professional politician's smile firmly in place as the small, but very select crowd applauded his words. The television camera followed Lex Luthor as he stepped forward to shake Perry's hand. He smiled modestly, but inwardly he was feeling the elation of a man who had realized a lifelong dream. These people were the social elite, the old money and the rising stars of Metropolis, and they were here to acknowledge what he had always known. Lex Luthor was a man destined for greatness, and before he was through, everyone in the world was going to know it too. "Thank you, Mayor." Lex noted that Perry White's smile didn't reach his eyes, but at the moment, he didn't care what some minor political hack thought of him. Lex knew he could make or break a thousand mayors, but not today. He continued, "Not only does this building, Lex Tower, takes its place in the record books as the tallest building in Metropolis, but I also have the satisfaction of knowing that many thousands of people were provided with work during its construction. The companies that will use its offices, the restaurants, shops, and all the ancillary businesses that will keep it running, will employ many more for years to come. This is what I want - to be a part of what makes Metropolis the greatest city in the world." The crowd applauded again with even more enthusiasm, and Lex's smile widened as he looked at each face beaming at him with admiration. His gaze traveled from one to another, coming to a halt at a face that wasn't beaming - that wasn't looking at him at all, for that matter. His eyes chilled with recognition, but his smile didn't waver. There was one person in Metropolis who didn't think Lex Luthor was the most superior being on the planet, but he had plans to change that, and soon. At Perry's insistence, Lois had accompanied him to the dedication ceremony but she wondered for the umpteenth time why he really wanted her there. She couldn't write speeches, and she had no patience for protocol. She was an excellent researcher when the subject interested her, but she suspected it was all just an excuse for Perry to keep her close and give her something to do. But building dedications, she thought, give me a break. Her attention had wandered when Luthor had made his little speech - she knew boilerplate when she heard it. The man was supposedly a shark in business; she vaguely recalled his name coming up in her investigations over three years ago, but if he wanted everyone in Metropolis to think he was a great philanthropist, fine. Perry had said Luthor wanted to meet her, and this ceremony was a perfect opportunity, but right now, she had more important matters on her mind. Clark was getting together the Planet's material on her weapons sales story, and was supposed to meet her for lunch to get started on the investigation into her African "adventure." Lois smiled to herself. Clark. No matter what she was doing, somehow her thoughts always seemed to come back to him. She'd said she wanted to try dating, and he'd taken her at her word. For two weeks he had called her at City Hall every day, asked her out for lunch, or dinner - whenever she was free. He didn't often manage to stay for the whole meal, most times only making it back in time to share her dessert. They had gone to a couple of movies and baseball games, and had even seen the end of one of each. The best evenings were when they stayed in, watching videos, eating popcorn, and talking, though Clark usually got called away for a while. Clark was always so anxious when he had to leave, and tried to get back as quickly as he could. He didn't say so, but she could tell he was worried about her reaction to all the interruptions. Though she hadn't told him all the intimate details, he knew she'd been abandoned more than once by a man she'd trusted, beginning with her father. Flowers arrived daily, signed only with the initials C.K.; she suspected they were apology bouquets. She really ought to tell him they weren't necessary. It wasn't the leaving that had upset her most about the men in her past - it was the not coming back. "And now, friends," Lex was continuing, "let's go inside and I'll give you a first look at my greatest accomplishment." With a flourish of his hand, he motioned the mayor and his entourage through the doors and into the enormous lobby of the building. Lois hung back, leaving Perry and Jack to handle the polite oohing and ahhing, but she was unwillingly impressed with the luxurious decor. The marble and steel had been softened with plush carpets and real plants, and a mixture of artwork - impressionist paintings and modern sculptures - filled the space with color and texture. Lex murmured something into Perry's ear, and the mayor nodded. He turned to search the crowd, finding her and motioning her over, but before she could start toward them, there was a whooshing sound behind her. A flash of red and blue flickered in her peripheral vision, and just like that, Clark was there beside her, straightening his sober blue-striped tie, and adjusting his glasses. He grinned at her, and what had been a very dull morning brightened. She smiled back. "Hi. Sorry I'm late - train derailment up the coast. I saw it on TV just as I was leaving the Planet. No deaths, thank goodness, but it took a while to clean up the mess. Are you about finished here?" He looked at the crowd of people milling around the lobby, their chatter a mere well-bred hum in the high-ceilinged room. Lex and Perry were now posing for photographs in front of one the sculptures. It looked remarkably like a piece of the train wreckage he had just left. "That story should knock this little Luthor love-fest off the front page," he added with a slight edge to his voice. "Well, for you, that almost qualifies as character assassination," Lois said with surprise. "Not that I disagree, but Luthor seems like a typical, if unusually successful, businessman to me. What's he done to get your attention?" "Nothing." Clark shoved his hands into his coat pockets, and shrugged at her doubtful expression. "Really. He's done nothing at all, and I've only met him once - about two years ago, at a party Lana dragged me to." He winced inwardly at the mention of Lana, but Lois seemed unperturbed. He sighed. Most women, if they were seriously interested in a man, would be at least a little jealous of an ex-fiancee. At least he thought so, but what he didn't know about women would fill an encyclopedia. "Luthor was hosting a charity campaign - Metropolis Children's Fund, all very praise-worthy, but he seemed, I don't know, a little too smooth to me. He'd appeared out of nowhere, no one knew anything about his background, just that he had a lot of money. Lex Luthor is a man with no past, no real friends or allies in Metropolis, yet a major part of the city's economic success is directly dependent on him. When Tempus showed up last year the whole city turned into an armed camp and he seemed to fade into the background. Not a supporter, but not on Perry's team, either. Then boom, Tempus is taken out, Perry gets elected, and Lex Luthor is suddenly the most influential man in town. It just makes me uneasy." "Boom, Tempus is taken out?" Lois giggled at the offhand description of one of the most traumatic events of his life. Clark smiled at the sound. He loved it when she did that. BOOM! The sound of an explosion was still reverberating as Lois found herself out of the lobby, and across the street, pressed between a wall and Clark Kent. For a moment his body curved protectively around her, his cheek pressed against her hair. Through the ringing in her ears, she heard him say, "Stay put," and then he was gone. She stared across at the entrance to Lex Tower. Smoke billowed through the gleaming glass and brass doors standing open. Perry, Lex, all the people who had been in the lobby stumbled out into the street, coughing and shaken but unhurt, followed at last by Superman. The Chief of Police, who had been an invited guest, was already giving orders to the men who had accompanied him. They scattered into the surrounding area quickly. One uniformed officer, who had been on traffic detail outside the building, pulled out a notebook and began questioning Superman. Lois started across the street. If she didn't move quickly, they would have the site closed off, and she wanted to find out what had happened. Stay put, indeed! Clark sighed when Lois stationed herself at his elbow and smiled brightly at the officer. "Lois, we've just had a bomb explode here. I don't think there's any danger - but I only had time for a quick sweep inside. Couldn't you please wait a little further away?" The policeman waited for Lois's response with a slightly amused expression. "No. I couldn't. What happened? Could you tell what kind of explosive it was? Street crime and gang violence have been on the decrease; are you sure it was a bomb, and not some accidental thing? Who would want to bomb Lex Tower? Or was it the people, not the building who were the target? It doesn't look like anyone was hurt. A warning of some kind, maybe?" The policeman looked back at Superman expectantly. Clark frowned repressively at Lois, but the corner of his mouth had kicked up slightly and his eyes were warm with affection as he looked down at her. "Lois, take a breath. I was just telling Officer Ray here - " "Lois, honey, are you all right?" Perry joined them, trailed by Jack, a bodyguard, and Lex Luthor. Perry looked anxious and disheveled. The only sign that Luthor had been within feet of a bomb exploding were a few flecks of dust on the sleeve of his perfectly tailored two thousand dollar suit. "I'm fine, Perry - Superman whisked me out of harm's way," she reassured him. "I'm just trying to get a fix on what happened here." "As am I, Miss Lane," Lex interjected smoothly, moving a step closer, and glancing at Perry with a lift of his eyebrow. "Oh, ah, Lois - this is Lex Luthor. Lex, Lois Lane, best reporter who ever worked for me - no offense, Superman - now my personal assistant. She's like a member of my family, Lex," Perry added, and Clark narrowed his eyes at the emphatic tone. Lex had taken both of Lois's hands in his, and was gazing at her intently. Clark cleared his throat and edged a little closer to Lois. His hand trailed casually down her back, and he could hear her heartbeat accelerate in response to his touch. She leaned back into his hand as she spoke and he smiled slightly at the hint of breathlessness in her voice. "How do you do, Mr. Luthor. You seem to have attracted more than the media to your little ceremony this morning." Her words were punctuated by the noisy arrival of a fire engine and two more police cars. "I've always had a taste for the dramatic, Miss Lane, not unlike yourself, though this was perhaps just a little over the top, even for me," Lex replied, with a self-deprecating smile. "Perry has told us all about you, and I've seen your picture, but it failed to do your beauty justice." Lex lifted Lois's hand and kissed it, never taking his eyes from hers. Lois stared back, and Clark felt her tension through the hand he still held pressed to the small of her back. The short silence was finally broken by Lex. He flicked a glance at Clark. "You were on the scene. Were you perhaps distracted by something, or...someone...and didn't hear the bomb in time? Or was this one just a little too large for you to... er, swallow." Clark ignored the sneer in Lex's voice, and replied evenly, "There was nothing to hear, Mr.Luthor. Until the blast itself, of course. A small amount of plastic explosive, a detonation device triggered by remote control would be my guess - but we'll have to wait for the forensics report." "Yes, of course," Lex turned back to Lois, apparently dismissing the subject. " Miss Lane. Lois, if I may. I hope you'll be attending the formal ball here Friday evening. The mayor and all his staff were invited. The damage to the lobby should be repaired by then. I refuse to let anything spoil the inauguration of the Lex Tower ballroom, and it would be even more special if you agree to give me the first dance." Lois laughed a little nervously, withdrawing her hands. "Thank you, Mr. Luthor - Lex. I'd already planned to attend. With Mr. Kent." Lois looked back over her shoulder at Clark, and he immediately responded to the "Back me up" message in her eyes. "That's right, Mr. Luthor. We'll both be there. Perhaps by then, we'll have some information about what happened this morning. I plan to give the matter my undivided attention." Lex nodded, and for a flash, the look he gave Clark was one of cold dislike. "Well, then, Mr. Kent. I'm sure we all have nothing to fear. Not with ...Superman on the job." With a charming smile for Lois, and an abrupt lift of his hand to Perry, he left. "Well, that was...interesting," Clark said slowly. He turned Lois to face him. "You have a burning desire to dance with Lex Luthor? I thought he was just a typical businessman." "I'm not sure what he is, Clark. But one way to find out is to cultivate his acquaintance. He seems to like me, don't you think?" She slanted a look at him from under her lashes. "Too much, if you ask me," he muttered, but she just continued to look up at him. He squeezed her shoulders, and then surrendered with a little huff of laughter. "Oh, all right. I guess it won't do any harm to go to this party, if you really want to. Just..don't encourage him, okay? We can find out what we need to know with good old-fashioned research. Right, Perry?" Perry had been watching the scene with a worried frown, but he dredged up a smile at Clark's words. "Sure, son. No substitute for legwork and research." "Exactly!" Lois beamed. "Legwork is just what I had in mind. Do you own a tux, Clark? I think you'd look gorgeous in a tux." She patted his cheek and turned to Perry. "Clark and I need to get started on this bomb story right away, Chief. You don't need me at City Hall - I'm taking a salary under false pretenses. Besides, I'm bored out of my mind there, and Clark has so much to do already. I'll help him write up the eyewitness stuff for the evening edition, and then we can start digging into background. If someone doesn't like Lex Luthor, besides Clark," she shot him a mischievous look, "I'd like to know why. This could be the story that gets me my job back at the Planet." Perry sighed and nodded. "Go ahead. I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to, and heaven knows, I understand how you feel. How I ever let Alice and Olsen talk me into goin' into politics, I'll never know. Anyhow, if you're with Superman, I guess you can't get into too much trouble. Right?" Perry motioned to the young men who had been hovering discreetly in the background, and one of them signaled to a waiting limousine. Perry leaned forward and kissed Lois on the cheek. "Be careful, honey," he whispered. "You've got two very powerful men lookin' at you like you hung the moon. Even without bombs, that's an explosive situation." "Don't worry, Perry," Lois murmured. "I'm only looking back at one of them, and his suits don't come from Savile Row." Perry chuckled and with a final wave walked to the curb and entered his car. The policeman who had been questioning Clark reclaimed their attention. "I guess I'd better get back to the precinct to type up my report, Superman. If you find out anything more about the explosion, we'd appreciate it if you shared the information with us - *before* you and Miss Lane put it in the Daily Planet." "And you'll do the same for us, won't you, Officer?" Lois put in before Clark could answer. "Share and share alike?" "Come on, Lois, let's go. I promised you lunch, how do you feel about Italian?" Clark asked with a grin. He nodded to the policeman. "I'll - *we'll* be in touch." Officer Ray watched as Superman lifted Lois Lane into his arms, and began rising slowly into the air. When they were several hundred feet above the sidewalk, he wrapped his cape around her, and darted up and out of sight. The officer shook his head in wonder. The lady acted as though being flown around by a guy in tights was as normal as taking a cab. Ah, why should he be surprised? After all, this was *Metropolis.* ***** "You incompetent fool! You assured me that your carefully planted charges would only topple the sculpture, and that it would fall *exactly* where I wanted it to. Your stupid miscalculations almost got *me* killed and completely missed the target! Not to mention the costs of repairing the lobby. You're fired, Josephson." Lex listened for a moment to the voice on the other end of the telephone. "The balance of your pay? Don't be absurd. You completely bungled the job. I suggest you get out of Metropolis and stay out." Lex broke the connection and pressed the button to switch to another line. "Prepare the standard termination contract for Mr. Josephson. I believe he can be found at the Cozy Moments Motel." Lex's voice dropped to a gentle murmur, no trace of his former anger left. "Don't waste any time, he won't be there long. Yes, I'm sure you do understand, my dear. That's why I pay you an obscenely large salary - for your understanding." Lex pushed back his chair abruptly and crossed to the large window to stare out at the city. The sight of Metropolis so far beneath him never failed to give him a thrill of pleasure. There was a rap on the door. Felice, his personal assistant, strolled in, a cool self-satisfied smile on her face. She was a statuesque brunette with the glossy perfection of a haute couture model. "The matter is taken care of, Lex. I'll send the usual fee to Jonas as soon as I receive confirmation of Josephson's "departure." Is there anything else?" Lex didn't turn around. "No, Felice, that will be all - no, wait." He whirled on his heel. "Dismiss my driver. I'm taking the Jag out for a little run. I won't be needing you or anyone else for the rest of the day." Felice nodded and left the office. Lex strode to the door leading to his private elevator with a slight lift of his spirits. Perhaps some time behind the wheel of his newest toy would distract him from this morning's setback. Continued... ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 23:05:34 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: Fanfic: NEMESIS (4/4) Inside the dimly lit room, Lois pushed down her panic and tried to think. Lex's leisurely approach seemed like a taunt, emphasizing her helplessness. She began to slide sideways, edging along the wall until she reached the corner occupied by a plant stand. On it was a luxuriant dieffenbachia in a brass urn. She darted behind it and gave a shove - the stand tottered and fell onto the carpet with a thud, the urn spilling potting soil as it rolled. Lex sidestepped the mess easily and kept coming. "This is foolish, Lois - you're just postponing the inevitable," he said, with a reproving look. Lois continued moving to her left. Her foot bumped against one of the massive firedogs in front of the ornate fireplace which took up much of the space on the side wall, and without taking her eyes from Lex, she reached out blindly to grasp the poker in the rack beside it. She brought it up with a grunt - it was solid iron with a shiny brass handle. "Stay back," she said breathlessly. Lex laughed, reaching for the poker, and Lois swung it like a baseball bat, putting the whole force of her body behind it. The sickening sound of metal hitting flesh was masked by Lex's scream of pain. His face contorted with rage, he lurched toward Lois, and lifted his uninjured arm. She raised the poker again to ward him off, but his backhanded blow knocked her sideways, and she crumpled to the floor without a sound. Outside, Clark had heard Lex's cry, and immediately arrowed his body toward the balcony, arms outstretched and hands fisted. He crashed through the metal, tearing a hole in it and casting the broken pieces to one side as though they were paper. His momentum brought him into the center of the room so quickly Clark was behind Lex before he could turn to face him. He placed both hands on Lex's shoulders and wrenched him around angrily. "What have you done to her, you -!" He was so angry he barely noticed Lex's gasp as his left arm was jostled. Lex grinned, despite his pain, and made no attempt to escape from Clark's hold. "Why, Superman, how kind of you to drop in," Lex said with spurious cordiality. "The party was getting a little dull without you." Clark withdrew his hands with a sound of disgust, and then to his amazement, staggered as an acute dizziness hit him. Oh, no, he thought, that's impossible. How can I be feeling like this here, now? Even as he formed the thought, his vision blurred, and he felt the weakness in his muscles that he had experienced only once before in his life. His breathing became labored, but he forced himself to concentrate on the man before him. Lex was watching him, wary but expectant, and Clark understood. "You have kryptonite," he said, and began to back away. Lex followed, reaching out with his right hand to stop Clark. His grip was firm, and Clark tried but failed to shake it off. He eyed the ring stone with dismayed recognition. "Oh, please, Sup - , I mean, *Mr. Kent*," Lex smiled with amusement at his own words, "don't leave us now. This little gathering is finally becoming interesting." He shoved Clark into a chair, and stood over him, careful to keep the ring between them. "This is insane, Lex," Clark gasped, wincing at the shooting pains that had invaded every limb. "How do you expect to get away with it? You can't just make Lois and me disappear in the middle of a charity ball without people asking questions." "I'll deal with the problem of damage control afterwards," Lex snarled. "For now, I just want to watch you suffer. Suffer and die." Clark barely heard the sadistic reply. He could feel the weakness growing; he had to act soon or he wouldn't be able to act at all. Turning his concentration inward, he willed himself to ignore the pain and focused all his energy on making his body respond. Lex had relaxed his watchfulness as he enjoyed his moment of power, and now brought the ring hand up to support his injured arm. Clark bent his head and rammed it into Lex's midsection, forcing him backward with the unexpected move. He pushed himself up and out of the chair and grappled with Lex, but couldn't muster enough strength to hold him in place. They staggered around the room like two drunken dancers, until Lex broke free and turned toward the elevator. Clark dropped to his knees, his gaze fixed on Lois's face. She lay near the fireplace; her eyes were closed and there was a cut on her cheek, as though she had been struck by something with a sharp edge. He couldn't tell if she was still breathing. The agony of seeing her there, hurt and unmoving, was worse than anything his body was experiencing. Clark lurched to his feet and with a surge of strength grabbed Lex from behind. With both arms wrapped around Lex's body he dragged him backwards. Their stumbling brought them to the opening Clark had punched through the wall, and they fell together through it and out into the balcony. They strained against each other, silent except for the rasping sounds of their breathing and their grunts of pain. As they neared the railing, Clark blinked to clear the mist from his eyes. Lex suddenly relaxed in his grip, then twisted, in an attempt to catch Clark off guard, but he had underestimated how much strength his opponent still possessed. Lex lost his balance and with one short yelp of surprise and fear, toppled over the waist-high wall. Lunging after him Clark made a desperate grab and managed to catch his right wrist as he fell. He grimaced at the agony in his shoulder and fought for steadier footing. Behind him, he heard a moan, and chanced a look back. Lois was sitting up, feeling the side of her head where Lex had struck her. Despite the pain, he felt a fierce joy at the sight. She was alive - hurt, but still alive, and nothing else mattered. "Lois, can you help me?" he gasped. "I'm really weak - I'm not sure I can hold him very long." Lois got to her feet and walked a little unsteadily to him. Lex hung from Clark's hand, his face a pale expressionless mask. He stared unblinkingly at the wrist Clark held. His other arm was dangling uselessly. She must have broken it when she hit him with the poker, she thought with a sense of detachment born of shock. He had not uttered a word from the moment he had gone over the wall He looked up at Lois's face peering down at him and made a noise, the frozen mask twisting into life. He was laughing, she realized, a gasping, strangled sound just on the edge of hysteria. "Indestructible Lois," he said. "I should have recognized... my beautiful Nemesis..." Lois ignored him. "Do you think you can pull him up enough for me to get a grip on his jacket?" she asked, leaning out to gauge the distance. The moon had risen sometime in the last hour and its cool light poured down on the balcony, illuminating the scene. "Lois, he's slipping," Clark whispered, "and I'm getting weaker by the second." His voice cracked and Lois's gaze flew to the white-knuckled hand that Clark held so tightly. The beautiful, poisonous glow of the ring on Lex's