From: "L-Soft list server at Indiana University (1.8d)" To: "ARTF@MemoryAlpha.nil" File: "LOISCLA-GENERAL-L LOG9904C" ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 14:20:17 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Celia Carvalho Subject: Re: [DeanCainFans] Vote for Dean Comments: To: deancainfans@onelist.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; Boundary="0__=tFLxBlm4mahiuT8jPuB51BXUlCCdkOrXaMl9wuYnjUTB7bUh7313hpl1" --0__=tFLxBlm4mahiuT8jPuB51BXUlCCdkOrXaMl9wuYnjUTB7bUh7313hpl1 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline Thanks for posting this warning! We can vote up to 5 times for each favorite male on the list. I did vote 3 times for Dean and 2 times for David Duchovny... sorry! I also love this man. Anyway, the last time I voted, Dean had 29 votes. Keep voting for him! I can't understand why Dale Midkiff (from the movie Elvis & Me) has more votes than him! Thanks everyone! Celia. DonnieLovah%webtv.net@interlock.lexmark.com on 15-04-99 07:53:15 Please respond to deancainfans%onelist.com@interlock.lexmark.com To: deancainfans%onelist.com@interlock.lexmark.com cc: Subject: [DeanCainFans] Vote for Dean I am so sad to see that our man has only 3 votes on this site, and one of them is mine! Go vote for him, please!! http://www.freevote.com/booth/malechart --0__=tFLxBlm4mahiuT8jPuB51BXUlCCdkOrXaMl9wuYnjUTB7bUh7313hpl1 Content-type: text/html; name="att-1.htm" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="att-1.htm" Content-transfer-encoding: base64 Content-Description: Internet HTML PEhUTUw+PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53dW5kZXJncm91bmQuY29tL1VTL1dJL1dpc2NvbnNp bl9SYXBpZHMuaHRtbCI+DQo8aW1nDQpzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly9iYW5uZXJzLnd1bmRlcmdyb3VuZC5j b20vYmFubmVyL2dpem1vdGltZXRlbXBiaWcvVVMvV0kvV2lzY29uc2luX1JhcGlkcy5naWYiIA0K IGFsdD0iQ2xpY2sgZm9yIFdpc2NvbnNpbiBSYXBpZHMsIFdpc2NvbnNpbiBGb3JlY2FzdCIgaGVp Z2h0PTQwDQp3aWR0aD00Njc+PC9hPiANCg0KIDxmb250IGNvbG9yPXB1cnBsZT4gIA0KICAgPGNs b2NrPg0KPHA+Sm95DQo8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmdlb2NpdGllcy5jb20vSG9sbHl3b29k L0NpbmVtYS85OTM1Ij5NeQ0KSG9tZXBhZ2U8L2E+PC9IVE1MPg0KDQoNCg== --0__=tFLxBlm4mahiuT8jPuB51BXUlCCdkOrXaMl9wuYnjUTB7bUh7313hpl1-- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 21:36:26 EDT Reply-To: LadyKa1e1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lane Louise MacKenzie Subject: Re: A Very Patient Man (w/OT X Files) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/14/99 1:15:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Katzee112@AOL.COM writes: << <> ::Smiles because she has the chance to show off her useless knowledge:: I am somewhat of an X Files expert, and, yes, the Duane Barry/abduction arc was scripted around Gillian's pregnancy. If you look carefully, especially in the first few episodes of the second season (i.e. The Host), she's not our normallly streamlined Agent Scully. Whereas the writers of The X-Files were able to incorporate her pregnancy into the plotline (one scene abord the "alien ship" actually showed her fully pregnant, as though the aliens were performing tests), I doubt such a deviation would have been as believable on LnC. Plus, being an avid fan of both shows and in on the behind-the-scenes type stuff, I would have noticed the similarities. And I'm sure other FoLCs/X-Philes would have, too! In addition, I was thrilled that Lois and Clark waited till their wedding night. I strongly believe in abstinence before marriage, and it was really neat to see one of my favorite TV shows refrain from using sex to bring in viewers! Peace Love and Superman, Lane MacKenzie ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 20:42:42 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kimberly Thomas Subject: Untitled Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Myself and my friend Jeni (angelsvamptress@hotmail.com) started writing this story way back when Lois and Clark were newlyweds, or maybe before, back when it was just wishful thinking. In any rate, it was a long time ago. We were wondering what you guys thought of it (IE: Do you think we should finish it?). Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Kim (kim@amalthea.net) *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Inside the Daily Planet, Lois and Clark are talking. Lois, "I still can’t believe that I’m Mrs. Kent. I mean, that’s just so-"You guys are not going to believe this. A hot story like this in our own little Metropolis and these guys beat us to it." He shows them a tabloid. The headline says, "Loch Ness Monster Makes a Big Move-to Metropolis Water Treatment Plant" Lois says, "Jimmy, don’t believe anything you read in there. The pictures are touched up and the stories are from some bum that got drunk on the cheapest bottle of wine that he could find." Clark and Jimmy look at each other. Perry enters from his office. "Jimmy, did I hear you talking about those tabloids? Those things are nothing more than a bunch of Elvis-impersonating phonies. You’d never find the real King in there, let alone anything else real. Now run this down to resource." Jimmy replies, "I’m on top of it, Chief." The phone rings, and Clark picks it up. The police are on the other end. "Can you guys get a hold of Superman? We’re having a little problem down at the water treatment plant." Clark says, "I’ll try to get a hold of him," and hangs up. "Lois, there’s a problem at the water treatment plant. You stay here; this is probably something to do with that tabloid. It should only take one of us." "Sure." Clark runs out of the newsroom with a gust of wind and a sonic boom. Lois says, "Not on your life, Mr. Kent." Then she picks up her purse and runs out of the newsroom. Superman is at the water treatment plant with the police. Everybody is looking at the water. "What’s the problem?" asks Superman. (In the background is a hysterical woman with the cops trying to calm her down.) One of the police officers comes forward and says, "This woman says she saw some kind of monster in the water. Do you know anything about this, Superman?" "Only what I read in the tabloids." The officer has an incredulous look on his face. "You read those?" Superman replies, "A friend showed it to me." The cop gives him a funny look, then says to him, "Just to prove that those tabloids are a crock and to keep other citizens from doing that," he gestures to the hysterical woman, "Could you x-ray the reservoir for us?" "Sure. No problem. Anything to help." Superman starts to x-ray the water and about halfway through it he notices something at the bottom. He says, "I’m not sure, but I do see something down there." I think you should vacate the premises. Lois comes up. "Clar-er-Superman; what’s the problem?" He replies, "You know that story in the tabloid this morning that Jimmy showed us?" "What about it?" "It turns out that the story may be true." "That’s impossible." "Obviously, nothing’s impossible; look at our marriage." Inside Mindy Church's headquarters, Mindy is at the head of a table, with some other guys around the table who are the heads of Intergang. "So, our little plan seems to be working. The media is sucking it up like we are going to do to Superman." "So, what exactly is our plan?" asks one of the other guys at the table. "Oh, boys. We’ll get to that, in time. Right now we have more important things to think about. Like, making sure everyone still believes in the Loch Ness Monster. Boys, time for phase two." Meanwhile, back at the Daily Planet, Jimmy is telling Lois, "I still think that you should reconsider asking Perry about writing up that story about the Loch Ness Monster before the tabloids wear it out. This is big news, and living here, you could get to it first." "Jimmy, we do news here, not garbage. I only write real stories," replies Lois. Clark comes up to Lois and gives her a mischievous smirk. Jimmy asks Clark, "Where have you been all morning, CK?" Clark replies, "Just covering the public’s latest reaction to the Loch Ness scare." Someone calls out, "Jimmy!" "Later, guys," calls out Jimmy as he leaves. Lois asks Clark, "So what did you see?" "Actually, to my surprise, I actually saw something down there, but I’m not exactly sure what it is yet," Clark says. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 10:45:03 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Celia Carvalho Subject: Re: [DeanCainFans] Re: Vote for Dean Comments: To: deancainfans@onelist.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hey, This is great!!! I've checked and Dean is in second place with 921 votes. Yeah, I've been voting for him (I did again today), too, but the same happened to me. They won't let me vote for him anymore... But *you* haven't done it already, do it today! Celia Carvalho@lexmark.com DonnieLovah%webtv.net@interlock.lexmark.com on 16-04-99 07:38:08 Please respond to deancainfans%onelist.com@interlock.lexmark.com To: deancainfans%onelist.com@interlock.lexmark.com cc: Subject: [DeanCainFans] Re: Vote for Dean Wow did I ever start Something!!!! Dean is at this moment at 891 votes. The page finally figured out that I was changing users and voting over and over and won't let me anymore. You can vote 5x a day. So tomorrow, go vote again. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 05:25:25 +0000 Reply-To: hess2@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Claire Hess Subject: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today & Professional Writer In-Reply-To: <370EC0A4.95E19917@erols.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today & Professional Writers/Fan &Questions and Comments Thanks, Sandy, for posting the interesting article which illustrated Demi's point about the similarities between professional and fan fiction writers. Both have love hate relationships with the reactions of their fans. Both struggle with the question of when to heed and when to ignore their critics. Reading the comments of writers of shows I stopped watching, I realized that Lois and Clark is the only show that managed to keep me even when it suspended my disbelief. Lois and Clark addressed the problem that, for me, ended the Superman movies with II. Clothes do not a Superman make. For me, Lois and her breathless remark about the Suit coming off is more than a joke about Lois. It is also a Declaration of Possibilities! And thank goodness for all you wonderful fan fiction writers, because, as many Possibilities as have been explored, there is no end in sight, as each new fanfiction reveals. By and large, my preference is to assume that each story is it's own Bible. Sandy McDermin wrote: about "For The Good of the Child" >Why didn't we get to see Ellen's testimony > as opposed to Perry's -- or Ellen's as well as Perry's > It's too good not to show, especially since > she was a witness for the prosecution and, we are told, had a rough > time of it. In fact, we are later informed that Ellen hurt L&C's > case, making it almost essential -- for dramatic purposes -- that we > see it. > As Sandy says, "*almost* essential". Mulder's style and viewpoint give many internal reasons for not including Ellen's witness stand debacle. For example, not showing the testimony illustrates the isolation that Ellen has been forced into by the court proceedings. For some writers, introspection is showing, not telling. In this age of special effects, we often forget the value of the oblique reference. We all agree that sometimes, allusion can carry more horror, or titillation, or, in this case, devastation, than description. That shouldn't stop anyone from imagining, even writing Ellen's testimony. As Demi and Sheila and others have said, reworking a story is a valid premise for a work of fiction. If t'were not, there'd be no Shakespeare. The Bard wrote such interesting characters, but his plot is rarely, if ever, original. Not everyone is so successful. More often, rewriters fail their wills. Many only serve to illustrate the original author's point, even when the new story obviously misses it. But, in the end, The Cheese Stands Alone. Each story has to sell itself. I digress. This is way past my usual bedtime, but my authority figure is from home, and, while the cat's away, this mouse is catching up on all the back mail and a writing a few reviews of the many that have been stewing in my head for far too long. Now returning you to your regularly scheduled posts, klair El Clark: "Ah! So you do know." Lois: "How do you know?" Perry: "It's better you don't know. But, I don't know . officially. But then, if a man in my position, didn't know-unofficial ly, I wo uldn't be a man in my position." Perry White answers Lois and Clark in "Ides of Metropolis" by Deborah Joy Le Vine hess2@mindspring.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 05:25:26 +0000 Reply-To: hess2@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Claire Hess Subject: Review was Re: S6, Ep 1, "Strained Relations" & 2 "For the Good In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Here be Spoilers for S6, Ep 1& 2 > Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 19:36:52 -0600 > STRAINED RELATIONS > Season 6, Episode 1 > By Barbara (bml44@AOL.com) and Pam Jernigan (jernigan@compuserve.com) This is a great opener to another wonderful season. Lois and Clark are wonderful together and with baby Laura. Lex is properly revolting. The story is gripping and well told. Using Ellen's private battles with addiction to enhance the credibility of the plot complication is one of those fanfic uses of a character which enriches our enjoyment of both the series and the fanfiction. Another is the opening paragraph > Tuesday, October 20, 3:05am > > Clark landed softly in the living room of their brownstone, carefully > closing the window behind him, not wanting to wake Lois or Laura. Floating > up the stairs to bed, he was drawn, as always, by the light spilling from > his daughter's room. 'His daughter,' he thought with a grin. This endearing moment put me strongly in mind of the ending of "Pheromone My Lovely", the only episode in which I remember Clark/Superman looking out at us and discussing something with the viewers. There it was Superman, but here, it is Clark. Since he does not say, "My daughter", the moment seems to me that he over hears us talking about his daughter. Happy with the phrase, he grins at us, and thinks back to us, 'His daughter.' Immediately we know how much this child means to him, how happy he is to be a parent. The scene continues to confirms this gloriously. There's plenty to love about the action in this episode as well. Jimmy as the instrument uncovering the situation, and his problems with his girl friend's father were wonderful. A favourite moment of mine is: > Penny was frozen to her chair. A bomb? To kill her father?? As > part of a plot by ... Dennis Shenckman??? She'd always thought he > was a bit of a weasel, came the inconsequential thought, but she'd > never have thought him capable of this. Love having that inconsequential thought. Somehow that makes the whole thing so much more real. In the midst of danger, we often have multiple levels of reaction, some very trivial. She then takes very constructive action to prevent detection, which is great fun for the reader to follow. >She heard movement; he'd be > exiting the office in a minute. She thought fast, and grabbed for > the Dictaphone machine, plugging the headset into her ears moments > before he emerged. She ignored him, typing industriously, > pretending to transcribe dictation. > > He stared at her suspiciously. "Penny?" > > She fought the urge to look up at the sound of her name, and after a > long moment, he moved on, apparently satisfied that she was in her > own little world. She exhaled a long shaky breath after he rounded > the corner. What was she going to do? Season 6/Episode 2 FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHILD By Chris Mulder (mulders@mindspring.com) Edited by Peace and Kathy Brown Mulder Moments! This thang is full of them. There's not only the wonderful moments like Clark floating Laura to sleep, and comforting Lois at the entrance to the courthouse, there's also funny ones, like Jimmy and Penny and the doorbell. Then there are the evil moments, or, the Lex moments, like the zoo. Thanks to Barb, Pam, and Chris for a truly episodish story, and to the whole Season Six crew for taking on the enormous task of producing a another whole season. klair El hess2@mindspring.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 11:38:40 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today & Professional Writer Comments: To: hess2@mindspring.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Claire wrote: >By and large, my preference is to assume that each story is it's own Bible. I'm not sure if I'm interpreting you correctly here, Claire, but if you're saying that each fanfic creates its own universe where the characters conform to the author's own unique perspective on L & C, then I agree completely. I love reading any creative fanfic, even if L & C's behavior isn't in strict accordance with the characters as developed in the show, or with my own interpretation of them. :-) In particular, I love Lois revelation stories, whether Clark tells her his secret or she discovers it on her own, whether she is angry, thrilled, or totally blase about it. I've often thought that ABC should do a "Groundhog Day" of Lois revelations, with Clark being forced to repeat the revelation over and over again until he finally gets it right! (Hint to Clark: don't ask Lois to marry you *before* you reveal your secret. ;-) Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 11:50:09 MDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: DEBRA GRAY Subject: Re: [Untitled Fanfic] Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Kimberly and Jeni - = Please finish this - you have me hooked already! = Debra G dlgray@usa.net Melisma on IRC ____________________________________________________________________ Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D= 1 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 14:01:23 EDT Reply-To: Moped12646@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: -Audrey Howard Subject: Re: [Untitled Fanfic] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Debra G wrote: >Kimberly and Jeni - >Please finish this - you have me hooked already! I second that! :c) -Audrey Moped12646@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 20:17:11 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit First of all, hello everyone. I've been reading the archives of this list for about a year now, and I've corresponded with one or two of you privately, but this is my big moment - when I come out of the shadows and post my first message . The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like me? Yvonne (yconnell@ukf.net) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 13:39:33 MDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: DEBRA GRAY Subject: Re: [Closet fanfic writers] Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ok, Yvonne, confession time! My family know that I belong to a writer's l= ist online, but that's all they know. When I was writing my Trek fic, which s= ome of you are reading, my dad caught a glimpse of it on the computer I was working on at the time. Well, I got a huge lecture about how I shouldn't = waste my time on TV (we grew up without TV) and all that sort of stuff. So now = I keep my fic ideas and occasional writing efforts to myself, except for wh= at I share with a carefully chosen group of like-minded friends. And I conside= r all of you members of that group. = I guess that came out sounding kind of bitter, and I guess I am, cuz I wo= uld really like my family to approve of what I do! Debra G dlgray@usa.net Melisma on IRC ____________________________________________________________________ Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D= 1 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 22:16:07 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eileen Barnard Subject: Dean Vote MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_007F_01BE8856.B9788180" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_007F_01BE8856.B9788180 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Just to let everyone know that I have just gone in to vote again and = Dean is top of the list so come on keep those votes pouring in and he = can win - just as he deserves to. Regards Eileen eileen@barnard70.freeserve.co.uk ------=_NextPart_000_007F_01BE8856.B9788180 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Just to let everyone know that I = have just gone=20 in to vote again and Dean is top of the list so come on keep those votes = pouring=20 in and he can win - just as he deserves to.
 
Regards
Eileen
eileen@barnard70.freeser= ve.co.uk
 
------=_NextPart_000_007F_01BE8856.B9788180-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 16:45:57 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Karen Ward Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers In-Reply-To: <199904161933.UAA23453@radius.connectfree.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, all! :) Yvonne asked: >Are you all bolder than brass, tell everyone types, or are there some >'closet' fanfic writers out there like me? I'm so glad you asked this, Yvonne (and it's great to see you posting to the list!), because I've been bursting at the seams to talk about this very thing. Personally, I have no qualms telling people about my little hobby, although I don't exactly go around adverstising. I admit that there have been embarassing moments when discussing the subject with a non-FoLC, but it's what I like to do and if my friends and family can't accept that, then that's their problem. However, most of my friends actually think my little writing hobby is "neat" and a few of them have actually asked to read my stories. I gotta admit, *that* blew me out the water . . . it was even more surprising when some said they actually enjoyed the stories (which I'm sure they only said because I'm their friend and they had to ). I guess I've been lucky enough to be blessed not only with some wonderful FoLC friends, but with some incredible RL friends who are tolerant, and even supportive of my little (okay, maybe it's not exactly "little") obsession. :) Leading my pack of supporters is my mom. She's never watched a second of L&C in her life, but she knows all about Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher, "the argh", time-travelling, soul-tracking, cloning, and whatnot. I think it's amazing that she's never once complained about it, either. However, what is even more staggering to me, is that she's probably my biggest fanfic fan. Perhaps it's because she's an English teacher, but she finds it exciting that I find such joy in writing about my favourite characters, even though they're merely television characters, and is always eager to read my fanfic. I couldn't imagine being a luckier person! Then Debra said: >When I was writing my Trek fic, which some >of you are reading, my dad caught a glimpse of it on the computer I was >working on at the time. Well, I got a huge lecture about how I shouldn't waste >my time on TV (we grew up without TV) and all that sort of stuff. So now I >keep my fic ideas and occasional writing efforts to myself, except for what I >share with a carefully chosen group of like-minded friends. And I >consider all >of you members of that group. Gosh, Debra, I'm sorry you don't seem to have gotten the same family support I have. :( However, I'm glad you consider us FoLCs "members of that group." I'm sure it's safe for me to speak for all of us when I say we're honoured to be considered your friends. :) In closing, I just have to say how lucky I feel to have met such a wonderful group of people as a result of my little (okay, I give up, it's not little - it's *really* *really* big) obsession. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I'd meet such incredible people, not to mention one of the best friends I've ever had the privilege of knowing, as a result. I just hope every FoLC has gotten as much out the experience as I have. :) Sincerely, Karen :) who's not sure where this spew came from but is glad to have it off her chest. :) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 22:40:27 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: NKWolke Subject: VD vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Hi Folcies :-) A few weeks ago I had a very heated discussion with some German Folc-friends of mine, about who was responsible for the ‘waiting until the wedding night’. My own opinion clearly saw Lois as the main initiator for that decision, but my friends thought that there was no discussion about it that Clark was the one who wanted to wait. We couldn’t find a solution until I finally wrote this little vignette below. I think neither of us was right, because it more likely is like Jonathan said in JSN: In a partnership both members of that partnership make their decisions together. BTW there’s no real reason for me to post this vignette, except that I always wanted to post something here (I love it when other writers do that) and also that I was bored tonight (hubby is out, nothing on TV, no new story on the archive...). So while I was playing with the files on my computer I stumbled over that little story and thought I could try to translate it. No editor has seen it, and it’s already late in the evening here, so if my English is horrible, please bear with me! A little sidenote: I noticed that my story „The other Lois" starts with almost exact the same sentences as this story here. I’m embarrassed, but I assure you it’s just a conincidence. Enjoy Nicole AKA CKgroupie on IRC NKWolke@t-online.de "Virtually Destroyed" A missing scene by CKgroupie Lois opened the door to her apartment and had Clark enter in front of her. They hadn’t talked much since they had left the computer-center. The picture of Jaxon in his chair, the tormented expression on his face and the idea in which condition he now probably was, had marked deeply in their souls and they felt depressed. "I guess, we better start with writing down the story immediately, don't you think?" Lois asked and watched Clark uncertainly. Actually, she didn't really want to. Usually at the end of an investigation, she had this exciting feeling of satisfaction to again have done it, again uncovering an injustice, a crime or a scandal, but this time... Jaxon had been such a poor creature, with such a miserable life, more victim himself than perpetrator. Clark watched her face thoughtfully. She was pale and she looked a little bit shaken. He also was sure, that he didn't look much different himself. "What do you think if we wait until tomorrow?", he proposed. "To be honest, I have enough from that story for today. I don't think I would be able to write something reasonable tonight anyway." Lois nodded silently relieved. "Why don't you sit down and I make us a tea?", she smiled and pointed to the sofa. She turned around and opened the closet over the kitchen counter. "At least this time my cans are really in here." She heard Clark chuckle behind her and already had another remark on the tip of her tongue, when she suddenly remembered how the tea-thing had turned out the last time they had been in her apartment, back in the virtual world. There still were some things they had to talk about. "Clark", she therefore started, as they sat on the sofa a little while later, Lois cuddled in Clark’s arm. "We have to talk." „Hm-mm.", he murmured and laid his cheek on her hair. "You mean about 'the thing'?" Lois nodded. „Yes." They were silent for a moment, both searching for the right words to begin with. Finally Lois said: "I'm sorry that I reacted so insensitive during our conversation about it. I just was so surprised. I mean... I didn't expect *that*!" "You weren't insensitive, Lois.", Clark said gently. „I know that it *is* ... well a little bit unusual." He took her hand and closed his finger over hers. "There're probably not too many 30 year olds with that little experience." "At least not many who are as handsome as you are." Lois grinned but she sobered almost immediately again. She turned around to face him and looked at him curiously. "What I would like to know is: Why did you wait?" Clark thought about it for a moment. „You know, I think it wasn’t really a deliberate ‘decision’. The main reason for it is of course that I’m ‘different’. I always knew that I could never have an intimate relationship with a woman without letting her in on the secret. So the „threshold" as you called it, was probably much higher for me than for most people. Another reason for it is, that I’ve never been in a relationship were ‘it’ even became an issue. You know, I had girlfriends and I dated, but no relationship got so serious that I thought about doing this step." „Sex only in combination with real love...", Lois sighed. „I wish my own threshold had been a little bit higher, too. It would have spared me some unpleasant memories now. Although...", she furrowed her brow. „I want to be honest here. I thought I was in love every time and I always thought that the man I was with loved me, too. Only that it always turned out as a betrayal afterwards." Clark watched her sympathetically. „This time it *is* love, Lois.", he said quietly. „So mutch even that I can’t find the words to describe it." „I know.", Lois smiled. „And this time I not only believe it. This time I *know* it." She crossed her knees on the sofa and played absently with his hand. „What I still want to know is: Why did *we* wait?" Clark shook his shoulders. „Actually, I have no idea. I always had the impression that it was too early, for me? For you? I don’t know. Fact is, I didn’t want to pressure you and...", he grinned a little bit embarrassed, „...as you know now, I don’t have so much experience in the ‘pressuring department’ anyway." Lois chuckled. „True, you were a very good boy all this time." She took his hand and kissed it tenderly. „And I want to add, that I really thought it was cute. I still do." She looked down on their intertwined fingers. „I also can’t really say why I wasn’t a little bit more agressive myself. I guess I felt the same way you did. There were so many new issues in our relationship to deal with, the change from friendship to love, your secret, the engagement... I thought we needed time to slowly work out everything." For a while neither of them talked. Finally Clark slowly said: „We also don’t need to rush things now, Lois. We have our whole life ahead. A few weeks sooner or later won’t change that." Lois suddenly smiled and climbed on his lap. „Come on, aren’t you in a hurry now, after our... you know... experience in the virtual world?", she grinned and winked with her head to the bedroom. Clark chuckled. „Oh yes, I definitely am.", he said emphatically and tightened his grip around her waist. „But I’ve waited so long for you, now I’ll be able to wait a little bit longer, too." „Hmm... Superman.", Lois whispered and kissed his neck. „The man with the will of steel." „And not only the will, Lois.", Clark grinned. Lois laughed out loud. „Well, we’ll see that, flyboy." „How long is it to the wedding?", she asked a few minutes later. „Two and a half months." Clark answered. „Why? Do you think we should see it as the ‘magic date’?", he winked at her. Lois shook her shoulders. „What do you think?" „Actually I think it would be romantic.", Clark said. „Even if two and a half months seem to be *very* long from now." Lois grinned. „And they will seem even longer once I start to tempt that oh-so-steely will of yours.", she murmured seductively. „Oh boy." Clark sighed happily. The End ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 16:58:57 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Margaret Brignell Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers In-Reply-To: <199904161933.UAA23453@radius.connectfree.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:17 PM 4/16/1999 +0100, Yvonne wrote: >The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst >our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to >wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell >everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like >me? Me, I'm *definitely* a closet writer I'm a fairly private person, so only my husband, one friend outside the circle of FoLC know about my writing. It took me *forever* to get up the courage to actually write something and if it hadn't been for Debby Stark, you'd still never know I was writing fanfic Thanks Debby, for pushing me into the spotlight:D Margaret ducking back into the shadows ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 15:59:00 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email I cannot speak for my wife. But more likely than not I will just happen to mention that I am writing and reading fan fiction off the internet based on the lives of our favorite heroes and heroines. MR. D8A A.K.A. James Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. NIV Please visit and explore my house at: http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 -----Original Message----- From: Yvonne Connell [mailto:yconnell@UKF.NET] Sent: Friday, April 16, 1999 2:17 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Closet fanfic writers First of all, hello everyone. I've been reading the archives of this list for about a year now, and I've corresponded with one or two of you privately, but this is my big moment - when I come out of the shadows and post my first message . The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like me? Yvonne (yconnell@ukf.net) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 17:13:01 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yvonne >are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like >me? I love your question! I'm *almost* a "closet" *fan*, period! When I go onto USENET and read what fans say about Star Trek or L&CTNAOS, I get comments like, "you're reading what people say about *television* shows????? You need to get a life!!!" (Well, I have one, thank you, and right now it includes watching my two favorite television shows, talking about them, and fanfiction! ;-) Peggy gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 17:44:11 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sarah Wood Subject: Re: Groundhog Revelation Day MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> I've often thought that ABC should do a "Groundhog Day" of Lois revelations, with Clark being forced to repeat the revelation over and ov= er again until he finally gets it right! << That might make a great Round Robin fanfic. Sarah Wood ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:02:10 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00C8_01BE8833.3FD84400" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00C8_01BE8833.3FD84400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Yet another story where the alternate CK finds his Lois... =20 =20 Frank comments and criticisms welcome. I particularly want to know if = any scenes are boring, irrelevant, tasteless, or just plain stupid. =20 Warning: PG-13 Loises and Clarks -- Part 1 "Clark, thank you for coming," said Lois, putting her arms around the alternate Clark and giving him a friendly hug. "I'm glad that I can help," said alternate Clark, looking toward Clark, = who had stepped forward to shake his hand. "What do we do first?" H.G. Wells coughed discreetly. "Yes, well; as I told you before, Mr. = Kent, at a critical time in your future, Tempus is going to convince this = world that you and Superman are the same person. In order to forestall = Tempus's revelation of your dual identity and the subsequent harm he renders to...hem...Lois, you must provide incontrovertible proof that Superman = and Clark Kent are two separate people. After you have appeared together as Superman and Clark Kent often enough to establish beyond any doubt that = you are two separate people, I can return the alternate Clark to his = universe." "So I guess we need to stage an event where you and I appear as Superman = and Clark at the same time," said Clark to his counterpart, "but it'll have = to wait until I come back from Geneva...I'm negotiating a peace settlement = this week. I have to leave in..." he looked at his watch, "...five minutes." = He paused and looked speculatively at the alternate Clark. "Maybe you = could take my place over there, and I could stay in Metropolis as Clark Kent." = He put an arm around Lois's shoulders. "But, Clark, he doesn't know anything about these negotiations," = objected Lois. Clark's face fell momentarily, then brightened. "I can brief him..." = his voice faded as he realized the impossibility of the task. "You've been preparing for this for weeks," said Lois, shaking her head. "How can you get him ready in just a few minutes?" "I could try," said the alternate Clark, trying to help. "I must be going now," said Wells, who had been listening quietly to = their conversation. "I'll leave you to work this out." "Wait!" called Lois. "When are you coming back? How long does the = other Clark have to stay here?" The door closed softly behind Wells's = retreating back. Lois sighed. "You're right, Lois; I don't have time to brief him. I'd better..." = Clark made a flying motion with his hand and Lois nodded. He spun into the Superman suit, gave Lois a quick kiss, then vanished with a whoosh. Well," said Lois, clasping and unclasping her hands. "Welcome back to Metropolis. *Our* Metropolis, I mean." She laughed, feeling awkward. The alternate Clark smiled rather nervously. It was harder than he had expected, seeing Lois again like this. When he had returned to his own dimension after the last time he had seen her, he had thrown himself = into his work, hoping to drive all thoughts of her from his head, with indifferent success. Now, for the first time, he began to have doubts = about taking on this assignment. When he had agreed to come to this = Metropolis to help, he hadn't expected to be alone with Lois in her house. Lois was looking at him now. "I'm really glad you could come," she = said. "And just in time to fill in for Clark at the Daily Planet. We tried to = get Perry to send him to Geneva to cover the negotiations, but Perry said = =91the Suits' wouldn't allow it...they want Clark to continue his investigation = of Congressman Koch. We've been trying to figure out how I could cover for him; I was afraid I was going to have to call him in sick every day. Clark nodded. "I'm glad I can help," he said. He followed Lois into = the kitchen. "You'd better get dressed for work," she said. "Clark's suits are in = the same place as last time." Clark nodded and whirled up the stairs, = pausing at the top to lean his back against the wall as he ran his hands through = his hair. Gosh, how was he going to stand this? He dressed slowly, not = trying to change at super speed. He needed time to think before facing her = again. Lois had burst into his life two years ago, uprooting his career, his impending marriage, and even his identity, and then had left as quickly = as she had come. Try as he might, he could not forget her; not least = because of the changes she had wrought in his life. For better or worse, she = had changed it forever. Seeing her again last year had unearthed all the tumultuous emotions = that his first contact with her had engendered. When he had been called to assist this world in the other Clark's absence, he had harbored a secret desire that Clark would never be found and that he could take his place = for good, a feeling of which he was heartily ashamed. For he had not = expected to feel so envious of the other Clark. He had fought his jealousy, but = it was so hard! His counterpart had everything: his parents were still = alive and very much a part of his life; he had his career...two careers...and thanks to his secret identity, a real life; but most of all he had Lois. Lois! Clark closed his eyes as he pictured the dark-haired beauty with = the unforgettable eyes who had tornadoed into his life and shattered it. = Not that he regretted it. He would not have foregone one minute of his time with her in return for all the comfort and security of his previous = life. He recalled her casual embrace of a few minutes ago. Even that small = token of regard had served to re-ignite all his carefully damped-down = passions. He grew warm just thinking about it. He sighed and made his way slowly down the stairs. ***** As the day wore on, Clark began to enjoy himself. It was a relief to be able to walk down the street and not be mobbed by strangers, and it was delightful to work with Lois, to be able to drink in the sight and sound = and smell of her, and to enjoy the occasional casual touch. This was such heaven! If only he could stay here...no, he couldn't think like that. = He mustn't allow himself to think like that. He looked at Lois as she sat = at her desk putting the finishing touches on her latest story. It felt so = good to be able to work with her like this! He looked down at his desk with = a satisfied sigh and began typing again. "Mr. Kent?" said a voice. He looked up from his desk to see a = middle-aged man standing before him. "May I speak to you for a minute?" "Sure," said Clark, getting to his feet. The man looked around uncertainly. "Could we speak privately...?" "This way," said Clark, leading him into the conference room. "Mr. Kent, allow me to introduce myself," the stranger began once Clark = had shut the door in the conference room. "I'm Phillip Hunt and I'm here on behalf of a friend." He paused to make sure he had Clark's attention. = "I understand that you know how to contact Superman," he said. "Ye-es, sometimes," said Clark, feeling how strange it was for someone = to be talking about Superman as if he were a different person. "But he's = locked up in a conference in Geneva right now and--" "Oh, this isn't an emergency. If you could just tell him about the situation the next time you see him... You see, it's about an incident = that occurred a year ago..." Clark listened as Hunt related a tale of a kidnaping that had occurred = in Kuran, a medium-sized city in the Middle East, a year earlier. Two = young Italian women had been abducted and held as hostages. Shortly after = their capture, one of the women had been found wandering the streets of Kuran, completely unharmed but considerably confused. She had memories of her abduction and several days of captivity, but was completely at a loss to explain how she had escaped. It was on behalf of the other young woman that Hunt was requesting Superman's help. Within a week of her kidnaping the Italian government = had been approached to make arrangements for her return, pending release of = two terrorists from an Italian prison, but no agreement had been reached and negotiations were soon terminated. No trace of her was ever found. At = the urging of Hunt's son, who had attended school with the Italian woman, = Hunt was requesting that Superman look into the matter. "I can ask him to do that the next time I see him," said Clark, "but," = he looked Hunt in the eye, "after all this time, you realize that there's a good chance the woman is dead." Hunt nodded. "I realize that. However, any news of the woman's fate = would be helpful to her family, if only to allow them to reach closure." "I'll do what I can," promised Clark. "I mean, I'll tell Superman the = next time I see him." The two men shook hands and Hunt departed, leaving = Clark lost in thought. ***** At home that evening Lois broached the subject that had been on her mind = all day. "When you were here last time, H. G. Wells said..." she paused, = almost afraid to ask, "you were looking for the Lois Lane of your dimension = and..." "And you wondered if we'd ever found her? No," said Clark. "And it = wasn't >from not trying," he added with a touch of bitterness. "I'm sorry," said Lois softly. "Right after Herb dropped me off he appeared again," continued Clark. = "But he looked older, and pretty well beat. He said that he had been = searching for Lois for six months, trying to pinpoint the exact moment of her disappearance, but without success. He had come back in time to the = minute he had returned me to my universe so he could give me the bad news immediately; he didn't want to leave me with false hopes." Clark gazed = out the window. "I'm sorry," said Lois again. She paused. "I know this sounds = insensitive, but have you tried...dating...anyone else?" "I've dated," said Clark, "but I've never actually been with a woman = since Lana." He blushed as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Why did = he have to tell her that? "You've never been with...?" said Lois, not quite certain of his = meaning. "You mean you and Lana had...you and...you mean you didn't *wait*?" Clark looked at her, confused. "Wait?" he said. "For what? Oh, you = mean wait for the ceremony? Lois! Nobody does that any more! It's not as = if we were a couple of teenagers! I mean, if it had been the first time for either of us, then--" "What do you mean, *nobody* waits any more?" said Lois in annoyance. = "That isn't true! But what are you saying? That it wasn't your first time? = Lana wasn't your first?" "Lana my first??" said Clark. "Are you kidding? Lois, I was almost = thirty when I got engaged! Why would you think I...?" he stopped, looking at = her flushed face. "You mean =91he' said that *you* were *his* first? Is = that what he told you??" "What he *told* me was the truth!" snapped Lois, stung by the = incredulity in his voice. "Do you think I wouldn't have been able to tell?" Instantly = she wished she had held her tongue. "You mean *you* had experience and he didn't?" Clark said in wonder. "And what's wrong with that??" said Lois, blushing furiously. She = wished that she had never started this conversation. "Nothing!" said Clark, holding up his hands in appeasement. "I'm just surprised, that's all." He changed the subject and their conversation turned to other matters. ***** The remainder of the two weeks dragged for Lois. It was such a strain, missing Clark as she did and having his counterpart so tantalizingly = close. She almost dreaded the evenings when she and Clark would be alone = together. Not that their time in the office was much better. She found herself touching Clark out of habit throughout the day, putting a friendly hand = on his arm, his shoulder, patting his chest, and each time, she would be recalled to her situation with a jerk of recollection triggered by the = flush that spread over his face. She knew how hard this was for him, and she = knew she shouldn't be contributing to his discomfort by touching him so much, = but she just kept forgetting. There was Clark standing next to her, looking like he always did, and it was the most natural thing in the world to = reach out for him. Her contact with Clark was always casual, and Clark initiated none at = all with her. She missed her own Clark's hand on her shoulder or around her waist when they worked at her terminal together. There were no more of = the stolen intimacies that she and her Clark had shared so often, = either...the quick kisses when they thought no one was looking. To make matters worse, she could often feel Perry's eyes on them; she = knew that he suspected something and could only hope that he wouldn't broach = the subject and give one of his fatherly talks to her or Clark. She breathed a sigh of relief at the conclusion of the two week period. Clark should be back from Switzerland now, she thought with joy. He's probably waiting for me at home right now! She raced through her story, putting the finishing touches on it in record time. Clark had already completed his latest story and had left the office an hour ago. "Lois! Where's that story?" bellowed Perry. "Done, Chief; I have it right here," she sang out as she sent it to = him. She snatched her handbag and headed for the door. "Look, Lois, Superman's back!" said Jimmy, pointing to a television = screen which displayed Superman assisting at a fire. "Wonderful! Metropolis has missed him!" said Lois, trying not to look = too radiant. She slowed her pace somewhat. There was no need to hurry now; = she guessed Clark would be busy with that fire for a while. She did some shopping on the way home, picking up wine and Chinese = takeout. The first sound that greeted her ears when she entered the house was the cascading of running water. She headed for the kitchen, where she found Clark at the sink, scrubbing at a stain on his Superman outfit. She = walked up behind him, put her arms around his waist, and hugged him, laying her cheek against his back. He stiffened and threw his head up, arching his back as he sucked in his breath with a hiss. At the same time Lois = heard a whoosh sound behind her and a voice say, "Lois!!!" ------=_NextPart_000_00C8_01BE8833.3FD84400 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Yet another story where the = alternate CK finds=20 his Lois... 
 
Frank comments and criticisms = welcome.  I=20 particularly want to know if any scenes are boring, irrelevant, = tasteless, or=20 just plain stupid.
 
Warning:  PG-13
 
Loises and Clarks  -- Part 1

"Clark, thank you for = coming," said Lois, putting her arms around the
alternate Clark = and=20 giving him a friendly hug.

"I'm glad that I can help," = said=20 alternate Clark, looking toward Clark, who
had stepped forward to = shake his=20 hand.  "What do we do first?"

H.G. Wells coughed=20 discreetly.  "Yes, well; as I told you before, Mr. Kent,
at = a=20 critical time in your future, Tempus is going to convince this = world
that you=20 and Superman are the same person.  In order to forestall=20 Tempus's
revelation of your dual identity and the subsequent harm he=20 renders
to...hem...Lois, you must provide incontrovertible proof that = Superman and
Clark Kent are two separate people.  After you have = appeared together as
Superman and Clark Kent often enough to = establish beyond=20 any doubt that you
are two separate people, I can return the = alternate Clark=20 to his universe."

"So I guess we need to stage an event = where=20 you and I appear as Superman and
Clark at the same time," said = Clark to=20 his counterpart, "but it'll have to
wait until I come back from=20 Geneva...I'm negotiating a peace settlement this
week.  I have = to leave=20 in..." he looked at his watch, "...five minutes." =20 He
paused and looked speculatively at the alternate Clark.  = "Maybe=20 you could
take my place over there, and I could stay in Metropolis as = Clark=20 Kent."  He
put an arm around Lois's = shoulders.

"But,=20 Clark, he doesn't know anything about these negotiations,"=20 objected
Lois.

Clark's face fell momentarily, then = brightened. =20 "I can brief him..." his
voice faded as he realized the=20 impossibility of the task.

"You've been preparing for this = for=20 weeks," said Lois, shaking her head.
"How can you get him = ready in=20 just a few minutes?"

"I could try," said the = alternate=20 Clark, trying to help.

"I must be going now," said = Wells, who=20 had been listening quietly to their
conversation.  "I'll = leave you=20 to work this out."

"Wait!" called Lois.  = "When=20 are you coming back?  How long does the other
Clark have to stay = here?"  The door closed softly behind Wells's=20 retreating
back.  Lois sighed.

"You're right, Lois; = I don't=20 have time to brief him.  I'd better..." Clark
made a flying = motion=20 with his hand and Lois nodded.  He spun into the
Superman suit, = gave=20 Lois a quick kiss, then vanished with a whoosh.

Well," said = Lois,=20 clasping and unclasping her hands.  "Welcome back = to
Metropolis.=20 *Our* Metropolis, I mean."  She laughed, feeling=20 awkward.


The alternate Clark smiled rather nervously.  = It was=20 harder than he had
expected, seeing Lois again like this.  When = he had=20 returned to his own
dimension after the last time he had seen her, he = had=20 thrown himself into
his work, hoping to drive all thoughts of her = >from his=20 head, with
indifferent success.  Now, for the first time, he = began to=20 have doubts about
taking on this assignment.  When he had agreed = to come=20 to this Metropolis to
help, he hadn't expected to be alone with Lois = in her=20 house.

Lois was looking at him now.  "I'm really glad = you could=20 come," she said.
"And just in time to fill in for Clark at = the=20 Daily Planet.  We tried to get
Perry to send him to Geneva to = cover the=20 negotiations, but Perry said ‘the
Suits' wouldn't allow = it...they want=20 Clark to continue his investigation of
Congressman Koch.  We've = been=20 trying to figure out how I could cover for
him; I was afraid I was = going to=20 have to call him in sick every day.

Clark nodded.  "I'm = glad I=20 can help," he said.  He followed Lois into=20 the
kitchen.

"You'd better get dressed for work," = she=20 said.  "Clark's suits are in the
same place as last=20 time."  Clark nodded and whirled up the stairs, pausing
at = the top=20 to lean his back against the wall as he ran his hands through = his
hair. =20 Gosh, how was he going to stand this?  He dressed slowly, not = trying
to=20 change at super speed.  He needed time to think before facing her=20 again.

Lois had burst into his life two years ago, uprooting his = career,=20 his
impending marriage, and even his identity, and then had left as = quickly=20 as
she had come.  Try as he might, he could not forget her; not = least=20 because
of the changes she had wrought in his life.  For better = or=20 worse, she had
changed it forever.

Seeing her again last year = had=20 unearthed all the tumultuous emotions that
his first contact with her = had=20 engendered.  When he had been called to
assist this world in the = other=20 Clark's absence, he had harbored a secret
desire that Clark would = never be=20 found and that he could take his place for
good, a feeling of which = he was=20 heartily ashamed.  For he had not expected
to feel so envious of = the=20 other Clark.  He had fought his jealousy, but it
was so = hard!  His=20 counterpart had everything: his parents were still alive
and very = much a part=20 of his life; he had his career...two careers...and
thanks to his = secret=20 identity, a real life; but most of all he had Lois.

Lois!  = Clark=20 closed his eyes as he pictured the dark-haired beauty with = the
unforgettable=20 eyes who had tornadoed into his life and shattered it.  Not
that = he=20 regretted it.  He would not have foregone one minute of his = time
with=20 her in return for all the comfort and security of his previous = life.

He=20 recalled her casual embrace of a few minutes ago.  Even that small=20 token
of regard had served to re-ignite all his carefully damped-down = passions.
He grew warm just thinking about it.

He sighed and = made his=20 way slowly down the stairs.

*****
As the day wore on, Clark = began to=20 enjoy himself.  It was a relief to be
able to walk down the = street and=20 not be mobbed by strangers, and it was
delightful to work with Lois, = to be=20 able to drink in the sight and sound and
smell of her, and to enjoy = the=20 occasional casual touch. This was such
heaven!  If only he could = stay=20 here...no, he couldn't think like that.  He
mustn't allow = himself to=20 think like that.  He looked at Lois as she sat at
her desk = putting the=20 finishing touches on her latest story.  It felt so good
to be = able to=20 work with her like this!  He looked down at his desk with = a
satisfied=20 sigh and began typing again.

"Mr. Kent?" said a = voice.  He=20 looked up from his desk to see a middle-aged
man standing before = him. =20 "May I speak to you for a minute?"

"Sure," = said=20 Clark, getting to his feet.

The man looked around = uncertainly. =20 "Could we speak privately...?"

"This way," = said=20 Clark, leading him into the conference room.

"Mr. Kent, = allow me to=20 introduce myself," the stranger began once Clark had
shut the = door in=20 the conference room.  "I'm Phillip Hunt and I'm here = on
behalf of a=20 friend."  He paused to make sure he had Clark's = attention. =20 "I
understand that you know how to contact Superman," he=20 said.

"Ye-es, sometimes," said Clark, feeling how = strange it=20 was for someone to be
talking about Superman as if he were a = different=20 person.  "But he's locked
up in a conference in Geneva = right now=20 and--"

"Oh, this isn't an emergency.  If you could = just=20 tell him about the
situation the next time you see him...  You = see, it's=20 about an incident that
occurred a year ago..."

Clark = listened as=20 Hunt related a tale of a kidnaping that had occurred in
Kuran, a = medium-sized=20 city in the Middle East, a year earlier.  Two young
Italian = women had=20 been abducted and held as hostages.  Shortly after = their
capture, one of=20 the women had been found wandering the streets of Kuran,
completely = unharmed=20 but considerably confused.  She had memories of her
abduction = and=20 several days of captivity, but was completely at a loss to
explain = how she=20 had escaped.

It was on behalf of the other young woman that Hunt = was=20 requesting
Superman's help.  Within a week of her kidnaping the = Italian=20 government had
been approached to make arrangements for her return, = pending=20 release of two
terrorists from an Italian prison, but no agreement = had been=20 reached and
negotiations were soon terminated.  No trace of her = was ever=20 found.  At the
urging of Hunt's son, who had attended school = with the=20 Italian woman, Hunt
was requesting that Superman look into the=20 matter.

"I can ask him to do that the next time I see = him,"=20 said Clark, "but," he
looked Hunt in the eye, "after = all this=20 time, you realize that there's a
good chance the woman is=20 dead."

Hunt nodded.  "I realize that.  = However, any=20 news of the woman's fate would
be helpful to her family, if only to = allow=20 them to reach closure."

"I'll do what I can," = promised=20 Clark.  "I mean, I'll tell Superman the next
time I see=20 him."  The two men shook hands and Hunt departed, leaving=20 Clark
lost in thought.

*****
At home that evening Lois = broached the=20 subject that had been on her mind all
day.  "When you were = here=20 last time, H. G. Wells said..." she paused, almost
afraid to = ask,=20 "you were looking for the Lois Lane of your dimension=20 and..."

"And you wondered if we'd ever found her?  = No," said Clark.  "And it wasn't
from not = trying," he=20 added with a touch of bitterness.

"I'm sorry," said = Lois=20 softly.

"Right after Herb dropped me off he appeared = again,"=20 continued Clark.  "But
he looked older, and pretty well = beat. =20 He said that he had been searching
for Lois for six months, trying to = pinpoint the exact moment of her
disappearance, but without = success.  He=20 had come back in time to the minute
he had returned me to my universe = so he=20 could give me the bad news
immediately; he didn't want to leave me = with false=20 hopes."  Clark gazed out
the window.

"I'm = sorry,"=20 said Lois again.  She paused.  "I know this sounds=20 insensitive,
but have you tried...dating...anyone=20 else?"

"I've dated," said Clark, "but I've = never=20 actually been with a woman since
Lana."  He blushed as soon = as the=20 words were out of his mouth.  Why did he
have to tell her=20 that?

"You've never been with...?" said Lois, not quite = certain=20 of his meaning.
"You mean you and Lana had...you and...you mean = you=20 didn't *wait*?"

Clark looked at her, confused. =20 "Wait?" he said.  "For what?  Oh, you = mean
wait for=20 the ceremony?  Lois!  Nobody does that any more!  It's = not as if=20 we
were a couple of teenagers!  I mean, if it had been the first = time=20 for
either of us, then--"

"What do you mean, = *nobody* waits=20 any more?" said Lois in annoyance.  "That
isn't = true! =20 But what are you saying?  That it wasn't your first time? =20 Lana
wasn't your first?"

"Lana my first??" said = Clark.  "Are you kidding?  Lois, I was almost = thirty
when I=20 got engaged!  Why would you think I...?" he stopped, looking = at=20 her
flushed face.  "You mean ‘he' said that *you* = were *his*=20 first?  Is that
what he told you??"

"What he = *told* me=20 was the truth!" snapped Lois, stung by the incredulity in
his=20 voice.  "Do you think I wouldn't have been able to = tell?" =20 Instantly she
wished she had held her tongue.

"You mean = *you* had=20 experience and he didn't?" Clark said in wonder.

"And = what's=20 wrong with that??" said Lois, blushing furiously.  She = wished
that=20 she had never started this conversation.

"Nothing!" = said Clark,=20 holding up his hands in appeasement.  "I'm just
surprised, = that's=20 all."  He changed the subject and their conversation
turned = to=20 other matters.

*****
The remainder of the two weeks dragged = for=20 Lois.  It was such a strain,
missing Clark as she did and having = his=20 counterpart so tantalizingly close.
She almost dreaded the evenings = when she=20 and Clark would be alone together.
Not that their time in the office = was much=20 better.  She found herself
touching Clark out of habit = throughout the=20 day, putting a friendly hand on
his arm, his shoulder, patting his = chest, and=20 each time, she would be
recalled to her situation with a jerk of = recollection=20 triggered by the flush
that spread over his face.  She knew how = hard=20 this was for him, and she knew
she shouldn't be contributing to his=20 discomfort by touching him so much, but
she just kept = forgetting.  There=20 was Clark standing next to her, looking
like he always did, and it = was the=20 most natural thing in the world to reach
out for him.

Her = contact with=20 Clark was always casual, and Clark initiated none at all
with = her.  She=20 missed her own Clark's hand on her shoulder or around her
waist when = they=20 worked at her terminal together.  There were no more of = the
stolen=20 intimacies that she and her Clark had shared so often, = either...the
quick=20 kisses when they thought no one was looking.

To make matters = worse, she=20 could often feel Perry's eyes on them; she knew
that he  = suspected=20 something and could only hope that he wouldn't broach the
subject and = give=20 one of his fatherly talks to her or Clark.

She breathed a sigh of = relief=20 at the conclusion of the two week period.
Clark should be back from=20 Switzerland now, she thought with joy.  He's
probably waiting = for me at=20 home right now!  She raced through her story,
putting the = finishing=20 touches on it in record time.  Clark had already
completed his = latest=20 story and had left the office an hour ago.  "Lois!
Where's = that=20 story?" bellowed Perry.

"Done, Chief;  I have it = right=20 here," she sang out as she sent it to him.
She snatched her = handbag and=20 headed for the door.

"Look, Lois, Superman's back!" = said Jimmy,=20 pointing to a television screen
which displayed Superman assisting at = a=20 fire.

"Wonderful!  Metropolis has missed him!" = said Lois,=20 trying not to look too
radiant.  She slowed her pace = somewhat. =20 There was no need to hurry now; she
guessed Clark would be busy with = that=20 fire for a while.

She did some shopping on the way home, picking = up wine=20 and Chinese takeout.
The first sound that greeted her ears when she = entered=20 the house was the
cascading of running water.  She headed for = the=20 kitchen, where she found
Clark at the sink, scrubbing at a stain on = his=20 Superman outfit.  She walked
up behind him, put her arms around = his=20 waist, and hugged him, laying her
cheek against his back.  He = stiffened=20 and threw his head up, arching his
back as he sucked in his breath = with a=20 hiss.  At the same time Lois heard a
whoosh sound behind her and = a voice=20 say, "Lois!!!"

------=_NextPart_000_00C8_01BE8833.3FD84400-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:03:14 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00D4_01BE8833.65B939E0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00D4_01BE8833.65B939E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Loises and Clarks =96 Part 2 Lois released Clark and jumped back in haste, looking from one Clark to = the other. "Which...?" She looked at the Clark she had just hugged, = still standing with his back to them, but with a tell-tale blush of red = on the back of his neck. Then she looked at the Clark standing in the = doorway, dressed in the Superman costume, his face and uniform grimy = with soot. "Clark??" she said. She looked back at the Clark she had just = embraced. "Uh-oh," she said. "What are you doing?" her Clark asked, hands on hips. "I guess I made a mistake," she said feebly. "How could you do that?" asked Clark. Lois, believing that he didn=92t = seriously expect her to reply to that question, didn=92t answer. The = alternate Clark, leaping into the breach, stammered and said that no = doubt Lois had mistaken him for her husband when she saw him with the = Superman suit. Clark whirled to face him. "Why were you wearing the Suit at that fire = anyway?" he challenged him. "I almost flew in on top of you! That would = have made a mess of everything!" "I=92m sorry," said alternate Clark. "I knew you had left Geneva but = there was still no sign of you so I thought I could risk Superman being = seen in Metropolis." "Well, you could have ruined everything!"exclaimed Clark "He=92s just trying to help!" interposed Lois, laying a hand on her = husband=92s arm. "Yeah, sure," groused Clark, shaking off her hand and stomping up the = stairs.=20 With a wry grimace at this un-Clarklike behavior, Lois turned to the = alternate Clark. "Thank you for all your help," she said. Clark=92s face brightened while he gave her his shy smile. "It=92s okay, = Lois. Just let me know if there=92s anything else I can do." He tried = not to watch her while she left the room and headed for the stairs.=20 "Lois!" he called after her. "I=92m going to go out for the evening. = I=92ll wear the...the Suit, so you won=92t need to be disturbed for = anything."=20 Lois turned and looked back at the alternate Clark. "Thank you, Clark," = she said gratefully. "That=92s very thoughtful of you." Clark looked up at her glowing face, thinking that the way she was = looking at him now more than made up for having to spend the evening = outdoors, flying aimlessly in circles. *** "I missed you," said Lois, following her husband into the bedroom. "Yeah, sure," said Clark, sulking.=20 Lois put her arms around his waist and drew him close. "Want me to prove = it?" she asked softly.=20 Clark wriggled out of her embrace. "Lois, how could you hug him like = that?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest. "How could I....?" Lois took a step back. "You=92re not jealous are = you?" Clark, for someone who=92s so smart, you can be *so* dumb = sometimes! When he didn=92t answer she tried again. "I thought it was = you," she said, waiting for him to understand what she was saying. No, = he didn=92t get it! Duh! She sighed in exasperation, folding her arms = and watching him through narrowed eyes while he paced back and forth, = talking at an uncharacteristically fast speed. "...gone for two weeks..." Lois frowned, trying to think of a way to snap him out of this. " ...come back to find..." "Clark, it was a mistake! I thought he was you!" she interrupted. "...hugging him...*hugging* him...!"=20 Lois threw up her hands. "Okay," she said, turning to leave the room. "Lois, wait, where are you going? Lois...?" "I=92m going to call my mother and see if she wants to go out for = dinner," she threw over her shoulder.=20 "Wha...?" "I could use some good company right now..." she added. "Good company...? Your mother? Lois!" Clark protested, racing in front = of her and blocking her exit. "How can you think about going out = tonight?? It=92s my first night back!" "And...?" said Lois. "I thought we could...we could..." "Yes?" she said, when he didn=92t continue. "Stay in tonight," he said, drawing a breath. "But you=92re mad at me!" she said sweetly. "No! No, I=92m not mad at you, honey!" said Clark earnestly. "Then you believe me when I say I missed you?" Lois drifted closer and = put her hands on his upper arms.=20 "Yes! Absolutely!" "And that I made a mistake when I hugged *him*?" She slid her hands up = his shoulders and around the back of his neck. "Yes," he said. "And that I want to spend the evening with you, alone, eating the = Chinese take-out I bought?" "Actually," said Clark, clearing his throat, "I bought Chinese take-out, = too." Lois smiled. "Why do I get the feeling that you didn=92t get yours at = Ralph=92s Pagoda?" she said.=20 ***** With the return of Clark to his wife=92s side, the alternate Clark=92s = position in Lois=92s life was relegated to the sidelines. By mutual = agreement, alternate Clark became Superman and spent his days and most = of his nights patrolling the city. Gone were the days when he worked at = Lois=92s side in the office, receiving her casual pats and other = physical contact with secret pleasure. Gone, too, were the evenings = spent exclusively in her company. Sometimes he joined the husband and = wife in their evening activities when spent inside their house, but on = such occasions he invariably felt awkward and out of place.=20 It hurt him, too, that Clark seemed to resent his presence so much. He = looked up to Clark with something approaching awe, and would have given = much to be able to please him. For the Clark of this world, though, it was perhaps harder. He was = grateful to the alternate Clark for agreeing to help him, and he knew = his wife loved him completely, but there was *that* between them that = bothered him. When he had arrived at home to find his wife with her arms = around the alternate Clark, whose body language completely betrayed his = feelings, he had felt rage and jealousy unlike anything he had ever = known. This was worse than when she had loved Superman and scorned = Clark. He hadn=92t really been able to be angry with her for loving = Superman so much...after all, *he* was Superman! And no more could he = blame her for being attracted to the alternate Clark, for in a way, the = alternate Clark was him, too. But at least he had some control over = Superman=92s actions, a control he lacked with the alternate Clark. "I know I shouldn=92t feel this way, Lois, but I just can=92t help it!" = he told her one evening when he was alone with his wife while Superman = was out patrolling the skies. "The whole time I was in Geneva, I just = kept thinking about the two of you alone here together, remembering how = you almost kissed the last time...and you almost kissed when you went to = his world, too!" "I should never have told you about that," said Lois regretfully. "No, it=92s okay, I want you to be honest with me," he said, hugging her = tightly. "I feel sorry for him," said Lois. "It=92s so sad that he has to be = alone." "That=92s just it Lois...why does he have to be alone? With all the = women on the planet why does he have to fixate on my wife?" "He=92s probably a lot like you," said Lois, taking his face between her = hands and pressing a kiss on his lips. "Once he=92s decided on a certain = woman, he can=92t think about having anyone else." "Does he have to pick the same woman?" grumbled Clark. Lois sighed. "We can only hope that he=92ll find someone else," she = said. "After all, he=92s not quite like you...he was surprised that you = had waited until the honeymoon..." "What???" Clark interrupted wrathfully. "Lo-i-is!! You mean you *told* = him???" "I didn=92t *tell* him, Clark, he guessed," said Lois. "Huh! Lucky guess!" snorted Clark.=20 "Clark..." "Did he just come up one day and say, =91Clark must have waited for the = honeymoon=92?" "Don=92t get sarcastic, Clark!" snapped Lois. "Of course not; he was = telling me that he...how lonely he was and that he hadn=92t been...been = with anyone since Lana Lang and when I said I was surprised he hadn=92t = waited for the wedding..." "He was talking to you about his love life???" Clark got to his feet. = "Lois!!" "It=92s not a crime, Clark!" said Lois. "And what=92s with you, anyway? = What=92s so bad with him knowing about your past?" She looked = searchingly at Clark, who had fallen into the sullens and didn=92t = answer her. "Oh! I get it!" said Lois. "This is a guy thing, isn=92t it? = A testosterone-induced contest of one-upmanship...and you=92re the loser = because you had less experience than he did? Is that what this is = about?" "No!" said Clark uncomfortably. "I just don=92t think = it=92s...appropriate...for a man who=92s living in *my* house with *my* = wife to discuss that subject with her!" He spun into his Superman = costume and prepared to fly away. "Clark, where are you going? You can=92t go out like that...Superman=92s = already on the job!" Clark stopped. He thought of stalking out of the = house on foot, but he realized that he really didn=92t want to fight = with Lois. Not tonight, when they had the house to themselves. He pulled = himself together, then bent all his energy to coaxing Lois out of the = angry mood she had fallen into. ***** Late that evening, the alternate Clark crept into the house and made up = his bed upon the sofa, glad that for once there were no noises upstairs = for his sensitive ears to detect. Instead of lying in his bed once he = had made it, however, he sat down with his head in his hands. He was = nervous about going to sleep because of the dreams he had been having. = Every night he dreamed of Lois, and it was getting worse. Last night she = had come to him and hugged him in the same way she had that day in the = kitchen, telling him to take her back to the other world with him...that = she wanted him, only him. It was such desolation to awaken to cold = reality after having these dreams that he didn=92t want to go to sleep = and risk having them again. He sighed. I have to get out of here, he = thought. ***** Meanwhile, the two Clarks staged a number of events where Superman and = Clark Kent appeared together, on camera whenever possible. But by this = time the tension between them had escalated to the point that it was = starting to become visible. One day Perry called Clark into his office and shut the door. "Son," he = said, "I can=92t help noticing that things between you and Lois aren=92t = all they should be. I don=92t know how long this has been going on, but = I seem to recall a chill between you two...oh, around the time of the = peace conference in Geneva." Clark tried not to show how glad he was = that the Chief had noticed the difference between the other Clark and = himself in relation to Lois.=20 "Now...uh..." Perry continued, "I don=92t know what=92s going on between = you two, but I want to warn you about...uh...letting it show too much in = public."=20 "Chief," began Clark, pressing his lips together. "Let me show you what I mean," said Perry, inserting a videotape into = the VCR. Clark watched the footage from yesterday=92s press conference, = which he, Lois, and Superman had all attended. He saw Lois go up to = Superman afterwards and place a hand on his arm. Then he saw himself = approach them and put his own hands possessively on Lois=92s shoulders. = It was a subtle movement, something that perhaps only Perry White, who = knew them so well, would have noticed, but it was enough to point out to = Clark the possibilities of a scandal of a different sort than the = revelation that he was Superman. He couldn=92t have people saying that = he was jealous of Superman or of Superman=92s relationship with his = wife! "Now, son, I understand that Lois has always had this special = relationship with Superman," said Perry, "but you=92ve got to realize = that Lois would never...I mean....why, she=92s completely in love with = you!" "Chief, I know what you=92re trying to say and..." began Clark. "You two had to weather some mighty unpleasant gossip last year and = I=92d hate to see a repeat of it," continued Perry, heedless of the = interruption. "Now let me tell you about a time when the King..." Perry = launched into one of his Elvis stories.=20 Clark escaped as soon as he could, grateful for Perry=92s friendly = warning and determined to mend relations with both Lois and the other = Clark. He was glad that Perry had noticed a difference when the other = Clark had substituted for him! Lois must act conspicuously different = around him! He tried not to smile too broadly when he returned to his = desk. ------=_NextPart_000_00D4_01BE8833.65B939E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Loises and Clarks – Part 2

Lois released Clark and jumped back in haste, looking from one Clark = to the=20 other. "Which...?" She looked at the Clark she had just = hugged, still=20 standing with his back to them, but with a tell-tale blush of red on the = back of=20 his neck. Then she looked at the Clark standing in the doorway, dressed = in the=20 Superman costume, his face and uniform grimy with soot. = "Clark??" she=20 said. She looked back at the Clark she had just embraced. = "Uh-oh," she=20 said.

"What are you doing?" her Clark asked, hands on hips.

"I guess I made a mistake," she said feebly.

"How could you do that?" asked Clark. Lois, believing that = he=20 didn’t seriously expect her to reply to that question, = didn’t=20 answer. The alternate Clark, leaping into the breach, stammered and said = that no=20 doubt Lois had mistaken him for her husband when she saw him with the = Superman=20 suit.

Clark whirled to face him. "Why were you wearing the Suit at = that fire=20 anyway?" he challenged him. "I almost flew in on top of you! = That=20 would have made a mess of everything!"

"I’m sorry," said alternate Clark. "I knew you = had left=20 Geneva but there was still no sign of you so I thought I could risk = Superman=20 being seen in Metropolis."

"Well, you could have ruined everything!"exclaimed = Clark

"He’s just trying to help!" interposed Lois, laying a = hand on=20 her husband’s arm.

"Yeah, sure," groused Clark, shaking off her hand and = stomping up=20 the stairs.

With a wry grimace at this un-Clarklike behavior, Lois turned to the=20 alternate Clark. "Thank you for all your help," she said.

Clark’s face brightened while he gave her his shy smile.=20 "It’s okay, Lois. Just let me know if there’s anything = else I=20 can do." He tried not to watch her while she left the room and = headed for=20 the stairs.

"Lois!" he called after her. "I’m going to go = out for=20 the evening. I’ll wear the...the Suit, so you won’t need to = be=20 disturbed for anything."

Lois turned and looked back at the alternate Clark. "Thank you,=20 Clark," she said gratefully. "That’s very thoughtful of=20 you."

Clark looked up at her glowing face, thinking that the way she was = looking at=20 him now more than made up for having to spend the evening outdoors, = flying=20 aimlessly in circles.

***

"I missed you," said Lois, following her husband into the=20 bedroom.

"Yeah, sure," said Clark, sulking.

Lois put her arms around his waist and drew him close. "Want me = to prove=20 it?" she asked softly.

Clark wriggled out of her embrace. "Lois, how could you hug him = like=20 that?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"How could I....?" Lois took a step back. = "You’re not=20 jealous are you?" Clark, for someone who’s so smart, you can = be *so*=20 dumb sometimes! When he didn’t answer she tried again. "I = thought it=20 was you," she said, waiting for him to understand what she was = saying. No,=20 he didn’t get it! Duh! She sighed in exasperation, folding her = arms and=20 watching him through narrowed eyes while he paced back and forth, = talking at an=20 uncharacteristically fast speed.

"...gone for two weeks..."

Lois frowned, trying to think of a way to snap him out of this.

" ...come back to find..."

"Clark, it was a mistake! I thought he was you!" she=20 interrupted.

"...hugging him...*hugging* him...!"

Lois threw up her hands. "Okay," she said, turning to leave = the=20 room.

"Lois, wait, where are you going? Lois...?"

"I’m going to call my mother and see if she wants to go = out for=20 dinner," she threw over her shoulder.

"Wha...?"

"I could use some good company right now..." she added.

"Good company...? Your mother? Lois!" Clark protested, = racing in=20 front of her and blocking her exit. "How can you think about going = out=20 tonight?? It’s my first night back!"

"And...?" said Lois.

"I thought we could...we could..."

"Yes?" she said, when he didn’t continue.

"Stay in tonight," he said, drawing a breath.

"But you’re mad at me!" she said sweetly.

"No! No, I’m not mad at you, honey!" said Clark=20 earnestly.

"Then you believe me when I say I missed you?" Lois drifted = closer=20 and put her hands on his upper arms.

"Yes! Absolutely!"

"And that I made a mistake when I hugged *him*?" She slid = her hands=20 up his shoulders and around the back of his neck.

"Yes," he said.

"And that I want to spend the evening with you, alone, eating = the=20 Chinese take-out I bought?"

"Actually," said Clark, clearing his throat, "I bought = Chinese=20 take-out, too."

Lois smiled. "Why do I get the feeling that you didn’t get = yours=20 at Ralph’s Pagoda?" she said.

*****

With the return of Clark to his wife’s side, the alternate=20 Clark’s position in Lois’s life was relegated to the = sidelines. By=20 mutual agreement, alternate Clark became Superman and spent his days and = most of=20 his nights patrolling the city. Gone were the days when he worked at=20 Lois’s side in the office, receiving her casual pats and other = physical=20 contact with secret pleasure. Gone, too, were the evenings spent = exclusively in=20 her company. Sometimes he joined the husband and wife in their evening=20 activities when spent inside their house, but on such occasions he = invariably=20 felt awkward and out of place.

It hurt him, too, that Clark seemed to resent his presence so much. = He looked=20 up to Clark with something approaching awe, and would have given much to = be able=20 to please him.

For the Clark of this world, though, it was perhaps harder. He was = grateful=20 to the alternate Clark for agreeing to help him, and he knew his wife = loved him=20 completely, but there was *that* between them that bothered him. When he = had=20 arrived at home to find his wife with her arms around the alternate = Clark, whose=20 body language completely betrayed his feelings, he had felt rage and = jealousy=20 unlike anything he had ever known. This was worse than when she had = loved=20 Superman and scorned Clark. He hadn’t really been able to be angry = with=20 her for loving Superman so much...after all, *he* was Superman! And no = more=20 could he blame her for being attracted to the alternate Clark, for in a = way, the=20 alternate Clark was him, too. But at least he had some control over=20 Superman’s actions, a control he lacked with the alternate = Clark.

"I know I shouldn’t feel this way, Lois, but I just = can’t=20 help it!" he told her one evening when he was alone with his wife = while=20 Superman was out patrolling the skies. "The whole time I was in = Geneva, I=20 just kept thinking about the two of you alone here together, remembering = how you=20 almost kissed the last time...and you almost kissed when you went to his = world,=20 too!"

"I should never have told you about that," said Lois=20 regretfully.

"No, it’s okay, I want you to be honest with me," he = said,=20 hugging her tightly.

"I feel sorry for him," said Lois. "It’s so sad = that he=20 has to be alone."

"That’s just it Lois...why does he have to be alone? With = all the=20 women on the planet why does he have to fixate on my wife?"

"He’s probably a lot like you," said Lois, taking his = face=20 between her hands and pressing a kiss on his lips. "Once he’s = decided=20 on a certain woman, he can’t think about having anyone = else."

"Does he have to pick the same woman?" grumbled Clark.

Lois sighed. "We can only hope that he’ll find someone = else,"=20 she said. "After all, he’s not quite like you...he was = surprised that=20 you had waited until the honeymoon..."

"What???" Clark interrupted wrathfully. "Lo-i-is!! You = mean=20 you *told* him???"

"I didn’t *tell* him, Clark, he guessed," said = Lois.

"Huh! Lucky guess!" snorted Clark.

"Clark..."

"Did he just come up one day and say, ‘Clark must have = waited for=20 the honeymoon’?"

"Don’t get sarcastic, Clark!" snapped Lois. "Of = course=20 not; he was telling me that he...how lonely he was and that he = hadn’t=20 been...been with anyone since Lana Lang and when I said I was surprised = he=20 hadn’t waited for the wedding..."

"He was talking to you about his love life???" Clark got to = his=20 feet. "Lois!!"

"It’s not a crime, Clark!" said Lois. "And = what’s=20 with you, anyway? What’s so bad with him knowing about your = past?"=20 She looked searchingly at Clark, who had fallen into the sullens and=20 didn’t answer her. "Oh! I get it!" said Lois. "This = is a=20 guy thing, isn’t it? A testosterone-induced contest of = one-upmanship...and=20 you’re the loser because you had less experience than he did? Is = that what=20 this is about?"

"No!" said Clark uncomfortably. "I just don’t = think=20 it’s...appropriate...for a man who’s living in *my* house = with *my*=20 wife to discuss that subject with her!" He spun into his Superman = costume=20 and prepared to fly away.

"Clark, where are you going? You can’t go out like=20 that...Superman’s already on the job!" Clark stopped. He = thought of=20 stalking out of the house on foot, but he realized that he really = didn’t=20 want to fight with Lois. Not tonight, when they had the house to = themselves. He=20 pulled himself together, then bent all his energy to coaxing Lois out of = the=20 angry mood she had fallen into.

*****

Late that evening, the alternate Clark crept into the house and made = up his=20 bed upon the sofa, glad that for once there were no noises upstairs for = his=20 sensitive ears to detect. Instead of lying in his bed once he had made = it,=20 however, he sat down with his head in his hands. He was nervous about = going to=20 sleep because of the dreams he had been having. Every night he dreamed = of Lois,=20 and it was getting worse. Last night she had come to him and hugged him = in the=20 same way she had that day in the kitchen, telling him to take her back = to the=20 other world with him...that she wanted him, only him. It was such = desolation to=20 awaken to cold reality after having these dreams that he didn’t = want to go=20 to sleep and risk having them again. He sighed. I have to get out of = here, he=20 thought.

*****

Meanwhile, the two Clarks staged a number of events where Superman = and Clark=20 Kent appeared together, on camera whenever possible. But by this time = the=20 tension between them had escalated to the point that it was starting to = become=20 visible.

One day Perry called Clark into his office and shut the door.=20 "Son," he said, "I can’t help noticing that things = between=20 you and Lois aren’t all they should be. I don’t know how = long this=20 has been going on, but I seem to recall a chill between you two...oh, = around the=20 time of the peace conference in Geneva." Clark tried not to show = how glad=20 he was that the Chief had noticed the difference between the other Clark = and=20 himself in relation to Lois.

"Now...uh..." Perry continued, "I don’t know=20 what’s going on between you two, but I want to warn you=20 about...uh...letting it show too much in public."

"Chief," began Clark, pressing his lips together.

"Let me show you what I mean," said Perry, inserting a = videotape=20 into the VCR. Clark watched the footage from yesterday’s press = conference,=20 which he, Lois, and Superman had all attended. He saw Lois go up to = Superman=20 afterwards and place a hand on his arm. Then he saw himself approach = them and=20 put his own hands possessively on Lois’s shoulders. It was a = subtle=20 movement, something that perhaps only Perry White, who knew them so = well, would=20 have noticed, but it was enough to point out to Clark the possibilities = of a=20 scandal of a different sort than the revelation that he was Superman. He = couldn’t have people saying that he was jealous of Superman or of=20 Superman’s relationship with his wife!