finger seemed to pulse and expand, casting a sickly green reflection on the hands of both men. "Oh, god, Clark, of course you are," Lois breathed. "As long as he's wearing that ring, you'll never regain your strength. If you don't get away from it, you could die." "Yeah," Clark managed a weak smile, "kind of ironic, isn't it?" Lois looked at Lex again. He was staring at the ring with dawning comprehension. He began to struggle, vainly trying to bring his body closer to the building, to get a toehold on the slick surface only inches away. "Don't move, Lex," Clark said sharply. "It makes it harder to - ah, no! - Lex!" Lex's movement had caused Clark's hand to slide, and the ring now dug into his palm. A piercing pain, stronger than all the rest, shot sharply through his entire body. He jerked upward reflexively in a last desperate attempt to bring Lex closer, but it was not enough. Lex slipped from his grasp soundlessly, dropping and disappearing into the dark long before he reached the concrete 1300 feet below. The balcony was eerily silent - only Clark's strained breathing broke the quiet. He sank to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself as though he were cold. He shuddered once, and lifted his eyes to Lois and she knelt before him, her hands going to his face, cupping his cheeks gently. His look of sick self-reproach cut through her muddled feelings of horror and relief like a knife. "No, Clark, stop that," she said firmly, her no-nonsense tone at odds with the soothing motions of her hands stroking his face and neck, curving around his shoulders and gently kneading them. "You did your best to save him. You know you did. If he hadn't been wearing the ring, you'd have been able to, but he *was* wearing the ring. He was wearing it because he hated you and wanted to kill you." Her eyes misted with tears, but she smiled at him, that sudden brilliant smile that was like sunlight breaking through clouds. "And you *still* tried to save him." Clark's breathing eased. She felt the tension gradually ebbing in his shoulders, and saw the clouded look of pain in his eyes begin to fade. He smiled back at her. "Lois, when I saw that he'd hurt you, I didn't care what it took to stop him, or what he did to me. No, I didn't want him to die, but the most important thing was to keep you safe. It's - frightening - to love someone like that." "Frightening?" Lois looked a little hurt by the word. "That's not a good thing," she said uncertainly. "Is it?" He lifted a hand to her face, his fingers brushing softly down her cheek. "Sure it is." His crooked grin was reassuring. "It's a wonderful thing. The bad thing would be if you didn't feel the same way." "Oh, Clark." Lois slid into his arms and settled against him with a wordless murmur of pleasure. "I do feel the same. Lex wanted me to call for help, to bring you here, but I couldn't do that. I wanted to keep *you* safe." She kissed the hollow of his throat, then his chin and the line of his jaw, her lips open and urgent against his skin. He gathered her more tightly to him, and his mouth closed over hers with the hunger and reverence that she remembered from the night they met. He always kissed her as though it were the first time, she thought wonderingly. Or as if it might be the last. Clark ended the kiss reluctantly, burying his face in Lois's hair for a moment, and then looked up. The sky was clear and star-filled; he wished he could be up there now, floating, with Lois. He cocked his head slightly and got slowly to his feet, pulling Lois with him. She shook out the crumpled folds of her dress, and smoothed her hair. "Someone must have called the police," he said, taking her arm. "I hear sirens heading this way." They re-entered the apartment, crossing to the elevator. He stared at the control panel, and a few seconds later a small hole appeared in the metal plate. The door slid open and they stepped inside. "We'd better get downstairs and let everyone know this party is definitely over." ***** Inspector William Henderson stood on the sidewalk at the entrance to Centennial Park, hands in his coat pockets, watching Lois and Clark approach. They were walking slowly, heads bent toward each other, completely engrossed in their conversation.. As they came nearer, Clark laughed at something Lois said, and lifted her hand to his lips. For a moment they just stood there, smiling at each other. Henderson's years as a Metropolis cop had made him a cynic, but his usually saturnine expression lightened at the sight. He nodded a greeting when they finally noticed his presence. "Inspector Henderson," Clark said, with a puzzled frown. "I didn't expect to see you again before the inquest. Did you have more questions?" Lois wasn't so polite. She'd known the inspector for years, since her days as a rookie crime reporter. "You had us at police headquarters for hours that night, Henderson. Can't the police handle the rest without Clark's help? Or have you gotten so dependent on Superman - " "Lois, I'm sure the inspector has everything under control," Clark broke in hastily. "And I'm always glad to help the authorities," he added with an admonishing look. She rolled her eyes. "Yes, you are," she said, "but there's such a thing as pacing yourself, you know! You can set priorities -" Henderson grinned. "Same old Lois," he interrupted, but there was no malice in his voice. "Always in charge. Well, you can pull in your claws for now - I'm here with some good news. After due consideration of all the facts, it has been decided that no formal inquest will be necessary. Luthor committed suicide - you were too late to save him - end of story." Clark looked relieved. "In a way, that's the truth," he said quietly. "He died because of the ring." Henderson frowned, and cleared his throat. "Yes, well, uh, the ring. I have some not-so-good news about that. We still have no idea how Luthor got hold of the rock. None of the kryptonite is missing from Star Labs. From the ring covering we found in Luthor's pocket, we *were* able to trace the guy who made it for him. Leo Osterman - "jeweler to the mob" - also a fence, you probably remember him, Lois. Claims he had no idea what the green stone was, and Luthor wasn't the kind you asked questions. But the ring itself..." Henderson looked a little embarrassed. "We can't find it." "What!?" Lois and Clark spoke together, and Henderson threw up his hands. "I don't know how, but between the time the body hit the pavement and the meatwagon got there, the ring disappeared. It was dark, the streets are full of petty thieves who wouldn't think twice about robbing a corpse, so..." "So somewhere in Metropolis, there's a piece of kryptonite, and we don't have a clue where to look," Clark finished. Lois gave him a worried glance, but he seemed more resigned than upset. "I'm afraid so," Henderson said. "Maybe we'll get lucky, and whoever took it has no idea what it is." "Maybe," Clark said, but he didn't sound too hopeful. "But it's all in the police report..." Henderson nodded. "Yeah. I wish I could say it will stay confidential, but...well." He shrugged, then stuck out his hand to Clark. "Good luck." He lifted an eyebrow at Lois. "You, too, Lois. You deserve some." Surprised at his words, Lois watched Henderson walk away, then turned to Clark. "You said you wanted to walk in the park after breakfast," she said, gesturing to the stone pillars that marked the entrance. "Here we are." Clark took her hand without answering, and they stepped off the sidewalk and onto the tree-lined path. It was not quite nine, but the day was already warm, and the shade was welcome. "Okay," he said, "you've been dying to tell me something ever since I picked you up this morning. What is it?" Lois stopped and faced him, her face bright with excitement. "Oh, Clark, it's wonderful! Mr.Olsen - only he wants me to call him *Jim*," she laughed, "called me last night and offered me my old job at the Planet! He's really anxious to get the scoop on the Luthor debacle, and he's willing to pay very well for my exclusive report, whatever I'm free to tell, of course. Afterwards, I can choose my own stories - I'll have the full support of the paper on any investigations - the whole nine yards! And the best part," she gave him a quick kiss, "is that we'll be working with each other. Isn't that great!?" Clark laughed and hugged her. "Yes," he agreed. "Lane and Kent, finally together at the Planet, and all's right with the world." Within the circle of his arms, Lois acknowledged the truth of his words. As long as they were together, no matter what else happened, all *was* right in their world. Clark's hands moved caressingly over Lois's back, and he began to sway back and forth in place, humming under his breath. "Clark, what - ?" Lois began, then relaxed against him, as she recognized the melody. "They were playing that song," she murmured. "Before everything went crazy. It was always one of my favorites." "I realized this morning that you and I got all dressed up and went to the ball," he said, "but we never got to dance with each other. I'd been looking forward to holding you, especially in that dress," he grinned down at her, "and it didn't happen. So, -" he twirled her around on the pathway, "I thought we'd make up for it now." He started humming again, and Lois sang along in a low voice: "It's very clear, our love is here to stay; not for a year, but ever and a day..." They danced along beneath the trees without meeting anyone else until they reached the open area around the fountain. "Clark." Lois stayed in his arms and tilted her head back to look at him. " Maybe this isn't the right time or place, but I have to tell you now." He looked bewildered at first, but then he thought - he hoped - he understood. He smiled encouragingly. "I believe our love "*is* going to last," she went on. "I'm as sure of that as I've ever been of anything. I know there are no guarantees in life, but I also know that I'm never going to love anyone as much as I love you." Clark swallowed hard. "That's exactly how I feel," he said. "So...are you saying you'll marry me?" Lois eyes met his and they were sparkling with love and tears. "Yes, Clark, I will." "Lois." Clark could only say her name, and then he was kissing her, lifting her off her feet with the gentle strength that he controlled so effortlessly. When the kiss ended, Lois saw that he had taken them straight up into the air, and they were floating high above the treetops. The sun was warm; a slight breeze ruffled Lois's hair as they drifted. "Now, that's dancing," she said dreamily, and wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck. "I could stay like this with you forever. But," she went on regretfully, "I suppose we should get back down to earth. There's a lot to do - my new job, and I don't want a long engagement, do you? I'll call Alice, and Perry, and -" While she was speaking, Clark put one arm under Lois's knees, lifting and cradling her. He looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, honey. I really hate to do this, especially now, but Superman has a meeting with the Citizens for a Safer Metropolis at ten, which Clark Kent is supposed to cover for the paper. I've got to go." Lois sighed, but nodded in understanding. She brushed her mouth against his, and said, "It's all right." Her lips curved in a small secret smile. "You always come back. Why don't you drop me off at the Planet on the way? I'll see you there afterwards. We can have lunch and start making plans." Clark laughed and kissed her once more, as he turned them toward the Daily Planet globe which gleamed in the distance. "Whatever you say, Lois. Whatever you say." THE END "Love Is Here To Stay" by George & Ira Gershwin, copyright 1937. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Sep 1997 05:27:08 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: Looking for Lois Lane (was: Re: Combo Re: New Fic and breaking up stories... In a message dated 97-09-01 05:10:19 EDT, debby@SWCP.COM (Debby Stark) writes: << I liked FH :) Remember, Lois and Lex were there because Lois had to interrupt the date to file a story (tells you something about her priorities) ;) >> Yes, and Clark had a date with Jack That tells me something too ;) >>>He was heroic, or tried to be in his own fashion in that episode. Clark did not appear to those watching him to be heroic, always (wisely) cautioning care. The episode helped everyone (but Cat) shine :)<<<< I disagree. I don't think a villain should look like a hero and the hero look like a coward, and that's really what happened. Plus, I hardly thought the scene where Lex is cuddling Lois and talking about money not being able to buy a pair of brown eyes was too 'shining' ;) >>>That one in the pilot? It did help us learn more about her, that she had a good idea about herself... and we saw that CK was a good listener, that people wanted to open up to him. Interesting scene.<<< Actually, it showed that Lois feared for her life, and so I think she would have confessed to *anyone*, just to depart this planet with a clear conscience Later, when her life isn't in danger, she tells Clark to keep his trap shut about what she confessed to him, and when he tells her "you can trust me, Lois" she says "I've heard that one before." She seemed more eager for Clark to "clam up" than she was to "open up", at least under normal "unstressful" conditions. >>>To me, more like she would become his chronicle-er (biographer) as well as love slave if he'd let her... ;)<<< Since she got most of the Superman exclusives, wasn't she already his "chronicler"? >>>While I liked her first season, second season was the one in which they really worked to mature her character. She was steadily growing, and focusing her energies on what she realized she really wanted.<<< That's part of the point. She can't "mature" unless she starts from some less mature point. It might be painful when Lois was tantrum prone the first season and a half, but starting from that place in the series helps highlight how far she came. >>>Or they can say "xxx episodes/season(s) are my canon" First season is mine.<< That's fair too. I take all of the seasons as canon though, because the characters kept evolving. >>>I disagree. A baby will throw a tantrum. I did not see Lois as a baby. She can be hurt, yes... but she can also see shades of gray. Fanfic can build more into all that than the show cared to. That's one reason for our frustration:<<< Lois didn't throw a tantrum when she found out the truth, but she was hurt and angry and with every right, and again, that has nothing to do with maturity, or a lack of it. It has to do with being human, and thus reacting with emotions to something that hurts. As for what the series didn't give us, I don't think it was a matter of "they didn't care to" but more that this was a commercial series on a network that had 46 minutes to tell a story, and if someone decries in one breath that not enough attention was given to supporting cast, and then turns around and decries not enough depth and information was given the title characters, then the only universe in which that would have any validity is one in which each episode ran about 6 hours. Not that I'd mind, but it's not terribly realistic >>>Actually, Martha suggested that solution in WWW, the episode right before ATAI :\<<< That's what I meant by the "ambiguous" attempts where we had to "assume" Clark was keying in on the revelation direction. What Martha said in WWW was this: "If Lois is the problem, then why are you running away?" Now personally, that sounds pretty far afield from Martha saying "Clark, tell Lois you're Superman, or no more brownies for you, mister!" Clark responded (heaven knows why given that set-up line), "What are you saying, mom? That I should just tell that I'm...that I'm.."? What? "That I'm Superman" or "That I'm in love with her" (he hadn't said that yet either ;) One of the earliest near revelations was in the good ole Leon episode, "Lois, there's something I've always wanted to tell you..." He did that kind of thing now again, but until or if he got the statement out, we had to *guess* that's what he was planning on saying. It wasn't until ATAI that he made it clear that he was going to tell her. >>>And it looks like she didn't suspect that until he proposed rather than telling her.<<<< She couldn't come to the "mistrust" conclusion *until* she knew the secret and then felt Clark was still keeping it a secret. When she didn't know the secret, there was no need to think Clark was mistrusting her. Over what? >>>The problem with the some of this is that we didn't learn it until WHALTTA. All this stuff was compressed into 3 episodes. <<<< I think a lot of what we learn depends on what point or crisis the relationship reached. It might have been great to know what Lois thought when she first found out the truth, what stages of feelings she went through before she plucked the glasses off Clark's face, but other than hearing her voice echoing off camera to let us know we're in on her secret thought processes, how exactly was the show going to accommodate that? A lot of what she must have been feeling was opened up in WHALTTA when she could finally confront Clark, and make her feelings known in a way that's just a bit more visually entertaining. >>>I just wish Clark had ;) [grow up]<<< I definitely think Clark grew up. That was a powerful scene in the show's finale. He had to face a reality that not even his super powers would help. He was quite a man. A grown man ;) Zoomway@aol.com (and a well defined man ;) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Sep 1997 20:11:39 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: RFC822 error: Incorrect or incomplete address field found and ignored. From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Hello, my name is... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 = (This thing clashes with my outfit, doesn't it..) (Oh well. it'll probab= ly come out in the wash...) Hi y'all! I think a lot of you know me already, actually, but since I'm not on LOISCLA, I thought I should introduce myself (and make sure this works; I had a terrible time subscribing) I'm 29, I've been a wife for six years and a mother for 5 months now. = I became an officially obsessed FOLC upon seeing Tempus Fugitive, but I'v= e seen *almost* all of the episodes (I've missed one or two at the beginnin= g of the 2nd season). I write fanfic because I just can't help myself and if you're anywhere near North Carolina, you have to come to our FoLCFests. I've got a cute little story I could submit, once I'm sure this is working... it ain't serious, but it is (hopefully) funny. It's called Ti= me Flies, and it's got me and Tara Weaver, and Chris Mulder... oh yeah, and Lois & Clark PJ !^NavFont02F03100006MGHHJX45E6 E-mail from: Pam Jernigan, 03-Sep-1997 jernigan@compuserve.com / ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ Unreformed, unrepentent, sometimes unproductive but never uninteresting fanfic writer = Visit Sarah & Pam's Shrine o'Fanfic at: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/2501 Look for Season 5 *and* The Unaired Fifth Season (TUFS) coming soon! ~~~~~ "The first thing she said to me was 'Herbie, get me to the Planet.' Naturally, I wondered which planet..." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 08:17:58 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Fanfic: NEMESIS (3/4) um, were there 3 other parts that didn't come through? I got this one yesterday but no other parts since. That's a longer lapse than usual. --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 13:00:07 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: RFC822 error: Incorrect or incomplete address field found and ignored. From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Fanfic: NEMESIS (3/4) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> um, were there 3 other parts that didn't come through? I got this one yesterday but no other parts since. That's a longer lapse than usual. << I haven't gotten any of them... in fact I haven't gotten any posts since one from Zoomway a couple of days ago... is this a list problem, or a problem on my end? thx, !^NavFont02F00FB000FMGJHG75MG77HGFD764A E-mail from: Pam Jernigan, 05-Sep-1997 jernigan@compuserve.com / ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ Unreformed, unrepentent, sometimes unproductive but never uninteresting fanfic writer = Visit Sarah & Pam's Shrine o'Fanfic at: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/2501 Look for Season 5 *and* The Unaired Fifth Season (TUFS) coming soon! ~~~~~ "The first thing she said to me was 'Herbie, get me to the Planet.' Naturally, I wondered which planet..." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 11:26:00 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sheila Harper Subject: Re: Fanfic: NEMESIS (3/4) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 01:00 PM 9/5/97 -0400, Pam Jernigan wrote: >>> um, were there 3 other parts that didn't come through? I got this one >yesterday but no other parts since. That's a longer lapse than usual. << > >I haven't gotten any of them... in fact I haven't gotten any posts since >one from Zoomway a couple of days ago... is this a list problem, or a >problem on my end? I think you have problems at your ends, since I got all 4 parts fine. BTW, Georgia, very nice story. :) Sheila sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 12:34:44 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Alicia Kelly Subject: Major Hunk?!? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Who thinks Dean is a Major hunk, and gets those 16 magazines (and others like that) just because of him? I Do! If you agree with me write back! Also who likes Hanson???? Alicia Kelly ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 17:39:48 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: NEMESIS: 1/1 (Resend) Subj: Fanfic: NEMESIS (1/4) Date: 09/02/97 To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU The characters in this story are based on the television series "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," particularly the episodes "Tempus, Anyone" by John McNamara and "Lois and Clarks" by Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming. The usual disclaimers apply and this story is not intended to be an infringement on the rights of any corporate entity. "Nemesis" is a continuation of my only other fanfic "Alt Shook Up" which was an Alternate World version of "All Shook Up" by Bryce Zabel. The Alternate World is a wonderful springboard for "what if" stories. It allowed me to play around with the characters without violating the continuity. (I *like* the established continuity. ) Though I started out with the idea that the Alternate World characters would be quite different from our Lois and Clark, I ended up trying to bring them into sync with the world of our L&C- I guess because I think it's a pretty good world to live in. ;) The echoes and parallels to events and dialogue in various episodes are deliberate. I wrote "Alt Shook Up" at a time when there was still a possibility for another season of L&C, and expected we'd get a chance to see Alt Clark find his Lois for real. I still wish we could. I had no intention of writing a sequel, but the loose ends were there, and I just had to tie them off as best I could, though I think it will be obvious A plots aren't my forte. ;) In case anyone cares enough to ask, let me say up front I don't ever plan to visit the Alternate World characters again as a writer. Considering the things that happened to them already, I think they deserve to be left alone to live happily ever after. :) An enormous thank you to Eileen Ray, whose story ideas, knowledge, steady encouragement, and occasional nagging ;) kept me going. She really deserves a co-writing credit. Thanks, Eray. Comments are welcome to Gwalden@aol.com or gwalde14@mindspring.com NEMESIS It was a typical spring morning in Metropolis. Traffic surged through the streets, people crowded the sidewalks, and a playful April breeze carried the sounds and smells of the city to every one of its nine million inhabitants. The sun, obscured by clouds promising a shower later in the day, broke through intermittently and touched the windows of tall buildings, turning them into walls of light. At the base of the most glittering skyscraper, a group of smartly dressed men and women stood and watched as Mayor Perry White snipped a ribbon that hung across the entrance. Photographers and a TV crew from GBS recorded the moment, while a few print journalists, looking bored, took notes. "It is with great pride and pleasure that I officially dedicate this magnificent building, Lex Tower. May it always stand as a symbol of the contributions its owner and namesake has made to our city. Ladies and gentleman - Mr. Lex Luthor!" The mayor kept his professional politician's smile firmly in place as the small, but very select crowd applauded his words. The television camera followed Lex Luthor as he stepped forward to shake Perry's hand. He smiled modestly, but inwardly he was feeling the elation of a man who had realized a lifelong dream. These people were the social elite, the old money and the rising stars of Metropolis, and they were here to acknowledge what he had always known. Lex Luthor was a man destined for greatness, and before he was through, everyone in the world was going to know it too. "Thank you, Mayor." Lex noted that Perry White's smile didn't reach his eyes, but at the moment, he didn't care what some minor political hack thought of him. Lex knew he could make or break a thousand mayors, but not today. He continued, "Not only does this building, Lex Tower, takes its place in the record books as the tallest building in Metropolis, but I also have the satisfaction of knowing that many thousands of people were provided with work during its construction. The companies that will use its offices, the restaurants, shops, and all the ancillary businesses that will keep it running, will employ many more for years to come. This is what I want - to be a part of what makes Metropolis the greatest city in the world." The crowd applauded again with even more enthusiasm, and Lex's smile widened as he looked at each face beaming at him with admiration. His gaze traveled from one to another, coming to a halt at a face that wasn't beaming - that wasn't looking at him at all, for that matter. His eyes chilled with recognition, but his smile didn't waver. There was one person in Metropolis who didn't think Lex Luthor was the most superior being on the planet, but he had plans to change that, and soon. At Perry's insistence, Lois had accompanied him to the dedication ceremony but she wondered for the umpteenth time why he really wanted her there. She couldn't write speeches, and she had no patience for protocol. She was an excellent researcher when the subject interested her, but she suspected it was all just an excuse for Perry to keep her close and give her something to do. But building dedications, she thought, give me a break. Her attention had wandered when Luthor had made his little speech - she knew boilerplate when she heard it. The man was supposedly a shark in business; she vaguely recalled his name coming up in her investigations over three years ago, but if he wanted everyone in Metropolis to think he was a great philanthropist, fine. Perry had said Luthor wanted to meet her, and this ceremony was a perfect opportunity, but right now, she had more important matters on her mind. Clark was getting together the Planet's material on her weapons sales story, and was supposed to meet her for lunch to get started on the investigation into her African "adventure." Lois smiled to herself. Clark. No matter what she was doing, somehow her thoughts always seemed to come back to him. She'd said she wanted to try dating, and he'd taken her at her word. For two weeks he had called her at City Hall every day, asked her out for lunch, or dinner - whenever she was free. He didn't often manage to stay for the whole meal, most times only making it back in time to share her dessert. They had gone to a couple of movies and baseball games, and had even seen the end of one of each. The best evenings were when they stayed in, watching videos, eating popcorn, and talking, though Clark usually got called away for a while. Clark was always so anxious when he had to leave, and tried to get back as quickly as he could. He didn't say so, but she could tell he was worried about her reaction to all the interruptions. Though she hadn't told him all the intimate details, he knew she'd been abandoned more than once by a man she'd trusted, beginning with her father. Flowers arrived daily, signed only with the initials C.K.; she suspected they were apology bouquets. She really ought to tell him they weren't necessary. It wasn't the leaving that had upset her most about the men in her past - it was the not coming back. "And now, friends," Lex was continuing, "let's go inside and I'll give you a first look at my greatest accomplishment." With a flourish of his hand, he motioned the mayor and his entourage through the doors and into the enormous lobby of the building. Lois hung back, leaving Perry and Jack to handle the polite oohing and ahhing, but she was unwillingly impressed with the luxurious decor. The marble and steel had been softened with plush carpets and real plants, and a mixture of artwork - impressionist paintings and modern sculptures - filled the space with color and texture. Lex murmured something into Perry's ear, and the mayor nodded. He turned to search the crowd, finding her and motioning her over, but before she could start toward them, there was a whooshing sound behind her. A flash of red and blue flickered in her peripheral vision, and just like that, Clark was there beside her, straightening his sober blue-striped tie, and adjusting his glasses. He grinned at her, and what had been a very dull morning brightened. She smiled back. "Hi. Sorry I'm late - train derailment up the coast. I saw it on TV just as I was leaving the Planet. No deaths, thank goodness, but it took a while to clean up the mess. Are you about finished here?" He looked at the crowd of people milling around the lobby, their chatter a mere well-bred hum in the high-ceilinged room. Lex and Perry were now posing for photographs in front of one the sculptures. It looked remarkably like a piece of the train wreckage he had just left. "That story should knock this little Luthor love-fest off the front page," he added with a slight edge to his voice. "Well, for you, that almost qualifies as character assassination," Lois said with surprise. "Not that I disagree, but Luthor seems like a typical, if unusually successful, businessman to me. What's he done to get your attention?" "Nothing." Clark shoved his hands into his coat pockets, and shrugged at her doubtful expression. "Really. He's done nothing at all, and I've only met him once - about two years ago, at a party Lana dragged me to." He winced inwardly at the mention of Lana, but Lois seemed unperturbed. He sighed. Most women, if they were seriously interested in a man, would be at least a little jealous of an ex-fiancee. At least he thought so, but what he didn't know about women would fill an encyclopedia. "Luthor was hosting a charity campaign - Metropolis Children's Fund, all very praise-worthy, but he seemed, I don't know, a little too smooth to me. He'd appeared out of nowhere, no one knew anything about his background, just that he had a lot of money. Lex Luthor is a man with no past, no real friends or allies in Metropolis, yet a major part of the city's economic success is directly dependent on him. When Tempus showed up last year the whole city turned into an armed camp and he seemed to fade into the background. Not a supporter, but not on Perry's team, either. Then boom, Tempus is taken out, Perry gets elected, and Lex Luthor is suddenly the most influential man in town. It just makes me uneasy." "Boom, Tempus is taken out?" Lois giggled at the offhand description of one of the most traumatic events of his life. Clark smiled at the sound. He loved it when she did that. BOOM! The sound of an explosion was still reverberating as Lois found herself out of the lobby, and across the street, pressed between a wall and Clark Kent. For a moment his body curved protectively around her, his cheek pressed against her hair. Through the ringing in her ears, she heard him say, "Stay put," and then he was gone. She stared across at the entrance to Lex Tower. Smoke billowed through the gleaming glass and brass doors standing open. Perry, Lex, all the people who had been in the lobby stumbled out into the street, coughing and shaken but unhurt, followed at last by Superman. The Chief of Police, who had been an invited guest, was already giving orders to the men who had accompanied him. They scattered into the surrounding area quickly. One uniformed officer, who had been on traffic detail outside the building, pulled out a notebook and began questioning Superman. Lois started across the street. If she didn't move quickly, they would have the site closed off, and she wanted to find out what had happened. Stay put, indeed! Clark sighed when Lois stationed herself at his elbow and smiled brightly at the officer. "Lois, we've just had a bomb explode here. I don't think there's any danger - but I only had time for a quick sweep inside. Couldn't you please wait a little further away?" The policeman waited for Lois's response with a slightly amused expression. "No. I couldn't. What happened? Could you tell what kind of explosive it was? Street crime and gang violence have been on the decrease; are you sure it was a bomb, and not some accidental thing? Who would want to bomb Lex Tower? Or was it the people, not the building who were the target? It doesn't look like anyone was hurt. A warning of some kind, maybe?" The policeman looked back at Superman expectantly. Clark frowned repressively at Lois, but the corner of his mouth had kicked up slightly and his eyes were warm with affection as he looked down at her. "Lois, take a breath. I was just telling Officer Ray here - " "Lois, honey, are you all right?" Perry joined them, trailed by Jack, a bodyguard, and Lex Luthor. Perry looked anxious and disheveled. The only sign that Luthor had been within feet of a bomb exploding were a few flecks of dust on the sleeve of his perfectly tailored two thousand dollar suit. "I'm fine, Perry - Superman whisked me out of harm's way," she reassured him. "I'm just trying to get a fix on what happened here." "As am I, Miss Lane," Lex interjected smoothly, moving a step closer, and glancing at Perry with a lift of his eyebrow. "Oh, ah, Lois - this is Lex Luthor. Lex, Lois Lane, best reporter who ever worked for me - no offense, Superman - now my personal assistant. She's like a member of my family, Lex," Perry added, and Clark narrowed his eyes at the emphatic tone. Lex had taken both of Lois's hands in his, and was gazing at her intently. Clark cleared his throat and edged a little closer to Lois. His hand trailed casually down her back, and he could hear her heartbeat accelerate in response to his touch. She leaned back into his hand as she spoke and he smiled slightly at the hint of breathlessness in her voice. "How do you do, Mr. Luthor. You seem to have attracted more than the media to your little ceremony this morning." Her words were punctuated by the noisy arrival of a fire engine and two more police cars. "I've always had a taste for the dramatic, Miss Lane, not unlike yourself, though this was perhaps just a little over the top, even for me," Lex replied, with a self-deprecating smile. "Perry has told us all about you, and I've seen your picture, but it failed to do your beauty justice." Lex lifted Lois's hand and kissed it, never taking his eyes from hers. Lois stared back, and Clark felt her tension through the hand he still held pressed to the small of her back. The short silence was finally broken by Lex. He flicked a glance at Clark. "You were on the scene. Were you perhaps distracted by something, or...someone...and didn't hear the bomb in time? Or was this one just a little too large for you to... er, swallow." Clark ignored the sneer in Lex's voice, and replied evenly, "There was nothing to hear, Mr.Luthor. Until the blast itself, of course. A small amount of plastic explosive, a detonation device triggered by remote control would be my guess - but we'll have to wait for the forensics report." "Yes, of course," Lex turned back to Lois, apparently dismissing the subject. " Miss Lane. Lois, if I may. I hope you'll be attending the formal ball here Friday evening. The mayor and all his staff were invited. The damage to the lobby should be repaired by then. I refuse to let anything spoil the inauguration of the Lex Tower ballroom, and it would be even more special if you agree to give me the first dance." Lois laughed a little nervously, withdrawing her hands. "Thank you, Mr. Luthor - Lex. I'd already planned to attend. With Mr. Kent." Lois looked back over her shoulder at Clark, and he immediately responded to the "Back me up" message in her eyes. "That's right, Mr. Luthor. We'll both be there. Perhaps by then, we'll have some information about what happened this morning. I plan to give the matter my undivided attention." Lex nodded, and for a flash, the look he gave Clark was one of cold dislike. "Well, then, Mr. Kent. I'm sure we all have nothing to fear. Not with ...Superman on the job." With a charming smile for Lois, and an abrupt lift of his hand to Perry, he left. "Well, that was...interesting," Clark said slowly. He turned Lois to face him. "You have a burning desire to dance with Lex Luthor? I thought he was just a typical businessman." "I'm not sure what he is, Clark. But one way to find out is to cultivate his acquaintance. He seems to like me, don't you think?" She slanted a look at him from under her lashes. "Too much, if you ask me," he muttered, but she just continued to look up at him. He squeezed her shoulders, and then surrendered with a little huff of laughter. "Oh, all right. I guess it won't do any harm to go to this party, if you really want to. Just..don't encourage him, okay? We can find out what we need to know with good old-fashioned research. Right, Perry?" Perry had been watching the scene with a worried frown, but he dredged up a smile at Clark's words. "Sure, son. No substitute for legwork and research." "Exactly!" Lois beamed. "Legwork is just what I had in mind. Do you own a tux, Clark? I think you'd look gorgeous in a tux." She patted his cheek and turned to Perry. "Clark and I need to get started on this bomb story right away, Chief. You don't need me at City Hall - I'm taking a salary under false pretenses. Besides, I'm bored out of my mind there, and Clark has so much to do already. I'll help him write up the eyewitness stuff for the evening edition, and then we can start digging into background. If someone doesn't like Lex Luthor, besides Clark," she shot him a mischievous look, "I'd like to know why. This could be the story that gets me my job back at the Planet." Perry sighed and nodded. "Go ahead. I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to, and heaven knows, I understand how you feel. How I ever let Alice and Olsen talk me into goin' into politics, I'll never know. Anyhow, if you're with Superman, I guess you can't get into too much trouble. Right?" Perry motioned to the young men who had been hovering discreetly in the background, and one of them signaled to a waiting limousine. Perry leaned forward and kissed Lois on the cheek. "Be careful, honey," he whispered. "You've got two very powerful men lookin' at you like you hung the moon. Even without bombs, that's an explosive situation." "Don't worry, Perry," Lois murmured. "I'm only looking back at one of them, and his suits don't come from Savile Row." Perry chuckled and with a final wave walked to the curb and entered his car. The policeman who had been questioning Clark reclaimed their attention. "I guess I'd better get back to the precinct to type up my report, Superman. If you find out anything more about the explosion, we'd appreciate it if you shared the information with us - *before* you and Miss Lane put it in the Daily Planet." "And you'll do the same for us, won't you, Officer?" Lois put in before Clark could answer. "Share and share alike?" "Come on, Lois, let's go. I promised you lunch, how do you feel about Italian?" Clark asked with a grin. He nodded to the policeman. "I'll - *we'll* be in touch." Officer Ray watched as Superman lifted Lois Lane into his arms, and began rising slowly into the air. When they were several hundred feet above the sidewalk, he wrapped his cape around her, and darted up and out of sight. The officer shook his head in wonder. The lady acted as though being flown around by a guy in tights was as normal as taking a cab. Ah, why should he be surprised? After all, this was *Metropolis.* ***** "You incompetent fool! You assured me that your carefully planted charges would only topple the sculpture, and that it would fall *exactly* where I wanted it to. Your stupid miscalculations almost got *me* killed and completely missed the target! Not to mention the costs of repairing the lobby. You're fired, Josephson." Lex listened for a moment to the voice on the other end of the telephone. "The balance of your pay? Don't be absurd. You completely bungled the job. I suggest you get out of Metropolis and stay out." Lex broke the connection and pressed the button to switch to another line. "Prepare the standard termination contract for Mr. Josephson. I believe he can be found at the Cozy Moments Motel." Lex's voice dropped to a gentle murmur, no trace of his former anger left. "Don't waste any time, he won't be there long. Yes, I'm sure you do understand, my dear. That's why I pay you an obscenely large salary - for your understanding." Lex pushed back his chair abruptly and crossed to the large window to stare out at the city. The sight of Metropolis so far beneath him never failed to give him a thrill of pleasure. There was a rap on the door. Felice, his personal assistant, strolled in, a cool self-satisfied smile on her face. She was a statuesque brunette with the glossy perfection of a haute couture model. "The matter is taken care of, Lex. I'll send the usual fee to Jonas as soon as I receive confirmation of Josephson's "departure." Is there anything else?" Lex didn't turn around. "No, Felice, that will be all - no, wait." He whirled on his heel. "Dismiss my driver. I'm taking the Jag out for a little run. I won't be needing you or anyone else for the rest of the day." Felice nodded and left the office. Lex strode to the door leading to his private elevator with a slight lift of his spirits. Perhaps some time behind the wheel of his newest toy would distract him from this morning's setback. Continued... ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 17:42:19 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: Sorry, folcs, let's try that again. ;) To all list members, Thanks to the fact that AOL doesn't seem to like me this week, only part 3 of Nemesis got through. I'm resending it, let me know if it makes it this time. Thanks, Georgia ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 17:44:41 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: NEMESIS 2/4 (Resend) Subj: Fanfic: NEMESIS (2/4) Date: 09/02/97 To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Clark balanced a large pizza box, a white bag, and a bottle of wine and dug into his coat pocket for his key. As he opened the door, the bag slipped from under his arm. In a move too quick for the human eye to follow, he caught it and clamped the top between his teeth. Lois stood beside him, her arms filled with file folders, thick with clippings and computer printouts. "My hero," she said with an exaggerated sigh, and laughed at his mock frown. "We could have sent out for pizza, you know. It wasn't necessary for you to fly to Rome for it." Clark considered her comment, and then shook his head. "Nope, I promised you Italian for lunch, and Italian it is." He smiled and added, "I spent so many years not using my powers except in emergencies, trying to keep a low profile. I'm kinda getting a kick out of indulging myself now. And you." His eyes held hers for a moment, and the warmth in them was palpable. Her skin heated in response and she took a step forward, then stopped. "Oh, no, you don't, Clark Kent. We're here to work, remember. We filed the bomb story and now we're going to start reviewing these notes. Somewhere in this stuff has got to be a clue. Something I missed before." They had entered Clark's apartment while Lois was speaking, and Clark began to lay out their lunch on the small table in front of the window. The authentic Italian pizza was still hot, and Lois sniffed at it appreciatively before dropping her armload onto the sofa. She went into the kitchen area, and opened the cabinet where the dishes were kept. Clark rummaged in the utensil drawer, finally bringing out the corkscrew. He began opening the wine. "Lois, are you absolutely sure that what happened to you in the Congo was connected to your story? It's a dangerous spot - maybe you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And you said yourself that everything is pretty hazy. You were in a coma a long time, some memory loss is normal with that kind of trauma." The thought of Lois bludgeoned and left for dead in a wilderness gave Clark a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. What if she hadn't survived? What if she'd survived but hadn't remembered Metropolis was her home? God, what if he'd never met the other Lois and had married Lana? He gave the corkscrew a savage twist at the thought. He refused to even consider *that* possibility. "I don't remember everything, but I do know what my attacker said. I was lying there, and I guess he thought I was dead, or near it. He was going through my bag, and my pockets, and taking everything that could identify me, I suppose, in case my body was found before the animals finished me off. And he was talking." Lois's voice was matter-of-fact, as though she were describing something that had happened to someone else long ago. She took the now open bottle and started pouring the wine as she spoke. The sick feeling in Clark's stomach grew. "He said - 'That'll teach you to keep your long reporter's nose out of other people's business. Metropolis will be a lot better off without your meddling.' That seems pretty unambiguous to me." When Clark didn't answer immediately, Lois looked up from the glass she was filling. She put down the bottle and went to him with a little sound of concern. "Oh, Clark, don't look like that." She brought his face down to hers, and kissed him slowly and thoroughly. They were both breathing a little heavily when she leaned back into his encircling arms. "It's over, I survived. That's what matters, and I don't want you to think about it any more. *I*'m not going to." She smiled. "But if we ever run into that guy, I have definite plans for him." Clark's smile in response was a little grim. "Yes. So do I." Lois kissed him again, quickly this time, and stepped out of his embrace. "Well, okay. You can hold him. I'll do the rest." Her teasing glance over her shoulder was irresistible, and Clark shook off his dark thoughts and joined her at the table. Somehow Lois made living on the edge of disaster seem as normal as - well, as normal as flying to Rome for pizza. ***** The parking garage was shadowed and quiet in the section reserved by LexCorp for the owner's personal fleet of automobiles. Lex's footsteps echoed as he approached the black sports car and unlocked it. As he pulled on the handle to open the door, a man stepped out from a concrete pillar on the far side of the car. He was short and stocky, with a bald head, and a small dark beard that curved around his mouth. His brown suit was well-tailored, but rumpled and stained. "Hiya, Mr. Luthor." The man grinned ingratiatingly. He had very large, slightly yellowed teeth. "I was hopin' you'd be comin' down soon to try out this beauty. You're a hard man to see - in private, I mean." "Why the melodrama? If you want to speak to me alone, you can call my office for an appointment," Lex replied impatiently. "But if you're looking for a handout, don't waste your time or mine." He opened the door, and set his foot inside, preparatory to sliding into the driver's seat. The man held up a manila envelope, thrusting it at Lex. "Take a look at this, Mr.Luthor," he said. "Then maybe you'll be interested in what I got to say." The man slid it across to Lex and he picked it up. It was very light. He lifted the flap and turned it upside down. A photograph clipped from a newspaper fluttered out and landed on the car's roof. It was a familiar picture - Lex recognized the face immediately. Tempus, that mysterious figure who had for a time threatened to become the kingpin of Metropolis. The shot had been taken during the confusing altercation in the GBS television studio. Tempus was holding a rock in his hand, brandishing it at a figure that lay on the floor, writhing in pain. Lex frowned at the photograph. He knew what everyone else did about that day - the rock had somehow been hurting Superman until the strange woman who had claimed to be Lois Lane had tossed it into the crowd. Lex looked at the man. "And the point of this is...?" "I know where the green rock is," he replied simply. "You interested now?" Expressionlessly, Lex stared at the news photo, and then at the man. It was a scam, he thought. Someone had heard he was not... happy about the arrival of Superman, and was trying to capitalize on it. But what if it wasn't a lie? he thought with rising excitement. What if this dirty little man knew something? "Perhaps," Lex said non-committally. "Anyone can *say* they know something. Do you have it with you?" "Nah, I ain't that dumb." The bald man's large teeth showed briefly in a cocky grin. "First we deal, then I bring it to you." Lex eyed him narrowly, and then shrugged. "How much?" "Two hundred thousand, cash, and a promise you'll forget you ever saw me." "That seems a rather small sum to ask for such a unique item," Lex said. The man's answer was tinged with bitterness. "The rock's worth nothin' to me, Mr.Luthor - all I want is to get out of Metropolis without attracting anybody's attention, especially Mr.-Almighty-Superman," he said, and Lex heard the ring of truth in his words. "I been hidin' from the cops since the boss disappeared. No one will hire me. My face was plastered all over TV that night - I just want to get as far away from this place as possible. And for that, I need money. So, are you interested?" "How do you come to have this rock"? Lex asked. "According to all reports, it was confiscated by the police and sent to Star Labs for study and safekeeping." "Most of it was," the man agreed. "When the dame threw it away, it broke into a bunch of pieces. The cops thought they had 'em all, but I managed to pick up one in the confusion. I thought it might come in handy sometime." "So it's not the whole thing." Lex frowned. "That's disappointing. Perhaps it's not worth two hundred thousand." "It may not be big, but it's the only bit of that green rock that ain't locked up tight, Mr. Luthor. And it could be all yours." "I still need to see the item, Mr. ah -?" Lex was still cautious, but there was something about this ridiculous creature's story that seemed genuine. And if he was on the level, he was right. That little bit of green rock represented unimaginable power in the right hands. In *my*hands, he thought with savage satisfaction. "Johnny Domo," the man replied. "The boss used to call me *Major* Domo - I dunno why. He'd laugh and say it was a "private joke" - the boss was always sayin' stuff that didn't make any sense. I didn't care. He paid real good and everything was goin' great until that jerk in the tights showed up." "The item, Mr. Domo?" Lex repeated sharply, and the man snapped to attention at the tone of command. "Right. Do we have a deal?" he asked, and at Lex's nod, Domo grinned happily. "Can you get the money by tonight?" "Yes," Lex said in sudden decision. "I can meet you back here at midnight. Bring the rock and we'll make the exchange. Simple and direct, agreed?" "You bet," Domo said, and thrust out a grimy hand. "But not here. We make the swap on my turf. Hobbs Bay, Dock 51." Lex stared at him for a moment, ignoring the proffered hand. What harm could it do to meet there? It had been a lot of years since he'd skulked in the shadows of Suicide Slum near the river, but he was still quite capable of taking care of himself. And if there was even a small chance that he could obtain a weapon against Superman - no risk was too great for that. "Agreed. Hobbs Bay at midnight." ***** Lois groaned and flopped backwards onto Clark's couch. The floor around her was covered with discarded files, and she threw another one down onto the pile with a sound of disgust. Clark looked up from the printout he was scanning. "What?" he asked, but then, seeing her drawn expression, got up from the kitchen table and sat down beside her on the couch. "You're exhausted," he said, and began to massage her shoulders. "Time for a break. You want some coffee, or something to eat? There's cannoli left." Lois let her head drop forward, and relaxed into the motion of Clark's hands. "Mmmm, that feels wonderful," she murmured. "And, no," she added, "I don't want any coffee, or cannoli, or to take a break. I want to *find* something." Her tone was fretful, and Clark bent and kissed the back of her neck. "I know. And we will. But it's been hours and you're too tired to see straight, so take a break, please, and then we'll start again, when you've rested." His lips trailed across to the spot where her neck curved into her shoulder, and then up behind her ear, and Lois shivered at the sensation. She smiled and closed her eyes, savoring the delicious uncoiling of tension in her muscles and the rise of a different kind of tension in the wake of Clark's touch. "Just for a little while," she agreed, but then abruptly sat up straighter, placing some distance between them. "I think I would like some coffee after all," she said brightly, "and then let's go over these company records again. I just know there's something there I'm not seeing." Clark sighed. The yielding woman who had melted against him had turned back into Lois Lane, Ace Reporter, in the blink of an eye. And people called him a quick-change artist, he thought wryly. "Coffee coming up," he said, getting to his feet. Lois watched him pour out two cups from the pot they had made earlier. He lifted his glasses and stared intently down at the cups. Steam began to rise and the aroma of warm coffee filled the room. He brought the two cups to the couch and placed hers into her hands, setting his down on the table in front of them. Dropping cross-legged to the floor next to her, he picked up one of the discarded files. It was labeled OFF-SHORE HOLDINGS. "What's this?" he asked, flipping through the stack of papers inside. "The weak link in any illicit operation is the point at which money changes hands," Lois explained. "Off-shore companies are often used as fronts for money laundering - these were the ones I'd marked as particularly suspicious. Sudden shifts of large sums for no clear reason, names on the official paperwork that don't match up to actual people, that sort of thing." "I'm impressed," Clark said sincerely. "But you came up empty?" "I never finished checking into all of them. I had just put out some feelers when I got a very solid lead from one of my sources that led me to the African connection, and Perry agreed to the Planet bankrolling a trip. The rest you know. I was followed from the time I got off the plane. I never got a chance to even *start* investigating." Clark looked thoughtful. "Hmm, interesting - the sequence of events, I mean. You start asking questions about these off-shore companies, and suddenly get a tip that takes you halfway around the world. And when you get there, you're met by a killer who knows who you are and what you're doing." He handed Lois the paper with the names of the companies. "Which one of these had you been asking about?" Lois stared at him, her expression of frustration gradually giving way to appreciative understanding. "Clark, you're right. That *was* awfully convenient, wasn't it? Let me see," she took the list and scanned it quickly, "there were two or three good possibilities, but the most likely was this one." She pointed halfway down the page. "Theroxull, Ltd, - a holding company for a group of foreign investors, identity unknown." "Theroxull?" Clark looked at the name, and then laughed. "Lois, don't you do anagrams?" he teased. "It could just be an amazing coincidence, but that name would sure set off alarms for me." "Anagrams? What - ?" Lois frowned down at the paper, and then her eyes met Clark's with amazed delight. She launched herself at him with a whoop. He grinned and caught her easily, easing backwards until he lay flat on the floor with Lois sprawled on top of him. She kissed him, and then crossed her arms on his chest. "Anagrams - the arrogance of the man," she said, but she was smiling. "It's not a crime to be arrogant, Lois," Clark reminded her. "It's just a possibility to be checked out. There's no proof that he's done anything except make a great deal of money he doesn't want to report to the government." "Maybe," Lois said thoughtfully, then suddenly stopped, with an arrested expression. "But if he is the one, that throws a different light on the explosion this morning. You say the amount of explosive was small, the effect very localized. There was a lot of broken glass, but nothing was really destroyed but that hideous sculpture. Why?" "Metropolis has an art critic that takes his work very seriously?" Clark suggested, and Lois punched him lightly in the chest. "Idiot," she said. "Then why stop with one? The lobby was littered with them. No, seriously, what was special about that particular piece? Lex and Perry were being photographed near it, he had just motioned me to come over, too. Luckily, you and I were talking, or I might have been crushed when it fell." There was a moment of charged silence, as they both considered that, and then Clark said, in the tone of one who was trying to convince himself, "There are easier ways of killing a person than making a hunk of metal fall on them." "True," Lois agreed. "But oh, Clark," she said, with an excited wriggle, "I can't wait until Friday. I have a lot of questions for Mr. Lex Luthor. I have a feeling this is a real breakthrough. And so do you," she tapped him on the chest again, "don't you?" Clark had a rather strained look on his face as he answered tightly, "Yes, Lois - I definitely have a feeling." Lois stilled as she realized what he meant. She blushed, but didn't move. "I guess I should get up," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to, that is, I wasn't - " "It's okay, Lois," Clark said. "I understand. Sometimes things just happen. No, don't get up, not yet," he said, when she began to pull away from him. "I like just holding you, okay?" Lois smiled a little mistily. "Okay." She laid her head on his chest and relaxed against him once more. She really was tired, she realized. His hands stroked reassuringly up and down her back, and the soothing movements coupled with the steady thump of his heartbeat in her ear soon lulled her to sleep. ***** The area was deserted when Lex arrived on foot at five minutes to midnight. He had worn dark clothing, a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his forehead, and a black silk scarf wrapped high around his throat. He slipped from shadow to shadow as quietly as the street thief he had once been. He sensed movement in some of the alleys and darkened doorways he passed, but no one accosted him. Aside from the occasional rustle of a scurrying rat, the rhythmic lap of water against the stone and wood of the dock was the only sound. He stopped near the sign which identified Dock 51. Johnny Domo emerged from an alley as soon as Lex halted at the water's edge. "Is that it, the money?" he asked eagerly, his eyes darting to the small satchel Lex held in his left hand. "Yes, Mr.Domo, it is indeed," Lex said smoothly. He opened the bag to reveal the neat stacks of bills inside. "I've done my part. It's your turn now." Domo drew a jeweler's ring box from his pocket. He flipped back the top and held it up slightly. A small irregularly shaped sliver of green crystal lay on the velvet, barely visible against the black. "It don't look like much," Domo said, "but when the boss held it close to Superman, he went down like he was shot. He had a pretty big chunk, though," he added warningly. Lex stared at the unprepossessing bit of mineral. His mouth curved with satisfaction. "Yes, I remember,' he said, and his eyes gleamed with anticipation. "For what I have in mind, this piece will do very well." He reached for the box, but Domo held it just out of reach. "The money, Luthor," and Lex nodded. He proffered the satchel with one hand, and held out the other, palm up. The exchange was made, and Lex tucked the small box into his right pocket. As soon as Domo had the satchel, he turned to go. "A pleasure doin' business with you, Mr.Luthor. Remember - you never heard of Johnny Domo." Lex smiled, and withdrew his gloved hand from the pocket in which he had just placed the box. The nine-millimeter semi-automatic he now held was pointed directly at Domo. He fired twice, and reaching out, deftly caught the bag before Domo's lifeless body hit the ground. Lex prodded it with the toe of his elegant shoe, and then bent to roll the body over and into the waters of Hobbs Bay. He tossed the gun in afterward, and stepped back. "Never fear, Mr.Domo. I can assure you that neither I nor anyone else will ever hear of you again." He chuckled, and swinging the satchel jauntily, walked briskly away. Continued... ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 15:03:47 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sara Kraft Subject: Looking for a kind FoLC... Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Well FoLCs, I feel really stupid. In my excitement to obtain a perfect copy of the pilot, I ended up missing the first few minutes anyway. =( But the real problem lies in that I forgot to set the tape speed to SLP, thus taping over the first and second episodes plus some of the third. If there is someone out there who has the the first few episodes on tape and would love to make me a copy, I would love for them to email me. I hope somebody can help me. =) Sara Kraft (tmax@azstarnet.com) ---------------------------------------------------------- Isn't it great to see L&C promos every 15 minutes? ABC could've learned a thing or two from TNT. ---------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 18:20:34 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: NEMESIS 4/4 (Resend) Subj: Fanfic: NEMESIS (4/4) Date: 09/02/97 To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Inside the dimly lit room, Lois pushed down her panic and tried to think. Lex's leisurely approach seemed like a taunt, emphasizing her helplessness. She began to slide sideways, edging along the wall until she reached the corner occupied by a plant stand. On it was a luxuriant dieffenbachia in a brass urn. She darted behind it and gave a shove - the stand tottered and fell onto the carpet with a thud, the urn spilling potting soil as it rolled. Lex sidestepped the mess easily and kept coming. "This is foolish, Lois - you're just postponing the inevitable," he said, with a reproving look. Lois continued moving to her left. Her foot bumped against one of the massive firedogs in front of the ornate fireplace which took up much of the space on the side wall, and without taking her eyes from Lex, she reached out blindly to grasp the poker in the rack beside it. She brought it up with a grunt - it was solid iron with a shiny brass handle. "Stay back," she said breathlessly. Lex laughed, reaching for the poker, and Lois swung it like a baseball bat, putting the whole force of her body behind it. The sickening sound of metal hitting flesh was masked by Lex's scream of pain. His face contorted with rage, he lurched toward Lois, and lifted his uninjured arm. She raised the poker again to ward him off, but his backhanded blow knocked her sideways, and she crumpled to the floor without a sound. Outside, Clark had heard Lex's cry, and immediately arrowed his body toward the balcony, arms outstretched and hands fisted. He crashed through the metal, tearing a hole in it and casting the broken pieces to one side as though they were paper. His momentum brought him into the center of the room so quickly Clark was behind Lex before he could turn to face him. He placed both hands on Lex's shoulders and wrenched him around angrily. "What have you done to her, you -!" He was so angry he barely noticed Lex's gasp as his left arm was jostled. Lex grinned, despite his pain, and made no attempt to escape from Clark's hold. "Why, Superman, how kind of you to drop in," Lex said with spurious cordiality. "The party was getting a little dull without you." Clark withdrew his hands with a sound of disgust, and then to his amazement, staggered as an acute dizziness hit him. Oh, no, he thought, that's impossible. How can I be feeling like this here, now? Even as he formed the thought, his vision blurred, and he felt the weakness in his muscles that he had experienced only once before in his life. His breathing became labored, but he forced himself to concentrate on the man before him. Lex was watching him, wary but expectant, and Clark understood. "You have kryptonite," he said, and began to back away. Lex followed, reaching out with his right hand to stop Clark. His grip was firm, and Clark tried but failed to shake it off. He eyed the ring stone with dismayed recognition. "Oh, please, Sup - , I mean, *Mr. Kent*," Lex smiled with amusement at his own words, "don't leave us now. This little gathering is finally becoming interesting." He shoved Clark into a chair, and stood over him, careful to keep the ring between them. "This is insane, Lex," Clark gasped, wincing at the shooting pains that had invaded every limb. "How do you expect to get away with it? You can't just make Lois and me disappear in the middle of a charity ball without people asking questions." "I'll deal with the problem of damage control afterwards," Lex snarled. "For now, I just want to watch you suffer. Suffer and die." Clark barely heard the sadistic reply. He could feel the weakness growing; he had to act soon or he wouldn't be able to act at all. Turning his concentration inward, he willed himself to ignore the pain and focused all his energy on making his body respond. Lex had relaxed his watchfulness as he enjoyed his moment of power, and now brought the ring hand up to support his injured arm. Clark bent his head and rammed it into Lex's midsection, forcing him backward with the unexpected move. He pushed himself up and out of the chair and grappled with Lex, but couldn't muster enough strength to hold him in place. They staggered around the room like two drunken dancers, until Lex broke free and turned toward the elevator. Clark dropped to his knees, his gaze fixed on Lois's face. She lay near the fireplace; her eyes were closed and there was a cut on her cheek, as though she had been struck by something with a sharp edge. He couldn't tell if she was still breathing. The agony of seeing her there, hurt and unmoving, was worse than anything his body was experiencing. Clark lurched to his feet and with a surge of strength grabbed Lex from behind. With both arms wrapped around Lex's body he dragged him backwards. Their stumbling brought them to the opening Clark had punched through the wall, and they fell together through it and out into the balcony. They strained against each other, silent except for the rasping sounds of their breathing and their grunts of pain. As they neared the railing, Clark blinked to clear the mist from his eyes. Lex suddenly relaxed in his grip, then twisted, in an attempt to catch Clark off guard, but he had underestimated how much strength his opponent still possessed. Lex lost his balance and with one short yelp of surprise and fear, toppled over the waist-high wall. Lunging after him Clark made a desperate grab and managed to catch his right wrist as he fell. He grimaced at the agony in his shoulder and fought for steadier footing. Behind him, he heard a moan, and chanced a look back. Lois was sitting up, feeling the side of her head where Lex had struck her. Despite the pain, he felt a fierce joy at the sight. She was alive - hurt, but still alive, and nothing else mattered. "Lois, can you help me?" he gasped. "I'm really weak - I'm not sure I can hold him very long." Lois got to her feet and walked a little unsteadily to him. Lex hung from Clark's hand, his face a pale expressionless mask. He stared unblinkingly at the wrist Clark held. His other arm was dangling uselessly. She must have broken it when she hit him with the poker, she thought with a sense of detachment born of shock. He had not uttered a word from the moment he had gone over the wall He looked up at Lois's face peering down at him and made a noise, the frozen mask twisting into life. He was laughing, she realized, a gasping, strangled sound just on the edge of hysteria. "Indestructible Lois," he said. "I should have recognized... my beautiful Nemesis..." Lois ignored him. "Do you think you can pull him up enough for me to get a grip on his jacket?" she asked, leaning out to gauge the distance. The moon had risen sometime in the last hour and its cool light poured down on the balcony, illuminating the scene. "Lois, he's slipping," Clark whispered, "and I'm getting weaker by the second." His voice cracked and Lois's gaze flew to the white-knuckled hand that Clark held so tightly. The beautiful, poisonous glow of the ring on Lex's finger seemed to pulse and expand, casting a sickly green reflection on the hands of both men. "Oh, god, Clark, of course you are," Lois breathed. "As long as he's wearing that ring, you'll never regain your strength. If you don't get away from it, you could die." "Yeah," Clark managed a weak smile, "kind of ironic, isn't it?" Lois looked at Lex again. He was staring at the ring with dawning comprehension. He began to struggle, vainly trying to bring his body closer to the building, to get a toehold on the slick surface only inches away. "Don't move, Lex," Clark said sharply. "It makes it harder to - ah, no! - Lex!" Lex's movement had caused Clark's hand to slide, and the ring now dug into his palm. A piercing pain, stronger than all the rest, shot sharply through his entire body. He jerked upward reflexively in a last desperate attempt to bring Lex closer, but it was not enough. Lex slipped from his grasp soundlessly, dropping and disappearing into the dark long before he reached the concrete 1300 feet below. The balcony was eerily silent - only Clark's strained breathing broke the quiet. He sank to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself as though he were cold. He shuddered once, and lifted his eyes to Lois and she knelt before him, her hands going to his face, cupping his cheeks gently. His look of sick self-reproach cut through her muddled feelings of horror and relief like a knife. "No, Clark, stop that," she said firmly, her no-nonsense tone at odds with the soothing motions of her hands stroking his face and neck, curving around his shoulders and gently kneading them. "You did your best to save him. You know you did. If he hadn't been wearing the ring, you'd have been able to, but he *was* wearing the ring. He was wearing it because he hated you and wanted to kill you." Her eyes misted with tears, but she smiled at him, that sudden brilliant smile that was like sunlight breaking through clouds. "And you *still* tried to save him." Clark's breathing eased. She felt the tension gradually ebbing in his shoulders, and saw the clouded look of pain in his eyes begin to fade. He smiled back at her. "Lois, when I saw that he'd hurt you, I didn't care what it took to stop him, or what he did to me. No, I didn't want him to die, but the most important thing was to keep you safe. It's - frightening - to love someone like that." "Frightening?" Lois looked a little hurt by the word. "That's not a good thing," she said uncertainly. "Is it?" He lifted a hand to her face, his fingers brushing softly down her cheek. "Sure it is." His crooked grin was reassuring. "It's a wonderful thing. The bad thing would be if you didn't feel the same way." "Oh, Clark." Lois slid into his arms and settled against him with a wordless murmur of pleasure. "I do feel the same. Lex wanted me to call for help, to bring you here, but I couldn't do that. I wanted to keep *you* safe." She kissed the hollow of his throat, then his chin and the line of his jaw, her lips open and urgent against his skin. He gathered her more tightly to him, and his mouth closed over hers with the hunger and reverence that she remembered from the night they met. He always kissed her as though it were the first time, she thought wonderingly. Or as if it might be the last. Clark ended the kiss reluctantly, burying his face in Lois's hair for a moment, and then looked up. The sky was clear and star-filled; he wished he could be up there now, floating, with Lois. He cocked his head slightly and got slowly to his feet, pulling Lois with him. She shook out the crumpled folds of her dress, and smoothed her hair. "Someone must have called the police," he said, taking her arm. "I hear sirens heading this way." They re-entered the apartment, crossing to the elevator. He stared at the control panel, and a few seconds later a small hole appeared in the metal plate. The door slid open and they stepped inside. "We'd better get downstairs and let everyone know this party is definitely over." ***** Inspector William Henderson stood on the sidewalk at the entrance to Centennial Park, hands in his coat pockets, watching Lois and Clark approach. They were walking slowly, heads bent toward each other, completely engrossed in their conversation.. As they came nearer, Clark laughed at something Lois said, and lifted her hand to his lips. For a moment they just stood there, smiling at each other. Henderson's years as a Metropolis cop had made him a cynic, but his usually saturnine expression lightened at the sight. He nodded a greeting when they finally noticed his presence. "Inspector Henderson," Clark said, with a puzzled frown. "I didn't expect to see you again before the inquest. Did you have more questions?" Lois wasn't so polite. She'd known the inspector for years, since her days as a rookie crime reporter. "You had us at police headquarters for hours that night, Henderson. Can't the police handle the rest without Clark's help? Or have you gotten so dependent on Superman - " "Lois, I'm sure the inspector has everything under control," Clark broke in hastily. "And I'm always glad to help the authorities," he added with an admonishing look. She rolled her eyes. "Yes, you are," she said, "but there's such a thing as pacing yourself, you know! You can set priorities -" Henderson grinned. "Same old Lois," he interrupted, but there was no malice in his voice. "Always in