"Now, son, I understand that Lois has always had this special=20 relationship with Superman," said Perry, "but you’ve got = to=20 realize that Lois would never...I mean....why, she’s completely in = love=20 with you!"

"Chief, I know what you’re trying to say and..." = began=20 Clark.

"You two had to weather some mighty unpleasant gossip last year = and=20 I’d hate to see a repeat of it," continued Perry, heedless of = the=20 interruption. "Now let me tell you about a time when the = King..."=20 Perry launched into one of his Elvis stories.

Clark escaped as soon as he could, grateful for Perry’s = friendly=20 warning and determined to mend relations with both Lois and the other = Clark. He=20 was glad that Perry had noticed a difference when the other Clark had=20 substituted for him! Lois must act conspicuously different around him! = He tried=20 not to smile too broadly when he returned to his = desk.

------=_NextPart_000_00D4_01BE8833.65B939E0-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:03:39 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00E0_01BE8833.74D9E820" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00E0_01BE8833.74D9E820 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Loises and Clarks =96 Part 3 ***** The alternate Clark returned to the house earlier than usual that = morning. He had taken to patrolling the city at night and returning to = the house to sleep during the day to avoid Lois and Clark. This morning = he had been asleep for only a few hours when he was aroused by the sound = of a key turning in the lock. He sat up and hastily pulled the sheet = around himself as Jonathan and Martha Kent, recently returned from a = tour of Italy and Japan, entered. "Clark!" said Martha, hurrying over to = him in concern. "You=92re in bed!" "What=92s the matter, son, are you sick?" asked Jonathan, following his = wife.=20 Clark eased himself out of Martha=92s embrace in great embarrassment. = "Martha, I=92m not your Clark," he said. "It=92s me again. The Clark = >from the other universe." Martha pulled back in alarm. "Has something happened to Clark?" she = asked, her face turning pale.=20 "No! He=92s here; he=92s fine," said Clark quickly. "I just came to help = him with a problem." Rapidly he told the Kent=92s of the need to have = Superman appear in public simultaneously with Clark. "Well, thank you for coming, Clark," said Martha, reaching over to give = him a friendly hug. "It=92s nice to see you again, boy," added Jonathan, extending his hand. = Clark found himself blushing with all the friendly attention. Acutely = aware of his bare torso, he excused himself to run into the closet and = put on a shirt. Regaining his equilibrium once he was fully dressed, he sat down with = them and answered their questions, in particular their expressed = curiosity about his current nocturnal lifestyle. Although Clark was = careful to say nothing about the reason he had chosen to live this way, = Jonathan and Martha were quick to divine the truth. "Well," said Martha, = rising from the sofa, "It=92s nice of you to help Lois and Clark and = I=92m sure they both appreciate it." "Yeah," said Clark without much enthusiasm. A look passed between Martha = and Jonathan. "Would you like to have some of my homemade cookies?" asked Martha. "We = stopped in Smallville before we came here and picked up some to bring = with us." "Okay!" said Clark, his face brightening.=20 Lois found the three of them sitting comfortably at the kitchen table = discussing cookies and milk when she arrived a short time later.=20 "Martha! Jonathan!" she exclaimed. "And Clark, what are you doing home? = I thought you were covering the D.A.=92s press conference this = afternoon!" The embarrassed look on Clark=92s face told her of her = error. "Oh, you=92re the other Clark," she said, glad that she had = realized that fact before making the mistake of kissing him. "We really = ought to find another name for you to keep from confusing you with our = Clark. Maybe we could call you Alt-Clark."=20 "That sounds like a keystroke on a computer," protested Clark with a = laugh. "And this *is* =91our=92 Clark, too," added Martha, giving him a hug. = "We can call you =91ours,=92 can=92t we honey?" "Sure," said Alt-Clark, his throat tightening. The Kent=92s were always = so nice to him; he had never felt such a sense of belonging before. He = wished his own adoptive parents had lived.=20 It was at this moment that the Clark of this world pushed open the door = and entered the kitchen to find his counterpart seated at the table = between Jonathan and Lois, with Martha standing beside Alt-Clark=92s = chair with her arms around him. He felt a stab of jealousy, and all his = intentions to mend relations between his alternate and himself = evaporated. "Clark!" said his father, standing up to shake his hand and put his arm = around him. "How are you, boy?" His mother and Lois rushed over to hug = and kiss him also. The alternate Clark rose to his feet, feeling awkward = again.=20 "I think Superman should patrol the city," he said. "Clark," said Martha to Alt-Clark, telegraphing a look to Jonathan, "It = sounds like you two have appeared in public together often enough to = establish that you=92re two separate people, so what would you say to = spending a few days in the country with us?" "I could teach you how to fish," added Jonathan. The Clark of this world stared at his parents in astonishment. First = Lois, then his mom and dad! He really couldn=92t stand this! "Mom! = No-o!" he burst out. Flustered by the startled looks from the assembled = company, he searched for a reason to justify his objection. "We=96we = might need him here! We might need to have both Clark Kent and Superman = at the same time," he said lamely. "Clark, he=92d only be one phone call away," said Martha, with a look in = her eye that Clark didn=92t like.=20 "Yes, he could be back in Metropolis in minutes," added Jonathan. "I think it=92s a good idea," chimed in Lois, at a loss to understand = Clark=92s resistance to the perfect solution for alleviating the tension = in their household. "That=92s okay," said the alternate Clark, squirming in embarrassment. = "I=92ll stay here if you think I=92ll be needed." "Clark," said Martha, fixing her own son with her eye, "I=92d really = love to take a walk to that little park down the street. Why don=92t we = go there now?" "Mom!" protested Clark. "Right now?" "Now," said Martha firmly, taking his arm in a fashion that brooked no = objection. She led her son from the house. "So, Jonathan, how was Italy?" asked Lois brightly, seating herself at = the table again when the door had closed behind Martha and Clark. "Yes, how was it?" the alternate Clark asked, grasping eagerly at the = change in subject. "Italy was great," said Jonathan. "We met some really nice people. One = fellow had a rather sad story, though. His only daughter was kidnaped by = terrorists over a year ago and has never been found." "What did the terrorists want?" asked Alt-Clark. Something tugged at his = memory. This story sounded familiar somehow. "They wanted the release of some terrorists from Italian prisons. = Negotiations were underway for awhile, but the thing never really got = resolved. The young woman has never been found and the case seems to = have been forgotten by everyone but the girl=92s parents." Alt-Clark stirred as he recognized the story. Hadn=92t he written a note = on Clark=92s calendar to remind him of it? He=92d have to remember to = mention it to Clark.=20 The conversation drifted to other topics and the three were laughing and = chatting quite comfortably together when Martha and Clark reappeared. = Lois looked searchingly into her husband=92s face and was relieved to = see that the jealousy and tension that had plagued him for the last few = weeks seemed to have disappeared. He noticed Lois looking at him and = returned the look somewhat shamefacedly. Seizing a chair, he willingly = joined in the discussion, although he seemed a little subdued. At the first pause in the conversation, Martha turned to Alt-Clark and = said, "Clark, Jonathan=92s doing some heavy-duty work around the farm = right now and he=92d take it as a special favor if you would come home = with us and help him out." "Uh, I don=92t know," said Alt-Clark uncomfortably, shooting an uneasy = glance at his counterpart. Clark saw the look. "My dad would really appreciate the help," he said, = glancing at his mother. He leaned forward in his chair and spoke = earnestly to Alt-Clark. "I=92ve been wanting to go out there myself and = help him with it but I just haven=92t had the time." "And it won=92t be all bad, son," added Jonathan with a wink. "Wait=92ll = you taste Martha=92s apple pie!" "And her double-fudge brownies," said Lois, licking her lips. "Well, what do you say?" asked Martha. "We=92d love to have you." "I...when you put it that way, how can I refuse?" said Alt-Clark. ***** There followed a period of unalloyed enjoyment for Alt-Clark. Basking in = the warmth of the unconditional love shown by Jonathan and Martha Kent, = feeling completely needed and wanted for the first time in two months, = he gave himself up to the pleasures of domestic life. With the = exception of his brief interludes with Lois, he had never felt this = accepted since his own adoptive parents had died so many years before. = He had friends, of course, but before he had become Superman, he had = never been able to open up to them completely, and after his secret was = out, everyone treated him differently. The Kent=92s, on the other hand, = in knowing about his super powers and taking them fully for granted, = made him feel more at home than he had since he had first begun to = develop his awesome strength. Relations with his counterpart seemed to have improved, too, for Clark = dropped by occasionally to visit his parents and showed none of the = jealousy and animosity that had characterized their acquaintance before. = This pleasant state of affairs had continued for several weeks when it = was interrupted by a telephone call. "It=92s Clark," mouthed Martha to = the others. "What, honey? Oh, sure; he=92s right here." She shook her = head at Jonathan who had stood up to take the portable phone. "He wants = to talk to Clark," she said. Clark took the receiver from her in = surprise.=20 "Hello?" "Clark!" said his counterpart in Metropolis. "We need you to do = something for us. Superman has to attend another peace conference...in = Paris this time...and Perry wants Clark Kent to cover it. I was going to = do my usual routine of pretending to live at the hotel in Paris and = calling in my stories every day, but the Suits want me to conduct an = interview with Peter Marwick on the plane, so I need to have Clark Kent = fly over with him. And I=92m supposed to conduct an interview with = Marwick=92s wife when I get to Paris. Do you think you could cover for = me?" "Sure," said Alt-Clark, pleased and a little excited that his = counterpart was asking him for help. "When do I leave?" "Plane leaves tomorrow morning at nine," said Clark. "I=92ll be there," said Alt-Clark. "The Chief wanted to send Lois along with me, but I talked him out of = it," confided Clark. Alt-Clark felt a hot stab at the thought of sharing a hotel room with = Lois for a week. "Good thing you talked him out of it," he forced = himself to say through his disappointment. "Yeah," said Clark. "But I told the Chief that Lois can=92t go because = she=92s working on a hot story and now Perry=92s expecting something big = >from her and she doesn=92t have anything." Alt-Clark burst out laughing. "I=92ll bet she=92s mad," he said. "Whew! That=92s not the half of it," said Clark ruefully. "I=92ll be in Metropolis early tomorrow," promised Alt-Clark. "Okay, buddy, see you later," said Clark. "Oh, and Clark..." "Yeah?" "Thanks." ***** Alt-Clark said good-bye to the Kent=92s quite early the next morning. = Tears stung his eyes when Martha hugged him. "Have a good time in Paris, = honey," she said. "Take care of yourself, son," said Jonathan as he shook Alt-Clark=92s = hand.=20 Alt-Clark flew to Metropolis, where he picked up a suitcase packed with = Clark=92s clothing and let Lois drive him to the airport. It was good to = see her again! "I=92ll say good-bye to you here," said Lois, without = getting out of the car. Clark felt a pang of disappointment. He had held = a faint hope that she would go into the terminal with him and...but he = knew he shouldn=92t be wishing for this...give him a wifely kiss = goodbye.=20 "Okay," he said, concealing his frustration. He pulled out the suitcase = and began walking toward the terminal. "Oh, Clark," called Lois. He whirled and ran back to the car, leaning into the window. "Yes?" he = said hopefully.=20 "Remember, put your hands in your *front* pockets, not your back = pockets," she said in a low voice. "Clark always does that." He swallowed. "Okay, Lois, I=92ll remember." ***** The first few days at the conference passed uneventfully. Alt-Clark kept = his appointment with the man that "the Suits" had wanted him to meet, = fulfilling his obligation in that area. Then the news was = disseminated...the conferees were going to lock themselves in and forego = all contact with the press for three days.=20 Sitting in his hotel room, Clark considered what to do with his = three-day hiatus. He didn=92t want to stay in Paris and associate with = the other journalists because the more time he spent with people the = other Clark was acquainted with, the more danger that he would slip up = somehow in his masquerade. He could travel, but he had already traveled = extensively, and just wasn=92t in the mood for it. He couldn=92t go back = to Metropolis...no, definitely not, of course not, how could he even = have thought that! The Kent=92s, then! A smile curved his lips when he = thought of them. Next to seeing Lois, visiting the Kent=92s was his = favorite thing. Just as he was reaching for the phone to give them a = call, a news report on the television caught his attention. "...terrorist attack in Kuran. For three traveling executives, however, = it=92s business as usual." Clark paused before turning down the volume = on the television. Kuran! Where had he heard that name? Oh, yes, Philip Hunt had mentioned = it on his first day of substituting for Clark. The woman who had been = kidnaped by terrorists. He never had discussed that with Clark. What had = happened to the entry he had made in Clark=92s day planner? He looked at the darkening sky outside and came to a decision. What = would it hurt to go to Kuran and snoop around for a few days? ***** Lois awakened to find the sun in her eyes and groaned. Another day. = Another boring, pointless day. Stop that, she thought, giving herself a = mental shake. I won=92t give in to despair. I=92m going to get out of = this somehow; I know I=92ll think of something.=20 She glanced at her companion, asleep on the cot next to hers. They = needed to do their morning exercises together, but she was reluctant to = wake Gina. The girl was oblivious to the misery of their imprisonment = right now and there was no point in awakening her to the harsh reality = of their situation one minute sooner than necessary.=20 Lois went to the wall and made another mark next to the...five, ten, = forty, fifty...marks that were already there. Fifty-one days in this = place. And twenty in the place before that. She couldn=92t be sure, but = she believed that they had been held in captivity for more than a year. = She put her head in her hands. But what had happened to the three years = of her life prior to that? She remembered nothing of them. The last = thing she knew, she had been working on a story about gun-running in the = Congo. In 1993. Then suddenly, she didn=92t know how, she was being held = prisoner somewhere in the Middle East. How or why, she just couldn=92t = figure out. Every time she had seen her captors she had screamed and threatened = them, telling them that she was a U.S. citizen, a journalist named Lois = Lane, but they had only shrugged. And then one day one of the guards had = brought her a copy of the Daily Planet. A Daily Planet containing an = article with a Lois Lane byline. Lois Lane and Clark Kent, actually. = "There must be a mistake," she had screamed. "That=92s not me!" They had = brought her other papers, papers with pictures of the two reporters. = Lois was shocked at the resemblance between the imposter and herself. = Unless the newspaper had used an old photo of herself, the imposter = looked exactly like her. But it wasn=92t her.=20 It=92s not me, she thought. I=92m right here. And I never team up with = anyone. Ever. And if I did, it certainly wouldn=92t be with a pretty-boy = like that Kent guy.=20 Clark Kent.=20 She hated his picture on sight. She knew his type=96womanizing creeps = who preyed on women, pretending to be in love with her when all he = wanted the whole time was to steal her story...=20 She shuddered as if shaking off an unpleasant memory. It was the date on the newspaper that upset her, though. 1996. Three = years later than her last memory. *What happened during those missing = years?* Am I going crazy? Then the thought hit her. Maybe I am crazy. Maybe I=92m not Lois Lane; = maybe I just think I am. Maybe I saw her picture somewhere, noticed the = resemblance, and decided I wanted to *be* her.=20 No! NO! I *am* Lois Lane! I know I am. I know how to be a reporter, an = investigative journalist. I know how to track down leads, how to ask the = right questions in an interview. How would I know all these things if = I=92m not a reporter? She hugged her identity to her like a cloak.=20 ------=_NextPart_000_00E0_01BE8833.74D9E820 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Loises and Clarks – Part 3

*****

The alternate Clark returned to the house earlier than usual that = morning. He=20 had taken to patrolling the city at night and returning to the house to = sleep=20 during the day to avoid Lois and Clark. This morning he had been asleep = for only=20 a few hours when he was aroused by the sound of a key turning in the = lock. He=20 sat up and hastily pulled the sheet around himself as Jonathan and = Martha Kent,=20 recently returned from a tour of Italy and Japan, entered. = "Clark!"=20 said Martha, hurrying over to him in concern. "You’re in=20 bed!"

"What’s the matter, son, are you sick?" asked = Jonathan,=20 following his wife.

Clark eased himself out of Martha’s embrace in great = embarrassment.=20 "Martha, I’m not your Clark," he said. "It’s = me=20 again. The Clark from the other universe."

Martha pulled back in alarm. "Has something happened to = Clark?" she=20 asked, her face turning pale.

"No! He’s here; he’s fine," said Clark quickly. = "I=20 just came to help him with a problem." Rapidly he told the = Kent’s of=20 the need to have Superman appear in public simultaneously with = Clark.

"Well, thank you for coming, Clark," said Martha, reaching = over to=20 give him a friendly hug.

"It’s nice to see you again, boy," added Jonathan, = extending=20 his hand. Clark found himself blushing with all the friendly attention. = Acutely=20 aware of his bare torso, he excused himself to run into the closet and = put on a=20 shirt.

Regaining his equilibrium once he was fully dressed, he sat down with = them=20 and answered their questions, in particular their expressed curiosity = about his=20 current nocturnal lifestyle. Although Clark was careful to say nothing = about the=20 reason he had chosen to live this way, Jonathan and Martha were quick to = divine=20 the truth. "Well," said Martha, rising from the sofa, = "It’s=20 nice of you to help Lois and Clark and I’m sure they both = appreciate=20 it."

"Yeah," said Clark without much enthusiasm. A look passed = between=20 Martha and Jonathan.

"Would you like to have some of my homemade cookies?" asked = Martha.=20 "We stopped in Smallville before we came here and picked up some to = bring=20 with us."

"Okay!" said Clark, his face brightening.

Lois found the three of them sitting comfortably at the kitchen table = discussing cookies and milk when she arrived a short time later.

"Martha! Jonathan!" she exclaimed. "And Clark, what = are you=20 doing home? I thought you were covering the D.A.’s press = conference this=20 afternoon!" The embarrassed look on Clark’s face told her of = her=20 error. "Oh, you’re the other Clark," she said, glad that = she had=20 realized that fact before making the mistake of kissing him. "We = really=20 ought to find another name for you to keep from confusing you with our = Clark.=20 Maybe we could call you Alt-Clark."

"That sounds like a keystroke on a computer," protested = Clark with=20 a laugh.

"And this *is* ‘our’ Clark, too," added Martha, = giving=20 him a hug. "We can call you ‘ours,’ can’t we=20 honey?"

"Sure," said Alt-Clark, his throat tightening. The = Kent’s=20 were always so nice to him; he had never felt such a sense of belonging = before.=20 He wished his own adoptive parents had lived.

It was at this moment that the Clark of this world pushed open the = door and=20 entered the kitchen to find his counterpart seated at the table between = Jonathan=20 and Lois, with Martha standing beside Alt-Clark’s chair with her = arms=20 around him. He felt a stab of jealousy, and all his intentions to mend = relations=20 between his alternate and himself evaporated.

"Clark!" said his father, standing up to shake his hand and = put his=20 arm around him. "How are you, boy?" His mother and Lois rushed = over to=20 hug and kiss him also. The alternate Clark rose to his feet, feeling = awkward=20 again.

"I think Superman should patrol the city," he said.

"Clark," said Martha to Alt-Clark, telegraphing a look to = Jonathan,=20 "It sounds like you two have appeared in public together often = enough to=20 establish that you’re two separate people, so what would you say = to=20 spending a few days in the country with us?"

"I could teach you how to fish," added Jonathan.

The Clark of this world stared at his parents in astonishment. First = Lois,=20 then his mom and dad! He really couldn’t stand this! "Mom!=20 No-o!" he burst out. Flustered by the startled looks from the = assembled=20 company, he searched for a reason to justify his objection. = "We–we=20 might need him here! We might need to have both Clark Kent and Superman = at the=20 same time," he said lamely.

"Clark, he’d only be one phone call away," said = Martha, with=20 a look in her eye that Clark didn’t like.

"Yes, he could be back in Metropolis in minutes," added=20 Jonathan.

"I think it’s a good idea," chimed in Lois, at a loss = to=20 understand Clark’s resistance to the perfect solution for = alleviating the=20 tension in their household.

"That’s okay," said the alternate Clark, squirming in = embarrassment. "I’ll stay here if you think I’ll be=20 needed."

"Clark," said Martha, fixing her own son with her eye,=20 "I’d really love to take a walk to that little park down the = street.=20 Why don’t we go there now?"

"Mom!" protested Clark. "Right now?"

"Now," said Martha firmly, taking his arm in a fashion that = brooked=20 no objection. She led her son from the house.

"So, Jonathan, how was Italy?" asked Lois brightly, seating = herself=20 at the table again when the door had closed behind Martha and Clark.

"Yes, how was it?" the alternate Clark asked, grasping = eagerly at=20 the change in subject.

"Italy was great," said Jonathan. "We met some really = nice=20 people. One fellow had a rather sad story, though. His only daughter was = kidnaped by terrorists over a year ago and has never been = found."

"What did the terrorists want?" asked Alt-Clark. Something = tugged=20 at his memory. This story sounded familiar somehow.

"They wanted the release of some terrorists from Italian = prisons.=20 Negotiations were underway for awhile, but the thing never really got = resolved.=20 The young woman has never been found and the case seems to have been = forgotten=20 by everyone but the girl’s parents."

Alt-Clark stirred as he recognized the story. Hadn’t he written = a note=20 on Clark’s calendar to remind him of it? He’d have to = remember to=20 mention it to Clark.

The conversation drifted to other topics and the three were laughing = and=20 chatting quite comfortably together when Martha and Clark reappeared. = Lois=20 looked searchingly into her husband’s face and was relieved to see = that=20 the jealousy and tension that had plagued him for the last few weeks = seemed to=20 have disappeared. He noticed Lois looking at him and returned the look = somewhat=20 shamefacedly. Seizing a chair, he willingly joined in the discussion, = although=20 he seemed a little subdued.

At the first pause in the conversation, Martha turned to Alt-Clark = and said,=20 "Clark, Jonathan’s doing some heavy-duty work around the farm = right=20 now and he’d take it as a special favor if you would come home = with us and=20 help him out."

"Uh, I don’t know," said Alt-Clark uncomfortably, = shooting an=20 uneasy glance at his counterpart.

Clark saw the look. "My dad would really appreciate the = help," he=20 said, glancing at his mother. He leaned forward in his chair and spoke = earnestly=20 to Alt-Clark. "I’ve been wanting to go out there myself and = help him=20 with it but I just haven’t had the time."

"And it won’t be all bad, son," added Jonathan with a = wink.=20 "Wait’ll you taste Martha’s apple pie!"

"And her double-fudge brownies," said Lois, licking her = lips.

"Well, what do you say?" asked Martha. "We’d = love to=20 have you."

"I...when you put it that way, how can I refuse?" said=20 Alt-Clark.

*****

There followed a period of unalloyed enjoyment for Alt-Clark. Basking = in the=20 warmth of the unconditional love shown by Jonathan and Martha Kent, = feeling=20 completely needed and wanted for the first time in two months, he gave = himself=20 up to the pleasures of domestic life.  With the exception of his = brief=20 interludes with Lois, he had never felt this accepted since his own = adoptive=20 parents had died so many years before.  He had friends, of course, = but=20 before he had become Superman, he had never been able to open up to them = completely, and after his secret was out, everyone treated him = differently. The=20 Kent’s, on the other hand, in knowing about his super powers and = taking=20 them fully for granted, made him feel more at home than he had since he = had=20 first begun to develop his awesome strength.

Relations with his counterpart seemed to have improved, too, for = Clark=20 dropped by occasionally to visit his parents and showed none of the = jealousy and=20 animosity that had characterized their acquaintance before.

This pleasant state of affairs had continued for several weeks when = it was=20 interrupted by a telephone call. "It’s Clark," mouthed = Martha to=20 the others. "What, honey? Oh, sure; he’s right here." = She shook=20 her head at Jonathan who had stood up to take the portable phone. = "He wants=20 to talk to Clark," she said. Clark took the receiver from her in = surprise.=20

"Hello?"

"Clark!" said his counterpart in Metropolis. "We need = you to=20 do something for us. Superman has to attend another peace = conference...in Paris=20 this time...and Perry wants Clark Kent to cover it. I was going to do my = usual=20 routine of pretending to live at the hotel in Paris and calling in my = stories=20 every day, but the Suits want me to conduct an interview with Peter = Marwick on=20 the plane, so I need to have Clark Kent fly over with him. And I’m = supposed to conduct an interview with Marwick’s wife when I get to = Paris.=20 Do you think you could cover for me?"

"Sure," said Alt-Clark, pleased and a little excited that = his=20 counterpart was asking him for help. "When do I leave?"

"Plane leaves tomorrow morning at nine," said Clark.

"I’ll be there," said Alt-Clark.

"The Chief wanted to send Lois along with me, but I talked him = out of=20 it," confided Clark.

Alt-Clark felt a hot stab at the thought of sharing a hotel room with = Lois=20 for a week. "Good thing you talked him out of it," he forced = himself=20 to say through his disappointment.

"Yeah," said Clark. "But I told the Chief that Lois=20 can’t go because she’s working on a hot story and now = Perry’s=20 expecting something big from her and she doesn’t have = anything."

Alt-Clark burst out laughing. "I’ll bet she’s = mad," he=20 said.

"Whew! That’s not the half of it," said Clark = ruefully.

"I’ll be in Metropolis early tomorrow," promised=20 Alt-Clark.

"Okay, buddy, see you later," said Clark. "Oh, and=20 Clark..."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

*****

Alt-Clark said good-bye to the Kent’s quite early the next = morning.=20 Tears stung his eyes when Martha hugged him. "Have a good time in = Paris,=20 honey," she said.

"Take care of yourself, son," said Jonathan as he shook=20 Alt-Clark’s hand.

Alt-Clark flew to Metropolis, where he picked up a suitcase packed = with=20 Clark’s clothing and let Lois drive him to the airport. It was = good to see=20 her again! "I’ll say good-bye to you here," said Lois, = without=20 getting out of the car. Clark felt a pang of disappointment. He had held = a faint=20 hope that she would go into the terminal with him and...but he knew he=20 shouldn’t be wishing for this...give him a wifely kiss goodbye. =

"Okay," he said, concealing his frustration. He pulled out = the=20 suitcase and began walking toward the terminal.

"Oh, Clark," called Lois.

He whirled and ran back to the car, leaning into the window. = "Yes?"=20 he said hopefully.

"Remember, put your hands in your *front* pockets, not your back = pockets," she said in a low voice. "Clark always does = that."

He swallowed. "Okay, Lois, I’ll remember."

*****

The first few days at the conference passed uneventfully. Alt-Clark = kept his=20 appointment with the man that "the Suits" had wanted him to = meet,=20 fulfilling his obligation in that area. Then the news was = disseminated...the=20 conferees were going to lock themselves in and forego all contact with = the press=20 for three days.

Sitting in his hotel room, Clark considered what to do with his = three-day=20 hiatus. He didn’t want to stay in Paris and associate with the = other=20 journalists because the more time he spent with people the other Clark = was=20 acquainted with, the more danger that he would slip up somehow in his=20 masquerade. He could travel, but he had already traveled extensively, = and just=20 wasn’t in the mood for it. He couldn’t go back to = Metropolis...no,=20 definitely not, of course not, how could he even have thought that! The=20 Kent’s, then! A smile curved his lips when he thought of them. = Next to=20 seeing Lois, visiting the Kent’s was his favorite thing. Just as = he was=20 reaching for the phone to give them a call, a news report on the = television=20 caught his attention.

"...terrorist attack in Kuran. For three traveling executives, = however,=20 it’s business as usual." Clark paused before turning down the = volume=20 on the television.

Kuran! Where had he heard that name? Oh, yes, Philip Hunt had = mentioned it on=20 his first day of substituting for Clark. The woman who had been kidnaped = by=20 terrorists. He never had discussed that with Clark. What had happened to = the=20 entry he had made in Clark’s day planner?

He looked at the darkening sky outside and came to a decision. What = would it=20 hurt to go to Kuran and snoop around for a few days?

*****

Lois awakened to find the sun in her eyes and groaned. Another day. = Another=20 boring, pointless day. Stop that, she thought, giving herself a mental = shake. I=20 won’t give in to despair. I’m going to get out of this = somehow; I=20 know I’ll think of something.

She glanced at her companion, asleep on the cot next to hers. They = needed to=20 do their morning exercises together, but she was reluctant to wake Gina. = The=20 girl was oblivious to the misery of their imprisonment right now and = there was=20 no point in awakening her to the harsh reality of their situation one = minute=20 sooner than necessary.

Lois went to the wall and made another mark next to the...five, ten, = forty,=20 fifty...marks that were already there. Fifty-one days in this place. And = twenty=20 in the place before that. She couldn’t be sure, but she believed = that they=20 had been held in captivity for more than a year. She put her head in her = hands.=20 But what had happened to the three years of her life prior to that? She=20 remembered nothing of them. The last thing she knew, she had been = working on a=20 story about gun-running in the Congo. In 1993. Then suddenly, she = didn’t=20 know how, she was being held prisoner somewhere in the Middle East. How = or why,=20 she just couldn’t figure out.

Every time she had seen her captors she had screamed and threatened = them,=20 telling them that she was a U.S. citizen, a journalist named Lois Lane, = but they=20 had only shrugged. And then one day one of the guards had brought her a = copy of=20 the Daily Planet. A Daily Planet containing an article with a Lois Lane = byline.=20 Lois Lane and Clark Kent, actually. "There must be a mistake," = she had=20 screamed. "That’s not me!" They had brought her other = papers,=20 papers with pictures of the two reporters. Lois was shocked at the = resemblance=20 between the imposter and herself. Unless the newspaper had used an old = photo of=20 herself, the imposter looked exactly like her.

But it wasn’t her.

It’s not me, she thought. I’m right here. And I never = team up=20 with anyone. Ever. And if I did, it certainly wouldn’t be with a=20 pretty-boy like that Kent guy.

Clark Kent.

She hated his picture on sight. She knew his type–womanizing = creeps who=20 preyed on women, pretending to be in love with her when all he wanted = the whole=20 time was to steal her story...

She shuddered as if shaking off an unpleasant memory.

It was the date on the newspaper that upset her, though. 1996. Three = years=20 later than her last memory. *What happened during those missing years?* = Am I=20 going crazy?

Then the thought hit her. Maybe I am crazy. Maybe I’m not Lois = Lane;=20 maybe I just think I am. Maybe I saw her picture somewhere, noticed the=20 resemblance, and decided I wanted to *be* her.

No! NO! I *am* Lois Lane! I know I am. I know how to be a reporter, = an=20 investigative journalist. I know how to track down leads, how to ask the = right=20 questions in an interview. How would I know all these things if = I’m not a=20 reporter?

She hugged her identity to her like a cloak.

------=_NextPart_000_00E0_01BE8833.74D9E820-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 17:00:46 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email Whoooraaay for Debby! You are a great writer Margaret. MR. D8A A.K.A. James Who is stuck at work watching the pixels on his computer do there merry dance letting me know that its working as fast as it can. Please visit and explore my house at: http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 -----Original Message----- From: Margaret Brignell [mailto:brignell@CAPITALNET.COM] Sent: Friday, April 16, 1999 3:59 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers At 08:17 PM 4/16/1999 +0100, Yvonne wrote: >The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst >our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to >wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell >everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like >me? Me, I'm *definitely* a closet writer I'm a fairly private person, so only my husband, one friend outside the circle of FoLC know about my writing. It took me *forever* to get up the courage to actually write something and if it hadn't been for Debby Stark, you'd still never know I was writing fanfic Thanks Debby, for pushing me into the spotlight:D Margaret ducking back into the shadows ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:06:55 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 4 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00FC_01BE8833.E997C560" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00FC_01BE8833.E997C560 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Loises and Clarks =96 Part 4 ***** The alternate Clark arranged his burnoose more tightly about his face. = He had x-rayed every building on the east and west sides of Kuran and = was now tackling the south. He had obtained a picture of the missing = woman, Gina Gambini, from the Italian embassy, passing himself off as a = French journalist (my French accent wasn=92t too bad, he thought with = pride) before he had switched to the Arab clothing as a way of appearing = less conspicuous. He glanced casually through the building across the = street=96and stiffened.=20 *Lois was in that building!* He resisted the urge to fly to her.=20 Whoa, Clark, that=92s not Lois! You have to quit seeing the image of the = woman you love in the face of every brown-eyed, brown-haired beauty in = town! Especially this town! That can=92t be Lois; she=92s in Metropolis. = I know, because I talked to her when I phoned in my story to the Daily = Planet yesterday. Besides, this woman is so thin. And see how long her = hair is...down to the middle of her back!=20 Still, he was curious enough to keep watching. Then he saw the other = woman, who was just now getting out of bed. Gina. He heaved a sigh. = I=92ve found her!=20 Clark spent the rest of the day reconnoitering. He flew to a high = altitude and used his distance vision to study the layout. With the use = of his super-hearing he confirmed that the women were, in fact, = prisoners, that he was correct in recognizing Gina, and that the woman = who looked like Lois spoke with an American accent and was called Lois. = That last stunned him. What a coincidence! Or was it? Could Lois have a = doppelganger?=20 The more he studied the woman, the more uneasy he became.=20 She looks like Lois. An unkempt Lois, it=92s true, but still Lois. She = sounds like Lois. Her mannerisms, although not identical, are similar.=20 Well, whoever she is, she=92s a prisoner and I=92m going to rescue her = tonight! Clark waited for darkness to cover him before making his move. Dressed = in a black turtleneck and black pants, gloves, and ski mask, he flew = quickly to the building where the women were held captive. Floating up = to the fifth-story barred window with ease, he silently bent the bars = open. Once inside, he paused, listening to the sound of the women=92s = quiet breathing. He wouldn=92t be able to rescue both women at once. = I=92ll get Gina first, he told himself firmly (yes, that=92s right), = then come back for this woman named Lois.=20 Moving quickly, he snatched Gina from her bed, covering her mouth with = his hand while wrapping the sheet from her bed around her. He crushed = her to his chest and held her with one hand while he escaped from the = window and dropped rapidly to the ground. He wished he could fly her to = the Italian embassy, but he had to avoid giving her the impression that = there was anything "super" about this rescue, so he skimmed lightly and = rapidly over the ground, pretending to run. He dropped the bewildered = woman inside the embassy compound and whispered "you=92ll be safe here," = in Italian before taking to the skies in a rush of air. Now to get Lois! He floated to her window and stopped short in dismay at = the sight of her sitting up in bed, staring at the empty cot next to = her. Light from the hallway streamed in through the window of her room, = clearly showing her bewilderment. He must have made some sound, because = she turned now and looked straight at him, drawing in her breath in a = hiss of alarm. He held his breath. He could prevent her from screaming = if he moved at super speed, but he was determined to make this look like = a "normal" rescue. She was watching him, evidently trying to decide whether he represented = a bigger threat than her captors. He listened to her rapid heartbeat, = then in two steps swept her into his arms, pressing her face against his = chest so she couldn=92t scream. She didn=92t struggle at all, remaining = quiescent in his arms while he carried her to the window and dropped = slowly to the ground. As he ran quietly and rapidly away from the = building, however, he could feel her body tense as she prepared herself = to escape from him. Apparently she had decided she wasn=92t going to = wait around to find out if he was benign or not, but was planning to = make her getaway and take her chances in the streets of Kuran.=20 The elbow in his ribs didn=92t catch him wholly by surprise, nor did her = knee applied to what would have been a very tender place on a normal = earthling cause him any astonishment. It didn=92t hurt him, of course, = but he wished she hadn=92t done it because he knew he should stop and at = least pretend to be in some kind of pain. But he couldn=92t afford to = stop now, because his super-sensitive hearing had picked up the sound of = running feet behind them. Lois was surprised at her captor=92s lack of reaction to her aggressive = moves. She had elected to go quietly with him because she believed she = would have a greater chance of escape once she was outside her prison, = but now she was beginning to feel a little panicky. What kind of man was = this who could so easily withstand a knee applied to that sensitive = area? Was he wearing a shield of some kind?=20 It was going to be harder to get away than she had thought; he must be = very strong to have carried her down five flights, supporting her with = one arm while apparently holding onto a rope with the other. She pressed = her body against his. He was so hard=96he felt like iron! She was going = to have the fight of her life! Suddenly Lois heard shouts behind them, followed by a burst of gunfire. = She heard bullets strike the man in the back, but he didn=92t even break = his stride. In fact, he offered no reaction at all! He=92s wearing a = bullet-proof vest, of course, but still...he should have been knocked = down by the impact. Those weren=92t bb=92s hitting him! Another burst of gunfire was followed by a "ping" sound and Lois felt = something hot fall onto her neck and slide down the back of her shirt. Her captor was beginning to pull away from their pursuer when there was = a tremendous BOOM! followed by a blinding flash of light, and Lois felt = her captor being lifted off the ground by the impact of a tremendous = blow, even as her ears were deafened by his scream of pain.=20 He fell to the ground, crushing her with his body, and Lois thought for = an instant that he was dead. Amazingly, he rose to his knees, still = clutching her to his chest, then got up and ran a few steps toward an = alley, wrapping himself around her to the extent possible in order to = shield her with his body. He released her into the darkness, and as the = footsteps of their pursuer gained on them, whispered hoarsely, "Get out = of here, Lois. Run!" He spoke English! He jumped away from her, turning to face their pursuer. After running a = few steps, Lois couldn=92t help turning to watch. The whole street was = illuminated by a flash from the gigantic weapon in their pursuer=92s = hands as the man shot at her rescuer again. The blaze of light caught = her captor squarely in the chest and Lois caught her breath when he = howled in pain. The force of the blow lifted him up and flung him = against the wall of a nearby building. The beam of light from the gun = focused on a board leaning against the wall and Lois watched in horror = as the board disintegrated before her eyes. She was trembling in fright and wanted nothing so badly as to escape, = but she couldn=92t leave the man to be butchered by that weapon. = Searching the littered street for a club, she found a heavy board. Under = cover of the darkness, she ran silently behind the attacker just as he = unleashed yet another assault at the hapless man on the ground. Swinging = with all her might, she brought the board down on the head of the man = holding the gun and he crumpled without a sound. Breathing hard, Lois stood for a moment, then hurried to her fallen = rescuer. He had stopped screaming, thank heavens, but his breathing came = in hoarse gasps. He probably didn=92t have long to live, poor soul. = "Lois, I told you to leave," he rasped when she approached. Lois could = hear his irritation even through the pain in his voice and was amazed = that he could still talk. That weapon had just annihilated a piece of = wood into oblivion...how could he have survived it? Much less have = strength to speak?! "I couldn=92t leave you to face him alone," she said simply. She knelt = by his side, and pulling off the ski mask, peered down at him while she = tried to assess his condition. "Can you walk?" she asked. "Not yet," he said after a moment=92s hesitation. He moved impatiently = when she put her arms around him to help him get up. "Go," he said. "Or = at least, get that...thing...and...hide it...somewhere." He was = obviously speaking with great difficulty. Lois picked up the weapon and looked at it curiously. "What is this?" = she asked. "Some kind of laser?" "Don=92t...know. Get...rid...of it!"=20 Lois ran into an alley and stowed it under some debris, then raced back = to his side. She knelt again and placed her hands gingerly on his chest, = feeling for injuries. He clutched at her hands, pushing them away. = "Lois, go! Get out of here!" His voice sounded stronger. "What happened to your shirt?" asked Lois. "There=92s nothing here." His = chest was completely bare.=20 Lois continued to probe for wounds, conscious of a curious reluctance to = leave him. Whereas five minutes ago she had wanted nothing so much as to = escape from him, his importunities to try and get her to go away only = increased her determination to stay. "Lois!" "I=92m not leaving you," she declared.=20 "Lois, you put one man out of commission, but there may be others. Now = go away from here! Please!" He arrested her probing motion by snatching = her hands and holding them away from his body. In answer, Lois pulled her hands free and tried once again to help him = to his feet. He sighed and muttered something that sounded suspiciously = like "stubborn," then placing one hand on the wall and the other on her = shoulder, struggled to an upright position. "Can you walk?" Lois asked = again. He didn=92t reply, apparently having used all his energy to = regain his feet. Lois pulled one of his arms around her shoulder, = encouraging him to lean on her for support. They advanced down the = street, slowly at first, but with the man becoming noticeably stronger = with each passing minute.=20 "Turn...left...at...this corner," he said. "And...right at the next." As = she obeyed his instructions Lois wondered if she was crazy for not = making her escape when she had the chance. Clark was using his knowledge obtained by scouring the city in search of = Gina to guide them to a deserted section of town that was characterized = chiefly by ruined buildings on the verge of collapse. As they slowly = made their way through the squalid streets, he used his = still-functioning super hearing to find a building which wasn=92t = currently housing any of the down-and-outers who habitually inhabited = such dwellings. He needed to find a suitable place soon; he didn=92t = know how much longer he could continue. He didn=92t know what kind of = weapon had been used on him, but it had apparently caused some internal = damage. The burning sensation in his chest was almost unbearable, and he = had to stop periodically to succumb to paroxysms of coughing. "Here," he told her at last. "Let=92s go in this one." Lois assisted him = into the building and he rapidly scanned the room in which they found = themselves. "Upstairs," he panted. By the time they had reached the top = of the narrow stairway, he was crawling on his hands and knees. = "Stay...here...tonight," he said hoarsely. He collapsed into a heap and = lay motionless in the darkness. Lois knelt beside him. "H-hello?" she said querulously. "Are you...all = right?" She felt for him with her hands and came in contact with his = bare back. Putting her ear against his back, she heard a rapid heartbeat = and the raspy sound that accompanied each breath he took. At least he = was still alive! She ran her hands over him, turning his head to one = side to make sure he wouldn=92t smother himself by lying on his face. = "Are you awake?" she whispered. He slipped a hand into hers and squeezed = it by way of letting her know that he was still conscious. Lois sighed = and settled herself cross-legged on the floor, preparing to watch over = him through the night. ***** A tiny squeaking sound awakened her and she opened her eyes to see a rat = sitting in a pool of early-morning sunlight. It was less then two feet = >from her nose and regarding her intently. She squealed and sat bolt = upright, sending the rat scurrying.=20 Lois looked around and took stock of her situation. Sometime during the = night she must have lain down, pillowing her head on the arm of her = fallen companion, who was lying quite still beside her. For one panicked = second Lois thought he was dead. Then she heard him breathing and heaved = a sigh of relief that he was still alive. Her screech had not disturbed = him apparently. This might be a good time to see if she could assess the state of his = injuries. She sat on her heels and surveyed the unconscious man, who was = still lying where he had collapsed the night before. He had been dressed = in a black turtleneck, but something...she guessed it was that = weapon...had burned away most of the back of it, so that it hung on him = in tatters. Lois looked curiously at his prone form. She had known he = was strong, and as she looked at the well-developed muscles on his back, = she could see ample evidence of his strength. She ran her hands over his = trapezius and rear deltoids, feeling for injury. Finding none, she = decided to roll him over and examine him from the front. She did this = with difficulty...he weighed more than he looked, even after taking into = account his muscular build.=20 After turning him onto his side, she paused to wipe the sweat from her = face...it was already starting to get hot...and study his features. Even = with the grime on his face and the growth of stubble on his chin, Lois = could see that he was good-looking...maybe even handsome...but he was = deathly pale and his brow was creased as if he were in pain.=20 His breathing had a hoarse, croupy sound that Lois didn=92t like. She = leaned down and pressed her ear against his chest to listen to his = lungs, which told her nothing except that his breathing was = labored...and she already knew that. She placed her hands on his bare chest and began probing his pectoral = muscles for injuries. And found none. How could that weapon have burned = away his clothing and left his skin intact? Yet it had apparently = injured his lungs. She shook her head in bafflement as the man moaned = and stirred. "Does that hurt?" she asked, continuing to rub his chest. "No," he mumbled sleepily. "Feels good, don=92t stop." His body = stiffened and his eyes flew open as he realized what he had just said.=20 "What?" said Lois. She hadn=92t quite understood him. "Doesn=92t...hurt on the outside," he corrected himself quickly. He = closed his eyes briefly. He had been dreaming about Lois again; she was = running her hands over his chest and talking in a low voice. He had = been stunned to awaken and find that his dream was reality and he was = gazing into those luminous eyes that had haunted his dreams for two = years. =20 "Does it hurt to breathe?" asked Lois. She was relieved to see that some = color had come back into his face. "A little," he mumbled. "It=92s getting better though." He struggled to = sit up but couldn=92t quite make it. He concluded that he was definitely = the worse for all the walking they had done last night. He hoped that = his super strength would return soon so he could get her out of here = safely.=20 But first he wanted to find out who she was and how she had come to be = held in captivity with the young Italian woman. He took a deep breath. = "Lois, what are you doing here?" he asked. "Why were you being held = hostage?" "First I want to know...who are you?" countered Lois. "Do you work for = the government?" "No, Lois, I don=92t work for the government." "Then how do you know my name?"=20 Clark bit his lip, searching for an explanation that wouldn=92t involve = super hearing. "Gina told me when I dropped her off at the Italian = embassy," he said finally. "She was worried about you. Now please tell = me how you got there in the first place." For a minute Clark thought she = wasn=92t going to answer him; he recognized that mulish look from his = association with the other Lois. Then, apparently deciding that it would = be a relief to unburden herself from what had been troubling her for = more than a year, she told him everything. Clark listened with a rapidly beating heart to her tale of her pursuit = of a gun-running story in the Congo, followed by her strange appearance = in a hostage situation nearly three years after her most recent memory, = and the unwelcome news that the person she thought she was, Lois Lane, a = journalist with the Daily Planet, was not who she really was at all. "So = I don=92t know who I am or where I come from," she concluded. She=92s my Lois, he thought. I know it! But how can I find out for sure? = Let=92s see, I have it! "Who was President of the United States when you = went after your gun-running story?" he asked. "Charlton Heston," said Lois. "Did he get reelected?" Instead of answering, Clark fell back onto the floor. It=92s her, he = thought jubilantly! I don=92t know how she got into this universe, but = somehow she did! "Are you all right?" Lois asked, fortunately forgetting her question = about the president.=20 Clark nodded and closed his eyes. Lois looked at him in concern, = wondering what she could do for him. Suddenly she sprang to her feet, = her own parched throat and dry mouth reminding her that they were = lacking the most basic of human needs, next to air. What was she = thinking of? The man was injured; he must be in torment from thirst!=20 "I=92m going to go out and get us some water," she said softly, bending = over him.=20 That opened his eyes again. "No, Lois, you can=92t...not if you=92re = dressed like that!" he said hoarsely. "We need water," said Lois firmly, "and I=92m going to get some." She = vanished down the stairs. Clark tried in vain to get up so he could = follow her, but his strength was gone. As were all his powers. He tried = to follow her progress with his X-ray vision, and listen to her = footsteps with his super hearing, but they were just not functional this = morning. Unable to do anything to help her, he closed his eyes and = waited and hoped for her safe return, falling into a fitful sleep almost = immediately. ***** "You look better," Lois said upon her return. Indeed, she was greatly = encouraged by the improvement in his appearance. He had obviously felt = well enough to move around in her absence, changing his position to one = nearer the window where he was now lying in the sunlight.=20 And that pale, drawn look of pain was gone. When she knelt by his side = more color flooded into his face.=20 "I forgot to ask your name," she remarked. "C-clark," he said. "Okay, then, Clark; can you sit up?" she asked, holding a water = container to his lips. He pressed his lips tightly together and turned = his head away, reminding Lois of a baby refusing to be fed. "Lois, did you have anything to drink yourself?" he asked. "I drank...some...," she said.=20 "Well, save the water for yourself. I don=92t need it." "You don=92t need it?" she exclaimed. "Of course you need it! How can = you say that? You must be feverish!" She pressed the container to his = lips, spilling some of its precious contents. He put up his hand to wipe = his chin. "Lois, I=92m not losing water; I=92m not sweating and=96" "That=92s right!" she almost shrieked. "You=92re not sweating! You must = have heat exhaustion! I have to cool you off!" She began pouring water = onto her hand and dabbing it on his face. "Lois, stop! Lois, you=92re wasting the water! Lois! Lo-is!" He was = sitting completely upright now, reaching for the water container and = trying to remove it gently from her grasp. "Lois, stop this, please! = Save the water for yourself. I can get us more!" That got her attention. "You can get us more?" she said, her eyes = narrowing. "How?" Clark took a deep breath. He was feeling much better...still weak, but = his lungs seemed to be clear and some of his super powers were = returning...he had already shaved with the help of a bit of broken = glass. "How can I get us some more?" he said. "Like this." He cupped his = hands in front of his face and blew gently. His relief when he felt the = cool air hit his hands was immense...his cooling breath was back. Lois watched, puzzled, as a small cloud formed over his hands. "What are = you doing?" she asked. "Cooling the air," he said, "and squeezing the moisture out of it." Lois = stared in astonishment as water droplets appeared on his hand. How could = he do that? How could he possibly cool the air enough to condense the = moisture out of it? It wasn=92t humanly possible! She grew rigid. What had she just said? *It wasn=92t humanly possible.* = She sprang to her feet and turned her back on him while she mentally = reviewed everything she knew about him.=20 Last night...she had kneed him in the groin...that should have left him = lying on the ground and gasping in pain but he hadn=92t broken stride. The bullets she had *heard* striking his back...if he had been wearing a = bullet-proof vest, the bullets would still have knocked him to the = ground, knocked the wind out of him, bruised his back...none of that had = happened and...*and he wasn=92t wearing a bulletproof vest!* The weapon that had disintegrated a board and part of his shirt...it had = injured him, yes, but...think, now...shouldn=92t it have caused *some* = injury to his skin? Lois! Duh! Now, wait, don=92t panic yet...is there some rational explanation? Maybe = the first gun that shot him *was* a bb gun! If only I could look at the = bullets! Wait, maybe I have one here! She remembered the object that had = hit her shoulder and slid down the back of her blouse; maybe it was = still caught in her clothing. Yes, there it was. She pulled it out and = examined the curiously flattened bullet. Definitely not a bb. Lois = fingered it, thinking hard. It must have struck Clark and ricocheted = onto her, sliding down her blouse.=20 His body repels bullets. Flattens them. He can sustain injuries that would have most men screaming in agony. He can survive wounds from weapons that disintegrate wood. He doesn=92t need water.=20 He can cool the air with his breath. He=92s not human; he can=92t be! That mean=92s he=92s... Lois had seen the films, but at the time they = had seemed so far-fetched, so far beyond the technology currently = available... But here was proof that it was possible...there was no = doubt about it; this "man" was a cyborg, a cybernetic organism, like the = robots in Terminator and Terminator II.=20 Was this good or bad for her safety? Lois thought back to every move = this machine had made since she had "met" it. This cyborg obviously was = designed to "protect" rather than kill. Well, that was good! "Lois? Lois?" Lois became aware that Clark was talking to her and had = been for quite some time. She turned toward him. He was looking up at = her in concern. "I=92m sorry, Lois; I didn=92t mean to scare you. I just = wanted to show you that you don=92t need to worry about water and..." "It=92s okay, Clark," said Lois, slipping the smashed bullet into her = pocket. She had no trouble giving the robot her warmest smile. "It just = startled me for a minute, that=92s all." She sat down beside him again, = feeling all at once safer with him. "I don=92t suppose you can generate = enough water to take a bath," she said with a sigh. Clark smiled. "I can=92t promise anything more than being able to fill = the water jug," he said. "Let=92s see just how much water you can squeeze out of this dry air," = she said, beginning to hunt for crockery to contain the precious fluid. = She found several pieces of broken pots to catch the water as he cooled = the air. After drinking her fill and replenishing the water in the = container she had stolen that morning, she collected enough water to dab = onto her face and hands. "Turn your back," she commanded as she removed = her shirt so she could rinse her torso. Of course, modesty wasn=92t = really necessary around a robot, but she had decided that she wasn=92t = going to tell him that she knew his secret; because however benign his = behavior was now, he might become dangerous if he found out that she = knew his secret; he might be programmed to destroy anyone who discovered = it. When she had completed her own toilet, she looked down at him, feeling = much refreshed. The temperature in the room had dropped slightly with = the aid of his cooling breath and she shivered suddenly. "Here," she = said to Clark, "Let=92s clean you up a bit." She pulled off what was = left of his shirt and dabbed at his face and neck. "I can wash myself, Lois," he protested. "Uh-huh," said Lois, rubbing his smooth cheeks. That=92s another thing, = thought Lois. Wouldn=92t a real man have stubble by now? I thought he = had some beard growth earlier this morning, but it must have been dirt. = She poured some water onto his chest and began rubbing energetically. "Lois!" he said again. "Lois!" His voice rose as he scrambled backwards = across the floor, retreating in haste. "All right, all right, you don=92t need a bath I guess," she said, = amused that the robot had been programmed for modesty. She skimmed her = hand across his chest, collecting the excess moisture and flicking it = off. "Are you okay?" she asked. His eyes looked rather glazed and his = chest was rising and falling rapidly. "Yes," he said with difficulty. Lois sat back and looked at him in = puzzlement.=20 He seems so real! What if he=92s human after all?=20 Yeah, right. A human male who doesn=92t grow a beard and who can = withstand bullets, a knee to the groin, a weapon that disintegrates = wood, and...and...who also happens to be a walking refrigeration unit! = Yeah, sure, he=92s human! Duh!=20 I wonder what else he...it... can do. "I don=92t suppose you can generate food...?" she said hopefully. He laughed aloud at that. "If you can hold out until evening, Lois; I = promise I=92ll get you something to eat." "I can hardly wait," she said. He probably doesn=92t need to eat anyway, = she thought. Lucky him. She yawned. "I could use some more sleep," she = admitted, "But I don=92t like to close my eyes with those rats creeping = around." "I=92ll take care of the rats," he promised. Lois didn=92t reply. She slid to the floor and lay down on her side. She = flinched when he put his arm around her, then remembering that he was = just a robot and designed to protect her, she relaxed against his body. = She was pleased that he...it...had turned out not to be human. She felt = so much safer. Why did they design a robot to be so physically perfect, anyway? she = continued her musing. Oh, Lois, if you=92re going to take the trouble of = building a robot, you might as well make it cute and muscular like = Clark! Clark. Yes, even the name is funny...it sounds like the kind of = nerdy name that a technogeek would bestow on his creation. She smiled as = she moved her head to pillow it on her arm. "Here, take this," said Clark. He took his discarded shirt and rolled it = into a ball, placing it under Lois=92s head. "Thanks," she said sleepily. She clasped the hand that was draped over = her side and examined it closely, marveling at how real it looked. = Whoever manufactured him had done a magnificent job! She began to = enumerate all the things about him that seemed real and amused herself = by imagining how it had been done.=20 She could feel the heat of his body against her back and pressed against = him, snuggling closer. Body heat...that=92s real...I wonder how they did = that? When I find out, I=92m going to have the scoop of the decade! She = began planning the article she was going to write. She could already see = the headlines: "Cybernetic Organism Rescues Prize-Winning Reporter." Her = eyes drifted shut while she was delivering the acceptance speech for her = Pulitzer... Clark lay perfectly still, his eyes wide open. The way Lois had been = touching him! The way she freely ran her hands over his body! What was = with her, anyway? He sighed. He had longed to respond to her touch by = taking her into his arms, but he could see that there was nothing = amorous about her actions. Besides, he didn=92t want to seem to be = taking advantage of her in her present vulnerable position. He sighed = again, closing his eyes as he tried to get some sleep. The afternoon shadows were long when he woke up again. He looked around = cautiously, trying to identify the sound that had roused him. Voices! In = the street below! Swiftly he put a hand over Lois=92s mouth. He felt her = body tense with fear and put his mouth to her ear, whispering softly, = "Lois, someone=92s coming. They=92re going to search the building. We = have to hide."=20 Lois nodded to show that she had understood and he relaxed his grip. = Lois looked around the room frantically. Where were they going to hide? She lay motionless as she felt her companion leave her side. Her eyes = widened in astonishment at how effortlessly he picked her up and set her = quietly on her feet next to the window.=20 Clark snatched what was left of his shirt and stuffed it into his back = pocket.. Putting a finger to his lips, he crawled out the window, then = turned around and reached his hands back inside, lifting her and gently = pulling her outside. What on earth was he hanging on to? She sucked in = her breath in sudden alarm and clasped her hands around his neck. = Because it seemed safer, she wrapped her legs around his waist, too. = With his hands gripping the wall of the building, he edged away from the = window until they were out of sight of anyone who might happen to look = out. They waited tensely, Lois straining her ears. She couldn=92t hear = anything. "Are you sure..." she began in a soft whisper. "Shhh!" he hissed almost soundlessly. Then Lois heard the voices. Clark = was right; someone was searching the building. They waited an eternity = as the men searched each floor. They seemed to spend a lot of time = examining the signs of recent occupation in the room that Lois and Clark = had just vacated, but in the end they evidently decided that their = quarry had fled and abandoned the search in that building. When they were finally gone, Lois sighed and laid her head on Clark=92s = bare shoulder. He was breathing rapidly but otherwise showed no sign = that hanging by an eyelash outside a third-story window was causing him = any strain. Clark waited until he was certain that the searchers had left and then = inched over to the window and thrust her through it, diving in after = her. They landed in a heap on the floor, laughing breathlessly. "So you = really think we can get out of here tonight?" she asked him. "I=92m sure we can," he smiled down at her. "So we=92re going...where? The U.S. Embassy?" "I was thinking more along the lines of...Paris," he told her. "Paris!" Her eyes widened in anticipation. "You mean we=92ll fly? = Tonight?" He nodded. "Just a few more hours. Wait until dark." ------=_NextPart_000_00FC_01BE8833.E997C560 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Loises and Clarks – Part 4

*****

The alternate Clark arranged his burnoose more tightly about his = face. He had=20 x-rayed every building on the east and west sides of Kuran and was now = tackling=20 the south. He had obtained a picture of the missing woman, Gina Gambini, = from=20 the Italian embassy, passing himself off as a French journalist (my = French=20 accent wasn’t too bad, he thought with pride) before he had = switched to=20 the Arab clothing as a way of appearing less conspicuous. He glanced = casually=20 through the building across the street–and stiffened.

*Lois was in that building!*

He resisted the urge to fly to her.

Whoa, Clark, that’s not Lois! You have to quit seeing the image = of the=20 woman you love in the face of every brown-eyed, brown-haired beauty in = town!=20 Especially this town! That can’t be Lois; she’s in = Metropolis. I=20 know, because I talked to her when I phoned in my story to the Daily = Planet=20 yesterday. Besides, this woman is so thin. And see how long her hair = is...down=20 to the middle of her back!

Still, he was curious enough to keep watching. Then he saw the other = woman,=20 who was just now getting out of bed. Gina. He heaved a sigh. I’ve = found=20 her!

Clark spent the rest of the day reconnoitering. He flew to a high = altitude=20 and used his distance vision to study the layout. With the use of his=20 super-hearing he confirmed that the women were, in fact, prisoners, that = he was=20 correct in recognizing Gina, and that the woman who looked like Lois = spoke with=20 an American accent and was called Lois. That last stunned him. What a=20 coincidence! Or was it? Could Lois have a doppelganger?

The more he studied the woman, the more uneasy he became.

She looks like Lois. An unkempt Lois, it’s true, but still = Lois. She=20 sounds like Lois. Her mannerisms, although not identical, are similar. =

Well, whoever she is, she’s a prisoner and I’m going to = rescue=20 her tonight!

Clark waited for darkness to cover him before making his move. = Dressed in a=20 black turtleneck and black pants, gloves, and ski mask, he flew quickly = to the=20 building where the women were held captive. Floating up to the = fifth-story=20 barred window with ease, he silently bent the bars open. Once inside, he = paused,=20 listening to the sound of the women’s quiet breathing. He = wouldn’t=20 be able to rescue both women at once. I’ll get Gina first, he told = himself=20 firmly (yes, that’s right), then come back for this woman named = Lois.

Moving quickly, he snatched Gina from her bed, covering her mouth = with his=20 hand while wrapping the sheet from her bed around her. He crushed her to = his=20 chest and held her with one hand while he escaped from the window and = dropped=20 rapidly to the ground. He wished he could fly her to the Italian = embassy, but he=20 had to avoid giving her the impression that there was anything = "super"=20 about this rescue, so he skimmed lightly and rapidly over the ground, = pretending=20 to run. He dropped the bewildered woman inside the embassy compound and=20 whispered "you’ll be safe here," in Italian before = taking to the=20 skies in a rush of air.

Now to get Lois! He floated to her window and stopped short in dismay = at the=20 sight of her sitting up in bed, staring at the empty cot next to her. = Light from=20 the hallway streamed in through the window of her room, clearly showing = her=20 bewilderment. He must have made some sound, because she turned now and = looked=20 straight at him, drawing in her breath in a hiss of alarm. He held his = breath.=20 He could prevent her from screaming if he moved at super speed, but he = was=20 determined to make this look like a "normal" rescue.

She was watching him, evidently trying to decide whether he = represented a=20 bigger threat than her captors. He listened to her rapid heartbeat, then = in two=20 steps swept her into his arms, pressing her face against his chest so = she=20 couldn’t scream. She didn’t struggle at all, remaining = quiescent in=20 his arms while he carried her to the window and dropped slowly to the = ground. As=20 he ran quietly and rapidly away from the building, however, he could = feel her=20 body tense as she prepared herself to escape from him. Apparently she = had=20 decided she wasn’t going to wait around to find out if he was = benign or=20 not, but was planning to make her getaway and take her chances in the = streets of=20 Kuran.

The elbow in his ribs didn’t catch him wholly by surprise, nor = did her=20 knee applied to what would have been a very tender place on a normal = earthling=20 cause him any astonishment. It didn’t hurt him, of course, but he = wished=20 she hadn’t done it because he knew he should stop and at least = pretend to=20 be in some kind of pain. But he couldn’t afford to stop now, = because his=20 super-sensitive hearing had picked up the sound of running feet behind = them.

Lois was surprised at her captor’s lack of reaction to her = aggressive=20 moves. She had elected to go quietly with him because she believed she = would=20 have a greater chance of escape once she was outside her prison, but now = she was=20 beginning to feel a little panicky. What kind of man was this who could = so=20 easily withstand a knee applied to that sensitive area? Was he wearing a = shield=20 of some kind?

It was going to be harder to get away than she had thought; he must = be very=20 strong to have carried her down five flights, supporting her with one = arm while=20 apparently holding onto a rope with the other. She pressed her body = against his.=20 He was so hard–he felt like iron! She was going to have the fight = of her=20 life!

Suddenly Lois heard shouts behind them, followed by a burst of = gunfire. She=20 heard bullets strike the man in the back, but he didn’t even break = his=20 stride. In fact, he offered no reaction at all! He’s wearing a=20 bullet-proof vest, of course, but still...he should have been knocked = down by=20 the impact. Those weren’t bb’s hitting him!

Another burst of gunfire was followed by a "ping" sound and = Lois=20 felt something hot fall onto her neck and slide down the back of her = shirt.

Her captor was beginning to pull away from their pursuer when there = was a=20 tremendous BOOM! followed by a blinding flash of light, and Lois felt = her captor=20 being lifted off the ground by the impact of a tremendous blow, even as = her ears=20 were deafened by his scream of pain.

He fell to the ground, crushing her with his body, and Lois thought = for an=20 instant that he was dead. Amazingly, he rose to his knees, still = clutching her=20 to his chest, then got up and ran a few steps toward an alley, wrapping = himself=20 around her to the extent possible in order to shield her with his body. = He=20 released her into the darkness, and as the footsteps of their pursuer = gained on=20 them, whispered hoarsely, "Get out of here, Lois. Run!" He = spoke=20 English!

He jumped away from her, turning to face their pursuer. After running = a few=20 steps, Lois couldn’t help turning to watch. The whole street was=20 illuminated by a flash from the gigantic weapon in their pursuer’s = hands=20 as the man shot at her rescuer again. The blaze of light caught her = captor=20 squarely in the chest and Lois caught her breath when he howled in pain. = The=20 force of the blow lifted him up and flung him against the wall of a = nearby=20 building. The beam of light from the gun focused on a board leaning = against the=20 wall and Lois watched in horror as the board disintegrated before her = eyes.

She was trembling in fright and wanted nothing so badly as to escape, = but she=20 couldn’t leave the man to be butchered by that weapon. Searching = the=20 littered street for a club, she found a heavy board. Under cover of the=20 darkness, she ran silently behind the attacker just as he unleashed yet = another=20 assault at the hapless man on the ground. Swinging with all her might, = she=20 brought the board down on the head of the man holding the gun and he = crumpled=20 without a sound.

Breathing hard, Lois stood for a moment, then hurried to her fallen = rescuer.=20 He had stopped screaming, thank heavens, but his breathing came in = hoarse gasps.=20 He probably didn’t have long to live, poor soul. "Lois, I = told you to=20 leave," he rasped when she approached. Lois could hear his = irritation even=20 through the pain in his voice and was amazed that he could still talk. = That=20 weapon had just annihilated a piece of wood into oblivion...how could he = have=20 survived it? Much less have strength to speak?!

"I couldn’t leave you to face him alone," she said = simply.=20 She knelt by his side, and pulling off the ski mask, peered down at him = while=20 she tried to assess his condition. "Can you walk?" she = asked.

"Not yet," he said after a moment’s hesitation. He = moved=20 impatiently when she put her arms around him to help him get up. = "Go,"=20 he said. "Or at least, get that...thing...and...hide = it...somewhere."=20 He was obviously speaking with great difficulty.

Lois picked up the weapon and looked at it curiously. "What is=20 this?" she asked. "Some kind of laser?"

"Don’t...know. Get...rid...of it!"

Lois ran into an alley and stowed it under some debris, then raced = back to=20 his side. She knelt again and placed her hands gingerly on his chest, = feeling=20 for injuries. He clutched at her hands, pushing them away. "Lois, = go! Get=20 out of here!" His voice sounded stronger.

"What happened to your shirt?" asked Lois. = "There’s=20 nothing here." His chest was completely bare.

Lois continued to probe for wounds, conscious of a curious reluctance = to=20 leave him. Whereas five minutes ago she had wanted nothing so much as to = escape=20 >from him, his importunities to try and get her to go away only increased = her=20 determination to stay.

"Lois!"

"I’m not leaving you," she declared.

"Lois, you put one man out of commission, but there may be = others. Now=20 go away from here! Please!" He arrested her probing motion by = snatching her=20 hands and holding them away from his body.

In answer, Lois pulled her hands free and tried once again to help = him to his=20 feet. He sighed and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like=20 "stubborn," then placing one hand on the wall and the other on = her=20 shoulder, struggled to an upright position. "Can you walk?" = Lois asked=20 again. He didn’t reply, apparently having used all his energy to = regain=20 his feet. Lois pulled one of his arms around her shoulder, encouraging = him to=20 lean on her for support. They advanced down the street, slowly at first, = but=20 with the man becoming noticeably stronger with each passing minute.

"Turn...left...at...this corner," he said. = "And...right at the=20 next." As she obeyed his instructions Lois wondered if she was = crazy for=20 not making her escape when she had the chance.

Clark was using his knowledge obtained by scouring the city in search = of Gina=20 to guide them to a deserted section of town that was characterized = chiefly by=20 ruined buildings on the verge of collapse. As they slowly made their way = through=20 the squalid streets, he used his still-functioning super hearing to find = a=20 building which wasn’t currently housing any of the down-and-outers = who=20 habitually inhabited such dwellings. He needed to find a suitable place = soon; he=20 didn’t know how much longer he could continue. He didn’t = know what=20 kind of weapon had been used on him, but it had apparently caused some = internal=20 damage. The burning sensation in his chest was almost unbearable, and he = had to=20 stop periodically to succumb to paroxysms of coughing.

"Here," he told her at last. "Let’s go in this=20 one." Lois assisted him into the building and he rapidly scanned = the room=20 in which they found themselves. "Upstairs," he panted. By the = time=20 they had reached the top of the narrow stairway, he was crawling on his = hands=20 and knees. "Stay...here...tonight," he said hoarsely. He = collapsed=20 into a heap and lay motionless in the darkness.

Lois knelt beside him. "H-hello?" she said querulously. = "Are=20 you...all right?" She felt for him with her hands and came in = contact with=20 his bare back. Putting her ear against his back, she heard a rapid = heartbeat and=20 the raspy sound that accompanied each breath he took. At least he was = still=20 alive! She ran her hands over him, turning his head to one side to make = sure he=20 wouldn’t smother himself by lying on his face. "Are you = awake?"=20 she whispered. He slipped a hand into hers and squeezed it by way of = letting her=20 know that he was still conscious. Lois sighed and settled herself = cross-legged=20 on the floor, preparing to watch over him through the night.

*****

A tiny squeaking sound awakened her and she opened her eyes to see a = rat=20 sitting in a pool of early-morning sunlight. It was less then two feet = >from her=20 nose and regarding her intently. She squealed and sat bolt upright, = sending the=20 rat scurrying.

Lois looked around and took stock of her situation. Sometime during = the night=20 she must have lain down, pillowing her head on the arm of her fallen = companion,=20 who was lying quite still beside her. For one panicked second Lois = thought he=20 was dead. Then she heard him breathing and heaved a sigh of relief that = he was=20 still alive. Her screech had not disturbed him apparently.

This might be a good time to see if she could assess the state of his = injuries. She sat on her heels and surveyed the unconscious man, who was = still=20 lying where he had collapsed the night before. He had been dressed in a = black=20 turtleneck, but something...she guessed it was that weapon...had burned = away=20 most of the back of it, so that it hung on him in tatters. Lois looked = curiously=20 at his prone form. She had known he was strong, and as she looked at the = well-developed muscles on his back, she could see ample evidence of his=20 strength. She ran her hands over his trapezius and rear deltoids, = feeling for=20 injury. Finding none, she decided to roll him over and examine him from = the=20 front. She did this with difficulty...he weighed more than he looked, = even after=20 taking into account his muscular build.

After turning him onto his side, she paused to wipe the sweat from = her=20 face...it was already starting to get hot...and study his features. Even = with=20 the grime on his face and the growth of stubble on his chin, Lois could = see that=20 he was good-looking...maybe even handsome...but he was deathly pale and = his brow=20 was creased as if he were in pain.

His breathing had a hoarse, croupy sound that Lois didn’t like. = She=20 leaned down and pressed her ear against his chest to listen to his = lungs, which=20 told her nothing except that his breathing was labored...and she already = knew=20 that.

She placed her hands on his bare chest and began probing his pectoral = muscles=20 for injuries. And found none. How could that weapon have burned away his = clothing and left his skin intact? Yet it had apparently injured his = lungs. She=20 shook her head in bafflement as the man moaned and stirred. "Does = that=20 hurt?" she asked, continuing to rub his chest.

"No," he mumbled sleepily. "Feels good, don’t=20 stop." His body stiffened and his eyes flew open as he realized = what he had=20 just said.

"What?" said Lois. She hadn’t quite understood = him.

"Doesn’t...hurt on the outside," he corrected himself = quickly. He closed his eyes briefly. He had been dreaming about Lois = again; she=20 was running her hands over his chest and talking in a low voice.  = He had=20 been stunned to awaken and find that his dream was reality and he was = gazing=20 into those luminous eyes that had haunted his dreams for two = years. 

"Does it hurt to breathe?" asked Lois. She was relieved to = see that=20 some color had come back into his face.

"A little," he mumbled. "It’s getting better=20 though." He struggled to sit up but couldn’t quite make it. = He=20 concluded that he was definitely the worse for all the walking they had = done=20 last night. He hoped that his super strength would return soon so he = could get=20 her out of here safely.

But first he wanted to find out who she was and how she had come to = be held=20 in captivity with the young Italian woman. He took a deep breath. = "Lois,=20 what are you doing here?" he asked. "Why were you being held=20 hostage?"

"First I want to know...who are you?" countered Lois. = "Do you=20 work for the government?"

"No, Lois, I don’t work for the government."

"Then how do you know my name?"

Clark bit his lip, searching for an explanation that wouldn’t = involve=20 super hearing. "Gina told me when I dropped her off at the Italian=20 embassy," he said finally. "She was worried about you. Now = please tell=20 me how you got there in the first place." For a minute Clark = thought she=20 wasn’t going to answer him; he recognized that mulish look from = his=20 association with the other Lois. Then, apparently deciding that it would = be a=20 relief to unburden herself from what had been troubling her for more = than a=20 year, she told him everything.

Clark listened with a rapidly beating heart to her tale of her = pursuit of a=20 gun-running story in the Congo, followed by her strange appearance in a = hostage=20 situation nearly three years after her most recent memory, and the = unwelcome=20 news that the person she thought she was, Lois Lane, a journalist with = the Daily=20 Planet, was not who she really was at all. "So I don’t know = who I am=20 or where I come from," she concluded.

She’s my Lois, he thought. I know it! But how can I find out = for sure?=20 Let’s see, I have it! "Who was President of the United States = when=20 you went after your gun-running story?" he asked.

"Charlton Heston," said Lois. "Did he get = reelected?"

Instead of answering, Clark fell back onto the floor. It’s her, = he=20 thought jubilantly! I don’t know how she got into this universe, = but=20 somehow she did!

"Are you all right?" Lois asked, fortunately forgetting her = question about the president.

Clark nodded and closed his eyes. Lois looked at him in concern, = wondering=20 what she could do for him. Suddenly she sprang to her feet, her own = parched=20 throat and dry mouth reminding her that they were lacking the most basic = of=20 human needs, next to air. What was she thinking of? The man was injured; = he must=20 be in torment from thirst!

"I’m going to go out and get us some water," she said = softly,=20 bending over him.

That opened his eyes again. "No, Lois, you can’t...not if=20 you’re dressed like that!" he said hoarsely.

"We need water," said Lois firmly, "and I’m = going to get=20 some." She vanished down the stairs. Clark tried in vain to get up = so he=20 could follow her, but his strength was gone. As were all his powers. He = tried to=20 follow her progress with his X-ray vision, and listen to her footsteps = with his=20 super hearing, but they were just not functional this morning. Unable to = do=20 anything to help her, he closed his eyes and waited and hoped for her = safe=20 return, falling into a fitful sleep almost immediately.

*****

"You look better," Lois said upon her return. Indeed, she = was=20 greatly encouraged by the improvement in his appearance. He had = obviously felt=20 well enough to move around in her absence, changing his position to one = nearer=20 the window where he was now lying in the sunlight.