charge. Well, you can pull in your claws for now - I'm here with some good news. After due consideration of all the facts, it has been decided that no formal inquest will be necessary. Luthor committed suicide - you were too late to save him - end of story." Clark looked relieved. "In a way, that's the truth," he said quietly. "He died because of the ring." Henderson frowned, and cleared his throat. "Yes, well, uh, the ring. I have some not-so-good news about that. We still have no idea how Luthor got hold of the rock. None of the kryptonite is missing from Star Labs. From the ring covering we found in Luthor's pocket, we *were* able to trace the guy who made it for him. Leo Osterman - "jeweler to the mob" - also a fence, you probably remember him, Lois. Claims he had no idea what the green stone was, and Luthor wasn't the kind you asked questions. But the ring itself..." Henderson looked a little embarrassed. "We can't find it." "What!?" Lois and Clark spoke together, and Henderson threw up his hands. "I don't know how, but between the time the body hit the pavement and the meatwagon got there, the ring disappeared. It was dark, the streets are full of petty thieves who wouldn't think twice about robbing a corpse, so..." "So somewhere in Metropolis, there's a piece of kryptonite, and we don't have a clue where to look," Clark finished. Lois gave him a worried glance, but he seemed more resigned than upset. "I'm afraid so," Henderson said. "Maybe we'll get lucky, and whoever took it has no idea what it is." "Maybe," Clark said, but he didn't sound too hopeful. "But it's all in the police report..." Henderson nodded. "Yeah. I wish I could say it will stay confidential, but...well." He shrugged, then stuck out his hand to Clark. "Good luck." He lifted an eyebrow at Lois. "You, too, Lois. You deserve some." Surprised at his words, Lois watched Henderson walk away, then turned to Clark. "You said you wanted to walk in the park after breakfast," she said, gesturing to the stone pillars that marked the entrance. "Here we are." Clark took her hand without answering, and they stepped off the sidewalk and onto the tree-lined path. It was not quite nine, but the day was already warm, and the shade was welcome. "Okay," he said, "you've been dying to tell me something ever since I picked you up this morning. What is it?" Lois stopped and faced him, her face bright with excitement. "Oh, Clark, it's wonderful! Mr.Olsen - only he wants me to call him *Jim*," she laughed, "called me last night and offered me my old job at the Planet! He's really anxious to get the scoop on the Luthor debacle, and he's willing to pay very well for my exclusive report, whatever I'm free to tell, of course. Afterwards, I can choose my own stories - I'll have the full support of the paper on any investigations - the whole nine yards! And the best part," she gave him a quick kiss, "is that we'll be working with each other. Isn't that great!?" Clark laughed and hugged her. "Yes," he agreed. "Lane and Kent, finally together at the Planet, and all's right with the world." Within the circle of his arms, Lois acknowledged the truth of his words. As long as they were together, no matter what else happened, all *was* right in their world. Clark's hands moved caressingly over Lois's back, and he began to sway back and forth in place, humming under his breath. "Clark, what - ?" Lois began, then relaxed against him, as she recognized the melody. "They were playing that song," she murmured. "Before everything went crazy. It was always one of my favorites." "I realized this morning that you and I got all dressed up and went to the ball," he said, "but we never got to dance with each other. I'd been looking forward to holding you, especially in that dress," he grinned down at her, "and it didn't happen. So, -" he twirled her around on the pathway, "I thought we'd make up for it now." He started humming again, and Lois sang along in a low voice: "It's very clear, our love is here to stay; not for a year, but ever and a day..." They danced along beneath the trees without meeting anyone else until they reached the open area around the fountain. "Clark." Lois stayed in his arms and tilted her head back to look at him. " Maybe this isn't the right time or place, but I have to tell you now." He looked bewildered at first, but then he thought - he hoped - he understood. He smiled encouragingly. "I believe our love "*is* going to last," she went on. "I'm as sure of that as I've ever been of anything. I know there are no guarantees in life, but I also know that I'm never going to love anyone as much as I love you." Clark swallowed hard. "That's exactly how I feel," he said. "So...are you saying you'll marry me?" Lois eyes met his and they were sparkling with love and tears. "Yes, Clark, I will." "Lois." Clark could only say her name, and then he was kissing her, lifting her off her feet with the gentle strength that he controlled so effortlessly. When the kiss ended, Lois saw that he had taken them straight up into the air, and they were floating high above the treetops. The sun was warm; a slight breeze ruffled Lois's hair as they drifted. "Now, that's dancing," she said dreamily, and wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck. "I could stay like this with you forever. But," she went on regretfully, "I suppose we should get back down to earth. There's a lot to do - my new job, and I don't want a long engagement, do you? I'll call Alice, and Perry, and -" While she was speaking, Clark put one arm under Lois's knees, lifting and cradling her. He looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, honey. I really hate to do this, especially now, but Superman has a meeting with the Citizens for a Safer Metropolis at ten, which Clark Kent is supposed to cover for the paper. I've got to go." Lois sighed, but nodded in understanding. She brushed her mouth against his, and said, "It's all right." Her lips curved in a small secret smile. "You always come back. Why don't you drop me off at the Planet on the way? I'll see you there afterwards. We can have lunch and start making plans." Clark laughed and kissed her once more, as he turned them toward the Daily Planet globe which gleamed in the distance. "Whatever you say, Lois. Whatever you say." THE END "Love Is Here To Stay" by George & Ira Gershwin, copyright 1937. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 00:40:33 PDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Seema Raghunathan Subject: Re: Nemesis Part 3 Content-Type: text/plain I'm new to this list and therefore never received Nemesis pt 3. Would somebody please re-post it. Thanks Seema ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 08:19:20 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: ALT SHOOK UP (1/4) NOTE: This was written in May, before the axe fell. ;) Author's Note: Not only do the usual disclaimers apply to this story, but I think I should make a special point of saying I realize how little of this is really mine. I prefer to think of it as a pastiche, rather than rank plagiarism , but you be the judge. I have "borrowed" large chunks of plot, dialogue, character bits, all kinds of things in this story, but in my own defense, I did have a reason for choosing this particular premise. I hope it becomes clear why. I love "Lois & Clark" just as it is, and have never had any desire to re-write the show or re-imagine its characters. I sincerely hope that in addition to all the fanfic inspired by TEMPUS,ANYONE and LOIS AND CLARKS we will get the *official* meeting of AltLois and AltClark next year. Until then, with apologies to Bryce Zabel, John McNamara, and all the rest, this is my way of saying "thanks" to "Lois & Clark." ALT SHOOK UP by Georgia Walden (GWalden@aol.com) The world was waiting - at least the part of it that had access to television, radio, newspapers - waiting for the outcome of the most important battle in its long history of battles. On one side was a gigantic piece of rock - the Nightfall asteroid. It was a juggernaut, 17 miles across, mindlessly tumbling through space at 30,00 miles per hour, on a collision course with Earth. If nothing stopped it within the next four days, it would bring with it massive destruction, perhaps even the end of life. On the other side - a man. True, he was a super man, miraculously strong, and even more miraculously willing to pit his strength against the cold rock in cold space, but still - one man. He had answered the call from the government and military leaders when they first learned of the asteroid's existence, and he had promised to "do his best." His best was usually pretty spectacular, so they had great hope, but the world that understood what was happening held its breath, prayed, and waited. Lois Lane clutched the receiver of the pay phone a little more tightly as she listened to the ring at the other end. "Come on, Perry, be there - answer the phone," she urged under her breath, and shuffled her feet impatiently. The phone was located in the dingy, deserted lobby of the Royale, an incredibly grungy therefore incredibly cheap hotel. She'd been back in Metropolis for three hours, and had needed a place to rest and plan before announcing her return to her friends. The little money she'd managed to scrape together had gone for travel expenses and the few items of clothing that were crammed into the canvas bag at her feet. There had been nothing left over for such luxuries as a nice hotel. She had visited Suicide Slum many times in her early days as a reporter on the crime beat. Back then she'd never imagined she'd be hiding out in the seediest hotel in the district. She'd never imagined a lot of things - like being left for dead in the African jungle by a hired killer, or spending months in a coma in tiny mission hospital, or battling her way through a war zone to catch the last plane out of Brazzaville. She couldn't have imagined them, but they'd happened. Typical Lois Lane, Perry would have said - she just seemed to go from disaster to disaster, somehow coming out of each one not only unscathed, but with a great story. Now she was home, ready to reclaim her life and find the man who had tried to end it, just in time for the possible destruction of the world. If it hadn't been so awful, she would have laughed. The ringing stopped and a voice said: "Daily Planet, Editor's desk." It wasn't Perry, the voice was younger and female. "Is Perry there? I have to speak to him - it's very important. This is ...an old friend." "Perry White? Why would the mayor - oh, you *have* been out of touch. Perry White is no longer the editor of the Planet. He's the mayor of Metropolis now. I'm sure he's still at City Hall with the rest of the bigwigs, waiting to hear from Superman." Lois' shock at hearing that Perry wasn't a newspaperman any more momentarily distracted her from the rest of the woman's words. "Uh, Superman? Oh, right, the guy in the cape - he went into space to try to stop the asteroid," she said absently. She was furiously rethinking her original plan of action. The first thing she'd done when she got off the plane at midnight had been to buy a copy of The Daily Planet. It was like food to a starving woman to see that logo, to read about what was going on in Metropolis. The paper was completely taken over by the Nightfall story, of course, and there had been a front page shot of the brightly clad young man who had recently appeared in the city, a young man who could do amazing things. He was standing outside the EPRAD Command Center, shaking hands with some general and looking, as best as she could tell from the fuzzy photo, a bit grim. Her life had been so focused on surviving the last three years that she'd paid little attention to what the rest of the world was up to. She didn't know which was the most amazing: the asteroid, the appearance of a man who could fly, or Perry giving up his job as editor. She had been sure that with a story like this one, Perry would be living at the Planet. She frowned at the phone. This was going to change things a bit - she had been counting on Perry, as a friend, but also as a boss and a newspaperman. Well, she'd see, but first she had to contact him. "Thanks, I'll try to call him there." She hung up and turned toward the street entrance. The grimy windows in the double doors prevented her from seeing the sidewalk, but for three o'clock in the morning in Suicide Slum, it looked surprisingly quiet out there. On impulse, she picked up her bag and walked outside, stopping at the top of the short flight of steps which led down to the street. The air was cool, and Lois shivered in her skimpy cotton T-shirt and worn jeans. The streets and alleys of the slum were deserted - even the drug dealers, thieves, and prostitutes who usually littered the area from dusk to dawn were holed up somewhere watching television or listening to the radio. The homeless who spent their days wandering the street had disappeared to wherever they spent their nights. From here, she could see the lighted windows of several bars filled with people, and the sounds of laughter and music drifted out into the night. Not everyone was praying, Lois thought wryly. A lot of them were getting drunk. Maybe she'd join them. If this Superman didn't succeed in stopping Nightfall, all her plans wouldn't matter anyway. Time enough to call on Mayor Perry White afterwards. Lois started down the steps just as a bright flash of light streaked across the sky, arcing down behind the broken tooth skyline and disappearing from sight. A rumble of sound followed, and a plume of dust rose from a spot a couple of streets away. "What the -?" Lois was halfway down the block before the sound had completely died away. The drift of dust was barely discernible in the faint glow of the streetlights, but it was enough to lead her into an alley that connected with the next street over. She plunged into the alley and out the other end, then stopped, dropping her bag where she stood. Where there had been sidewalk was now a large hole at least eight feet across and several feet deep. Small fires were burning in a scattered pattern around the edge, and Lois stepped carefully past them as she crept closer to the hole for a better look.. The dust was still settling and very little light penetrated, but Lois could see something was there, a shape in the center of the crater. Suddenly the figure shifted, sitting up with a grunt. Lois's eyes rounded with astonishment as the flickering light cast by the fires reflected off smoothly polished skin. A *lot* of skin, she thought with a mixture of shock and amusement. It was a man sitting there - and he was totally naked. For a moment she just admired the breadth of his shoulders and the graceful line of his back as he bent forward. His position and the darkness prevented her from getting a good look at *everything*, but she could see that his legs were as finely muscled as the rest of him. "Wow," she breathed. The man must have heard her or sensed her presence, for he turned his face toward her and stared directly at Lois. Dark eyes met hers and the slightly dazed look in them faded and changed to something else. For just a second, the expression on his face seemed to be one of joyful recognition, but it was gone almost before she could identify it, and she thought she must have imagined it. He didn't say anything, but gathered his legs under him to stand. "Um, before you make any sudden moves, I guess I should mention you aren't wearing any clothes." Her voice was cool and uninflected. She was proud of that voice - no one could tell she was a bit dazed herself. The man froze and looked down at himself, then back at her. He was confused, she thought, and a little embarrassed. "Are you all right?" she added. "It looks like there was some kind of explosion. Are you hurt?" "I don't seem to be," he said. His voice was low, a little husky, but with a light, smooth quality. Like ice cream, she thought fancifully. "I don't ...I don't exactly remember how I got here," he went on, and looked at her with a question in his eyes. "Did you see what happened?" "Nope," she said cheerfully, "but don't worry, I'm sure it will all come back to you soon. It usually does." "You've been in a lot of explosions?" he asked, and he sounded amused. "A few," she said tartly, "but I've never been knocked out of my clothes by any of them." She couldn't seem to get her mind off the fact that this magnificent specimen sitting in front of her was naked. Get a grip, Lois, she admonished herself. You've seen a naked man before, and besides, he's a poor soul who needs help. Just because he was the living fulfillment of every fantasy she'd ever had was no reason to totally lose her head. She had a sudden inspiration. "Hold on, maybe I can do something about that." She turned to her bag lying on the ground behind her and opened it. Digging through its meager contents, she finally pulled out a pair of white cotton drawstring pants and the oversized hot pink T-shirt that served as her nightwear. "Here, try these. They may be a bit snug, but at least you'll be decent." She tossed the clothes to the man, who caught them and immediately began putting them on. The T-shirt which swallowed her slight form strained over his shoulders, and the pants were also tight and inches too short, but they covered him. "Thanks," he said, and smiled at her as he stood and began pulling himself up out of the hole. The smile was a dazzling flash of white in the shadowed planes of his face, and Lois felt her concentration slip again. She mentally shook off the effect, and in self-defense shifted into reporter mode. "All right - what's your name and where do you live? Somewhere around here?" He was standing beside her now, looming a bit, and she thought longingly of the closetful of stylish shoes that she had once owned. Four-inch heels in every possible color and design - those shoes had added a lot to the image and effectiveness of Lois Lane, Top Investigative Reporter. She liked looking people in the eye, especially when she was asking them probing and potentially incriminating questions. The flat canvas slip-ons she was wearing now made her feel small next to the man - not threatened by his height and bulk, but aware of it in a way she wasn't used to. He looked down at her, and once again, those dark eyes seemed to be looking not at her, but into her, as though searching for something. But his words were nothing to do with her at all. "I don't know. I can't remember my name *or* where I live." He looked around at the dreary street and dilapidated buildings. "There's nothing familiar about this neighborhood, but I guess that doesn't mean much." "Are you telling me you don't remember *anything* about yourself? Nothing at all?" Her voice rose in disbelief, and he hunched his shoulders slightly and tried to shove his hands into the slash pockets of the pants. The attempt strained the flimsy material and he hastily brought his hands back up, raising one to his face, then dropping it again. Lois narrowed her eyes speculatively at the abortive gesture. It reminded her of something. "I wonder.."she began, but then stopped. "Never mind," she said soothingly, "you probably just need a little time. Do you want to go to a hospital? You don't look injured, but maybe you have a head wound that doesn't show." "No, really, I'm fine. I don't hurt anywhere. I just don't... remember anything about myself." "Well, what's the last thing you do remember?" His eyes took on a faraway look as he thought, then sharpened with sudden recollection. "A newspaper office. I think that's what it is. I can see myself at a desk writing. I must work for a newspaper." "Great! That's a good start!" In her excitement, Lois grabbed his arm with one hand and placed her other on his chest. "I'm a reporter - well, I used to be, and I will be again - maybe you work at my old newspaper. Maybe that's why you were out here, covering a story - and got caught up in something dangerous." The man had gone still when she touched him, and Lois quickly stepped back. She didn't know why she'd clutched at him like that, a perfect stranger. It had seemed so natural, but maybe he was one of those people who didn't like their body space invaded. "The Daily Planet? Is that it? - it's the biggest paper in Metropolis - and the best," she added proudly. "The Planet? I'm not sure - maybe," he said, "but if we went there now, do you think someone would recognize me?" He looked again at the deserted streets, and then turned back to Lois with a hopeful expression. "I don't suppose you have a car, do you? I doubt we can get a cab around here, and I have no money for one. Obviously." Lois shook her head. "No car. Not much money, either and it's a very long walk from here. We can go back to my hotel. There's a phone in the lobby - we can try calling the paper." "Your hotel?" "Yes, my hotel," Lois glared at him, "but don't get any funny ideas. Just think of me as a Good Samaritan." He nodded, and said, "Yes, ma'am - no funny ideas." His tone was solemn, but his eyes were dancing. He added, "Seriously, though, you're taking quite a chance helping me, a woman all alone. You know nothing about me. I could be dangerous, a crazed killer or something." Lois laughed. "Dangerous? Buster, you have no idea who you're talking to. I think I can handle one slightly addled guy in a hot pink T-shirt." He looked down at himself and then grinned at her. "You're probably right. By the way, who *am* I talking to?" She grinned back, and stuck out her hand. "Lois Lane, once and future investigative reporter for the Daily Planet. I've been...ah, out of town for a while." He took her hand in his much larger one, and for a moment just stared at the sight of her fingers wrapped in his. When he looked back up, that hard to identify expression was there again. He smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Lois Lane." She slowly withdrew her hand from his - he seemed reluctant to let go - and backed away. She had this odd feeling bubbling up in her, a feeling of anticipation, as though something wonderful were about to happen. But that was ridiculous. Her entire life was in shambles, the world was possibly coming to an end, and here she stood in the middle of Suicide Slum with a man with no memory, feeling...happy. It couldn't be because he'd smiled at her, that would be beyond ridiculous, it would be insane. She tapped him lightly on the arm, turned and started back down the alley, saying over her shoulder, "Well, come on then, let's get moving." Pausing to scoop up her bag, the man obediently hurried after her. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 08:19:31 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: ALT SHOOK UP (2/4) The lobby of the Royale was still deserted, but Lois could hear the mutter of a television somewhere. The desk clerk must be watching the news too, she thought. She wondered if there was any word from Superman, if he had succeeded in destroying the asteroid. She stopped suddenly, and turned to find her nose pressed against the chest of her companion. "Oops, sorry," she said, "I didn't realize you were right behind me." "What's the matter? Did you change your mind?" he asked. "No, of course not - I want to check the news. I think there's a TV or radio in that room behind the desk. Maybe there's some word about the asteroid. Let me go check." Without waiting for a response, Lois dashed away, slipping behind the desk and through the door behind it. She was back in a few moments, shaking her head. "Nothing. Superman sighted the asteroid, checked in with EPRAD, and since then, not a thing. Doesn't sound good, does it?" The young man looked at her blankly. "Asteroid? Superman?" Lois sighed. "Good lord, it's worse than I thought," she said, and took his arm. "Come on, let's go find a newspaper and some coffee. I'll fill you in." A half hour later, Lois sat cross-legged on the narrow, lumpy bed in her hotel room and sipped coffee from a Styrofoam cup. Her new friend occupied the rickety chair beside the bed. He was reading the latest edition of the Daily Planet, skimming through each column on every page, pausing occasionally to study a photograph or chart. She was down to the sludge at the bottom of her cup when he finally re-folded the newspaper, and looked up at her. His expression was a little bleak, but he smiled slightly when she looked into the cup and wrinkled her nose. "It looks like it may not matter much whether I get my memory back," he said quietly. "I really appreciate your trying to help me, but I've got to ask - why?" "Why what?" Lois replied, setting down her cup, and shifting on the bed so that she sat on the edge facing him. "I don't understand why you're spending time with me, when all this is going on. You say there's been no contact with Superman since he sighted the asteroid. Shouldn't you be with your family or friends now? This could be your last chance to spend time with the people you love." Lois shook her head, and looked away. Her bottom lip trembled just a little, but her voice was even. "I haven't been in contact with my family for a long time - we didn't talk much before, and besides, everyone thinks I've been dead for the last three years." "And you don't want them to know that you're not? Why? Why are staying in this place? You don't fit here, Lois. This isn't where you belong." "You know that about me, do you? After one hour in my company, you know where I belong, but you don't have a clue about anything else," she said challengingly, but the young man's gaze didn't waver. He leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart. "That's right. I'm not sure why I'm sure, but there's something about you - something I can't explain. I feel...I don't know - as though I know you. Weird, huh?" Brown eyes searched her own, looking for... what? Lois stared back for a breathless moment, then looked away again. It was too much - she didn't believe in instant connections between people. It was just the strangeness of the situation, too many things happening all at once. Her eyes dropped to the discarded newspaper, which had fallen to the floor. Just below the fold on the front page was an article entitled "Nightfall Asteroid Superman's Biggest Challenge Yet" by Clark Kent/AKA Superman. A small photo of a young man with dark hair and wire-rimmed glasses accompanied the article. It didn't register at first, but as she stared, the image came more sharply into focus. Her breath caught, and she snatched up the paper so suddenly, the young man jerked back into his chair, startled by her movement. "My God - Clark Kent AKA Superman! It's you - this is a picture of you!" She whipped the paper around so that he could see the photograph, but bounced up off the bed before he had a chance to look at it. She dropped the paper into his lap and began pacing back and forth in front of him, waving her arms excitedly as she spoke. The words tumbled out of her in a torrent, and he was torn between watching and listening to her and studying the picture. "I can't believe it! Don't you see? That flash of light in the sky was *you* - not some explosion. You fell from outer space! No wonder you weren't hurt - you're Superman! When you hit the asteroid, the impact must have been like a nuclear blast - it knocked you back to earth, and totally wiped out your memory. Not to mention your suit," she threw in parenthetically, with a smile in his direction, then rushed on. " And that thing you did with your hand - you were straightening your glasses, people who wear glasses do that all the time, only you didn't have any glasses. Why *do* you wear glasses - don't you have super-eyes or something? Everyone in the world is waiting to hear from you, and you're sitting in *my* hotel room, wearing *my* T-shirt and pants! What a story! I mean, it would be a story if I were able to come out of hiding and write it, but still, it's a great story, you can write it yourself once it's all over - why are you laughing? - this is not funny!" She stopped in mid-spate and put her hands on her hips. The mystery man, no - Clark Kent - Superman himself - was shaking his head and laughing softly. "You are - amazing, Lois Lane," he said. "Me?" Lois squeaked in surprise. "You're the one - you're Superman!" He frowned at that. "It's funny. You seem sure this is me and I do remember writing at a newspaper, but I still don't remember any of the rest. I don't *feel* super. I can't imagine flying or pushing an asteroid around and I sure can't imagine wearing that outfit! A cape, sheesh, and those tights." His expression was pure masculine distaste for such a display. "Well, trust me, I know what I saw, and it all fits. This is a picture of you." Lois pointed again to the paper, then grabbed Clark Kent's hand and tugged him out of the chair. "Look in the mirror - you'll see." He faced the mottled mirror that hung above the dresser. She was right - he did resemble the man on the front page - minus the glasses. His eyes met Lois's in the mirror. "You see? Come on - let's check the phone book downstairs. Maybe you're listed," she urged. "Why wouldn't you be? You don't have to worry about wackos threatening you if you write something they don't like." She urged him toward the door. "That sounds like the voice of experience," Clark said, as he followed her down the stairs. She was still holding his hand, and he savored the feel of it. He hoped she wouldn't suddenly notice and take hers away. "Well, yes," she said, looking back at him. "I do seem to have a talent for ticking people off. That's how I know - knew - I was doing my job right." "Is that why you're hiding out here in this place? You said everyone thinks you're dead. Did somebody do something more than threaten you, Lois?" The amusement was suddenly gone. His voice sounded different to Lois - more authoritative, and his expression had changed, too. He didn't look like reporter Clark Kent now, but she could definitely see a resemblance to the grim-faced superhero in the EPRAD photo. "We can talk about all that later," she said. "Right now, we've got to get you back into action. First step - find out where you live. You're going to need some more clothes." Clark looked as if he wanted to pursue the matter, but after a moment, he nodded. "All right, but whatever happens, Lois, know this. As long as I'm around, I won't let anyone or anything hurt you." It sounded like a vow, and Lois knew she should have resented his presumption. Instead, she felt that bubbly feeling again. The future, both hers and the rest of the world's, suddenly looked a whole lot brighter. The cab pulled up in front of 344 Clinton and Lois and Clark got out quickly. Lois started up the low flight of steps immediately, but Clark turned back and leaned into the open window on the passenger side of the front seat. "If you'll wait a moment, I'll go get some money to pay you," he said, but the cabbie just lifted a hand to the brim of his cap and tipped it. "It's okay, Superman," he said with a grin. "I couldn't help but hear you and the little lady talking. This is a story to tell the grandkids. Thanks for saving us all." The cab was gone in a cloud of exhaust before Clark could even say 'thanks', or explain that he wasn't sure he'd saved anyone yet. He turned and followed Lois up the steps. The apartment was locked, but when he turned the knob it broke off in his hand. Startled, he looked down at the doorknob, and then at Lois. She was beaming at him, as though he were a child who had just done something clever. "See, I told you. The cab driver recognized you. You're very strong. You *are* Superman." Clark pushed open the door gently, and motioned Lois to go in ahead of him. The room was dark, but the faint light from the street revealed a broad flight of steps leading down into the large room. It was sparsely furnished, and the rough, unfinished walls gave it a rather austere look. Behind her, Clark flipped the switch next to the door, and Lois blinked in the sudden bright light. They stood there looking around the room, then Lois turned to him. "Doesn't any of this seem familiar?" she asked, but instead of answering, Clark walked down the steps, and across to a desk on the opposite side of the room. A neat stack of newspaper clippings sat in the center of the desk. He picked up the one on top, and read the headline: "Madman's Plot Foiled by Superman; Tempus and Mysterious Woman in White Still Missing." There was an out-of-focus shot of a woman bending over a man, himself apparently - he was wearing that suit. She was crying and he seemed to be in pain. There was a flash of memory - he could feel the strange weakness, the agony of just trying to breathe, to stay conscious, but at the same time, the relief. He had done something, stopped something terrible from happening, and that was what mattered. Clark looked at the woman in the picture. She had shorter hair, and her white suit was stylishly elegant, but the face - it wasn't very clear, but he thought it looked like Lois Lane. No, that was impossible. Lois had never seen him before tonight. She hadn't been in Metropolis for three years, so how could she have been on the scene when this picture was taken? Lois came up beside him. "What's that? Have you remembered something? You looked funny just now." Clark looked again at the clipping and then at the woman next to him. "Yes, I remembered something. I think I am this Superman, and if I am - I need to find out what's going on with the asteroid. Maybe I stopped it, but I don't know - I'll call EPRAD." While Clark looked for the number, Lois walked over to the television and switched it on. The Channel 6 News reporter, looking a bit haggard, was speaking. "...we take you now to our man at the EPRAD Command Center for a live report. Go ahead, Steve." The screen showed a jumble of reporters and equipment clustered around three men. "Professor Daitch, have you heard from Superman?" One of the reporters called out the question they all wanted to ask. "What about Nightfall? Did he stop it?" A balding middle aged man with a gray mustache and a worried look stepped up to the microphones. "Superman's impact on the Nightfall asteroid was substantial. It was not, however, decisive. A large chunk of it, approximately 3 miles across, is on the same collision course with Earth, and unless something is done, we are still in grave danger." "But Superman," persisted the reporter, "what about him? Is he going to try again?" Secretary Cosgrove stepped forward to answer. He was the shortest of the three, with a shock of silvery hair, but his worried look was identical to the professor's. "We haven't yet heard from Superman. We aren't even sure he made it back to earth." A heavyset black man in uniform broke in. His tone was clipped and solemn. "We're proceeding with our contingency plan of using the Asgard delivery system to fire nuclear missiles at the asteroid. If he wants to, Superman knows how to find us easier than we know how to find him. That will be all, ladies and gentlemen. If you'll excuse us, we have work to do." "Well, there's your answer, Clark," Lois said. "They need you to go back into space and try again." She looked around the room. "I wonder where you keep the outfits. Let's check the bedroom closet." She started toward the sleeping area, but Clark's strained words stopped her. He was staring at the TV screen, and when he turned to face her, she saw his expression of dismay. "Lois, what are you talking about? You say I'm Superman, the evidence seems to indicate that I'm Superman, but I don't remember how to *be* Superman! I want to help, really I do, but I'm supposed to know how to fly, and have x-ray vision. I don't remember any of that, and if I can't remember them, how can I do them?" He brought both hands up and ran his fingers through his hair in a gesture of frustration. Lois stared at him, for the first time since recognizing him in her hotel room really seeing him. Despite his amnesia, he'd been perfectly calm before, even relaxed. Now he looked worried, anxious. As though the fate of the world rested on his shoulders, she thought wryly. Her eyes softened, and she moved to him impulsively. Resting both hands on his chest, she looked up into his eyes. He had gone still again, but this time Lois didn't think it was because he didn't like her touching him. His eyes told her differently, and his arms came slowly around her to hold her gently in place. "You can do them. I know you can." She reached up and pushed back the curl of silky black hair that had fallen on his forehead. Her fingers barely brushed his skin, but Clark closed his eyes and sighed, releasing the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. When he opened them again, he was stunned by the look of warmth and trust on her face. "You know that about me, do you?" he asked. She smiled at his echoing her earlier words, but she could feel her throat closing and tears misting her eyes. He looked so doubtful and uncertain she felt compelled to reassure him. "Yes, I do. I don't know why I'm so sure about this. We *don't* know each other. But I know that you're special, not just because you can fly, but because you're the kind of person who cares, who wants to help. Remember when I first saw you at the crater? You were the one in trouble, but you told me I was taking a chance, that you might be dangerous. When you got the idea someone had tried to hurt me, you promised to protect *me.* I think that's what you do, Clark. You protect. It's just you." Clark swallowed, his emotions too near the surface for him to speak. He lifted his right hand to carefully cup Lois' cheek, his fingers whisper soft against her skin. His body shifted even closer to hers as his hand slid up her face to tangle gently in her hair. "Lois." His voice was low, urgent. "Lois, I know you said not to get any ideas, but when you're close to me, all I can think about is how desperately I want to kiss you." His fingers continued to stroke through the fall of mink brown hair, while his eyes searched her face. Clark lowered his head slowly, watching for some sign of resistance, as though he expected her to pull away. But instead she tilted her head into the hand moving in her hair, and smiled, her eyes drifting closed as she pressed against him. "Well, that's good," she murmured, just as his mouth touched hers, "'cause I desperately want to be kissed by you." He was gentle for a moment, tasting her, then with a groan of relief and pleasure he deepened the kiss. For a dazed second Lois thought that he kissed as though he were starving for her, but soon all thought was drowned in sensation. Without breaking the kiss, Clark backed her toward the couch, and they collapsed onto the cushioned length of it, Clark beneath her. Her body had gone boneless with desire, while his was tense, straining to hold her even more closely. His hands moved restlessly, trying to touch her everywhere at once. Long moments later, Lois pushed weakly at his chest, lifting her mouth from his to take a breath. She tried to speak, but the words died in her throat as she looked at his face. He was staring up at her with the strangest expression - as though he'd seen a ghost. "What's the matter, Clark? she asked shakily. "Is something wrong - did I do something wrong?" She didn't usually go down like melted wax when she was kissed, but surely he wasn't put off by her response. "What?" he said in a dazed voice. And then, "No! Oh no, never - it's just that I realized - just now when we were kissing - I knew. You're my Lois." The look of wonder was growing and spreading, making his eyes glow. Lois felt blinded by the light. "*Your* Lois?" she repeated. He sat up suddenly, swinging his legs around, Lois still cradled in his arms. She made a move to slide out of his lap, but he tightened his grip. He was laughing, she realized with a mixture of confusion and delight. The troubled man who had looked at her with such anguish only a short time before was positively giddy with joy. "Clark?" She placed both hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at her. "What is it?" "I remember. I remember *everything*," he said. "I remember who I am, and all the things that have happened to me, and most important of all, I remember *you*." He kissed her again, a hard, quick kiss that shook her to her toes, and then he hugged her even closer, tucking her head under his chin, and rocking back and forth on the sofa. "How can you remember me, Clark? We've just met." She loved the feel of his arms wrapped around her, but no matter how right it felt, there was something strange going on here that she didn't understand, and Lois Lane didn't like being out of the loop. "It's a complicated, pretty unbelievable story, Lois, which I will be happy to tell you just as soon as I have the time. For now, just believe that I've been waiting for you to come home to Metropolis, to *me*, for a long time. And now you're here." Clark tilted her face up to his again, his mouth brushing hers softly. "I think I'd just about given up hope - maybe that's why I forgot who I was and what I was - I didn't want to face living without you anymore." Lois looked even more confused, but the sincerity of his words couldn't be doubted. "I still don't understand, but I'm glad that you're all right now. And as much as I'm enjoying this," she smiled a little shyly, and brushed his lips lightly with her fingers, shivering as he kissed them, "I guess we'd better take care of this other thing first. Then I'll expect a full explanation." Clark nodded and sat up straighter. He sighed and said, "You're right. First Nightfall, then us." He smiled. "Us. I like the sound of that." He stood, still holding Lois, and then slowly eased her down to a standing position. He let her go reluctantly and headed for the bedroom. "I'll change and get over to the EPRAD facility." Before Lois could move, Clark had disappeared around the corner and with a blur of color re-appeared before her. "Wow," she said, with a grin. Clark smiled back with touch of embarrassment. "You like the suit?" "You look...wonderful," she said. "What's not to like?" Clark beamed. "Thanks. I should have known. Well, I'll be back just as soon as I can. Wait for me here?" Lois shook her head, and replied firmly, "No way. Take me with you, or I'll find a way to follow you. I'm not likely to be recognized in all the confusion, and maybe I can hook up with Perry while you're off saving the world." Clark sighed, but didn't seem surprised. "I should have known that, too. Okay, let's go." Lois gasped as with a whoosh, she was scooped up against the oddly shaped 'S' design on Clark's chest and they were out the window and flying through the cool pre-dawn air. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 08:19:43 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: ALT SHOOK UP (3/4) From the air, the white concrete of the EPRAD Command Center was clearly visible in the dim gray light of early morning. Lights shone from every window, and there was more illumination from those set up by the TV camera crews. Lois could see the crowd of reporters milling about on the steps of the main entrance. It had been less than a half hour since they had watched the press conference with Professor Daitch, Secretary Cosgrove, and General Zeitlin and most of the TV journalists were still doing commentary. As Clark began to descend, one of them looked up. "Hey, look, it's Superman! He's back - hey, Superman, did you hear what the professor said about the asteroid? Are you going back out to finish the job?" Clark dropped lower, landing outside the circle of light on the top step and setting Lois down carefully. A barrage of questions were coming from all sides. He held up a hand for silence, and Lois smiled slightly when the crowd instantly became quiet. "Yes, I heard everything, and I'm going in now to meet with the scientific and military teams. I want you all to know that I believe this time I'll be able to stop Nightfall completely, but," he smiled at the crowd, "it never hurts to wish me luck." The reporters laughed, and began scattering again, talking into their individual microphones to their colleagues in the studios, while cameras followed Superman as he entered EPRAD. Lois had retreated further into the shadows while Clark was speaking, but rejoined him as he reached the door. She kept her face turned away, and used his body to block the view of the cameras. She could see that the reporters had recovered quickly from the excitement of Superman's return and were now turning their attention to his flying companion. "Let's get inside before they get too close a look at me. I'm not concerned about any of these government types recognizing me, but I really don't want my picture on the news." Lois peered around Clark's shoulder and saw that the Channel 6 reporter was heading their way. The large door leading into the reception area closed behind them with a thud, and Clark smiled down at Lois. "Don't worry about the reporters. I'll take care of it," he said just as the elevator door opened and the three officials hurried across the lobby to greet him. The men barely glanced at Lois - their attention was wholly on Superman. "Superman - thank God. We were afraid - well, never mind, you're here," Secretary Cosgrove exclaimed breathlessly. "We've already begun the calculations for your next rendezvous with Nightfall," said Professor Daitch. Clark allowed himself to be surrounded as they moved toward the elevator, and Lois trailed behind, mentally taking notes on the scene. What a story it would be, she thought gleefully, and she was on the inside! Mayor Perry White leaned back in the padded leather chair behind his desk and closed his eyes. His staff bustled around the office serving coffee to an assortment of politicians and businessmen. He didn't know how much coffee had been drunk in the last three days, but personally he was sick of the stuff. When this was all over, he was planning to have a good stiff drink or three, and to hell with his public image. For a moment, he fantasized about how it would have been - to be at the Planet, covering the biggest story since the Flood - and nothing to worry about but getting one last edition out before whatever was going to happen, happened. Instead he was here, trying to coordinate Metropolis's response to an event beyond most people's comprehension. He had done his best to project an image of calm and confidence, but in reality, the city government was just as panicked as everyone else. The sky was falling, and there wasn't a damn thing the mayor of Metropolis could do about it, except make sure the emergency plans were in place to handle the aftermath. If there was anyone still around, that is. Since the initial sighting they'd been on an emotional roller coaster. Councilmen, bureaucrats, heads of private organizations, and business leaders had all converged on City Hall when Superman had flown into space. They had watched together as ground control at EPRAD had relayed his messages and cheered at the moment of impact, but the cheers had turned to grim silence when contact with Superman was lost. Professor Daitch's announcement a short time before had seemed to be the signal to start panicking again, but then, once again, Superman had shown up to offer another chance at avoiding disaster. The atmosphere had relaxed considerably in the mayor's office while they drank coffee and waited for Superman to come out of EPRAD Command. Perry shook his head in wonder at how life had changed in just a few months. To think that Clark Kent was some kind of alien superman! A nicer guy you wouldn't want to meet, and a good, solid journalist, but who in the King's name would have thought such a thing! There was a subtle change in the air around him, and Perry opened his eyes to see who had dared disturb the first restful moment he'd had in three days. "I beg your pardon, Mayor. I know you're exhausted, but could I have a moment of your time?" The voice was smooth and exquisitely polite, but Perry felt a flash of irritation out of all proportion to the interruption. Lex Luthor was a young and successful businessman whose considerable holdings had mushroomed dramatically in recent months. He had expanded his collection of companies to include communications, computers, high tech "r & d" of all kinds, and seemingly overnight had become a commanding force in Metropolis. Perry knew he had made a play to take over the Daily Planet, too, but luckily Mr. Olsen was just as adept at stock market games as Luthor. The man was handsome, cultured, and generous with his time and money, but there was something about him that Perry just couldn't like. Maybe it was the eyes, he thought. Lex Luthor had very cold eyes. "Yes, Mr. Luthor, what can I do for you?" Perry answered with equal politeness, as he sat up straighter in his chair. "I was thinking, Mayor, since it appears our resident superhero is going to pull our fat out of the fire after all, that we should be looking to the future of Metropolis, indeed of the world." Lex smiled charmingly and sat on the edge of Perry's desk. The casual pose blocked Perry's view of the rest of the room, including the bank of television sets that had been set up on the opposite wall. "Well, I like to think I'm always lookin' to the future of Metropolis," Perry drawled, pushing back his chair and standing so that he could look Luthor in the eye, "but what exactly did you have in mind?" "I'm as grateful as the next person for all the wonderful things that Superman has done for us since he, um, came out of hiding, shall we say - and I'm sure he's as trustworthy and ethical as any being could be, but..." Lex trailed off and looked pensive. "But...?" Perry prompted. He knew that there were still people in Metropolis who harbored doubts about Superman, doubts planted by that scum Tempus, but he'd thought they would gradually be won over by Superman's unquestionable integrity. For heaven's sake, the man still worked at his old job, and he refused to use his position to enrich himself in any way. What was Luthor implying? "Power corrupts, Mayor, and there is no one on this earth more powerful than Superman. Shouldn't we be thinking ahead? What if he should change? He could become ill, go mad, anything is possible. He might have an agenda we know nothing about - well-intentioned, perhaps - but not of our