And that pale, drawn look of pain was gone. When she knelt by his = side more=20 color flooded into his face.

"I forgot to ask your name," she remarked.

"C-clark," he said.

"Okay, then, Clark; can you sit up?" she asked, holding a = water=20 container to his lips. He pressed his lips tightly together and turned = his head=20 away, reminding Lois of a baby refusing to be fed.

"Lois, did you have anything to drink yourself?" he = asked.

"I drank...some...," she said.

"Well, save the water for yourself. I don’t need = it."

"You don’t need it?" she exclaimed. "Of course = you need=20 it! How can you say that? You must be feverish!" She pressed the = container=20 to his lips, spilling some of its precious contents. He put up his hand = to wipe=20 his chin.

"Lois, I’m not losing water; I’m not sweating=20 and–"

"That’s right!" she almost shrieked. = "You’re not=20 sweating! You must have heat exhaustion! I have to cool you off!" = She began=20 pouring water onto her hand and dabbing it on his face.

"Lois, stop! Lois, you’re wasting the water! Lois! = Lo-is!" He=20 was sitting completely upright now, reaching for the water container and = trying=20 to remove it gently from her grasp. "Lois, stop this, please! Save = the=20 water for yourself. I can get us more!"

That got her attention. "You can get us more?" she said, = her eyes=20 narrowing. "How?"

Clark took a deep breath. He was feeling much better...still weak, = but his=20 lungs seemed to be clear and some of his super powers were = returning...he had=20 already shaved with the help of a bit of broken glass. "How can I = get us=20 some more?" he said. "Like this." He cupped his hands in = front of=20 his face and blew gently. His relief when he felt the cool air hit his = hands was=20 immense...his cooling breath was back.

Lois watched, puzzled, as a small cloud formed over his hands. = "What are=20 you doing?" she asked.

"Cooling the air," he said, "and squeezing the = moisture out of=20 it." Lois stared in astonishment as water droplets appeared on his = hand.=20 How could he do that? How could he possibly cool the air enough to = condense the=20 moisture out of it? It wasn’t humanly possible!

She grew rigid. What had she just said? *It wasn’t humanly = possible.*=20 She sprang to her feet and turned her back on him while she mentally = reviewed=20 everything she knew about him.

Last night...she had kneed him in the groin...that should have left = him lying=20 on the ground and gasping in pain but he hadn’t broken stride.

The bullets she had *heard* striking his back...if he had been = wearing a=20 bullet-proof vest, the bullets would still have knocked him to the = ground,=20 knocked the wind out of him, bruised his back...none of that had = happened=20 and...*and he wasn’t wearing a bulletproof vest!*

The weapon that had disintegrated a board and part of his shirt...it = had=20 injured him, yes, but...think, now...shouldn’t it have caused = *some*=20 injury to his skin? Lois! Duh!

Now, wait, don’t panic yet...is there some rational = explanation? Maybe=20 the first gun that shot him *was* a bb gun! If only I could look at the = bullets!=20 Wait, maybe I have one here! She remembered the object that had hit her = shoulder=20 and slid down the back of her blouse; maybe it was still caught in her = clothing.=20 Yes, there it was. She pulled it out and examined the curiously = flattened=20 bullet. Definitely not a bb. Lois fingered it, thinking hard. It must = have=20 struck Clark and ricocheted onto her, sliding down her blouse.

His body repels bullets. Flattens them.

He can sustain injuries that would have most men screaming in = agony.

He can survive wounds from weapons that disintegrate wood.

He doesn’t need water.

He can cool the air with his breath.

He’s not human; he can’t be!

That mean’s he’s... Lois had seen the films, but at the = time they=20 had seemed so far-fetched, so far beyond the technology currently = available...=20 But here was proof that it was possible...there was no doubt about it; = this=20 "man" was a cyborg, a cybernetic organism, like the robots in=20 Terminator and Terminator II.

Was this good or bad for her safety? Lois thought back to every move = this=20 machine had made since she had "met" it. This cyborg obviously = was=20 designed to "protect" rather than kill. Well, that was = good!

"Lois? Lois?" Lois became aware that Clark was talking to = her and=20 had been for quite some time. She turned toward him. He was looking up = at her in=20 concern. "I’m sorry, Lois; I didn’t mean to scare you. = I just=20 wanted to show you that you don’t need to worry about water=20 and..."

"It’s okay, Clark," said Lois, slipping the smashed = bullet=20 into her pocket. She had no trouble giving the robot her warmest smile. = "It=20 just startled me for a minute, that’s all." She sat down = beside him=20 again, feeling all at once safer with him. "I don’t suppose = you can=20 generate enough water to take a bath," she said with a sigh.

Clark smiled. "I can’t promise anything more than being = able to=20 fill the water jug," he said.

"Let’s see just how much water you can squeeze out of this = dry=20 air," she said, beginning to hunt for crockery to contain the = precious=20 fluid. She found several pieces of broken pots to catch the water as he = cooled=20 the air. After drinking her fill and replenishing the water in the = container she=20 had stolen that morning, she collected enough water to dab onto her face = and=20 hands. "Turn your back," she commanded as she removed her = shirt so she=20 could rinse her torso. Of course, modesty wasn’t really necessary = around a=20 robot, but she had decided that she wasn’t going to tell him that = she knew=20 his secret; because however benign his behavior was now, he might become = dangerous if he found out that she knew his secret; he might be = programmed to=20 destroy anyone who discovered it.

When she had completed her own toilet, she looked down at him, = feeling much=20 refreshed. The temperature in the room had dropped slightly with the aid = of his=20 cooling breath and she shivered suddenly. "Here," she said to = Clark,=20 "Let’s clean you up a bit." She pulled off what was left = of his=20 shirt and dabbed at his face and neck.

"I can wash myself, Lois," he protested.

"Uh-huh," said Lois, rubbing his smooth cheeks. = That’s=20 another thing, thought Lois. Wouldn’t a real man have stubble by = now? I=20 thought he had some beard growth earlier this morning, but it must have = been=20 dirt. She poured some water onto his chest and began rubbing = energetically.

"Lois!" he said again.  "Lois!" His voice = rose as he=20 scrambled backwards across the floor, retreating in haste.

"All right, all right, you don’t need a bath I = guess," she=20 said, amused that the robot had been programmed for modesty. She skimmed = her=20 hand across his chest, collecting the excess moisture and flicking it = off.=20 "Are you okay?" she asked. His eyes looked rather glazed and = his chest=20 was rising and falling rapidly.

"Yes," he said with difficulty. Lois sat back and looked at = him in=20 puzzlement.

He seems so real! What if he’s human after all?

Yeah, right. A human male who doesn’t grow a beard and who can=20 withstand bullets, a knee to the groin, a weapon that disintegrates = wood,=20 and...and...who also happens to be a walking refrigeration unit! Yeah, = sure,=20 he’s human! Duh!

I wonder what else he...it... can do.

"I don’t suppose you can generate food...?" she said=20 hopefully.

He laughed aloud at that. "If you can hold out until evening, = Lois; I=20 promise I’ll get you something to eat."

"I can hardly wait," she said. He probably doesn’t = need to=20 eat anyway, she thought. Lucky him. She yawned. "I could use some = more=20 sleep," she admitted, "But I don’t like to close my eyes = with=20 those rats creeping around."

"I’ll take care of the rats," he promised.

Lois didn’t reply. She slid to the floor and lay down on her = side. She=20 flinched when he put his arm around her, then remembering that he was = just a=20 robot and designed to protect her, she relaxed against his body. She was = pleased=20 that he...it...had turned out not to be human. She felt so much = safer.

Why did they design a robot to be so physically perfect, anyway? she=20 continued her musing. Oh, Lois, if you’re going to take the = trouble of=20 building a robot, you might as well make it cute and muscular like = Clark! Clark.=20 Yes, even the name is funny...it sounds like the kind of nerdy name that = a=20 technogeek would bestow on his creation. She smiled as she moved her = head to=20 pillow it on her arm.

"Here, take this," said Clark. He took his discarded shirt = and=20 rolled it into a ball, placing it under Lois’s head.

"Thanks," she said sleepily. She clasped the hand that was = draped=20 over her side and examined it closely, marveling at how real it looked. = Whoever=20 manufactured him had done a magnificent job! She began to enumerate all = the=20 things about him that seemed real and amused herself by imagining how it = had=20 been done.

She could feel the heat of his body against her back and pressed = against him,=20 snuggling closer. Body heat...that’s real...I wonder how they did = that?=20 When I find out, I’m going to have the scoop of the decade! She = began=20 planning the article she was going to write. She could already see the=20 headlines: "Cybernetic Organism Rescues Prize-Winning = Reporter." Her=20 eyes drifted shut while she was delivering the acceptance speech for her = Pulitzer...

Clark lay perfectly still, his eyes wide open. The way Lois had been = touching=20 him! The way she freely ran her hands over his body! What was with her, = anyway?=20 He sighed. He had longed to respond to her touch by taking her into his = arms,=20 but he could see that there was nothing amorous about her actions. = Besides, he=20 didn’t want to seem to be taking advantage of her in her present=20 vulnerable position. He sighed again, closing his eyes as he tried to = get some=20 sleep.

The afternoon shadows were long when he woke up again. He looked = around=20 cautiously, trying to identify the sound that had roused him. Voices! In = the=20 street below! Swiftly he put a hand over Lois’s mouth. He felt her = body=20 tense with fear and put his mouth to her ear, whispering softly, = "Lois,=20 someone’s coming. They’re going to search the building. We = have to=20 hide."

Lois nodded to show that she had understood and he relaxed his grip. = Lois=20 looked around the room frantically. Where were they going to hide?

She lay motionless as she felt her companion leave her side. Her eyes = widened=20 in astonishment at how effortlessly he picked her up and set her quietly = on her=20 feet next to the window.

Clark snatched what was left of his shirt and stuffed it into his = back=20 pocket.. Putting a finger to his lips, he crawled out the window, then = turned=20 around and reached his hands back inside, lifting her and gently pulling = her=20 outside. What on earth was he hanging on to? She sucked in her breath in = sudden=20 alarm and clasped her hands around his neck. Because it seemed safer, = she=20 wrapped her legs around his waist, too. With his hands gripping the wall = of the=20 building, he edged away from the window until they were out of sight of = anyone=20 who might happen to look out.

They waited tensely, Lois straining her ears. She couldn’t hear = anything. "Are you sure..." she began in a soft whisper.

"Shhh!" he hissed almost soundlessly. Then Lois heard the = voices.=20 Clark was right; someone was searching the building. They waited an = eternity as=20 the men searched each floor. They seemed to spend a lot of time = examining the=20 signs of recent occupation in the room that Lois and Clark had just = vacated, but=20 in the end they evidently decided that their quarry had fled and = abandoned the=20 search in that building.

When they were finally gone, Lois sighed and laid her head on = Clark’s=20 bare shoulder. He was breathing rapidly but otherwise showed no sign = that=20 hanging by an eyelash outside a third-story window was causing him any=20 strain.

Clark waited until he was certain that the searchers had left and = then inched=20 over to the window and thrust her through it, diving in after her. They = landed=20 in a heap on the floor, laughing breathlessly. "So you really think = we can=20 get out of here tonight?" she asked him.

"I’m sure we can," he smiled down at her.

"So we’re going...where? The U.S. Embassy?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of...Paris," he told = her.

"Paris!" Her eyes widened in anticipation. "You mean=20 we’ll fly? Tonight?"

He nodded. "Just a few more hours. Wait until=20 dark."

------=_NextPart_000_00FC_01BE8833.E997C560-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 17:05:24 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: Groundhog Revelation Day MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email Actually the idea tickles my muse. (At this point my wife groans over the fact that we have no less than 6 fanfics in the oven and there surely is no room for any more.) :,-) MR. D8A A.K.A. James Proverbs 3:5-6 The pixels are done dancing! I can go real home! Please visit and explore my house at: http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 -----Original Message----- From: Sarah Wood [mailto:SarahWood@COMPUSERVE.COM] Sent: Friday, April 16, 1999 4:44 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: Groundhog Revelation Day >> I've often thought that ABC should do a "Groundhog Day" of Lois revelations, with Clark being forced to repeat the revelation over and over again until he finally gets it right! << That might make a great Round Robin fanfic. Sarah Wood ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:14:36 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0161_01BE8834.FC6E0C20" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0161_01BE8834.FC6E0C20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Loises and Clarks =96 Part 5 ***** Alt-Clark surveyed the ground below, mentally reviewing his knowledge of = this section of Paris. There should be a small park...ah, yes, there it = is. He shifted the precious cargo in his arms and slowed for a landing. = "Here we are," he said, setting Lois on her feet with a flourish. Lois = shivered in the cool evening air, straining to see her surroundings in = the darkness. "Flying...Paris...what next?" she asked. "I hope it=92s food, bath, and = more food...in that order," she added.=20 Clark smiled. "If you can wait five minutes while I get some money, I = think I can accommodate your wishes," he told her rather formally. "Five minutes? Where are you going to get money in five minutes?" she = asked. But she was speaking to empty air.=20 Somewhat more than five minutes had passed before she heard the whoosh = that signaled his return. She stared at him in astonishment. It was = dark, but not so dark that she couldn=92t see that he had cleaned = himself and changed his clothes. He was dressed in a casual shirt and = slacks with a jacket slung over one shoulder. "That was quick," she said = blankly. "Bread?" he asked her, holding a bag toward her. She thrust her hands = greedily inside and pulled out bread and cheese. "Do you want to go = somewhere else to eat, or do you want to eat here?" he asked. "Okay, I = guess it=92s here," he said, smiling as she tore off a chunk of bread = and devoured it along with the cheese. He guided her to a bench and = watched in amusement while she ate every crumb, washing the food down = with the bottled water he had brought her. She finished by popping some = grapes into her mouth and crunching them zestily. "Okay," she sighed. "I=92m ready for that bath now." He took her hand = and led her to a hotel where he booked them a room.=20 "I don=92t have much money so I just got us a small room," Clark said = apologetically when he had closed the door behind them. "Only one bed = and=96" "A bath," said Lois prayerfully. "With hot and cold running water." She = raced for the bathroom. "See you in an hour," she said. Clark smiled and followed her across the room. "Lois," he called, = knocking on the bathroom door. "I=92m going to go out for awhile, okay? = I=92ll see you later." The bathroom door flew open again and Lois rushed out, flinging her arms = around him. "Thank you!" she said, hugging him hard.=20 ***** Clark was still smiling as he searched shops for clothing for Lois, his = Lois...he was sure of it. After she had gotten over the shock of = learning that he could fly, she had relaxed completely in his arms and = talked non-stop during the flight from Kuran, telling him enough of her = past life to convince him that she was indeed from another = universe...*his* universe. He experienced a tingle of pleasure when he remembered how it had felt = to have her arms wrapped so trustingly around his neck. He was surprised = at how readily she had accepted his super powers, almost seeming to take = them for granted. From what he had heard of the rocky courtship of the = other Lois and Clark, it had taken that Clark nearly two years to win = his Lois--he didn=92t know why--maybe it had been difficult for Lois to = accept the fact that Clark was an alien with super powers. He smiled and = there was an added spring to his step as he continued down the street. *****=20 There was no sign of Clark when Lois emerged from the steamy bathroom = more than an hour later. Lois looked around drowsily, then slid under = the covers of the bed. I should stay awake and wait for him, she = thought. I have to let him know how much I appreciate this. I have to = thank him... She drifted off to sleep. It was morning when she awoke. At first she couldn=92t remember where = she was, and then the memories came flooding back. She was free at last! = Free to get answers to all her questions and free to pick up the pieces = of her shattered life...whatever it was. She sat up and swung her legs = over the side of the bed, then drew back in surprise. She had almost = stepped on Clark!=20 She put her hand over her mouth, smothering a laugh. What in Sam Hill is = he doing on the floor? The bed=92s certainly big enough for two! She = smiled as she realized the delicacy that must have led him to give her = the bed.=20 I spent most of the last two days in his arms, for Elvis=92s sake! What = difference could one more night possibly make? And his consideration = isn=92t necessary anyway, considering that he=92s a robot! A nice robot, = too...a good listener...I guess a robot doesn=92t have any compelling = need to talk!=20 Lois smiled. With his special talents he could really come in handy = around the house. Should I ask the government if I can keep him? I know = what my mother would say...!=20 She giggled suddenly. "Lois?" Clark opened his eyes and looked up at her in bewilderment. She = had collapsed onto the bed and was laughing helplessly. In a flash Clark = was sitting next to her. "Lois, what=92s the matter? Are you okay?"=20 "Clark!" Lois said, sitting up and leaning against him. Impossible to = tell him what she had been thinking! "C-clark!" She laid her head = against his chest and listened to the thud of his heart. Should I ask = him how much it would cost to build a cyborg like him? She giggled = again, then raised her head and looked up into the brown eyes that were = watching her in puzzlement. "Yes," she said, "I=92m okay." She smiled = and put her arms around his neck, running her fingers affectionately = through his hair. Clark drew in his breath sharply, then opened his mouth to speak. = "Lois..." he began.=20 The harsh ringing of an alarm cut off whatever he had been about to say. = He reached over the bed and shut off the cheap clock that he had = purchased the evening before. "I have to go," he said, rising. He = paused, regarding her thoughtfully. "Lois, I have urgent business to attend to today; I probably won=92t be = able to get away until dinner, not even for lunch. I know it=92s a lot = to ask, especially after all the time you=92ve spent in captivity, and I = know you must be anxious to resume your interrupted life, but could you = please just spend the day here, in the hotel...or at least in this = area?" He placed some money on the dresser. "Here=92s some money so you = can buy meals. I=92d like to take you out to dinner tonight; we can talk = then, and maybe I can get away tomorrow so we can go to the library..." "The library!" Lois ejaculated. "Yes," Clark smiled at her rather ruefully. "=91cause I have a feeling = you=92re not going to believe what I=92m going to tell you; you=92re = going to require corroboration." His smile broadened at the expression = on her face. "So please, don=92t try to get in touch with Perry, or your = parents, or anyone from your old life..." Lois started. He knows about = Perry White! "Lois. Are you listening to me? This isn=92t just about you = and it isn=92t about me...there=92s a lot at stake here. I=92ll answer = all your questions, I promise, so will you please, please, just wait for = one more day?"=20 Lois stared at him while he talked, pleading with her as if he expected = her to be unreasonable about the whole thing, when he didn=92t even know = her well enough to know that she *could* be unreasonable! "I have to go now," said Clark. "Or I=92ll be late. I=92ll see you = tonight." "Okay," Lois said. In an instant he was gone, and seconds later Lois heard a sonic boom. She wandered over to the dresser, absently fingering the money he had = left there. Where should I go for lunch?...somewhere that these = down-and-out clothes won=92t matter, and that=92s going to limit my = choices! Wait a minute...what=92s in this bag? She opened it and = fingered the lingerie wonderingly. How did he know my size? And why did = he buy underwear for me and nothing else...? Her eyes fell on the bag on = the floor. She reached inside and pulled out a pair of women=92s shoes. = Looking around in eager anticipation, she at last saw the skirt and = blouse hanging on the hook. ***** Superman sighed and ran a hand over his forehead. Funny, I can lift a = spaceship into orbit or fight fires all day without strain, but just a = few days of this negotiating stuff and I=92m beat! He raised his tired = eyes and scanned the room, coming to attention with a jerk. Who=92s = that? Lois??! Mindful of the hordes of curious onlookers in the hall, he = moved cautiously toward her. He had almost reached her side when she = turned and saw him. Alt-Lois looked with mixed feelings at the super hero bearing down on = her. She had spent most of the day in the library in an attempt to find = out what Alt-Clark had alluded to so mysteriously before he left. Old = periodicals had proved to be quite informative, disclosing the = mind-boggling news that her new acquaintance was not a robot but an = alien, a man from another planet who, as nearly as she could tell, spent = practically his whole life rescuing people. Receiving no pay for his = efforts, he supported himself by unknown means. He was loved and revered = by every honest person on the planet, it seemed. Well, no wonder, if his = rescue of her was typical... She had leaned back in her chair, tapping a finger reflectively against = her lip. Darn! I was beginning to think of him as *mine*, my own = personal ticket to a Pulitzer, but he=92s already been "discovered." She = sighed and began searching through the computer for a reference to the = earliest known Superman sighting. Maybe there=92s a story in here = anyway... Minutes later she pushed back her chair vehemently, almost overturning = it in her haste. Lois Lane, the *imposter* Lois Lane, was the first = person to see Superman! Had someone gotten rid of *her* so that this = imposter, posing as a renowned journalist, could lend credibility to = their claims regarding this "man?" At that point she had leaped to her feet and hurried to the hotel where = the newspapers said the negotiations were being held, in a frenzy of = excitement to get to the bottom of this matter. Now, in the hall, when she turned and saw Superman, saw the look of the = glad recognition in his eyes, she geared herself for a stringent = inquisition effort. "Lois!" Superman whispered when he reached her side. "What are you doing = here? Did Perry send you?"=20 "No, Perry didn=92t send me; I needed to see you," she said, caught off = balance by his abrupt questions. "But where are you staying? Lois, you=92re not staying in a hotel room = with *him*?" Superman said. "Staying with him? Certainly not! The only one I=92ve been staying with = is *you*!" she said irritably. "Staying with me? What are you talking about? Lois!!! He didn=92t tell = you that he was *me* did he??" gasped Superman, aghast. "Tell me that =91he=92 was =91you=92??? Clark! What are you talking = about?"=20 "Superman, this isn=92t your Lois," interrupted a voice behind them in = an urgent undertone. Lois turned to see a handsome man in glasses, = sharply dressed in a wool suit, approaching them. "You=92ve got that right!" snapped Lois. "I=92m not *anybody=92s* Lois!" Superman was staring at the young man, who looked familiar to Lois. "Not = *my* Lois??" Superman whispered. "You mean=96?" He looked questioningly = at Alt-Clark, who nodded almost imperceptibly while shrugging at the = same time, as if to tell Superman that he didn=92t know how or why.=20 Alt-Clark gazed thoughtfully at Alt-Lois, realizing that she had visited = a hair stylist and wondering how it happened that she had chosen the = exact same style that the Lois of this world preferred.=20 After staring at Alt-Clark in disbelief, Superman turned and looked = closely at the thoroughly ruffled young woman standing beside him. = "Clark," she was saying to him, "we need to talk." Superman frowned at = the use of his name. "Couldn=92t you keep her out of here?" he asked the alternate Clark = through clenched teeth. "I had no idea she=92d think of coming here," returned Alt-Clark. "Well, you might have guessed that she=92d--" "Oh, you have such good control over *your* Lois, I suppose?" retorted = Alt-Clark, and watched with satisfaction as Superman bit his lip.=20 "Well, just get her out of here, won=92t you?" Superman said testily. = Alt-Clark took Lois=92s arm gently. "Hey!" she said, jerking it away from him. "Watch it, buster! Or = you=92ll end up on the floor!" "Lois." Alt-Clark bent his head, whispering in a compelling manner. = "This Superman isn=92t Clark; Clark=92s waiting for you outside. Will = you come with me, please?" She looked suspiciously at him, then at = Superman, who nodded. "Quick, Clark! here come some cameramen!" whispered Superman.=20 Alt-Clark glanced over his shoulder in dismay, then hustled Lois from = the room, shepherding her outside the building. "Wait!" said Lois. = "What=92s going on? He called you Clark! Is that your name, too?" She = peered at his name tag.=20 In reply, Alt-Clark merely said, "Wait here; Clark=92s on his way." "But...!" began Lois. She sighed when she saw that she talking was to = open space. Moving over to a bench, she sat down, tapping her foot = impatiently. A gust of wind ruffled her hair only minutes later. "Lois!" Alt-Clark = said, striding toward her. He had flown to his room and exchanged Clark = Kent=92s business suit for the more casual attire in which he had been = appearing before Lois. Removal of his glasses completed the identity = change and he hoped fervently that without them Lois wouldn=92t notice = his resemblance to Clark Kent. "Will you tell me what=92s going on?" she asked him. "And don=92t tell = me that you=92re not Superman! How dumb do you think I am? It=92s not = just that you=92re a dead ringer for him, but how many men can fly and = repel bullets like=96" "Lois, I=92m not Superman," said Clark, rubbing a hand over his face. = "At least, not *that* Superman, and=96" "What do you mean, you=92re not *that* Superman?" asked Lois. "How many = supermen are there? Are you invading the earth?" Clark couldn=92t help laughing. At sight of Lois=92s face, though, he = sobered immediately. "Lois, I wanted to wait until I had time to sit and = talk this thing through with you...I have a feeling it might upset you." = He led her gently away from the building. "You know the novelist H.G. = Wells...?" ------=_NextPart_000_0161_01BE8834.FC6E0C20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Loises and Clarks – Part 5

*****

Alt-Clark surveyed the ground below, mentally reviewing his knowledge = of this=20 section of Paris. There should be a small park...ah, yes, there it is. = He=20 shifted the precious cargo in his arms and slowed for a landing. = "Here we=20 are," he said, setting Lois on her feet with a flourish. Lois = shivered in=20 the cool evening air, straining to see her surroundings in the = darkness.

"Flying...Paris...what next?" she asked. "I hope = it’s=20 food, bath, and more food...in that order," she added.

Clark smiled. "If you can wait five minutes while I get some = money, I=20 think I can accommodate your wishes," he told her rather = formally.

"Five minutes? Where are you going to get money in five = minutes?"=20 she asked. But she was speaking to empty air.

Somewhat more than five minutes had passed before she heard the = whoosh that=20 signaled his return. She stared at him in astonishment. It was dark, but = not so=20 dark that she couldn’t see that he had cleaned himself and changed = his=20 clothes. He was dressed in a casual shirt and slacks with a jacket slung = over=20 one shoulder. "That was quick," she said blankly.

"Bread?" he asked her, holding a bag toward her. She thrust = her=20 hands greedily inside and pulled out bread and cheese. "Do you want = to go=20 somewhere else to eat, or do you want to eat here?" he asked. = "Okay, I=20 guess it’s here," he said, smiling as she tore off a chunk of = bread=20 and devoured it along with the cheese. He guided her to a bench and = watched in=20 amusement while she ate every crumb, washing the food down with the = bottled=20 water he had brought her. She finished by popping some grapes into her = mouth and=20 crunching them zestily.

"Okay," she sighed. "I’m ready for that bath = now."=20 He took her hand and led her to a hotel where he booked them a room. =

"I don’t have much money so I just got us a small = room,"=20 Clark said apologetically when he had closed the door behind them. = "Only=20 one bed and–"

"A bath," said Lois prayerfully. "With hot and cold = running=20 water." She raced for the bathroom. "See you in an hour," = she=20 said.

Clark smiled and followed her across the room. "Lois," he = called,=20 knocking on the bathroom door. "I’m going to go out for = awhile, okay?=20 I’ll see you later."

The bathroom door flew open again and Lois rushed out, flinging her = arms=20 around him. "Thank you!" she said, hugging him hard.

*****

Clark was still smiling as he searched shops for clothing for Lois, = his=20 Lois...he was sure of it. After she had gotten over the shock of = learning that=20 he could fly, she had relaxed completely in his arms and talked non-stop = during=20 the flight from Kuran, telling him enough of her past life to convince = him that=20 she was indeed from another universe...*his* universe.

He experienced a tingle of pleasure when he remembered how it had = felt to=20 have her arms wrapped so trustingly around his neck. He was surprised at = how=20 readily she had accepted his super powers, almost seeming to take them = for=20 granted. From what he had heard of the rocky courtship of the other Lois = and=20 Clark, it had taken that Clark nearly two years to win his Lois--he = didn’t=20 know why--maybe it had been difficult for Lois to accept the fact that = Clark was=20 an alien with super powers. He smiled and there was an added spring to = his step=20 as he continued down the street.

*****

There was no sign of Clark when Lois emerged from the steamy bathroom = more=20 than an hour later. Lois looked around drowsily, then slid under the = covers of=20 the bed. I should stay awake and wait for him, she thought. I have to = let him=20 know how much I appreciate this. I have to thank him... She drifted off = to=20 sleep.

It was morning when she awoke. At first she couldn’t remember = where she=20 was, and then the memories came flooding back. She was free at last! = Free to get=20 answers to all her questions and free to pick up the pieces of her = shattered=20 life...whatever it was. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of = the bed,=20 then drew back in surprise. She had almost stepped on Clark!

She put her hand over her mouth, smothering a laugh. What in Sam Hill = is he=20 doing on the floor? The bed’s certainly big enough for two! She = smiled as=20 she realized the delicacy that must have led him to give her the bed. =

I spent most of the last two days in his arms, for Elvis’s = sake! What=20 difference could one more night possibly make? And his consideration = isn’t=20 necessary anyway, considering that he’s a robot! A nice robot, = too...a=20 good listener...I guess a robot doesn’t have any compelling need = to talk!=20

Lois smiled. With his special talents he could really come in handy = around=20 the house. Should I ask the government if I can keep him? I know what my = mother=20 would say...!

She giggled suddenly.

"Lois?" Clark opened his eyes and looked up at her in = bewilderment.=20 She had collapsed onto the bed and was laughing helplessly. In a flash = Clark was=20 sitting next to her. "Lois, what’s the matter? Are you = okay?"=20

"Clark!" Lois said, sitting up and leaning against him. = Impossible=20 to tell him what she had been thinking! "C-clark!" She laid = her head=20 against his chest and listened to the thud of his heart. Should I ask = him how=20 much it would cost to build a cyborg like him? She giggled again, then = raised=20 her head and looked up into the brown eyes that were watching her in = puzzlement.=20 "Yes," she said, "I’m okay." She smiled and = put her=20 arms around his neck, running her fingers affectionately through his = hair.

Clark drew in his breath sharply, then opened his mouth to speak.=20 "Lois..." he began.

The harsh ringing of an alarm cut off whatever he had been about to = say. He=20 reached over the bed and shut off the cheap clock that he had purchased = the=20 evening before. "I have to go," he said, rising. He paused, = regarding=20 her thoughtfully.

"Lois, I have urgent business to attend to today; I probably = won’t=20 be able to get away until dinner, not even for lunch. I know it’s = a lot to=20 ask, especially after all the time you’ve spent in captivity, and = I know=20 you must be anxious to resume your interrupted life, but could you = please just=20 spend the day here, in the hotel...or at least in this area?" He = placed=20 some money on the dresser. "Here’s some money so you can buy = meals.=20 I’d like to take you out to dinner tonight; we can talk then, and = maybe I=20 can get away tomorrow so we can go to the library..."

"The library!" Lois ejaculated.

"Yes," Clark smiled at her rather ruefully. = "‘cause I=20 have a feeling you’re not going to believe what I’m going to = tell=20 you; you’re going to require corroboration." His smile = broadened at=20 the expression on her face. "So please, don’t try to get in = touch=20 with Perry, or your parents, or anyone from your old life..." Lois = started.=20 He knows about Perry White! "Lois. Are you listening to me? This=20 isn’t just about you and it isn’t about me...there’s a = lot at=20 stake here. I’ll answer all your questions, I promise, so will you = please,=20 please, just wait for one more day?"

Lois stared at him while he talked, pleading with her as if he = expected her=20 to be unreasonable about the whole thing, when he didn’t even know = her=20 well enough to know that she *could* be unreasonable!

"I have to go now," said Clark. "Or I’ll be = late.=20 I’ll see you tonight."

"Okay," Lois said.

In an instant he was gone, and seconds later Lois heard a sonic = boom.

She wandered over to the dresser, absently fingering the money he had = left=20 there. Where should I go for lunch?...somewhere that these down-and-out = clothes=20 won’t matter, and that’s going to limit my choices! Wait a=20 minute...what’s in this bag? She opened it and fingered the = lingerie=20 wonderingly. How did he know my size? And why did he buy underwear for = me and=20 nothing else...? Her eyes fell on the bag on the floor. She reached = inside and=20 pulled out a pair of women’s shoes. Looking around in eager = anticipation,=20 she at last saw the skirt and blouse hanging on the hook.

*****

Superman sighed and ran a hand over his forehead. Funny, I can lift a = spaceship into orbit or fight fires all day without strain, but just a = few days=20 of this negotiating stuff and I’m beat! He raised his tired eyes = and=20 scanned the room, coming to attention with a jerk. Who’s that? = Lois??!=20 Mindful of the hordes of curious onlookers in the hall, he moved = cautiously=20 toward her. He had almost reached her side when she turned and saw = him.

Alt-Lois looked with mixed feelings at the super hero bearing down on = her.=20 She had spent most of the day in the library in an attempt to find out = what=20 Alt-Clark had alluded to so mysteriously before he left. Old periodicals = had=20 proved to be quite informative, disclosing the mind-boggling news that = her new=20 acquaintance was not a robot but an alien, a man from another planet = who, as=20 nearly as she could tell, spent practically his whole life rescuing = people.=20 Receiving no pay for his efforts, he supported himself by unknown means. = He was=20 loved and revered by every honest person on the planet, it seemed. Well, = no=20 wonder, if his rescue of her was typical...

She had leaned back in her chair, tapping a finger reflectively = against her=20 lip. Darn! I was beginning to think of him as *mine*, my own personal = ticket to=20 a Pulitzer, but he’s already been "discovered." She = sighed and=20 began searching through the computer for a reference to the earliest = known=20 Superman sighting. Maybe there’s a story in here anyway...

Minutes later she pushed back her chair vehemently, almost = overturning it in=20 her haste. Lois Lane, the *imposter* Lois Lane, was the first person to = see=20 Superman! Had someone gotten rid of *her* so that this imposter, posing = as a=20 renowned journalist, could lend credibility to their claims regarding = this=20 "man?"

At that point she had leaped to her feet and hurried to the hotel = where the=20 newspapers said the negotiations were being held, in a frenzy of = excitement to=20 get to the bottom of this matter.

Now, in the hall, when she turned and saw Superman, saw the look of = the glad=20 recognition in his eyes, she geared herself for a stringent inquisition=20 effort.

"Lois!" Superman whispered when he reached her side. = "What are=20 you doing here? Did Perry send you?"

"No, Perry didn’t send me; I needed to see you," she = said,=20 caught off balance by his abrupt questions.

"But where are you staying? Lois, you’re not staying in a = hotel=20 room with *him*?" Superman said.

"Staying with him? Certainly not! The only one I’ve been = staying=20 with is *you*!" she said irritably.

"Staying with me? What are you talking about? Lois!!! He = didn’t=20 tell you that he was *me* did he??" gasped Superman, aghast.

"Tell me that ‘he’ was ‘you’??? Clark! = What are=20 you talking about?"

"Superman, this isn’t your Lois," interrupted a voice = behind=20 them in an urgent undertone. Lois turned to see a handsome man in = glasses,=20 sharply dressed in a wool suit, approaching them.

"You’ve got that right!" snapped Lois. = "I’m not=20 *anybody’s* Lois!"

Superman was staring at the young man, who looked familiar to Lois. = "Not=20 *my* Lois??" Superman whispered. "You mean–?" He = looked=20 questioningly at Alt-Clark, who nodded almost imperceptibly while = shrugging at=20 the same time, as if to tell Superman that he didn’t know how or = why.

Alt-Clark gazed thoughtfully at Alt-Lois, realizing that she had = visited a=20 hair stylist and wondering how it happened that she had chosen the exact = same=20 style that the Lois of this world preferred.

After staring at Alt-Clark in disbelief, Superman turned and looked = closely=20 at the thoroughly ruffled young woman standing beside him. = "Clark,"=20 she was saying to him, "we need to talk." Superman frowned at = the use=20 of his name.

"Couldn’t you keep her out of here?" he asked the = alternate=20 Clark through clenched teeth.

"I had no idea she’d think of coming here," returned=20 Alt-Clark.

"Well, you might have guessed that she’d--"

"Oh, you have such good control over *your* Lois, I = suppose?"=20 retorted Alt-Clark, and watched with satisfaction as Superman bit his = lip.

"Well, just get her out of here, won’t you?" Superman = said=20 testily. Alt-Clark took Lois’s arm gently.

"Hey!" she said, jerking it away from him. "Watch it, = buster!=20 Or you’ll end up on the floor!"

"Lois." Alt-Clark bent his head, whispering in a compelling = manner.=20 "This Superman isn’t Clark; Clark’s waiting for you = outside.=20 Will you come with me, please?" She looked suspiciously at him, = then at=20 Superman, who nodded.

"Quick, Clark! here come some cameramen!" whispered = Superman.

Alt-Clark glanced over his shoulder in dismay, then hustled Lois from = the=20 room, shepherding her outside the building. "Wait!" said Lois. = "What’s going on? He called you Clark! Is that your name, = too?"=20 She peered at his name tag.

In reply, Alt-Clark merely said, "Wait here; Clark’s on = his=20 way."

"But...!" began Lois. She sighed when she saw that she = talking was=20 to open space. Moving over to a bench, she sat down, tapping her foot=20 impatiently.

A gust of wind ruffled her hair only minutes later. "Lois!" = Alt-Clark said, striding toward her. He had flown to his room and = exchanged=20 Clark Kent’s business suit for the more casual attire in which he = had been=20 appearing before Lois. Removal of his glasses completed the identity = change and=20 he hoped fervently that without them Lois wouldn’t notice his = resemblance=20 to Clark Kent.

"Will you tell me what’s going on?" she asked him. = "And=20 don’t tell me that you’re not Superman! How dumb do you = think I am?=20 It’s not just that you’re a dead ringer for him, but how = many men=20 can fly and repel bullets like–"

"Lois, I’m not Superman," said Clark, rubbing a hand = over his=20 face. "At least, not *that* Superman, and–"

"What do you mean, you’re not *that* Superman?" asked = Lois.=20 "How many supermen are there? Are you invading the earth?"

Clark couldn’t help laughing. At sight of Lois’s face, = though, he=20 sobered immediately. "Lois, I wanted to wait until I had time to = sit and=20 talk this thing through with you...I have a feeling it might upset = you." He=20 led her gently away from the building. "You know the novelist H.G.=20 Wells...?"

 

------=_NextPart_000_0161_01BE8834.FC6E0C20-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:16:30 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 6 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0195_01BE8835.4085B020" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0195_01BE8835.4085B020 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Loises and Clarks =96 Part 6 ***** Lois Lane stepped off the elevator into the Daily Planet newsroom, her = mind preoccupied with the latest turn her investigation had taken in her = attempt to unveil a scandal involving Senator Halley. She knew something = was up immediately; the covert glances of mingled sympathy and amusement = >from her co-workers told her that. "Lois, when is Clark coming back?" asked Kristine from Travel. "When the negotiations are over," said Lois shortly, not liking the = insinuating smile on Kristine=92s face. "You=92ll probably be glad to see him again, and I *guess* that he=92ll = be glad to see you, too," said Kristine, with a smug look. "You have all = my consolation," she added with false sympathy. "I don=92t need your consolation!" snapped Lois to Kristine=92s = retreating back, tossing her head. She had to fend off several more = insinuating remarks before reaching her desk.=20 "Lois," said a voice at her elbow. Lois turned to face Jimmy Olsen. "I = know what everybody=92s saying, and I just wanted to let you know that I = don=92t believe a word of it! If it were anybody else but CK I=92d say, = =91why not?=92, but not him. Not CK."=20 Lois turned toward him in bewilderment. "Jimmy, what on earth...?" she = began. "Lois!!!" bellowed Perry. "I want you in my office. NOW!! Jimmy, = didn=92t I tell you to pick up the Merlion photos...?" "I=92m on it, Chief," said Jimmy hurriedly. He nodded sympathetically at = Lois and scurried away. "Lois," said Perry, closing the door to his office, "I got you tickets = on the next flight to Paris...it=92ll get you there at 10 a.m. local = time." "Chief...," began Lois. "Now, Lois, uh...uh...I know you=92re working on the Halley case, but = this is more important. And Clark...not that I believe a word of it, of = course; why, that boy worships the ground you walk on...but Clark would = benefit by your presence in--" "Perry, what is this about Clark?" asked Lois. "Lois, I know that you two haven=92t been on the best of terms lately, = but you can take it from me that these little tiffs don=92t mean much in = the big picture of a marriage. The important thing is not to let it come = between you--" "Chief, what are you trying to say?" asked Lois in some amusement. = Between her co-workers=92s remarks and Perry=92s bumbling conversation, = she thought she was beginning to get the picture...the alternate Clark = must have found a girl in Paris (good for him!), and had been seen with = her somewhere. "Do you think that Clark...? Perry, I can assure you that = whatever Clark is doing in Paris has nothing whatever to do with me!" "Now, honey," said Perry. "That=92s...an...uh...open attitude, and I = know a lot of people take that approach to marriage, but I=92m telling = you that when something like this happens, it=92s as if a wedge were = being driven--" "Perry, please believe me; *nothing* has happened. Clark and I are = getting along fine, no wedge has been driven between us, and I don=92t = need to go to Paris!" "Uh-huh," said Perry. "You=92d better go home and start packing." It wasn=92t until Lois watched an LNN newscast at the airport that she = discovered what had given rise to all the gossip. In footage taken at = the peace talks, the camera focused on Superman, who was talking to a = man and a woman. As the lens zoomed in, it showed a full frontal shot of = Clark, his name tag clearly visible as he glanced furtively toward the = camera and hustled a dark-haired woman out of camera range. It wasn=92t = funny, but somehow Lois couldn=92t help laughing. ***** "So let me get this straight," said Alt-Lois. "You=92re masquerading as = Clark Kent so that Superman -- who is really Clark Kent, the Clark Kent = of this world not ours -- can pretend to be a different person than = Superman so the xenophobes don=92t attack Lois Lane -- the Lois Lane of = this world, who is married to Clark Kent -- is this right? How am I = doing so far?" "That sums it up," said Alt-Clark, smiling as he laid down his fork = after finishing the last of his dinner. Alt-Clark had found Lois to be = so suspicious, so convinced that he was hiding something from her, that = he had decided to tell her everything, including the part about Clark = Kent and Superman being the same person. If Lois were a permanent = resident of this world, he wouldn=92t have risked giving her Clark=92s = secret, but since she really belonged in the alternate universe, he = guessed it was okay to tell her.=20 Lois put her forehead in her hand. She hadn=92t believed Clark at first = when he told her that they were both from an alternate universe, but his = story seemed to check out; Elvis Presley had never been President of the = United States...hadn=92t made it past 1977, in fact, and Charleton = Heston had never been President, either. And other events bore out what = he told her. Still... She was convinced that there was a trick in here somewhere, but the hard = part would be ferreting it out. ***** When she woke up the next morning, Alt-Lois found a message from Clark = stating that he expected to be busy all day, covering the negotiations. = He added that if she wished, they could go out for dinner this evening = when they could discuss plans for getting back to their own universe. = (Didn=92t that sound funny??) He had left a roll of money for her, also, = explaining that La Colline was rather formal and she might want to buy a = dinner dress. ***** Mrs. Lois Lane/Kent surveyed the throng around Superman, wondering how = she was going to approach him, much less speak to him privately. He had = apparently spotted her, however, and very quickly maneuvered himself = through the crowd, striding towards her with a worried frown on his = face. "Hello, Superman." Lois spoke with careful casualness, but there = was a spark of joy in her eyes.=20 "Hello, Lois," he said. There was no answering spark in his eyes. He = bent his head and said in a low voice. "Didn=92t Clark tell you how = important it is not to be seen here?" Lois gaped at him. "No! I haven=92t even seen Clark. Apparently he = didn=92t get any of the messages I left for him telling him that I was = coming."=20 "You haven=92t seen Clark?" said Superman, staring at her. "He hasn=92t = told you anything?" "Told me what?" asked Lois, beginning to get nervous. "Told you that..." Superman paused, staring at Lois=92s hand. She was = holding her bag in her right hand, pressing it against her abdomen, and = she had placed her left hand, with her rings clearly displayed, on top = of the bag. "Lois???" he gasped. "What?" Lois looked at him in concern. "Lois, when did you get here?" he asked. "Did Perry send you?" Lois = nodded, a worried frown at her husband=92s peculiar behavior appearing = on her forehead. Superman began smiling at her with such loving = tenderness that she felt compelled to caution him.=20 "Careful, Clark," she whispered. "People are watching." "Listen," said Superman in a low voice, "we need to get away from here. = Why don=92t we meet for dinner tonight? I can get a tux and..." "Clark, someone might see you," Lois objected. "All the journalists will be attending a special banquet tonight. And = besides, we=92re not that well-known in Paris," said Clark. "Nobody will = recognize us. Why don=92t you meet me at La Colline at 7?" "La Colline?" "Yes, it=92s new, it=92s dark, and people mind their own business there. = Nobody will be paying any attention to us." Clark paused. "There=92s = Bricard looking for me; I=92d better go now." Lois sighed. Wouldn=92t you know; she had neglected to bring a dinner = dress...she had expected her Clark to be too busy with the negotiations = to be able to slip away and take her out. Now she=92d have to spend the = afternoon shopping. She hurried away. ***** Alt-Lois dressed with care in her new dinner dress. It felt so good to = be able to dress to go out again! Hearing Clark=92s knock, she moved = quickly to the door and unlocked it, looking up into his face as the = door swung open.=20 He didn=92t say anything for a minute. "Hi," he said finally. His eyes = told her that he liked what he saw. "You=92re early," she said brightly. "Am I? I=92m sorry," he said, looking worried. "That=92s all right," she said, patting his chest. "I=92m ready." She = took his arm as he escorted her to the street to hail a taxi. Clark=92s spirits, which had soared when Lois moved closer to him, = plummeted when the couple arrived at the restaurant and he discovered = that he had forgotten to bring his wallet. "I-I=92m sorry," he stammered = to the cab driver, "if you=92ll just wait a minute..." "I=92ve got it," sang out Lois, pulling bills from her purse. "No, Lois..." began Clark. "Don=92t be silly...it=92s all yours anyway," she hissed, handing the = money to the driver. "I=92ll go back to the hotel and get my wallet," said Clark tensely when = the cab had left. "I=92ll be right back. I=92m sorry, Lois." "It=92s okay, Clark," she said, annoyed at the delay but trying not to = show it, "I=92ll wait here until you get back." Having had a taste of = the speed he was capable of, she expected him to reappear almost = immediately. He didn=92t, though. She stood near the street, feeling = more irritated with each passing minute.=20 After waiting for almost fifteen minutes, she decided to go into the = garden behind the restaurant. She glanced at her watch. Almost 7:00. He = should be here by now...a gust of wind was followed by a whoosh sound = and suddenly he was standing in front of her.=20 He strode toward her with such a look of heartfelt gladness on his face = that it took her breath away. "Not quite as quick..." she began, then = gasped as he swept her into his arms, bending her backwards over his arm = as he took possession of her mouth in a passionate kiss. Lois was = stunned! Never had she been kissed like this before...not by Clark, not = by anyone! Her body went completely limp and he had to support her with = his arm. Lois couldn=92t think, couldn=92t act; she was a ragdoll in his = arms. She was drowning in the sensations his embrace was rousing in her = body when she heard a voice behind her. "Lois!!!" said Clark=92s voice. She saw the eyes of the Clark who was = holding her slide past to look at someone behind her. He sprang upright = and dropped her, causing her to lose her balance. She would have fallen = had he not quickly snatched her up and supported her with his arm while = he continued to stare at some point beyond her left shoulder. She turned = to see Clark and a woman who must surely be the other Lois Lane standing = beside him. Shaken by the kiss she had received from one Clark, Alt-Lois = could only gape at the expression of jealous rage on the face of the = other. She looked from Clark to Clark, not sure which was which, while the = Clark who had kissed her was looking from her to the other Lois, = apparently in a similar quandary. He snatched her left hand and looked = at her fingers. At the same time Alt-Lois noticed the wedding band on = his left hand. Clark dropped her hand and began to stammer an apology, = his face scarlet.=20 "You must be the other Clark," whispered Alt-Lois. "You seem to be comfortable here," said Alt-Clark, his face white with = rage, "so I guess I=92ll be going." He vanished in a gust of wind. Still shaken by the kiss, and even more so by the look of jealousy on = Alt-Clark=92s face, Alt-Lois looked uncertainly at the other Lois, who = had stepped forward to take her husband=92s arm. "Hello, Lois," Lois = said, surprisingly calm for someone who had just caught her husband in a = passionate embrace with another woman, "I=92d welcome you to our world, = but I can see that my husband has already done that...and far more = pleasantly than I would have, I=92m sure." "Lo-is!" said Clark, still quite red. "I-I=92m sorry...it was a mistake," whispered Alt-Lois. "I-I=92d better = go find *him*." She slipped away, her head in a whirl.=20 *****=20 Lois looked up at her husband, who was watching her uneasily. "I guess I = made a mistake," Clark said finally. Lois folded her arms across her = chest. She didn=92t reply, merely raising her brows in an expression of = polite incredulity. Clark leaned forward as if to kiss her, but she = stepped back with a haughty look on her face. "Come on, honey," said Clark, shifting his feet uncomfortably. "I=92m = sorry, I made a mistake. I thought she was you." Lois stretched out her left hand, preening her fingers while looking = pointedly at the wedding and engagement rings which identified her = beyond any doubt. She wasn=92t really mad at Clark, but she wasn=92t = going to let him off the hook that easily, not after the way he had read = her the riot act when she had mistakenly hugged the alternate Clark! She = glanced at her husband again, surprising a look of longing on his face = which softened her immediately. "Well," she said, pretending to consider the matter, "I guess I can=92t = really get too mad, since I made the same mistake myself." She put her = hands up to Clark=92s neck and straightened his tie. "And now, it seems = to me that so far *she=92s* had more of a welcome from my husband than I = have, so..." "That can be remedied," said Clark, taking her into his arms. He bent = his head to kiss her, then raised it again in his "listening" attitude. "What is it?" asked Lois. "What do you hear?" "She=92s calling him," said Clark with a grimace. "She=92s standing in = the street shouting his name." Lois gave a gurgle of laughter. "Do you know any better way to get in = touch with you guys when you=92re flying around somewhere?"=20 She laced her fingers together behind Clark=92s head and yanked his head = down firmly. "Can we stay focused here?" she asked with her mouth on = his. Clark pulled her more deeply into his arms as he opened his mouth = in enjoyment of her kiss. Lois moaned softly, wrenching an answering = moan from Clark. "Lois," mumbled Clark as she unbuttoned his jacket so she could slip her = arms underneath it. "Mmmm?" she said. "Would you mind if we don=92t have dinner at La Colline?" Lois smiled into the kiss. "It depends on what you have in mind = instead," she said without removing her lips from his. "Would your = counter-proposal by any chance include a hotel room?" "It may even include breakfast," Clark murmured. "Mmmm, I=92ll take your offer under serious consideration," said Lois = dreamily. "Oh, no!" "What?" said Clark. "What if *he* comes back?" "Oh, yeah. Well, maybe we can get a motel room somewhere..." "He hasn=92t been staying in the room," said Lois suddenly. "At least, = he didn=92t stay there last night." "How do you know?" Clark asked sharply, drawing back to study her face. "The maids hadn=92t done the room yet when I arrived this morning, and = the bed hadn=92t been slept in," said Lois simply. "And don=92t give me = that look, Clark." "Sorry," said Clark. "Honey, if he hasn=92t been staying there, then..." = he paused. "I=92m going to go tell him not to come back to the room!" he = declared. "How long will it take you to find him?" objected Lois. "He=92s in the street now, talking to the other Lois," said Clark, = spinning into his Superman outfit. "I=92ll be right back!" he promised = before he vanished.=20 Lois sighed and leaned back against the fence. ***** When Alt-Clark heard Alt-Lois calling for him, his first impulse was to = fly away. Let the other Clark deal with it, he thought angrily. Let him = explain why his wife (or someone who looks exactly like her) is standing = in the middle of the street yelling his name over and over. Alt-Clark = had never been so angry as when he had seen his Lois in the other = Clark=92s arms, being thoroughly kissed by him. His jealousy and rage = almost choked him. That Clark has everything! He has two adoring = parents, a private life that shelters him from his public persona as = Superman, and his *Lois*! Isn=92t it enough that he has all that, = without taking away my only chance for happiness, too? Does he have to = take *my* Lois??=20 For Clark had no illusions about Lois=92s reaction to that kiss. The = look she had given the other Clark! She had never looked at *him* like = that! And her body language when she was melting in Clark=92s arms! Her = posture had proclaimed her emotions more clearly than any words!=20 He hovered in the air, groaning, while he tried to decide what to do. = Alt-Lois was still in the street, calling his name...he guessed he=92d = better go to her. He ran a hand through his hair then plunged to the = earth. "Here I am, Lois," he said, emerging from behind a tree. "I=92m here." Lois turned toward him in annoyance; she had been upset when he hadn=92t = responded to her calls. "You didn=92t need to run away like that," she = began angrily. Then she looked at his unhappy face, taking in his = disheveled hair at the same time. Why is he so upset that I kissed the = other Clark? she wondered. This is so strange!=20 Remembering her earlier suspicions that there was some kind of story = hidden in this mess, she stopped berating him and said simply, "Are you = ready?" She took his arm.=20 "Ready?" said Clark. "Yes; you promised me dinner, remember?" "Oh, yeah, well, I...I just don=92t feel like it now, Lois. I=92ll see = you home and then..." "And then what? No dinner? Look, Clark, we still have to eat," she said = impatiently. Clark stared unhappily before him, not speaking. "*I* have = to eat," said Lois. "So rather than going out to dinner why don=92t we = have a picnic instead?" "A picnic?" Clark stared at her. "Yes. We can pick up some sandwiches, or maybe bread and cheese and a = little fruit, maybe some wine...and eat in the park. There must be a = nice park around here." Clark gazed at her without speaking, his expression showing that the = idea found favor with him.=20 At that moment a gust of wind blew Lois=92s hair across her face as = Superman suddenly appeared in front of them. "Hello," he said, folding = his arms across his chest. "Hello," said Lois faintly, startled by his abrupt appearance. Alt-Clark = looked away, not speaking. "Lois, I want to apologize, about before..." began Superman. "That=92s okay; I guess we both made a mistake," said Lois. She glanced = at his chest, then raised her head quickly...where were you supposed to = put your eyes when he was wearing that suit...? "I hope that your = wife..." her voice trailed off. "It=92s okay," smiled Superman. "She understands." "She sounds very sensible," said Lois. "I=92m glad that *some* people = understand how someone can make a mistake." She looked pointedly at = Alt-Clark, who was still standing sulkily to one side.=20 "Clark, I have a favor to ask," said Superman, moving to Alt-Clark=92s = side. He engaged him in low-voiced conversation. After reaching an = agreement with Alt-Clark, he flew away again, leaving in another gust of = wind that blew Lois=92s hair awry. "Lois, I just don=92t feel like going out to dinner tonight," said Clark = as soon as Superman had disappeared.=20 Lois looked at him in frustration. Why was he still mad about that kiss? = Well, she wasn=92t going to let his glum mood stop her from = investigating! She really needed to talk to him! Lois put her hands on = her hips and confronted him angrily, "You mean I don=92t get any dinner = tonight? Because you=92re mad about that...that...mistake?" Clark looked sulkily at her, trying to make up his mind. He had been = about to come out of the sullens a few minutes ago, until Superman=92s = appearance, and Lois=92s obvious reaction to the man in The Suit, had = brought back all the jealous feelings. Still, she seemed to want to = spend the evening in his company, and she really did need to eat, = so...he shrugged.=20 "Okay, why not?" he said, his face beginning to lighten. Lois took his arm, pleased to see that he was coming out of his dark = mood. "So let=92s go!" she said. ------=_NextPart_000_0195_01BE8835.4085B020 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Loises and Clarks – Part 6

*****

Lois Lane stepped off the elevator into the Daily Planet newsroom, = her mind=20 preoccupied with the latest turn her investigation had taken in her = attempt to=20 unveil a scandal involving Senator Halley. She knew something was up=20 immediately; the covert glances of mingled sympathy and amusement from = her=20 co-workers told her that.

"Lois, when is Clark coming back?" asked Kristine from = Travel.

"When the negotiations are over," said Lois shortly, not = liking the=20 insinuating smile on Kristine’s face.

"You’ll probably be glad to see him again, and I *guess* = that=20 he’ll be glad to see you, too," said Kristine, with a smug = look.=20 "You have all my consolation," she added with false = sympathy.

"I don’t need your consolation!" snapped Lois to=20 Kristine’s retreating back, tossing her head. She had to fend off = several=20 more insinuating remarks before reaching her desk.

"Lois," said a voice at her elbow. Lois turned to face = Jimmy Olsen.=20 "I know what everybody’s saying, and I just wanted to let you = know=20 that I don’t believe a word of it! If it were anybody else but CK=20 I’d say, ‘why not?’, but not him. Not CK."

Lois turned toward him in bewilderment. "Jimmy, what on = earth...?"=20 she began.

"Lois!!!" bellowed Perry. "I want you in my office. = NOW!!=20 Jimmy, didn’t I tell you to pick up the Merlion = photos...?"

"I’m on it, Chief," said Jimmy hurriedly. He nodded=20 sympathetically at Lois and scurried away.

"Lois," said Perry, closing the door to his office, "I = got you=20 tickets on the next flight to Paris...it’ll get you there at 10 = a.m. local=20 time."

"Chief...," began Lois.

"Now, Lois, uh...uh...I know you’re working on the Halley = case,=20 but this is more important. And Clark...not that I believe a word of it, = of=20 course; why, that boy worships the ground you walk on...but Clark would = benefit=20 by your presence in--"

"Perry, what is this about Clark?" asked Lois.

"Lois, I know that you two haven’t been on the best of = terms=20 lately, but you can take it from me that these little tiffs don’t = mean=20 much in the big picture of a marriage. The important thing is not to let = it come=20 between you--"

"Chief, what are you trying to say?" asked Lois in some = amusement.=20 Between her co-workers’s remarks and Perry’s bumbling = conversation,=20 she thought she was beginning to get the picture...the alternate Clark = must have=20 found a girl in Paris (good for him!), and had been seen with her = somewhere.=20 "Do you think that Clark...? Perry, I can assure you that whatever = Clark is=20 doing in Paris has nothing whatever to do with me!"

"Now, honey," said Perry. = "That’s...an...uh...open=20 attitude, and I know a lot of people take that approach to marriage, but = I’m telling you that when something like this happens, it’s = as if a=20 wedge were being driven--"

"Perry, please believe me; *nothing* has happened. Clark and I = are=20 getting along fine, no wedge has been driven between us, and I = don’t need=20 to go to Paris!"

"Uh-huh," said Perry. "You’d better go home and = start=20 packing."

It wasn’t until Lois watched an LNN newscast at the airport = that she=20 discovered what had given rise to all the gossip. In footage taken at = the peace=20 talks, the camera focused on Superman, who was talking to a man and a = woman. As=20 the lens zoomed in, it showed a full frontal shot of Clark, his name tag = clearly=20 visible as he glanced furtively toward the camera and hustled a = dark-haired=20 woman out of camera range. It wasn’t funny, but somehow Lois=20 couldn’t help laughing.

*****

"So let me get this straight," said Alt-Lois. = "You’re=20 masquerading as Clark Kent so that Superman -- who is really Clark Kent, = the=20 Clark Kent of this world not ours -- can pretend to be a different = person than=20 Superman so the xenophobes don’t attack Lois Lane -- the Lois Lane = of this=20 world, who is married to Clark Kent -- is this right? How am I doing so=20 far?"

"That sums it up," said Alt-Clark, smiling as he laid down = his fork=20 after finishing the last of his dinner. Alt-Clark had found Lois to be = so=20 suspicious, so convinced that he was hiding something from her, that he = had=20 decided to tell her everything, including the part about Clark Kent and = Superman=20 being the same person. If Lois were a permanent resident of this world, = he=20 wouldn’t have risked giving her Clark’s secret, but since = she really=20 belonged in the alternate universe, he guessed it was okay to tell her. =

Lois put her forehead in her hand. She hadn’t believed Clark at = first=20 when he told her that they were both from an alternate universe, but his = story=20 seemed to check out; Elvis Presley had never been President of the = United=20 States...hadn’t made it past 1977, in fact, and Charleton Heston = had never=20 been President, either. And other events bore out what he told her. = Still...

She was convinced that there was a trick in here somewhere, but the = hard part=20 would be ferreting it out.

*****

When she woke up the next morning, Alt-Lois found a message from = Clark=20 stating that he expected to be busy all day, covering the negotiations. = He added=20 that if she wished, they could go out for dinner this evening when they = could=20 discuss plans for getting back to their own universe. (Didn’t that = sound=20 funny??) He had left a roll of money for her, also, explaining that La = Colline=20 was rather formal and she might want to buy a dinner dress.

*****

Mrs. Lois Lane/Kent surveyed the throng around Superman, wondering = how she=20 was going to approach him, much less speak to him privately. He had = apparently=20 spotted her, however, and very quickly maneuvered himself through the = crowd,=20 striding towards her with a worried frown on his face. "Hello,=20 Superman." Lois spoke with careful casualness, but there was a = spark of joy=20 in her eyes.

"Hello, Lois," he said. There was no answering spark in his = eyes.=20 He bent his head and said in a low voice. "Didn’t Clark tell = you how=20 important it is not to be seen here?"

Lois gaped at him. "No! I haven’t even seen Clark. = Apparently he=20 didn’t get any of the messages I left for him telling him that I = was=20 coming."

"You haven’t seen Clark?" said Superman, staring at = her.=20 "He hasn’t told you anything?"

"Told me what?" asked Lois, beginning to get nervous.

"Told you that..." Superman paused, staring at Lois’s = hand.=20 She was holding her bag in her right hand, pressing it against her = abdomen, and=20 she had placed her left hand, with her rings clearly displayed, on top = of the=20 bag. "Lois???" he gasped.

"What?" Lois looked at him in concern.

"Lois, when did you get here?" he asked. "Did Perry = send=20 you?" Lois nodded, a worried frown at her husband’s peculiar = behavior=20 appearing on her forehead. Superman began smiling at her with such = loving=20 tenderness that she felt compelled to caution him.

"Careful, Clark," she whispered. "People are=20 watching."

"Listen," said Superman in a low voice, "we need to = get away=20 >from here. Why don’t we meet for dinner tonight? I can get a tux=20 and..."

"Clark, someone might see you," Lois objected.

"All the journalists will be attending a special banquet = tonight. And=20 besides, we’re not that well-known in Paris," said Clark.=20 "Nobody will recognize us. Why don’t you meet me at La = Colline at=20 7?"

"La Colline?"

"Yes, it’s new, it’s dark, and people mind their own = business there. Nobody will be paying any attention to us." Clark = paused.=20 "There’s Bricard looking for me; I’d better go = now."

Lois sighed. Wouldn’t you know; she had neglected to bring a = dinner=20 dress...she had expected her Clark to be too busy with the negotiations = to be=20 able to slip away and take her out. Now she’d have to spend the = afternoon=20 shopping. She hurried away.

*****

Alt-Lois dressed with care in her new dinner dress. It felt so good = to be=20 able to dress to go out again! Hearing Clark’s knock, she moved = quickly to=20 the door and unlocked it, looking up into his face as the door swung = open.

He didn’t say anything for a minute. "Hi," he said = finally.=20 His eyes told her that he liked what he saw.

"You’re early," she said brightly.

"Am I? I’m sorry," he said, looking worried.

"That’s all right," she said, patting his chest.=20 "I’m ready." She took his arm as he escorted her to the = street=20 to hail a taxi.

Clark’s spirits, which had soared when Lois moved closer to = him,=20 plummeted when the couple arrived at the restaurant and he discovered = that he=20 had forgotten to bring his wallet. "I-I’m sorry," he = stammered=20 to the cab driver, "if you’ll just wait a minute..."

"I’ve got it," sang out Lois, pulling bills from her=20 purse.

"No, Lois..." began Clark.

"Don’t be silly...it’s all yours anyway," she = hissed,=20 handing the money to the driver.

"I’ll go back to the hotel and get my wallet," said = Clark=20 tensely when the cab had left. "I’ll be right back. I’m = sorry,=20 Lois."

"It’s okay, Clark," she said, annoyed at the delay = but trying=20 not to show it, "I’ll wait here until you get back." = Having had=20 a taste of the speed he was capable of, she expected him to reappear = almost=20 immediately. He didn’t, though. She stood near the street, feeling = more=20 irritated with each passing minute.

After waiting for almost fifteen minutes, she decided to go into the = garden=20 behind the restaurant. She glanced at her watch. Almost 7:00. He should = be here=20 by now...a gust of wind was followed by a whoosh sound and suddenly he = was=20 standing in front of her.

He strode toward her with such a look of heartfelt gladness on his = face that=20 it took her breath away. "Not quite as quick..." she began, = then=20 gasped as he swept her into his arms, bending her backwards over his arm = as he=20 took possession of her mouth in a passionate kiss. Lois was stunned! = Never had=20 she been kissed like this before...not by Clark, not by anyone! Her body = went=20 completely limp and he had to support her with his arm. Lois = couldn’t=20 think, couldn’t act; she was a ragdoll in his arms. She was = drowning in=20 the sensations his embrace was rousing in her body when she heard a = voice behind=20 her.

"Lois!!!" said Clark’s voice. She saw the eyes of the = Clark=20 who was holding her slide past to look at someone behind her. He sprang = upright=20 and dropped her, causing her to lose her balance. She would have fallen = had he=20 not quickly snatched her up and supported her with his arm while he = continued to=20 stare at some point beyond her left shoulder. She turned to see Clark = and a=20 woman who must surely be the other Lois Lane standing beside him. Shaken = by the=20 kiss she had received from one Clark, Alt-Lois could only gape at the = expression=20 of jealous rage on the face of the other.

She looked from Clark to Clark, not sure which was which, while the = Clark who=20 had kissed her was looking from her to the other Lois, apparently in a = similar=20 quandary. He snatched her left hand and looked at her fingers. At the = same time=20 Alt-Lois noticed the wedding band on his left hand. Clark dropped her = hand and=20 began to stammer an apology, his face scarlet.

"You must be the other Clark," whispered Alt-Lois.

"You seem to be comfortable here," said Alt-Clark, his face = white=20 with rage, "so I guess I’ll be going." He vanished in a = gust of=20 wind.

Still shaken by the kiss, and even more so by the look of jealousy on = Alt-Clark’s face, Alt-Lois looked uncertainly at the other Lois, = who had=20 stepped forward to take her husband’s arm. "Hello, = Lois," Lois=20 said, surprisingly calm for someone who had just caught her husband in a = passionate embrace with another woman, "I’d welcome you to = our world,=20 but I can see that my husband has already done that...and far more = pleasantly=20 than I would have, I’m sure."

"Lo-is!" said Clark, still quite red.

"I-I’m sorry...it was a mistake," whispered Alt-Lois. = "I-I’d better go find *him*." She slipped away, her head = in a=20 whirl.

*****

Lois looked up at her husband, who was watching her uneasily. "I = guess I=20 made a mistake," Clark said finally. Lois folded her arms across = her chest.=20 She didn’t reply, merely raising her brows in an expression of = polite=20 incredulity. Clark leaned forward as if to kiss her, but she stepped = back with a=20 haughty look on her face.

"Come on, honey," said Clark, shifting his feet = uncomfortably.=20 "I’m sorry, I made a mistake. I thought she was = you."

Lois stretched out her left hand, preening her fingers while looking=20 pointedly at the wedding and engagement rings which identified her = beyond any=20 doubt. She wasn’t really mad at Clark, but she wasn’t going = to let=20 him off the hook that easily, not after the way he had read her the riot = act=20 when she had mistakenly hugged the alternate Clark! She glanced at her = husband=20 again, surprising a look of longing on his face which softened her=20 immediately.

"Well," she said, pretending to consider the matter, = "I guess=20 I can’t really get too mad, since I made the same mistake = myself."=20 She put her hands up to Clark’s neck and straightened his tie. = "And=20 now, it seems to me that so far *she’s* had more of a welcome from = my=20 husband than I have, so..."

"That can be remedied," said Clark, taking her into his = arms. He=20 bent his head to kiss her, then raised it again in his = "listening"=20 attitude.

"What is it?" asked Lois. "What do you hear?"

"She’s calling him," said Clark with a grimace.=20 "She’s standing in the street shouting his name."

Lois gave a gurgle of laughter. "Do you know any better way to = get in=20 touch with you guys when you’re flying around somewhere?" =

She laced her fingers together behind Clark’s head and yanked = his head=20 down firmly. "Can we stay focused here?" she asked with her = mouth on=20 his. Clark pulled her more deeply into his arms as he opened his mouth = in=20 enjoyment of her kiss. Lois moaned softly, wrenching an answering moan = from=20 Clark.

"Lois," mumbled Clark as she unbuttoned his jacket so she = could=20 slip her arms underneath it.

"Mmmm?" she said.

"Would you mind if we don’t have dinner at La = Colline?"

Lois smiled into the kiss. "It depends on what you have in mind=20 instead," she said without removing her lips from his. "Would = your=20 counter-proposal by any chance include a hotel room?"

"It may even include breakfast," Clark murmured.

"Mmmm, I’ll take your offer under serious = consideration,"=20 said Lois dreamily. "Oh, no!"

"What?" said Clark.

"What if *he* comes back?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, maybe we can get a motel room = somewhere..."

"He hasn’t been staying in the room," said Lois = suddenly.=20 "At least, he didn’t stay there last night."

"How do you know?" Clark asked sharply, drawing back to = study her=20 face.

"The maids hadn’t done the room yet when I arrived this = morning,=20 and the bed hadn’t been slept in," said Lois simply. = "And=20 don’t give me that look, Clark."

"Sorry," said Clark. "Honey, if he hasn’t been = staying=20 there, then..." he paused. "I’m going to go tell him not = to come=20 back to the room!" he declared.

"How long will it take you to find him?" objected Lois.

"He’s in the street now, talking to the other Lois," = said=20 Clark, spinning into his Superman outfit. "I’ll be right = back!"=20 he promised before he vanished.

Lois sighed and leaned back against the fence.

*****

When Alt-Clark heard Alt-Lois calling for him, his first impulse was = to fly=20 away. Let the other Clark deal with it, he thought angrily. Let him = explain why=20 his wife (or someone who looks exactly like her) is standing in the = middle of=20 the street yelling his name over and over. Alt-Clark had never been so = angry as=20 when he had seen his Lois in the other Clark’s arms, being = thoroughly=20 kissed by him. His jealousy and rage almost choked him. That Clark has=20 everything! He has two adoring parents, a private life that shelters him = from=20 his public persona as Superman, and his *Lois*! Isn’t it enough = that he=20 has all that, without taking away my only chance for happiness, too? = Does he=20 have to take *my* Lois??

For Clark had no illusions about Lois’s reaction to that kiss. = The look=20 she had given the other Clark! She had never looked at *him* like that! = And her=20 body language when she was melting in Clark’s arms! Her posture = had=20 proclaimed her emotions more clearly than any words!

He hovered in the air, groaning, while he tried to decide what to do. = Alt-Lois was still in the street, calling his name...he guessed = he’d=20 better go to her. He ran a hand through his hair then plunged to the = earth.

"Here I am, Lois," he said, emerging from behind a tree.=20 "I’m here."

Lois turned toward him in annoyance; she had been upset when he = hadn’t=20 responded to her calls. "You didn’t need to run away like = that,"=20 she began angrily. Then she looked at his unhappy face, taking in his = disheveled=20 hair at the same time. Why is he so upset that I kissed the other Clark? = she=20 wondered. This is so strange!

Remembering her earlier suspicions that there was some kind of story = hidden=20 in this mess, she stopped berating him and said simply, "Are you=20 ready?" She took his arm.

"Ready?" said Clark.

"Yes; you promised me dinner, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, well, I...I just don’t feel like it now, Lois.=20 I’ll see you home and then..."

"And then what? No dinner? Look, Clark, we still have to = eat," she=20 said impatiently. Clark stared unhappily before him, not speaking. = "*I*=20 have to eat," said Lois. "So rather than going out to dinner = why=20 don’t we have a picnic instead?"

"A picnic?" Clark stared at her.

"Yes. We can pick up some sandwiches, or maybe bread and cheese = and a=20 little fruit, maybe some wine...and eat in the park. There must be a = nice park=20 around here."

Clark gazed at her without speaking, his expression showing that the = idea=20 found favor with him.

At that moment a gust of wind blew Lois’s hair across her face = as=20 Superman suddenly appeared in front of them. "Hello," he said, = folding=20 his arms across his chest.

"Hello," said Lois faintly, startled by his abrupt = appearance.=20 Alt-Clark looked away, not speaking.

"Lois, I want to apologize, about before..." began = Superman.

"That’s okay; I guess we both made a mistake," said = Lois. She=20 glanced at his chest, then raised her head quickly...where were you = supposed to=20 put your eyes when he was wearing that suit...? "I hope that your=20 wife..." her voice trailed off.

"It’s okay," smiled Superman. "She=20 understands."

"She sounds very sensible," said Lois. "I’m glad = that=20 *some* people understand how someone can make a mistake." She = looked=20 pointedly at Alt-Clark, who was still standing sulkily to one side.

"Clark, I have a favor to ask," said Superman, moving to=20 Alt-Clark’s side. He engaged him in low-voiced conversation. After = reaching an agreement with Alt-Clark, he flew away again, leaving in = another=20 gust of wind that blew Lois’s hair awry.

"Lois, I just don’t feel like going out to dinner = tonight,"=20 said Clark as soon as Superman had disappeared.

Lois looked at him in frustration. Why was he still mad about that = kiss?=20 Well, she wasn’t going to let his glum mood stop her from = investigating!=20 She really needed to talk to him! Lois put her hands on her hips and = confronted=20 him angrily, "You mean I don’t get any dinner tonight? = Because=20 you’re mad about that...that...mistake?"

Clark looked sulkily at her, trying to make up his mind. He had been = about to=20 come out of the sullens a few minutes ago, until Superman’s = appearance,=20 and Lois’s obvious reaction to the man in The Suit, had brought = back all=20 the jealous feelings. Still, she seemed to want to spend the evening in = his=20 company, and she really did need to eat, so...he shrugged.

"Okay, why not?" he said, his face beginning to = lighten.

Lois took his arm, pleased to see that he was coming out of his dark = mood.=20 "So let’s go!" she said.

------=_NextPart_000_0195_01BE8835.4085B020-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:17:15 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 7 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_01A7_01BE8835.5B1B1BA0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01A7_01BE8835.5B1B1BA0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Loises and Clarks -- Part 7 ***** Later that evening, in a hotel room across the city, Mrs. Lois Lane Kent = was reclining on her husband=92s chest, describing circles on his body = with her index finger. "I=92ve missed that," she sighed, resting her = head on his shoulder. "I could tell!" chuckled Clark. "The way you lunged at me when=96" "*I* lunged at you?? It was you who grabbed me...!" "You *lunged* at me," said Clark firmly. "Well!" said Lois, tossing her head and moving a little away from him. = "...if you didn=92t like it..." "Who said anything about not liking it?" asked Clark, catching her and = drawing her close. "I=92m glad Perry sent you over here," he added, = kissing her lightly on the forehead. "Yes, after he saw that tape I guess he thought he was doing us a = favor...well, I guess he really *was* doing us a favor!" "Tape? What tape?" Clark asked blankly. "Oh, you haven=92t seen it?" said Lois. "It showed Superman and Clark = standing together, with Clark looking guiltily at the camera and trying = to hustle a woman out of sight." She stopped as realization dawned on = her. "That must have been the other Lois!" she exclaimed. "No wonder he = was trying to hide her!" Clark had been deciphering Lois=92 statements with a puzzled look. "You = mean...Lois, it doesn=92t look like Clark=92s trying not to be seen on = camera with a woman, does it?" he asked with a frown. "That could look = like he=92s...like I=92m seeing someone while I=92m staying here in = Paris!" "Clar-rk, hel-LO!" said Lois. "That=92s what I=92m trying to tell you! = It *does* look like you=92re seeing someone...that=92s why Perry sent me = here. He=92s trying to help us reassemble our faltering marriage!" Clark was regarding her with an awful expression. "You mean to tell me = that Perry thinks I=92m cheating on you?" he demanded. "Not just Perry," said Lois, "...everybody! You wouldn=92t believe what = I=92ve been through...all the expressions of false sympathy, excluding = Jimmy, who assured me that he didn=92t believe a word of it! And = Kristine in Travel...who has the hots for you, Clark, even though you = always deny it...Kristine coming up to me with a smirk and telling me = how sorry she is...and I just know she=92s going to really go after you = when we get back..." Clark rolled onto his stomach with a groan, piling the pillows on top of = his head. "Clark, are you listening to me?" asked Lois, removing the = pillows. "Alt-Clark and I have already thought of how to explain it..." "Alt-Clark and you?" said Clark, sitting up and scowling at her. "Why = are you two working with each other to retrieve *my* reputation...?" "Clark, you just take that frown right off your face! Forget your silly = jealousy and listen to what I=92m telling you!" commanded Lois. "I ran = into Alt-Clark here at the hotel this evening just before I left to meet = you for dinner. We shared a cab to La Colline and planned the whole = thing on the way to the restaurant. We=92re going to say that the woman = was a source who wished to remain anonymous...it=92s as simple as that!" "Okay, I think that=92ll work," said Clark, thinking it over. He looked = at Lois. "So you shared a cab to the restaurant? I was wondering how you = two managed to appear at the same time." "Yes, and I=92ll admit I was a little worried when Alt-Clark told me = that he=92d left alt-Lois there. In fact, I wasn=92t all that surprised = to see the situation that had arisen because of mistaken identity." "I wish I could have foreseen it," said Clark with a grimace.=20 "And Alt-Clark! Did you see his face?" said Lois in wonderment. "We Kryptonians don=92t like to see our women in the arms of other men," = Clark explained, tucking a strand of Lois=92 hair behind her ear. "Your women!" said Lois, taking umbrage at his terminology. "*Your* = women!" She tried to push his grinning mouth away as he began to kiss = her. "Oh, you=92re teasing me!" she said in sudden realization. "Clark, = you=92re going to have to stop doing that!" "Lois, you=92re going to have to stop taking the bait!" said Clark, = mimicking her tone. He put his arms around her and fell backwards, = pulling her on top of him.=20 "Clark..." said Lois thoughtfully, pushing herself up with her hands. "I = think the four of us should get together and talk." "Mmmm," said Clark, pulling her down and kissing her ear. "Maybe we could go on a double date tomorrow to some restaurant," said = Lois, raising herself up again, "*not* in Paris, of course, we don=92t = seem to be having the best luck in Paris, and I=92m sure we would run = into someone who recognizes us, so we=92d have to go to a city where no = one knows us..." "Honey?" "Yes, Clark?" "Can we talk about this later?" "Why? Do you have something better to do?" "I was just wondering if this Earth woman, who is *not* mine, except in = the nicest sense of the word, would consent to repeat her earlier = performance...?"=20 Lois=92s laugh came from deep in her throat. "She just might, if she = received the right persuasion." She squealed suddenly. "That doesn=92t = count!" she said, giggling. "What does?" asked Clark, drawing her head down and fastening his mouth = on hers. ******** The next evening... Alt-Clark set Alt-Lois down several blocks from the restaurant. "Are = they here yet? I don=92t see them," said Alt-Lois.=20 Alt-Clark shook his head. "I scanned the area before we landed and = there=92s no sign of them...oh, here they are." The alternate Lois and = Clark watched as Clark gently set his wife on the sidewalk.=20 "I=92m worried about this Elvis convention they=92re having in Atlanta = tonight," said Lois. "What if Perry decides to come? We should have = checked it out before we came." "What??" said Clark. "Ms = =91Rush-into-everything-regardless-of-the-consequences=92 wants to check = things out ahead of time? This is a first!" He grinned at the look Lois = gave him. "I don=92t think we need to worry; Perry probably doesn=92t = know anything about it."=20 "Are you kidding? Of course he knows about it," said Lois. "He always = does."=20 "An Elvis convention...?" said Alt-Lois. "Here. In Atlanta. Tonight," said Lois. "Oh, no," said Alt-Clark with a worried frown. "Relax," said Clark airily. "He=92s always too busy to attend these = things. And besides," he added, "what are the odds that he=92d come to = *this* restaurant even if he *is* in Atlanta?" "Are we going to stand out here all night or are we going to eat?" asked = Lois impatiently. Clark looked tolerantly at his wife. "Getting antsy aren=92t we?" he = teased. When Lois tossed her head irritably, he offered her his arm with = a grin.=20 The two couples entered the restaurant, where they found themselves = under the gaze of several bemused diners. "Must be one of those = =91identical twins dating identical twins=92 things," someone whispered = as the maitre =91d seated the foursome. After they ordered, Alt-Clark watched his Lois closely, jealously = watching for any signs that she had a preference for Clark. As the meal = progressed, however, he began to relax as he realized that Alt-Lois was = a good deal more interested in the other Lois than in her husband.=20 For her part, Alt-Lois, who had been quite suspicious of her = counterpart, unbent as the last of her doubts about the veracity of = Alt-Clark=92s explanation of the two universes and the presence of two = Lois Lanes and two Clark Kents vanished. Moreover, she found herself = actually enjoying Clark=92s quiet charm and the unabashed openness of = the other Lois, with whom she found she had more in common than = identical appearance.=20 The foursome spent some time speculating on H.G. Wells=92s failure to = reappear and return Alt-Clark to his own universe, and then Lois opened = another topic for discussion. "So you don=92t know how you moved through = space and time to become a prisoner in Kuran?" she asked Alt-Lois. "No, but I=92d like to find out," said Alt-Lois, "...among other = things." She looked at Alt-Clark. "Didn=92t you tell me you=92ve been = free-lancing to supplement the Kents=92s income?" she asked. "Yes. I submit articles under Clark=92s name and he gives the money to = me," replied Alt-Clark. "Good," said Alt-Lois briskly. "I have several ideas for stories, and as = long as we=92re stuck in this universe, I might as well begin working on = them. The story I want to begin with is the abduction of Gina and her = friend. Gina and I became quite close when we were in captivity = together." "And I=92d like to learn more about that weapon you told me about," said = Clark soberly. "It sounds dangerous," said his wife with a shudder. "If Lois hadn=92t = been there..." her voice trailed off and she looked at Alt-Clark in = concern.=20 Clark put his arm around his wife=92s shoulders. "It sounds like = something Superman should look into," he said. "Maybe two Supermen," said Alt-Clark, catching Clark=92s eye. "Good,"said Alt-Lois. "You two can be my back-up." "*Our* back-up," said Lois. "I=92m coming too." "No!" exclaimed Clark. Immediately he wished he=92d held his tongue. "What do you mean, =91no?=92" said his wife, looking at him as if she = doubted her ears. "Uh...I just think it=92ll be boring; and I=92m sure Perry wants you to = finish the stories you=92re working on now..." said Clark lamely. "But *I=92m* not working on any stories," said Alt-Lois, "and it=92ll be = the perfect project for me to work on while we=92re waiting to return to = our universe." "It=92s too dangerous," said Alt-Clark flatly. "We don=92t know why you = were kidnaped, but whoever did it may want another shot at it..." he = subsided under the frantic signals Clark was sending.=20 Alt-Lois had opened her mouth to argue the point with him, but catching = Lois=92s glance, she closed it again, guessing that she and her = counterpart could decide later how they could persuade the men that they = would be indispensable on that mission...=20 When the dessert menus were handed round, Alt-Lois leaned against = Alt-Clark=92s shoulder and casually placed her fingers on his arm. = "I=92m ready for dessert, aren=92t you?" she said. Alt-Clark sat quite = still for a minute, then nodded, his face flushing. Lois removed her = hand hastily, a little surprised at his reaction... She cleared her = throat. "Does anything look good?" she asked. "Yes..." he said, not meeting her eyes.=20 Noting that he was staring rigidly at the menu in his hands, Lois gently = removed it from his grasp, rotating it until it was right side up. "Hmm, = Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Buttercream Frosting," she read. "That = sounds nice. Or...Decadent Fudge Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate = Meltaway Glaze. What do you think?" "Okay...," he managed. "Okay, what?" she said in amusement. "Which do you want?" "Uh...," he turned toward her, meeting her eyes at last, and Lois caught = her breath at the expression in their dark depths. "Which do you want?" she repeated, tearing her gaze away with = difficulty. Her voice trembled slightly.=20 "Have you decided?" the waiter=92s voice interrupted their discussion = and Alt-Lois was forced to turn her attention to him and their dinner = partners again.=20 As soon as they had finished dessert, Lois nudged her husband. "It=92s = late; let=92s go back," she said. Quick to take the subtle hint, he = stood up and allowed her to precede him to the door. Turning his head to = make a remark to Alt-Clark, he didn=92t notice the gray-haired man who = stopped short in astonishment at sight of the group. Lois saw him, = though, and turned quickly to warn the others. Too late! Alt-Lois, who = had seen and recognized Perry White, dodged quickly behind a waiter, but = Perry had a full view of the two Clarks. "Lois?? Clark???" said Perry. "I thought you two were in Paris! And..." = he left the rest of his sentence unfinished, but looked pointedly at = Alt-Clark and then at Clark, obviously seeking an explanation. "P-Perry!" said Clark. "Uh, we...uh..." "Flew in for the evening!" said Lois hurriedly. "Well, I can see I=92m paying you too much, if you can afford to fly = >from France just to have dinner!" said Perry, but his voice lacked = conviction. He fixed his eyes on Alt-Clark. "Son, I don=92t believe = I=92ve had the pleasure..." he extended his hand. "Uh, Perry, this is my...uh, my cousin, Clark." "...Kent..." said Lois at the same time. "...uh! Yes, Kent. Uh, I mean his name is Kent Clark," stammered Clark. = "He lives in...um...Tokyo." "Kent Clark?" said Perry. "Yes," Lois interposed hurriedly. "Clark is a surname on Clark=92s = mother=92s side of the family and you know how these Southern families = have a tradition of giving their children family surnames..." "Southern family?" said Perry, raising his eyebrows. "I thought you were = >from Kansas, Clark." "Uh, yes, but my mom is from...that is, some people on her side of the = family...are...uh...are from South Carolina," as he told this lie he = gave Lois a fulminating glance, which she returned with good measure. It = hadn=92t been *her* idea to come to Atlanta for dinner in the middle of = an Elvis Presley convention! "Well, son, I=92m pleased to meet you," said Perry to Alt-Clark, who had = remained mute throughout this exchange. "You look a lot like your = cousin! Best not come to Metropolis; you could get into some mighty = sticky situations if people started mistaking you for each other!"=20 Perry nodded in farewell and sauntered toward the bar, where he planned = to wait for the others in his party. He was smiling broadly. "So = that=92s how they=92ve been doing it all these weeks," he muttered to = himself, an added spring in his step. "I=92ve been wondering how...hell, = it=92s great to know the old news hound still has it!" ***** Alt-Lois quietly rejoined the group outside the restaurant. "That was = close," she said. "Do you think he suspects anything?" "I think he...knows...everything," said Clark hollowly. "Except the part = about you being from an alternate universe, that is." "Shall we go?" asked Lois, impatient at all this standing around. She = caught her counterpart=92s eye. "We=92ll get together in Paris to talk = about...that other thing," she said. Clark scooped up his wife before = she could make any rash arrangements to explore Kuran with Alt-Lois. He = was going to have something to say about that...not that it would do any = good, he thought with a rueful smile. He looked at the other couple, = wondering if Alt-Clark would have any more influence over the other Lois = than he did over his wife. Probably not. Well, if he couldn=92t persuade = his wife to stop taking chances, then he was just going to have to take = special care to watch over her, that=92s all. He nodded in farewell to the couple from the alternate universe, then = took off with a whoosh. Left alone together, Alt-Lois and Alt-Clark felt an awkward silence = develop between them. "I like that dress," said Clark, making a vague = gesture with his hand. "It gives you..." he searched for a word to = describe how the gown outlined her shapely figure, "...depth," he = produced. Depth??=20 Lois repressed the laugh gurgling up from her throat. "Thank you," she = said gravely. "Well," she added. "I guess we should..." "Yeah," said Clark, clearing his throat. Lois moved closer and put her arms around his neck in preparation for = the flight. Without meeting her eyes, Clark lifted her and rose quickly = into the night sky. Clark was quiet as he carried her through the warm night air and Lois = thought in vain for something to say to break the silence. She was = beginning to get drowsy and felt the urge to rest her head on his = shoulder. But...better not do that, she cautioned herself, remembering = his reaction in the restaurant when all she=92d done was touch his = arm...not if I don=92t want to go for a swim in the Atlantic Ocean... Clark was staring straight ahead, still not speaking. Lois sighed, = tightening her grip around his neck, and found that she was unable to = resist putting her head on his shoulder after all... The End ;-) ------=_NextPart_000_01A7_01BE8835.5B1B1BA0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Loises and Clarks -- Part 7

*****

Later that evening, in a hotel room across the city, Mrs. Lois Lane = Kent was=20 reclining on her husband’s chest, describing circles on his body = with her=20 index finger. "I’ve missed that," she sighed, resting = her head=20 on his shoulder.

"I could tell!" chuckled Clark. "The way you lunged at = me=20 when–"

"*I* lunged at you?? It was you who grabbed me...!"

"You *lunged* at me," said Clark firmly.

"Well!" said Lois, tossing her head and moving a little = away from=20 him. "...if you didn’t like it..."

"Who said anything about not liking it?" asked Clark, = catching her=20 and drawing her close. "I’m glad Perry sent you over = here," he=20 added, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

"Yes, after he saw that tape I guess he thought he was doing us = a=20 favor...well, I guess he really *was* doing us a favor!"

"Tape? What tape?" Clark asked blankly.

"Oh, you haven’t seen it?" said Lois. "It showed = Superman and Clark standing together, with Clark looking guiltily at the = camera=20 and trying to hustle a woman out of sight." She stopped as = realization=20 dawned on her. "That must have been the other Lois!" she = exclaimed.=20 "No wonder he was trying to hide her!"

Clark had been deciphering Lois’ statements with a puzzled = look.=20 "You mean...Lois, it doesn’t look like Clark’s trying = not to be=20 seen on camera with a woman, does it?" he asked with a frown. = "That=20 could look like he’s...like I’m seeing someone while = I’m=20 staying here in Paris!"

"Clar-rk, hel-LO!" said Lois. "That’s what = I’m=20 trying to tell you! It *does* look like you’re seeing=20 someone...that’s why Perry sent me here. He’s trying to help = us=20 reassemble our faltering marriage!"

Clark was regarding her with an awful expression. "You mean to = tell me=20 that Perry thinks I’m cheating on you?" he demanded.

"Not just Perry," said Lois, "...everybody! You = wouldn’t=20 believe what I’ve been through...all the expressions of false = sympathy,=20 excluding Jimmy, who assured me that he didn’t believe a word of = it! And=20 Kristine in Travel...who has the hots for you, Clark, even though you = always=20 deny it...Kristine coming up to me with a smirk and telling me how sorry = she=20 is...and I just know she’s going to really go after you when we = get=20 back..."

Clark rolled onto his stomach with a groan, piling the pillows on top = of his=20 head. "Clark, are you listening to me?" asked Lois, removing = the=20 pillows. "Alt-Clark and I have already thought of how to explain=20 it..."

"Alt-Clark and you?" said Clark, sitting up and scowling at = her.=20 "Why are you two working with each other to retrieve *my*=20 reputation...?"

"Clark, you just take that frown right off your face! Forget = your silly=20 jealousy and listen to what I’m telling you!" commanded Lois. = "I=20 ran into Alt-Clark here at the hotel this evening just before I left to = meet you=20 for dinner. We shared a cab to La Colline and planned the whole thing on = the way=20 to the restaurant. We’re going to say that the woman was a source = who=20 wished to remain anonymous...it’s as simple as that!"

"Okay, I think that’ll work," said Clark, thinking it = over.=20 He looked at Lois. "So you shared a cab to the restaurant? I was = wondering=20 how you two managed to appear at the same time."

"Yes, and I’ll admit I was a little worried when Alt-Clark = told me=20 that he’d left alt-Lois there. In fact, I wasn’t all that = surprised=20 to see the situation that had arisen because of mistaken = identity."

"I wish I could have foreseen it," said Clark with a = grimace.

"And Alt-Clark! Did you see his face?" said Lois in = wonderment.

"We Kryptonians don’t like to see our women in the arms of = other=20 men," Clark explained, tucking a strand of Lois’ hair behind = her=20 ear.

"Your women!" said Lois, taking umbrage at his terminology. = "*Your* women!" She tried to push his grinning mouth away as = he began=20 to kiss her. "Oh, you’re teasing me!" she said in sudden = realization. "Clark, you’re going to have to stop doing=20 that!"

"Lois, you’re going to have to stop taking the bait!" = said=20 Clark, mimicking her tone. He put his arms around her and fell = backwards,=20 pulling her on top of him.

"Clark..." said Lois thoughtfully, pushing herself up with = her=20 hands. "I think the four of us should get together and = talk."

"Mmmm," said Clark, pulling her down and kissing her = ear.

"Maybe we could go on a double date tomorrow to some = restaurant,"=20 said Lois, raising herself up again, "*not* in Paris, of course, we = don’t seem to be having the best luck in Paris, and I’m sure = we=20 would run into someone who recognizes us, so we’d have to go to a = city=20 where no one knows us..."

"Honey?"

"Yes, Clark?"

"Can we talk about this later?"

"Why? Do you have something better to do?"

"I was just wondering if this Earth woman, who is *not* mine, = except in=20 the nicest sense of the word, would consent to repeat her earlier=20 performance...?"

Lois’s laugh came from deep in her throat. "She just = might, if she=20 received the right persuasion." She squealed suddenly. "That=20 doesn’t count!" she said, giggling.

"What does?" asked Clark, drawing her head down and = fastening his=20 mouth on hers.

********

The next evening...

Alt-Clark set Alt-Lois down several blocks from the restaurant. = "Are=20 they here yet? I don’t see them," said Alt-Lois.

Alt-Clark shook his head. "I scanned the area before we landed = and=20 there’s no sign of them...oh, here they are." The alternate = Lois and=20 Clark watched as Clark gently set his wife on the sidewalk.

"I’m worried about this Elvis convention they’re = having in=20 Atlanta tonight," said Lois. "What if Perry decides to come? = We should=20 have checked it out before we came."

"What??" said Clark. "Ms=20 ‘Rush-into-everything-regardless-of-the-consequences’ wants = to check=20 things out ahead of time? This is a first!" He grinned at the look = Lois=20 gave him. "I don’t think we need to worry; Perry probably=20 doesn’t know anything about it."

"Are you kidding? Of course he knows about it," said Lois. = "He=20 always does."

"An Elvis convention...?" said Alt-Lois.

"Here. In Atlanta. Tonight," said Lois.

"Oh, no," said Alt-Clark with a worried frown.

"Relax," said Clark airily. "He’s always too = busy to=20 attend these things. And besides," he added, "what are the = odds that=20 he’d come to *this* restaurant even if he *is* in = Atlanta?"

"Are we going to stand out here all night or are we going to = eat?"=20 asked Lois impatiently.

Clark looked tolerantly at his wife. "Getting antsy aren’t = we?" he teased. When Lois tossed her head irritably, he offered her = his arm=20 with a grin.

The two couples entered the restaurant, where they found themselves = under the=20 gaze of several bemused diners. "Must be one of those = ‘identical=20 twins dating identical twins’ things," someone whispered as = the=20 maitre ‘d seated the foursome.

After they ordered, Alt-Clark watched his Lois closely, jealously = watching=20 for any signs that she had a preference for Clark. As the meal = progressed,=20 however, he began to relax as he realized that Alt-Lois was a good deal = more=20 interested in the other Lois than in her husband.

For her part, Alt-Lois, who had been quite suspicious of her = counterpart,=20 unbent as the last of her doubts about the veracity of Alt-Clark’s = explanation of the two universes and the presence of two Lois Lanes and = two=20 Clark Kents vanished. Moreover, she found herself actually enjoying=20 Clark’s quiet charm and the unabashed openness of the other Lois, = with=20 whom she found she had more in common than identical appearance.

The foursome spent some time speculating on H.G. Wells’s = failure to=20 reappear and return Alt-Clark to his own universe, and then Lois opened = another=20 topic for discussion. "So you don’t know how you moved = through space=20 and time to become a prisoner in Kuran?" she asked Alt-Lois.

"No, but I’d like to find out," said Alt-Lois, = "...among=20 other things." She looked at Alt-Clark. "Didn’t you tell = me=20 you’ve been free-lancing to supplement the Kents’s = income?" she=20 asked.

"Yes. I submit articles under Clark’s name and he gives = the money=20 to me," replied Alt-Clark.

"Good," said Alt-Lois briskly. "I have several ideas = for=20 stories, and as long as we’re stuck in this universe, I might as = well=20 begin working on them. The story I want to begin with is the abduction = of Gina=20 and her friend. Gina and I became quite close when we were in captivity=20 together."

"And I’d like to learn more about that weapon you told me=20 about," said Clark soberly.

"It sounds dangerous," said his wife with a shudder. = "If Lois=20 hadn’t been there..." her voice trailed off and she looked at = Alt-Clark in concern.

Clark put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. "It sounds = like=20 something Superman should look into," he said.

"Maybe two Supermen," said Alt-Clark, catching = Clark’s=20 eye.

"Good,"said Alt-Lois. "You two can be my = back-up."

"*Our* back-up," said Lois. "I’m coming = too."

"No!" exclaimed Clark. Immediately he wished he’d = held his=20 tongue.

"What do you mean, ‘no?’" said his wife, = looking at him=20 as if she doubted her ears.

"Uh...I just think it’ll be boring; and I’m sure = Perry wants=20 you to finish the stories you’re working on now..." said = Clark=20 lamely.

"But *I’m* not working on any stories," said = Alt-Lois,=20 "and it’ll be the perfect project for me to work on while = we’re=20 waiting to return to our universe."

"It’s too dangerous," said Alt-Clark flatly. "We = don’t know why you were kidnaped, but whoever did it may want = another shot=20 at it..." he subsided under the frantic signals Clark was sending. =

Alt-Lois had opened her mouth to argue the point with him, but = catching=20 Lois’s glance, she closed it again, guessing that she and her = counterpart=20 could decide later how they could persuade the men that they would be=20 indispensable on that mission...

When the dessert menus were handed round, Alt-Lois leaned against=20 Alt-Clark’s shoulder and casually placed her fingers on his arm.=20 "I’m ready for dessert, aren’t you?" she said. = Alt-Clark=20 sat quite still for a minute, then nodded, his face flushing. Lois = removed her=20 hand hastily, a little surprised at his reaction... She cleared her = throat.=20 "Does anything look good?" she asked.

"Yes..." he said, not meeting her eyes.

Noting that he was staring rigidly at the menu in his hands, Lois = gently=20 removed it from his grasp, rotating it until it was right side up. = "Hmm,=20 Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Buttercream Frosting," she read. = "That=20 sounds nice. Or...Decadent Fudge Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate = Meltaway Glaze.=20 What do you think?"

"Okay...," he managed.

"Okay, what?" she said in amusement. "Which do you=20 want?"

"Uh...," he turned toward her, meeting her eyes at last, = and Lois=20 caught her breath at the expression in their dark depths.

"Which do you want?" she repeated, tearing her gaze away = with=20 difficulty. Her voice trembled slightly.

"Have you decided?" the waiter’s voice interrupted = their=20 discussion and Alt-Lois was forced to turn her attention to him and = their dinner=20 partners again.

As soon as they had finished dessert, Lois nudged her husband.=20 "It’s late; let’s go back," she said. Quick to = take the=20 subtle hint, he stood up and allowed her to precede him to the door. = Turning his=20 head to make a remark to Alt-Clark, he didn’t notice the = gray-haired man=20 who stopped short in astonishment at sight of the group. Lois saw him, = though,=20 and turned quickly to warn the others. Too late! Alt-Lois, who had seen = and=20 recognized Perry White, dodged quickly behind a waiter, but Perry had a = full=20 view of the two Clarks.

"Lois?? Clark???" said Perry. "I thought you two were = in=20 Paris! And..." he left the rest of his sentence unfinished, but = looked=20 pointedly at Alt-Clark and then at Clark, obviously seeking an = explanation.

"P-Perry!" said Clark. "Uh, we...uh..."

"Flew in for the evening!" said Lois hurriedly.

"Well, I can see I’m paying you too much, if you can = afford to fly=20 >from France just to have dinner!" said Perry, but his voice lacked=20 conviction. He fixed his eyes on Alt-Clark. "Son, I don’t = believe=20 I’ve had the pleasure..." he extended his hand.

"Uh, Perry, this is my...uh, my cousin, Clark."

"...Kent..." said Lois at the same time.

"...uh! Yes, Kent. Uh, I mean his name is Kent Clark," = stammered=20 Clark. "He lives in...um...Tokyo."

"Kent Clark?" said Perry.

"Yes," Lois interposed hurriedly. "Clark is a surname = on=20 Clark’s mother’s side of the family and you know how these = Southern=20 families have a tradition of giving their children family = surnames..."

"Southern family?" said Perry, raising his eyebrows. = "I=20 thought you were from Kansas, Clark."

"Uh, yes, but my mom is from...that is, some people on her side = of the=20 family...are...uh...are from South Carolina," as he told this lie = he gave=20 Lois a fulminating glance, which she returned with good measure. It = hadn’t=20 been *her* idea to come to Atlanta for dinner in the middle of an Elvis = Presley=20 convention!

"Well, son, I’m pleased to meet you," said Perry to=20 Alt-Clark, who had remained mute throughout this exchange. "You = look a lot=20 like your cousin! Best not come to Metropolis; you could get into some = mighty=20 sticky situations if people started mistaking you for each other!" =

Perry nodded in farewell and sauntered toward the bar, where he = planned to=20 wait for the others in his party. He was smiling broadly. "So = that’s=20 how they’ve been doing it all these weeks," he muttered to = himself,=20 an added spring in his step. "I’ve been wondering how...hell, = it’s great to know the old news hound still has it!"

*****

Alt-Lois quietly rejoined the group outside the restaurant. = "That was=20 close," she said. "Do you think he suspects = anything?"

"I think he...knows...everything," said Clark hollowly.=20 "Except the part about you being from an alternate universe, that=20 is."

"Shall we go?" asked Lois, impatient at all this standing = around.=20 She caught her counterpart’s eye. "We’ll get together = in Paris=20 to talk about...that other thing," she said. Clark scooped up his = wife=20 before she could make any rash arrangements to explore Kuran with = Alt-Lois. He=20 was going to have something to say about that...not that it would do any = good,=20 he thought with a rueful smile. He looked at the other couple, wondering = if=20 Alt-Clark would have any more influence over the other Lois than he did = over his=20 wife. Probably not. Well, if he couldn’t persuade his wife to stop = taking=20 chances, then he was just going to have to take special care to watch = over her,=20 that’s all.

He nodded in farewell to the couple from the alternate universe, then = took=20 off with a whoosh.

Left alone together, Alt-Lois and Alt-Clark felt an awkward silence = develop=20 between them. "I like that dress," said Clark, making a vague = gesture=20 with his hand. "It gives you..." he searched for a word to = describe=20 how the gown outlined her shapely figure, "...depth," he = produced.

Depth??

Lois repressed the laugh gurgling up from her throat. "Thank = you,"=20 she said gravely. "Well," she added. "I guess we=20 should..."

"Yeah," said Clark, clearing his throat.

Lois moved closer and put her arms around his neck in preparation for = the=20 flight. Without meeting her eyes, Clark lifted her and rose quickly into = the=20 night sky.

Clark was quiet as he carried her through the warm night air and Lois = thought=20 in vain for something to say to break the silence. She was beginning to = get=20 drowsy and felt the urge to rest her head on his shoulder. But...better = not do=20 that, she cautioned herself, remembering his reaction in the restaurant = when all=20 she’d done was touch his arm...not if I don’t want to go for = a swim=20 in the Atlantic Ocean...

Clark was staring straight ahead, still not speaking. Lois sighed, = tightening=20 her grip around his neck, and found that she was unable to resist = putting her=20 head on his shoulder after all...

The End ;-)

------=_NextPart_000_01A7_01BE8835.5B1B1BA0-- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:26:30 EDT Reply-To: KCrane1865@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm excited to read this new fanfic, and pardon my computer ignorance, but does it indeed require downloading or is the entire text contained in the e-mails? Kate ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:35:12 -0500 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: VD vignette In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable At 10:40 PM +0200 4/16/99, NKWolke wrote: >Hi Folcies :-) >A few weeks ago I had a very heated discussion with some German >Folc-friends of >mine, about who was responsible for the =91waiting until the wedding night= =92. >My own >opinion clearly saw Lois as the main initiator for that decision, but my >friends >thought that there was no discussion about it that Clark was the one who >wanted >to wait. If you listen to the conversation Lois and Clark have in the episode, Lois says "I've been skittish and you've been so understand (that I was wondering if you were skittish too)." This makes it perfectly clear to me that *Lois* has been the one to demure when things get heated (being skittish) and Clark is the one "being understanding" about it. Further, when Lois asks that question (is Clark skittish, too), he denies it, but follows up with "my experience has been a bit different" which launches his virginity 'confession'. Finally, when Lois freaks out about the added "pressure" of him being a virgin, Clark stops that line of discussion quickly, telling her that he knows she's "the one" so he has no worries about making love to her. So, again, to me, the dialogue in VD makes it clear that Lois has been holding back and Clark is the one who just didn't want to push. Now, didn't you and I have a discussion on IRC one night about how the translation to German in this episode confused the issue? That the word "skittish" doesn't translate easily and another word was chosen? Maybe that is the bone of contention with the other German fans you were talking with? Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:41:34 -0500 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: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 In-Reply-To: <5c2aca67.24491316@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 6:26 PM -0400 4/16/99, Kate Crane wrote: >I'm excited to read this new fanfic, and pardon my computer ignorance, but >does it indeed require downloading or is the entire text contained in the >e-mails? >Kate I received it as 7 emails, each containing the text of that part (1-7). However, I did notice that parts 4 & 6 were longer than the others (36K & 25K) and on AOL, those parts may have saved as attachments instead of showing up in the email message itself. This is a problem I've struggled with in posting S6 episodes, and I've learned that the highest I can go in each part is about 21-23K without AOL people telling me I messed up. ;) So, general rule, if you want people to be able to read more easily, keep your parts under 22K each! :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 19:39:11 EDT Reply-To: MsLoisette@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: VD vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Now while Clark obviously wasn't as skittish or not skittish compared to Lois, I have a different opinion. I think Clark was skittish about the whole sex issue. He was just doing the typicial male behavior. He was actually like everything was kewl and that we wasn't worried about this whole intimacy thing. Nothing is wrong with this behavior. I respect Clark for feeling like this. And if they weren't a little concerned about the whole sex issue then they wouldn't been having the conversation in the first place. Alexis ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 19:43:16 EDT Reply-To: DUNNFOUR@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Laurie Dunn Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit That's me, Yvonne, a closet "fan." Only, my husband and teenage sons know I've been so Nuts about Lois & Clark for so long... which is also why this list is so great. It is nice to be among friends! I so rarely even watch tv, that it is amazing that I became so taken with this show. The subsequent fanfiction, which so often rivals the original shows, are true opium for the addicted . LaurieD ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 19:44:32 EDT Reply-To: MsLoisette@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Speaking of Part 7 I don't think I received Part 7! =( Could someone send it to me? Also Part 4 was kind of goofy on my computer screen so i was wondering if someone could send that part to me without the file attachment. Just as a normal email. Thanks. Alexis ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 19:51:26 -0400 Reply-To: x-lander@geocities.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mark Safransky Subject: Re: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I seem not to have received parts 2 and 3. Could some kind soul forward them to me so I can read what appears to be a great story? Mark x-lander@geocities.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:57:53 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Farah Meitzen Chisham Subject: FYI: Listserv info Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Just to let you know, On Saturday, April 24th, 8-10am, the Listserv gods will be upgrading LISTSERV to version 1.8d. For those of you who may look at the web interface on your browser, there may be a change in appearance. So, in other words, it may be down for those 2 hours. farah farah :) farah@chisham.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 19:03:10 -0500 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: *If you are missing parts ... Re: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 In-Reply-To: <3717CCFD.F26E25A3@geocities.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" If you are missing parts to this or any story, remember you can find all posts made to this listserv at: http://listserv.indiana.edu/archives/loiscla-general-l.html The posts are archived here almost immediately after they are distributed to our mailboxes, so you don't need to wait. That will save you from having to request resends, etc. Kathy (who *really* need to put this on a macro ) ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 20:32:14 EDT Reply-To: Eraygun@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Eileen F. Ray" Subject: L&C Fanfic Writing Session Saturday, April 17, 1999 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Everyone, Skip week is over, so, we hope you can join us for our regular fanfic writing session, on Saturday, April 17, 1999. This week's premise: Dr. Klein's new colleague at Star Labs is brilliant, young, attractive, and apparently hopeless smitten with him ;). But is her romantic interest in the good doctor real or is it just a way of getting close to Superman? And if it is a ploy, who or what is behind it. We would still like to hear from you if you have any story premises of your own that you would like us to explore together. You can either email them to me at: eraygun@aol.com Or better still, just bring your ideas with you when you join us this Saturday or for our weekly "story bouncing" sessions on Wednesdays on#L&CFicOrg, starting around 9:00 PM EDT. We generally meet Saturdays starting at 3 PM EDT and try to start writing fairly soon thereafter. You can come and join the fun at any time, however. We are usually there for several hours since writing a story takes time. Since #L&CFanfic is on occasion "invite only" please message if you want to join us. If an official "inviter" is designated, we will let you know. Some of us should be hanging out on #Loiscla. A note on procedure here ;) : When people need to be caught up on the story in progress after being bounced off IRC or just joining the session late, please try and avoid pasting the story directly into the channel window. Please do that in a private message or dcc-chat window instead. Hope to see you all there! Cheers, Eileen ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 17:53:51 PDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rachel TenHaaf Subject: Re: [Closet fanfic writers] Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Well, I'm going to admit that I'm a closet fanfic writer in general. People *know* that I write, but not what it is, which is partly supported by the fact that I was published before I started writing LnC and they all saw that. Most of them don't think I should write and that I'll, as they put it, grow out of it, but they tolerate it as long as my other activities don't suffer. I only have one friend who knows that I write fanfic and she thinks I'm nuts, but loves me anyway. Isn't she sweet? :) Her boyfriend reads it too. Well, that's my bit. Rachel "Bella" rae@usXchange.net wink54321 on IRC ICQ# 36254001 _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 19:04:20 MDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: DEBRA GRAY Subject: Re: [New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 7] Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Peggy, I loved this so much that I recommended it to a whole bunch of peo= ple on IRC today, not all of whom are on this listserv, I don't think. ;) Rea= lly, this was funny, touching, universe-switching - I'm sorry, I don't have en= ough adjectives! Please keep up the good work. Debra G dlgray@usa.net Melisma on IRC ____________________________________________________________________ Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D= 1 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:17:02 PDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: genevieve mactavish Subject: Re: untiled fanfic.... thanks!!! Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Kim and I (Jeni) would like to thank all you who sent comments to us... well be sure to relay the rest of the story when we're done ;-) _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 21:26:30 EDT Reply-To: Zoomway@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/16/99 10:37:00 AM Central Daylight Time, gremlino@PATHWAY.NET writes: << I'm not sure if I'm interpreting you correctly here, Claire, but if you're saying that each fanfic creates its own universe where the characters conform to the author's own unique perspective on L & C, then I agree completely. >> For me, there's two types of continuity. There is Lois and Clark's history of events as established by the series. The show's "canon" in other words. When this established continuity is diverged from, it becomes an "Elseworld" story. A story where a "what if" creates an alternate history. For example, I recently wrote a fanfic where Lois acquires Clark's powers (Ultra Woman) in second season before she knows that Clark is Superman. This leads to the second form of continuity -- *character* continuity. The makeup of Lois or Clark's general nature, the elements that establish them as unique individuals. Personally, one thing that can instantly destroy my enjoyment of a story is having Lois and Clark written so out of character that I start saying to myself, "who *are* these people?" Even if the history/continuity parameters are changed, the "essence" of who the characters are internally should remain fundamentally true. For example, when the Clark from the alternate world's Metropolis was introduced, certain aspects of Clark's *history* had changed (the Kents died when he was ten years old, and he was engaged to Lana Lang) or aspects of his self image (low self-esteem) differed slightly, but the *truth* of "Clark Kent's" heart and soul was still there. The "Vat Man" clone raised by Lex to do his bidding and be evil, couldn't fight innate, fundamental aspects of Clark's true nature. In the end, despite all of Lex's indoctrination, the *truth* about Clark won out. This is personal taste, of course, but if Lois and Clark are so out of character that the fanfic could be titled Mickey and Minnie The New Adventures of Steamboat Willie, then I'm not interested However, if good attention is paid to the character continuity, regardless of how the history continuity might change, I'll enjoy the story. Meet Me in Kansas City, by Chris Mulder, for example, changed all the history of how Lois and Clark met, but Lois and Clark themselves remained true to their characters, and so I loved the story. I also feel the series itself had an underlying immutable spirit and truth. No matter how dark things got, or frustrating at times, good would eventually triumph over evil, love would conquer all and Lois and Clark would find a way to be together. So again, I have favorite authors who keep this spirit alive and I enjoy their fanfic immensely. When I run across a story that does not "hold these truths to be self evident" I just stop reading and move on ;) I'm not even likely to write the author and debate the issues where we differ, because again, I think that's all a matter of personal taste. Nor would I *ever* rewrite an author (an earlier thread) no matter how strongly I disagreed with her/his take on the characters or the spirit of the series. I'm not talking about someone sending a story to another writer privately, a story that hasn't been edited or posted anywhere and *asks* that fellow writer for suggestions, but rather I'm talking about a finished, edited and posted story that another writer feels compelled to arbitrarily rewrite (even if only a line of dialog) to suit his/her personal taste. Would someone walk into an art gallery and start painting over another artist's painting because he didn't like the style and thought it would look much better his way? Not without getting arrested Fanfic, though an amateur art form, *is* an art form, and so should be respected as such no matter how much anyone else might disagree with that specific writer's interpretation. Once a story is finished and posted, it's always fair to review it, analyze it, or criticize it, but it should never be seen as an opportunity to reedited and rewrite someone else's finished work. I'd never alter something another author has written and then say, "There now. Don't you think my version is better?" I should get a brick between the eyes for that and I'd deserve it! In the end, what we get out of fanfic or put into it, is all personal interpretation and taste, not unlike what we got out of the series itself as individuals. A fanfic can be mechanically well written with perfect grammar and not one mistake, but if I personally can't hear or see Lois and Clark saying and doing what is contained in that fanfic, then it won't work for me or hold my interest. Likewise, if I write something that goes against other fans' interpretations, they won't be happy with my story either. This is inevitable. There likely won't ever be a fanfic that pleases everyone, but I think that's a good thing. It means we're all pretty unique ;) Zoomway@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 22:21:17 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jedi Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:17 PM 4/16/99 +0100, you wrote: >The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst >our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to >wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell >everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like >me? > I have yet to write a L&C fanfic but I have written or at least started about 20 different fanfics. I start writing them, but I have trouble finishing them. I love reading fanfics, I have nearly 500 megs worth of stories on my computer. Tanya jedijenny on irc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 22:17:37 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-16 19:40:11 EDT, you write: << However, I did notice that parts 4 & 6 were longer than the others (36K & 25K) and on AOL, those parts may have saved as attachments instead of showing up in the email message itself. >> ALL the parts came in as attachments on AOL but part 4 was mime encoded and I can't open it! --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 22:22:18 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers Comments: To: DUNNFOUR@aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-16 19:47:04 EDT, DUNNFOUR@AOL.COM writes: << I've been so Nuts about Lois & Clark for so long... which is also why this list is so great. It is nice to be among friends! I so rarely even watch tv, that it is amazing that I became so taken with this show. The subsequent fanfiction, which so often rivals the original shows, are true opium for the addicted . LaurieD >> Oh my! The Lauries have something in common beyond their names! --Laurie (the Ord one) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 22:53:13 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today Comments: To: Zoomway@aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: The Zoomway > >This is personal taste, of course, but if Lois and Clark are so out of >character that the fanfic could be titled Mickey and Minnie The New >Adventures of Steamboat Willie, then I'm not interested This is where we differ, then. While I *prefer* stories where L & C stay in character (after all, love of L&CTNAOS is what drew me to fanfic in the first place!), I still enjoy stories where they aren't necessarily in character, or that differ from my own interpretation of their characters. A good story is a good story, no matter what. --snip-- A fanfic can be mechanically well written with perfect grammar >and not one mistake, but if I personally can't hear or see Lois and Clark >saying and doing what is contained in that fanfic, then it won't work for me >or hold my interest. Unless the writing style or grammar is so poor that it makes the story incomprehensible, bad grammar usually doesn't stop me from enjoying a fanfic. I've read many fanfics that moved me to tears or laughter because the author still managed to get his/her point acorss in spite of the poor grammar. >Likewise, if I write something that goes against other >fans' interpretations, they won't be happy with my story either. I say again (speaking only for myself!) that I've loved many, many fanfics where the author's interpretation differs from mine. Sometimes these stories have caused me to change my own interpretation, sometimes not, but either way, I still enjoyed the story! :-) Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 23:05:25 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry about all the problems receiving this fanfic, everybody. If anyone wants me to send them all or part of the story divided into smaller parts, please email me and I'll send it to you. Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 23:18:18 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sandy McDermin Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Nor would I *ever* rewrite an author (an earlier thread) no matter how > strongly I disagreed with her/his take on the characters or the spirit of the > series. I'm not talking about someone sending a story to another writer > privately, a story that hasn't been edited or posted anywhere and *asks* that > fellow writer for suggestions, but rather I'm talking about a finished, > edited and posted story that another writer feels compelled to arbitrarily > rewrite (even if only a line of dialog) to suit his/her personal taste. Would > someone walk into an art gallery and start painting over another artist's > painting because he didn't like the style and thought it would look much > better his way? Not without getting arrested This is not a museum. It's a writing list where people are learning >from each other. > Fanfic, though an amateur art form, *is* an art form, and so should be > respected as such no matter how much anyone else might disagree with that > specific writer's interpretation. Once a story is finished and posted, it's > always fair to review it, analyze it, or criticize it, but it should never be > seen as an opportunity to reedited and rewrite someone else's finished work. > I'd never alter something another author has written and then say, "There > now. Don't you think my version is better?" I should get a brick between the > eyes for that and I'd deserve it! I don't think anyone deserves to get a verbal (I hope, verbal) "brick between the eyes" for trying to be helpful. It would be my suggestion, as someone who was on the unwelcome receiving end of just such a response last September, that a FAQ be written making it clear what is and is not expected, helping to draw a distinction between this list and some other writing lists which do in fact encourage such detailed interaction. This would be a positive result to a very unfortunate occurrence and perhaps keep someone in the future, who may be used to a different milieu, from going through what I did. Sincerely, Sandy ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 06:49:49 EDT Reply-To: Zoomway@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/16/99 9:50:53 PM Central Daylight Time, gremlino@PATHWAY.NET writes: << This is where we differ, then. While I *prefer* stories where L & C stay in character (after all, love of L&CTNAOS is what drew me to fanfic in the first place!), I still enjoy stories where they aren't necessarily in character, or that differ from my own interpretation of their characters. A good story is a good story, no matter what. >> Well, I was sent some VR5 fanfic once, but I had no idea who the characters were, so it wasn't even a matter of them being interpreted by me as "right or wrong" because I never saw the show. Even though the story was well written -- *shrug* -- I had no emotional investment in these characters and so I lost interest in the story. I didn't care enough to even know how it ended. Good, bad or indifferent, I didn't *feel* anything for them. With fanfic, I want to be able to recognize the characters I fell in love with, and if I can't, then the fanfic doesn't interest me. With a non-fanfic piece of fiction, like a novel, the author introduces the characters to the reader so that the reader can learn enough about them to care about them and what happens to them. I cared about Oliver Twist and Tom Sawyer because the author introduced them to me and let me learn more and more about them as characters The series introduced Lois and Clark to me and let me learn more and more about them. It's that interpretation that I love to see in fanfic. Again, just my preference. >>>Unless the writing style or grammar is so poor that it makes the story incomprehensible, bad grammar usually doesn't stop me from enjoying a fanfic. I've read many fanfics that moved me to tears or laughter because the author still managed to get his/her point acorss in spite of the poor grammar.<<< That I'd definitely agree with. I don't care if a writer has great or less than great technical writing skills, as long as he/she writes the kind of story I love to read, I'm with that writer from the intro to "the end". Happily signing all the way ;) >>>I say again (speaking only for myself!) that I've loved many, many fanfics where the author's interpretation differs from mine. Sometimes these stories have caused me to change my own interpretation, sometimes not, but either way, I still enjoyed the story! :-)<<< Fortunately, I don't think there's going to be a right or wrong answer on this issue because it all gets down to personal taste. I don't like deathfic or stories where either Lois or Clark cheats on the other no matter how well written. It's like a friend of mine who has a severe allergy to peanuts. It wouldn't matter how magnificently you prepared a dish that contained peanuts, her reaction would be quite averse ;) In a message dated 4/16/99 10:19:11 PM Central Daylight Time, smcdermin@EROLS.COM writes: << This is not a museum. It's a writing list where people are learning from each other. >> If the scenario were changed to a library then, and someone went after the books he thought he could write better, I don't think it's much more flattering a depiction. I'm talking about *completed* stories. I'm not sure what the educational value would be of rewriting someone's finished work. It would seem to me that would only illustrate the taste of the person doing the rewriting. >>>I don't think anyone deserves to get a verbal (I hope, verbal) "brick between the eyes" for trying to be helpful. << I think "suggestions" and "rewriting" are two very different things. Especially if the work is a completed, edited story. If someone asks for rewrites, I think that's fine, but to suddenly leap in and reedit and rewrite someone's completed story seems as though neither the writer nor the editor is being respected. >>>It would be my suggestion, as someone who was on the unwelcome receiving end of just such a response last September, that a FAQ be written making it clear what is and is not expected, helping to draw a distinction between this list and some other writing lists which do in fact encourage such detailed interaction<<< I think that's true of high school writing courses as well, at least back in the dark ages when I attended But fanfic isn't a writing assignment, it's someone's creative interpretation of a source material, in this case Lois and Clark. Another writer's interpretation can't really be seen as correct or superior over someone else's, and so why rewrite them? It gets back to choice and individual taste. Like I said earlier, there's certain types of fanfic I avoid, like deathfic, because it's just not appealing to me. I don't even think I could be objective appraising one much less rewriting one. I've seen dialog that doesn't "sound" like Lois and Clark to me, but it would never occur to me to copy and paste that writer's dialog and then rewrite my version of it. Obviously it *already* sounded like Lois and Clark to *that* writer or he/she wouldn't have written it that way. It doesn't matter if it doesn't sound right to me because it's not *my* story. I don't mind someone reviewing something I've written and saying, "I don't think Lois would have said that," or "I don't think Clark would have reacted that way," because with that type of criticism, I can give reasons for the choices I made. However, when the reviewer turns into my ghost writer, I feel that person is foisting her interpretation on me, and by so doing, she isn't asking me *why* I made a certain choice, but deciding for herself that it was wrong and thus had to be rewritten. There are certain writers I will send a story out to *before* it's a completed and posted work because they have a style and take on the show and its characters that is similar to mine, and so I find their appraisals valuable for the type of story *I* like to write. I never write a story with the idea of pleasing everybody. That's just impossible. When I write a story I want it to reflect what I believe is true to *my* interpretation. Once my story is finished and posted, criticize it or even nitpick it to pieces, but do *not* rewrite it ;) I believe there are all kinds of writers on this list, but no two of us, not even those of us who are fairly like-minded in our approach, would write the same story premise in an identical manner. That's why I would never presume to rewrite someone else, and I would hope they would grant me the same respect. Zoomway@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 07:07:02 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Margaret Brignell Subject: To Critique or not to Critique? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I thought I'd jump into the fray regarding public criticiques of fanfic. Personally, I prefer to have any critique done privately. This is probably not a very "professional" attitude, but I'm *not* a professional writer. I write for fun and to give others pleasure. I do not aspire to becoming a professional writer. I correspond with people who *are* professional writers and to be perfectly honest I'd *hate* that kind of life. Being critiqued publically, for me, indicates that I'm being judged on something I never intended...being a professional writer. When I was in grade 11, a gym teacher berated me in front of the entire class because I would never become an Olympic athlete due to basic personality flaws that we won't go into here I really resented that she was judging me on standards that had no relation to *my* reality. I didn't care if this woman was an Olympic athlete (she was), I didn't care that she was my teacher (I was just grateful I didn't have her for Latin as well!) I had never expected to be, or wanted to be, an Olympic athlete. So, for me, her critique of my "work" was a waste of time. Her whole view of athletics was competition. In her view we were all supposed to prepare ourselves for local trials and then regional trials and so forth until we were trying out for the Olympics. Me, I just wanted to be able to walk the whole length of the balance beam without falling off! (Actually, I'd have preferred to have never gotten up on the balance beam at all, but that's a whole other ball of wax) As for fanfic, I just want to write a story that people enjoy. To be publically critiqued feels to me that I'm being judged on standards I had no intention of meeting in the first place. I think part of it too is that public critiques seem pointless. Once the fanfic is "published" it's a bit late to try to fix it. (I really depend on my proofers to point out as many problems as possible, so I can fix them *before* I "publish" the story:) I *much* prefer to have someone write to me privately and tell me about that boner I've made, so that the whole world doesn't know what kind of idiot I've been. If it's something easily fixable I'll do it (after I'd posted my half of SwapMeet to Debby's site, Phil Atcliffe pointed out that one phrase I'd used implied the exact opposite of what I'd intended, so I revised that one sentence). If it's not easily fixable, I just hope and pray that no-one else finds me out To give you another one of my food analogies (stop groaning) it's kind of like you've spent the whole afternoon preparing dinner for twelve, only to be told in front of the whole group, that you really should cook your spinach with ginger, it tastes *so* much better. The spinach is already cooked and there to be eaten. A "better" way of cooking spinach might be useful for the *next* meal, but pointing it out in front of the group at this one seems pointless and sadistic. Coming to me after the meal, and telling that it was great, but had I thought about using ginger rather than garlic with my spinach, would be much more helpful and less embarressing all round. I write fanfic. If you like my story that's great, I'd love to hear from you:) If you've found a problem with my fanfic please write to me privately, and we can discuss it! But, *please*, if you're going to critique me publically, at least give me a chance to tell you *why* I cook my spinach with garlic *before* you go public:) Margaret ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:50:05 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: NKWolke Subject: Re: VD vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Hi Folcs :-) Kathy your mail lists exact *my* arguments for my opinion that Lois was the one who wanted to wait. And actually in your story "winners" you offer the IMO most logical explanation for their hesitation to be intimate, along with some parts of Gorn's stories. There's one sentence in in Gorn's "going, going, gone" that kind of sums it all up for me. She writes: "But Clark understood the woman he loved well enough to know that for Lois, her moments of greatest abandon were her moments of greatest vulnerability." I took Lois bad experiences as a reason for her being "skittish" and the conversation in Virtually Destroyed manifested this opinion. It's the only time we hear them talk about it and obviously it was clearly Lois who hesitated so far and behaved "skittish". But my friends had other arguments which I couldn't deny either. For example they said that in the relationship as a whole Lois is almost always the one who makes the first step. She's the one who throws her fears aside and confronts him in WWW, she initiates all those conversations about him running away, she throws herself in his arms in JSN so enthusiastically that he almost looses his balance , she is the one who brings up the conversation about 'the thing'and finally she's the one who intitiates those kisses which lead to the bed-tumbling-scene in VD. The other Folcs saw this as a clue that she's a very passionate person and that she, as far as Clark is concerned, follows her heart and not her brain. Another argument was that they didn't want to see Lois as some kind of "psycho" who's licking her wounds in that new relationship with Clark. One of my arguements was for example that Clark says in OP: "It's not the m-word that makes it forever for me Lois. My love is forever, because... because it just *is*." For me that showed that Clark didn't wait for marriage, but for being "sure" and with Lois he was. But my friends found that it would show a wrong picture of Lois' love for Clark if we let him be sure and her be careful. Her love for him is as big as his own, once she made her decision to marry him she's as comitted to him as he is to her. So their view of that conversation in VD was a little bit different. In their opinion Lois maybe was skittish so far, but the fact that she brought up the topic showed for them that she wanted progress in that department of their relationship. There seemed to be no compromise. Neither of the parties were able to live with the other side's opinion until I wrote this vignette. Suddenly I thought that we made a way too big deal about the question . Maybe all the reasons we found were responsible for the *conversation* in VD, but not for the waiting afterwards? VD aired at the beginning of December, right? And the wedding was planned for February 11th. That is not such a *very* long time to wait, is it? What if they just made a mutual decision, because they thought it was romantic and because they wanted to make their wedding-night something special? BTW, Ann, thank you for your kind words about my English. You're right, writing directly in English *is* easier for me, but since I could never express myself as good in English as I can in German, I naturally write most of my stories in my native language and only occasional try to translate them. take care Nicole AKA CKgroupie on IRC NKWolke@t-online.de ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:50:07 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: NKWolke Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Hey Folcs :-) I'm definitely a non-closet fanfic writer. My whole family and all my close friends know about it. I'm in the lucky position to be the "weirdo" anyway, so people just look at my Lois & Clark obsession with a kind eye like "Our Nicoletta is so weird, but in a funny way." They don't pay too much attention to it. My Mom has read my stories (and her comment was: "Couldn't you write something to make money with?"), my husband had to read at least one of my stories (and his comment was: "Nice, but too much of this Lois&Clark sh.." Isn't he a Darling?) and finally my best friend has read my stories, too. At least she liked them! She actually said that if the TC-series had a little bit more Lois&Clark and less of the "stupid Gangsters" she would have watched it, too! take care Nicole (*I* don't think I'm weird btw, I feel perfectly normal.) AKA CKgroupie on IRC NKWolke@t-online.de ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 14:46:12 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eileen Barnard Subject: Re: Groundhog Revelation Day MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sarah wood wrote < I agree - I think this would make a really great Round Robin fanfic - how about all you great writers out there think about it. I would love to read it and I think it could turn out to be really funny. I hope you will think about it. Kind regards Eileen B eileen@barnard70.freeserve.co.uk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 15:07:14 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eileen Barnard Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Margaret I have read your EMail and I have to agree that any kind of critique should be done in private. I think personally that criticism, whether constructive or otherwise, is almost always best dealt with in private and not aired to the public. However, praise is another thing, because when FoLCs air the praises of a particular piece of fanfiction that has been published on the list or in the archives, then this is very often a way of getting your fanfiction read by as many people as possible. I loved the story about the spinach as it reminded me of a girl I work with. She didn't agree with something that one of my other co-workers had said. She berated him in quite a nasty and thoughtless way in front of everybody in the office, belittling his opinions and forcing hers onto everyone. I pointed out privately to her that perhaps it would have been better to have spoken to the other person privately instead of holding him up to ridicule in front of everyone else. Her reply was, I thought quite brutal in that "it does people good to be embarrassed once in a while." Good for whom? I pointed out that it wasn't just our co-worker who had been embarrassed but that the rest of us had been just as embarrassed. Needless to say, the best day for me was when she was transferred to another department and I didn't have to put up with her crass behaviour any more. With kindest regards Eileen B eileen@barnard70.freeserve.co.uk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 09:53:30 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Groundhog Revelation Day MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/16/99 5:46:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, SarahWood@COMPUSERVE.COM writes: << > I've often thought that ABC should do a "Groundhog Day" of Lois revelations, with Clark being forced to repeat the revelation over and over again until he finally gets it right! << >> What a terrific idea. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 10:46:44 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: VD vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/17/99 7:51:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time, NKWolke@T-ONLINE.DE writes: << but since I could never express myself as good in English as I can in German, I naturally write most of my stories in my native language and only occasional try to translate them. >> Now that you have let us English speakers read one of your stories, I have a request. Could you please share more with us when you get the time to translate or find someone else to translate them? I'm sure most of us would love to read more. I would go to the German site, but I only know French, and my son who is learning German is NOT sympathetic to my Lois and Clark addiction. (even though he is the one who introduced me to the show in the first place.) Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 10:52:41 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sandy McDermin Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > In a message dated 4/16/99 10:19:11 PM Central Daylight Time, > smcdermin@EROLS.COM writes: > > << This is not a museum. It's a writing list where people are learning > from each other. >> > > If the scenario were changed to a library then, and someone went after the > books he thought he could write better, I don't think it's much more > flattering a depiction. I'm talking about *completed* stories. I'm not sure > what the educational value would be of rewriting someone's finished work. It > would seem to me that would only illustrate the taste of the person doing the > rewriting. I'm not sure the analogy fits very well. Completed, published work is reviewed everyday -- sometimes in great detail. Just look on Amazon, book magazines within newspapers, daily newspapers, book groups across America, a conversation between two people who have read the same novel, etc. But, is this list similar to that? Well, since I've always considered the list a place for writers to post fanfic, discuss it, discuss fanfic writing, and writing generally, I think it is different -- or I hoped so. Most of us don't get to see 99.9 percent of L&C stories written until they're publicly posted. So, any constructive conversations which might have occurred on the vast majority of stories, can't -- except between the author and the reader in private. There are many conversations which could (and should) be public, enriching the entire list and helping everyone with their writing, rather than keeping the discussion amongst a small group. You keep referring to "rewriting others to make them sound like someone else," but that's not the purpose at all. The point is to share writing skills eminating from our various backgrounds and abilities and (in my case) pathetic education in english -- to discuss sentence construction, plot development, phraseology, whatever. Not to say, I'm right and the author is wrong, but to say, this is something I've either read, done, or am trying to work on in my own writing -- this is what I might have done with this passage or story. What do you think? Why did you write it this way or that? (And, hopefully the response isn't verbal abuse.) > >>>I don't think anyone deserves to get a verbal (I hope, verbal) "brick > between the eyes" for trying to be helpful. << > > I think "suggestions" and "rewriting" are two very different things. > Especially if the work is a completed, edited story. If someone asks for > rewrites, I think that's fine, but to suddenly leap in and reedit and rewrite > someone's completed story seems as though neither the writer nor the editor > is being respected. Well, I don't think interaction between writers, trying to work with each other to improve their writing is disrespectful. It seems to me, we should respect each others intentions, motivations, and trust each other to be open and honest about each other's work without being viewed as destructive. > >>>It would be my suggestion, > as someone who was on the unwelcome receiving end of just such a > response last September, that a FAQ be written making it clear what is > and is not expected, helping to draw a distinction between this list and > some other writing lists which do in fact encourage such detailed > interaction<<< > > I think that's true of high school writing courses as well, at least back in > the dark ages when I attended I'm sorry I don't understand your point. Are you saying the suggestion is high-schoolish? But fanfic isn't a writing assignment, > it's someone's creative interpretation of a source material, in this case > Lois and Clark. Another writer's interpretation can't really be seen as > correct or superior over someone else's, and so why rewrite them? It gets > back to choice and individual taste. Like I said earlier, there's certain > types of fanfic I avoid, like deathfic, because it's just not appealing to > me. I don't even think I could be objective appraising one much less > rewriting one. As I said above, it's not about rewriting people. Everytime I've made comments on someone's story -- detailed or general, in private or in public -- I'm not rewriting the author. I'm saying these are the questions I have about your story, this is the way I might have done it -- not because I'm better than you and you should immediately change your work, but because I want to know why you did it your way. And, what do you think of my way? Maybe you can teach me something that I can use in my writing. As for avoiding certain types of fic, I don't *generally* do that. I read certain types of fic more readily than others. And, I evaluate them all in the same manner. This has been my error. > I've seen dialog that doesn't "sound" like Lois and Clark to me, but it would > never occur to me to copy and paste that writer's dialog and then rewrite my > version of it. Obviously it *already* sounded like Lois and Clark to *that* > writer or he/she wouldn't have written it that way. It doesn't matter if it > doesn't sound right to me because it's not *my* story. I don't mind someone > reviewing something I've written and saying, "I don't think Lois would have > said that," or "I don't think Clark would have reacted that way," because > with that type of criticism, I can give reasons for the choices I made. > However, when the reviewer turns into my ghost writer, I feel that person is > foisting her interpretation on me, and by so doing, she isn't asking me *why* > I made a certain choice, but deciding for herself that it was wrong and thus > had to be rewritten. Well, if someone says to a writer, "I don't think Lois would have said that," or "I don't think Clark would have reacted that way," they are voicing a disagreement in interpretation -- whether you want to label that as calling the author wrong or not. What I try to do in order to be constructive is not just say, I don't think this paragraph works well, e.g., that it's a bit unwieldy or whatever. But I try to give an example of what I mean. The author can disagree (as many have and many will) and give reasons for the choices they've made *if they so choose* or completely ignore it. But, it's definitely not a call "to man your battle stations." > There are certain writers I will send a story out to *before* it's a > completed and posted work because they have a style and take on the show and > its characters that is similar to mine, and so I find their appraisals > valuable for the type of story *I* like to write. I never write a story with > the idea of pleasing everybody. That's just impossible. When I write a story > I want it to reflect what I believe is true to *my* interpretation. Once my > story is finished and posted, criticize it or even nitpick it to pieces, but > do *not* rewrite it ;) I believe there are all kinds of writers on this > list, but no two of us, not even those of us who are fairly like-minded in > our approach, would write the same story premise in an identical manner. > That's why I would never presume to rewrite someone else, and I would hope > they would grant me the same respect. I would hope, too, that when someone does post comments on a story -- no matter what the detail -- they be given the benefit of the doubt about their intentions. There are different ways of looking at and doing things, including commenting on stories or interacting with other writers. As you say, people are not the same. Instead of assuming the worst of them -- especially amongst a small community who have been interacting for years -- it might be more conducive to continued goodwill if everyone be a little kinder and less personal in their words -- at least publicly. No more bricks between the eyes, I appeal to you. Sandy ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:45:09 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey guys! Been following this one with interest and I think, Sandy, that you're missing the point of what Zoom is saying. You can slap me down for that one if you like, (you can too, Zoom, if you don't mean anything of the sort! ) but it just seems to me that the both of you are saying the same thing and aren't really at the cross purposes you seem to think you are. I don't think that Zoom is disagreeing with you, Sandy, about constructive criticism or responding to posted stories with helpful comment - or any of the other things you mention below with much more eloquence than I could here. What Zoom means by rewriting (I presume - treading very carefully here before I get accused of rewriting your posts, Zoom ;) is someone writing their own story which changes a story written previously by a fellow author because they think the original author didn't do it the 'correct' way, then posts it without asking the original author first and publicly tells everyone that it's been written 'right' now. And I agree with her that that is a completely different thing to the kind of examples of helpful suggestions and critiques that you mention below. I agree with *you* that discussion and criticism of posted stories and skill sharing on this list is healthy and helpful to the writer. The point I'm making is that I think Zoom does too. At least, that's what I'm getting from her posts. I don't find anything in what she's saying that says she thinks there shouldn't be discussion on the list or privately between an author and those who read the fanfic. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. And you're entitled to voice them. Personally, I'm of the opinion as regards my own fanfic, that if you put your work out in the public arena then you have to accept that people are going to discuss it publicly. That's just the way the cookie crumbles, IMHO. And I'll take any opinion - good or otherwise, public or private - it's all grist to the mill and all helpful, whether I agree with it or not. Which isn't to say that I wouldn't be mightily ticked if I was skimming through the Archive looking for fanfic and discovered someone had rewritten my story without bothering to mention it to me in passing because although they liked the idea, it hadn't been written correctly. In other words, it hadn't been written the way *they* would have written it. Well, naturally not. They *didn't* write it. As Zoom has mentioned, give 20 writers the same plot idea and you'll come out with 20 different stories, no two the same. None of them will be wrong. Just different. It's being told that you did it wrong, not that someone has a varying opinion that is just as valid as yours was that sticks in the craw. 20 writers could rewrite my stories and I wouldn't give two hoots.....so long as they acknowledged that my version was as worthy and as true to the characters as theirs is and that all of us are equally 'right'. And all other considerations aside, I still think it's just plain polite to mention it to the original author before you post. It's a plain matter of common manners to me. Anyway, sorry to butt in and I may be completely skewed in these perceptions, but I'm sure you'll both mention that if I am. :D I just think you're in more harmony than you're assuming you are. The following passage >from your posts (and forgive me for moving it out of context here) Zoom wrote: >> I think "suggestions" and "rewriting" are two very different things. >> Especially if the work is a completed, edited story. If someone asks for >> rewrites, I think that's fine, but to suddenly leap in and reedit and rewrite >> someone's completed story seems as though neither the writer nor the editor >> is being respected. And Sandy responded: >Well, I don't think interaction between writers, trying to work with >each other to improve their writing is disrespectful. It seems to me, >we should respect each others intentions, motivations, and trust each >other to be open and honest about each other's work without being viewed >as destructive. ......seems to me to be a perfect example. From way back in the peanut gallery here, you both seem to be saying the same thing. Your 'interaction between writers', Sandy, is equal to Zoom's 'suggestions'. There's no contradiction there between both opinions. And the latter half of Zoom's comment, about rewriting and reworking a completed work is clearly a different kettle of fish entirely. You, Sandy, seem to acknowledge just that in your latter statements - which, again, I agree with - when you say that the author you yourself send suggestions to has the final choice on whether they accept those suggestions or not. Clearly you seem to hold the same views on that as Zoom does. The author can't have the final say if someone doesn't mail them with the suggestion, but writes it into a brand new story and posts it instead without mentioning it because they think what the original author did was 'wrong'. Anyway, for what it's worth......I agree with both of you and thank you both for your eloquently expressed opinions on the subject. :D LabRat :) > << This is not a museum. It's a writing list where people are learning >> from each other. >> >> >> If the scenario were changed to a library then, and someone went after the >> books he thought he could write better, I don't think it's much more >> flattering a depiction. I'm talking about *completed* stories. I'm not sure >> what the educational value would be of rewriting someone's finished work. It >> would seem to me that would only illustrate the taste of the person doing the >> rewriting. > >I'm not sure the analogy fits very well. Completed, published work is >reviewed everyday -- sometimes in great detail. Just look on Amazon, >book magazines within newspapers, daily newspapers, book groups across >America, a conversation between two people who have read the same novel, >etc. > >But, is this list similar to that? Well, since I've always considered >the list a place for writers to post fanfic, discuss it, discuss fanfic >writing, and writing generally, I think it is different -- or I hoped >so. Most of us don't get to see 99.9 percent of L&C stories written >until they're publicly posted. So, any constructive conversations which >might have occurred on the vast majority of stories, can't -- except >between the author and the reader in private. There are many >conversations which could (and should) be public, enriching the entire >list and helping everyone with their writing, rather than keeping the >discussion amongst a small group. > >You keep referring to "rewriting others to make them sound like someone >else," but that's not the purpose at all. The point is to share writing >skills eminating from our various backgrounds and abilities and (in my >case) pathetic education in english -- to discuss sentence construction, >plot development, phraseology, whatever. Not to say, I'm right and the >author is wrong, but to say, this is something I've either read, done, >or am trying to work on in my own writing -- this is what I might have >done with this passage or story. What do you think? Why did you write >it this way or that? (And, hopefully the response isn't verbal abuse.) > > >> >>>I don't think anyone deserves to get a verbal (I hope, verbal) "brick >> between the eyes" for trying to be helpful. << >> > > >> >>>It would be my suggestion, >> as someone who was on the unwelcome receiving end of just such a >> response last September, that a FAQ be written making it clear what is >> and is not expected, helping to draw a distinction between this list and >> some other writing lists which do in fact encourage such detailed >> interaction<<< >> >> I think that's true of high school writing courses as well, at least back in >> the dark ages when I attended > >I'm sorry I don't understand your point. Are you saying the suggestion >is high-schoolish? > > > But fanfic isn't a writing assignment, >> it's someone's creative interpretation of a source material, in this case >> Lois and Clark. Another writer's interpretation can't really be seen as >> correct or superior over someone else's, and so why rewrite them? It gets >> back to choice and individual taste. Like I said earlier, there's certain >> types of fanfic I avoid, like deathfic, because it's just not appealing to >> me. I don't even think I could be objective appraising one much less >> rewriting one. > >As I said above, it's not about rewriting people. Everytime I've made >comments on someone's story -- detailed or general, in private or in >public -- I'm not rewriting the author. I'm saying these are the >questions I have about your story, this is the way I might have done it >-- not because I'm better than you and you should immediately change >your work, but because I want to know why you did it your way. And, >what do you think of my way? Maybe you can teach me something that I >can use in my writing. > >As for avoiding certain types of fic, I don't *generally* do that. I >read certain types of fic more readily than others. And, I evaluate >them all in the same manner. This has been my error. > > >> I've seen dialog that doesn't "sound" like Lois and Clark to me, but it would >> never occur to me to copy and paste that writer's dialog and then rewrite my >> version of it. Obviously it *already* sounded like Lois and Clark to *that* >> writer or he/she wouldn't have written it that way. It doesn't matter if it >> doesn't sound right to me because it's not *my* story. I don't mind someone >> reviewing something I've written and saying, "I don't think Lois would have >> said that," or "I don't think Clark would have reacted that way," because >> with that type of criticism, I can give reasons for the choices I made. >> However, when the reviewer turns into my ghost writer, I feel that person is >> foisting her interpretation on me, and by so doing, she isn't asking me *why* >> I made a certain choice, but deciding for herself that it was wrong and thus >> had to be rewritten. > >Well, if someone says to a writer, "I don't think Lois would have said >that," or "I don't think Clark would have reacted that way," they are >voicing a disagreement in interpretation -- whether you want to label >that as calling the author wrong or not. > >What I try to do in order to be constructive is not just say, I don't >think this paragraph works well, e.g., that it's a bit unwieldy or >whatever. But I try to give an example of what I mean. The author can >disagree (as many have and many will) and give reasons for the choices >they've made *if they so choose* or completely ignore it. But, it's >definitely not a call "to man your battle stations." > > >> There are certain writers I will send a story out to *before* it's a >> completed and posted work because they have a style and take on the show and >> its characters that is similar to mine, and so I find their appraisals >> valuable for the type of story *I* like to write. I never write a story with >> the idea of pleasing everybody. That's just impossible. When I write a story >> I want it to reflect what I believe is true to *my* interpretation. Once my >> story is finished and posted, criticize it or even nitpick it to pieces, but >> do *not* rewrite it ;) I believe there are all kinds of writers on this >> list, but no two of us, not even those of us who are fairly like-minded in >> our approach, would write the same story premise in an identical manner. >> That's why I would never presume to rewrite someone else, and I would hope >> they would grant me the same respect. > >I would hope, too, that when someone does post comments on a story -- no >matter what the detail -- they be given the benefit of the doubt about >their intentions. There are different ways of looking at and doing >things, including commenting on stories or interacting with other >writers. As you say, people are not the same. Instead of assuming the >worst of them -- especially amongst a small community who have been >interacting for years -- it might be more conducive to continued >goodwill if everyone be a little kinder and less personal in their words >-- at least publicly. No more bricks between the eyes, I appeal to you. > >Sandy > ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 12:04:55 EDT Reply-To: JuliHale@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Juli E. Hale" Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey Y'all! (I'm from Tennessee :-)) I just thought that I would jump in on this thread. I enjoy reading every Lois and Clark fanfic that I can get my hands on, so I obviously don't have the time to critique every one of them--or that's all I would get done. However, every once in a while, a fic touches or amazes or inspires me in a way that makes me want to let the author know. In that instance, I usually post to the list--if for no other reason than to draw everyone else's attention to what I've found. I guess what I'm getting around to is that this list is for the discussion of fanfiction, and therefore if someone posts their fic to it, then it is my assumption that they are opening themselves up to a public critique. Isn't that part of what the list is for--to help/guide/discuss the items posted? (Unless, of course, they stated their preference in the introduction.) If posted to the fanfic archive only, perhaps that author should recieve critique privately. Hoping that made sense, Juli :-) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 11:24:06 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Farah Meitzen Chisham Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I believe there are different types of critiques: 1. Making fun of in a way to purposefully do damage. 2. Saying it "just plain sucked" in either not so many words, or too many words. 3. Flaming. 4. Saying: "I loved the part when.... I just wish Lois/Clark/other character didn't react that way, I wish they would have...." or "I think could have described this particular scene better by..." 5. Publically speaking out when it's not a constructive comment. I'm sure I missed a few and some may overlap, but some good critique is necessary and it is what gives us other fanfic writers ideas on how to develope parts of characters or a story line. Not all critique is bad. When you post something on a list for 300+ people to read, some of their comments may not seem positive, but it is hard to read tones of voices by just typing them out. NOTE to readers: If the person does NOT put : "Comments are welcomed" at the bottom of their story, it may be a good idea not to post something like "The beginning was terrible..." NOTE to writers: If you do put "Comments are welcomed" at the bottom of your story, read them with an attitude that you'll think about it the next time you write a particular story. And if you don't care and think the idea is stupid, either post saying, "I wanted to write it this way because..." OR trash the message :). I, on one hand, love to read comments from authors why they wrote a scene/character their way because I tend to enjoy the fanfic more. I makes me climb inside their mind to see their ideas. Also, no one should flame anyone publically. If you don't think it'll be constructive and may come across as a "meanie post"; rewrite it. Please. If all critiques of stories were to be done privately, I wouldn't learn a thing. I suggest to the authors that want private email to post something like "Comments are welcomed at me@here.com." or "Private comments are welcomed." At 07:07 AM 4/17/99 -0400, you wrote: >I thought I'd jump into the fray regarding public criticiques of fanfic. >Personally, I prefer to have any critique done privately. farah :) farah@chisham.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:59:06 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Demona (Angel Of The Night)" Subject: Re: Writing Criticism/Rewriting In-Reply-To: <2da60576.2449c14d@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" First of all, I've been following this thread on the list for a while now, and I have to say, I tend to agree with Zoom, for the most part. I think we've (all of us) fallen in love with Lois & Clark and have very personal opinions on how we prefer to see their characters written, or their stories unfold tangentially to the series. I also think (and I've said this and been flamed for this in the past ;P), that in so far as the actual *process* of writing is concerned, a writer of fiction really should get everything out of them *creatively* first, and then worry about the mechanics of it, later. That, of course, is my opinion only. But it is a concept which I've watched help so many potential writers out there actually discover that they _did_ have a tremendous amount to offer with their work, where before they'd always been told they "couldn't write". Because they weren't following someone else' mould. Zoom said: <> I so completely agree with that. A lack of perfection in mechanics is not a reason (to my mind) to put a cork in a person's ideas and imagination until they've come out a perfect clone of someone's English professor. There is much to be said for clarity and for our 'woefully inadequate schooling system' out there -- however those are issues which I feel can very easily fall moot when the concept of 'FANfic' arises. Truly, within the realm of fanfiction, some of us want to be incredible, perhaps even 'professional' writers eventually. But there is no such thing as a PROFESSIONAL FANFIC AUTHOR And there are also others of us (especially many first time authors) who have a difficult enough time simply translating our emotions and ideas into words, that to have to deal with a mechanical slam in the face later on, or a 'rewrite' for that matter, is enough to send that person *and* their ideas, scurrying away in search of safety. Where's the benefit in that, ultimately? Writing taps our souls! As any artform, it needs to be released so that the ideas get out there, no matter how awkward it may initially be, and so that a writer *can* begin to grow. I don't think we need to REWRITE other people's work, especially if we 'disagree' with what it says, I think we need to discuss it, and to ask the author questions. Approaching other people's creative work is a delicate artform in and of itself ;) I hope you'll all permit me to use an example within another artform that I'm very close to. When I direct a show (simply for example), I don't physically place my actor's bodies in the position(s) I'd like them to be in, nor do I speak their lines for them first and expect them to imitate my voice and intonation. I'm the director, I COULD do whatever I wanted to do, but *as* a director, I don't feel it's my responsibility to act every role in the show Some directors do, but I would argue.. not the good ones. ;) So, I ask my actors questions. They're artists in and of themselves. I want; I *need* for them to make their own discoveries. One cannot discount those very *important* elements which each individual brings to any piece of work... or you'll never truly see what that piece of art *could* have become. Likewise... Sandy Wrote: <> I don't think one should rewrite another author's story at all, even if you think you're simply trying to exchange your opinion with theirs in that particular way. You cannot structure your 'exchange' in the form of redoing that person's work (or a portion thereof) without steamrolling their essence in the piece. That is the 'painting over another artist's canvas' metaphor which, I believe, Zoom was referring to. That is also why it's wrong. Whether an author chooses to post a 'draft' of their work to a list for comments and ideas, or chooses to send it to personal editors who share their story visions and can assist them in matching whatever misplaced mechanics might exist -- the very basis of their work, their *ideas* are still something which I personally feel we need to respect, especially on this list. Discuss them: Certainly. Debate them: Absolutely. But not rewrite them; not within the contect of the author's own original piece. At 06:49 AM 17/04/1999 EDT, Zoomway wrote: >I was sent some VR5 fanfic once, but I had no idea who the characters >were, so it wasn't even a matter of them being interpreted by me as "right or >wrong" because I never saw the show. Even though the story was well written >-- *shrug* -- I had no emotional investment in these characters and so I lost >interest in the story. I didn't care enough to even know how it ended. Good, >bad or indifferent, I didn't *feel* anything for them. >With fanfic, I want to be able to recognize the characters I fell in love >with, and if I can't, then the fanfic doesn't interest me. With a non-fanfic >piece of fiction, like a novel, the author introduces the characters to the >reader so that the reader can learn enough about them to care about them and >what happens to them. I also agree with this, I think the key is in whether or not an author actually does do at least a measure of character creation in their story. As fanfic authors, many of us rely heavily on the fact that 99% of our readers will have all the backstory they need to enjoy our work. We often begin in the middle and never have to worry about the rest. ;) If, for example, the author who wrote your VR5 story had not relied on the fans already knowing who his/her characters were, you might have had a different opinion of the piece, perhaps. I say this because even when we write fanfiction, some of us create completely new characters in addition to (Lois & Clark) -- and when we do that, fans may even come to love those characters as well. ;) As a fan author myself, the concept of 'new characters vs. established characters' is something which I've encountered in more than one series forum. And I do feel that it's ironic you mentioned this; it's made me decide to do something I've never done before and would never normally do: Post a portion of a fan letter on this list. Every time I get feedback from people who let me know they've been moved in whatever small way by something I've written is an extremely gratifying moment for me, as I'm sure it is for a great many authors who share their work, especially as fans. However, this particular letter touched me as a fanfic author in a completely new and undiscovered way because of the fact that it was written by someone who never watches the show I'd written for! ;) This letter, before I quote it, has been edited to leave out the nature of the series it speaks of, as well as the person who wrote it, suffice it to say that it's a direct example of what Zoom was speaking of above, only perhaps, in reverse. I am not posting it in order to disagree with her point (as I already mentioned, I do primarily agree). I'm posting it because it fits in so exactly with what she's said. This fan doesn't generally read other work beyond her primary show interest(s) either, and for the exact same reasons Zoom spoke of. ;) LETTER PORTION: < ...I am [enjoying this] much more than I thought I would originally considering I didn't watch the show or know much about any of this. The imagery is incredible! This whole creative writing process is also still very amazing to me - to see the work unfold. My hat is off to you and all the writers out there. How much of you goes into each of these stories you write? Where do the concepts come from? Do you visualize your ideas or do they just kind of come to you? I guess never having this ability - it just simply astounds me, what you all do! >> For the very reason that fanfiction is generally such a focussed medium in just the way Zoom outlined, having been able to read this letter was very special for me, as an author. I think there *is* the potential out there to enjoy other fan 'series' work without knowing the characters from television or film, if the author works to build a modicum of character backstory in any given piece, and if the premise of the story is a universal one. Of course, it's not the same to create a new character as it is to do a little recall on the backstory of an already established character, but I think that can be acheived. I also think it doesn't happen very often because most fans write for their own group. Indeed, fanfic authors are often more than content with reaching their own people primarily, they don't need or want any more than that. That's natural and normal and perfectly right as far as I'm concerned. However.. I do think it's *possible* to bridge the gap, if an author really wants to do it. Now then, that's enough of a book from me, I'll grab my hat and end it there. ;) Take Care All, Demi ___________________________________________ Demi aka Demona nightangel@home.com http://fantasia.simplenet.com/lcfantasy/ "Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember.." - 'Anastasia' (excerpt: 'Once Upon A December') I went to the doctor, I went to the mountain. I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain. There's more than one answer to these questions, pointing me in a crooked line. The less I seek my source for some definitive The closer I am to fine. - Indigo Girls ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:33:43 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: New FanFic -- Loises and Clarks, Spoilers! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email No complaints from me. I just have to share what a great fanfic this is! It will definitely be on my list of nominees for Kerths 2000. I think that the way you used Martha to straighten out Clark's attitude concerning the Alt-Clark was perfect. Implied with no detail. I can just hear in my head the tongue lashing she probably gave him! As a detailist I have a hard time just implying things, I want to explain it all. So I admire your ability to pull it off. I had a hard time reading it without LOL in some parts. (I was reading this at work while I waited for the dancing pixels on my computer screen to tell me that it was ready for my attention.) This sounds like a part one of two story. If so you have a waiting audience. MR. D8A A.K.A. James Proverbs 3:5-6 Stuck working on a Saturday watching the dancing pixels on three different computers. The other two are dancing while I type on this one. Please visit and explore my house at: http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 15:37:56 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: ninety-six and i planted poppies Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers << The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like me? >> I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments on this question, and now I've finally found some time to share my own. Nearly all of my friends and immediate family (parents, brother) know that I write fanfic. I've also explained it to a few acquaintances and they've been surprisingly understanding about it (and I hope they aren't laughing behind my back later ;) I've even shared some fanfic with a former English professor of mine. Initially, my family wasn't too enthusiastic about it. (Heck, my brother still isn't, but that's probably mostly because it's important to me, so he feels he has to devalue it- typical younger brother ;) After my mom actually read what I wrote, though, she came to respect it a bit more. I think once she saw it wasn't a passing phase, she began to accept it since it was important to me. As for my friends, many are just shocked that I'd (voluntarily) write 100+ page stories, for fun! -Christy kubitc@kenyon.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:20:18 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Attachments Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Is there or is there not a rule against sending attachments to the list? Because the fanfic "Loises & Clarks" is showing up in my box as both tex= t and attached files, and the attached files are giving my mailer absolute fits -- I've been trying for the past 40 minutes to download my mail, wit= h very little success. It may be a terrific fanfic, but it's not endearing= itself to me at the moment. Maybe it's just my poor antiquated mail program, but I'm also just ornery enough to think that we should stick to text on principal; that makes the posts accessible to the widest amount of people. = Some people also send their posts as HTML files, which I can't read witho= ut a whole lot of trouble, so I delete those. Now, I'm not assuming that anyone cares a whole lot but I thought I'd mention it for those who just have Netscape (or whatever) set to a default and have been assuming that everyone out here could handle those. PJ who's getting enough sleep, really... !^NavFont02F03150006MGHHJ^AC2E ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 16:53:23 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sandy McDermin Subject: Fanfic Bloopers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Someone recently mentioned the excellent term "fanfic bloopers" which reminded me of something I thought I'd share. I've been receiving both public and private feedback on "Little Man, Super" and enjoying every single sentence of it, but there were two comments which particularly got me scrambling to go back and see what in the world I had written -- one was drawing my attention to an out-and-out error but the other was quite interesting. Comment #1 (otherwise christened by me, "my Y2K problem"): >I'm about 1/3 the way through your newest story. I'm enjoying it >tremendously so far! The reason I'm writing is because there is one >*glaring* typo right at the beginning that I simply can't ignore and >*must* tell you about. I hope you don't mind. It's simple, really. I >quote below: >> Lois leveled a deadpan look, quickly dismissing his Pollyanna >>prediction. "As I said Clark, this isn't funny, nor is it Kansas. This >>is the 1990s in the suburbs of Metropolis. When your parents were >>raising you, there was no such person as Superman. No one had even >>dreamt that anyone could do what you do. What's more, no one was >>looking to make a connection between you and super powers. We don't >>have that luxury. You've heard the rumors. If anyone saw Jonny do >>*anything* -- anything at all -- all of this talk we've been trying to >>laugh off would suddenly become very serious -- most of all for him," >>she concluded in a sudden rush, waving toward their levitating son. >My problem is the reference to the 1990's. Given that Jonny is what, >seven years old?, this story would have to take place in the next >century, not in this one. :-) >So...I'm suggesting you change the 1990's reference to 'the 21st >century', or something like that. >You're probably thinking that I shouldn't get hung up on something like >this, but I *really* like what Lois says here, and I don't want your >reader to fall out of the story--that is, have their little suspenders of >disbelief slip off their shoulders, as happened to me. :-) Well, not only did *that* reader fall out of her suspenders, but so did I. (Real swift, McDermin. You were never very good at simple math.) I corrected that one as quickly as I could get Genevieve to ignore her family to post my change. ********** Comment #2 (the "hmm" blooper): >One thing in your story bothered me. When Clark finds Jonny at >Francie's apartment, she asks him how he found them. Clark tells her that >Bibbo sent him, but Clark wasn't at Bibbo's, Superman was. I have a feeling >you know this, but I'm not sure what your intention was. And I responded: >Actually, XXXX, I had no particular intention. I think we can call it >a mistake, but let's call it Clark's mistake and not mine..... >I wonder if anyone else will spot this. Good job. *********** However, the more I considered this second "catch," the more I thought, "what a great blooper!" Not only might Clark, being "only human," make such a mistake, but it also could make for an interesting follow-up story *if* the Francie character ever paused to think, "Well, Clark Kent said *he* got the information on my whereabouts from Bibbo, but Bibbo says he gave *Superman* the info." It made me stop and wonder whether I should even correct this blooper for I think it actually adds something very human (okay, it's *my* humanity, but I'll let Clark borrow it) to the story. So, have any of you ever made a blooper which enhanced a story rather than detracted from it, making you think, "hmm, not a *bad* mistake, after all?" Sandy smcdermin@erols.com http://www.erols.com/nightsky/Sandy/ ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 17:42:57 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Attachments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry, Pam, and anyone else who's having problems. This is my fault; some of my emails were too large. My apologies. Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net -----Original Message----- From: Pam Jernigan To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Date: Saturday, April 17, 1999 4:18 PM Subject: Attachments Is there or is there not a rule against sending attachments to the list? Because the fanfic "Loises & Clarks" is showing up in my box as both text and attached files, and the attached files are giving my mailer absolute fits -- I've been trying for the past 40 minutes to download my mail, with very little success. It may be a terrific fanfic, but it's not endearing itself to me at the moment. Maybe it's just my poor antiquated mail program, but I'm also just ornery enough to think that we should stick to text on principal; that makes the posts accessible to the widest amount of people. Some people also send their posts as HTML files, which I can't read without a whole lot of trouble, so I delete those. Now, I'm not assuming that anyone cares a whole lot but I thought I'd mention it for those who just have Netscape (or whatever) set to a default and have been assuming that everyone out here could handle those. PJ who's getting enough sleep, really... !^NavFont02F03150006MGHHJ^AC2E ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 21:40:43 -0500 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: Attachments In-Reply-To: <199904171620_MC2-7260-F785@compuserve.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 4:20 PM -0400 4/17/99, Pam Jernigan wrote: >Is there or is there not a rule against sending attachments to the list? > Because the fanfic "Loises & Clarks" is showing up in my box as both text >and attached files, There is a rule about not sending attachments to the list, but in this case, it wasn't intentional on Peggy's part. She just made her parts too big for some people to read. In this case ... >Maybe it's just my poor antiquated mail program, I think it's your poor antiquated program. Seriously, though, AOLers seem to have the problem, but this is the first I've heard of a regular ISP. It must be your program, since I use Eudora Light (the free one) and I had no problem reading it. As for how to get rid of those attached files, have you tried setting your emailer so it only accepts files under a certain size limit? When I do that in Eudora, it skips anything on the server larger than that. Then I can go back and get the large files when I have more time, when the connection is more reliable, what have you. It's not as good as being able to delete a file on the server, but on the few occasions I've been in a bind like yours, this was how I got around it. Good luck! Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 13:06:19 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eileen Barnard Subject: Help Please MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_01CC_01BE899C.3FE617A0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01CC_01BE899C.3FE617A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello everyone Sorry to be asking for help yet again but as you are always so helpful, = I'm sure you can give me some information again. Could anybody tell me the usual start age for children to go to school = in America. I would like the set up explained to me if possible. In the UK most state educated children would start at a nursery school = >from approximately three years onwards and then graduate onto primary = school when they are five. They stay at primary school until they are = eleven and then go to a secondary school. Most schools are called = comprehensive schools and they stay there until they are sixteen, which = is when they sit their GCSE exams (General Certificate of Secondary = Education). Students who are going to take GCSE's have mock exams a = year before they sit the actual exam to try and determine what their = expected grades are and to find out if particular students need help in = certain areas to bring their grades up. Kids would then get the choice = of either leaving school or staying on at a sixth form college to sit = their A Level examinations (Advanced Level) and would apply to = university during the second year they are at the college. A lot of = kids choose to take a year out to work before they take up a university = place, so their formal education would finish around the ages of around = twenty one, twenty two. At public and private schools, the set up = varies but not by much and all schools have regular testing at the ages = of five, seven, eleven, thirteen and fifteen, with some schools holding = yearly school examinations - my sons go to a Technical College and they = have this. Could one of you kind FoLCs explain the American system to me - = particularly the beginning part when kids are just starting school. Thank you all in advance. Kind regards Eileen B eileen@barnard70.freeserve.co.uk ------=_NextPart_000_01CC_01BE899C.3FE617A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello everyone
 