choosing. How do we deal with a superman who is no longer our friend, Mayor? Answer me that." Perry stared at Luthor. It wasn't an unreasonable question, it wasn't even the first time he'd heard it asked, but he had the feeling that there was something different here, something other than concern for the good of society. He started to speak, but was distracted by the televisions. Superman had reappeared in front of EPRAD, and was making a statement. Perry brushed by Luthor and crossed the room to stand with the others to listen. "I have the coordinates of the remaining fragment of the asteroid and will be leaving immediately." Superman was speaking to the cluster of reporters, standing with his arms folded across his chest, and his head tilted a little down. It was his usual stance when answering questions from the press. He lifted his gaze to look directly into the television cameras. "I believe I can handle this problem and be back very quickly. Thank you for your confidence and support." He smiled, and added, "See you soon." The red cape swirled and billowed as he turned quickly and lifted into the air. From the shrubbery which surrounded the EPRAD entrance, Lois watched as within seconds he became a reddish dot against the pearl of the sky, and then disappeared from sight altogether. She had slipped out a side door while Clark was speaking to the crowd. He had said good-bye to her inside, touching her cheek as he had before. Without regard for the curious audience of scientists and soldiers, he had kissed her deeply, then taken her hands in his and just looked at her. Her face was lit by the pale sunbeams falling from the high windows. "The sun's up," he'd said quietly. "It's going to be a beautiful day. Will you stay here until I get back?" "I'm going to try to get in touch with Perry White. I hear he's the mayor now," she smiled. "If you can't find me, I'll be in touch." "Oh, don't worry, Lois. I *will* find you." The mayor's office was noisy with the laughter and chatter of people a little drunk with relief. The danger wasn't officially over yet, but it was just a matter of time. Superman would do it this time, and life in Metropolis, and the rest of the world, could get back to normal. "Or whatever passes for normal around here," Perry amended jovially, when Deputy Mayor Gillis made the remark. His eyes still rested absently on the television screen. The Channel 6 reporter was moving back toward the entrance to EPRAD, and his cameraman was following him. Maybe they were going to set up for a follow-up report, Perry thought, while they waited for Superman to do his stuff. A figure stepped out of the bushes near the door, moving out of camera view toward the side of the building. It was a bit far away to see much, but something about her caught Perry's attention. That long swath of smooth dark hair swinging as jeans-clad legs hurried away - if he didn't know better, he'd say that was Lois. The camera was obviously following her, and just as the woman turned to look back over her shoulder, it zoomed in for a closer view. "Judas priest!" Perry exclaimed. "It *is* Lois!" Everyone in the room turned to stare in amazement as their mayor put his nose to the TV screen and bellowed, "Honey, where the hell have you been, and what the Sam Hill are you doin' out there?!" "Mayor White, what's the matter? Who are you talking about?" Lex Luthor placed a calming hand on Perry's arm, and glanced at the screen. There was nothing visible but the Channel 6 reporter, looking thwarted. Perry turned to Luthor, his stunned gaze not really seeing the man beside him. "I can't believe it - after all this time! By all that's holy, that was Lois! I'd given up ..." Perry motioned to one of his staffers and the young man hurried over. "Jack, get out to EPRAD right now, and see if you can find out who that woman was that the Channel 6 reporter was chasin'. Ask everybody out there if they've seen..." He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out his wallet. He removed a small photo and handed it to Jack, "..this woman. Her name is Lois Lane. I've got some better pictures, but I don't want to waste any time. Get movin', boy!" Jack glanced down at the photograph, and then nodded briskly. "You got it, Chief." With a cheeky salute, he turned and left the room. Perry's eyes were moist when he finally focused on Luthor, still standing next to him. "She's back - she's really back this time, I know it, Luthor, as sure as I know anything," he said. Lex Luthor's face was expressionless and his voice even. "Lois Lane?" he asked. "Lois Lane," Perry repeated. "The best damn investigative reporter I've ever known. She disappeared three years ago while doing a story on illegal weapons being routed through Africa to Metropolis. I don't suppose you ever met her - the businessmen she wrote about are all doin' ten to twenty now." His smile was one of fond reminiscence. "No," Luthor said flatly. "We never met, but she sounds fascinating. Are you sure that it was she you saw just now?" Perry shook his head. "I'm not sure, no - but if there's even a slight chance... I loved that girl like a daughter, Luthor. Not a day has gone by I haven't thought about her." "Well," Lex smiled at Perry, "I hope you're right and she has returned to you. If it *is* your Miss Lane, you must introduce me. I can hardly wait to meet this paragon." The words and smile were perfectly pleasant, but as the man took his leave, Perry thought to himself that he had been right. Lex Luthor had the coldest eyes he'd ever seen. Lois hurried down the flight of steps that led from the side entrance of EPRAD, not pausing to look back again. She stopped on the sidewalk and lifted her arm to flag down the taxicab that was passing. Some days were just luckier than others and this was turning out to be one for the record books. As she threw herself into the back seat of the cab and said, "City Hall," she spared a glance back up the slope. No one was pursuing that she could see, but there was no point in trying to keep her presence a secret any longer. Flying around in Superman's arms was not a low profile activity, she told herself with a giggle, but she thought she could live with it. City Hall was familiar territory to Lois and she headed straight for the fifth floor where the mayor's offices were located. Despite her casual clothes and disheveled appearance, no one questioned her as she marched down the hall and stopped at the open door to the reception area. People were everywhere, but Lois's eye was drawn to the door leading to the inner office. It was standing open, revealing even more people clustered around the television sets. A voice rose from the center of the largest group. "I'm tellin' you that I saw Lois out there at EPRAD! I know we've been fooled before, but this was no trick, no double. I don't know what's goin' on, but I intend to have some answers or know the reason why! " "Careful, Chief," Lois said pertly, "you know what all this ranting does to your blood pressure." Everyone turned to stare at the figure leaning against the doorjamb, and Lois smiled brilliantly at the crowd. As she strolled further into the room, the women were torn between disparaging the inferior clothing and admiring the self-possession of the wearer. The men simply enjoyed the view. Perry White stood gaping for a second and Lois came to a halt in front of him, her smile now a little tentative. With a whoop, he threw out both arms and enfolded Lois into a crushing hug. She buried her face against his chest. "Ah, honey, this is as good as knowin' Superman is knockin' that asteroid to kingdom come," Perry said with a final squeeze, adding cryptically, "and I can tell this time it's really you. That smile just now - that was the real Lois." Lois pulled back to give Perry a questioning look, but he was turning her around to face the television sets. A graphic charted the course Superman was taking, and the voice of EPRAD Mission Control had begun the countdown to his arrival at the asteroid. The crowd grew silent as they listened to the calm tones. "We are 20 seconds and counting to Superman's rendezvous with the Nightfall asteroid fragment. 15...14...13...Mission trackers reporting an anomaly - the asteroid's velocity is decreasing - it appears to be changing course. We are stopping the countdown clock at this time." Cheers erupted from the crowd, and Perry's explosive laugh could be heard above them. "By jingo, he did it! He's saved us all!" Clark landed on the balcony of his apartment unnoticed by any of his neighbors. It was eight o'clock in the morning, and the population was celebrating their deliverance from catastrophe. Clark knew he'd be mobbed by grateful citizens if they saw him and right now he had something more important to do. Lois had said she wanted to see Perry White, and wherever Lois was, that was where he wanted to be too. It seemed like an eternity since he had said good-bye to her, instead of an hour, and he missed her. Instants later, he had showered, shaved, and dressed again, this time in slacks and jacket. He dug out his spare pair of glasses and was out the front door, heading for City Hall. They had a lot to talk about and he couldn't wait to begin. The celebration on the fifth floor was in full swing when Clark arrived, and he enjoyed a moment of anonymity as he stood in the door and watched secretaries and CEOs hug each other. Someone had produced a magnum of champagne and the paper cups were being filled and emptied at a rate guaranteed to produce some serious hangovers tomorrow, Clark thought, though he'd never experienced the phenomenon himself. He knew they were too happy there was going to be a tomorrow to care. He spotted Lois immediately - she was being danced around the room by Perry, and as he watched, Perry suddenly dipped her backwards until her hair almost touched the floor. She was breathless and laughing, and he felt a tightness in his chest at the sight. She was so luminously beautiful, so alive - just looking at her made him feel more alive too. He started toward her, his entrance finally drawing the attention of the crowd. "Clark - Superman!" Perry hurried over, Lois right behind, and grabbing Clark's hand in both of his, shook it vigorously. "Son, what can I say? Metropolis, everyone, is more grateful than we can ever tell you. Shall we set up a press conference now? You know there are goin' to be all kinds of special events planned for you." Clark smiled, but shook his head. "No, thanks, Perry - you know I do what I can *because* I can - there's no need for any special thanks. I'll be glad to do a press conference, but later, okay? Right now, I have some personal business to take care of." His eyes met Lois's over Perry's shoulder, and Perry turned to follow his gaze, an expression of surprise dawning as he intercepted the look. "Well, sure, whatever you want, Superman, you know we're at your disposal anytime you're ready," he said, then turned to Lois. "Honey, just how long have you been back in Metropolis?" His tone was teasing, and Lois knew what he was asking. "I got in about midnight - eight hours or so," she replied. "Uh huh," Perry grunted. "Musta been some eight hours." "Oh, it was, Perry. It was." Lois stepped closer to Clark, and spoke directly to him, as though they were completely alone in the room. "I believe you said something about a "complicated, unbelievable story"? she said, with a lift of her eyebrow. "Yes, I did, Miss Lane," Clark replied, and gestured to the door. "Shall we go?" Lois turned back to Perry. "Thanks for inviting me to stay with you and Alice, Perry," she said. "If you're sure she won't mind coming home to a houseguest, I'll be there as soon as I collect my things -" "But it might be a while," Clark interjected and took Lois's hand with a meaningful look at her. She gave him an impudent smile, but followed obediently as he began to pull her toward the door. She waved to Perry and the rest of the fascinated crowd. "Later, Perry," she said, with a laugh. "As you can see, I'm working on an exclusive." ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 08:19:49 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: ALT SHOOK UP (4/4) The apartment was quiet, the only sounds the tick of the wall clock and the rustle of paper as Lois read the newspaper clippings Clark had given her. Muted traffic noises occasionally penetrated, but the couple seated on the couch were aware only of each other. Clark's description of the events leading up to the bizarre confrontation in the TV studio had been as matter of fact as a newspaper, too, but Lois had felt all sorts of unspoken emotions behind the unadorned account. The feeling of things unsaid had become even stronger as he recounted his time in the other Metropolis impersonating their missing Superman. He had told her the "real" story about Tempus, Lois, and H.G.Wells' visit here, he said, not the considerably edited version known to the public. As for his little "side trip", the two of them were literally the only ones in *this* world to know it had happened at all. She studied the picture of the "Woman in White" once more. "It does look like me," she admitted. "It's kind of scary to know that there's someone in the world, in *a* world, that's your exact double." "Physically, yes," Clark agreed, "that Lois is your twin, just as I look like that other Clark, but we're not really the same." "No?" Lois looked dubious. "Why not? I thought the idea was that these parallel worlds and the people in them *are* alike, with predictable behavior. *She* made you become Superman, or at least she made you realize it was what you wanted - and only she was the one who could do it. That was the whole point of Tempus's plan, wasn't it?" The "other Lois" - the thought of it still made her uneasy - had been profoundly important to Clark. Reference to his engagement to Lana Lang had caused a mere ripple of discomfort, but this was different. "Lana didn't love you enough or she would have seen how much you needed to use your powers to help, how unhappy you were when you couldn't. *I* could see that as soon as we met. Lana limited you, but *she* appeared out of nowhere and in less than a day you had a whole different life." Then she'd left him to deal with it alone, she added to herself. And he *had* dealt with it, because he was strong and good, and it was the right thing for him. But he'd been unhappy at her going. She was trying to be fair-minded about all this, but the moment Clark had begun talking about this other Lois, the bubbly feeling of happy anticipation had flattened into a familiar disappointment. Lois had tried to keep the resentment out of her voice, but Clark heard it. He thought he already understood her very well, so he ignored the tone and responded to the underlying fear. "Well, yes, she was a friend to me in a way no one ever had been before, but trust me," Clark said wryly, "deciding to become Superman and actually being him day after day are two different things." He got up and began pacing, searching for the right words to make her see how it really was. He had a feeling that what he said in the next few minutes could mean the difference between a life of loneliness or a chance to have real happiness at last. She was watching him pace, her eyes full of questions. Beautiful eyes. He wanted those eyes filled with joy when she looked at him, the joy he felt when he was with her. Happiness and Lois. They were the same thing. He took a deep breath, and sat down again, taking Lois's hands in his. His thumbs brushed caressingly over them as he gathered his thoughts, and Lois held her breath. Such a little thing, but he made her feel so...cherished when he touched her. "There's a lot that's alike about our two worlds, because some things *are* innate. But what happens in our lives matters just as much. And we're the sum total of it all - the inborn parts and the experiences. I knew it even when that other Lois was here, but I was so overwhelmed by everything that was going on, I didn't understand it completely. It was when I went there, to her world, that I really saw the truth." Lois still looked doubtful. "What truth?" she asked carefully. "It felt so different there - in huge ways and in small ones - can you imagine, Mr.Olsen is an office boy at the Planet? - but the biggest difference was no matter how good it was, it wasn't *my* life. That other Clark still has his parents - Jonathan and Martha - and I really envied him that. They were great people, just as my parents were, and they treated me like a son, but...we had none of that special knowledge about each other that comes from living together. I mean, when I was five, my dad took me fishing and taught me how to bait a hook, and I caught my first fish. It was a perfect day and I have a perfect memory of it. If my dad were here, he'd remember it too. No other two people could have the bond created by that shared memory. It was the same with Lois. She and her Clark had a marriage that was created out of not just physical love, but years of sharing each other's lives, supporting each other - and when I saw what it *could* be like, I wouldn't - couldn't settle for anything less. That's what I meant when I told you I'd been waiting for *you* - not as a substitute for someone I couldn't have, but because I think you really are "my Lois" ...the one I was *born* to love, and I hope... the one who could love me." Clark's voice thickened on his last words, and he swallowed. He was looking at her with a yearning that touched her as nothing ever had. He'd just told her he loved her, she realized with amazement. This very special man thought she was his soul mate, that they were meant to be together. And now he wanted to know how *she* felt. She wished she knew. She did know that the gift of love he offered deserved to be treated with care. She didn't want to hurt him, and she was afraid that she might. "Clark," she began, and she saw the immediate disappointment in his eyes. He'd been hoping she'd throw herself into his arms, she supposed, and say, "Take me, I'm yours," but she just couldn't. Not yet. "I believe you when you say you love *me* - after all, you don't lie, do you? - no, don't answer that, I'm just being flippant - it's one of my many bad habits." He didn't speak, and she rushed on, suddenly desperate to erase that wounded look. "There was something between us from the moment we met, and you didn't know who I was or who *you* were. You're a wonderful person, and gorgeous, and a fabulous kisser, and that flying, wow..." She laughed at her own babbling, and Clark smiled slightly, too, but the disappointment was still there. "But?..." he prodded. "But it's too much, too fast," she finished. "I don't know anything about love. The people I thought loved me before didn't really mean it. Or maybe I didn't love them in the right way. Not that I think you don't mean it, but, well, I'm just not as sure as you seem to be. And you deserve that - for me to be sure. Besides, I have to get my life straightened out, find out who wanted to kill me and why - " "With my help," Clark said firmly. He was still stroking her hands, she realized. He hadn't pulled away. "Of course, with your help," she agreed. "I need your help." She moved closer to him and the papers slid from her lap to the couch. "Let's just take things one at a time, all right? Maybe we could try dating?" She gave him a teasing smile, and, pulling one hand free, rubbed her index finger down the bridge of his nose, stopping at his mouth. His lips quirked at her distracting move, and he gently bit the tip of her finger. "Dating," he repeated. He sighed, but his tone was good humored. "Okay. As long as I can be with you, I suppose I can wait." He grinned. "I'm a very patient man." "Really?" she purred provocatively. Her relief at his understanding made her a little reckless. She slid into his arms and looked into his eyes, which heated with a different emotion as she moved against him. They were like melted chocolate, Lois thought. First an ice cream voice, now chocolate eyes. What next, she wondered, bananas? -and couldn't repress a giggle. "What?" Clark asked, but didn't wait for an answer as his mouth came down on hers hungrily. He pulled her even closer to lie stretched atop his body as the kiss deepened. The newspaper clippings fluttered to the floor unnoticed. Cameras flashed and the spectators gathered around the wide marble steps of City Hall roared with approval as Superman stepped up to the podium. Mayor White had introduced him with the same folksy warmth he had employed the first time he'd made a public appearance as Superman, but Clark still felt uncomfortable with the crowds that assembled each time he used his powers. Maybe after they'd gotten used to having him around, he wouldn't be so newsworthy, he thought. In a world always looking for the latest sensation, even a flying man could become boring from over-exposure. At least, he hoped so. It had been hard enough finding a private moment for himself before, but now that Lois was in his life, it was more necessary than ever to create some sort of sanctuary. He really wished that secret identity thing had worked out. He looked down into the crowd, seeking and finding Lois. She stood near the front, just behind the row of TV cameras, and she was applauding as enthusiastically as everyone else. Their eyes met and for a moment everything else faded away and he saw only her face turned up to his, her eyes filled with admiration and warmth. He squared his shoulders even more and spoke into the microphones. "We've all been through a frightening time together but today the sun is shining and the danger has past. It makes it all worthwhile to be able to help the people of Metropolis and elsewhere when they need me." Superman stepped back and shook Perry's hand again while more flashbulbs popped, and the cheering rose to another crescendo. Gradually the sound died away and the people began to scatter, leaving the dignitaries to the inevitable "just a few more questions" from the press. Clark worked his way through the reporters massed on the steps, finally reaching the bottom where Lois waited. "Sorry, guys, that's all I have to say," Clark said, and the hard news reporters recognized the tone of finality in his voice. They abandoned their fruitless quest for a usable sound bite, but the representatives from the tabloids had seen Superman's goal and stayed where they were. "Hey, Kent, who's the new squeeze? Wasn't your other honey into capes?" The insolent voice belonged to Nunk of the National Whisper. Clark's face froze into a non-committal mask as he turned to face his "colleague", keeping Lois behind him. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you have much more interesting things to do than follow me around. There's nothing going on here but two friends talking, so if you don't mind? I work for a newspaper, too, you know, and it's a smart reporter who knows when a story is over. Isn't that right, Mr. Nunk?" "Yeah, sure, *Superman*," Nunk sneered. "Just remember - you're not just a reporter anymore - you're news and so is everyone you *talk* to." Clark took one step forward, his face still expressionless, but before he could speak, Lois broke in. She marched up to Nunk, and stabbed her finger into his chest. "Back off, bottom feeder - who Superman talks to is nobody's business but his own. This man just saved the world, the least you could do is give him a little privacy." Most of the group looked a little ashamed at this reminder. Nunk just signaled to his photographer to snap a few more shots, but when Clark took Lois's arm and turned them toward the park, no one followed. Within a few minutes, they were well into the trees and out of sight of any curious citizens. They strolled along the shady path to the fountain, holding hands, accompanied only by the sounds of splashing water, rustling leaves, and birdsong. Clark finally broke the comfortable silence. "How did it go last night with Perry and Alice? Are you all settled in?" "Yeah - Alice is so great. She finally gets back to her husband after being stranded in Iowa for three days, and finds *me* parked in her best guest bedroom." Lois leaned her head against Clark's arm - the curve of his bicep felt wonderfully solid. "They've been more like parents to me since I started working at the paper than my own ever were. And Perry wants me to take a temporary job as his aide, just until I find my feet again. I need a regular income and my position at the Planet isn't exactly assured. Perry's going to talk to Mr. Olsen, but I may be better placed to do my investigating at City Hall than at the paper." "I'm glad you have a safer place to stay than the Royale," he said, and she slapped his arm in mock reproval. "How can you criticize that hotel?" she said. "If I hadn't been staying there, I wouldn't have seen you crash into Suicide Slum, and we might never have met. Think about that." Clark stopped short, and turned her around to face him His hands gripped her shoulders and then pulled her close. "I have thought about it, Lois. I don't know whether it was fate or luck or I have my own guardian angel, but the best thing that *ever* happened to me was falling into that alley. Because you were there." She brushed the embroidered symbol on his chest with one hand and smiled up at him. He was so intense, she thought. Despite all his powers, his life had been too full of loss and fear and loneliness. Like hers. What he - they - needed was a little fun. "You know, Clark, this is a really nice suit, and you look very striking in it, but I think I'll always like you best the way I first saw you." Her serious tone was belied by the mischief in her eyes. "In nothing at all." Clark stared down at her, so surprised by her unexpected remark, he could think of nothing to say. "Lo-is!" he groaned, but the shadows in his eyes were gone, replaced by the heat her words had kindled. Then the corners of his mouth twitched, and he burst into delighted laughter. "Miss Lane, you will definitely pay for that later," he threatened, giving her a playful shake. Lois rested her cheek against his chest. "Help, Superman," she whispered, and their mingled laughter rose into the clear sky above them. THE END ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 08:20:28 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Georgia E. Walden" Subject: Alt Shook Up, with apologies to those of you who already read it :) I got some requests from people who missed this one, so thought I'd utilize the list to cover everyone at once. Sorry to those people I've already foisted it off on for cluttering up your mailboxes. Georgia ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 15:31:25 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Stark Subject: Re: Looking for Lois Lane (was: Re: Combo Re: New Fic and breaking up stories... Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 05:27 AM 9/3/97 -0400, you wrote: >In a message dated 97-09-01 05:10:19 EDT, debby@SWCP.COM (Debby Stark) >writes: > ><< I liked FH :) Remember, Lois and Lex were there because Lois had to >interrupt > the date to file a story (tells you something about her priorities) ;) >> > >Yes, and Clark had a date with Jack That tells me something too ;) *But* he was working on his taxes first ;) (also, I liked Jack) (and, yes, I know why he was added, to further pull in the younger women demographics, but the more characters for L&C to talk to, the better, I say) >>>>He was heroic, or tried to be in his own fashion in that episode. Clark did >not appear to those watching him to be heroic, always (wisely) cautioning >care. The episode helped everyone (but Cat) shine :)<<<< >I disagree. I don't think a villain should look like a hero and the hero look >like a coward, and that's really what happened. Well, we couldn't have CK revealing himself (though it was a close thing now and then... instead we got him talking to himself). It is unfortunate when someone who counsels caution is seen as a coward... >Plus, I hardly thought the >scene where Lex is cuddling Lois and talking about money not being able to >buy a pair of brown eyes was too 'shining' ;) Well, brains and money were Lex's power base and weapon, and those were the only weapons he had to wield against the bad guys. He tried to save his cohorts, as the others tried in their own ways. His life was just as much endangered as the good guys and gals. If the writers had had more time, perhaps this interesting turn of events might have been explored more... Lex Luthor, suddenly on the same level as everyone else--under the gun. >>>>That one in the pilot? It did help us learn more about her, that she had a >good idea about herself... and we saw that CK was a good listener, that >people wanted to open up to him. Interesting scene.<<< >Actually, in your opinion :) >it showed that Lois feared for her life, and so I think she would >have confessed to *anyone*, just to depart this planet with a clear >conscience Even... Antoinette Baines? I don't think so... >Later, when her life isn't in danger, she tells Clark to keep >his trap shut about what she confessed to him, and when he tells her "you can >trust me, Lois" she says "I've heard that one before." She seemed more eager >for Clark to "clam up" than she was to "open up", at least under normal >"unstressful" conditions. As are we all. Hey, give Lois a break! ;) She instinctively knew that Clark wouldn't take advantage of her... she was wrong, because sometimes he did, but, hey, she was right most of the time :) >>>>To me, more like she would become his chronicle-er (biographer) as well as >love slave if he'd let her... ;)<<< > >Since she got most of the Superman exclusives, wasn't she already his >"chronicler"? Mostly, except for the interviews CK got :) >>>>While I liked her first season, second season was the one in which they >really worked to mature her character. She was steadily growing, and >focusing her energies on what she realized she really wanted.<<< > >That's part of the point. She can't "mature" unless she starts from some less >mature point. Ah, yeah? We agree. >It might be painful when Lois was tantrum prone the first >season and a half, And CK all pouty when he wasn't manipulating people with his charm... ;) >but starting from that place in the series helps highlight >how far she came. We agree. Also, her name was first on the marquee >>>>Or they can say "xxx episodes/season(s) are my canon" First season is >mine.<< >That's fair too. I take all of the seasons as canon though, because the >characters kept evolving. For me, I saw them as more like jumping beans (i.e., erratically developed)... ;) Lois jumped higher though, in single bounds even. >>>>I disagree. A baby will throw a tantrum. I did not see Lois as a baby. She >can be hurt, yes... but she can also see shades of gray. Fanfic can build >more into all that than the show cared to. That's one reason for our >frustration:<<< >Lois didn't throw a tantrum when she found out the truth, True, but she was generally seen in season one to be tantrum prone. I don't see her this way. >but she was hurt >and angry and with every right, and again, that has nothing to do with >maturity, or a lack of it. For me, maturity often dictates the reaction. Was CK mature to send Lois off in the wild goose chase wherein she found the Godzilla Doll, or was he mature when he tried to warn her about the package he had sent? One was funny, the other touching. >It has to do with being human, and thus reacting >with emotions to something that hurts. As for what the series didn't give us, >I don't think it was a matter of "they didn't care to" but more that this was >a commercial series on a network that had 46 minutes to tell a story, and if >someone decries in one breath that not enough attention was given to >supporting cast, and then turns around and decries not enough depth and >information was given the title characters, then the only universe in which >that would have any validity is one in which each episode ran about 6 hours. >Not that I'd mind, but it's not terribly realistic One word... no, several words in rebuttal "Frog/clone arc" and "New Krypton arc" shows that they could deal with long-running ideas over a number of episodes... But then I've actually helped your argument because given five and four 46-minute episodes of time respectively to tell a complicated story... they sure messed that up (IMO). >>>>Actually, Martha suggested that solution in WWW, the episode right before >ATAI :\<<< > >That's what I meant by the "ambiguous" attempts where we had to "assume" >Clark was keying in on the revelation direction. What Martha said in WWW was >this: > >[snip; readers, get the script ;)] >...It wasn't until ATAI that he made it clear that he was going to tell her. Yep. I always thought it was odd that CK apparently hadn't thought about actually telling Lois the truth until then... Thus, maybe it wasn't so odd that CK went first with asking her to marry him; maybe he had been thinking about that (the proposal) a lot longer :) >>>>And it looks like she didn't suspect that until he proposed rather than >telling her.<<<< >She couldn't come to the "mistrust" conclusion *until* she knew the secret >and then felt Clark was still keeping it a secret. When she didn't know the >secret, there was no need to think Clark was mistrusting her. Over what? Well, there's the little matter of his running away every time they tried to have an important, heart-felt conversation. She was seriously wondering why he couldn't (wouldn't?) talk to her... what wasn't he telling her? What did he not feel like sharing? >>>>The problem with the some of this is that we didn't learn it until >WHALTTA. >All this stuff was compressed into 3 episodes. <<<< > >I think a lot of what we learn depends on what point or crisis the >relationship reached. It might have been great to know what Lois thought when >she first found out the truth, what stages of feelings she went through >before she plucked the glasses off Clark's face, but other than hearing her >voice echoing off camera to let us know we're in on her secret thought >processes, how exactly was the show going to accommodate that? Hey, if bad guys can have side kicks... Even Lex talked to himself in the mirror once... Lois needed a cat :) I agree though, the network probably would have thought the audience would have rushed en masse to their bathrooms once Lois started thinking out loud about what she was figuring out. Better have the villains explain what they planned to do... :\ >>>>I just wish Clark had ;) [grow up]<<< > >I definitely think Clark grew up. That was a powerful scene in the show's >finale. He had to face a reality that not even his super powers would help. >He was quite a man. A grown man ;) Except a large number of FoLCs on this list thought he was a lummox for not *yet* seeing she was trustworthy , for not telling her important facts she needed to know first, before asking her to make that big decision. And then, in "We Have A Lot to Talk About," as others have pointed out, he got all upset and pouty and moany whoa-is-me and tried to make her feel guilty when she simply told him the truth--she needed time to think. To his credit, he did back off at the end of WHALTTA... and then dumped her in Contact... then felt guilty in Irish Eyes... then... oh, well, you know the rest of the story :) >Zoomway@aol.com (and a well defined man ;) :D *Figure*atively speaking... so true! :) Debby Debby@swcp.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 04:35:46 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: Looking for Lois Lane (was: Re: Combo Re: New Fic and bre In a message dated 97-09-06 17:34:04 EDT, debby@SWCP.COM writes: << *But* he was working on his taxes first ;) (also, I liked Jack) (and, yes, I know why he was added, to further pull in the younger women demographics, but the more characters for L&C to talk to, the better, I say) >> I didn't have much feeling about Jack one way or the other until the show intimated that he might know Clark's secret. I wanted him gone so quick then, I would have pointed the disintegrator gun at him myself It's not just that it smelled of Batman and Robin, or even that Clark's confidante should be Lois (sooner or later) but with the fact of Lois being Clark's future confidante, then everything that was *new* about learning the secret, having to cover for him, etc., would *all* be ground covered before with the Jack/Clark pairing. One (of many) error with the wedding fakeout, is that given a *real* wedding would be there (sooner or later) is that everything else leading to a wedding, the wedding itself and so on had *already* been covered. It all becomes redundant. >>>Well, we couldn't have CK revealing himself (though it was a close thing now and then... instead we got him talking to himself). It is unfortunate when someone who counsels caution is seen as a coward...<<<<< When I watch the episode, and so it may just definitely be me, it's not that Clark "counsels caution" but that when someone as an individual wants to make their *own* move, he steps in and tells them not to. Of course we know he's looking out for their safety, but truthfully, being invulnerable, does he really know what they're going through? Can he appreciate fully their feelings of helplessness? He was vulnerable in GGGoH, and that's about it leading up to this episode. This isn't to blame Clark at all, because certainly two days of vulnerability isn't enough to make him appreciate what growing up "mortal" means. But Clark is counseling caution from a place they can't understand. *If* they knew he was Superman, then sure, they'd heed his counsel and feel safe, but coming from someone they think is every bit as vulnerable as they are sounds like he's telling them to be good little lambs to the slaughter. They have reason to believe they're not going to live through the experience, and so they just don't want to sit on their hands waiting to die. Clark lacks empathy with his human counterparts in this situation because he doesn't understand their desperation. Lois was appreciative of what Clark did to save Lex's life after he was shot, but throughout most of the episode, the one who was behaving (non-omnicient POV) as though he were in love with Lois, was Lex. Even taking on an armed guy who was roughly man-handling Lois. Worst of all is what I mentioned before, Jack perhaps figuring out the secret of Clark being Superman. I truly hated that. That was Jack's second appearance on the show, as opposed to eighteen for Lois I really would have cried foul over the smart-mouthed punk figuring it out. The circumstances make no difference, it was galling. The show was becoming a video verson of "no girls allowed". What was the female constituancy of the show at that point? Aside from St. Martha, there were just two others, Lois, who was dating the villain, and Cat, who was dating *every*one. Talk about your ultimate Madonna/whore complex! >>>As are we all. Hey, give Lois a break! ;) She instinctively knew that Clark wouldn't take advantage of her... she was wrong,<<<< Yup, she was wrong ;) >>>And CK all pouty when he wasn't manipulating people with his charm...<<< Clark did sulk, that's for sure >>>For me, I saw them as more like jumping beans (i.e., erratically developed)... ;) Lois jumped higher though, in single bounds even.<<<< Lois had to learn things that Clark didn't, and maybe that's why Clark's gradual maturing was harder to see. Lois had to learn how to be a friend, and how to trust. Those weren't things Clark had to learn. Just as it's easier to detect a flat tire than a slow leak, Lois being more messed up to begin with made her transformation more dramatic. She also had to learn to not be afraid to fall in love, just one more time to give it a try. To finally put aside all the previous hurts. Again, not something Clark had to deal with. What Clark had to learn, was how to share, and that his feelings were not the only ones that mattered. That might sound like a ridiculous assessment of Clark, but every major turmoil in his relationship with Lois came from *not* sharing, or feeling he had the right to do or say anything because *his* feelings were hurt. It wasn't just about the *big* secret, but also in an episode like The Rival, Clark pretends to quit the Planet and go to the Star, but doesn't let Lois in on that little detail. It may be the boy's club thing again, because Perry certainly knew, but Lois was iced out. The finale, Clark doesn't want Lois brought in on the Lex investigation (it was all a boy's club bust in that one) He gives the excuse *for* her "she's too busy planning her wedding" Giving Lois the option to join in or decline was not offered. So, did Clark mature beyond that? I think he did, but just like Lois, it wasn't easy. Clark finally learned that if you genuinely love someone, you don't impugn their virtue the instant you feel jealous. The same Clark who accused Lois of perhaps being willing to sleep her way into a Lex 'exclusive' 1rst season, or of sleeping with a guy she just met in Resurrection ("That must have been some *talk* if you needed a shower") in 2nd season, didn't stoop to that kind of juvenile tactic in 3rd season over Patrick Sullivan. He went the other route of showing up Patrick in Lois's eyes. Still a bit high schoolish, but at least he was venting in a better direction. He goofed big time in Contact. His heart was in the right place, at least to his way of thinking, though his logic was lacking, however the mistake was treating their relationship as if he had the decisive vote. What he says goes. There was no discussion, just him making the choice for both of them. Compare that to Don't Tug on Superman's Cape where he's just as tempted to make the decision without Lois. Her safety is his concern, but unlike Contact, he *suggests* she take a little vacation. He still administered warnings, made clear his worries, but beyond that, made no further attempts to rule her life for her. Clark also learned to comfort Lois, even if he was feeling the same hurt, and just as deeply. Lois had been the one to do the comforting prior to this. Whether it was Superman or Clark, she comforted and consoled them. Clark provided comfort and safety for Lois in episodes like Witness The Source, The Prankster, etc., but sometimes, excluding Witness, Clark had a kind of "gym coach" gentility when consoling, as in The Source. I half expected him to tell her to stop crying and take a lap As their relationship deepened, and the issues for them became greater, a true tenderness and empathy flowed from Clark. He was just as stunned and overwhelmed by the news in Brutal Youth that he was virtually immortal, but he sidelined his feelings to comfort Lois. Or, the finale, it no doubt hurt Clark as deeply that the test results said they were genetically imcompatible, but his strength in that one scene was powerful. I look back at Tempus Fugitive, and some fans at the time were upset that Lois had to forget that Clark was Superman, and that they just couldn't move forward from that moment. But they weren't ready. That couple hadn't grown up yet. Sometimes a change in a person is gradual, but steady, and so you don't catch on to how they've changed, and you may even make the mistake of thinking that they haven't, but for me, there is no doubt that they *both* grew up. It's like a line I remember from Golden Years. A man is gradually becoming younger. It's not an abrupt change, and one guy who can't quite put his finger on what the difference is says something along the lines of "It's like when you used to get carded every time you'd go into a bar, and then one day you look in the mirror, and you know you'll never be carded again..you just know." >>>For me, maturity often dictates the reaction. Was CK mature to send Lois off in the wild goose chase wherein she found the Godzilla Doll, or was he mature when he tried to warn her about the package he had sent? One was funny, the other touching.<<<< Lois deserved a comeuppance in Neverending Battle, unlike I've Got a Crush on You where she got one anyway. Lois, is *clearly* depicted in NB as someone you didn't cross and hope to live to tell about it ("someone needs to teach her a lesson." "Yeah, but who? Godzilla?"), and so Clark's move was seen as gutsy. It had nothing to do with maturity or immaturity. It was a matter of Clark letting Lois know that she'd crossed several lines in stealing stories, sourches and ideas from her fellow employees and she shouldn't be allowed to get away with that. When he almost warns her about the comeuppance, he had relented, not because she still didn't deserve it, but because she had restored his faith in Superman. One action was funny and one was touching, true, but they were both valid, and neither dealt with maturity or immaturity. >>>One word... no, several words in rebuttal "Frog/clone arc" and "New Krypton arc" shows that they could deal with long-running ideas over a number of episodes... But then I've actually helped your argument because given five and four 46-minute episodes of time respectively to tell a complicated story... they sure messed that up (IMO).<<<<< If the argument is to suddenly be that a stretch of episodes and not just one is to accommodate every facet of L&C and the supporting cast, then I think the show did very well in that department. However, being telelvision, there are realities that don't exist in fanfic, for example. Television being visual means there are going to be sight gags that are designed to accommodate that fact. Was Clark an idiot, sulking, vindictive when he squeezed Perry's hand too hard in the pilot? No, it was a gag. Was it a wild gaff in continuity that Clark sneezed in All Shook Up and blew a cab into a fire hydrant and then in HIWTHI sneezed, and didn't do any damage? Nope. One was for a visual gag, and the other was to let us know that the villain's plan was working. Clark knocks down filing cabinets and destroys the fingerprint station in Man of Steel Bars. Did he all of a sudden forget his super strength? Was he being purposely destructive? No, they were all sight gags, and more than that, they highlighted that Superman was at the jail because he was 'willing' to obey the law, because if he didn't want to be there, those sight gags proved he didn't have to As to the NK arc, I think it should never have happened, but given that it did, I actually enjoyed how it turned out. I still rewatch the last two parts often. As to the wedding fakeout *if* TPTB purposely started that arc knowing that it would turn out fake, then they deserve every foul name they've ever been called ;). The reason I hate Alien3, for example, is because it was terrible story telling. It cheated. We have Ripley, who nearly died saving two lives in the previous movie and having that all be for nothing in the next. The two she saved died anyway. The "victims" in Alien3 are an incredibly unlikeable bunch of nasty prisoners whom the alien couldn't kill fast enough to please me Everyone runs around with shaved heads wearing the same clothes and so are as easy to tell apart as hooded monks in hockey masks. We have no one to identify with or root for in the movie other than Ripley, and then she dies too. Flush! >>I agree though, the network probably would have thought the audience would have rushed en masse to their bathrooms once Lois started thinking out loud about what she was figuring out. Better have the villains explain what they planned to do... :\<<<< Exposition on a TV show ain't easy Ricardo Montelban talked about his "acting" on Fantasy Island being over 90% exposition: "You know, Tattoo, this young man thinks he wants to be rich. That being wealthy will solve all of his problems." "Won't it, Bahth?" (Tattoo lisping "Boss" ;) It's the reason women existed in pulp Science Fiction of the 50s (and to be a rather clean sex interest and monster victim) She served as the recipient of the scientific theorem being promoted in the story so that the reader could know what was going on. "Oh, Greg," Barbara panted, her copious bosom rising and falling like an unstable tectonic plate under the Rockies. "Is there life on Mars?" "Barbara," Greg laughed derisively, and topped off the patronizing moment by handing her a cookie and milk in a Huckleberry Hound cup. "Do you really want to hear my theory? Think you can understand all my pointless techno-babble?" "Well," She sighed. "I know I'm not very bright, but I did follow your explanation of why chicken chunks in Campbell's chicken noodle soup taste and feel like pencil erasers." Zoomway@aol.com (realizing Debby and I are using each other for exposition ;) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 08:04:58 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Looking for Lois Lane (was: Re: Combo Re: New Fic and bre In a message dated 97-09-07 04:36:07 EDT, Zoomway exposits (nah, that's not a word!: << Clark knocks down filing cabinets and destroys the fingerprint station in Man of Steel Bars. Did he all of a sudden forget his super strength? Was he being purposely destructive? No, they were all sight gags, and more than that, they highlighted that Superman was at the jail because he was 'willing' to obey the law, because if he didn't want to be there, those sight gags proved he didn't have to >> Hmm, I always wondered if those actions were on purpose so that he wouldn't get frisked and wouldn't have to leave fingerprints (althought I suspect he doesn't leave any oil on surfaces or he'd be concerned about handling things at crime scenes or when he's the criminal ). In other words, it just wasn't suitable for Superman's image to be frisked and fingerprinted even though he agreed to go to jail. --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 12:06:00 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: Looking for Lois Lane (was: Re: Combo Re: New Fic and bre In a message dated 97-09-07 08:05:09 EDT, Larus2407@AOL.COM writes: << In other words, it just wasn't suitable for Superman's image to be frisked and fingerprinted even though he agreed to go to jail. >> Well, given that Clark's tights were so wysiwyg, there was only one place on them he could hide anything, but if a cop grabbed him there he might find something lethal, but it wouldn't fit in a manilla envelope (SPLASH!) Zoomway@aol.com (not that I wouldn't want that job ;)