Sorry to be asking for help yet = again but as you=20 are always so helpful, I'm sure you can give me some information=20 again.
 
Could anybody tell me the usual = start age for=20 children to go to school in America.  I would like the set up = explained to=20 me if possible.
 
In the UK most state educated = children would=20 start at a nursery school from approximately three years onwards and = then=20 graduate onto primary school when they are five.  They stay at = primary=20 school until they are eleven and then go to a secondary school. Most = schools are=20 called comprehensive schools and they stay there until they are sixteen, = which=20 is when they sit their GCSE exams (General Certificate of Secondary=20 Education).  Students who are going to take GCSE's have mock exams = a year=20 before they sit the actual exam to try and determine what their expected = grades=20 are and to find out if particular students need help in certain areas to = bring=20 their grades up.  Kids would then get the choice of either leaving = school=20 or staying on at a sixth form college to sit their A Level examinations=20 (Advanced Level) and would apply to university during the second year = they are=20 at the college.  A lot of kids choose to take a year out to work = before=20 they take up a university place, so their formal education would finish = around=20 the ages of around twenty one, twenty two.  At public and private = schools,=20 the set up varies but not by much and all schools have regular testing = at the=20 ages of five, seven, eleven, thirteen and fifteen, with some schools = holding=20 yearly school examinations - my sons go to a Technical College and they = have=20 this.
 
Could one of you kind FoLCs explain = the American=20 system to me - particularly the beginning part when kids are just = starting=20 school.
 
Thank you all in advance.
 
Kind regards
Eileen B
eileen@barnard70.freeser= ve.co.uk
 
------=_NextPart_000_01CC_01BE899C.3FE617A0-- ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 20:30:51 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: New FOLC Alert: Pam's back :) Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Okay, now that I've had my cranky post of the day, I thought I'd post something more positive ... (sorry, Peggy, for venting in your direction -- I figured out later that it was probably just Compuserve screwing up, and from what little I've seen of your story, it looks excellent, so I'm looking forward to reading it :-) Anyway, I am back from the hospital and in fine shape. Thanks, Chris, for posting Marissa's vital stats (both sets! ). Thanks, also, to everyone who's sent congratulations and good wishes, either publicly or privately -- I appreciate every note, even though I can't respond to everyone individually. I've always said that FOLCs are the nicest group = of people I know, and you guys just keep proving me right :-) What Chris didn't tell you guys is how exciting the labor and delivery really was! After two and a half weeks of false labor, the real thing went *extremely* quickly. (Warning: some details of labor follow, nothing= *too* gory, but delete now if you're really squeamish!) Things probably got started Tuesday night, but the contractions weren't regular or strong enough to impress me so I went to bed -- slept pretty well, only occasionally waking up to say "ow". I got up at = 6 and started timing contractions. They were three minutes apart, which is= pretty good, but they still didn't feel that strong to me -- the doctor wanted them to "hurt like hell" before I called her :-) By 7, I thought = I should call her anyway, due to how regular they were, and they were starting to hurt. She said, well, if I wanted I could go on to the hospital, but no need to rush -- take a shower, get your child care together, try to get there by 8:30. So I called my FOLC labor team -= - Chris to be my coach, and Tara to watch my anklebiter (Mikey, age 2). = By the time my team got there, it was 8, and my poor husband was extremely nervous. By this point, the contractions did indeed hurt like hell, but if I sat down and concentrated on my breathing I could handle them -- I was just worried that they were going to have to get worse. We= left for the hospital at 8:15, and were extremely fortunate to meet with light traffic; we got to the Birth Center by about 8:30. Admissions seem= ed to take forever, but that might have been because I was very impatient to= get in there and be given *drugs*! (Natural childbirth is a wonderful thing, I always say, and what could be more natural than drugs? ) Finally, we got into the delivery room, and they told me to get into the bathroom & change into their lovely designer gown. No sooner than I had gotten changed, when my water broke -- followed immediately by an overwhelming urge to push. When the nurses heard that, they immediately called for the doctor Upon examination, I was found to be fully dilated -- I still can't believe I went through transition without drugs!= = In my living room, no less Anyway, the labor room team went into high gear, and a few minutes and pushes later, Marissa was born -- right at 9am. Chris was rather upset a= t me, actually; she'd wanted me to keep her away from work longer So with such an easy birth, I've had a really smooth recovery. They kept offering me pain pills over the last two days, but my main complaint= was a backache from the mattress on the hospital bed and I didn't figure I should take narcotics just for that. Marissa is beautiful and healthy (already regained her birth weight). He= r big brother is taking things in his stride so far, mostly ignoring her. = That may change when Grammy goes home and Daddy goes back to work, but I have hopes :-) So, err, I'm home, and we're all fine, and thanks again to everyone :-) Pam !^NavFont02F0BAA0007MGHHRAC7F13 Pam Jernigan (jernigan@compuserve.com) ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ baby pictures due on the website Real Soon Now... ;-) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 23:30:50 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Fanfic Bloopers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >So, have any of you ever made a blooper which enhanced a story rather >than detracted from it, making you think, "hmm, not a *bad* mistake, >after all?" > >Sandy All the time from this author, Sandy. Thankfully, I now have proofers who spot them *before* I post and give me the opportunity to capitalize on them. Thus leading to endless escapes from complete embarrassment. (I'm still stunned that only one person wrote to me to ask if I really meant Clark to think that he could handle kids in Spice because he had experience with his own nephews and nieces.....I meant cousins!! *Cousins!* Honest!) Actually, I've never found one blooper that didn't give me the opportunity to find some idea or narrative to add to a story which would never have occurred to me to include otherwise. That's why I love even critical feedback - working my way around bloopers never fails to inspire me, often backing me into narrative by default that becomes a personal favorite. The reason that my current magnificent octopus, Burnout has morphed to 160 pages is purely down to those proofers repeatedly saying things like, 'Hang on.....so how *did* Clark manage to divest Lois of her underwear without taking off her blouse then?' Leading me to write a feverish 5 paragraphs explaining just how. Then pretending that I knew how all along but just didn't get around to saying before then. ;) To whit: ********************* "No……no, I……please……no, I mean it. How?" She felt him sigh slightly, then nuzzle up against the line of her jaw. "Erghart's Fourth Law……" he murmured. Lois opened her eyes with a frown. "Erghart's Fourth Law?" Clark nodded, his eyes intent on the slow and sultry path his finger had begun tracing across her belly and ribs. Lois shuddered faintly with his touch and heard a soft sigh escape her lips. Her eyes drifted closed again. "Mmmm-hmmmm. Erghart's Fourth Law of Interstellar Juxtaposition. When two heavenly bodies collide……" Clark's softly hypnotic voice caressed her ear in explanation, "……clothing just gets in the way." Lois, who'd actually been suckered in for long enough to think he was giving her some serious theory, responded to this last by collapsing in hysterical laughter against the plastic sheeting. Clark looked down at her, grinning at her convulsions as she wrapped her arms around ribs that were already beginning to ache. ******************************* Here's to bloopers! Long may they reign. ;) LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 21:15:31 -0500 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: Attachments Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 05:42 PM 4/17/99 -0400, Peggy Mueller wrote: >Some >of my emails were too large. Peggy, are you aware that your posts were sent as text files followed by a repeat with html coding? Your part 4 was 70K when it reached me, and none of the parts were smaller than 29K; most were high 30's and low 40's. You might make sure you turn off the html coding before you send. Sheila sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 22:12:35 EDT Reply-To: KCrane1865@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: Attachments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/17/99 2:46:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time, gremlino@PATHWAY.NET writes: << Sorry, Pam, and anyone else who's having problems. This is my fault; some of my emails were too large. My apologies. Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net >> Peggy, It was indeed a challenge to cut, past and translate a part-mime thingy, but boy, it was worth the hastle. I thoroughly enjoyed this captivating fic and will definitely read it a few more times while waiting for the next installment??? I certainly hope you are not leaving us in suspense. * S P O I L E R * In particular: I was quite amused by the mistaken identity mixups, the jealousy exhibited by both Clarks, and the healthy libidos of all . A question and a concern: I was a little confused about : "Didn't you tell me you've been free-lancing to supplement the Kent's income?". . . . . "Yes, I submit articles under Clark's name and he gives the money to me," Why would he be supplementing the Kent's income, and if so, why would Clark give the supplemented income back to Alt-Clark? Might I suggest that the dinner trip to Atlanta and run-in with Perry might not seem so contrived if the Elvis convention was a surprise to them after they arrived. IMHO :) Awaiting ....more Thanks for a great read! Kate ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 19:41:32 +0000 Reply-To: hess2@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Claire Hess Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today In-Reply-To: <000601be887d$877a95c0$0831e7d0@gremlino> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Since her post questioning me started a thread, below is a forward of my private email answer to Peggy. First, after reading Zoom, Sandy, and LabRat interesting pieces, I'd like to add that to me the only sin about rewriting a fanfic to your taste is saying in someway that you *corrected* the original. If an author's work inspires someone, then what they produce is an entirely new work. The new piece should have an acknowledgment of the inspiration, but it should not require the original author to endorse it. The first writer should be free to approve or politely but firmly, distance their concept from it. That said, however, my take on this list is that it is not for detailed critical analysis. Most of the writers here produce for fun, and those who want to train for professional can specifically ask for that kind of analysis. My own work is self-edited so fiercely that it never makes publication, but I never apply these standards to others fanfic, even when editing, unless specifically asked to do so. Forwarded Mail From: Self hess2@mindspring.com To: "Peggy Mueller" Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today & Professional/Fanfiction Writers Date sent: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 17:02:26 >"Peggy Mueller" Wrote > Claire wrote: > > >By and large, my preference is to assume that each story is it's > >own Bible. > > I'm not sure if I'm interpreting you correctly here, Claire, but if > you're saying that each fanfic creates its own universe where the > characters conform to the author's own unique perspective on L & C, > then I agree completely. I love reading any creative fanfic, even > if L & C's behavior isn't in strict accordance with the characters > as developed in the show, or with my own interpretation of them. > :-) yes, thanks, that's what I'm saying. I'm a rather slow reader, in that when I find a story I like, I reread it many times, so I haven't read a lot of stories, and (like Zoom) I'm picky about which ones I read. Voting for the Kerths was hard, because I had to move on before I was ready to leave a lot of stories, but they have been fun to go back to since that time. After all that, once I accept the story, whatever they say in the story goes. Well, more or less. And some times, although I like the story, I really have trouble believing the characters are any kind of Lois and Clark, except that he wears the Suit. Actually, there's a story where she wears the Suit, but the characters are very good in that one, but maybe you see what I mean? > In particular, I love Lois revelation stories, whether Clark tells > her his secret or she discovers it on her own, whether she is angry, > thrilled, or totally blase about it. I've often thought that ABC > should do a "Groundhog Day" of Lois revelations, with Clark being > forced to repeat the revelation over and over again until he finally > gets it right! (Hint to Clark: don't ask Lois to marry you *before* > you reveal your secret. ;-) > Oh, Peggy, that would have been such fun. Too bad they didn't try something like that, although I did love their Mxyzptlk Christmas Episode, which was definitely of the 'Groundhog' persuasion. klair El A new P.S. for Peggy: please repost your fanfic. You wouldn't believe what a mess it is on my software. But the story looks like fun. I'm a bit of an Alt Junkie. (Thanks, Zoom, and Margaret, and Jeff, and Georgia, and super-mom, Pam, and ...) "Kent is a hack from Smallville. I couldn't make that name up." Lois Lane to Perry White; D. J. Levine, Pilot, Lois & Clark ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 19:47:42 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Linda Mason Subject: Re: Attachments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Peggy Mueller wrote: > Sorry, Pam, and anyone else who's having problems. This is my fault; > some > of my emails were too large. > > My apologies. > > Also I think before anyone posts anything in whole or pieces that will exceed say 100k they should post a small LARGE POST warning. Some of us on free web-mail live on rather tight mail quotas. This way we can make room for the posts. === Linda Mason deanishot@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 19:23:21 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Subject: Charactrs In-Reply-To: <2da60576.2449c14d@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 06:49 AM 04/17/1999 -0400, Zoomway wrote: [snip] >Well, I was sent some VR5 fanfic once, but I had no idea who the characters >were, so it wasn't even a matter of them being interpreted by me as "right or >wrong" because I never saw the show.[snip] > >With fanfic, I want to be able to recognize the characters I fell in love >with, and if I can't, then the fanfic doesn't interest me. [snip] >The series introduced Lois and Clark to me and let me learn more >and more about them. It's that interpretation that I love to see in fanfic. >Again, just my preference. Here's a general question for everyone: what characteristics of CK, Lois, Lex, Perry, Jimmy, Martha, Jon, etc. one and all - do you expect to see in a story? What tells you that the person under the hood is the character if the author doesn't come right out and name he or him? What characteristics do you *not* expect to see attached to any of the characters? I think exploring this may help new writers go beyond stereotypes. Debby Debby@swcp.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 09:47:19 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Help Please MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/18/99 7:37:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, eileen@BARNARD70.FREESERVE.CO.UK writes: << Could anybody tell me the usual start age for children to go to school in America. I would like the set up explained to me if possible. >> In the US, no child is required by law to go to school until the age of six, but most start at five ( it varies by a few months from state to state.) Here is the basic set up: 2-5 nursery school. This is strictly voluntary and unless a child is in a family living below the poverty line, parents must pay for it. There are free programs for poor children called Jump Start and Head Start. Children who are in daycare centers often do not go to nursery school. 5-6 kindergarten Required in most if not all states, sometimes half day, sometimes whole day. In some states a child must be 5 by Sept. 1 in others by Oct. 1 to begin kindergarten. One year. 6-11 elementary In most states, public ( state-supported ) schools have school students in first - fifth grade in one school. There may be standardized testing ( CAT, CTBS - achievement tests ), but again this varies from state to state and >from school district to district. None of these tests is used to judge whether or not a student may go on to the next grade. 12-14 middle 6th through 8th grade. In public systems students move on to school a larger school with a few more course options. If they pass all their classes, they move on to high school at the end of this three year period. Again, they may be tested but to judge schools and teachers, not kids. Many private and religious schools ( particularly the parochial Catholic schools) keep students from kindergarten through 8th grade. Many private high schools have students take entrance exams before admitting them. 14- 18 high Students go to high school for 4 years, from 9th to 12th grade. school In most high schools, students take a basic curriculum, but there are special technical schools, schools for students with talents in the arts or math, etc. in many large public systems. In October of their junior (11th ) year, many students take a test called the PSAT ( Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Exam). If they do extremely well (99th percentile), they qualify for a scholarship program called the National Merit program. They may then get scholarships to the university. At the end of junior or beginning of senior year, they take the SAT or the ACT which are college entrance exams. Many students take these more than once, trying to improve their scores. There are other factors which affect admission to college or university such as sports, extra-curricular activities, service to the community, etc. In most states a student can drop out of school at16, but they don't receive any sort of diploma and are usually looked upon as failures. As a dropout, they have a very difficult time finding a decent job. 18-22 college Students go to what the British call university, but what we call college. However, many large ones use the word University in their name. ( Boston College, Harvard University.) Some students take a year off to work or travel, but not too many. Almost all undergraduate programs last 4 years, but some take 5. Fields like law and medecine require 3-4 years of undergraduate school and 3-4 of post graduate study. Hopes this helps. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 10:37:40 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Help Please Comments: To: Aerm1@aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-18 09:55:06 EDT, Aerm1@AOL.COM writes: << In some states a child must be 5 by Sept. 1 in others by Oct. 1 to begin kindergarten. >> And in my area (Long Island, NY) they have to be 5 by Dec. 1, so our kids are a bit younger than elsewhere. Most kids have graduated high school by 18 and college by 21 (though I personally know a bright young man who finished his college before he was 20--I think he took a lot of Advanced Placement [college level] classes in high school). In this area, it's more typical now to have K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 schools, but I'm also seeing some school districts now going K-2 (primary), 3-5(intermediate), 6-8 (middle), 9-12 (high) and a few even have separate kindergarten centers. I also know some that start K-4 and then either 5-6 or 5-8... Just too confusing as really all the rules are made on the state level and the grade divisions on the local level--often because of population size and distribution, bussing time tables, and school space. --Laurie (the Ord one) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 12:05:47 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Maggie Subject: Off Topic/On Topic Babbling MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey FoLCs! I've just had a crazy (but Super!) week, and I feel the need to share a couple of my little adventures with you. Hope you don't mind.... First in the "directly related to Fanfic" section : I had to fly from New York back to Miami this week. I haven't had too much time to read fanfics lately, but if I know I will be on a plane, I plan ahead. Nothing soothes Airport Tension better than a good Fanfic! I had printed out Little Man, Super (in that wonderful 7pt, 2 column, front and back FoLC style one of you lovely Geniuses suggested!) and I was very excited to read the story as I had very much enjoyed the previous installments of the Adventures of the Kents in Utopia. Due to the fact the plane was number 25 to depart, the flight was just a *teensy* bit delayed and I actually got to read the whole story in one sitting. The same thing that happened to me with "For the Good of the Child" happened to me here. The plane could have stayed on the runway all night, I could have cared less. As you all know my version of critical analysis is: Oh! I loved the part where Clark picked up Jonny at Francie's apartment. And the whole Mrs. Wicca escapade was just delightful! Oh! and I noticed the blooper!! I made mental note: *why* is Clark saying that!?!? Hello!?! Duh!?!?! :o) (crossing fingers that little slip leads to another installment in the series! Bloopers are a good thing. Yes they are! ;o)) Anyway, I *loved* the story, Thanks Sandy! *and* I wasn't even mildly annoyed that the plane took off a whole hour late. Really. Okay, now on to the "Not related to Fanfic but related to Folcdom section" ****helpful hint: stop reading now if digressions annoy you, because this is a big one **** As everyone here knows, I just love being a little FoLC. I think you guys are just the coolest, I own a computer because of you and I have discovered a wonderful world on online friends thanks to my FoLC experience. I recently started posting on some Message Boards we call a Forum for a Spanish Novela that I watch (and love). It's amazing how the girls there remind me of you guys. Funny, intelligent, creative people, who happen to have wonderful taste in television programming Well, imagine this scenario: LnC is still on the air, let's say in it's final weeks. You just found out Dean is going to be on Oprah next week. You post this info to the list and a group decides to come from all over to see the show in person and meet him. And luckily for you, Oprah's studio just happens to be right in your back yard. Well, I think that's the best way for me to explain what happened to me this week. Last week one of the girls found out the star of our Novela would be on the Cristina show (Spanish Oprah-style show) this Friday. Seventeen of us online friends got together and went on the spur of the moment. In less than week, everything was coordinated, airline tickets were bought, bags were packed, and a great adventure begun. We were special guest of the show, they dedicated a whole segment to Online Fandom. Guy Ecker, the actor we went to see was just delighted. He actually visits the forum and reads our posts and he told the story of how he went to the forum and no one believed it was him. People told him, don't be mean, it's not nice to impersonate someone etc. etc. Once they verified it truly *was* him, the site crashed because it got too many hits. He actually crashed the site 3 times before the forum hostess said, Look, we love you, but you've got to stop showing up like this! (they set up a special night where he came for 2 hours for a question and answer session) After the show he even recorded a special message for the website saying, "see! it's really me!" and thanking everyone for supporting his career. Anyway, I tell you all this story because besides meeting Guy (which is in the Dean-Levels- of-Coolness section of my Universe) meeting online friends in person for the first time was an unforgettable and truly wonderful experience. At first we were all a little nervous and excited, but by the end of the day we all felt like we had known each other forever. I kept thinking of you guys, because I never would have come online if it wasn't for you. And thanks to that I have this whole new group of friends *and* had an incredible adventure too! Thank you ALL for keeping Folcdom alive and for all the truly super*lative experiences it has brought to my life...... Maggie who has been on Cloud Nine since Friday and is seriously considering zoning it as residential property and staying there maggie13@bellsouth.net (aka supermags on IRC) There are no short cuts to any place worth going. Anonymous ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 15:05:28 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Attachments Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> I think it's your poor antiquated program. << No, I don't think so, now that I've seen Sheila's post about duplicate posts with html coding. Netscape seems to be set up with a default of sending both text and html messages, and I think a lot of people have no idea that it's doing that, and that some mailers (like maybe Eudora) hand= le it by trashing the duplicate. Not that my program is perfect, tho, I know it's got serious limitations.= I really ought to just junk the whole account, but I've used it for so lo= ng that I'm sentimentally attached... >> As for how to get rid of those attached files, have you tried setting your emailer so it only accepts files under a certain size limit? << I don't think it has that option, but I'll check it out in Netscape (whic= h is what I use on my bellsouth account); that sounds like an extremely han= dy tip. Thanks, Kathy :-) PJ !^NavFont02F02C9001DMGJHGrMGtHHC9MHCBHI39MI3BHICB38F0 Pam Jernigan (jernigan@compuserve.com) ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ baby pictures due on the website Real Soon Now... ;-) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 15:08:33 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Combo Re: critiques/group writing Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Meant to send this to the list ... Sorry, Claire, for spamming you with it twice :-) Klaire-El wrote: >> That said, however, my take on this list is that it is not for detailed critical analysis. Most of the writers here produce for fun, and those who want to train for professional can specifically ask for that kind of analysis. << Thank you, Claire, for saying what I've been thinking. I agree that most= of us are just here to mess around and have fun. I personally welcome a good critique, and try very hard to look at it in a positive light and learn from it, but I know many others who aren't expecting to face that kind of analysis. And since writing is such a personal thing, criticism c= an be an extremely painful experience. I know that Sandy, for instance, has= the best intentions in posting her comments, but obviously those comments= are not always received in the spirit in which they were intended. (If that sentence made any sense!) Perhaps the best thing to do would be to contact the author privately, first, to see if they'd appreciate that kin= d of public review. To get back to an earlier topic ... this is one of the things that I enjoyed about writing for the S5/S6 seasons ... All the episodes are pre-posted to the writing/editing group *before* publication, and all the= team members (supposedly ) take the time to read the episode and catch= typos, characterization problems, plot holes, etc. Then those comments a= re posted back to the entire group, so that we can debate on how to fix the problems, whether they really were such problems, etc. I have to say tha= t I learned a lot, last year, just from reading these internal critiques --= even from seeing comments on other people's work. And when I posted "It'= s Time", I received a lot of feedback, and while I didn't agree with all of= it, there were some things that made me hit myself on the head and say "duh, Pam, of course you need to change that, it's much better this way..= ." So I suppose my point (opinion) is that a detailed critique has its place= , but I don't believe this list is the place. PJ !^NavFont02F06A30015MGHHG54MG56HHVMHXHMA4E924 Pam Jernigan (jernigan@compuserve.com) ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ baby pictures due on the website Real Soon Now... ;-) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 16:02:27 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sandy McDermin Subject: Re: Combo Re: critiques/group writing MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Pam Jernigan wrote: > Meant to send this to the list ... Sorry, Claire, for spamming you with > it twice :-) > > Klaire-El wrote: > >> That said, however, my take on this list is that it is not for > detailed critical analysis. Most of the writers here produce for > fun, and those who want to train for professional can specifically > ask for that kind of analysis. << > > Thank you, Claire, for saying what I've been thinking. I agree that most > of us are just here to mess around and have fun. I personally welcome a > good critique, and try very hard to look at it in a positive light and > learn from it, but I know many others who aren't expecting to face that > kind of analysis. And since writing is such a personal thing, criticism can > be an extremely painful experience. I know that Sandy, for instance, has > the best intentions in posting her comments, but obviously those comments > are not always received in the spirit in which they were intended. (If > that sentence made any sense!) Perhaps the best thing to do would be to > contact the author privately, first, to see if they'd appreciate that kind > of public review. So, let me understand.... No comments on a story -- not even those which are strictly laudatory -- are to be posted to the list unless the reader contacts the author privately first and asks permission. I think it's unfair to treat so-called "critical" comments differently than other types. For instance, my review of your story was complimentary but it also brought up a "critical" point. The same could be said of my review of Chris' episode, although I had a lot more to say because her story raised more questions with me. > To get back to an earlier topic ... this is one of the things that I > enjoyed about writing for the S5/S6 seasons ... All the episodes are > pre-posted to the writing/editing group *before* publication, and all the > team members (supposedly ) take the time to read the episode and catch > typos, characterization problems, plot holes, etc. Then those comments are > posted back to the entire group, so that we can debate on how to fix the > problems, whether they really were such problems, etc. I have to say that > I learned a lot, last year, just from reading these internal critiques -- > even from seeing comments on other people's work. And when I posted "It's > Time", I received a lot of feedback, and while I didn't agree with all of > it, there were some things that made me hit myself on the head and say > "duh, Pam, of course you need to change that, it's much better this way..." I agree 100%. S5 was a very good experience -- one of the best I've had as a folc. I wish more could have shared in it. > So I suppose my point (opinion) is that a detailed critique has its place, > but I don't believe this list is the place. Would you consider my review of your and Chris' episodes detailed? Sandy smcdermin@erols.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 16:24:59 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Reposting Comments: To: hess2@mindspring.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >A new P.S. for Peggy: please repost your fanfic. You wouldn't believe what a mess it is on my software. But the story looks like fun. I'm a bit of an Alt Junkie. (Thanks, Zoom, and Margaret, and Jeff, and Georgia, and super-mom, Pam, and ...) I'll send you the story privately (appropriately divided into smaller parts by a chastened Peggy) rather than re-posting to the List since it's such a large story, and some people have mentioned problems with large postings. Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 17:25:02 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Charactrs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Debby >Here's a general question for everyone: what characteristics of CK, Lois, Lex, >Perry, Jimmy, Martha, Jon, etc. one and all - do you expect to see in a story? "Uh, uh, uh, great shades of Elvis! What in Sam Hill are we doin' here?" said Perry. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 17:24:38 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Karen Ward Subject: Re: Combo Re: critiques/group writing In-Reply-To: <199904181508_MC2-7273-B801@compuserve.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, all! :) Pam said (btw, great to hear everything's going well, Pam!): >So I suppose my point (opinion) is that a detailed critique has its place, >but I don't believe this list is the place. Hmm . . . this comment has lead to me to thinking (a remarkable feat in and of itself ), and I hesitate to ask this question because I certainly don't want to offend anyone or ruffle anyone's feathers, but if we can't make critical comments on fanfic (both positive and negative), then what is the purpose of this list? Personally, I post my fanfic here prior to posting it to the fanfic archive with the very hope of getting detailed critiques. It's a great way to get a variety of suggestions on how to improve my fic. I'll admit that there has been the occasional comment that did not sit too well with me, but I'm always interested to hear how other people interpret my work whether it's good or bad. I treasure every last peice of feedback I've received here because it has all contributed, in some way, to my growth as a human being. If there's one thing I've learned from posting my work here it's that my portrayals of L&C won't satisfy everyone no matter how hard I try, so the only person I should really aim to satisfy is myself. As for public criticism, I actually prefer it because, as happened recently with a fanfic I posted here, it gives other FoLCs a chance to respond to it also. Having others people jump to my defense on a comment someone else said about my story not only boosts my ego, but gives me more perspective with which to view all critical comments. However, I recognize that not everyone shares my candid view of public criticism and I respect that. Perhaps Pam's suggestion to get the author's permission before posting criticism to the list is a good one. Or does it infringe on the critic's freedom of speech? Hmm . . . Karen :) who's jury is still out on this debate :) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 00:22:22 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Love Me Tender RR Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, Just came back from vacation and resubscribed. I tried to download the logs that I missed -- wow, talk about a *lot* of catching up to do! For some reason, I couldn't get my e-mail (Eudora) to download two logs -- among them, the one in which the RR "Love Me Tender" was posted. Is there some way to find individual posts in the list's archive, or could someone send it to me? Thanks! Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 18:03:00 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: marlene macdougall Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello all - :) Margaret Brignell wrote: >This is probably not a very "professional" attitude, but I'm *not* a >professional writer. I write for fun and to give others pleasure. I do >not aspire to becoming a professional writer. >As for fanfic, I just want to write a story that people enjoy. To be >publically critiqued feels to me that I'm being judged on standards I had >no intention of meeting in the first place. > ********I agree with Margaret's comments above . Also, I don't believe this list is set up to critique fanfic. My understanding is, it was set up to distribute fanfic to those who wanted to receive it. Maybe I'm wrong but that is why I joined this list to receive fanfic. If someone wants to post their fanfic asking for help writing it/or editorial assistance etc that is fine too. But I don't think you should assume that because someone posts their fanfic here they are looking for criticism or editorial assistance. I have written some fanfic (not in the big leagues like Sheila, Chris etc though ;) and I feel comments should be made privately. Just my humble opinion that I send out to this list :) Marlene (macdougm@cadvision.com) We must have courage, faith and chocolate! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 22:35:06 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-18 21:40:41 EDT, macdougm@CADVISION.COM writes: << My understanding is, it was set up to distribute fanfic to those who wanted to receive it. >> ALso to discuss writing fanfic and the stories themselves, which I believe is what I've seen here on this list. If I have a bunch of nitpicks (typos and grammatical comment) I probably wouldn't feel that those would be appropriate to post to the list. But comments on a story? Sure. --Laurie (the Ord one) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 20:41:59 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Margaret Brignell Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? In-Reply-To: <2.2.32.19990417162406.006c1d68@sheepskin.cs.indiana.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 11:24 AM 4/17/1999 -0500, Farah wrote: > I suggest to the authors that want private email to post something >like "Comments are welcomed at me@here.com." or "Private comments are welcomed." > Thanks Farah, I'll keep this in mind in the future. I have the "send comments to me@here.com" at my web site, but I hadn't thought of doing it when posting to this list. Claire said: >Most of the writers here produce for >fun, and those who want to train for professional can specifically >ask for that kind of analysis. That was my assumption. I guess I should have paid attention to that old adage about assume (it makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me') Karen Ward said: >I post my fanfic here prior to posting it to the fanfic archive >with the very hope of getting detailed critiques. The only reason I post my fanfic to *this* list is because some FoLC have no other way of reading it (i.e. they don't have Web access, and it makes more sense for me to post once than to send out the same byte-size e-mails a dozen times;\) I post to give everyone an opportunity to read the fic I write. I still prefer to have any comments sent to me directly. Like I said in an earlier post, I'm a private person. I prefer to keep my communication one on one. If others want to have their work discussed in the public arena, that's fine by me. But please understand that not everyone is that extroverted. Margaret ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 17:37:11 PDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rachel TenHaaf Subject: Re: Combo Re: critiques/group writing Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain I've been quite a lurker lately, but I felt compelled to add my little bit on this topic for what it's worth. As a newer FoLC and an *extremely* new writer of fanfic, I have to say I have mixed feelings about all of this. So far, I haven't dared post a story to this list b/c of the people who are on it. You are all so good, and I'm just learning. However, I have posted on another list and the reviews there were, um, interesting. I always appreciate constructive criticism as well as praise. I think the whole criticism bit is partly in how it's phrased. If someone asks me something like: Why did you choose to portray Clark in such a way? I've always felt... I wouldn't mind that being posted to the list. If, however, they say: I thought that was really off. Why in the world did you write that? You're completely wrong, I would be completely humiliated and probably never post again. I don't think that anyone wants people to say they really loved a story, however, if they have reservations about it. I can't say I get a real thrill from people who write me two lines of feedback, saying: I loved your story. Please write more. I always wonder just how much of it they read. It's nice, but not really conducive to writing more. Well, now that I've shared nothing adn everything I'll hop back into my corner :) Rachel TH rae@usXchange.net _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 13:26:35 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.19990418204159.007ccdc0@mail.capitalnet.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Hi everyone, Jumping in late on this thread - I don't read my work email account over the weekend, and because of the time difference I didn't see any of the Friday postings until this morning. I've read through all of the postings on this thread, from those who feel the list should be just for posting fanfic, those who disagree over the type of feedback which should be posted, and those who welcome criticism on this forum. Margaret, I do sympathise with your views on the subject, and I can understand how some authors might be reluctant to leave themselves open for public criticism. However, I think my own views are pretty much along the lines of Karen's; as she said: > >I post my fanfic here prior to posting it to the fanfic archive > >with the very hope of getting detailed critiques. I don't post all my fic to this list (Farah heaves huge sigh of relief thinking of the huge amount of bandwidth which would be occupied otherwise, I'm sure...). When I do post a story here first, it's usually because I'm unsure about it in some way and I'm therefore looking for feedback to enable me to revise it. I certainly did that with 'Perfect Match?', and received a *lot* of constructive comments from FOLCS, plenty of which disagreed with each other as well as me. I ended up deciding that I agreed with some of the opinions expressed, disagreed with others, was probably never going to satisfy everyone anyway, and so I revised the story in a way which made sense to *me*. It's now been edited for the Archive [thanks Erin ;)] and should be up there in a week or so. I know it's a better story thanks to the help I received, and I am very grateful to everyone who contributed, publicly or privately, to the discussion. I don't always want to do that - partly because of the sheer volume of my output :( but also partly because with some stories I get to the point where I just don't *want* to do any more rewriting, apart >from dealing with any problems the Archive editor may point up. I would agree, therefore, with whoever it was who commented that if a story is posted to the Archive and not here (sorry, can't rememeber who said it), then this is not the most appropriate forum for detailed criticism. However, as someone who was surprised and delighted to see one of her recent (posted to the Archive) stories being mentioned here (It Happened one (Super) Night), I wouldn't like to argue that *no* Archive story be mentioned here. It is an excellent way of pointing readers to good stories they may have missed - I hope Erin, whose 'What it Means to Love You' was also, deservedly, mentioned here, would agree with me. Well, this is my personal view, and is how I like to be able to use the list to help me as a writer. I do also enjoy reading other writers' new works here first, especially when a new author surprises and delights us all with an excellent and breathtaking story (hi Irene!). I've enjoyed the discussions we've had here in the last month or so about particular fanfics we've enjoyed, what we liked about them and so on. Sure, there are times when private feedback to the author might be more appropriate: we all need to be sensitive to writers' feelings. All of us who are writers know how much courage it takes to post our work for others to read. It doesn't actually get any easier, no matter how often we've done it ;) I don't know how we can get around the issue of those who feel as Margaret does - that is also a perfectly legitimate viewpoint. Just because I'm happy to have my work discussed here - just because I pose it here because I *want* discussion of it - does not imply that everyone who posts their work here wants that sort of response. Maybe we could start indicating, in the 'story intro', whether we're happy to have feedback publicly *and* privately, or privately only? Just my thoughts - sorry it' so long. Best wishes everyone, Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 12:54:30 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: VD vignette In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Hey Nicole :) Just now got around to reading your VD vignette, and I thoroughly agree with the feedback so far. It's excellent; very well written, and *so* in character. How about posting it to the Archive so more FOLCs can read it? And do let us see some more of your writing, Best wishes, Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 12:01:55 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: To Critique Or Not To Critique MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey there! Hey, guys, come on, you're starting to depress me. And now I'm confused. I *didn't* join this list just to receive fanfic and I didn't think that's what it was all about. I'm not saying that to be irritating (I can do that easily enough in other ways as many of you already know) or to take a swipe at what anyone else has said. I am genuinely confused. As far as I understood when I subscribed to the list it was for all things fanfic. All things. FoLCs posting fanfic, the jab and thrust of healthy debate and discussion on fanfic, critique, opinions, questions, ideas......and to be honest if it was just the odd story post I'd be bored. Not that I haven't read some excellent stories here! But, hey, I'm a writer. Ideas and opinions and debate on fanfic are my life's blood. Maybe Farah could clear this one up and reiterate for us newbies what the criteria and aims of the list are. (I'm not talking about flames btw, just simple differing opinions and critiques. But then I don't think I've ever read any flames here....at least not about fanfic. ) On the second point of this thread - public critique -v- private critique - to be honest I don't see how a writer can *stop* people discussing her fanfic in public. (yes I know there are guys who write too, but for the sake of brevity bear with me) You might stifle debate on this list, ban it completely, banish it out of the realm, but people will still talk about the story in private email with their friends, on IRC, on mbs.....how are you going to stop them? IMO, a writer may 'prefer' private critiques on their work all they like, but they can't reasonably *expect* them. You have to go into posting a story to such a wide reaching public forum as the net with your eyes wide open. Realize that you will invariably at some point have your work mentioned in public somewhere along the line and be prepared to deal with it. Otherwise you're letting yourself in for some serious pain. At a purely personal level, I've already been on record as giving my pov. But from the pov of those who disagree, I can only offer this humble advice......the key word is public. You are posting to a *public* forum. Ergo, the public will read your work and they will discuss it. Mostly. In the words of one of our most favorite sons, "No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else's draft." (H.G. Wells) ;) Unless it's a really, really bad story and they just don't care. Which I think is another key word. They care. Whether it's an outpouring of love and they think your story is the best thing since War and Peace or a scathing point by point tearing apart of your most favorite narrative which leaves you whimpering and huddled in a fetal ball in a darkened room......they care. And that to me is the most marvelous thing in the world. That I managed, somewhere along the line, even in a negative sense, to provoke some emotion in someone who read my work. My big fear would be complete apathy. But, I do sympathize with those writers who don't enjoy or want public discussion of their stories - and Demi's (I think it was Demi. Apologies to the owner if it wasn't) idea of putting such a message on the work is an excellent one - but again, it's simple, human nature to trumpet a story you adored to your fellow FoLCs in case they miss out on the experience......or nitpick something that irked you......or point up some glaring plot error.....a writer can't really escape it, even if they want to. (And again, I reiterate, just in case of confusion , that I personally don't mind or care who discusses my stories, where or how, but that I recognize other writers do.) Sometimes that nitpicking can be pretty harshly worded or unwelcome. I'm reminded here of the FoLC who sent me a detailed 8 page diagram and thesis explaining her misgivings that Clark's aura could maintain the exact pound per square inch ratio of.....whatever.....to let Lois breathe underwater after I posted my nfic Hook, Line & Sinker. Hook was far-fetched? About as far-fetched IMO as guys who can fly, alien invasion, time travel and dead authors popping up to help you out of trouble every now and then. Personally, I think Hook was just a piece of whimsy that didn't need to be examined too hard. All I was interested in doing with it was giving Lois and Clark some private, quality time together on a rare afternoon free of work. But that's just my opinion. And she was entitled to hers. Would I have been offended or annoyed if she'd posted her opinion here on the list instead of privately to me? Actually, no. Because it would have given me the chance to publicly put across my pov, not only to her, but to the 2 dozen others who were probably quietly thinking the same thing but just hadn't bothered to write and tell me. I might even have changed a few of their minds if my explanation was logical enough. How often have I read some writer's response to a nitpick or character query here on the list about a story I've read and thought 'Oh, so *that's* why......' Of course, if I'd written to the writer instead of being lazy about it I'd have gotten the answer too, but that's another story. But I recognize that that's just my pov and that other writers are shy or uncertain or just plain private people who don't share it. That's fine. I'm not decrying that. I respect your feelings on the subject and your pov. What I'm saying is that sometimes what you want, what you need, you aren't going to get and if you take the plunge and submit your story publicly you just have to brace yourself for the 'unpleasant' side of fanfic - that your readers might just want to talk about your work. And not just to you. I'm sure that - FoLCs being nice, helpful people as I've always found - if you make your views on public critiques known with the story most of them will try their hardest to accommodate you. But there will be those who forget, or who disagree with the writer that she's entitled to make the request and who will still go public. Personally, I don't think they should be castigated for that. Such is life. You just have to roll with the punches. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 19:37:26 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii With James permission, I am forwarding two e-mail that my husband and I recently exchanged on the subject of constructive criticism. My purpose is to show how we looked at the critiques in two totally different ways. I have no problem telling him which parts of his writing I loved and which parts still need work, but he saw this in an entirely different perspective. Read on for more insight. > James, > > Just a quick note to say how much I appreciated > your criticism of my story. I think that was > the first time you ever suggested a word change > without me begging you to be super critical. > You're finally treating me like a writer of merit, > instead of as a weak, childlike author who needs to > be coddled into a false sense of confidence. > Thanks for letting me take the training wheels off > and ride in the real world. > > Love always, > > > Elisabeth I never thought of it as treating you as a childlike author. Until recently I didn't want to be a brute and ride rough shod over what you have written. Besides most everything you write is good and it just struck me as being totally out of character for you. Thank you for reminding me that you are made of sterner stuff. Love James. === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 06:53:55 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jocelyn R Hoffman Subject: Re: Help Please MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii It differs in different school systems (i.e. states, counties, etc.) But, here (North Carolina) a child might go to preschool but that isn't mandatory. A child starts Kindergarten at about 5 and goes on in elementry school until 5th grade or so. Then they go to middle school (or junior high) for 6th, 7th, and 8th. Then, there's high school for grades 9th - 12th. And then you graduate. There isn't any tests like that - unless you drop out of high school and you can take your GED (General Eceqilency (sp?) Diploma). Then there's college! Speaking of which . . .I'm late for class! ~Jocelyn === Jocelyn R Hoffman dreaminglight@yahoo.com jocelynr@hotmail.com ICQ # 17261915 <>< _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 19:04:00 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: Combo Re: Off Topic: Article in USA Today MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Peggy Mueller wrote: > This is where we differ, then. While I *prefer* > stories where L & C stay in > character (after all, love of L&CTNAOS is what drew > me to fanfic in the > first place!), I still enjoy stories where they > aren't necessarily in > character, or that differ from my own interpretation > of their characters. A > good story is a good story, no matter what. > Unless the writing style or grammar is so poor that > it makes the story > incomprehensible, bad grammar usually doesn't stop > me from enjoying a > fanfic. I've read many fanfics that moved me to > tears or laughter because > the author still managed to get his/her point acorss > in spite of the poor > grammar. It sounds like we differ on grammatical views. I find poor grammar and punctuation to be a great distraction. However, after reading stories written >from all forms of the English language, I've enough adapted to spelling differences that outright errors don't bother me anymore. (Well, not much. It still bugs me to see alot, instead of a lot.) === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 08:57:29 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: Attachments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email FYI Yahoo mail thought all of Peggy's were attachments. But MS Outlook handled it fine. This thread is good for those that have not posted a story yet(we're working hard to get to that point!)because it reminds us that not all tech is created equally. Again Peggy's story is superb and worth the hassle of getting it, even if you have to use snail mail. MR. D8A A.K.A. James Looking forward to the baby pictures Pam. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Please visit and explore my house at: http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 mailto:mr_d8a@yahoo.com -----Original Message----- From: Peggy Mueller [mailto:gremlino@PATHWAY.NET] Sent: Saturday, April 17, 1999 4:43 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: Attachments Sorry, Pam, and anyone else who's having problems. This is my fault; some of my emails were too large. My apologies. Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 13:02:09 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers In-Reply-To: <199904161933.UAA23453@radius.connectfree.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Hi Yvonne, Yvonne wrote: > this is my big moment - when I come out of the shadows and > post my first message . > Welcome to the 'public' world of the FOLC community! > The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst > our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to > wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell > everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there > like me? Yes... that was me, wasn't it? The only person in my life who knows is my husband; I told him almost from the beginning and he's been very encouraging - particularly on Kerth night when he sat up with me holding my hand ;). He *has* read some of my stories - he always watches L&C with me - though he isn't a fan of fanfic, even when it's a programme like Star Trek of which he is a junkie. But I think lately he thinks I'm writing too much... and who knows, maybe I am. So far, I haven't got up the courage to tell any of my friends, and since most of my family lives in Ireland they don't need to know what I spend much of my free time doing! So other than my husband, the only people who know what I do are members of the FOLC community. But then, who needs any more support and encouragement when I have you guys? You are *great*! :) Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 07:44:04 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sandy McDermin Subject: Re: Off Topic/On Topic Babbling MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Maggie wrote: > I had printed out Little Man, Super > (in that wonderful 7pt, 2 column, front > and back FoLC style one of you lovely > Geniuses suggested!) and I was very > excited to read the story as I had > very much enjoyed the previous installments > of the Adventures of the Kents in Utopia. > The same thing that happened to me with > "For the Good of the Child" happened to me here. > The plane could have stayed on the runway all night, > I could have cared less. As you all know my version > of critical analysis is: Oh! I loved the part where > Clark picked up Jonny at Francie's apartment. > And the whole Mrs. Wicca escapade was just > delightful! Oh! and I noticed the blooper!! > I made mental note: *why* is Clark saying that!?!? > Hello!?! Duh!?!?! :o) First off, thank you, Maggie, for being so complimentary. You've got to be the most enthusiasic fanfic reader I've come across. But, the question is, do I keep the blooper in? What do you think? I've been meaning to take care of a few corrections to the story -- missing quote mark, that kind of thing -- and I have also thrown in a line or two in to make Clark *not* say what he so stupidly did. But, I don't know. It might not be a bad thing to leave hanging out there, considering the potential it holds for future complications. > (crossing fingers that little slip leads to another > installment in the series! Bloopers are a good > thing. Yes they are! ;o)) Well, I must admit, that's a thought I've had too. But, right now I'm working on a short story that I might try and enter in a contest, depending on how it turns out. > Anyway, I *loved* the story, Thanks Sandy! > *and* I wasn't even mildly annoyed that the plane > took off a whole hour late. Really. Hmm, Maggie, it appears to me you might be booking yourself on unreliable airlines to satisfy a subconscious desire to read fanfic in airport terminals. I can understand wanting to read fanfic but why the unusual milieu? > > > Okay, now on to the "Not related > to Fanfic but related to Folcdom section" Your story really made me smile. It reminded me so much of all the reports made to the Lois and Clark list over the years when groups of folcs have been able to meet each other -- and the overwhelming excitement when that also involved someone who worked on the show. You really did a great job of explaining it and making me feel your emotions. Why aren't you writing? Or, are you? > Maggie > who has been on Cloud Nine since Friday You must have an incredible amount of frequent flyer mileage. Take care -- really, Sandy smcdermin@erols.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 12:42:51 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Fw: Virus warning on Christian message Comments: To: Undisclosed.Recipients@radius.connectfree.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0090_01BE8A62.7A50DB20" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0090_01BE8A62.7A50DB20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Passing this along to everyone, guys. Sorry if you already have the = info. LabRat :) -----Original Message----- To: Undisclosed.Recipients@mailhost.dircon.co.uk = Date: 19 April 1999 11:22 Subject: FW : Virus warning on Christian message Original message dated 17 April 1999 WARNING!! If you receive an E-mail titled "it Takes Guts to see 'Jesus'", DO NOT = OPEN IT This news was announced yesterday morning from IBM AOL states that this = is a very dangerous virus, much worse then Melissa. And there is no = remedy for it at this time. Some very sick individual has succeeded in = using the re-format from Norton Utilities causing it to completely erase = all documents on the hard disk. It has been designed to work with Netscape and Internet explorer. It destroys Mac and IBM computers. This is a new, very malicious virus and = not many people know about it yet. Pass this warning along to EVERYONE = in your address book and please share this with all your online friends. ------=_NextPart_000_0090_01BE8A62.7A50DB20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Passing this along to = everyone,=20 guys. Sorry if you already have the info.
 
LabRat :)
 
-----Original = Message-----
To: Undisclosed.= Recipients@mailhost.dircon.co.uk=20 <Undisclosed.= Recipients@mailhost.dircon.co.uk>
Date:=20 19 April 1999 11:22
Subject: FW : Virus warning on = Christian=20 message

Original message dated 17 April=20 1999
 
WARNING!!

If you receive an E-mail titled "it Takes Guts to see=20 'Jesus'", DO NOT OPEN IT

This news was announced yesterday morning from IBM AOL states = that this=20 is a very dangerous virus, much worse then Melissa. And there is no = remedy for=20 it at this time. Some very sick individual has succeeded in using the = re-format=20 >from Norton Utilities causing it to completely erase all documents on = the hard=20 disk.

It has been designed to work with Netscape and Internet = explorer.=20 It
destroys Mac and IBM computers. This is a new, very malicious = virus and=20 not many people know about it yet. Pass this warning along to EVERYONE = in your=20 address book and please share this with all your online=20 friends.


------=_NextPart_000_0090_01BE8A62.7A50DB20-- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 04:26:44 EDT Reply-To: LaneKent@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rowan Fuller Subject: Loises & Clarks MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Any chance of a sequel, I enjoyed this story. It made me laugh, made me cry, etc. I could imagine it on the television Rowan http://members.aol.com/lanekent ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 20:00:19 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: Mechanics of writing MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- "Demona (Angel Of The Night)" wrote: > I also think (and I've > said this and been flamed for this in the past ;P), > that in so far as the > actual *process* of writing is concerned, a writer > of fiction really should > get everything out of them *creatively* first, and > then worry about the > mechanics of it, later. That, of course, is my > opinion only. But it is a > concept which I've watched help so many potential > writers out there > actually discover that they _did_ have a tremendous > amount to offer with > their work, where before they'd always been told > they "couldn't write". > Because they weren't following someone else' mould. I only agree to a certain extent. Although it is certainly permissible to write the first draft without worrying about mechanics, it cannot be ignored altogether. Before a work is posted to this list or to the archive, *some* attention should be paid to grammar. I am not saying that good grammar alone makes a good story, however poor grammar can make a great story merely good. If that is not the writer's particular forte, there are editors who are gifted in that area who would be glad to help. === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 10:59:15 -0600 Reply-To: erink@ida.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wendy wrote: > However, as someone who was surprised and >delighted to see one of her recent (posted to the Archive) stories >being mentioned here (It Happened one (Super) Night), I wouldn't like >to argue that *no* Archive story be mentioned here. It is an >excellent way of pointing readers to good stories they may have >missed - I hope Erin, whose 'What it Means to Love You' was also, >deservedly, mentioned here, would agree with me. LOL! Okay, Wendy, sure. Drag me into the discussion. Actually, I've been following this discussion closely in lurkdome. (No, I haven't completely fallen off the face of the earth after the Kerths as some of you have asked me if I have. ) I thought I'd chime in here since Wendy practically pushed me into the pool and say that I agree with Wendy's (and many others') views here. Because I've been unable to indulge myself by simply sitting down and reading through all the wonderful fanfic that has been submitted either to the fanfic archive or to this list, I *love* to hear from folcs about which ones have been well written and well liked. It gives me a place to start when I only have time to read one or two stories between breaking up my kids' fights or doing the ever-lasting loads of dishes or laundry. And on the flip-side, it always feels great when you see something you've written being complimented or "pushed" by someone who's read and liked it. It's enough to put me on cloud-nine for a month. ;) But I also completely understand Margaret's point of view. Posting a story and then seeing am email subject line with your fanfic title in it is enough to send most of us writers running for cover. By posting a story, you suddenly feel as if you've unzipped your fly, so to speak. ;) Especially if you're just writing for fun, and don't want to have your story ripped apart and analyzed piece by piece. Therefore, having a "comments welcomed privately" might be a nice request to put in a story's intro, etc. I, however, don't mind having a story ripped apart and analyzed...*as long as it's done constructively*. (I thought I'd add that before I get a ton of emails in my box from those who think the stories I've written deserve to be paper shredder material. ) Maybe it's because I'm striving to be a professional writer someday, but I absolutely LIVE for feedback on my stories, even if it's someone saying, "I really didn't think this was one of your better stories because..." If the parts of the story he or she is basing that opinion on follow that "because", *great*!! It will help me to understand WHY somone liked or dislike what I've written, and it will make me an overall better writer in the long run. So to wrap this up , I love the fanfic discussion we have on this list, even if it's just someone saying, "Hey, guys! Go and read such and such. It's great!" And I love it even more if I see a thread that discusses someone's fanfic (like Wendy's 'A Perfect Match?' was discussed recently--and it was great, btw! Go and read it! ), I can even learn from those posts what is liked or disliked, thus learning from even someone *else's* writing. Okay, I'll shut up now. Back to dishes and laundry.... Erin :) _________________ erink@ida.net ELK on IRC Visit my 1999 Official Kerth Awards Website! http://www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "The truth is, no one knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." _________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 12:54:06 EDT Reply-To: DUNNFOUR@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Laurie Dunn Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit What a thread this has been! I am a musician and can testify that all artists of any kind have a piece of themselves instilled in their work. A smart "maestro" gives criticism that embellishes that performer and performance. As an artist, one has to expect feedback of all kinds, accept some and pitch the rest. As far as giving criticism? As a non-church goer, I'd have to say I've preached the "Golden Rule" to my kids for years, because it works. Can you answer "yes" to all three of these questions: is it true? is it kind? and will it help? I think those are the three Buddhist Gates or something. So much for my philosophical background. Keep those stories coming! LaurieD ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 18:49:18 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Stacy Subject: OT: Printing out fanfics MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi all, I know that this was brought up on the list before, but I deleted the email with the info that I needed. I have a lot of fanfics and nfics that I would like to print out so that I don't have to sit in front of the computer and read them. I use netscape, and I get my email through yahoo. If there is anyone that can help me out on how to print out stories, without using a ton of paper, I would really appreciate it. You can contact me at brocks_babe@yahoo.com or deancainfans@xoommail.com Thanks === Stacy _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 18:53:32 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Chris Carr Subject: Re: new fanfic: The Best Bargain 2/2 In-Reply-To: <19990419050125.LVFE16164.mta1-svc@listserv.indiana.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT (The Best Bargain, part two of two) By Christine Carr c.carr@virgin.net When had her feelings for Clark begun to deepen, to broaden, to consume her? She guessed the process had started soon after they had met, though it had happened so gradually that she could pinpoint no one time or event and say, it happened then. That was the moment. The first time she had suspected that there might be something more between herself and Clark than just friends, had been on the day she was to have married Luthor. She had stood in front of the mirror, trying on her new name for size. Lois Luthor. But, like a dress a size too small, it squeezed her, pinched her, and made her feel uncomfortable. Then she tried other variations. Lois Lane Luthor. Lois Luthor Lane. But neither of those fitted better than the first. Then, as though she had discovered something unexpected on a previously unnoticed rack at the back of the store, she tried on Lois Lane Kent. There was something about it. It was not her style, but it flattered her. It was comfortable. She had suddenly thought to herself that she could get used to it with practice. And moments later she had said, "I can't," instead of, "I do." The weeks that had followed had been difficult. Before the wedding, Clark had said he wanted more than friendship from her, but, after Luthor's death, he had recanted his declaration of love, and she had been left confused by both her own feelings and the mixed signals he had been sending. Yet, somehow, their friendship had not only survived Luthor's onslaught, it had emerged even stronger than before as they endeavoured to regain the ground they had lost. Lois had grown closer to Clark and, when he had tentatively asked her out, she had equally tentatively said yes. With embarrassment, she remembered how their first evening out as more than friends had ended with her slamming the door in his face, scared at the implications of what a "great date" with Clark might actually mean in the greater scheme of things. Still, they had managed to resolve that. . . misunderstanding. . . just as they had managed to resolve so many others since. She remembered the healing kiss the following day, the contact that had held so much promise. She had not wanted it to end. Her eyes had closed as she had lost herself in the moment and - then Clark was gone. He had run from her, shouting Mayson Drake's name, screaming words of warning that were lost in an infernal explosion. Lois had approached the wreckage of Mayson's car, and watched as Clark gently cradled the dying assistant district attorney who had loved him. With hindsight, Lois now knew that the days that followed had been hard for Clark as he had grappled with his feelings of guilt, guilt that he had not been the man that Mayson had thought, and guilt that he had not saved her. All Lois had known at the time, however, was that Clark's reaction to Mayson's death shook her confidence in both him and in herself as little else could have done. He had become withdrawn, and Lois had begun to wonder whether his attachment to Mayson was as innocent as he had claimed. Dan Scardino's appearance on the scene could not have come at a worse time. What followed then had been a painful comedy of errors which had only been resolved when Lois had realised that she and Clark both wanted the same thing - to be together. All it required was that one of them should say something, and she realised that it was going to have to be her. Finding the courage to tell him, though. . . That was hard. Lois was proud that she had been the one to resolve the impasse that their relationship had reached, that she had been the one to take the initiative. Only a year before, she had given up on the idea of love and the hope of finding it for herself, yet she had faced up to her not inconsiderable fears and had gone after what - or perhaps that should be who - she wanted most. Not Dan. Not Superman. But Clark, the man who had been making her wonder if dreams really could come true, after all. Even then, things had not gone smoothly because, soon afterwards, she had discovered something so unexpected about Clark that her faith had been shaken to its foundations once again. Yet, in all the strange moods and hurtful behaviour that had followed the disclosure that he was Superman, she never once doubted he loved her. It was not her faith in love, this time, that was harmed, but rather her faith in him. In the end, of course, they had reached a new accord, and had begun to lay solid foundations upon which to build a future together. All those arguments. All those misunderstandings. Yet, somehow, they had managed to reach this moment. Despite all the knocks they had suffered, she could hold nothing against him, just as she knew he held nothing against her. They had each, in their own ways, hurt the other, but that was all in the past now. What mattered was what lay ahead. Before Lois had met Clark, she had thought of loving someone as being akin to maintaining a profit and loss account. What you could afford to put into a relationship was determined by what you got out of it, and you budgeted to ensure that your emotional investment did not exceed what you could afford to lose. Clark, however, had taught her by both words and deeds that love had nothing to do with accountancy. Instead, love was a gift to be given freely, with no strings attached. Clark did not ration his affections for her, and through his example she had learned to invest her whole being, heart and mind, in him. It had been a risky business, and certainly one which no banker would ever have condoned. But the rewards were worth it. Loving Clark, and being loved by him in return, was the best bargain she had ever made. Lois rolled her eyes as Pachebel's Canon reached its climax, ended, and began again. Ruefully, she decided that, if she had to hear it for much longer, she would grow to hate that piece of music. She let her gaze wander across to Clark's desk. He was watching her, a look of tenderness on his face. They smiled at each other as their eyes locked and the world around them ceased to exist. Then she broke the moment as she dragged her eyes away, and she looked back down at the ring, revelling anew in the novelty of seeing it on her finger. How had she got so lucky, she wondered, as to have him by her side? It was a rhetorical question. She did not need an answer: it was more than enough for her simply to know that he was there. The curious sixth sense she seemed to be developing where Clark was concerned made her glance around at him once more, and she saw that he was on the alert, his head held high and to one side. The slightly distant look in his eyes and the concentration on his face told her all that she needed to know: he was listening to something only he could hear. A silent question passed between them, and Clark glanced around, checking that nobody was watching, before he made a discreet gesture with his hand. She understood, of course. Superman was needed. "I'll cover," she said, under her breath, knowing that he would hear her. He smiled gratefully as he rose from his chair, his hand reaching for the knot of his tie, and then he was gone. She leaned back and put her feet up on her desk as she idly wondered who needed him now. A high pitched and slightly nasal voice suddenly erupted from the telephone receiver and intruded on her thoughts, making her jump in surprise. "Incendo Inc., good morning. Liz speaking. How may I help you?" Lois sat bolt upright, and swung her feet back down onto the floor, all business once again. Without missing a beat, she picked up the necessary train of thought, reluctantly pushing Clark to one side. "I'd like to speak to the C.E.O., please, and don't. put me on hold." Then she shook her head and smiled to herself in resignation. Just for today she did not mind waiting, not when it meant that she could day-dream some more. END ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 18:53:32 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Chris Carr Subject: Re: New fanfic: The Best Bargain 1/2 In-Reply-To: <19990419050125.LVFE16164.mta1-svc@listserv.indiana.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: Quoted-printable About a month ago, I posted a vignette to the list, called 'Counting The Ways'. That piece was written entirely from Clark's point of view. I said at the time, that I was wondering whether to tackle a 'mirror' to that piece, looking at the same situation >from Lois's point of view. Encouraged by the response that I got to the last piece, I have, indeed, written the Lois piece. Any similarities between the two are entirely intentional. (It's not possible to plagiarise oneself, is it?) Again, this takes place the morning after Ultra Woman. No plot, no angst, just unmitigated fluff. A big thank you to Irene, who read through an earlier draft, and pointed out typos, words that needed translating into North American-speak, and my lack of commas. :) The characters aren't mine, and I mean no harm by their use. The ideas probably aren't very new, either. However, I chose the words and the metaphors, so I hope that I can take some credit for that, at least. Feedback is gratefully received at c.carr@virgin.net THE BEST BARGAIN A Lois and Clark vignette By Christine Carr My true love hath my heart, and I have his, By just exchange, one for the other given. I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss: There never was a better bargain driven. (Philip Sidney, 1554-86) It had not been an easy road to travel, but somehow Lois and Clark had reached their destination, a place called Happiness. Their souls cried out with the joy of being together. Having found one another, they defied any force to split them asunder. In other words, they loved each other very much. Lois sat at her desk with the phone cradled between her shoulder and her ear as she frantically made notes. The three headings she had started with ("Bribes", "Insider Dealing" and "Possible Intergang Connection?") were rapidly getting lost amidst the wealth of new information she was jotting down. This was going to be a great story! Under normal circumstances, nothing could have distracted her from following the scent of such a major scandal. However, today was most definitely not normal. As she wrote with her right hand, she gesticulated madly with her left. The still unfamiliar feel of her engagement ring called her attention to it again and again. It was only with determination that she kept enough of her mind free to follow the thread of the conversation, and to ask intelligent questions of her source. She knew that her gestures were bigger than normal, her happiness magnifying them, demanding that attention be drawn to her ring. She was, she realised, showing off, but she did not care. This was fun! The light danced off the diamond solitaire, and Lois, out of the corner of her eye, watched its shifting colours as she moved her hand. She smiled. It was a beautiful object in its own right, but Lois valued it infinitely more for what it stood for, than for any monetary value it possessed. Who would have imagined, when she had met Clark for the first time, that they would reach this point? Certainly not Lois. Mad Dog Lane had barely noticed him then, caught up as she was in her story. She had not had either the time or the inclination to be polite to the stranger in Perry's office, and she had made no attempt to see beyond the barest impressions she received of dark hair and glasses. Lois was still ambitious and dedicated to her work, but the aggressive single-mindedness that had bordered perilously close on obsession had left her. Lois wondered how things could have become so bad that she had forgotten that there was more to life than work. How could she have forgotten the importance of friendship and love? She had Clark to thank for saving her from a life where such things held no meaning. He had, over time, done much to temper the worst of her self-centred approach to her job, and she knew - because he had told her so - that no-one called her Mad Dog Lane anymore. Lois could feel his eyes on her. There was something comforting about his scrutiny, almost as though, without even touching her, he held her in a fond embrace. How did he manage to convey so much feeling in just a look, she wondered, but then realised that she did not care how he did it, only that he could, and did. As she terminated her call, she glanced across at him. Mitigated by time, but not vanquished, her familiar competitive edge burst to life, and she felt satisfaction that, even if he was intruding on her thoughts, he had not distracted her from her work as much as she had distracted him from his. It was a heady feeling, knowing that she had such a profound effect on him. As much as she was flattered by his lapse in concentration, she nonetheless decided that it could not be allowed to pass without comment. She mouthed, low enough that no-one else would guess that she was talking to him, but loud enough that he could hear, "Quit staring at me and get on with your work, Kent!" Then she laughed with delight as she saw him sheepishly pick up his phone. Lois glanced down at her notes and selected another number to call. The line connected, and a recorded voice at the other end announced, "You have reached the offices of Incendo Inc. All our operators are busy at present. Please hold the line, and someone will be with you shortly." Then the strains of a distorted version of Pachebel's Canon assaulted her ears. Normally she would have been irritated to find herself put on hold, but today she was grateful for the luxury of having an excuse to let her thoughts drift away from the task in hand. The brief respite from her job gave her the freedom to think about the subjects that were uppermost in her mind: her engagement, and her fianc=E9. Fianc=E9, she thought. It was a wonderful word, perhaps the most wonderful word in the English language. It was almost as wonderful as he was. She had had plenty of reasons back at the beginning for not wanting to be with Clark, though she was hard pressed to think of them now. She was honest enough to realise that her rationalisations had been as much masks for her own insecurities as anything else. She was not comfortable with that idea, of course. A bold, courageous, and indomitable reporter should never be stopped by fear, and, normally, of course, she was not. She thrived on adventure. However, fear at work and fear of love were two quite disparate things. For almost as long as she could remember, Lois had thought of herself as being a romantic beneath the hard-bitten exterior she cultivated so carefully, and, while she would never have permitted her colleagues to suspect it, she enjoyed losing herself in tales of epic romance. Yet, the sensible and logical part of her mind had always told her that those types of stories were fantasies. There had been a period when she had thought Lex Luthor was reality. He had dazzled her, flattered her, and admired her. Maybe he had even loved her in his own twisted way, though Lois was inclined to doubt it. Besides, Lois had thought at the time, if love was not part of the bargain, did it really matter? Love did not last. That was the message she had learned from her parents, with their arguments and their ugly divorce. Lex had offered the dream wedding and the trappings of romance without the need for any real kind of emotional commitment on her part. She had not expected to be happy with Lex. Just married. And what did that say about her, she wondered. Had she become so cynical that she had ceased to believe in love? Had she given up on the idea that marriage could mean happy ever after? Perhaps, for a while, that was precisely what she had done. Superman had been the biggest fantasy of all, and one that she had clung to with a tenacity that had surprised her. What was it about him, she had wondered at the time, that made her forget her common sense? There had been the instantaneous attraction she had felt for him, of course, but that could not, on its own, explain it. After all, she had met other great and powerful men, and there had never been the same feeling of rightness about them, the same feeling of. connection. When Superman had told her, in so many words, that there was no hope for them as a couple, she had felt her dreams vanish into mist and scatter on the winds, and she had run straight into Lex Luthor's open arms. But the Lex she had known had not been real, either. He had been a mirage who had disappeared just as soon as she had found a new vantage point from which to observe him, as much of a fantasy in his own way as Superman had been. The reality, of course, was that her fantasy man had been beside her all the time, weaving his way into her affections as a trusted confidante and friend. And then something more. (end part one. Continued in part two.) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 14:56:59 EDT Reply-To: ChoirGirl2@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "K.M. de Castro" Subject: Re: Charactrs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <<>>> Oooohhh, I see a fanfic challenge to all of you seasoned writers: Write a scene and have us guess who's going through the actions. Anyone up to it? That would really answer the question of "What is in/out of character?" Marie ChoirGirl2@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 13:07:31 -0600 Reply-To: erink@ida.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: To Critique or not to Critique? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi all ;) I sent this a few hours ago but didn't see it show up on the list, so I'll try it again. Hopefully you won't get it twice. Wendy wrote: > However, as someone who was surprised and >delighted to see one of her recent (posted to the Archive) stories >being mentioned here (It Happened one (Super) Night), I wouldn't like >to argue that *no* Archive story be mentioned here. It is an >excellent way of pointing readers to good stories they may have >missed - I hope Erin, whose 'What it Means to Love You' was also, >deservedly, mentioned here, would agree with me. LOL! Okay, Wendy, sure. Drag me into the discussion. Actually, I've been following this discussion closely in lurkdome. (No, I haven't completely fallen off the face of the earth after the Kerths as some of you have asked me if I have. ) I thought I'd chime in here since Wendy practically pushed me into the pool and say that I agree with Wendy's (and many others') views here. Because I've been unable to indulge myself by simply sitting down and reading through all the wonderful fanfic that has been submitted either to the fanfic archive or to this list, I *love* to hear from folcs about which ones have been well written and well liked. It gives me a place to start when I only have time to read one or two stories between breaking up my kids' fights or doing the ever-lasting loads of dishes or laundry. And on the flip-side, it always feels great when you see something you've written being complimented or "pushed" by someone who's read and liked it. It's enough to put me on cloud-nine for a month. ;) But I also completely understand Margaret's point of view. Posting a story and then seeing am email subject line with your fanfic title in it is enough to send most of us writers running for cover. By posting a story, you suddenly feel as if you've unzipped your fly, so to speak. ;) Especially if you're just writing for fun, and don't want to have your story ripped apart and analyzed piece by piece. Therefore, having a "comments welcomed privately" might be a nice request to put in a story's intro, etc. I, however, don't mind having a story ripped apart and analyzed...*as long as it's done constructively*. (I thought I'd add that before I get a ton of emails in my box from those who think the stories I've written deserve to be paper shredder material. ) Maybe it's because I'm striving to be a professional writer someday, but I absolutely LIVE for feedback on my stories, even if it's someone saying, "I really didn't think this was one of your better stories because..." If the parts of the story he or she is basing that opinion on follow that "because", *great*!! It will help me to understand WHY somone liked or dislike what I've written, and it will make me an overall better writer in the long run. So to wrap this up , I love the fanfic discussion we have on this list, even if it's just someone saying, "Hey, guys! Go and read such and such. It's great!" And I love it even more if I see a thread that discusses someone's fanfic (like Wendy's 'A Perfect Match?' was discussed recently--and it was great, btw! Go and read it! ), I can even learn from those posts what is liked or disliked, thus learning from even someone *else's* writing. Okay, I'll shut up now. Back to dishes and laundry.... Erin :) _________________ erink@ida.net ELK on IRC Visit my 1999 Official Kerth Awards Website! http://www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "The truth is, no one knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." _________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 14:06:54 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: Help Please MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >From MR. D8A's work email=20 [JaT] There is also the option of Home Schooling.=A0=A0 I know of = several individuals that where taught at home instead of in the public school system.=A0 This is usually done for religious purposes and because some individuals believe they can do a better job educating their children = than the state(and in most cases they do!). =A0 MR. D8A=A0 A.K.A.=A0 James=20 Putting his two cents in and expressing the option he and his wife are opting for whenever our kids become old enough.=A0 When we have = kids.=A0 Proverbs 3:5-6=20 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.=A0 In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct = your path. Please visit and explore my house at:=20 http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 =20 mailto:mr_d8a@yahoo.com =20 =A0 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 22:46:15 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Poor Grammar in Fanfic In-Reply-To: <19990419020400.7557.rocketmail@web705.mail.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Real life sneaks up again and pounds to be let in the door . Being an editor/writer leaves me incapable of reading a story, pro- or fan-, without analyzing it half to death. So I hope no one objects to my personal two cents about grammar in fanfic. This is merely my humble (or not so humble?) opinion, YMMV and all that, and of course, this is aimed at no one in particular and I have no intention of insulting anybody. >--- Peggy Mueller wrote: >> Unless the writing style or grammar is so poor that >> it makes the story >> incomprehensible, bad grammar usually doesn't stop >> me from enjoying a >> fanfic. I've read many fanfics that moved me to >> tears or laughter because >> the author still managed to get his/her point acorss >> in spite of the poor >> grammar. While Elisabeth wrote: > >It sounds like we differ on grammatical views. I find >poor grammar and punctuation to be a great >distraction. However, after reading stories written >>from all forms of the English language, I've enough >adapted to spelling differences that outright errors >don't bother me anymore. (Well, not much. It still >bugs me to see alot, instead of a lot.) You forgot "alright," Elisabeth. ;) Along with "loosing" vs "losing," "shudder" vs "shutter," and many many more... But seriously, what's the definition of bad grammar? There are stories out there that are a mix of prose and transcript style. That's terrible grammar, but the stories don't suffer from it. (Frex J Eagan's highly entertaining stories, as well as several other authors.) British spelling (a wink at Margaret there, along with Wendy and others across the pond) and usage of non-American terminology certainly doesn't qualify as poor grammar, but rather a different way of using the English language. I would hardly expect someone to complain about that! No, the real problem, even more than poor spelling or the misuse of homonyms (which are quite frankly irritating enough, and can easily be avoided with a spell-checker and an editor that's willing to be honest with you), are stories where the *structure* of the sentences and paragraphs are so poor that the reader spends half of his/her time just trying to figure out who is saying/doing what. Two people's dialogue in the same paragraph, changes of POV or scene without a space or line of asterisks to indicate the change, paragraphs that are haphazardly strung together -- these errors in structure leave your reader more preoccupied in following the yellow brick road than in absorbing the storyline that you've labored over for days (or weeks or months). You've lavished so much TLC and effort into your work -- after all, fanfic is, by definition, a labor of love! Why, *why* do you sabotage your own efforts by causing your readers to dismiss your story as unreadable? Or even if the reader struggles through it, much of the enjoyment is lost! Peggy, authors shouldn't just "manage" to get their points across. Considering all the offers I've seen from various FoLCs to proofread others' work, it can't be that difficult to find an editor. Please, all you authors out there - do both yourself and your readers a favor and have your story checked before you post it! Hazel (who thinks this is one aspect of constructive criticism that should *definitely* be addressed to an author privately, and is not alluding to any particular story) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 13:13:32 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Stacy Subject: OT: printing out fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi everybody, I know this topic was brought up before on the list. I have a lot of fanfic that I would like to start printing out. The only problem is, I deleted the past e-mails on how to print without using a ton of paper. If anyone could help me, I would love it. I use Yahoo for my email, and am also using Netscape. You can email me at either brocks_babe@yahoo.com or deancainfan@xoommail.com Thanks === Stacy _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 16:25:09 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New fanfic alert + the critique thread MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, I'm about to post a story I've been writing on and off [sometimes very off] since last fall. I would very much welcome comments, both positive and critical, before I send it to the archive. That way I can make any necessary changes, deletions, expansions, etc. Sometimes you get so involved with a story you don't see the obvious stuff. The "critique" thread has been very interesting. As several of you have mentionned, this forum can serve as a very helpful one to discuss the issues involved in writing . I've found those posts that comment on various fanfics amongst the most interesting, even when I disagree with what has been written, although I've yet to get my nerve up to comment in reply. [this latter statement will come as a surprise to the S6 crew, but that's a small safe group!] Sometimes, out of the debate come new ideas and interpretations. Still, I think the author's wishes should be respected on this issue. I don't object to any public comments on what I've written here as long as it's constructive. [except how I use commas. Jeanne has done her best with me but there is no hope.] I can't decide on the title for this story. --- "Recognition: The Way" [my original title], or "R: The Rules" or "R: Trust". Carol ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 16:26:46 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled , part 2 of 12 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Recognition ??? , part 2 * * * It didn't take Lois long to get to Antonio's. Glancing quickly across the potted plants and the white table cloths of the crowded restaurant, she saw that her father had not yet arrived. Just as the maitre d' was asking her if she had a reservation, she was joined by her sister Lucy, who looked a little too aggressive in a short black skirt and tight black top that plunged a couple of inches too low for the business crowd at Antonio's, at least for the feminine part of the business crowd. Oversize earrings that looked like they could pick up alien space signals added a nice finishing touch to her ensemble. Taking one look at her sister's outfit, Lois narrowed her brown eyes. "Out to make a little statement, Luce?" "Like you're not? You look like you moonlight selling mutual funds." The maitre d' interrupted, although he kept his eyes on Lucy Lane a little longer than necessary. "Uh, do you ladies, uh, have a reservation?" "Yes. Sam Lane," Lois said. "Ah, yes." He snapped to attention at the tone in Lois's voice. "Dr. Lane's not here yet, but if you'll follow me." They did and were seated in a back corner that gave them a good view of the room. Fifteen minutes later, they were still waiting for their father, and now their small talk turned nervous as both of them avoided voicing their anxiety that their father would not show. However, five minutes later, they calmed down as they spotted Sam Lane, tall and distinguished looking, chatting with the maitre d' for a moment before striding confidently towards their table. His smile was expansive and his voice richly resonant as he spoke, "Well, my two little girls." "Hi Daddy," both women piped simultaneously, both reverting to the childish appellation. Sam sat down, deftly flicking the white linen napkin across his lap. "Well, you girls are both looking good. Prettiest girls in the room. How've you been?" The conversation continued in this sort of banal and slightly stilted manner as the three participants tried to reestablish some sense of intimacy that they all probably felt should have been present at a family lunch. All three probably tried a little too hard, and so all three felt a sense of relief when the waiter brought their meals, a welcome distraction from their forced conversation. Lois thought wistfully of the times she'd eaten with Clark's parents, of the atmosphere of casual and understated affection, and of how she had almost immediately felt comfortable with them. Once the Lanes had begun to eat, they fell back into a safe pattern of conversation, talking about jobs, casual interests and the quality of the salad dressing. No threats, no painful memories, no emotional baggage. Lucy had just finished her exams and was about to graduate, both bits of information news to Sam Lane who hadn't been aware that Lucy had returned to school. Lois talked about work at the Daily Planet, but not about Clark, and Sam talked, with great enthusiasm, in between answering calls on his cell phone, about his new job with Biotech Networks where he was deeply involved in his continuing research with cybernetics, working on microchip implants that could control human behavior. He still had great hopes of developing the first "lifelike" android and hoped that these chips would give him a greater insight into the problems involved in recreating human intelligence. As she listened to her father talk, Lois thought, as she had once before, that they were Dr. Frankenstein's daughters. Well, he'd always wanted a son and now he was going to father Data. Lunch ended and the trio rose to leave, walking to the front door and then standing for an awkward moment on the pavement. Sam made a fuss of hailing a taxi for his daughters and then, as they were climbing in, his hearty demeanor diminished. Lois was surprised by the sadness in his eyes, and, impulsively she hugged him before she climbed into the waiting cab. "Thanks, Dad. It was good to see you." Again, she was surprised by the emotion in Sam Lane's voice as he bid his daughters good-bye. "Maybe we can do this again," he said. "It's been great seeing my little princesses." "It's been good to see you, too, Dad. Maybe you'd like to come to my graduation in June?" Lucy asked. "Sure thing, Lucy. I'll be there," Sam said as he closed the taxi door. As the cab pulled away, Lucy looked at her sister and let out a deep breath. "So ..." she said. "So .." Lois replied. "Who said our family isn't fun?" * * * Superman hovered above the muddy debris of the land slide that had caused the cave-in of the Brazilian gold mine and did a quick scan before taking off. It looked like he had found all the miners trapped in the underground tunnels which had never been very safe in the first place. The mud slide had placed too much stress on rotted wooden support beams and they had collapsed without much resistance. He'd managed to get everyone out safely; this time there were no deaths, but he knew that his help had been only temporary. The corporation that owned the mine would quickly rebuild, taking shortcuts that government officials would find expedient to overlook. The mine would soon be in operation again and people desperate for work would once more be toiling beneath the surface, their health undermined and their humanity diminished, risking their lives for the few dollars a day that was not quite enough to provide for their families. He knew he should feel satisfied with what he had achieved here. He did feel satisfied. But he knew, too, that he'd be back, if not here, then to some similar disaster. Sometimes he felt like his actions were just stopgap measures and that he would never get at the root causes of the problems that he saw, that he was doomed forever to replay the same few scenarios. Sighing, he slowly flew upward toward the sun and drifted for a few moments, riding the air currents over the lush green canopy of dark rainforests, replenishing his spirit and finding again his optimism and faith in the ultimate beauty of the universe and the goodness of mankind. He dove lower, gliding and swerving among the fresh foliage of exotic trees, absorbing the sounds and the fresh smells of the dense growth. Spotting a small complacent group of monkeys, he flew even lower, landing in front of a mother, a baby clinging to her back, as she walked across the damp jungle floor. She stopped and he chuckled as both mother and child looked at him quizzically, their round black eyes wide, and he thought about bringing Lois here, wondering how she would react to all this dark grandeur. Both monkeys chattered at him, no doubt asking him what he was. However, since he wasn't completely sure about that one, he told them instead that he was Clark Kent from Metropolis. Then he shot upwards towards his home. When he got back to the Planet late that afternoon, he looked around for Lois but she wasn't there. Probably out on a story, he thought. Sitting down at his desk, he began to sort through his e-mail but he found his mind returning unwillingly to his conversation with the government agent and about his decision to withhold this information from Lois. He didn't want her to worry about any hypothetical threats to him, much less go charging off on a mission that would probably lead nowhere. More than anything he wanted to keep her safe, to protect her, a feeling that had intensified since their relationship had deepened. If, in fact, there was anything to what the man had said, then Clark would have to plan his reaction carefully. The government had tremendous resources; if it had decided that Superman presented a danger then he had to figure out how he could keep his parents and Lois safe. But first, he had to find out what exactly Bureau 39 was up to. Then he recalled the agent's reference to Jeff Anderson. Perhaps the Andersons were still in Legatteville. The Bureau had apparently decided that there was nothing of interest there, but the couple might be still at the farm, winding down their operation. He pushed back from his desk, and a few seconds later he was in the air streaking towards Minnesota to the outskirts of the small town of Legatteville. Swooping low, he quickly scanned the old wooden farmhouse that the Andersons had lived in and found that it was once again empty, a 'for sale' sign neatly placed near the road. Landing, he spun quickly into jeans and sweater and made a more normal tour of inspection, circling around the house and peering in windows, using his x-ray vision to check for anything the Andersons might have overlooked. Wondering if he would find anything inside the house, he walked around to the back and forced the old door open; one of the many things he had learned from Lois Lane was that people are less careful about the security of the back entrance. He smiled as he thought of some of the things that he had learned from her. Entering the old farmhouse, he quickly discovered that the Andersons had been pretty thorough when they left. There was nothing at all. Disappointed, he left the house, hoping that he could track down the Andersons, if that was, in fact, their real name, through the real estate agent in town. Doing that could prove tricky, however; Legatteville was a small town and, familiar with how small towns operated, Clark knew that even if he took care to avoid Lois's aunt and uncle they would find out that he had been there. Communication networks in small towns were light years ahead of the internet; always had been. And once Lois's aunt knew, Lois would know. Clark sighed. Then a small pleased smile played across his lips; he could disguise himself. After all, he did have some experience in that line. Maybe he could use that fake beard again, the one that he had used when he'd gone undercover in the Metro Club; the beard that Lois had ridiculed. Still, beauty was not his goal here. A bit of padding around his waist, baggy jeans, and a plaid flannel shirt with a baseball cap. Plus the old glasses. He could rent a pickup truck. Yeah, that should work. An hour later, Clark Kent, aka Fred Johnson, drove through the side streets of Legatteville, looking for the real estate office, slinking low in his seat for a moment when he had the bad luck to pass not too far from Lois's aunt who was walking, immersed in conversation with a friend. Relieved at not being spotted, he pulled up in front of Legatteville Reality, peering cautiously around for anyone he might know. No one. Breathing a sigh of relief, he slipped out of the truck and furtively sidled into the small agency which was, thankfully, located several blocks away from the offices of the Legatteville Link, the newspaper run by Lois's aunt. He was greeted by Sandy Thulman, a well groomed, attractive woman of about forty whom he thought he might have met at the wedding last weekend. Groaning inwardly, he extended his hand and introduced himself. "What can I do for you, Mr. Johnson?" "I've been looking at that vacant farm up on the ridge about half an hour out of town. I'd like to talk to the owners." She walked back to her sleek, teak laminate desk and flipped through a black binder of listings, stopping when she came to the Andersons' place. "The vendor is Federal Trust in Minneapolis. I'll give them a call." Clark hadn't expected that the property would be listed with a third party. "I was hoping to talk to the former owners directly -- get a feel for what problems they faced trying to make a go of it, before I decide to put an offer in." The woman smiled. "I'm not sure they gave it much of a go. City people," she said dismissively. "But I'll call Federal Trust and see what I can do for you." It took a few seconds before she contacted the right person. "Hi, this is Legatteville Reality . I have a prospective buyer for the Anderson property but he'd like to talk to them before he makes a decision." .... "Oh, I see. Can you give me a call back when you do?" ... "Thanks." She hung up and redirected her attention to Clark. "He's going to contact the Andersons and then he'll give me a call, but not likely before tomorrow. Where can I get in touch with you, Mr. Johnson?" "I'm on the road a lot. I'll call you tomorrow. My time's pretty flexible so I can meet them at their convenience." He rose. "Thanks, for your help, Mrs. Thulman." He headed back to the Daily Planet, regretfully giving up the red pickup truck. He kinda liked it. * * * By the time he got back, he was disappointed to see that Lois had gone for the day, but aware that he'd spent little time that day doing the job that paid, Clark sat down at his desk and began to work. When he finally did get home, he picked up his phone to call her but then hesitated, unsure what he'd say when she asked him about where he'd been all afternoon. He hated the idea of deceiving her; he'd done too much of that in the past, hidden his feelings from her, hidden himself from her. But he wanted to be sure about what was going on before he involved her, if he involved her. Maybe there was nothing ominous in what was going on with Bureau 39. This guy the other morning had been going on overheard conversation, snatches of information that probably had been blown out of proportion, the way all rumors started. Both he and Lois had known for a few weeks now that Bureau 39 still existed. It was common knowledge that the government investigated all suspected UFO sightings; it had been doing so since the Roswell sighting decades ago. All this was the stuff of tabloid TV journalism, trash movies, and paranoid fringe groups. None of this was new. The Andersons were probably off somewhere else now, checking the bluffs of Montana for frail, big eyed, luminous beings. How many crackpots had come to him and Lois over the last couple of years with off the wall stories? He'd just let this one get to him for some reason. Maybe because things had been going so great with Lois and he didn't want anything to get in the way of that. Good thing he hadn't told her. He wondered how her lunch with her father had gone. Now there was a real threat to his future well being and happiness. He'd call her first thing in the morning and take her to breakfast. * * * The next morning he met Lois at her apartment, his spirit lifting as he met her laughing eyes and happily submitted to an affectionate kiss, then waited for a second while she gathered her things together. As he watched her stuff a file folder of notes in her bag, he heard a call for help and he shrugged apologetically. She gave him a quick kiss and said she'd be at Grangers, a diner across from the Daily Planet. If he could make it, great; otherwise, she'd see him at the Planet. He took off, zooming toward a mugging outside a brownstone apartment building not far from Metropolis Park, and intervened just as two thugs were in the process of roughing up a woman jogger. Landing behind them, he reached out his arm, clamping his hand in an iron grip on the shoulder of the man nearest to him. Problem solved. A quick flight to the nearest precinct office and then he was entering the diner. Spotting Lois in the back corner, he grinned, raising his hand in greeting, and headed back to her booth, deftly sidestepping a waitress with an overloaded tray, and then sliding onto the bench across from her. "Tie's a little crooked," she said by way of welcome. He touched the knot and adjusted it, aligning the colorful tie so that it hung immaculately down the centre of his dark grey shirt. "Meet with your approval now, Ms. Lane?" "Yes, you do," she said, her brown eyes warm with the pleasure she always felt whenever she saw him. She reached across the table to touch his large hand. "So what happened?" "Nothing much. Attempted mugging of a jogger over on the north east corner of Metropolis Park. Lois, you jog over there sometimes, don't you?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "Maybe you should rethink your route," he said as he picked up the menu. Lois rolled her eyes. "Clark, I've been jogging for years and I know this city pretty well. I keep my eyes open." "But what if I can't get there if something happens?" She responded seriously, "You're right, Clark. I'll lock myself in my apartment from now on." Then her voice softened and she touched his hand again. "It's sweet that you worry about me, Clark. And I worry about you, too." Clark shook his head slightly and a small bright smile briefly lit his eyes. "So it's a two way street, is it?" "Uh huh." The waiter interrupted, taking Clark's order and bringing Lois hers. "So what happened yesterday?" "No fair, I was going to ask you that. My stuff's pretty routine," he said lightly. "How was lunch?" Lois grimaced and pushed her dark hair back behind her ear. "Awkward." Clark looked at her inquiringly, rolling his right hand to indicate he'd like a little more information. "And...." Lois narrowed her eyes, "You're awfully nosy, Kent." "I'm a reporter, Lois," he said piously. "I like to get the details." "Ah, the details. Well..." she met his eyes and then shrugged her shoulders. "Do you know how long it's been since I've seen my father, Clark?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "Well, I'll tell you. I haven't seen him in over a year, not since that boxing story we worked on. Do you know that he didn't even call me about the wedding? He didn't even care that I was getting married. All I got was a regrets response to the invitation." "Well, you gotta admit he showed some judgment there," Clark said, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. Lois narrowed her eyes and shot him an exasperated look. "Clark, that's not the point. And do you know he didn't know that Lucy was about to graduate. It's even longer since he's seen *her*. And he kept taking these phone calls through lunch. You think he could have left his cell phone behind. I mean, doesn't he have voice mail? And he's still working on those crazy android schemes. And he had the nerve to ask if Mother was still drinking. Clark, she hasn't had a drink in five years." Lois was getting increasingly wound up as she finished. "No wonder Lucy's been so screwed up." Clark choked on his coffee as Lois said this but managed to murmur as she gave him a dirty look, "No wonder." Then he continued, "But still, Lois, he did call. Maybe this is a second chance to get to know your dad again." "Clark, some things are just not a good idea." She fixed him with a serious look of her dark eyes. "Do you know what your problem is?" "No. What?" "Your family is so normal. You're so normal." Her tone was accusing, as though "normal" were a major character flaw. Clark couldn't help it; he burst out in a surprised laugh, a joyful grin spreading across his face. Startled, Lois looked at him again, smiling as she realized what she had said. "Well... sort of normal." "Well... this sort of normal guy thinks maybe you might give your father a second chance." Remembering the look on her father's face as she and Lucy had got in the cab yesterday and her own emotional turmoil, Lois said, "Maybe." She was silent for a moment. "So what did happen yesterday? You were gone a long time." Clark shrugged, as he stirred his coffee. "The usual -- mine collapse in Brazil, a few small things after that." Lois looked at him appraisingly. There was something about his attitude that seemed a little too casual and his tone that was a little too nonchalant. She wondered for a moment if there was something he was not telling her. She was about to say something and then she stopped. He wouldn't do that; those days were in their past now as they worked towards establishing this new relationship between them. No more secrets. She was probably just projecting her feelings about her father onto Clark. But Clark wasn't her father; Clark wouldn't hold out on her, wouldn't lie to her. * * * For Clark, the rest of the day was hectic. It seemed there were more than the usual number of minor accidents, muggings, and petty break and enters. The cry, "Help Superman!" interrupted him throughout the day, and he was beginning to wonder if Intergang was behind it all. The next day, however, he dismissed this idea when things returned to normal, making him think that it would be possible, after all, for him and Lois to visit Smallville on the weekend. He was looking forward to this. It would be the first time that he and Lois would visit his parents as a couple and he felt a quiet happiness at the thought. He had been looking forward to this for so long. He began to plan long walks in the moonlight. Maybe he would show her the hayloft in the barn. Before he left, though, he placed a call to Legatteville Reality. The Andersons were unavailable for a meeting; Federal Trust was the legal vendor of the farm. He wasn't too surprised; he suspected the farm had been bought with government dollars with Federal Trust as the middle man. * * * With a little help from Superman, Lois and Clark arrived in Smallville late Saturday evening to be met with good humored affection by Jonathan and Martha Kent. As Lois stood back and watched, Clark was enveloped in his father's burly bear hug and then Clark, in turn, hugged his mother. After a moment, Martha pushed her son away and took Lois's hands in hers, saying in a voice that left no doubt of her sincerity, "Lois, we're so glad you're here." Clark beamed as he watched Lois and his mother and father, noting the shy pleasure in Lois's voice as she responded inarticulately, "Me, too." An hour later, after some serious catching up on family and community gossip as well as life and times in the big city, the Kent household settled into quiet darkness. There had a brief moment of awkwardness as Martha had obliquely suggested that the sleeping arrangements were flexible, and Clark had looked hopeful. Lois, however, had her rules, and she was once again ensconced in Clark's old bedroom while Clark bedded down in Martha's studio which had temporarily reverted to its former role as spare bedroom. Clark noted, as he slipped under the covers on the sofa bed in a room which had clearly been made up before their arrival, that his mother had not been too optimistic about her son's status that night. Still, the weekend had just begun, he thought with a smile, as he reached across to switch off the light. ------ end , part 2 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 16:26:24 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 1 of 12 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Recognition: ???, part 1 note: This begins where R: Justice finished, the next day in fact, although I don't think it's necessary to have read that to follow this story. The first Recognition story was set just after TOP COPY. I've tried to keep with the continuity to that point but I've taken some of the later ideas and shuffled the deck a little. I'm very grateful to Jeanne and Jenni for all the help and support they've given me! PG 13 RECOGNITION: ??? by C. Malo Lois Lane was a young woman with brains, guts, and a dash of lower order street smarts which she had acquired through one tumultuous year spent in that halfway institution known as internship, and then by six incredible years at the Daily Planet. These experiences and talents had resulted in award winning journalistic success and personal life disaster. She believed that both these states of being were preordained. Now she was about to discover if that equation could be changed and if lower order smarts could be upgraded into higher order wisdom. Finding this out was not a deliberate goal on her part but one which she found herself stumbling toward as her relationship with her partner progressed beyond the stage where, in her experience, the guy in question, unless, of course, he was a master criminal, usually disappeared into the night in full flight from any kind of commitment. Not that she'd wanted any commitment. However, this time, much to her surprise, the guy in question had lobbed the ball back into her court. The guy in question was her partner at the Daily Planet, Clark Kent, and after he had lobbed the ball back into her court, he had followed it with a declaration of love and then a leap across the net into her court. A very dramatic leap, glasses removed and cape billowing in the breeze. Followed by a proposal. But what Lois wanted to do was to rally the ball for a while. To wallow in the euphoria of the flow of the game. To get to judge her opponent's style. To decide if he was, in fact, the opponent or whether the rules of the game could be discarded in favor of something new which they created together. After all, it had been scarcely four weeks since they had taken their first tentative steps toward each other, hardly enough time to make a decision as far reaching as changing the rules of the game. Lois reflected on all this as she chained, locked, and bolted her door late Sunday evening after returning with the man in question from a weekend in Legatteville, where her aunt and uncle lived. Leaning against the door for a second, she smiled, reliving again the strength of his arms around her and the bliss of his mouth on hers as he had kissed her a moment ago. She had pulled away to look at him, and instantly that spark had been there in his eyes, and probably in her eyes for all she knew, and in her body, too, which told her she'd better get in her apartment pretty quickly or he would be in her bedroom before either of them could take a next breath. That would be against the rules; she did not want to make the game any more complicated than it already was. Besides, changing that rule would give him the advantage. She sighed and smiled, a tired contentment sweeping over her body and propelling her towards sleep. Picking up her bag, she carried it into the bedroom. Clark had offered to do that for her, but she had given him a look that told him she was on to his strategy. He'd countered with his own look of wide eyed innocence, chastely kissed her on the cheek, and then, quickly, nipped the lobe of her ear. Turning, he walked away, leaving her standing in front of her closed apartment door. She wasn't sure if she was pleased or not. As she unzipped her bag, she thought about the weekend they'd just spent at Jenny and Matt's wedding. The whole weekend had been great. They'd both enjoyed staying with her aunt and uncle; Clark seemed to fit in as though he were one of the family, and she had appreciated the restraint that kept both her relatives from asking about her relationship with Clark. Jenny had been a radiant bride while Matt's usual reserve had been replaced with a grinning ebullience. Surprisingly, Lois had been touched by the ceremony, listening to the words with an attention that she had never given them before. At past weddings, she listened in cynical silence, deconstructing the vows as the ceremony progressed. Not this time. This time she had got caught up in the words, thinking how well they suited what she saw reflected in the faces of Jenny and Matt as they repeated their vows. Clark had been aware, too. He had reached for her hand at one point in the ceremony and, as her fingers had curled around his, their eyes had briefly met. Well, all women were suckers for romance, she told herself later as she tried to shake the sentimental mood that the wedding had slipped over her mind and her heart. Conditioned response, she told herself sternly. Nothing was more romantic than a wedding: all white lace and satin and men in tuxedos. The woman would never look more beautiful and the man, never more perfect. Her parents had had a big wedding. There was that horrible picture of them dancing together after the ceremony, looking like they were the only two people in the world. She pulled the dress she'd worn to the wedding out of her bag and carefully hung it up, making sure that the silk fell straight. As she did, she remembered Clark's face when he had first seen her in it. Stunned. She smiled, seeing again the light in his brown eyes as he'd looked at her. They'd had a good time at the reception, both with each other and with the other guests. Uncharacteristically, she'd flirted with a few men just for the fun of it and was hopeful that she now had added a less serious dimension to her reputation in Legatteville. She'd flirted with Clark, too. No risk in such a large crowd. He'd known what she was doing, and had teased and flirted back, no sign of jealousy when she danced with other men in the room. That was Mary Cardinal's fault. Clark had gloated over her prophecy for the rest of the evening although, thankfully, he'd let it go after that. Lois's logical mind was still a little spooked by Mary. As she climbed into bed, Lois wondered what Clark was doing at that moment. Walking home? More likely, he'd flown and was now patrolling the city. Snuggling into her covers, she smiled dreamily, "Good night, Clark." * * * Clark had chosen to walk home after he left Lois, wanting to prolong the sense of euphoria that the weekend had given him. Tonight, he felt at peace with the world, now that everything he'd ever wanted was so close to being his that it might as well be. Job, friends, girl. Woman. The most incredible woman in the world. He was happy, he was in love, and he grinned. The weekend had been great. It had been good to stay with Lois's aunt and uncle, whom he liked; a weekend with a happily married couple, and in her own family, too, had to make Lois think, remind her that not all marriages were the disasters that her parents' had been. And she'd been so soft during the ceremony itself. At one point, he'd felt like it could have been their wedding and, when she looked at him, he'd thought that maybe she had felt the same way. He smiled as he recalled her flirting at the reception, later. He'd noticed, but this time he'd experienced none of that stabbing pain he'd felt whenever he'd seen or thought of her with Lex Luthor. Mary Cardinal's prophecy about the children he and Lois would have had been too much on his mind for that. Although Lois did not, he took Mary seriously, and so, at times, during the rest of the evening he'd savored the old woman's prediction, rolled it around in his mind, and taken the occasional look at the future mother of his children. Yep, everything he'd ever wanted. He grinned again, his mind meandering around random thoughts about Lois, about his relationship with her, about the one incredible time they'd made love (this thought recurred frequently), about their future. Next weekend, he hoped to take her to Smallville where he was sure she couldn't help but be seduced by the burgeoning beauty of the countryside in spring. He knew she liked his parents which was one more argument in his favor in his campaign to convince her to marry him. Be good to get her on his turf, too, he thought, where she would not be distracted by late breaking stories and hot leads. He'd promised to give her time, but he wasn't above a little stacking of the deck. So absorbed by these thoughts was Clark, that he took little notice of the walk back to his apartment. He did not notice the freshness of the spring night air, or those people with whom he momentarily shared the pavement, or the small convenience stores and cafes that were still open for business late that Sunday night. Nor did he notice the man who had been following him since he'd left Lois's apartment building. The man knew what he was doing; both his experience and natural physical grace equipped him with the skills to follow someone stealthily while his nondescript looks attracted little attention. As he trailed along behind his quarry, the man wondered if Kent were high; he didn't seem to be too aware of what was going on around him. At one point, he crossed the road, oblivious of the two cars which swerved to avoid hitting him and, then, moments later he bumped into a teenage couple who had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to indulge in a little hormonal communication. The man was tempted to walk immediately behind Kent to see what would happen although he didn't do so. When they both finally arrived at Clinton Street, he slipped into the darkened doorway of an old apartment building and watched as Kent entered his own building. Shadowing the reporter for the last half hour had made the man less certain about a decision he hadn't been too sure about in the first place. Aware that Lane and Kent had been in Legatteville for the weekend, he had assumed that they would first return to Lane's apartment. He planned to approach Kent after he left the apartment. Then, some instinct made him hesitate. He had hoped that following the reporter would help him make up his mind since what he was doing was risky. He had to be absolutely certain that he could trust the reporter but now he wondered if Clark Kent were as reliable as what his reputation at the Daily Planet suggested. At any rate, it didn't seem like a good idea to talk to him tonight. Turning, he walked back toward the main intersection and then slipped into the subway station. * * * The first thing, well, the second thing after checking to see if Clark was at his desk, that Lois Lane did Monday morning when she sat down at her desk at the Daily Planet was to check her voice mail. One of the messages surprised her. Her father, Dr. Sam Lane, whom she hadn't seen in over a year had called to arrange lunch with her and Lucy. He suggested Wednesday. Immediately, Lois punched in her sister's number, ignoring the younger woman's sleepy voice as she answered the phone. "Lucy, are you going?" "Lois, it's just 7:30. What are you doing? It's still night time. Call me back later." "No, no, don't hang up. Sorry, Luce. I forgot you're on vacation this week." Lois's voice was contrite, but only for a moment. "So, are you going?" "Am I going where?" "To lunch, on Wednesday. With Dad?" "Oh, that." There was a pause at the other end of the line and then Lucy's voice was alert. "I haven't called back yet. I wanted to make sure you were going before I said yes. I'll go if you go." "OK... Well... I'll call him and say yes, then. I'll see you Wednesday, Luce. Go back to sleep." Lois hung up the phone and hesitated a moment, aware of the knot in her stomach as she thought of her father, remembering her last encounter with him over a year ago when she and Clark had uncovered that boxing scam involving fighters who had been bionically strengthened, a scam in which her father, always eager for an opportunity to further his research in cybernetics, had been unwittingly involved. Anyway, after that, she had hoped that Sam Lane would remember he had a daughter and would call, but he hadn't. Probably too busy working on those weird schemes to build an android. She was curious about his motive in calling her. Maybe, just maybe, he wanted to spend time with his daughters. Lois picked up her phone again and put a call through, both disappointed and relieved to get his answering machine. She left a message confirming that she and Lucy would accept his invitation. "Why so pensive, Lois?" Clark had just entered the newsroom and, noticing the distant look on Lois's face, had stopped in front of her desk. "Oh, nothing." Lois was mildly disgusted with her nervousness about seeing her father. Why did it still matter after all these years? "It's my father. He's asked Lucy and me to lunch." "Oh..." Clark's voice trailed off as he took note of the turbulent waters into which he had just plunged. "Well, that's great, isn't it?" Hands in his pockets, he watched in silence as she busied herself rearranging the papers on her desk, sorting them in neat piles, straightening the edges so the papers in each pile were in perfect alignment. Uh, huh, he thought, she was upset. "So, are you going?" She looked at him, her face belligerent. "We're going. We're going." "Lois, he's your dad," he said softly. "I guess so," Lois looked down at her papers again and reached for a few file folders which she labelled with methodical determination. It was while she was doing this that they were both approached by Perry White, editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet. "Mornin' you two. How was the wedding?" "Uh, fine, Perry." Lois sounded like she could scarcely remember while Clark's simultaneous and more enthusiastic "Great, chief," made the older man pause for a moment. "You all attended the same event, I trust?" When no answer was immediately forthcoming, Perry sighed and changed the subject. "Look, I want you both over at the court house. Just found out they've moved up the bail hearing for the two thugs who worked for Tony Gates." "On it, Chief." Relieved to have Perry's command to distract her, Lois grabbed her purse and strode towards the elevator. Clark followed her and, a short taxi ride later, during which Lois had talked exclusively about the Gates story, they were sitting in one of the dark panelled court rooms in the old New Troy State Court House. The large room was crowded; the two defendants' connection with the wealthy Senator Tony Gates, who himself was facing serious charges ranging from bribery to manslaughter, meant that reporters had come from out of state. Perry White hadn't been the only editor to find out about the change in schedule. As Lois and Clark were waiting for the judge to enter, an innocuous looking man of average height, slight build and indeterminate age slid onto the bench beside Clark. "Mr. Kent, can I talk to you for a moment? It's important." He was soft spoken yet his voice carried authority. Lois turned to Clark. "Go ahead, Clark. This hearing should be pretty routine." "OK." Half rising, Clark turned to the man. "Let's go." The two stood up, their seats quickly taken by late arriving reporters. As soon as they were outside the court room, Clark turned to the man. "What can I do for you Mr...?" he asked as the two made their way through a small cluster of reporters who had been unable to get seats inside. Ignoring the invitation to introduce himself, the man continued walking, his soft soled shoes making no sound on the granite floor of the corridor, not speaking until they had turned a corner into a narrow deserted hall. "You're a friend of Superman's." The comment was a statement, not a question. "Yes." Clark's voice was cautious as he looked at the man curiously, sizing him up. He was shorter and slighter than Clark, casually dressed, a baseball cap covering his head. Hard to guess his age, somewhere around thirty, Clark figured. "Tell him that Bureau 39 still exists." "And why should Superman care about that?" "Mr. Kent, I think you know why." "I heard it was shut down last year, discredited after the Trask business." "The Bureau's kept a low profile, but it never completely closed down and it's still very interested in Superman. I think it's going to try again to get him." "Why should I believe you?" Clark kept his voice casual, masking his interest in what the man was saying. "I don't know your name or where you got your information from. There's always some nut out there who'd like to get Superman." "The people Jeff Anderson works for just got their budget increased. They're expanding their operations." Clark did not respond. He remembered Jeff and Brenda Anderson and the conversation with them about the threat posed by Superman when he and Lois, as part of their investigation of Alice Cardinal's murder, had been at their farm in Legatteville last month. He remembered, too, how he had seen a Bureau 39 communique on the computer screen in Jeff Anderson's living room. He also knew that one of Tony Gates's companies had produced a weapon that used kryptonite ammunition; it was not unreasonable to assume Bureau 39 had been connected to that. And, fleetingly, he remembered his fear, that he would be found out, and that he would lose everything. Finally, Clark spoke, "How do you know this?" "For some years I've been part of a government task force that investigates possible UFO sightings. Most of it's crank stuff or easily explained natural phenomena. Anyway, Anderson informed us of your presence in Legatteville last month. At first, because of the reported UFO observations in that area, and because of your connection with Superman, yours and Ms. Lane's that is, we thought there might be a special reason for your presence there." He gave a small dry laugh. "But sometimes, things are just coincidences. There was no evidence that we could find in Legatteville of actual UFO's and Ms. Lane was just there visiting family." "So no Superman connection," Clark said lightly as they descended the marble steps of the imposing staircase which led to the ground floor lobby of the court house. "Nothing." Then he continued, "In fact, there's more of a link with you, Mr. Kent, and with the inhabitants of Smallville. The military found a small UFO there about thirty years ago, and, of course there's the kryptonite that Bureau 39 found there. But you and Ms. Lane already know this. That the kryptonite was found in Smallville, of course, does suggest a tie to Superman. Still any connection with you and the rest of the town could be as coincidental as Ms. Lane's visit to her relatives." "As you say, Ms. Lane and I already know all of this. So why are you here?" "Because Bureau 39's gone beyond investigating UFO's and alien contact. It's no longer just searching for the unknown. There's still a handful of powerful people who think Superman is a danger to Earth." "Trask's people?" "Trask worked for them. His clumsiness was a temporary set back for them." "So what are they planning to do?" "I don't know. I'm not part of the inner group. This is something I overheard accidentally after a department review last Thursday." "So it could be nothing. Just wishful thinking by a bunch of fanatics." "Maybe." "Does the government still have the Smallville UFO?" Again, Clark tried to keep his tone casual but he desperately wanted to find his spaceship. There was so much about himself that he did not know, that he needed to understand. "Probably. They've rehoused their archives, top secret location." They had crossed the spacious marble rotunda of the court house to one of the narrow black doors located behind the central staircase. The man stopped to look directly at Clark. "Look, Mr. Kent, I don't like what I think is going on at the agency. I wouldn't have contacted you if I wasn't concerned." Clark watched him as he opened the door and left, wondering how seriously he should take this man. What, in fact, had he really said that Clark didn't already know? After all, Gates had that contract to build an anti-Superman gun for some reason. Superman had survived Trask before, and Luthor, and Ariana Carlin, and Intergang. It was just that those names were all associated with the past tense. Uneasy, Clark turned back toward the staircase to rejoin Lois Lane. As he slowly mounted the stairs, he pondered whether or not to tell her what had just happened. * * * As Clark and Lois left the court house a half hour later, Lois asked Clark the question that he'd been expecting. "So what did that guy want?" "Something about overzealous bureaucrats." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think there's anything there. Disgruntled employee." With those words, he made his choice. She gave him a sidelong glance. "Holding out on me, Kent?" Taking her arm, he grinned at her, saying, in what he hoped was a teasing voice, "Now, would I do that?" She smiled. "Not anymore, I hope." * * * Clark kept his eyes open for anything unusual over the next couple of days, but everything seemed routine - no suspicious people following him, no unassuming men issuing warnings, only an increasingly hyper Lois Lane gearing up for lunch with her father by displacing her hostility to anyone who came within six feet of her. Clark had always thought she handled crises well; now he realized it depended on the definition of the word "crisis". Work related crisis meant "challenge", personal life crisis meant "the end of meaningful life as we know it." Thus it was that a half hour before she was to meet her father on Wednesday, Clark returned to the Planet newsroom to find her a total wreck. As he stepped out of the elevator, he cast a cautious look in her direction. Jimmy Olson, who happened to be waiting for the elevator at that moment, noted the direction of Clark's glance, grinned and said, "Believe me, you don't want to go there, C.K. What's with Lois, anyway?" "Lunch with her father." Jimmy's grin faded and he looked across at Lois in sympathy, as he thought of his own father whom he hadn't seen in years. "Yeah, well, I guess I understand that." Clark looked at Jimmy in surprise, suddenly aware that there were still many things about his friend he didn't know and also grateful that lunch with Jonathan Kent was no big deal, something to be taken for granted. "How about you and I have lunch, Jimmy?" Jimmy's face lit up in a big grin. "How about tomorrow? I've got a big lunch date with this girl I met in a chat room." Clark laughed, "Good luck!" He left Jimmy, walked over to Lois's desk and stood in front of it without speaking, his hands in his pockets, watching as she stuffed things into her large leather purse. Someday he was going to find out what she had in that thing; it always seemed that it could do double duty as a survival pack in a Y2K armageddon. "You think you're going to need that stapler?" he asked casually. "Maybe." She stopped and a small rueful smile briefly flickered across her face. "Maybe not." She sighed. "Do I look all right, Clark? Is my hair OK? What about this suit? I look competent, professional, right? Do you think brown is OK? Maybe I should have worn the navy blue, you know my power suit. I still have time to change." Clark walked around her desk to stand beside her. Placing both hands on her slender shoulders, he met her worried eyes. "You," he said with emphasis, "look great. Relax. Come on, I'll walk you to the elevator." * * * end, part 1 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 21:34:21 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Re: To Critique Or Not To Critique MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Labrat - for me, you hit the nail precisely on the head. If you publish your story - wherever you publish it - you are making a statement in a public forum, and you have to accept the consequences of doing so. Perhaps we should examine the reasons why we publish in the first place. Are we publishing for the purely altruistic purpose of sharing a story we enjoyed writing with some other people we think may enjoy reading it, or are we publishing for more selfish reasons - in the hope that we might receive feedback? My conscience tells me I'm doing both. I don't expect all the feedback to be gushingly enthusiastic, because I can't expect to please all the people all of the time, but as Labrat says, the worst thing is to receive no reaction at all. Then you don't know where you stand - was the story offensive, boring, poorly written, poorly characterised, inconsistent, incomprehensible? And if you don't know what the problem was, is it worth trying again when you don't know what to fix? As to whether to criticise in public or not - I find it surprising amongst such a bunch of sensible, reasonable, sensitive people that we need to even discuss that. Are we that out of touch with the sensitivities of our friends that we can't judge when to be gentle and when to be firm? Surely not. OK, now that I've laid myself open to public scrutiny, consider my last paragraph before you shoot me down in flames . ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 15:43:46 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: Characters MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email Subject: Charactrs Here's a general question for everyone: what characteristics of CK, Lois, Lex, Perry, Jimmy, Martha, Jon, etc. one and all - do you expect to see in a story? What tells you that the person under the hood is the character if the author doesn't come right out and name he or him? What characteristics do you *not* expect to see attached to any of the characters? I think exploring this may help new writers go beyond stereotypes. Lion: Take charge and lead: CEO, General. Major Kira and George Washington Golden Retriever: Caring and Nurturing: Nurse, Mothers. Mother Teresa and Abe Lincoln. Beaver: Meticulous and Analytical. Accountant, Investigative reporter. Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison. Otter: Happy and helpful: Clowns, comedians. Seinfeld and ?? Clark/Kal-El/Superman. Core Personality Type: Golden Retriever with a hint of Lion Caring, compassionate, honest to an extreme. Once a little on the naive side but Lois helped to correct most of that. Will always do what is right. Not necessarily legal, but right. Tends to be a people person. Lois. Core Personality Type: Lion with a hint of Golden Retriever Caring, unable to ignore hurting people, basically honest but willing to bend the truth if necessary. Used to be more cut-throat but Clark has helped her out a lot. Take charge. Dam* the torpedoes full speed ahead. Danger magnet. Lex. Core Personality Type: Lion with strong Beaver influence. Will do anything to get what he wants and has the patients to make a quiche. Several of the first season shows show the quintessential Lex. Perry. Core Personality Type: Lion with strong Golden Retriever A Teddy bear with loud bark. Jimmy. Core Personality Type: Otter with Beaver/Golden Retriever tendencies HYPER! Will bend over backward to be helpful. Can be self-centered but just wants the respect of his peers and friends. Martha. Core Personality Type: Lion with strong Golden Retriever/Otter tendencies. Calm and quiet with a long fuse and a short flashpoint. Very Eclectic. Jonathan. Core Personality Type: Golden Retriever with a little lion. Strong and Steady. Very LONG fuse. That was fun James Core Personality Type: Otter/Lion/Golden Retriever mix with Beaver tendencies;-) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:01:22 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 3 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Rec:??? part 3 Sunday turned out to be a lazy, old fashioned kind of a day, its routine dictated long ago by the patterns of rural life. That the weather turned warmer than usual for the end of April added to Lois's bemused impression that Kansas was definitely not in the same universe as Metropolis. As she was going downstairs for breakfast Sunday morning, she picked up the smells of breakfast and the murmured sounds of conversation and realized with a twinge of urban guilt that she was the last one up. Jonathan and Clark had been outside for over an hour tending to the needs of the few animals that the Kents kept on the farm. The Jersey cow, "Clarissa", was expected to deliver her calf at any moment and there was much talk about the upcoming event as the family breakfasted over hard boiled eggs and incredibly nutritious granola. Remembering that Clark had promised to bring her to see this event, Lois now understood why he had been so eager to visit this particular weekend. When he had suggested coming, she had resisted, arguing that they had been out of town last weekend, too, and who knows what story might develop in Metropolis while they were away. He had countered by saying that he was just trying to help her *get a life* before she got entirely sucked into the black hole of deadlines and hot leads, followed by hours of intensive research and the thrill of rewrites. To prove that she did so know how to have fun, she had agreed to come. Breakfast was followed by a visit to the barn where Clark tried to give her some idea of what running a farm involved and, of course, to introduce her to Clarissa. Lois tried in vain to suppress the smile that hovered across her lips at his enthusiasm for what he was about to show her. He was like a big kid. So she dutifully trekked out to the barn and then succumbed herself as Clark gently placed a small baby chick in her hands. She gasped in delight as she felt its warm fuzziness settle into her hands and then it peeped at her. Lois looked up at Clark, her dark eyes amazed. Finally, Clark introduced her to Clarissa, who cast Lois a baleful look, her bloated black and white body looking alarmingly full term. Lois's eyes widened and again she looked at Clark, wondering if they ought to be leaving Clarissa alone this morning. Clark laughed and said Clarissa wasn't going to be delivering anything this morning. Nothing was likely to happen while they were at church. Lois hadn't been at a regular church service since she was a child, except, of course, for a few weddings, a couple of funerals, and two Christenings, always a respectful participant in the rituals of friends and family. She was not particularly religious and had never been comfortable with Lex's decision to have an elaborate Catholic wedding but had gone along with his wishes, part of the general daze she had been in at the time. She'd never regarded Clark as religious either, or Martha and Jonathan, for that matter. Religion had just not been part of her urban framework; Sunday was a day for her to recharge the body, and if her spirit was lifted as she jogged through Metropolis Park, then that was a bonus. However, now that she thought about it, she acknowledged Clark's spirituality; his book shelves alone offered evidence of that. But as Lois entered the small white clapboard church, its spire piercing the sunlight of the blue Kansas sky, she understood that for this community the church was about more than the observance of rites; it was also a bond between the people in the community, where once a week everyone had a chance to talk, however briefly, with their neighbors. In a farm community, with many people living at some distance from others but also needing to be able, in time of crisis, to count on help, this was important. And Lois felt herself smiling demurely, pleased to be introduced to these people who were the Kents' friends, not even minding the occasional attempt by well meaning matrons to find out what her and Clark's intentions were; although, she did balk when one of Clark's old high school buddies introduced her to his cousin as 'Clark's girl'. Clark thought it was funny, laughing about it as they slipped into the worn pew, polished by years of use, beside Martha and Jonathan. Lois liked the church. Built over a hundred years ago, its spare wooden interior bore testament to the scarce resources of the farm community that it served. Nevertheless, the contrast of dark oak pews against the stark white of the interior walls gave the church an elegance that both calmed and inspired the soul. The church had two large stained glass windows, each one placed on either side of the congregation, the red, blues, and yellows reflecting on the opposite wall when the sun shone through the glass. Then the service began, conducted by a middle aged preacher whose good common sense and dry sense of humor produced a sermon that Lois actually listened to. Not completely accepted, but listened to. And, of course, she loved the singing, although she was somewhat distracted by the sound of Clark's lusty, totally off key, so-called singing beside her. Once the service ended, Lois noticed that people did not just hop in the car and rush home. More socializing, a few words with the minister, much introducing of Lois who had met only a few people the only other time she had been in Smallville, and what Lois would call networking as people set up plans for the following week -- who needed a bit of help, gossip about bank rates and growing conditions, updates on lambing, calving, kids. Spring was a busy time for a farm community. Maisie, whom Lois had met on her first trip to Smallville, asked how her romance novel was going, and then Rachel Harris, Smallville's sheriff, spotted them and was immediately caught up in Clark's hug. Rachel had gained a bit of weight, not much, just around her waist and breasts. It looked good on her, Lois thought, turning Rachel's cheerful prettiness into beauty. Martha joined them and cast a knowing look at Rachel's middle, slyly asking if Rachel was planning on going public with her news at last. Rachel laughed and admitted that her pregnancy was getting increasingly difficult to hide and so today she'd decided to quit trying. Lois, looked at her in surprise; she'd had no idea. Clark was excited for her, pleased by the news and sympathetic as Rachel explained her reason for keeping it a secret. As Smallville's sheriff, she had worried that the town would take her less seriously in her job if she were pregnant. She was still concerned about this, but she had no choice. And she was very happy about her pregnancy although it had happened a little sooner than she had planned. Then she laughed, one of those laughs that's half snort, half chuckle; everything connected with Ben, her new husband, had happened a little faster than she expected. They'd met a little over a year ago and it had been love at first sight. Rachel pointed in Ben's direction and led Lois and Clark over to meet the genial freckle faced man who had swept her off her feet. She followed her introduction with the question, "So when are you and Clark here..?" Speechless, Lois had looked at Clark, who had replied with a grin, "I'm working on it, Rach." That awkward moment was followed by a brief encounter with Joe Stewart, one of Clark's friends from Smallville High although their chat was interrupted by a redheaded three year old who had charged from out of nowhere into Clark's knees. Laughing, Clark swooped down and hoisted the child, raising him high above his head while the child squealed in delight. "Jason Stewart, tackle for the Smallville Rams topples the quarterback of the Metropolis Tigers," Clark announced solemnly as he swung the boy back to the ground. Lois watched them, a lump rising in her throat as she noticed the joy that Clark was taking in this brief encounter with his friend's laughing child. But then Superman had always been good with children. Was she? She looked at the small whirlwind in front of her with some trepidation. Unintentionally, Jonathan rescued her. He came up behind her and put his hand briefly on her shoulder, preparatory to herding both her and Clark back to the car. En route, he managed to disentangle Martha from a heated discussion on the merits or lack thereof of the Smallville City Council's environmental protection proposals, and then drove his family back to the farm. Like most people, Lois had some trouble with the rear seatbelt and Clark gave her a little help, their eyes meeting for a brief private moment as he cinched the buckle in place. Without speaking, she slipped her hand into his and leaned back against the seat, thinking about the morning's events, feeling the warmth and strength of Clark's hand as he held hers. That afternoon Clark gave Lois the grand tour of the farm. He hadn't really done that when she had been here before; they'd been too busy with Trask, and besides, her first foray into the countryside had been such a severe culture shock that he'd probably thought it best not to expose her to too much "outdoors" before she'd really grasped the concept that there was an "outdoors." But he figured she was ready now. She could tell the difference between a chicken and a cow, so she was ready for the next step. At least that's what he told her, his brown eyes teasing, as he pulled her against his hip and kissed her lightly. At that moment, she thought she was ready for anything he wanted to show her. As it turned out, he really did want to show her the farm. As they spent the afternoon rambling around the fields and the small patch of woods, Lois began to know more about what Clark's childhood had been like and what mattered to him. She thought she had understood him, and she did, but now she understood him more, and she was aware that she fell just a little bit more in love with him as he talked, and as he listened to her talk, as he teased her, and as he occasionally kissed her. The sun bathed them in its spring warmth and brightness and it all seemed so perfect. She had never felt so happy. He took her to his spots, those special places where he'd played or retreated to as a child, sometimes with his mother and father, sometimes with a couple of friends, often by himself: the pond where he fished, the hill that gave him the best view of the countryside beyond the farm, and the treehouse where no one else could go, especially girls. He'd had a happy childhood, secure always in his parents' love, she thought, not for the first time, as she watched his eyes light up as he told her an improbable fishing story. But now, too, she became aware that, at times, he'd had a painful childhood, especially as he approached adolescence and his special powers had begun to develop. He'd been terrified, particularly at first, as he tried to keep these strange abilities secret from his parents, isolated and bewildered by what he didn't understand. But Martha and Jonathan had found out pretty quickly; he'd never been good at hiding things, especially from his mother. And they'd helped him to explore the changes that were occurring, helped him to understand and control these new powers, especially his extraordinary strength, and the terrifying sensory overload that x-ray vision and superhearing had first brought. Sometimes the results of his experimentation had been hilarious, like the time he'd accidentally frozen the milk from the few dairy cows that the Kents kept. But always in the background there had been that fear that someone would find out, that he would be taken away. He learned to be secretive, to keep that part of him hidden, to never be the best in sports, to avoid fights, to blend in. And always, in the dark recesses of his mind were the questions: who was he, what was he, why was he different? As Lois listened to him, her eyes luminous with the sympathy she felt, she touched his face, slowly tracing her fingers across his cheekbone and then along his upper lip. He kissed her fingers tips and smiled at her. "Don't look so sad, Lois. It was pretty amazing, too. Racing the wind, and flying, Lois. Soaring like an eagle to touch the sky! The first time I flew, it was like I'd been given the world!" By this time they had wandered back towards the farmhouse, just out of its sight, coming to a stop at the foot of the gigantic oak among whose solid branches Clark's old treehouse nestled securely, its sign now faded and hanging slightly askew. Looking up at it, Lois raised one eyebrow sardonically. "Fortress of Solitude?" She squinted and read the nearly invisible small print in the lower right corner of the sign. "No girls allowed." "Yeah. I had a strong sense of how the universe ought to work when I was eight. Come on, let's go up. There's something I want to show you." He put his strong hands around her waist. "It's time to change the rules. One girl allowed and no more solitude." Gently he lifted her, levitating them up to the entrance of the small hut and Lois peered inside. "Doorway seemed a little bigger last time I was here," Clark said as they ducked their heads to enter. Once inside, they straightened up and Clark took a couple of steps to reach for a small object, wrapped in a piece of old flannel, in the corner of the tiny space. Carefully, he removed the cover and then turned to stand in front of her, holding the small globe from his spaceship. "It's all I have of Krypton." His voice was husky with emotion as he continued, "Here." He placed it in her hands and she held it carefully, watching his face as he gave it to her. Their eyes met and Lois felt again that strong connection that had been there between them since the beginning as his large hands cupped hers so that they were standing, holding the globe between them. As they did, it began to pulse and then glow, rising slowly from their hands to hover just above their heads as it projected a hologram of two people in long robes standing close together in the treehouse. Wide eyed, Lois looked at Clark, and then at the two figures, one a woman with red gold hair and the other a man, not much older but prematurely white haired, his resemblance to Clark unmistakable. For the first time in her life, Lois was speechless. The woman spoke first. "Kal El, this is the fifth and last message that the globe will bring you." Lois and Clark heard the sharp cracks and low rumbles of explosions in the background while she spoke, her voice now faltering. "Each previous message has been triggered by you, Kal El, in response to your own unique emotional and biochemical print. This one is different. It has been triggered by you and by the woman who touches this globe with you. The globe has recorded her prints and will have activated this last message only if she is compatible with you and if your love for each other has bound your souls together." Then she smiled, her eyes joyful. "Now you have found your home." The chaotic blasts intensified as the man spoke, his voice fighting for control. "My son," his voice broke. "My son, we have given you hope and now you have found the one who completes you as you complete her. The two of you must give that love and hope to others." The two figures vanished. "No!" Clark's voice was anguished as he stretched his hand to touch the ghosts that had vanished into the twilight of his treehouse while Lois, still very quiet, looked at the sphere in her hand, mesmerized by what she had seen and heard. Carefully, she rewrapped the globe in its soft flannel and tucked it into the small box in the corner. She was acutely aware of Clark standing just inches behind her, feeling the depth of both his sadness and his elation. Turning to face him, she ran her hands up and down his arms, saying nothing, meeting the intensity in his dark eyes. Then they were holding each other, Clark's arms wrapped around her as though he would never let her go. They stood that way, saying nothing, until they were brought back to earth by the loud clear clanging of a bell. "What's that?" Lois sounded startled. Clark's eyes lit up but the laugh which followed was shaky. "I haven't heard that in a long time. It's Mom. That's how she used to call us in for dinner, me especially, when I got so involved in something that I lost track of time. We'd better go." He slipped out of the "Fortress of Solitude," hovering beside it as he stretched out his arms to her. "Coming, Ms Lane?" Her dark hair grazed by the leaves of an overhanging branch, Lois perched for a moment in the doorway of the treehouse before leaning forward to place her hands on his broad shoulders. Clark pulled her against him, kissing her tenderly as they drifted downward, both of them a little surprised to feel the earth beneath their feet. Hand in hand they walked slowly back to the farmhouse, talking now about the fifth message. Clark got in the last word, although it was too easy a victory, given Lois's still lingering awe of the globe. "Told you we belonged together." * * * end, part 3 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:03:19 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 5 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 5 "Stop thinking about work, Lois." They sat there for a while longer, not talking much, just basking in the sun and the solitude of their surroundings, enjoying each other's nearness. Then Lois got to her feet and reached out her hand to Clark. "So now, show me Shuster's field. I want to see where you first landed." "Okay." He rose to his feet and once again she had that disturbing sense of his nearness, of the grace and power of his body, and she wanted to touch him. She wanted to do more than touch him. Instead she turned around and walked back toward the crevice through which they had come, trying to keep well ahead of him. "Lois, what's the rush?" he called as he came up behind her. She turned and looked at him. They were standing very close almost touching, but still that safe gap between them. The wind blew a few dark strands of her hair against her cheek and she raised her hand to push them away. And once again she was lost in him, her heartbeat escalating, threatening to rob her of breath. His eyes were intense, dark pools of longing, but he did not take the one step to close the space between them. Expelling a short breath, he stepped a few paces back. "I think this way down is the easiest." She shifted her eyes towards the trail he'd indicated and began her descent to the base of the ridge, scrambling down the rocks, making a couple of small agile leaps to lower levels as she did. He was waiting for her when she reached the flat ground of the field. He took her hand as they entered the woods that stretched from the ridge along the west side of the field as far as the road. Now the silence between them was uncomfortable, not the silent bond that had connected them earlier as they had sat looking at the glyphs. Now the silence was almost physical, charged, each of them aware of the other but not daring to speak, not wanting to escape the tension building between them as they walked along the overgrown path. Lois stumbled over the branch of a fallen log, its rotting length hidden by clumps of ferns. Clark caught her just as she was about to fall and they found themselves once again caught in that haze of longing that had hovered between them since when, all afternoon, since last night, since forever? This time Clark didn't step back. This time, he closed the distance between them, bending his dark head to kiss the side of her mouth, moving his lips to cover her mouth with his, a small moan escaping from the back of his throat as Lois slid her arms around him, her hands caressing the hard muscles of his back. He buried his face in her hair, murmuring, "Do you know how beautiful you are, Lois, how much I love you, how much..." he didn't finish his thought. Instead, he turned his head again, to cover her mouth with his, urging her to meet his passion. Lois did, melting into the hardness of his body, sliding her arms around his neck, seeking to let him know that the love was there in her soul, too. "I love you, Clark. I want to love ... make love to you... Clark..." Her voice was husky, urgent, driven by her feelings for him, and by nothing else. Not by her logic, not by her rules, not by anything other than her need to be with him. "Lois," he picked her up and carried her a few steps to a small grassy clearing in the woods, ringed by the massive trunks of old maples thrusting out of the ground. Gently, Clark lowered her to the ground, sinking beside her, pulling her back into his arms, his hands slowly exploring her body as they lost themselves in their passion, in each other, as they made love in the new spring grass. Afterwards, Lois lay in Clark's arms, stretching her leg across his muscled thigh and running her hand over his chest in slow lazy circles as the yellow sun brushed their bodies with warmth. Neither felt any inclination to move. Clark slid one hand idly though her hair and kissed the side of her temple. "This is the way it's supposed to be between you and me. Now, always. I love you, Lois Lane." "Mmmm, I love you too, Clark Kent." Lois's voice was drowsy, contented, happy. "Mmmm." She yawned. "You're not going to fall asleep on me, are you?" Clark's voice was a little bit alarmed, a little bit teasing. "No better place to fall asleep," she murmured, curling into his side like a cat in the sunshine. "No better place in the world." "That's what I've been trying to tell you," he said softly, as his fingers touched the tip of her nose and then traced along the curve of her cheek. "So does this mean you'll marry me?" That woke her up. "Clark, you can't ask me that here, now." "Why not? Lois..." "Why not? Clark! What will we tell our kids? You know when they ask that question that all kids ask, like the one I asked your parents last night." She quoted her question, "How did Jonathan propose, Martha?" She continued, "Only our kids, going to be little the first time they ask it. What are you going to say to them, Clark? Oh, we were lying stark naked in the woods after we'd had sex and I popped the question. I don't think so." Clark laughed, "So that means yes?" "Clark," her voice was a warning as she got to her feet. "Don't you dare..." She stopped, looking around at the bits of clothing that were strewn in a small circle around them, and then fished out a couple of lacy scraps. Clark rose to his feet beside her, kissed her lightly, and then reached over to pick up her shirt. His eyes were teasing and happy as he helped her on with the shirt, carefully buttoning it up for her as he spoke. "Okay, I'll do it properly, later, when we're both fully dressed. Maybe I'll go down on bended knee. I'll have to think about this, plan it just right," he gestured with his right hand, sketching an imaginary setting where all this would happen. Lois looked at him, standing in that small circle of sun in the woods, the light caressing the muscles of his powerful body as he happily sketched out what he thought would be a good proposal for children to hear. He was the most amazing man, she thought. She handed him his shirt. "Here, cowboy. Put on your shirt and take me to Shuster's field." * * * It didn't take them long to drive the few miles to Shuster's field. They didn't talk much, both content with the warmth that connected them. Clark did his best to keep his eyes on the road, but he wasn't too successful, his eyes straying every once in awhile to look at the beautiful woman beside him who he knew was watching him as he drove. He met her eyes and grinned as she smiled dreamily, more content than he'd ever seen her before. This weekend had been great; but it had been difficult, too, as he'd done his best to respect her wish to keep some distance between them for a while. More than anything, he wanted her to know that she could trust him, trust in a future with him. This weekend, he'd found himself always wanting to touch her and she hadn't exactly been unresponsive; in fact, she had done her share of touching, too. He smiled as he thought of that. Well, she was the one who had made the decision in the woods, that wonderful, incredible decision. He turned to look at her again. They were both still heavily under the influence of the afterglow of their lovemaking. But it was more than that; he felt like they'd resolved something between them this afternoon, that she'd accepted this part of their love, too. The globe had been right when it said she completed him. He felt like he was king of the universe. When they got to Shuster's Field, he pulled off the road, parking the pickup under a large alder. He'd barely got the hand brake on in the time that it took Lois to jump out of the cab and walk toward the low fence that separated the field from the road. Clark walked over to join her and they both stopped for a moment, Lois turning to look at him, her eyes excited. "It's at the far end of the field, isn't it? That's what Martha said." She pointed toward an old chestnut tree. "Over there, beyond where those men are working." "Yeah." Clark looked across the field. "That's funny. I wonder what they're doing." They climbed over the fence and walked across the field toward the chestnut tree. As they got closer, they saw that a small crew of men had dug up part of the field, which they had meticulously gridded with pegs and twine so that it resembled the beginning of an archaeological dig. Three of these men were working in different segments of the grid. Parked not far from the chestnut tree was a large dark blue van. "Hi," Clark said, as they got closer to the first worker, a trim clean cut man in his mid twenties. The man stopped what he was doing, and looked at Clark. "Hi." "Didn't know anything was going on over here. You guys looking for something?" "Soil samples first and then we'll excavate. We think there may be an old Kanzac site here." "We?" Lois asked. "The University of Kansas. Department of Native Studies." The man smiled politely as though he were waiting for them to go so he could get on with his work. "How do you know to start here?" Lois asked. "Why not over by the road?" "The department did some aerial surveys pinpointing this half of the field." "Mind if we look around for a bit? I just wanted to show my friend some of the places I hung out as a kid. Best chestnuts in miles from that old tree." Clark nodded his head in the direction of the tree. "Yeah?" Polite disinterest. "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for. Should be interesting." "Thanks." The man turned back to his work. Clark took Lois's hand as they walked the hundred feet or so toward the tree in question. When they reached it, Lois leaned back against its thick trunk and looked over the field. "It was at night, wasn't it? When Martha and Jonathan found you?" "Uh huh." Clark stepped a couple of paces to his left. "Right here." "It must have been so incredible. A baby must have been the last thing they expected to find here. What they must have thought as they opened that capsule?" "When you think about it, it was pretty brave of them to open it," Clark said softly. "Clark, they couldn't *not* open it! I can't imagine just leaving it there and waiting for the authorities to arrive." Clark smiled. No, he thought, Lois Lane would have had that capsule open so quickly. She turned to cast worried eyes on him. "And who knows what would have happened to you if they had waited." She put her hand on his chest. "Clark, where do you think that ship is now? The government must still have it somewhere." "Don't think I haven't thought about it, Lois. Last year, after our first run in with Trask, I tried to find it again, but nothing." Clark's frustration was clear in his voice as he spoke. "That ship is part of me, Lois. I know so little about who and what I am, where I came from. I have the globe, and hearing that fifth message was great, but that's all I have. But if I could find that ship, I might learn more." He looked into Lois's eyes, reassured by the love he saw there. He reached his hand to touch her cheek. "But I do know who I am in my heart, what I care for, and what I have here." Lois slid both hands farther up his chest until she was touching his shoulders. "I hope so, Kal El, because you are so many things." "Am I?" He smiled at her, thinking for a moment that she had the most beautiful eyes in the world. "Yes, you are. I told you before, before I knew. You're good and you're compassionate and you have so much courage." He noticed some of the seriousness disappear from her voice as she continued. "And you're a semi-great cook, a lousy singer, have a weird sense of humor, and you're nearly as good a reporter as me." He flashed her a quick smile. "Ah, I thought I was better." He was pleased when he saw her eyes widen so he continued. "I mean who won a Kerth this year, Lois?" Lois shot him an appraising look. "One year is a fluke, Kent, not anywhere near a pattern. Wait til next year." Clark laughed. "Right. Then we'll see the pattern." He took her hand. "Come on, let's head home." "Yeah, it's getting late. I want to give Martha some help with supper." She looked again briefly at the spot where Clark's ship had landed. "I don't think I believe in miracles, Clark. But when you consider the incredible odds against your making it here safely, I wonder." She gazed at him and he read the question in her eye. "Do you ever ask yourself, why?" "Not anymore," he said softly as they began the walk back across the field. "You're here and we belong together." She gave him a sidelong glance and her tone was half teasing, half serious as she spoke. "You might be right, Clark Kent." They continued walking through the tall grass and spring wildflowers, leaving behind the men working at uncovering the past. As they were getting into Jonathan's old grey pickup truck, they did not see the man who got out of the blue van. It was Jeff Anderson and he was looking with interest at a small red crystal which one of his colleagues had just found in the earth. * * * Monday evening, once the sky had darkened, Lois and Clark took their leave of Clark's parents and flew back, by the light of the new moon, to Metropolis where the light of the new moon was obscured by the neon glare of streetlights, traffic lights, and electric billboards. The next morning they were back at work at the Daily Planet, with blissful smiles on their faces that elicited a knowing smile from Perry and a goofy one from Jimmy. Their work week passed with little out of the ordinary; that is, it was borderline frantic, with Lois out of town for two days to attend a seminar on "women in journalism" which she had committed to a month earlier, while Clark covered stories, played in a Big Brothers charity baseball game, and staved off disaster in Metropolis, upstate New Troy, and diverse other locations. Their personal life was put on the back burner, although they did manage to have a nice dinner together on Thursday before Clark accompanied Lois to the station from which she caught her train to Washington for the seminar. Sunday, which was the first day of their weekend, things changed. Their personal lives returned, although not the way that either of them had been dreaming about all week. Lois had agreed on Thursday to go to Lucy's for lunch on Sunday. Lucy had asked their father, too, which surprised Lois; she hadn't expected to see her father again so quickly. Nevertheless, buoyed by the Smallville weekend and by her confidence in her new relationship with Clark, Lois felt optimistic that maybe things could change with her father. For Clark, the weekend brought a second encounter with the man who had contacted him in the state court house a week and a half earlier. It was early Saturday evening and Clark was on his way back to his apartment, stopping en route to pick up a few items for the pasta he was going to prepare for him and Lois after he met her at the train station. The man fell into step with him as he left the small Italian grocery a couple of blocks >from his apartment. "Mr. Kent, I trust you and Ms. Lane enjoyed your weekend in Smallville." Clark looked at him in surprise. "And just how did you know we were there?" The man didn't answer him. "Jeff Anderson and his crew are working Shuster's field. They discovered something new there this weekend, a red crystal, very similar in its molecular structure to kryptonite. You might want to tell Superman." "OK buddy, let's stop this spook stuff. Who are you?" Clark's hostility was obvious as he spoke. "Give me some hard evidence. Who's heading Bureau 39 now? How do I contact them? Or is Superman just supposed to wait until they give him a phone call?" The man spoke slowly. "Renata Fox is the face at our meetings but I'm not sure who she reports to. Bureau 39 falls under the umbrella of the FBI, but since its resurrection four months ago, it has pretty much of a free hand." They had reached the corner of Clinton street and the two men stopped. "I'll be in touch if I learn anything else." He turned and walked back toward the main intersection. There was no reason to follow him. Clark walked the short distance to his apartment slowly, finding it more difficult this time to dismiss what the man had said. He and Lois were being watched, although not too closely, he thought, because he was certain that he would have noticed it. He was also concerned about the unknown red crystal. Opening his front door, he made a quick decision. He still had a little over an hour before Lois's train was due, enough time to fly to Shuster's field. Swooping down moments later, he landed in Shuster's field which was, not surprisingly for a Saturday night, completely deserted. Looking around, he noticed that the field had been quite methodically excavated, and that the grid lines were gone. It looked as though the site had now been abandoned. He could check that out easily enough. Briefly, he thought about stopping by to see his parents but then he remembered that tonight they were celebrating Wayne Irig's birthday. It would look a little odd if Clark Kent showed up, quite literally out of the blue, on Wayne's front porch. Leaping upward, he sped back to Metropolis. As he flew, Superman felt his resentment rising. Who were these people who had so misread his intentions as to think he posed a threat? What did they think he was planning on doing anyway? Had Trask been replaced by some lunatic equally out of control, someone who would stop at nothing to kill him? What we don't understand we'll first destroy. Was that how their minds worked? His parents had been right all these years to insist that the secret be kept. But Lois knew, he thought, and she loved him. Which brought him back to Lois again, both literally and figuratively. Part of him wanted to tell her, to seek her help and, let's face it, her comfort. But to tell her would be to put her at risk, too. She'd start investigating this, she'd wind up in trouble, and they'd use her, use her to get at him. It was no good thinking he hid his feeling when he was around her. He had made a deliberate effort to avoid public displays of affection with her for over a year now but someone always seemed to pick up an awareness of it, without his touching her or saying anything. Lenny Stoke had noticed it when he held Lois hostage in his club cum control centre last fall and even Jimmy had commented on it a couple of weeks ago when they had been chatting in the elevator on their way up to the newsroom. She was the most important thing in the world to him; without her he had no hope for personal happiness and he would do anything to keep her safe. He would face this Bureau 39 problem head on, and, when he had it licked, he would marry Lois. But first he had to meet her at the train station. As he closed in on Metropolis, he automatically did a quick patrol of the city, intervening in one gang fight and stopping one drunken, out of control driver on the Metropolis freeway from careening into the transport truck in front of him. Then Superman vanished into a dark ally behind the train station and, a few seconds later, Clark Kent walked out onto the street. Ten minutes later he was holding an exuberant Lois Lane in his arms. For a moment he held her tightly against him. Lois, of course, brought him back to reality as she pulled back from him and searched his eyes, "What is it?" She waited for a few seconds but he just smiled at her and gave her a light kiss. ---- end , part 5 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:04:19 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 7 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R:??? part 7 * * * Monday morning, Clark was just finishing his shower when the phone rang. Wrapping a white towel around his lean, muscled waist, he bent to pick it up. "Mr. Kent?" Clark recognized the voice. "Yes." "Meet me in the subway entrance at Hamilton and 22nd in half an hour. By the coffee kiosk across from the turnstiles." Then he hung up. Letting out a quick breath in frustration, Clark quickly spun into his clothes. If he rushed as fast as humanly possible, he should just make it. By now, he wasn't sure if his apartment was being watched and he didn't want to risk anyone noticing a Superman takeoff. He made it, late by only a few minutes, spotting his man sipping coffee as he examined magazines on the rack in front of the coffee stand. The station was crowded; this was still rush hour and it was easy to overlook someone in the middle of a diverse population focused on getting to work, particularly someone who had perfected the art of blending in. Clark sauntered toward the kiosk, ordered a coffee, and waited for his contact to speak. "They plan to grab Superman this week. I don't know when." Clark sounded skeptical. "And just how do they plan to do that?" "They're planning a trap for him, using something they figure he won't be able to resist, something he'll risk anything for." Clark felt his heart hammering. "Do you know what?" Lois, he thought. They'll use Lois to get to me. "No." The man finished his coffee, tossed the cup in the garbage can next to him, and walked away. Clark strode after him, grabbing his shoulder. "Hey, you can't just pop up and leave with a couple of lousy cryptic words." The man met his eyes directly and for the first time Clark heard some passion in the man's voice. "Three weeks ago, Superman saved my sister. She was one of the crowd at that Tigers game when the dome of the Metropolis Arena started to collapse." "Are they following me?" And Lois he mentally added. "I don't think so. But they know what you and Ms. Lane do." "How?" "Look at your co-workers, Mr. Kent. One of them reports to Bureau 39." "Who?" "I don't know. They refer to "our contact at the Planet." He was planted there last year to keep an eye on Lois Lane." "What?" Clark was surprised; he would never have thought of suspecting any of his co-workers. He shook his head. "Look, surely Lois's engagement to Lex Luthor proved there was nothing between her and Superman." "Since your press conference last month after the Stride business, the bureau's been keeping a closer eye on you. That's why I've come to you rather than to Lane." He paused, then continued, "I've told you all I know. You tell Superman." The agent walked away, merging with, and then finally disappearing into the blur of morning commuters. Clark stood immobile for a moment as he thought about how to handle this. He would have to keep close tabs on Lois. That shouldn't prove too difficult, at least today, but after that, he was less confident. He'd never been able to control anything that Lois did. He'd never actually thought about doing so, never wanted to. Now he did. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans, his head lowered in thought, he slowly walked to the exit of the subway station. He showed up at Lois's door a good half hour before their agreed upon time. In fact, he'd been keeping an eye on her apartment building ever since his encounter in the subway station but nothing unusual at all had happened. Finally, bored with hovering over, staking out, and strolling by, he decided to risk being early for their date. Waiting in her apartment would be a whole lot more comfortable than what he'd been doing. He could hear Lois on the other side of the door, going through the ritual unlocking of her security system. It occurred to him that all these locks she had were like the locks she kept around herself, keeping invaders out. Well, she'd at least given him the key. Finally, she opened the door, standing in front of him in a silk robe, her hair tied back, probably fresh >from that long bath she'd told him about last night. "Sorry. I'm early." He held up copies of two out of town newspapers. "I'll just read these while you continue whatever it was you were doing." He tried to look innocent. She pulled him into the apartment. "For goodness sakes, Clark, what are you doing?" "Missed you. We should be living together." Lois rolled her eyes. "That's what Lucy suggested yesterday." "What?" "That we should live together. See if we're long term compatible. Then maybe marriage." "That's ridiculous." Ever the logical journalist, Lois asked, "Which part?" "The living together part." "But isn't that just what you said?" Lois teased. "You know what I meant. Lois I'm serious about this. Things would be so much easier if we were together." Lois cocked her head to one side. "Why do I think there's more to this discussion than what I'm picking up?" Clark raised his eyes for a moment and then gestured with his right hand. "Lois, I ... " but he was at loss to continue. Lois stopped teasing and took a step closer to him. "What is it, Clark? Why *are* you here early?" Clark bent his head so that their foreheads touched briefly. "I told you. I wanted to be with you." That at least was the truth, he thought. She looked at him, her dark eyes searching his face. "Clark?" Then she smiled at him, touching his shoulders as she spoke. "OK." She reached in her fridge, pulling out a carton of orange juice, and poured a large glass which she handed to him. "But I've just started that bath, so you do have to read those newspapers." * * * They spent the rest of the day together, hanging out in Metropolis, exploring parts of the city they'd overlooked in their busy lives, window shopping at art galleries they couldn't afford, accidentally locating a better source of chocolate ice cream than Lois's regular supplier, and playing a game of chess in the park, which Lois won. In a narrow side street, near the theatre district, they stumbled across a small antique clothing store where Lois found a garish, 1940's tie with hula girls on it that she bought for the man she loved, and then they wandered back to the small pub not far from Lois's apartment for dinner, by the end of which Clark's joy in being with Lois Lane had nearly succeeded in burying his preoccupation with Bureau 39. It was in the pub that they heard the evening news item about a mounting flood problem in the southern U.S. and Clark knew that he had to fly there to help out. Before he left, he tried to secure a promise from her that she would stay at home for the rest of the evening. That she would be there when he got back. She looked at him, puzzled, but said that she'd watch the video they'd rented for that evening, holding it up as evidence as she spoke. He walked her the two blocks back to her apartment, gave her a quick kiss and disappeared into the night, returning hours later to find her in bed, sound asleep. He sighed and spun out of the suit, lying down beside her on the bed. There was no way he was leaving her alone tonight and there was absolutely no way he was spending the night on that torturous white bench in her living room. * * * One of things that Clark did the next morning, squeezed in between performing those activities delineated in his job description for the Daily planet, was to start checking up on Bureau 39. In the back of his mind was some vague plan that if he could confront them, he could stop their plot, assuming there was a plot, although by now, he had little doubt of that. At this point, he could sure use Lois's help, he thought, swiveling in his chair so that he was facing his computer screen. The first thing to do was find out who was new at the Planet since it had been restructured after Luthor's assault a year ago. Talk about a hostile takeover, he grimaced inwardly. He was assuming here that the informant was a new hire; although, as he was calling up the list of the Planet's employees, he knew that it could be anybody. As the list was printing, he absently wrote a couple of names on the pad of post-it notes by his monitor. Jeff Anderson, Federal Trust, Renata Fox, and Burton Newcomb, the retired general who had covertly given him and Lois the key for the security system of the warehouse used to store the evidence of years of government UFO investigation. It was there that they had found the small ship from which he had taken his globe. He desperately wanted to find that ship again; it was a part of his heritage, it belonged to him. If he was lucky, then maybe he would be able to find it as he tracked down Bureau 39. Some good might come of this after all. He walked over to the printer and lifted the copy of the Daily Planet staff list, expelling a short breath as he noted its length. Looking up, his gaze travelled methodically around the newsroom, assessing each person who came into view. Not Jimmy, who was laughing about something with Angela by the water cooler. Angela? Ralph? Maybe. Steve? Lindsay? Definitely not Perry nor the Planet's Chief Accountant with whom Perry was, at the moment, arguing, jabbing the air for emphasis, as they strode towards the editor's office. Clark hated this, this feeling of suspicion of people who were his colleagues. Then his eyes hit Lois Lane and he was aware that she was watching him. She crossed the floor to where he was standing, a question in her eyes. "You look like you're taking inventory, Clark." "Just waiting for the printer, Lois." "Lane, Tessier, in here now," Perry bellowed from the door of his office. "Expense accounts!" "Oops, gotta go." Lois ducked around him and headed toward Perry's office meeting Chantal Tessier, the society reporter hired last year to replace Cat Grant, at the door. Clark watched as the two women grinned at each other, simultaneously mouthed a silent "Good luck," and then bearded the dour accountant and the glowering Perry in his lair. The last thing Clark heard was Perry's booming voice, "Judas Priest, you two. How in tarnation can you claim these?" Clark grinned as he saw Perry wave a fistful of loose receipts in the air. Clark returned to his task, scanning the staff list as he walked back to his desk. Once seated, he went through the list, beginning with the news department first. He'd leave personnel, finance, legal, and support staff for the time being since they had less access to his and Lois's routine. He drew a line through a few obvious names to begin with: his, Lois's, Jimmy's, Perry's. He wasn't sure about the rest. Great, he thought, now I'm paranoid. He was interrupted by his phone; one of his contacts at city hall had information on the mayor's rezoning proposals for the Hobbs Bay redevelopment project. Shoving aside the staff list, he rummaged through a couple of files on his desk and pulled out his notes on the project, jotting a few points in the margin as he listened to his contact. Then he said he'd be over ASAP. An hour later, as he emerged from City Hall, he spotted the now familiar sight of his Bureau 39 source. His heart sank. More than anything, he wanted this guy to disappear, to wake up tomorrow and find he'd dreamed the whole thing. "Yeah?" he asked as the two met in the middle of the crosswalk. "Some good news, I hope. I've found where Bureau 39 has relocated its archives. All the files and evidence of unexplained phenomenon have been moved there." Clark was interested. "Like the ship found in Smallville?" "The warehouse is located in an abandoned building on the waterfront, in Hobbs Bay. Used to be Hiram Imports; the name's still painted on the wall of the building." Clark felt a lump rise in his throat as he thought of the ship and all it meant for him. "Look, what's your name?" He noted a small smile fight to break the composure of his companion's face giving Clark the odd sense that he'd met this person before. "Brendan. I'll keep in touch." By now, Clark knew better than to think about pursuing Brendan. Anyway, he was too excited by the news to want to. Darting quickly into the shadows of an ally that ran along the north side of City Hall, he whirled into the suit and then leaped upward, taking flight, blitzing toward Hobbs Bay. Spotting the large, flat roofed building in what was now a deserted part of the area, its docks long since bypassed by the freighters which once frequented the port of Metropolis, he zoomed downward, landing in front of the Hiram building, now blackened by over a century of pollution. No one was around. His heart hammering, he walked toward the heavy double door of the warehouse. He had wanted to find this ship again ever since he and Lois had accidentally discovered it a year ago. At that time, he had quickly removed the small globe lodged inside it but had not had time to examine the vessel carefully, to find out anything else it might have to tell him about where he had come from and about his parents. Before entering the building, he scanned its periphery but could detect no evidence of anything beyond a normal security system. His fingers blurring, he rapidly worked through a sequence of numbers until he heard the lock release. Rolling the heavy door aside, he stepped inside. Banks of dark olive green filing cabinets, several objects shrouded in heavy canvas, and a few wooden packing crates lined what was mostly a cavernous empty room. His ship had to be among them. Narrowing and focusing his eyes, he leveled his x-ray vision along the row of covered objects and large crates, stopping when he came to the small Kryptonian craft. Eagerly, he stepped forward and ripped off the lid and side panels of a crate sitting behind a couple of the covered shapes. There was his ship, the craft that had carried him to Earth, a sleek grey capsule with Kryptonian symbols strung along its side and his crest on the tip of its hood. Scarcely breathing, he lifted its top, and as he did, he felt an overwhelming wave of pain and nausea flood his body. Gasping, he doubled over, holding his arms close to his body as he sank to his knees. "Superman, we've been expecting you." Grimacing, Superman looked up as Jeff Anderson stepped out from behind a bank of battered filing cabinets. As he did, two powerfully built men in drab fatigues came up behind Superman and roughly jerked his arms behind him. He fought back, summoning up what strength he could, yanking free and whirling to face his opponents, his expression menacing. Anderson reached in his jacket, pulled out a small revolver, aiming it at the Man of Steel, and fired. Again, Superman sank to his knees as a wave of dizziness robbed him of consciousness. The last thing he was aware of was the stinging pain of kryptonite handcuffs pinning his hands behind his back. How could he have been so easily fooled? * * * As she always did, Lois immediately looked over at Clark's desk as she stepped out of the elevator. She frowned. He had left by the time she and Chantal had finished doing battle with the petty minded, detail obsessed Accounting Department but she hadn't thought much about his absence, hoping only that he would be there when she returned from her afternoon interview with the CSSW leader. She was looking forward to a quiet romantic dinner with him, and with a little luck, a whole evening afterward. I guess this is what it's gonna be like, our life together. She smiled at the implication of her thought. Ah, well, it was still only three o'clock. There was still lots of time. She wondered if he was covering a story or if it was Superman stuff. Striding over to her desk, she pulled out her tape recorder, setting it on her desk by her computer. Flicking it on, she began to work on her copy, planning to have it finished in time for the midnight publication of tomorrow's paper, the hum of the newsroom in the background as she worked. * * * end, part 7 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:04:59 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 9 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 9 * * * Rather than going to the Daily Planet first thing that morning, Lois drove to Clark's apartment, unable to shake her early morning anxiety. He would have called her by now, wouldn't he? They had agreed on that. She could accept his disappearances, now that they had established this new trust between them, now that there were no secrets between them. So why hadn't he contacted her by now? Somewhere from the back of her Speilberg conditioned brain came a tiny voice saying, "ET, call home," and she giggled. Overreacting, Lane. He's always said you were too impatient. He's gonna laugh at you when he opens the door. Feeling a little foolish, and therefore walking with more dignity than the Queen of England, Lois approached his front door and knocked. No answer. Come on, Clark, answer the door. She peered through the opaque curtain on the grey door for any sign of a shadow that might be Clark. She knocked again. Nothing. Okay. She was about to pick his lock, when she remembered that he'd given her a key to his apartment a few weeks ago, part of a solemn, silly, sweet little ceremony that they had held after they'd each come clean about how much they knew about Superman. Given his "insider knowledge," he had known more than she did, but she knew a lot, and she'd known it sooner than he'd thought. Lois looked at the key with mixed emotions ; having it made her feel warm inside, seeing it as a sign of his trust in her, but it sure did take the thrill out of the break and enter thing. Not that she ever had broken into Clark's place. Inserting the key, she pushed open the door and entered the apartment, calling his name. He wasn't there. So where was he and why hadn't he contacted her? Maybe he couldn't. She walked through the small apartment, looking for anything out of the ordinary but detected nothing. Shrugging her shoulders, she thought he was probably at work by now. So should she be. When she stepped out of the elevator at the Planet, she looked automatically at Clark's desk, disappointment washing over her as she saw that he wasn't there. "Hey, Jimmy, where's Clark?" Jimmy was pouring a cup of coffee which, as a gentleman in training, he handed to her, and then poured another one for himself. "Haven't seen him this morning. Haven't you?" He grinned at her, his eyes impudent, but his expression faded as he noticed the worry in her eyes. "Is something wrong?" "Don't know. Probably not." Lois left him at the coffee machine, and walked to her desk. No message. Then she strode to Perry's office, knocking lightly, and, not waiting for a response, walked in. "Have you seen Clark, Perry?" "Not since yesterday. He's probably chasing down that City Hall story." Perry turned to a set of budget figures, frowning, and Lois was reminded of their chat yesterday morning about the bottom line. "Not that I know of." Perry looked up at her and his eyes lit with a smile that soon travelled south. "Now, darlin', Elvis didn't tell Priscilla everything." "And look where that got him!" "Lois, Clark's a big boy. He can take care of himself. And if he's got some hot lead, why, darlin', you just show him you can go him one better." Perry loved competition. Lois turned on her heel and tromped back to her desk, flicking on her computer, not finding the message from Clark there that she hoped for. OK, she could be patient. She could push this to the back of her mind and wait until he got back. Until he let her in on what was going on. Then maybe she'd remind him of their little agreement. He wanted a life with her. Hah! She clicked open the file on her latest article and began her day. * * * When Superman awoke, he discovered that both the lid of the capsule and the steel clamps around his arms and legs had been removed. Rising cautiously, he got to his feet and stretched, elated by the freedom that he felt for the first time in over twenty-four hours. His prison was not well lit and, once again he peered methodically around it. Although he was alone, he had no illusion that he was not being monitored. Padding across the room, he inspected the drawers in the bank of cabinets that lined the width of one wall but found they were empty. Then he checked the narrow door on his left, discovering the tiny bathroom adjacent to his room. Again, he carefully examined it but noticed nothing that could be useful in helping him escape. Well, at least he had his own bathroom. Relieving himself, he flushed the toilet. As he twisted the knobs of the shower, he contemplated a quick shower but changed his mind, returning to the small room that was his prison. He'd noticed the small table set with cheese, bottled juice, water, and bread when he'd first awakened but had been more interested in exploring his prison. Now, he gave in to his hunger, hoping food would restore some of his strength and end this weariness that controlled his body. Sitting on the metal chair in front of the table, he took a drink of water and then began to eat slowly, thinking about how he could escape. Recalling fragments of the conversation he had heard before he drifted off earlier this morning, he was now pretty sure that they had done something to block part of his memory. No matter how hard he'd tried to concentrate, he could summon no recollections of people with whom he had any emotional connection. No one. Shutting his eyes, he conjured up the image of the dark haired woman. He repeated her name. Lois. You're my proof, he thought, whoever you are, you're my proof that I'm not alone. But who are you? How do I find you? He would escape. * * * By mid afternoon, Clark had still not reappeared at the Planet and there still was no news anywhere of Superman. Lois had been out for most of the day and now as she reentered the newsroom, she frowned as she looked over at his desk; it was more and more difficult to ignore that small worry in the back of her mind. She walked toward Clark's desk and flicked on his computer. Checking through his most recent files, she found nothing that she had not known he was working on. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts at figuring out his password, she typed in "Kansas" and rolled her eyes in disbelief when it worked. But she found nothing informative in the way of messages. Swiveling in Clark's chair, she scanned the paper and files on his desk. In front of her was a folder on the Metropolis city council's rezoning proposals. Clark had been convinced that one of the counselors was on the take from a major construction company. Underlining the name and number of his City Hall contact, Lois put through a quick call. She was lucky; the woman was at her desk, although a little annoyed at Clark for not showing up this morning to pick up the copy of an incriminating bill of sale that she'd discovered. She was taking a risk here, in going public with what she knew. Lois placated her, assuring her know that they were very interested, and that she would be over there in half an hour. After she hung up, she pushed the file aside, and looked at the few papers that were loose on Clark's desk, smiling at the fact that he was a bit of a neat freak and wondering why he had been interested in the Planet staff list. Puzzled, she saw that Clark had crossed out his name, hers, Jimmy's, and Perry's. Then her eye caught sight of a yellow post-it note with a list names scrawled in Clark's hand --Jeff Anderson, Legatteville Reality, Federal Trust, Renata Fox, and General Burton Newcomb. Picking it up, she put it in her purse, and left the newsroom for City Hall, her mind going over the list, wondering why Clark had written them down, what they had in common. Given his unhealthy preoccupation with keeping his desk neat, she knew he'd probably written the note yesterday or the day before, at the earliest. If the note had been on her desk, it could have been written any time in the last six months. Why hadn't he talked to her about any of this? Why? Didn't he trust her? That question and the names on the list preoccupied her as she talked to Clark's source in a trendy coffee franchise midway between City Hall and the Planet. It was a good story and if she wasn't so worried about Clark, she would have been excited. As it was, she was relieved when the interview ended and she walked away with an incriminating photocopy in hand. Back at the Planet, she hacked out the story, added the Lane-Kent byline, gave it to Jimmy to trouble shoot, and reached for the list in her purse. As she did, she began to think about an explanation for Clark's absence. Sick friend? Jonathan broke his leg? Interview upstate with a missing mob boss? He had the flu? He was returning videos for all the shut-ins in Metropolis? He broke *his* leg. She liked that one; he'd have to wear a fake cast for weeks when he did finally show up. But she didn't like the list of names. She didn't like Jeff Anderson's name on it, and Newcomb's. Had Clark decided to run down Bureau 39? Why now? She wondered if the Andersons were still in Legatteville. Neither she nor Clark had given them any thought when they'd been there for the wedding a couple of weekends ago. She put through a call to her aunt who told her the Andersons had left town and that the old farm was once more up for sale. Lois made an offhand comment about how hard it would be to sell the place, given both its unsuitability for farming and its reputation. Her aunt replied that it looked like the place might have a buyer; her friend at Legatteville Reality had someone there last week who was interested. Lois's next call was to Legatteville Reality. Her aunt's friend gave her a description of Fred Johnson but she didn't have his number; he'd said he was hard to reach and he'd call her but he hadn't. Lois asked her if she had the Andersons' current address? No, they hadn't left it and, as the vendor of property was Federal Trust, she didn't need it. Out of curiosity, Lois asked what Fred Johnson looked like. About six feet, black hair, thirtyish, but it was hard to tell considering the rather odd beard he wore, but then what did farmers know about grooming? Lois thought, farmboys in particular. OK. So Clark was onto something and he hadn't confided in her. He was doing that compartmentalizing thing again. He didn't trust her. She felt deflated, the happiness of the last few weeks displaced by this reminder that she wasn't part of the act. She looked over at his desk, glaring, and then she remembered that feeling she'd had very early this morning, that he was trying to reach her. It had seemed so real, more than a dream; she could hear his voice, calling her. I have to find him, she thought; how I feel doesn't matter. He has to be all right. She thought about calling Martha and Jonathan but decided against it. There was still an outside chance that her suspicions were wrong, but she resolved that she would call, if by the end of the day, Clark had still not appeared. She thought back over the last few days, trying to remember anything in Clark's behavior that was a little odd, well, odder than usual. All along, she'd had this sixth sense that he'd been holding out on her, but she'd talked herself out of that, reminding herself that their relationship was not like that anymore. Yeah, right, she thought. Shaking her head, she tried to remember when those twinges of doubt had struck her. The first time, in the court house, last week when that man had approached them. The morning they'd met for breakfast. Yesterday, just before the budget nazis had nailed her and Chantal. He'd had something in his hand. The staff list? What had she said to him? Oh, yeah, "Taking inventory?" She'd been right; he had. There was someone on the Planet's staff he mistrusted. Why? He'd crossed off four names and then, judging by the file she'd found on top of the staff list, he'd gone to City Hall, met his contact, and that was the last she knew of him. So I've got to find Jeff Anderson. Who is Renata Fox? She gazed around the newsroom, her eyes searching for Jimmy whom she spotted chatting with Chantal about some photos which were spread out on her large, plant festooned desk. She walked over and the two reporters greeted her. "Jimmy, can you give me a hand with something when you're finished with Chantal?" "Sure thing." Jimmy pointed to three of the photos on the desk. "We can't decide which one to run with Chantal's copy." Chantal laughed. "That means he doesn't like my choice," she said lightly tapping it with her index finger, its polish emphasizing the elegance of her hand. Jimmy's face was intense. "No, the lighting's not as good in that one." He picked up his favorite. "Ya gotta think the shadow in this one's great." Chantal put her colleague on the spot, her eyes glinting with mischief. "So which one, Lois?" Lois was no fool, she tapped the one in the middle, the one that neither of the two had chosen. "Oh, good choice, Lois, good choice." Chantal laughed and picked up Jimmy's favorite. "Ok, Jimmy, you're the artist. Let's go with this one; it's pretty good." Jimmy flushed with pleasure at Chantal's praise, "All right!" he said, then turned to Lois. "What's up?" As they walked back to Lois's desk, she said, "I've got some stuff I want to show you." Then when they were out of earshot, she continued. "I want you to get me some information, Jimmy. Can you find out if either a Jeff Anderson or a Brenda Anderson works for the government, maybe for the FBI or for Bureau 39. Oh yeah, and a Renata Fox." "Bureau 39?" Jimmy was surprised. "I thought those nuts were put out of business over a year ago." "Me, too, but apparently not." "That why C.K.'s not here?" Jimmy could barely contain the excitement in his voice. "You guys are onto something!" Lois hadn't thought of that excuse. Reluctantly she abandoned the "Clark broke his leg" excuse and went with Jimmy's more plausible one. "Yes," adding one more thing, "Can you find out who Federal Trust is acting for in a real estate sale in Legatteville, Minnesota?" Jimmy looked surprised. "Isn't that where your aunt and uncle live. Thinking of buying some land?" "Maybe, Jimmy, maybe." * * * Clark paced back and forth in his cell, going over the fragments of conversation he'd heard among his captors, working on the problem of escaping. Maybe he could convince them that this dose of kryptonite was lasting longer than they had calculated. If he could do that, then maybe that would buy him enough time for some of his strength to return and he could escape. How? Could that glass wall be broken? There was probably a security system. He wouldn't have much strength. If his x-ray vision returned that would be more helpful. If ... Above all he had to act before they operated tomorrow. What they had done so far had unsettled him, shaken his stability. Who knows what they planned to do next? What part of his mind would be altered next? He kept returning to his memory of last night's dream, to the dark haired woman whom he had so desperately wanted, needed to touch. He didn't know what his feelings for her were, but in his dream there had been a bond, not this detachment he felt now. That was the hope that his dream had given him, that he was not an automaton waiting and planning to be reintegrated with his fellow Kryptonians. He concentrated on her name, repeating it, summoning again the memory of his dream, the reminder that he was not alone. Lois... * * * As Lois worked on retracing Clark's path over the last day and a half she began to talk to him in her mind. Angry at first. Clark, what were you thinking? Then urgent. Clark, be careful. Clark. Her eyes widened. She could swear she heard his voice. Lois. He's all right, she thought .. I'll find him. Clark. Lois. His voice again in her mind. She shook her head; don't let your imagination run wild here. You have to find out who he met at the court house. And you have to talk to Jeff Anderson. Start with Federal Trust first. That proved only moderately difficult, mostly because she was put on hold so often as she got bounced across to four different employees of the Trust company before she finally learned that the title to the Andersons' farm in Legatteville was held by the United States government, Department of Supply and Services. That's what she'd expected to find but now she had proof. What she wanted to find out was which government department had requested its purchase in the first place. That wasn't difficult either, just tedious as she sorted through the last two years of government land purchases. The property had been bought by the Department of Agriculture for the purpose of setting up a model farm for raising goats on marginal agricultural land. Lois smiled. Yes! OK, check the Department of Agriculture. Who did she know in Washington? Again more phone calls, this time the thread proving more tortuous. Guys who knew guys. She jotted notes as she searched, finally getting hold of the name of the middle rank bureaucrat in the Department of Agriculture who authorized budgets for all the department's experimental programs. She called him; he was out to lunch. Of course. Stretching, she got up from her desk and wandered over to where Jimmy was working. Perching on the edge of his desk, she asked, "Anything?" "Yeah. I've got the organizational chart for the FBI." Lois came around to look over his shoulder as Jimmy called up the chart on his monitor. Jimmy moved his cursor so that it pointed at Bureau 39, only its department head listed. "Renata Fox," Jimmy said. "no listing of department personnel, though, or what exactly they do." He clicked to another chart showing the mandates of each of the sub departments and bureaus within the organization. Bureau 39's was to investigate citizen reports of unexplained phenomena. "OK, then I checked Personnel, payroll," he called this up. "They do list Jeff Anderson there. So what does all this mean?" Lois spoke thoughtfully. "It confirms what I already know, which is a big help. Keep records of all this, will you, Jimmy? A couple of years ago, Clark and I found the warehouse where Bureau 39 kept its archives. At that time, we found General Burton Newcomb quite helpful. I wonder if he might be again." Jimmy did a quick search for the general but found that he had died about four months earlier. Heart attack. "Dead end," Jimmy smirked and then apologized when Lois shot him a narrow eyed glare. "Lois, Jimmy, over to the MPD, now! Police Chief's resigned!" Their concentration was broken by Perry's bark as he strode across the room to them. "And where's that partner of yours disappeared to?" "He's, uh, tracking down a lead on a possible government cover-up." Lois said. Perry gave her a steely look. "If I didn't trust that boy, I'd swear something suspicious was going on." A pause as he fixed his eyes on her again. "Well, what are you waiting for? Elvis didn't get to Las Vegas by sitting on his duff in Tupelo." An hour later, Jimmy and Lois were walking out of the conference room of the MPD Main Precinct, discussing the Chief's surprise resignation speech and speculating if there was more to it than "health reasons and a desire to spend more time with my family." Inspector Henderson had had the misfortune to accidentally wind up next to them as they were leaving the conference room and was deftly avoiding Lois's third degree. Jimmy was excited about the shots he had taken and their talk was animated. In the melee of reporters and MFD staff in the main corridor, Lois felt herself jostled by someone behind her. Thinking that the contact had been a little too intimate for a public place, she whirled around and faced her assailant. He looked familiar but she couldn't quite place him, his very ordinary appearance not in any way memorable, his face partly obscured by the visor of the baseball cap he wore. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when he spoke, so softly she could scarcely hear. "Ms. Lane, I've betrayed Superman." As he said this he fell against Lois, crumpling to the floor behind her. Instantly, Henderson was down on his knees beside him, checking for vital signs, while one of the other officers called the paramedics. Henderson pulled off the man's hat letting loose a tumble of long red hair. Then he was standing, shouting for medical help. "Brenda Anderson," Lois said softly, recognizing the woman whom she had met in Legatteville. She knelt beside the woman, whose green eyes opened to look at her. "Has Kent told you? I gave him information... he passed it on to Superman. I was being used," she whispered, her voice labored, bitter. "They've got Superman." Lois's heart lurched. "Who? Where?" "Bureau 39," her voice was ragged, inaudible to everyone except Lois who leaned closer. "the Hiram warehouse... the ship... somewhere north of Metropolis.... my back," she whispered. Lois slid her hand around the woman's back, feeling the wet stickiness which she knew must be blood. Horrified, she held her hand there with as much pressure as she could manage, her eyes shifting to Henderson's. "She's bleeding." Again, Henderson knelt beside the woman who had by now lost consciousness, firmly holding a cotton pad which someone had pulled from the first aid kit hanging beside the fire extinguisher in the hallway. A man beside him placed his coat over her to keep her warm. A moment later the paramedics arrived, checking her vital signs as they did their best to stop the flow of blood while they prepared her for the trip to the waiting ambulance. Her face bleak, Lois watched them wheel their patient down the hall, hoping that she would survive. Whatever Brenda Anderson had done, she did not deserve this. Henderson turned to her quickly, "I want to talk to you later, Lane." Then he began a methodical inquiry among the crowd about what they may have seen. Lois nodded at him. "I'll be around." But her mind was only half focused on what Henderson had said. Why did you fall for it, Clark? she thought. And why didn't you tell me? The ship; it was so obvious. He'd wanted to find that ship so badly he'd let common sense fly in the face of desire. She was unaware when Jimmy came to stand beside her in the hallway. "What happened?" he asked. "Jimmy, Bureau 39 has got Superman," she said with a catch in her voice. * * * end, part 9 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:05:32 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 11 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 11 * * * Lois and Jimmy were just getting back into the rental car when they spotted the Camero. Lois started her engine. "Jimmy, we may not have been able to get inside that place but we can sure catch up with that guy. Can you get his license number?" She gestured to the binoculars in the compartment between their seats. As the Camero disappeared around a curve, she accelerated, giving the car as much power as she could in order to keep up with him. "Must have a hot date, the way he's driving." Her tone was disparaging, but Jimmy's was envious as he added his agreement. As they came closer to the Camero, Jimmy said, "I've got it." He reached into one of his many pockets, retrieving a pen and small notebook, and wrote down the licence number. "Can you tell anything about the driver?" "No, just the back of his head, and the way you're driving now, that's a blur." Jimmy grinned at her. Lois careened around a sharp curve. "They oughtta take away that guy's licence. I can't believe how he's driving." Jimmy checked his seat belt. * * * Worried, Clark looked at the gas gauge. It had been near empty when he'd fist checked it back in the parking lot. He wasn't going to get far in this car. He'd have to ditch it anyway; they would discover it missing pretty soon and it wasn't exactly unobtrusive in appearance. Accelerating, he turned onto a side road going north, away from the main highway going back to Metropolis, hoping they'd figure he would head back to the city. He was thankful for the maze of narrow country roads that would make it harder for anyone to trail him but grimaced at the thought of the red color of the car. Checking his rear view mirror, he noticed that the dark grey sedan which had been behind him a while back was still with him. That was odd. He was driving much faster than the speed limit; that car should be nowhere near him. Maybe it was a coincidence that it was still on his tail. It hadn't been one of the cars in the parking lot. He stepped on the gas, taking the next curve at high speed, hoping to lose the sedan . He'd have to ditch this car pretty soon and he wanted to do it somewhere out of sight. God, he was tired. * * * "God, he's crazy," Lois muttered as she turned onto another narrow road, accidentally swerving off the road and then twisting the car back onto the pavement. Jimmy was enjoying himself, shouting encouragement as she triumphed over the soft gravel of the shoulder. Losing sight of her quarry, as he yet again disappeared behind a curve, she said, "I hope this guy's worth this." "Are you kidding, Lois. This is great! Wait'll I tell the chief." "Jimmy, don't you dare!" As she rounded the curve, she was dismayed to see the Camero was nowhere to be seen on the long stretch in front of her. "He's turned off again. They must have to helicopter supplies out here to him in the winter," she said in disgust. She took the first road on her left and as she did, she spotted the red car pulling off to the side of the road. "Yes!" She accelerated, catching up to him, and then jolted to a stop behind the car just seconds after the driver had jumped out of it. She and Jimmy were out of her rental in a flash, chasing the driver who'd taken off across the road and into the woods. It wasn't hard to catch up with him, at least for Jimmy who gained quickly on the man once he had stumbled over something in his path. Regaining his balance, Clark thought to himself, "I can't go back there, I can't go back to that room." Fear gave him an extra spurt of energy and he hoped he was outpacing his pursuers. He hadn't wasted time looking at them; as soon as he'd stopped his car, he'd hit the ground running, but his energy surge hadn't been good enough. One of his pursuers was gaining on him, coming close behind him. Clark stopped and whirled around to face his pursuers. His jaw dropped when he looked at them. A young man with sandy brown hair and a dark haired woman. The woman from his dream. Lois. They were as astonished as he was; the man's voice a surprised question as he said, "Superman?" which he completely tuned out as he felt the woman's arms go around him in a fierce hug. Automatically he circled her in his arms, bending his head against hers, soothed, relieved at how right this felt as she murmured against the side of his neck, "You're safe. You're safe." Reluctantly, he dropped his arms and stood back from them, a sense of relief calming him as he realized that these two were his friends, that he was not alone. He remembered Sam Lane's message: <>. He was grateful that she wasn't sitting by that phone. He smiled, thinking that she probably didn't do much waiting by the phone. "They'll be looking for me." He raised his head in the direction of the road. "I hope you've got more gas in that car than I had in mine." The three jogged back through the trees toward the two cars on the road. The man spoke first, reclaiming Clark's attention, his voice uncertain. "Superman, Lois's dad said they'd done something to your memory. So you won't know us." He gulped, adding with a touching diffidence. "I'm Jimmy Olsen." He waited and when the woman didn't speak, he added, "and this is Lois Lane. We work for the Daily Planet. In Metropolis." "Lane? Are you Sam Lane's daughter?" He turned to the woman beside him who, after her initial greeting, seemed to have distanced herself from him somehow. Now she did look at him. "Yes. Have you seen him? Is he all right?" By this time, they'd reached the dark sedan. Once seated beside her, he responded, "Yes. He helped me escape. He's OK, I think. We were alone when he helped me. He said he was there to assist the doctor. He should be all right." He watched her as she pulled out into the road. She appeared relieved. "I hope so. Now we have to get *you* somewhere safe. They'll be looking for you." "Why don't we take him to Clark's?" Jimmy suggested. "No, I'm not sure that's safe. They used Clark to get to Superman," she added bitterly. Clark watched her face carefully, noting the bitterness. "I don't remember that part," he said softly. So these two knew him as both Clark and as Superman. "I'll fill you in on it later." "So they could be watching Clark's apartment?" Jimmy said. "Maybe. Probably, now that Superman's escaped." She turned to look at Clark. "That patch above your temple. Is that from the operation?" "Yeah, I guess so," he said. "I don't suppose you know where I could get a quick reversal?" His voice was wry as he spoke. A small smile briefly teased her lips. "Not at the moment." "So where are we going?" "Not sure. Jimmy, do you think you have enough to work on an expose of Bureau 39? And can you run a check on that licence plate. I know there are a lot of gaps but you've got a good start. I figure the best way to protect Superman is to get all this out in the open. He's saved so many people. I don't think the public's going to much like the idea that Bureau 39's out to get him." "You bet!" Jimmy sounded excited. "What about you and Superman?" "Clark's place is out and they might be watching my place, too. I think we'd better head back out of the city. I have to find somewhere safe for him. I want to get back to that bunker. My Dad's still there." "Do I have any say in this?" Clark asked politely, annoyed at how he was being left out of the planning. Jimmy was instantly apologetic. "Of course. Sorry, Superman. It's just that we've never seen you like this." "I'm not helpless, Jimmy," Clark pointed out. He was aware of Lois's brief sidelong glance at him as he said this and he wondered what the nature of his relationship with her was. Jimmy seemed respectful, deferential almost, but Lois seemed aloof, businesslike, her mind completely focused on the problem they were facing. She seemed to be keeping him at arm's length. Worry about her father, he figured. He looked at her profile as she drove, trying to figure out what she was thinking. She must have been aware of his scrutiny because she gave him a brief glance. "So what do you think we should do?" "I think both you and Jimmy go back to the Planet." "And you?" "Right now, not much. I hope some of my powers return by morning and then I'm going back to that bunker." "Are you crazy?" she snapped, startled, unconsciously increasing her speed as she drove. "Yeah, I'm crazy." His voice was loud, emotional, angry. "I don't know who I am. I want my mind back. And I don't want you and Jimmy in any danger while I do that." He was watching her face as he spoke and was surprised to see her mouth quiver, and a tear slip out of the corner of her eye. He felt his heart lurch and he wanted to touch her, to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say. He sighed, rubbing the skin of his temple briefly. That chip may have robbed him of his past memories but sure hadn't blocked what he could feel now. And he was beginning to understand the power of the emotion between Lois and himself that had been strong enough to briefly rip through the mechanical veil imposed by that microchip implant. Lois raised one hand to wipe away the quisling tear, and then said. "We're your friends." Her voice was firmer as she continued. "We'll help you." Then her voice was normal, conversational, "And you might want to work on that plan that's gonna get you back in the bunker, this time in the driver's seat, and oh yeah, get the good doctor to perform a little brain surgery." Superman heard Jimmy's brief laugh in the back seat. He sighed as he leaned back against the headrest and stared out at the molten ribbon of white light on the other side of the highway. Judging by the road sign they'd just passed, it would probably take them another hour and a half, make that an hour the way Lois was driving, to get to Metropolis. The motion of the car and the stream of lights in the darkness were soothing, hypnotic. He wondered if he'd ever kissed Lois Lane. He sure hoped so. He slept the rest of the way to Metropolis. He woke up as Lois lurched to a dramatic stop a block behind the Daily Planet. He wondered if she'd done it on purpose to wake him up or if this was just part of her regular driving style. Probably both, he figured, as Jimmy climbed out of the back seat. Somehow he wasn't surprised when Lois didn't get out, but spoke to Jimmy through the lowered window on the driver's side. "I don't know where I'll be, Jimmy, but I'll have my cell phone." "Not a good idea, Lois. It's easy to pick up signals from a cell phone. If Bureau 39 is watching you, you can bet they'll pick up your cell calls." "I forgot. Look, you can leave messages with Lucy. I'll check with her. My dad's supposed to phone her, too." " "You gonna call Clark?" Jimmy's question surprised Superman. So Jimmy thought Superman and Clark were two different people. Did Lois? "Yeah, he should be home by now. Can you fill Perry in on what's happened?" Lois smiled at him. "Thanks, Jimmy, for all your help." She switched into first gear and pulled smoothly into the traffic. Superman didn't speak. He sat back in his seat watching the streets and the traffic, relaxed for the first time since his incarceration. Whoever this woman was, he had no doubt about her competence and the fact that he could trust her, despite the occasional hints of hostility which he picked up. For the time being he was content to have her calling the shots as they merged onto the main freeway leading east out to the suburbs of Metropolis, driving until they reached an exit that allowed Lois to pull off into a large shopping mall. Lois steered around to the back of the mall, just outside the rear entrance of a large discount store. Unbuckling her seat belt, she turned to her companion. "You need some clothes that don't make you look like an escapee >from some institution. And I need some cash." She hesitated for a minute, her voice wary. "Can I count on you to stay here, not to take off on me?" He looked at her. "Lady, at this point I think I'd be nuts not to trust you." Her dark eyes softened as he said this and it crossed his mind that she had the most beautiful eyes in the world. She reached across and touched his arm, patting it uncertainly. "Clark, you look awful. Those circles under your eyes." He took her hand, elated by her use of his name. She knew. "Don't worry. I have this feeling that with you in my corner, I can do anything." She took a deep breath. "Well, let's hope that'll be true after you get a good night's sleep." She opened the car door. "I'll be as quick as I can and then we'll find a motel." "Get me some decent shoes. Size 11," he called out as an after thought as she was closing her door. Lois blitzed the store, determined to save time by buying everything in one place. She needed a few items, too. As she efficiently made her way through the men's department, she realized she had no idea about sizing in men's clothing. Inexplicably, men didn't seem to use the same system as woman at all. So she wound up comparing Clark's shoulders, waist, and butt to those of a couple of the male clerks in the men's wear department. She enjoyed herself. A half an hour later, she was back in the car , pulling out of the parking lot and driving along the main strip of this part of suburbia until she came across a low budget motel, wedged between strip malls and fast food franchises. Minutes later, she was registering at the desk, and then pulling up outside the unit that was their's for the night. As they entered the room, Superman looked at her. "Just one room?" Her tone was defensive. "It's got two beds. It'll be all right." "You really don't trust me, do you?" His voice was soft. "I'm not going anywhere, Lois. I figure you're the best chance I've got." He watched the sadness in her eyes as he spoke. "What is it?" he asked, puzzled. "Nothing. Nothing." Her voice was business like. "There's a takeout across the road." She handed him two plastic bags, stuffed with her purchases. "Here, you can change while I go get us something to eat." He was doing a bit of aimless channel surfing when she came back, bearing Chinese food, a bottle of wine, and a couple of newspapers. She set the food out on the small table by the window while he opened the wine. That Swiss army knife on the attendant's key chain came in handy after all. As he began to eat, Lois picked up the phone, putting a call through to her sister, which he shamelessly listened in on. "Hi Lucy, has Dad called?" A pause. "He has? He's at home! That's great!" Her relief was obvious, a relief he shared. "No, I won't be home tonight." Then more sarcastically, "And I won't be there either." Another pause before Lois spoke again, "Jimmy phoned?" A pause and then, "That's good news, too. Thanks, Lucy. I'll tell you about it later. Bye." A big smile on her face, Lois turned to Superman. "Now we just have to figure out how to remove that chip." She was still holding the phone in her hand, tapping in a new number, and then waiting for a second before the person at the other end picked up the phone. "Hi, Dad, are you all right?" ...."Oh well, I didn't go to Lucy's." .... "Look, if I hadn't followed you, Dad.." She stopped speaking and Clark could hear but not make out Sam Lane's words and he could tell by the set look on Lois's face that she didn't like what her father was saying. He reached out his hand for the phone. "May I?" Without a word she handed him the phone. "Hi, Mr. Lane. I wanted to thank you for your help this afternoon. And you were right about Lois. She has helped me." "Oh, she has? Well, that's good news. How did she find you?" "She ran me to ground. I had no choice but to surrender." Superman grinned. Sam laughed and Clark thought he detected a note of pride in his voice as he spoke. "That girl always does things her way." "Lucky for me she does." As he was speaking, Clark was distracted by Lois. "Ask him if he can get that thing out of your head." Clark looked at her, his eyes squinting in puzzlement. "What?" "Here, gimme." Lois motioned toward the phone, reaching to take it from him. "Daddy, can you operate on Superman to remove the chip?" She spoke quickly, her voice excited. Clark looked at her, surprised by the question. Reaching over to her, he repossessed the phone, picking up Sam's response. "Sorry, Princess, I'm afraid it's been too many years since I performed surgery that delicate. Techniques have changed and I don't have experience with them. But I do know a couple of top neurologists at Metropolis General and I bet I know these chips better than they do." "Dr. Lane, so it can be done?" Clark felt more optimism now than he'd felt at any time since he turned in that field this afternoon and come face to face with Lois Lane. "There are some details to arrange. I'll call Ben and try to talk him into seeing you tomorrow. That'll take some convincing. But the surgery shouldn't take long. Are you still without superpowers? That's the biggest problem. Otherwise we have to get that kryptonite anesthetic that Dr. Fox used which means getting back in that bunker." "No powers. Before I escaped, my vision was slightly restored but it returned to normal after my escape. The exertion I guess." "Let's hope you stay that way for awhile. What's your number there, I'll call back as soon as I know anything. Probably won't be before morning." After her father had hung up, Clark filled Lois in on their conversation. "So it looks like all we do now, is wait," he concluded, "and hope that the powers take awhile to return, if they return, " he finished with a grimace. "Oh, they'll come back. They have before," she spoke as though she were thinking of something else. "They will?" He was surprised. "You know, I can't remember losing my powers before. It's a strange thing to know that people know things about me that I don't know." She smiled at him. "Only a few people know that." He cocked his head to one side and spoke softly. "And you're one of them. What else do you know about me Lois Lane?" She looked at him directly, a brittle edge to her voice. "I know what you decide to tell me." She got up to wander over to the plastic bag containing her few purchases, pulling them out and placing them on her bed. "I think we should turn in early. We both need the sleep." * * * end, part 11 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:06:02 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 13 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 13 * * * He talked it all over with his parents when they got to Metropolis General. They were surprised that Lois had left town but as Clark explained the events of the last couple of weeks, Martha had looked more and more perturbed. When he finished, she'd sighed and looked at him sadly. He didn't need to ask to know that he'd made a mistake, a big mistake. He'd only wanted to protect Lois, he'd said defensively. Besides, he'd never been really sure, at least not until last weekend, that there was any serious threat. This time Jonathan sighed, and the two elder Kents sat there, tight lipped at the side of his bed. He needed no further evidence to know that they thought he was in the wrong. Still, he was also reminded that they loved him very much as he lay back waiting while they convinced the head nurse that he should spend as much time as possible in the solarium. He was grateful to them for so much. They left him basking in the bright sunshine in the roof top garden of Metropolis General, Martha having found a chance to sneak a quick hug as they left, for which her son was very grateful. Maybe Lois would come this evening. * * * Lois slept most of the day, not waking up until after eight o'clock that night. After a quick shower, during which she'd conducted a full blown mental argument with Clark Kent while washing her hair, she threw on a pair of old jeans plus an oversize sweatshirt and walked back toward the main lodge that ran the cabins in which she was staying. Its dining room was nearly empty, only a couple of tables occupied but that was it. Lois slipped onto a bar stool behind the counter. The waitress smiled at her. "What would you like?" "An omelette and coffee, please." "Just take a couple of minutes." The waitress poured her a cup of coffee. "Do you have a newspaper?" Lois knew that the Bureau 39 story wouldn't be out until tomorrow but she hadn't read any papers at all today and she felt incomplete. "Sure. What's your choice?" Lois grinned at her. "What've you got?" A moment later, with three newspapers tucked under her arm, she carried her coffee to a table not far from the counter. She dropped the papers on the table, naturally picking up the Planet first, but her eye was distracted by the National Whisper's lurid front page picture (Lois was sure it was digitally altered) of suffering and destruction at a major fire in Metropolis. Its giant red headline screamed: <> As Lois was reading, the waitress brought the omelette, commenting on the story as she put the plate down. "We get so used to Superman rescuing people, we forget he might need to take a few days off once in awhile." One of the men at a table near Lois joined in. "Yeah, he's entitled. I saw him once when I was in Metropolis. Outside a bank. Stopped a getaway. Stepped right into a hale of bullets and grabbed the guy." "Cool," a kid at the other table commented. "What'd he look like?" "Tall. About six four, I guess. Powerful build. Eyes that blazed fire." Lois smiled, always amazed at people's perceptions of Superman. The smile doubled as a small laugh at herself, too, because, at first, she'd done exactly the same thing. We see what we expect to see. Clark, she thought, are you all right? He'd been on her mind since she had wakened but now she was distracted from her thought by the kid's reply. "Cool!" followed by "Bet he's got a row of little wings beneath the cape. That's how he flies. The cape hides them." Lois's eyes widened and she giggled. She couldn't help it as she imagined small wings furiously flapping, propelling Clark upward. She wanted to ask what color he thought the feathers were, but one of the girls who was sitting at the boy's table glared at her, defending both her friend and Superman. "Jason's probably right. I hope Superman isn't, like gone. He's, like, saved sooo many lives." As she finished her omelette, Lois listened as the two tables talked about Superman's heroics and then shifted into a good natured debate about baseball -- Mark McGuire vs. Joe DiMaggio. "Who?" the girl asked, which didn't turn out to be as innocent a question as the girl had thought. * * * By mid afternoon, the next day, Clark had grown very restless. He saw no reason why he should be here. He was fine. That morning he'd managed a two inch levitation; by noon it was a foot. The incision from the surgery had completely healed and the vision and hearing were up about fifty percent. A superpower index, he thought wryly. No Lois though. Sam Lane had dropped by, mentioning that his daughter had phoned, both last night and again this morning, from out of town, to ask how Superman was doing. Superman would be doing better if she were here, Clark thought. Sam had asked her where she was, but she'd been evasive. By the time Clark's folks arrived late that afternoon, he was ready to leave; the powers weren't back but that was no reason to stay in a hospital. Thanking everyone for the special and very private care he had received, he left with a minimum of fuss, accompanied by Martha and Jonathan, slipping out through a back entrance, wearing the jeans that Lois had bought for him. They were too tight; what had she been thinking? The few staff who had attended him had been sworn to secrecy and he hoped news of his stay would not be picked up by the media. The morning edition of the Daily Planet had broken the story of Bureau 39's plot against Superman and during the rest of the day the media had been scrambling to find out more. The first response from a government spokesperson had been to deny the story but the Planet had printed too much evidence to make the denial credible. They had names, paper trails, dates, budget figures, pictures, and Sam Lane's personal story. Now the fear was the fact that Superman was missing. Had the superhero decided to disappear permanently? Attempts had been made to contact Lane and Kent but they were nowhere to be found. Had the government sequestered them somewhere in an attempt to keep them quiet? Clark had watched an interview with Jimmy Olsen which had been brief due to the fact that Jimmy had said nothing other than what was in the Planet article. Public opinion was incensed, their anger focused at the government who they held responsible for this plot against Superman. By the time the Kents had got back to Clark's apartment, the Government had called a press conference at which the President of the United States would speak. They flicked on the TV and sat down to watch. In a speech delivered with rehearsed sincerity and spiked at well planned intervals with apologies and promises, the President vowed that a full public investigation of Bureau 39 would begin immediately, charging that the bureau had been dominated by a few right wing conspirators acting without his knowledge, and that it had been disbanded as of two o'clock this afternoon. He added a personal plea, addressed to Superman, assuring the superhero of America's support. A question period followed during which the President was more open about the activities of Bureau 39 than Clark had expected. Maybe this time, Bureau 39 would really be laid to rest. About a half an hour after the press conference ended, Perry White phoned Clark's apartment with the final piece of the story. "Clark, I'm afraid Jimmy and I have tracked down the Planet spy." Perry's tone was dismal as he continued. "It's Chantal Tessier. Jimmy found her name on an addendum to a list of disbursements made by the FBI --- for "public liaison" it said. I was bowled over; she was the last person I would have expected. I confronted her and, to her credit, she didn't deny it. I have her resignation on my desk right now. She's left a letter for Lois, too." Clark was dismayed. Because he liked Chantal, he felt a greater sense of betrayal. A rapport had developed between Chantal and Lois that had turned into friendship and Clark knew she would be upset, too. "Thanks, Perry. I wish it had been different." "You and me both, son." * * * Clark couldn't get his mind off Lois. He'd thought of her constantly since he'd awoken in the hospital, at first eagerly awaiting her visit, then trying to come up with good reasons why she hadn't come, and then finally accepting that she wasn't coming. Now, he confronted what he'd feared would be a problem all along. Lois was upset by the fact that he hadn't told her about his contact with Bureau 39 and, now that she knew he was okay, she didn't want to see him. He had to see her. They could work this out if he could just see her. As soon as Clark was confident that he could fly again, he took off, scouring the area around Metropolis, assuming that Lois had left the city. She hadn't left a message with anyone about where she intended to go. A quick check of the parking garages at the Planet's and Lois's apartment building revealed that the Cherokee was gone and that made his search easier. Knowing Lois, he figured she probably hadn't known where she was going; she'd just got in her car and started driving. In ever increasing circles, he flew out from the centre of Metropolis, slowed down somewhat by a couple of accidents needing his help. Eventually he spotted the Silver Cherokee, parked in front of a small white clapboard lodge. This one had the correct licence plate unlike the one he'd nearly stopped an hour ago. Swooping low, he flew over the densely wooded area until he came to a hiking trail, along which a solitary, dark haired woman was walking. In a blur, he flew over her, deliberately landing in a dramatic whoosh several feet in front of her, standing with his legs astride and his arms crossed, waiting for her to come closer. "We need to talk," he said. She halted, just out of arm's reach. "I've been thinking about you, about us, and, Clark, it's just not going to work. How can we be together if I can't trust you. I can live with your absences. I mean, there are times when I'll be away, too. And I can live with the risk. But I can't live with a man who has secrets. How can we be together if I can't trust you? If you don't trust me?" "Lois, I do trust you. I trust you more than anyone in the world. And I'm sorry. I made a mistake. I didn't want you to worry. I thought I could take care of this myself." "Superman doesn't need anybody." Lois's tone was bitter. He reached out to touch her and was stung when she took a step backward. He didn't move. "You, more than anyone, know that's not true. I love you. Why is it so wrong to want to protect you?" "It's not, but don't you see that secrecy is not the way to do that. I thought we'd got past that, I thought we had something new, something more, I thought.." She stopped as she realized she was about to start crying. She couldn't let that happen, not in front of him. "I think you'd better go." She turned, walking away from him. Clark reached out to grab her shoulder. "Don't you do this to me, Lois Lane. I'm not the only one who made a mistake. You're the one who ran out on me. You're the one who wouldn't give us a chance to work this out." "What is there to talk about? It can't change what happened." He calmed down. "No, it can't. We've both made mistakes, and we'll make them again, but we can't turn away from each other." His voice soft, he continued, "Lois, I have come, for some reason that was never clear to me, half way across a universe to be here. Well, I know why, now. It's to be with you. I can't leave you. And you can't leave me. You know that. We belong together." He spoke firmly, his absolute certainty about what he felt and what he knew clear in the decisiveness of his tone. Lois's eyes were scornful as she looked back at him, jerking away from the hold he had on her shoulder. "That's ridiculous, Clark. You make it sound like it's destiny or fate or something. Men and women are attracted to each other for predictable reasons. And they stay with each other for predictable reasons." Clark's voice was harsh, his dark eyes blazing. "Okay, Ms. Logic. Turn around and walk away from me. I won't stop you this time." He folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes. She looked at him, speechless for once, not moving. "Go ahead, " he taunted. "You can do it. It's the *logical* thing to do. Just like it was the logical thing to search for me. To risk your life for me." She stared at him for a moment, her temper rising. How dare he? She did not belong to him. Then, in a swift determined motion, her dark hair swinging, she turned and strode away from him. She walked about fifty feet, her thoughts and emotions jumbled. What if he was right? He was so stubborn. It was her decision to make; he'd always waited for her to make the decision. He was waiting now. She turned to look back. He was still standing there, his arms crossed and his legs planted slightly apart, Clark Kent Superman. Kal El. She met his stern eyes and then, for some reason, she laughed. She laughed at the ridiculousness of their situation and at herself for the inconsistency of her feelings, torn between her need for autonomy and her need to love more than just herself, to love him, and she laughed at his stubbornness. Then she she saw the harsh angles of his face soften into a smile of his own, the most wonderful smile. She began to walk back to him. He met her half way. Standing in front of him, she said, "OK, I figure it'll take a week to organize a small wedding." She poked him in the chest with her index finger. "Next Saturday." Clark grinned, a magnificent joyful grin that flashed his happiness. Picking her up, he whirled her around and kissed her hard. I told you so," he said as he continued to kiss her. "Woman of my dreams." He nuzzled her throat, "Forever." "Clark," her voice was a soft sigh, "Clark." * * * The next morning, Lois and Clark looked over the headlines in the morning papers as they ate breakfast in the lodge's small dining room. The Daily Planet's main headline read, "President Kills Bureau 39," with a smaller, "Superman at Accident Site." The Metropolis Star's main headline was "Superman Back, Saves Crash Victim" with a smaller, "Pres Trashes Bureau 39," while the National Whisper blared, in two inch red caps "Superman in Secret Love Tryst with Brunette." Clark grinned happily across the table at the brunette. "Sometimes the Whisper gets it right." * * * A week and a half later, Clark, immaculate in a black tuxedo, paced back and forth in the small vestibule of the Smallville church that his family had attended for generations, fidgeting with his tie and casting nervous glances out the window by the door. His parents and Sam Lane were with him, smiling at him sympathetically, amused by his anxiety. "She's late, Dad," he looked at his father. Jonathan patted his son's shoulder. "Of course she's late, son. No bride is on time. Isn't that true, Martha?" Martha reached up and hugged her son. "Of course it's true. No woman with any pride would be on time for her own wedding." Then she stood back and looked at him, overwhelmed by the love and the hope she felt for him at that moment, tears welling in her eyes. Clark noticed the tears and hugged her again. "Thanks, Mom. Thank you for so many things, I don't think I can ever say how much you and Dad .... " he broke off, his eyes moist too, and then, grinning self consciously, he turned to his father and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Dad." At that moment, they heard the sound of a car screeching to a halt outside the church. Martha smiled at her husband and peered out the window. "Is it them?" Clark's voice was eager. "Can't tell 'til the dust settles," Martha teased. "Yes, it's them. Oh my," she sighed, then turned to her husband, slipping her arm through his, "It's time, Jonathan." Beaming Jonathan, opened the door that led into the nave of the church, and escorted his wife to the front pew. Sam Lane grinned, shook Clark's hand and said, "Good luck, son, you'll need it," and followed the Kents. Clark stood at the window in the church vestibule and watched as Lois and her mother and sister, who had driven Wayne Irig's vintage Cadillac convertible, climbed out, laughing about something that Clark wisely decided not to overhear. Then the three women seemed to freeze for a moment, their slender bodies silhouetted in the sunlight of the blue Kansas sky. Ellen raised her hands to adjust something at Lois's neckline and then the two women embraced, holding each other tightly. Clark watched as Lois turned and hugged her sister, touching Lucy's hair as she released her. Lucy spoke and then the three women turned to walk toward the few steps leading to the old wooden door of the church. Clark smiled as he watched Lois lift the long ivory satin of her wedding gown, revealing slender sandal clad feet as she lightly mounted the wooden risers. He opened the church door and stepped out to take her hand, overwhelmed by her tremulous smile and by the love which he felt for her. He had waited for this day for so long. Their eyes met, alight with joy and the depth of the feelings binding their souls. "I love you, Clark Kent," she smiled as she put her slender hand in his large one. "And I love you, Lois Lane. Always." Hand in hand they entered the church and walked toward the altar. * * * * * the end, although, of course, Lois and Clark never end [ comments welcome] ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:04:37 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 8 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 8 * * * Clark awoke on a narrow bed in a small sterile, windowless room, his instinct to get up thwarted by steel bands binding his arms and legs. He pulled against them but lacked the strength to break away. Focusing his eyes, he tried to see beyond the walls of the room but failed. At least the pain he'd felt when they'd taken him was gone, although the grogginess remained as did that unsettling sense of nausea. His eyes swept the monochromatic surfaces of the room, methodically examining it, learning the interior of his prison. Three of the walls appeared to be made of dull stainless steel while the floors were of polished granite. A stainless steel counter, with cabinets above, ran along the short wall, about four feet from the end of his bed. The room reminded him of a veterinary's examination room except for here, the fourth wall was made of dark opaque glass through which he could not see. He assumed whoever was on the other side, and he had no doubt that there was someone on the other side, could see him through the glass. Lying back, he stared at the ceiling, its halogen lights pooling down on him, leaving the corners of the room dim. He noticed an overhead sprinkler. Government regulation, no doubt. He was still wearing the suit, or at least, half of it. Cape, boots, and belt were gone. He wished the grogginess would go away; his brain was clouded, not functioning clearly, and he had to think clearly if he were to get out of this cell. He felt drowsy; the bed in which he reclined was really very comfortable, not quite flat, shaped for the contours of his body. He could fall asleep so easily. Wistfully, he thought about Lois and his mother and father. It had been a mistake not to tell Lois. Or had it? If he had, would she be with him here now? At least she had not been the bait; the ship had been the bait. They'd cast their line, and reeled him in. It was in this reflective state of half wakefulness, that he heard the slide of a door in the glass wall. Turning his head, he looked at the woman and the two men who had entered the room. One was a broad face, muscular, middle aged man, the insignia on his military uniform that of a colonel. The other man he knew, at least Clark Kent knew him. It was Jeff Anderson, dressed in a plain black suit with a plain narrow tie, the FBI uniform. The woman was wearing a white lab coat, not a good sign, he thought. A memory of his father, impassive and tight lipped, flashed through his mind saying, "If they find you, they'll ..." The colonel's voice interrupted his memory. So far none of the three had addressed him, just looked at him, no emotion other than curiosity in their faces. "Have you taken any tissue samples, yet?" The woman's voice was professional. "Yes, although I'd prefer to have taken them without the kryptonite from that stun gun in his system. We can't be one hundred per cent accurate in our analysis because we don't know how much to factor its impact out of our results." Anderson said dryly, "It wasn't too likely you'd get a sample without the kryptonite." "I know. Later we can try the red kryptonite on him and then compare the two sets of data. That might help." "We'll do that after we've finished the other tests." As he listened, Clark thought that at least Lex Luthor had acknowledged his presence, had at least dealt with him as though he were a man. He tried once again to break the bands that shackled him, but managed only to weaken himself further. The colonel gave a brief, derisive laugh, and now addressed him directly. "There's no sense struggling, Superman. You're not going anywhere." "I'm not sure why you're doing this," Clark said slowly. Anderson spoke, his voice quiet, reasonable. "Superman, why have you come here? When will the others come?" "The others?" "The Kryptonian invasion force." The colonel replied grimly. "We plan to be ready for them and the best way to do that is to know as much about you as we possibly can." "There's no invasion force. There's no Krypton. It was on the brink of destruction when I was sent away." Clark spoke firmly as he repeated, "There's no invasion force and I'm not here to harm anyone." The three ignored what he had said; then the woman spoke. "We don't intend to hurt you. We're not sadists. When we're finished, we'll release you." "You expect me to believe that." Clark's voice was harsh. There was no response. Clark noticed that the woman had moved over to the counter, her back towards him. Now, she was turning, walking back to him, a syringe in her right hand. "Hold his arm still," she said quietly to her two companions. They did and, skillfully, so that he felt nothing, she injected him with a green tinged solution. He didn't need to ask what the solution was. For the first time since his capture, he faced the bleak thought that he might die, and he felt desperately alone. These three regarded him as less than human and he could see no means of escape. At least he felt no pain as the kryptonite entered his blood stream; the quantity of the green crystal in the solution must be minimal. "What's in the solution besides kryptonite?" he asked. "A sedative," again he heard the woman's soothing voice, its throaty richness almost seductive. "It will relax you and help you sleep." It was such a beautiful voice. Sleep? That was the last thing he wanted to do. He tried fighting it, but drowsiness stalked him, catching up on him. He tried to concentrate on the murmured conversation of the three people beside them. Were they speaking in lower tones? What were they saying? He thought he heard the woman say, "It shouldn't take much longer, then I'll apply a local anesthetic and we'll run the first test." As the drowsiness finally ensnared him, all Clark could think was that he would never again see his parents, that he would never again be with his beloved Lois. Lois. * * * Lois was vaguely uneasy. It was late evening now and still no word from Clark. She had stayed at the Planet, finishing her article, until a little after seven o'clock but he hadn't shown up. That in itself, didn't concern her. Understandably, Clark's coming and goings were often unpredictable. What did concern her was that she had no idea where he was. She'd tried phoning him, but all she got was his answering machine. This morning, they'd talked about going to a movie tonight so she knew he had no other personal commitments. She'd checked the news services for Superman sightings but there were none. She was being foolish, she thought, as she got ready for bed. Sometimes he did disappear for a day or so when there was a major disaster in a remote part of the world. And she knew, too, that the news services didn't always pick this information up until a day or so later, particularly if the disaster happened anywhere a camera crew had a hard time reaching. She was disappointed, however. She'd thought they'd reached an understanding that he would let her know as soon as he could whenever this sort of thing happened. * * * When Superman awoke, the room was dark and he felt trapped. He wasn't sure what he was doing in this place. How did he get here? He was lying flat on his back, incarcerated in some kind of transparent plastic capsule, like a butterfly in a jar, a specimen. He raised his hands to push the capsule open but he failed. Then he was aware of the stinging, tingling sensation in the back of his head and also in his forehead. He was Superman. He should be able to get out of this thing. He hated being enclosed like this, trapped. He pushed against the roof of the capsule again but still nothing happened. He lay still, trying to remember what was going on, but he couldn't. Why not? He could remember writing an article for the Daily Planet. He was Clark Kent. Why was he two people? That didn't make sense. He knew he worked at the Daily planet, but the odd thing was, he couldn't remember the people he worked with. Shouldn't he be able to? He could remember rescuing a jogger a couple of days ago, and then a fire last night, but he felt curiously empty, as though these were events that he had participated in but hadn't been personally involved in, as though they were part of a movie he was watching, not reality. One light went on in the room and he craned his neck to look at the three people who entered. One of them raised the lid of the capsule and he felt a tremendous sense of relief, as though he could breathe again. He started to sit up but was restrained by the two men while the woman stood back watching him. He was not strong enough to resist them. "What's going on?" he demanded. "Where am I?" He was pretty sure these people were not on his side. Was anyone, he wondered. No one came to mind. The woman spoke. "You'll be with us for a little while, Superman." "Why am I so weak?" "You're no weaker than an ordinary man." "Why don't I remember who you are? Why don't I remember anyone?" "Remember who, Superman?" "People I know. Friends." "Maybe you don't really know anyone, Superman. You're an outsider, an alien. Who *would* you know?" That didn't sound right. Surely he couldn't be so isolated. "What have you done to me?" "Nothing harmful. Why don't you go back to sleep? You've been through some minor surgery and you must be very tired." The woman's voice was calm. "You'll feel better in the morning." She made a move to lower the capsule over him but he pushed it angrily back. "NO!" Her voice was brisk. "Jeff! Yuri!" The two men stepped forward to restrain him while she administered an injection. "Is that wise? We want to find out if he dreams." "This is a new drug; it won't block his REM sleep." As they lowered the lid of the capsule over him, Clark felt a rising wave of panic, of terror. This had happened before; he'd been alone like this before, trapped in a capsule, alone, afraid... he couldn't remember. He slept and the dreams did come. Confusing shadows chasing through the bleak mists of his mind, taunting him. Whimpering, he tossed in his sleep, restless as distorted shapes, bizarre life forms, and people whom he felt he should know but whose names he didn't know and for whom he had no feelings, approached and vanished, blurring into nothingness. An asteroid hurtling toward him, a monkey with its baby on her back. The images swirled before him but now there were feelings, too, dark emotions that confused him, eluded him, vapors coiling around the ghosts in his mind. Suddenly, the figures were all female. He tried to reach them, to touch them, hoping they would save him, comfort him, pleasure him. Bring him out of this infinite blackness that robbed him of breath, of hope. But there was always some barrier between him and them, separating him, isolating him. He noticed that all of the women had red gold hair and all seemed somehow alike, only their ages different. He desperately longed to be with them. The first woman smiled, looking down at him as she held him, her eyes tender as she caressed his face, humming softly. For a moment, he felt warm and safe but then she was gone and he was alone, abandoned and frightened, crying in a small dark place. The second figure was older, energetic and beautiful as she laughed and hugged him, bending her bright head over his as she knelt to show him something. He laughed, too, happy as he walked beside her in the sunshine. But after awhile, he ran from her toward the third woman, a teenager grown suddenly alluring and mocking, her long red gold hair flaming in the sun as he chased her, only to find when he reached her, an emptiness and disappointment, and they turned away from each other. The three women merged in his mind until they were all one, part of the layers in his subconscious, drifting away, leaving him alone. The bleakness overwhelmed him again, a dark hand tightening around his heart. He fought for consciousness, trying to escape from this desperate sadness. When he awoke, the bleakness stayed. He was still a prisoner, encapsulated in a plastic coffin, staring into the night. There was no one. Surely this was not what his life was like. He willed himself to sleep again; that had to be better than this lonely reality. Toward early morning the dreams returned. This time he dreamt of men -- an austere strong jawed man hovering above him; a large bigboned man lifting him, helping him to climb a tree, guiding him; others who floated and merged in the streams of his mind -- a grey haired man who called him son, but whom he knew was not his father, and an urbane dark haired man who he knew was his enemy, taunting him as he gestured with a cigar. Each time he came close to these people they vanished, disintegrating into the darkness. Who were they? He dreamt again about the same three women but this time there was a fourth woman, dark haired and dark eyed who came toward him, reaching for him. He tried to break through the darkness of his mind to reach her, the intensity he felt for her propelling him forward until he touched her outstretched hand. Lois. Her hand slipped from his as some unseen force pulled him away and he called her name in anguish as she vanished. She was all that he remembered when he awoke, her image and her name. * * * Lois awoke with a start, a disturbing sense of unease seizing hold of her. Somehow she had felt as though Clark had been trying to reach her. Had she been dreaming? She couldn't remember, the wisps of whatever dreams she'd had, lost. Picking up the phone, she called Clark but all she got was his answering machine. Still. Clark, pick up the phone. She looked at the clock on her night table - 4:00 am. Maybe he had his calls redirected during the night. She turned out her light and tried to sleep again, tossing fitfully until dawn. * * * Clark had been awake for about an hour by the time his captors lifted the capsule lid. During that hour he had tried, without success, to draw on any reserves of strength he possessed to smash the capsule that covered him. He hated it's oppressiveness, feeling it crushing down on him, suffocating him, his panic rising with each moment he lay there, sweat beading on his forehead. Why was he so alone? His captors restrained him while the woman once again injected him with kryptonite solution. "You don't like the capsule, Superman? We designed it so it would be very comfortable, an ergonomic bed with no need for blankets." "A coffin," he snapped without thinking. "We had to consider the security issue and this bed seemed a comfortable way of handling that. We've been monitoring your brain. Our scans have picked up increased activity in the amygdala. We appear to have triggered a panic reaction. I assure you we had no intention of doing that. But you do understand we have to keep using the capsule. Although the kryptonite appears to minimize your potential for destruction, we aren't sure about the dosage and the bed provides insurance." Clark listened to her soothing voice, so reassuring, so professional, explanations uttered to thwart anxiety. He had heard so many paramedics at accident sites talk like that and it helped to calm the injured. It did not calm him. "Why can't I remember anyone other than as people who do jobs or are just there? Why don't I have any personal memories?" "Why would you, Superman? For you, there are no personal memories. You come from Krypton, not Earth. Kryptonians don't form attachments to people; they have no need for friendship, for love. You're different from humans that way." She spoke calmly, as though she were observing the color of the wall, as though her statement was fact. But he knew that it was not. He was more than Superman. He was also Clark Kent. His captors didn't know that. Was it a secret? Although he could not remember his dreams from last night, he did remember the feelings that he had experienced during those dreams. And he did remember the dark haired woman. Lois. He had repeated the name during his first hour of wakefulness, conjuring again her face in his mind, so that he would not forget it as he had the rest of his dream. Now she was his proof that what this woman was saying was wrong. Fighting the waves of drowsiness which were once again stealing his consciousness, he tried rising from his bed but fell back exhausted. The voices of his captors grew remote; he could scarcely hear them. Something about shaving him. He should be under soon. Under what? Replace the chip or leave it in and just add a new one? Lois. Lois. He kept repeating the name in his mind, a focus to keep him awake, a talisman to give him hope. He lost the battle and sank once more into blackness, only dimly hearing the voices of his captors, and then not hearing them at all. "Is it wise do more than one implant at a time?" the colonel asked. "I'm not sure. This is all so new. I'd like to find out more about how his brain works first. After last night, we know his REM sleep patterns are normal. So far his brain seems identical to a human's. If that's the case he can be controlled and we can control any Kryptonians who come to earth." "He said yesterday that Krypton was destroyed." "Not exactly. He said "on the brink of." There's a chance it may not have happened or that some Kryptonians escaped. After all, he did." "What if his brain can't handle more than one implant?" "I've thought of that. But there's an advantage to this chip we've inserted. We do know now that he experiences some emotions -- his panic reaction to the capsule and his anxiety about his isolation. That suggests he needs to be part of a group, perhaps the Kryptonians." The doctor was thoughtful as she continued. "Blocking the part of his brain which controls his personal, emotional memories is one more way of controlling him. Cut off >from his emotional past, all he is, is the present, and we can control that." There was an undercurrent of excitement in her smooth voice. "He could become very useful. Biddable. Colonel, I think your people could find that very helpful." The colonel smiled. "The ultimate secret weapon." "I don't think I'll do that second implant just yet. I need to be more certain about both the chip and the surgical procedure for connecting it so that we can manipulate the firing of those neurons that control his physical actions. We don't want to damage them. I need to consult a colleague; he's a specialist in cyborgs. I'll drive to Metropolis today to see him. Meanwhile we'll keep monitoring the alien and probably do the second operation tomorrow." Her voice was brisk as she spoke, her mind made up. She turned to a young man whose white lab coat marked him as her assistant. "Mike, will you give him a shave? I don't want him anywhere near razors when he awakens which he should do in a couple of hours. The kryptonite dose we administered this morning is stronger than the one yesterday. Make sure you track that carefully. I want to know how little we can give him and still keep him weak. He shouldn't be a problem when he awakens so you can safely allow him to get up; that should reduce his discomfort. Double check the bathroom to make sure there's nothing that poses a potential security problem." "Food?" Mike asked. "I'm not sure if he needs to eat or not. So far his bodily functions appear normal, so perhaps he does. When he wakes up give him some breakfast and see what happens." "What about the red kryptonite?" Anderson asked. "We've managed to liquefy it. When we've finished with this series of tests, we'll begin administering it, varying the dosages. It's atomic structure is similar to green kryptonite so perhaps it will have a similar effect. We'll find out." For a moment, the doctor's voice betrayed her excitement. "I wish I could write a paper for the Journal of the American Medical Association Journal on this." Anderson laughed briefly. "Restrain your ego, doctor," he said as he followed her out of the room. * * * end, part 8 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:05:48 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 12 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 12 * * * Lois slept poorly, in snatches, tossing as she tried to find a comfortable position that would be sleep inducing. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened over the last two days. At least he was safe and it looked like things would be back to normal tomorrow, as long as the surgery went well. It had to go all right. The world needed Superman, even if one misguided part of the government did not think so. This was the most important part, far more important than anything else. More important than her personal feelings. The world needed Superman. But, as things calmed down, particularly after she and Jimmy had found him, she'd found her mind returning to the fact that Clark had not told her about what was going on. He had deliberately kept it from her. She thought back to his comments when she'd had those twinges that he was holding out on her, the ones she had repressed, telling herself that she could trust him, now that they were full partners, in every sense of the word. She'd been wrong. They weren't. Superman worked alone. There could be no complete trust. From him. From her. She felt the sting of nascent tears and a sob rose in her throat which she did her best to quell. She heard his voice in the darkness, soft, concerned. "Lois? Are you all right?" "Yes. Too tired to sleep, I guess." She rolled onto her side so that her back was towards him. "Good night, Clark." "Good night, Lois." She stared at the beige wall that was about two feet from the side of her bed. At first she'd been devastated when she'd come face to face with him in that field, the knowledge that his memory gone little preparation for facing it in fact. Then she'd been grateful. That he had no memory of her made it easier; there was no personal baggage to clutter up the task of getting him to safety. They'd gone through this a year ago, when he'd knocked himself senseless trying to shift the trajectory of an asteroid which had threatened earth. Only then, he had just been her friend, not her lover. She had been overjoyed when he had recovered his memory; now she was dreading it, unsure of everything. She pitched onto her back, lying flat, staring at the ceiling. At least he was safe. Shortly after midnight, the phone rang. Lois automatically reached for it, beating Clark, who was waking slowly from a deep sleep. It was Sam Lane. Ben could operate as soon as they got there. Both of them were out of their respective beds in a flash, scrambling for their clothes, politely negotiating for first use of the bathroom, and doing battle over Lois's insistence that he wear his hair slicked back like some Versace gigolo. Forty-five minutes later they were at Metropolis General, checking in at the front desk where Sam Lane and his friend, Ben Cheung, who as it turned out was the head of neurosurgery, were waiting for them. Lois read the surprise in Dr. Cheung's face as he looked at Superman. She had to admit he wasn't looking very heroic at the moment, in jeans and plaid shirt, dark smudges under his eyes, the beginnings of morning stubble on his unshaven face, and that patch on his right temple, near his hairline. Fortunately, with him, was Dr. Prestwick who, slightly over a month ago, had headed the medical team caring for Superman after he'd nibbled some of Diana Stride's lipstick. He nodded in greeting to both of them, saying dryly, "I see Ms. Lane's come to your rescue again, Superman." Clark looked startled, but said quietly, "Yes, she has." "I think it would be better if we all went up to Ben's office. I think we should discuss this procedure in private." He led the way to the bank of elevators on his left. An hour and a half later, Clark was ready for surgery. They were counting on the same anesthetic that they routinely used to work for Superman. If it did not, then they would not be able to go ahead until they could replicate the same combination of kryptonite and anesthesia that Dr. Fox had used. Sam Lane had been closeted with Ben Cheung reviewing the implant circuitry and the method by which it had been connected to the neurons in Superman's right front lobe. They'd given Superman a PET scan, the results now entered so that they would be displayed for reference on a monitor in the operating theatre. The success of the whole procedure depended on the anesthetic as well as minimal loss of blood. Transfusion would be impossible. Lois was standing in the hallway outside the operating theatre waiting for them to arrive. She'd had no time alone with Clark since their arrival and her anxiety had been building the closer they'd come to the time for the operation. Nor had she been able to talk to her father who had been busy consulting with Ben Cheung. She'd phoned Martha and Jonathan and filled them on what had happened, relieved when they said they'd catch the next plane to Metropolis and comforted by just being able to talk to them. The operation had to work. In an attempt to keep herself busy, she'd worked on the Bureau 39 story. She'd used some of what Clark had told her about the bunker, but left out a few details, too. No mention of the chip implant. Vague generalities about the method which Bureau 39 had used to capture Superman that omitted any reference to his ship. But specific details on the location of the bunker, the personnel of Bureau 39, and on the attempt on Brenda Anderson's life. Lois had found it hard to concentrate, however, and for the last ten minutes, she'd been pacing restlessly along the corridor. Looking up, she caught sight of them wheeling Clark on a gurney toward the theatre. She bit her lower lip to keep it steady as they got closer. This had to work, it had to. The attendants stopped for a moment before opening the door standing back to give them a bit of privacy. Lois touched Clark's forehead with her fingers and took his hand in hers. She smiled at him shakily, aware of how much she loved him, would always love him, no matter what happened between them now. "My father says it shouldn't take too long. Then back to routine for you, flyboy." He searched her eyes, holding on to her hand tightly. "And what will I remember about you when I awaken?" he asked, his voice little more than a whisper. She tried to tease him. "Only the good things, I hope, but more likely, the complete and awful truth." "You were the only thing I remembered after they put this thing in my skull, and then only as a fragment in a dream. I remembered your name and I kept repeating it in my mind. Lois. It was the one thing that gave me hope that I was not what they said I was." "What was that?" Her voice was soft, she loved him so much, she thought as she looked at his haggard face. "That I had no memory because I was alone. Because I was not human, there were no memories for me to have." Unshed tears pooled in her eyes and she fought them back, fought back telling him she loved him. "That's not true. That's not true." "You'll be here when I wake up?" "Yes." The attendants stepped forward. "It's time." Lois bent over Clark and kissed his cheek and then watched as they wheeled him into the operating theatre. And she was there when he woke up, as were her father, and the other two doctors, and a nurse. The operation had been a success. Clark was groggy when he awoke but the first thing that he saw was Lois sitting by the side of his bed. He smiled at her, a dazzling smile that told her all she needed to know. His hand tightened on hers. "Lois.." Suddenly aware that they were not alone, his voice became formal. "It's good to be back." He turned to the people standing around his bed, beaming. "Thank you," he said simply. He tried to raise his head but had only limited success. "At least, it's good to be nearly back." "You've been through a lot in the last few days and the kryptonite still affecting you, Superman. Lucky it was! We couldn't have operated otherwise." Dr. Prestwick smiled. "You'll probably fall asleep shortly. Best thing for you. At least this time, we didn't have to put you in a nuclear furnace." "How's the memory?" Ben Cheung asked. "Just great. Just hope I can make the Boys and Girls Club open house on Saturday." "Maybe," Dr. Cheung said. "Let's see how fast you recover. Speaking of which, I think it would be a good thing if we all left you alone so you can rest." "Lois, can I speak to you for a moment before you go?" As he herded the others out of the room, Dr. Cheung said, "Keep it brief though. Even a superman needs his rest." He stood at the door of the small room, making sure his word was obeyed. A frustrated look crossed Clark's face. "Lois, I need to... to thank you for being ... for all you've done for me. You know how I feel ... I lo.. look forward to telling you later." Lois touched his forehead, smoothing his dark hair back from his temple. "You should get some sleep." She stood up, giving him a look mixed with love and sadness. "Good bye," she whispered. Lois left the room and chatted with her father for a while. She was more grateful to Sam Lane than she could ever say although she did try and was gratified to see how moved he was by what she was saying. She was well aware that without his help, Superman would have had a much harder time escaping. Still, their talk had much of the awkwardness that had been there at their lunch over a week ago; it takes more than one shared crisis to overcome a lifetime of mistakes. But Lois felt, for the first time, that now there was hope for them. Sam promised his daughter that he would stay at the hospital to monitor Superman's progress after Lois said she wanted to wake up Clark Kent so they could pull this story together for tomorrow's edition of the paper. And, she mentally added, to call Jimmy and figure out what to do with one small UFO. Then sleep; she hadn't had more than a few hours in three days. And then figure out what to do about Clark Kent Superman, she added unhappily. Much too tired to drive, she took a cab back to the Planet, reflecting on her relationship with Clark as the driver navigated the city streets. She didn't see how there could be any hope for any future with Clark. These last two weeks had made it clear that he still wasn't prepared to be completely honest with her. That he would still keep important secrets from her. She didn't want that kind of relationship. A relationship without trust couldn't survive. The trouble was she couldn't stay here with him either; too much had happened between them for that, and she was too much in love with him. She couldn't think straight; she was so tired. Dispirited, she got out of the cab. She worked on the Bureau 39 story until she could decently call Jimmy. Even at that she still woke him up. "Jeez, Lois. Don't you ever sleep?" "As matter of fact, no, I don't." Sleeplessness had robbed Lois of her patience about two hours ago. "Jimmy, what've you done with the ... the you know?" "The what?" Jimmy's semi-awake state had robbed him of mental alertness. After a moment of silence, he said, "Oh. It's in one of the guy's Mom's garage." "What?" "Yeah, they couldn't think what else to do with it so they put the crate in his Mom's garage." "They didn't open it, did they?" "No, I told them the less they knew what was in it the better. Then I said the thing was a prop being used for a movie and that this was all a practical joke. So whatta we do with it now?" "I don't know Jimmy. It can't stay there." She was too tired to think this through. Jimmy was now fully awake. "Hey, I know. Why don't we ship it somewhere? I mean it's already in a packing crate." When there was no answer from Lois he said, "Not such a good idea, huh?" "Jimmy, it's brilliant. I know just where. We need your friend's van again so we can take that crate over to Fed Ex. I'll be at your place in fifteen." "Lois, Tom'll kill me if I call him any time before ten o'clock." "OK, OK, I won't come. Jimmy, when you get here, I'd like your help finishing this story on Superman's disappearance." "What about C.K.?" Lois was now able to improvise explanations about Clark pretty quickly. "It turns out he got in the bunker, so he's given me all that information. Right now, he's with Superman. I need your help in finishing the story." "You do?" Jimmy 's voice was surprised and pleased. "Yes, James Olsen, I do. So are you gonna get out of bed and get down here?" "Yes, Ma'am." Then, "You know, you sound just like Perry." Without waiting for her to respond, he hung up the phone. Lois grinned into the receiver. Jimmy Olsen was one of the better parts of her life. * * * By ten o'clock she was on the road, fighting sleep as she dove south out of Metropolis. After talking to Jimmy, she had called Martha and Jonathan, catching them just as they were about to leave for the airport. She told them about her plans for Clark's ship. Excited, but caught between their need to be with Clark, and stay at the farm waiting for the delivery, they'd suggested she send it to Wayne Irig and they could pick it up there. Lois agreed. Sometimes she wondered just how much Wayne Irig knew, but it was something no one ever talked about. After that, she and Jimmy finished the story, handing it to Perry who agreed with her that the best way to protect Superman was to mobilize public opinion. After he'd finished going through alternate waves of ecstasy about the story and outrage over the threat to Superman, Lois hit him with the announcement that she planned to take off for a few days vacation. She knew it was nervy; she'd had a week's holiday last month, but she had to get away and she wanted to be gone the next time Clark Kent walked into the newsroom. She really didn't care if Perry fired her or not. She'd avoided looking at him after she'd made her announcement. Perry, to his credit, had said little. He hadn't liked what she was saying but she knew, too, that he was worried by her exhausted appearance. The story she'd just given him was incredible and it was a major scoop for the Planet. Whatever it had cost her, he knew she needed time to recover. He'd cut her a bit of slack and called her time off a "leave of absence." A short leave of absence, he'd added. So, shortly after ten o'clock, a hastily packed bag in the back seat of the Cherokee, Lois drove south, crossing the interstate and taking the more scenic backroads until she came across a small lodge with several cabins clustered around the shore of a small lake. It had few guests; it was too late for skiing and too early for swimming. A few fishermen; that was all. She took the cabin at the far end of the lake, grateful for its seclusion and especially for the comfortable looking bed that dominated the small bedroom in the cabin. She dropped her bag on the floor at the foot of the bed, stripped, and climbed into bed, falling asleep almost as soon as her face hit the pillow. * * * Clark had been awake for awhile. He had been fussed over by two nurses, checked frequently by Ben Cheung and Scott Prestwick, fed some orange juice and depressing grey gruel, and been chatted to twice by Sam Lane. No sign of Sam's daughter, the one person he wanted to see. Why wasn't she here? He'd asked Sam, trying not to appear too eager, and Sam had replied something about his daughter being a workaholic. He was sure she'd be by later. Positive. She wasn't. When he was finally alone, Clark phoned the Planet. She wasn't there. He called her apartment. No answer. Frustrated, he put the phone down, feeling trapped by the hospital and his own helplessness. He tried his x-ray vision but still no action. At least not much; he'd caught a brief glimpse of Ben Cheung chatting with an orderly in the corridor outside his room, but the picture faded almost as soon as he'd focused on it. If he could get them to let him recuperate up in the solarium they'd added last year, then his powers would return more quickly, and he could get out of here as soon as possible. He picked up the phone again, this time putting through a call as Clark Kent to Perry White. "Hi, Perry," he began but was cut short by the purring base of Perry's voice. "Son, that's the most incredible story I've seen since Norcross and Judd uncovered the White House scam with Disney, the space program, and the duck. Lane and Kent, the hottest team in town. And the kid! I knew Olson had the right stuff." Clark smiled at the pride in Perry's voice. "Yeah, Jimmy's a pretty talented guy, Chief. There's still a problem, though. Brenda Anderson told me that Bureau 39 has had an informant at the Planet for over a year now, watching Lois and me." Clark had been astonished to discover the identity of his informant and had been relieved when he'd found out that she was recovering from the knife wound in her back. Anger now erupted through the wires as Perry spoke. "Damn it, Kent, who? I'll have that treacherous polecat's hide faster than..." "That's just it, Perry. I don't know who, but I sure want to." "Leave it with me, son. I'll get hold of the Bureau 39 financial report and do a little cross checking. You must be pretty tired right about now -- you all take the rest of the day off," he added expansively. "By the way, great work gettin' inside that bunker. You on the inside, Lois and Jimmy on the outside, the old pincer movement. Great work." Yeah, Clark thought, great. "By the way, Perry, have you seen Lois?" "She's taken a few days off." He sounded suspicious as he continued, "Why? Don't you know where she is?" "No, Chief, I don't." Clark tried not to sound frustrated. "Uh huh. Look, I don't mean to interfere here," Perry drawled, "but you're not gonna win a fight with that little lady. I suggest you apologize, son; it can get mighty lonely down at Heartbreak Hotel." Tell me about it, Clark thought. "It's not so easy, Chief." Perry sighed. "By the way, it was nice to see your folks." Clark was surprised by this, but pleased. That explained why he kept getting their answering machine when he had called this morning. "Lois told them about Superman and let the hospital know that he would probably welcome a visit >from them, given your friendship." "Yeah, he probably would. Thanks, Chief." Thank god for that Clark thought as he hung up. She sets everything up and then she leaves town. Women. Earth Women. * * * end, part 12 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:02:57 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 4 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 4 * * * During dinner, Clark told Martha and Jonathan about the globe's fifth message which led to Lois hearing, for the first time, exactly how Martha and Jonathan had found Clark in Shuster's Field which in turn led to Jonathan's tales of how they had kept Clark's unusual origins secret. Lois mostly listened, observing Martha and Jonathan's excitement about the message and feeling relieved when they did not make a big deal about the "compatibility" part of it. Lois detected, too, a little wistfulness in Martha's voice as she spoke of Lara and Jor El and was touched as Clark covered Martha's hand with his own and said, "Mom, I couldn't have had better parents than you and Dad." Afterwards, Lois helped Martha clear up in the kitchen, chatting about the events of the day, returning again to Lois's amazement at seeing the globe's projections of Lara and Jor El, as they scraped plates and refrigerated leftovers. Lois appreciated the older woman's restraint in not probing her for details about her relationship with Clark and, by the time they had finished, she felt that everything was very normal, after all, and that receiving a little message from a small space VCR was no big deal. Martha Kent was pretty amazing, Lois decided. When they'd finished, the two women returned to the living room. "Lois, I thought you might like to see the family photo albums." Lois flashed a big smile at the older woman, whose eyes were mischievous. "I definitely would!" Somehow, Clark had known that this was coming but he was still appalled. "Mom, Lois doesn't want to see those old pictures. They're pretty boring." Lois grinned at him, "Clark, I can hardly wait to see them." Clark groaned. "Lois, I thought we'd go for a walk. It's a beautiful night." He waved his right hand in the general direction of the front door. Ignoring him, Lois exclaimed with obvious pleasure, "Martha, you've already got the albums out." She picked them up and carried them over to the sofa, arranging them on the low pine coffee table, so she could open them easily. "Oh, no. Give me help." Clark raised his eyes heavenward. Jonathan chuckled. "Come on, son. Why don't you and I go out to the barn? That new baler's come. You can take a look at it." "Uh, thanks, Dad. But I think I'd better stay here and protect my reputation." Clark sat down on the sofa beside Lois, his face suspicious. Lois had already opened the first page of the album, which held a few pictures of Martha and Jonathan when they were young as well as their wedding picture. Lois asked Martha how Jonathan had proposed and got Jonathan's version with a couple of revisions added in by Martha as he told the story. Then Martha turned the page and Lois stared at the first photo, a picture of Martha holding a dark eyed baby wrapped in a midnight blue blanket. Lois turned to Clark and nudged him. "See, that's not so bad." "Umpf. It's gonna get worse." It did and it didn't. It depended on one's point of view, like the story of Jonathan's proposal. Lois and Martha giggled and sighed over the various stages in Clark's childhood and adolescence while Jonathan gave his son no help at all as he added his own anecdotes. He had Lois in stitches as he told her of Clark's attempts to grow a mustache when he was sixteen. There was even one picture as proof, as well as others of Clark with his parents, with relatives, with his friends, his team mates, and the 4H prize winning calf. With great curiosity, Lois looked at some shots of Clark with girlfriends: a couple with a girl named Lana, a pretty strawberry blonde whose hair reminded Lois of Lara's and about whom Lois did some not so subtle probing and, of course, one with Rachel on the night of the senior prom. Lois was touched to see that the final pages in the last album held pictures of her and Clark. It was with a very audible sigh of relief that Clark stood up when the final page was turned. There was still time for that short walk in the moonlight before the end of the evening so he reached out his hand and pulled Lois to her feet. Lois put on a jacket and then the two stepped out onto the porch that stretched across the front of the small frame house. She stopped for a moment at the top of the steps to stretch her back and shoulders, tilting her head back to take a deep breath of the cool night air and to look up at the stars scattered across the black sky. "Clark, I'm really glad we came. It feels so good here. And tonight, it's so beautiful. It never gets this dark in the city." She walked down the few steps to the stone walk and turned around to tease him. "And your baby pictures had me on the edge of my seat." "Well, at least now you know the worst." "Yeah. You're a pretty decent guy who's part of a loving family. Shocking stuff. Just promise me you won't regrow that moustache." "Promise." He flashed her a quick smile. "So when do I get to see your family pictures? It's only fair, now that *I've* been humiliated and embarrassed, that I get to see them." "Not for awhile. Not ever, I hope. Clark, My mother would drive me nuts if we looked at those pictures." "In that case, I'll give Ellen a call and ask her if I can come over on my own some Sunday when you're *working*, Ms. Lane. Just her, me, and the family photos. Or I'll ask Lucy." "Clark Kent, you wouldn't dare." "Sure I would." She stopped walking and turned to face him, not sure what to say. She didn't want to look at those pictures; there were too many unhappy memories swirling around them, memories she had been trying to escape. Looking at the pictures with the Kents had been fun; the memories good, even when there had been pain, like the death of a grandparent or the tough times when drought had hit the farm or when Jonathan had been laid up for half a year. But those experiences were interwoven with a love that healed and strengthened the family. For Lois, those types of challenges had served only to unravel her family, leaving each part stranded and bereft. She put one hand on Clark's chest and said lightly. "So tell me more about Lana Lang." That question should get him off this topic of family photos and besides she wanted to know. Clark laughed at her and bent forward to kiss her briefly. "Jealous?" "Absolutely not! So were you serious about her?" "You are jealous." A small triumphant smirk spread across his face and he rocked back on his heels. Lois leveled a withering glance in his direction and so he stopped teasing. "I liked her." Lois leveled another look at him. Why did men never give you the information you wanted? "Liked..." Clark sighed, the sound of a man submitting to the third degree from the woman he loves. "OK. I didn't notice her much when I was a kid but then, in high school, I did." He shrugged his shoulders. "She was kinda hot looking as Jimmy would say and when you're sixteen you can get distracted by that." "So why did you break up with her?" "Lois, you aren't going to let this go, are you?" "Uh uh, too interesting. So why'd you break up with her?" "I don't think you could say we were ever really going together. We dated, but Lana dated other guys, too. The more I got to know her, the more I realized there wasn't much common ground between us. Anyway, she decided to go steady with someone else at the end of our senior year." "Were you broken hearted?" Clark laughed. "Lo--is. My pride was hurt. But I didn't feel anything much. I remember it made me doubt if I was capable of feeling that heavy kind of love the way some guys I knew did. I wondered if I was emotionally different in that way, just as I was physically different." His voice had become subdued as he finished speaking. Lois reached her hand up to touch the one he had placed on her shoulder. "But you're not, you're not," she said softly. "I wish, I had known you then," she sighed. Then she chuckled. "No, probably not a good idea. You'll find this hard to believe, Clark, but I was pretty arrogant and aggressive when I was seventeen." "Ah... I would never have thought that, Lois," Clark's tone of false surprise did not escape his companion. "So she was hot looking?" "Oh yeah." He grinned at her as she shot him another one of the Lane glares. "A little... by Smallville standards ... not in the same league as Metropolis ... not in the same league as brunettes...brown eyed brunettes.." he continued backtracking as Lois giggled at his responses, "who are journalists in Metropolis.." Finally, Lois stopped laughing and reaching up, grabbed the back of his neck, pulling his head close to hers. "Hot. I'll show you jalapena hot, Kent." She pulled his head even closer and kissed him, slow, hard, passionately, slipping her tongue along his upper lip as the kiss intensified. His arms encircled her, holding her so tightly against him that she had absolutely no doubt as to how he felt about her at that moment. Or how she felt about him. She never wanted the kiss to end. But, of course, it did. They were interrupted by the blinding glare of a flashlight and Jonathan Kent's businesslike voice. "Clarissa's about to pop." He turned around and headed back to the house, his booming voice calling for Martha to meet him in the barn. Martha was out of the house in a flash, screen door banging behind her, pulling on a sweater as she trotted briskly to meet her husband. Lois and Clark caught up with them, following them along the moonlit path to the barn. What followed was the scariest, most terrifying, absolutely amazing thing that Lois had ever seen. Clarissa heaved and grunted for what seemed like forever and then, with a little expert help from Jonathan, in a whoosh of placenta and blood, Clarissa's calf made her appearance, her spotted hide all slick and wet, eyes large and astonished. Slowly, uncertainly, she rose on wobbly legs and looked around while Clarissa bent over and began, with great care, to lick her baby clean. Lois looked at the Kents. "Wow," she said softly, "Wow!" * * * Sunday night as Lois snuggled into the warmth of cotton sheets and old quilts, she remembered something she had said to Clark, shortly after they had first started working together, after he'd translated a Chinese fortune cookie for her. Surprised by that and by the warmth of his sudden laugh at some comment she'd made, she'd said, "You're a strange one, Clark Kent, but I think I've got you figured out." And she did think she had him figured out back then, too. One hundred per cent positive. But, just recently, she figured out that his *strangeness* was explained by the fact that he was an extraterrestial. Yeah, that did go a long way to explaining *strange*. However, this Sunday, she changed her mind again. Now, she was absolutely certain that Clark's *strangeness* was because he came from Kansas. As she had watched him that day, she became increasingly convinced that this new revised opinion was the truth, even more the truth than what the globe had revealed. So the question now became more complex: could a workaholic city girl find happiness with a guy from outer space who liked to hang out on the farm in his spare time. She had no idea, but she was beginning to think she might like to take the chance to find out. She was beginning to think that she'd finally met the man she could trust, the man she'd never thought she'd never meet. Well, that's obvious, she said to herself, that's why you've come here this weekend. She giggled, turned off the light on the old painted night table beside Clark's narrow, boyhood bed and went to sleep, sliding into dreams where things happened between her and Clark Kent that were forbidden by her daytime rules. * * * After a morning spent helping Martha and Jonathan with a few odd jobs interspersed with several visits to Clarissa and her new calf whom Lois had been given the honor of naming, (she called it Xena), and after a lunch of Martha's homemade soup, Clark and Lois hopped in Jonathan's old pickup truck and drove over a couple of paved roads and one dirt one to Shuster's field. Lois wanted to see the spot where Clark had landed as a baby and the man in question was only too happy to show her. Before they reached their destination, however, Clark pulled over to the side of the road. "There's something I'd forgotten about, something I'd like to show you up on the ridge over there." He leaned across her to point towards a low rolling ridge of rock about half a mile away that rose above the field beside them. "Think you can handle a bit of hiking?" "Of course, I can. But what are we going to see?" "Some pictogylphs painted hundreds of years ago by an unknown Native band, maybe the Padoucas or the Kanza, no one's really sure. We'll have to do a bit of climbing to get there." He had hopped out of the truck and circled around to the passenger side where Lois was already standing on the ground, waiting for him. "OK, what's the best route across this field?" "Along the edge, through that small clump of trees. That way, we won't disturb Wayne Irig's sunflowers." "Sunflowers!" Lois looked at him in surprise. "Yeah," he grinned. "It's an important crop out here. This is the "Sunflower State," you know," he said, using his fingers to punctuate the label. "So, that's what those green things are. I figured it was corn. You know, getting ready for that crop ritual you have at the end of summer." "Well, there's some of that around, too." He reached for her hand to help her over the long timbers of the low weathered fence and then the two of them walked along a narrow path that skirted the perimeter of the field. Then they cut through a stand of maple trees and pine trees, stepped across a narrow stream, and finally, some fifteen minutes later, they reached the base of the ridge that Clark had pointed out from the truck. It wasn't a difficult climb although the slope was not as gentle as it had looked from the road. Outcrops of rounded, lichen covered boulders provided for secure footings as they climbed beside a clear narrow ribbon of water that slipped and fluttered to the stream below. Invigorated by the sun and the wind, Lois found the climb exhilarating. A hand from Clark, who was, after all, taller than her, gave Lois the anchorage she needed to hoist herself up the boulders at the top of the ridge. When both her feet were planted firmly on the flat expanse of rock, she found herself standing beside him, almost touching him, and for a moment their eyes met. "Thanks," she said, not willing to pull her gaze from his, feeling again that overpowering sense of his strength, his body, his nearness. He reached his hand up to twine it through her hair and then he bent to kiss her. "You're welcome." His voice was low, soft velvet brushing her heart. "Lois," he said softly, not moving as he slid his hand down to curve around the back of her neck. Then he shook his head, gave her a small flash of a smile and said lightly, "I really did bring you here to show you the glyphs. This way." He turned and strode away from her, walking toward a huge rounded boulder that had probably been rolled into place eons ago by a relentless glacier or perhaps a passing giant. Disappointed, Lois sighed and then followed him. Well, she told herself, that's the way you told him you wanted it. Clark disappeared into a narrow crevice between two boulders that were twice as tall as he was, Lois just a few steps behind him. Putting one hand on the smooth grey surface of the rock for balance, she slipped into the narrow gap and, after a few feet, found herself beside Clark in a small flat area bounded on two sides by high walls of stone. "Clark!" Her voice was hushed as she looked at the giant red ochre outlines of men and animals that had been painted there so long ago. Stepping closer, she put her hand over part of one drawing and turned to look at Clark, her face suffused by a childlike amazement at what she was seeing and the strange sense that she had connected with a stream of existence that stretched back through the millennium. "Let's go over there. Over on that rock. You can get a better sense of the whole set of drawings from there." They scrambled up the rock, sat down on its hard sun warmed surface, and then gazed across at the glyphs which traced the story of long ago hunters, pursuing bison and antelope, and dancing in celebration, their vitality suggested by the spare sweeps of vigorous lines of red, black and amber. "Mom and Dad brought me here when I was a kid. I think I must have been about eight. And then I used to come here with Pete and Joe, and Wayne's son, Chris. They say it's haunted here, that the ghosts of warriors protect this site for eternity." He exaggerated the last words as he spoke, looking at her dramatically, hoping to impress her. Lois raised one eyebrow in amusement. "And is it?" "Absolutely. The three of us camped out here one night; at least we tried to. But then something happened. A large shape and a blood curdling yell." "Go on. There was not." "Yeah, there was. We were out of here so fast and down that ridge. I'm still not quite sure what happened." "Clark! It was probably somebody's older brother out to scare three gullible boys." "You think? Gosh, that's disappointing." Lois laughed, patted his thigh, and leaned her head against his shoulder but kept her eyes on the tableau in front of her. "I've never seen anything like it. Clark, do you realize we're looking at the work of ancient reporters?" "Stop thinking about work, Lois." ------ end, part 4 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:03:32 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 6 of 12 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 6 Lois, of course, brought him back to reality as she pulled back from him and searched his eyes, "What is it?" She waited for a few seconds but he just smiled at her and gave her a light kiss. Lois was still on a bit of a high from the seminar she had attended. It had been *so* much better than she had thought it would be and she was *so* glad that Perry had made her go. "Which just goes to show you, Clark," she'd said, "that Perry is a very smart man." Clark smiled. He had figured out almost as soon as he arrived at the Daily Planet that Perry White was just about the only person in the universe who had Lois's number. Contented, Clark listened to her rave about the seminar as they took a taxi to his place, watching the city lights play on her hair and cheekbones, as they drove through the brightly lit Metropolis night. He would do everything he could to keep her safe and to protect his future with her. Once they were standing on the pavement in front of his apartment, she turned to him, a flirtatious sparkle in her eyes, "So, did you miss me, Clark?" He grinned and teased, "Hardly noticed you were gone, Ms. Lane." "Liar, you did so miss me." He opened the front door of his apartment and carried her bag inside. Then he turned and slid his large hand around the back of her neck and kissed her slowly. "Yeah," his voice was low, "I missed you." Lois slid her arms around his neck. "I missed you, too." Then her stomach rumbled. She giggled. "And I'm starving. I avoided snacks on the train because I knew you would have this wonderful dinner waiting when I got here." She wiggled her nose, checking for the aroma of Italian sauce but nothing. "Or not." "I got a little behind schedule. Come on, you can give me a hand and we'll be eating in no time." She did, carefully chopping onions, peppers and mushrooms for the sauce he was making. "You know Clark, we make a pretty good team here." Following his instructions, she added the vegetables to the tomato concoction which he had simmering on the stove. Then she reached into his cupboard for two plates and a couple of wine glasses, setting them on the small round table which stood to one side of the kitchen area. He grinned. "That's what I've been trying to tell you." "Well, I'm beginning to think you have a point." Lois dipped a spoon in the sauce and then tasted it. "Mmmm. Not bad, needs more pepper, don't you think?" She lifted the spoon to his mouth so he could try it. "You're right." It didn't take him too much longer to finish preparing the sauce while Lois put together a salad. Then dinner was ready. As they ate, Lois asked how things had gone while she had been away. He filled her in, leaving out his encounter with the UFO investigator this evening. "What about this evening?" Lois asked. "What?" Clark picked up a piece of his roll and buttered it. "Nothing much." "Come on, Clark, you didn't make it home when you expected to for some reason." "Oh yeah." He had forgotten the small detail of the unprepared dinner. Trust Mad Dog Lane not to forget it. "Superman stuff. You know." Lois smiled. "Yes, I do, but I like to hear about it anyway." He decided a little diversion was in order. "One thing I did manage to get today." He walked over to the fridge and returned with a plate bearing a small cake. He bowed in front of her. "For, Ma'amselle. Le Gateau Chocolat, fresh from Francine's" They ate the rest of their dinner slowly, talking about the trivial events of the last few days, including more news about the seminar which, Clark thought, had energized Lois the same way a weekend at the beach did normal people. She had literally not slept for more than two hours each night. After dinner they settled down on Clark's couch to watch a video. Well that was what their stated intention was, but somehow they found that they also needed to communicate just how much they had missed each other and just how much they enjoyed being together. Not too far into the movie, after only the third car chase / explosion sequence, Clark reached blindly with one hand for the remote control and turned off the VCR. Lois laughed and accused him of deliberately choosing that video because he knew it would bore her and so she would look for other more interesting diversions. He was about to defend himself from this character slur when he was distracted by the far away sound of sirens. He held his breath for a moment, hoping that it would be a one alarm crisis, nothing that warranted his attention. But it wasn't; the alarms were frequent and Clark could distinguish the separate sounds of emergency vehicles and those of the police department. Sighing, he grimaced. "Lois, I have to go." She sighed too, and then gave him a quick smile. "I know. I know. I'll be here when you get back." She was. When he returned two hours later, she was fast asleep on his sofa, her arm curled around one of its large pillows. Quietly, he turned off the TV and then went into his bedroom to pull out a couple of blankets which he gently placed over Lois as she slept. He placed a tender kiss on her cheek, touched as he watched her smile in her sleep. Turning out the light, he headed toward his bedroom. After breakfast the next morning, both reluctantly went their separate ways. Clark had a commitment to shoot some hoops with a few old friends from college who were now working in Metropolis while Lois had to get ready for lunch with Lucy and her father. She was nervous about this lunch but she was also optimistic. Perhaps Clark was right; perhaps something really could be salvaged from the wreck of her battered family. She greeted Lucy with a hug and walked into the living room of Lucy's tiny apartment. "Can I give you a hand with anything, Luce?" Both women were dressed casually, in their best jeans, a sign perhaps that both felt more confident about the upcoming afternoon with their father. Lucy looked a little alarmed. "No thanks, I think maybe you should keep away from the kitchen. Things are going perfectly." Lois laughed. "Come on Lucy, I can cook. I'll have you know I gave Clark a lot of help making supper last night. I practically made it myself." Lucy gave her sister a knowing look. "Ah, so that's where you were last night. Gave you a call but no answer. So things getting more serious between you and Clark?" "Yeah, I think so, Lucy." "Are you going to marry him?" "Maybe. Probably. Lucy, I want to. I just wish I could feel good about marriage. I mean, what if it doesn't work? What if I can't meet the challenge? What if we find out we want different things and we fight? We had such a wonderful time this weekend. When I'm with him, I'm absolutely sure, but what if I'm wrong. I mean the trust thing, Lucy. What if he disappears? And children, Lucy!" "Lois! Calm down. Clark's a great guy. Why don't you try living with him for awhile before making up your mind. You know, give it a trial run." Lois shook her head. "Clark wouldn't go for that. He's a pretty traditional guy." Lucy wandered into her minuscule kitchen, followed by her sister who propped herself on the only chair in the room, a bar stool wedged into a corner by the doorway. Lucy handed her a glass of white wine. "So, do you love him, Lois?" "You know I do." "Then take a chance. He just might be worth it and you certainly are." Lucy's head disappeared inside the fridge and then she turned around and thrust some leafy green stuff in Lois's hand. "Here, rip this into that bowl on the counter." "Think I can handle this, Luce?" "Just don't make the pieces too big." Lucy cast a quick glance at the clock. "Daddy should be here any minute." The two sisters continued chatting, each giving the other advice on how to live her life, while Lucy put the finishing touches on lunch. She was excited about the new job as a financial analyst she had started this week, her first *serious* job she called it. Lois listened to her talk, pleased that Lucy was so happy after a couple of disastrous years during which she had seemed to lose her focus. Lois smiled; maybe Lucy was just growing up. An hour and a half later, when Sam Lane had still not arrived , the two women were not surprised by the ring of the phone which shattered the melancholy that had settled over Lucy's living room. Lois listened as her sister answered and politely accepted what must have been Sam Lane's apology on the other end. Her attempt to reschedule was unsuccessful. Lucy hung up the phone and said, "Dr. Lane regretfully declines... He'll call when he's more certain of his schedule. Something's come up." "On a Sunday?" "Yeah. He's just taken a few minutes out of a meeting and then he's busy again, working on something new." "Like old times." There was a trace of bitterness in Lois's voice as she spoke. "Did he say what he was working on?" Lois's question was half hearted, more an attempt to avoid blowing up. "No. You know, I checked the company Dad's working for a couple of days after we had lunch. I'd remembered seeing a reference to Biotech Networks in a high tech market report but I hadn't paid much attention to it. I checked again. It's pretty new, just thinking about going public. It's got some competition in neuroelectronic devices but apparently it's cutting edge. The analyst who wrote the report sounded pretty positive. He recommended that our company consider underwriting it if it does go public." "Well, that'll be nice for Daddy." "Oh, Lois, it didn't occur to me that he wouldn't come." Watching her sister choke back the tears, Lois instinctively came over to sit beside her on the sofa. Putting her arms around Lucy, she said, as she had so many times, years ago, "I know Lucy. But it's all right, it's all right." Standing up, she said, "Come on, let's go for a walk. There's always something happening on a Sunday afternoon." The two women spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the area of Lucy's new apartment, and poking into small shops. They fortuitously stumbled across Selma's Chocolates where they sampled a range of Selma's products and finished up the afternoon sitting on a bench watching an outdoor puppet show in the small park a few blocks west of Lucy's place. It was early evening by the time they returned to Lucy's apartment and Lois found herself reluctant to leave her sister, feeling the air of melancholy from which they'd fled still lurking in the apartment. Lois had planned to meet Clark at her place for dinner so she made a suggestion. "Hey, it's a shame to waste that lunch you prepared, Luce. Why don't I ask Clark to come over?" Lucy hesitated and then said, "Lois, he's probably looking forward to a romantic evening alone." Lois grinned. "Probably. But I'm gonna ask him, anyway." She picked up the phone, a little disappointed to get his answering machine. "Hi, Clark. It's me. I'm at Lucy's. How about meeting me here for dinner, instead of my place?" Half an hour later, Clark called back. "Hi, I'll be there in ten." And he was. Standing in the doorway, bearing a bottle of wine, the substantial remains of last night's chocolate cake, and, Lois thought, the most wonderful smile in the world. As he entered the almost non existent foyer, Clark said, "Please tell me Lucy's cooking." Lois took the cake and led him into the apartment. "I helped though." "Hi, Clark." "Hi, Lucy. So how was lunch?" "Great. Great," Lois said. "We know every part of the neighborhood, now, and we found this wonderful chocolate place." Clark looked surprised. "And how's your dad?" Lois shrugged her shoulders and looked away from him. "Who knows. He didn't show." Clark let out a short breath. "Oh." He looked at both women, wishing he could change what had happened. Lois met his eyes and then quickly averted them. Suddenly both women were very active getting dinner ready and setting the table. "It doesn't matter, Clark," Lois said as she rummaged for something in a drawer in the small desk by the door. "It's not the first time." Pulling out a corkscrew, she opened the wine he'd brought and poured him a glass, and then one for herself and her sister. She made a small show of tasting it. "Nice, Clark. And you're going to love what Lucy has made." She raised her glass in the direction of her sister and Clark, "Well, cheers!". Once it was established by a frosty glare from the love of his life that any further mention of Sam Lane was out of order, Clark had fun. He teased both women about their relationship, and both Lucy and Lois gave back as good as they got, including a few affectionate barbes directed at each other. Clark thought they had circled the wagons and it was the two of them against the world. For a moment as he watched them giggling he caught sight of the teenage Lois protecting her younger sister but he also caught a glimpse of an adult Lucy protecting her older sister. Lucy had been living with Lois when he'd first met her but then Lucy had gone out to California in pursuit of something, Clark couldn't remember what. The two women hadn't had much contact during the year that followed, not until Lucy returned to Metropolis and got involved with a string of disastrous boyfriends. But now, Clark realized they were rediscovering the closeness of their childhood. Later, as Lois and Clark disembarked from Lois's silver Cherokee at her apartment, Clark raised the subject of Sam Lane again. "So what happened, Lois? It must have been pretty important." "He had to work. Sunday afternoon, and he had to work, Clark." He could detect the fury in her voice. "How could he do that?" "Sometimes, people do. You." He stopped to look at her. "Me," he added pointedly. "Yeah. Yeah." They walked around the corner from the parking garage to the front of Lois's building and Lois stopped at the bottom of the steps. "Look, Clark, I'm pretty tired tonight. Do you mind if we just call it a night?" Clark did mind, although he didn't say so. He wanted to be with her tonight and he wanted to be with her tomorrow. He wanted to forget his concern over what Bureau 39 was up to and just spend one day, one whole day, alone with Lois Lane. Well, he thought, he could accept her rejection tonight although he could sense how down she was and he didn't like to leave her like that. Bending his head he gave her a small affectionate kiss. "OK. But I'll see you tomorrow." "I don't know, Clark." Her tone was dispirited. "I have some loose ends to tie up on a couple of stories I'm working on. I lost some time when I went to that seminar." "Lois," Clark exploded. "You're doing exactly the same thing you accuse your father of doing." "I am not." There was life in her voice now, angry defiant life. She glared at him and then it all came out. "How can you say that? How dare you say that? I haven't walked out my family. I haven't promised them I'd be there and then disappeared. I haven't gone years without even phoning. Do you know Lucy and I lived with Dad my senior year in high school? Mom was such a mess she finally decided to go into rehab and there was nowhere for me and Lucy to go unless we left Metropolis to live with my aunt and uncle. It was my senior year in high school and I wanted to finish it at the same school. Finally, *finally*, Clark, my father agreed to take us. But we hardly ever saw him. He hired a housekeeper and it was almost like living alone. Finally we had a big fight and I moved out." She paused for air. "I don't know what Lucy was thinking when she asked him to lunch today." She reached in her belt pack for her keys and then swirled around to mount the steps to the front entrance of her apartment building. Clark was beside her in a flash, covering her hand with his as she unlocked the door. "Lois..." He noticed a tear slowly slipping down her cheek. His voice softened, "Lois." He gently touched the tear as he spoke. That was the trigger. Lois could handle his hostility but she couldn't handle his tenderness; her eyes welled up. "Oh, Clark, why do I still care?" He pulled her into his arms, a comforting embrace, stoking her hair as he spoke. "Because he's your father, I guess." "I'm a grown woman, Clark. An adult. I should be able to get over this." "I dunno. Maybe we never get over what happened when we were kids. Maybe, in a way, we never stop needing our parents." His voice was soft as he thought about Martha and Jonathan and the support they always gave him. "But parents die, Clark. Why can't I treat it like that?". "I guess because even then, you still feel the love they had for you and it still gives you strength." Lois pulled back and looked at him, touching his shoulder. "I forgot," she said. "Is that what it's like for you? When you think of Lara and Jor El?" "Yes." He slid his hand along her cheek. "And when I think about Mom and Dad. And that's how I hope it will be when our children think about us." She smiled at that and sighed. "That's a scary thought, Clark. I mean, I watch you with kids and I see how good you are with them, but I'm not very good with children. What if I turn out to be like my mother and my father? I mean it's all about trust and honesty, isn't it? And the security that brings you in your relationship with anyone. And there was never very much trust and honesty in my family. Before he could reply to that, the door opened and they were facing a tall, good looking man on his way out of the building, his way blocked by their presence. "Sorry," they both murmured automatically and stepped to one side as he passed. "That's OK." He grinned, obviously in a good mood, as he turned to Clark and said, "Hope you'll be as lucky as I was, pal," and continued on his way down the stairs. Clark sighed. Any remote hope he might have had of staying the night had just been torpedoed. There was no way Lois would let him in now. It would be a matter of principle. He watched as she leveled a disapproving glare at the man's retreating back. "That was sleazy," she said. Yep, matter of principle. Well, the better part of valor. He kissed her cheek and repeated what he'd said earlier but now there was a question in his tone. "I'll see you tomorrow?" "Uh huh. But not too early, I plan to sleep in and then have a long, luxurious bath." He smiled. "Eleven OK?" "Perfect. G'night, Clark." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and pushed the door to enter the building as he headed down the steps. Then she turned around and called out. "Clark." He stopped. "Yes?" "Thanks for tonight." "It was my pleasure, Lois." * * * end, part 6 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 16:42:25 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Attachments Comments: To: KCrane1865@aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thanks for your nice comments about my story, Kate! For the record, I'm one of those who craves feedback, positive or negative, and I don't mind if it's public, so fire away! I am sorry you had to go to all that trouble to read it, though. :( Kate said: >I certainly hope you are not leaving us in suspense. >* >S >P >O >I >L >E >R >* >I was a little confused about : "Didn't you tell me you've been free-lancing >to supplement the Kent's income?". . . . . "Yes, I submit articles under >Clark's name and he gives the money to me," Why would he be supplementing >the Kent's income, and if so, why would Clark give the supplemented income >back to Alt-Clark? Alt-Clark is free-lancing to earn money so he won't feel like he's mooching off the Kents. Since he's writing in Clark's name, the checks naturally go to Clark, who gives the money to Alt-Clark so he'll have spending money of his own. I should have mentioned that Alt-Clark buys clothing and helps to pay for groceries, too. I guess I wasn't very clear. Thanks for pointing this out. > >Might I suggest that the dinner trip to Atlanta and run-in with Perry might >not seem so contrived if the Elvis convention was a surprise to them after >they arrived. IMHO :) Yes, you're right -- this sounded contrived. In fact, the whole incident sounds so contrived that I'm going to ditch it and just end the story with a "to be continued." I can write a sequel to tie up loose ends and work the restaurant scene in later. > >Awaiting ....more >Thanks for a great read! >Kate You're welcome! And thanks again for your feedback! Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:05:15 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 10 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R: ??? part 10 * * * Superman had spent the rest of the afternoon lying down, hoping the observers had decided that the kryptonite sedative had been too powerful a dose to warrant another one so soon. They'd brought lunch but he'd rejected it, hoping that this too would convince them of his lethargy. At one point, two men in lab coats had come in and checked him over. He feigned sleep, awakening as one of them touched his shoulder. He went through the motions of trying to overpower him, but sank back, tired by the effort. "Where's your boss? I thought she'd be doing the check up." "She'll be back." "When?" One of the two grinned. "Not immune to an attractive woman, Superman? I guess some things are universal. She'll be back this evening." They left him, no sedative given, and once again he feigned sleep, waiting. * * * The first thing Lois and Jimmy did when they left the MFD was to take a cab across the city to the old Hiram warehouse. As they got out of the cab, Jimmy looked around at the scraps of loose paper and takeout containers tumbling across the grime of the cinder and gravel ground and said, "I wouldn't wanna come here at night without at least five guys who are bigger than me." Lois was too worried to smile at his comment. "Right now, that doesn't look to be much of a problem. No one's around. No cars, nothing." They approached the large double door at the front of the building and tried to enter, not too surprised when they couldn't. The door was padlocked which surprised them. Given modern security systems, that was an awfully outmoded way to lock a building. "Maybe the security system's failed for some reason," Lois said, thinking out loud. If it really were a government building, it would take three requisition forms with six signatures to get it fixed. Their bad luck, she thought, as she picked the lock. Once inside, she saw that they were indeed alone. And she saw what Clark had seen two days earlier, banks of dusty filing cabinets, a few large packing crates, and several bulky objects, covered by tarpaulins. She wondered if one of them was the ship. "Jimmy, I want some pictures of this place." Jimmy obliged as Lois walked across the bare expanse of concrete floor to peer under the heavy canvas shrouds. She made a sound of disgust when the first sheet revealed the bones of what she assumed was a cow. What on earth? The next object turned out to be a plaster cast of very large humanoid footprints, neatly tagged with date and location. So did the next two. She rolled her eyes. Then she walked behind them to look at the crates. "Jimmy, we need something to pry these open with." "Yeah," he cast his eyes over the warehouse. "Don't think we'll find anything here. Can I have your keys? Gotta be something in the Jeep's tool kit that we can use. Be back in a sec," he added as she handed him the keys. Lois had no idea what was in the Jeep's tool kit. Jimmy was back in a flash, jogging toward her carrying something that looked like it could do the job. They pried the lid off the crate nearest them to uncover several solid canisters from each of which jutted two antennae. "Alien space probes," Jimmy said knowingly while Lois let out a skeptical snort as she touched the lid of the next crate. "Hey, Jimmy, the lid on this one's pretty loose." Jimmy easily pried the lid from it and then pulled back the wooden side of the crate and stood speechless, staring at its contents, a small, spherical capsule, molded out of what appeared to be a hybrid of plastic and metal. Lois held her breath as she touched it. Clark's ship. Jimmy started snapping pictures, circling the ship, every once in while saying "wow" as he took shots from each angle. "Jimmy, we have to get this out of here." "What? You mean steal it?" Jimmy's voice had risen a decibel in reaction to Lois's statement. "No. I mean, keep it for it's rightful owner." Jimmy looked at her. "It has Superman's logo on it. The ship's so small, what did he use it for? How did these guys get it?" "Do you know anyone with a big van, Jimmy? And I figure we'll probably need a couple more people besides us to carry this thing out of here." Jimmy looked at her. "Are you crazy? This is government property, Lois." "No it's not. Did you find a reference to this warehouse when you were checking out Bureau 39?" "No." "So that means the warehouse doesn't exist which means the ship doesn't exist, so how can we be stealing it?" "I'm gonna regret this. I know I'm gonna regret this." "So you do know someone." "Yeah." "Yes!" Her face lit up. For the first time since she'd talked to Brenda Anderson, she felt like she was making progress. * * * When they got back to the Planet, Lois walked over to her desk while Jimmy disappeared to make a phone call. While she waited she could hammer out the report on the Police Chief's resignation. As she started to work, she absently looked across at Perry's office and her jaw dropped. Perry White was in there talking with Sam Lane. She marched across the newsroom floor and flung open Perry's door, and then stood, arms crossed, waiting for one of the two men to speak. They both spoke at the same time. That figured, she thought. "Lois, I've just had the most interesting chat with your father. Did you know that Sam saw Elvis back in '55 in Nashville?" No, she had no idea. Why would she? That would mean she'd have had to have had a conversation with her father, she thought, annoyed. The last thing she needed now was this distraction. "Princess, it's good to see you. Is there somewhere we can grab a coffee?" "Of course, Sam." Perry placed a comradely hand on Sam's shoulder. "Lois, take your dad up to the Planet lunch room. Take your time. Let Jimmy finish your story. The kid needs the experience." Lois rolled her eyes. God, she hated it when the old boys networked. As they were leaving the newsroom, they passed Jimmy's desk and she looked at him expectantly. "All set," he said. "Tonight." She gave him a dazzling smile. * * * Lois and her dad sat down in the cafeteria, bearing a couple of cups of coffee and one large danish for Lois who had not had lunch. She took a bite and waited. She was still annoyed about Sunday lunch. "I don't know where to begin, Lois. This is all so fantastic." Then he started to explain about some of things he'd been researching and developing for Biotech Networks. Lois felt a sense of disappointment. He wants to talk about work. Sam continued. "I travel around the country a fair bit, conferences, that sort of thing." No kidding, she thought. "Meet a lot of people, working in the same field as I do. One of them is a woman, a doctor, not much older than you, I think. She's quite interested in my work." Dismayed, she thought, Oh no, he's going to tell me about some cheap affair. Surely he should be too old for that now. She didn't want to hear this. Sam continued. "She called me this morning, quite excited. I've just finished talking to her. She drove in from out of town to see me." He stopped speaking. "Yes. What did she have to say?" She hoped her tone conveyed that she wasn't interested in what this woman had to say. "She wanted my advice. She works for the government. Pretty confidential work. Research. At first I didn't believe what she told me. I don't know her well, just as part of a network of researchers." he paused again. "She told me that the government has someone who is willing to test a brain implant that can respond to thought. I don't know if you've been following this, but some work has been done on stroke patients in this area." Lois straightened in her chair. She had leaped to the wrong conclusion about what he was going to say. If Clark had been here he would have laughed. If Clark had been here. "She wanted my advice on a couple of problems that she's having with one of the circuits and asked me if I would be willing to come back with her to trouble shoot her experimentation. This is the opportunity of a life time, Lois!" Sam couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice. Lois looked at him curiously. "So why aren't you on your way there, now." And why are you telling me? she mentally added. "Because I'm not sure what's going on. This is still pretty risky for the patient and I wanted to know a lot more about him before I agreed. I kept questioning her until she told me that the government had what they suspected was an alien." Lois heard herself speak, her voice very still in the quiet of the mostly empty cafeteria. "You don't think that's true, do you?" "Little green men?" Sam Lane laughed. "But I have the highest respect for her work in biomedical engineering. If it is true, that they do have an alien, and one has to keep an open mind about this, Princess, then I want to be there." "Then why aren't you?" "I will be. Said I had an appointment and that I'd meet her back at my place in two hours and drive back with her." Lois felt her heart go cold. "What do you really suspect, Dad? I don't think you'd have come here if something about this didn't bother you." "Nearly all UFO reports are bogus. But she was very specific and the way she talked about this particular alien made me think that maybe they've got their hands on Superman. Lois, he's saved your life; I'm not going to have a hand in destroying his." Lois felt hot tears stinging the back of her eyelids and she fought to gain control of her quivering mouth. She gulped for a breath of air. "Daddy, it could be dangerous for you to go with her." "Well, Princess, I figure you'll call in the Marines if I don't contact you once I'm there. And if it is Superman, he has a better chance if I am there." "Dad, I am not waiting by the phone while you do this. I'll follow you up there." Sam's voice got louder. "You will not." She changed the subject. "Did she say if they've done anything to him so far?" "This is the part that makes me question whether it is Superman unless they've found some way to counteract his invulnerability. She's already performed one implant on him." "What?" "She implanted a chip that blocks part of his memory. He can't remember anything that has an emotional connection for him. She's interested in studying his brain -- to compare it to a human brain. I must admit, Princess, that part is fascinating to me, too. Renata and I had a long discussion about Superman's brain not long ago." Lois's eyes widened. "Superman's brain? Renata?" "Renata Fox. She's planned a series of test chips that interfere with the function of the neurons in various parts of the brain. You know, to get a systematic fix on how it operates. That's where the work I've been doing will come in." "What? Daddy you can't do this!" "I don't intend to, Princess. Whatever Superman may be, whether he's human or not, I owe him a huge debt, and so do a lot of other people." He looked at his watch. "It's almost time." He stood up. "I'll call you if I can, once I get there." Lois stood up, too, thinking fast. She knew she would follow her father once he left his apartment, but there was no point in wasting time arguing about it. "Call me at Lucy's. We're watching a video tonight." She hugged him, holding him tightly for a second. "Please be careful, Daddy." * * * Lois didn't have much time. First thing she did was to rent a dark grey car, one much less easy to spot than her silver Cherokee. While the rental agency was processing the papers she called Jimmy, and asked him if he could arrange for a couple of guys to substitute for them tonight in getting the ship. She stressed the importance of getting that ship. As Jimmy said, no problem, Lois wondered just what kind of friends he had. Then she arranged to pick him up at the Planet in half an hour. They were going to free Superman. An hour later, they were on the main highway driving north out of Metropolis, tailing Sam Lane and his companion. * * * Superman didn't figure he could fool his attendant one more time. He'd tried using his powers but they were still very absent, with the exception of weak and fragmented super vision. However, the brief glimpse he'd got of the observation room on the other side of the glass window was enough to tell him that his attendant was alone. Not much to see this afternoon, he thought. Watch the alien sleep. He hoped he'd still be alone when Mike entered to check him for the second time. He'd better grab the opportunity now. Mike entered Superman's cell about a half hour later. As he did, Superman concentrated, willing his x-ray vision to give him a view of the observation room. It did; the room was empty. Superman sank back onto his bed, quietly waiting. As Mike bent over him, holding the syringe in his right hand, Superman quickly shifted onto his side, pushing his knee into the attendant's gut, shoving him off balance. Feeling a sudden surge of adrenaline, he summoned a reserve of power that hadn't been there minutes ago. Mike was caught by surprise, losing his balance, rocking backward while the syringe clattered to the floor. He was on his feet quickly, but Clark was on him, swinging his arm in a powerful arc that connected to his opponent's jaw. Again he staggered, but recovered and rushed at Superman who delivered a second massive blow to the side of his opponent's head. The man staggered, fell backwards, striking his head against the wall, and sank to the ground, unconscious. Quickly, Clark pulled off the man's outer garments, stripped out of the blue and red spandex suit, and climbed into the baggy green medical uniform. Jogging into the observation room, he took a quick glance around, grabbed a set of keys resting on the counter, and then cautiously opened the door adjacent to the corridor. The hall was empty. Keeping to one side he ran down the hall, grateful for the fact that the attendant had been wearing runners, even if they weren't quite the right size. At least, they were silent. At the end of the hall, he peered around the corner; the next corridor was also empty. With any luck, this would be true of the whole complex and he would be able to find his way out of this maze. At the moment he had no idea where he was. He stopped for a moment, breathing heavily; the exertion had taken its toll. This corridor contained several closed doors. He tried focusing but was unable to see through any of the walls. Whatever powers he may have had ten minutes ago were gone; the energy he had used to get this far had sapped his strength. He wondered how long it would be before the guy regained consciousness or the others would return. Not long; the high decibel shriek of an alarm told him that they knew he had escaped. He could hear thudding footsteps running down the hall he'd just come from. Quickly he stepped back into the shadows and waited but they didn't come his way. Running lightly, he retraced his route, figuring that the hall they'd just left would now be empty. He ran down it and then across a broader corridor and ducked behind a stairwell from where he caught sight of the doctor, accompanied by a tall grey haired man in late middle age. She was talking animatedly with two men in uniform and he had no doubt what they were talking about. She turned to her companion, said something, and then took off at a jog with the two soldiers, leaving her companion alone, her hand waving in the general direction of the room next to the stairwell where Clark was hiding. He was trapped; if the man came this way, he would see him. Obviously he could not walk past him. However, he hadn't seen this man before; maybe he *could* walk past him; maybe the visitor would take him for one of the staff. Exuding a confidence he didn't feel, he stepped out into the hall and moved towards the older man. The man strode toward Superman, not looking too carefully, and then all of a sudden he stopped and took a second look. "So it's true." He touched his arm, saying as he did, "Walk beside me, there's a door back this way." When Clark made no move to follow him, the man spoke sharply. "You have no choice if you want to get out of here." Clark scrutinized the man's face, unsure whether to trust him. But he had nothing to lose. They were alone; he was pretty sure he could take this man who, although he was taller, was twice his age, hating the thought that he now looked at everyone as a potential enemy. He fell into step beside him, both men walking briskly down the hall. "Who are you?" "Sam Lane. I don't know what they've done to weaken you, but they've planted a chip in your brain so that you've lost part of your memory." "I know. I heard them talking. You know who I am?" He felt this unreasonable hope that this man really did know him; not just know "of him." "Yes. Up that flight of stairs. There's a door at the top of the landing. As soon as you can, phone this number." He recited the number, waiting while Clark parrotted it back. "Lois is there; she'll help you." Clark looked at him, startled, and then ran in the direction that Sam Lane had pointed, quickly finding the door, and slipping out into the early evening air, gulping it in deep breaths, like a man suffocating. For a moment, he leaned against the concrete wall of what he now saw was a much smaller structure than he had imagined. Most of it must be underground, probably an abandoned bunker from the cold war period, built to house top officials in the case of nuclear attack. On one side of him was a small car park, unpaved, no more than a clearing, almost completely surrounded by evergreens. From his pocket, he pulled the keys he'd lifted from the observation room, looking for the car key in the cluster. Half crouching he ran for the only GM product, an aging red Camero, among the five cars parked under the trees. Moments later he was wheeling out onto the backwoods road, not knowing where he was going, but heading east. * * * end, part 10 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 14:58:09 PDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Andrea Englert Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain hi! I'm rather lucky with writing fan fiction. I've been writing ever since last spring when I ran into a fan fic sight while surfing. I still enjoy writing immensly, and if you see me at school, I often have a notebook and pen in hand either writing furiously or staring off into space, thinking about what to write next. I've been using an old english notebook (5 subject! Yeah! I can have 5 stories going at a time!), but unfortunately, I'm running out of space in it (down to two subjects and they both have ongoing stories in them). My parents have been totally supportive of me, and even enjoy reading many of them (all of them are pg-13). I don't actually write L&C fan fic but I enjoy reading them. I write for three shows: Xena, Star Trek: Voyager and Adventures of Sinbad (it's an older show that's no longer on the air, at least where I live). I'm also in the process of branching out into Sliders. Thanks for listening! Sambrea >From: Karen Ward >Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers >Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 16:45:57 -0500 > >Hi, all! :) > >Yvonne asked: > >>Are you all bolder than brass, tell everyone types, or are there some >>'closet' fanfic writers out there like me? > >I'm so glad you asked this, Yvonne (and it's great to see you posting to >the list!), because I've been bursting at the seams to talk about this very >thing. > >Personally, I have no qualms telling people about my little hobby, although >I don't exactly go around adverstising. I admit that there have been >embarassing moments when discussing the subject with a non-FoLC, but it's >what I like to do and if my friends and family can't accept that, then >that's their problem. However, most of my friends actually think my little >writing hobby is "neat" and a few of them have actually asked to read my >stories. I gotta admit, *that* blew me out the water . . . it was even >more surprising when some said they actually enjoyed the stories (which I'm >sure they only said because I'm their friend and they had to ). I guess >I've been lucky enough to be blessed not only with some wonderful FoLC >friends, but with some incredible RL friends who are tolerant, and even >supportive of my little (okay, maybe it's not exactly "little") obsession. >:) > >Leading my pack of supporters is my mom. She's never watched a second of >L&C in her life, but she knows all about Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher, "the >argh", time-travelling, soul-tracking, cloning, and whatnot. I think it's >amazing that she's never once complained about it, either. However, what >is even more staggering to me, is that she's probably my biggest fanfic >fan. Perhaps it's because she's an English teacher, but she finds it >exciting that I find such joy in writing about my favourite characters, >even though they're merely television characters, and is always eager to >read my fanfic. I couldn't imagine being a luckier person! > >Then Debra said: > >>When I was writing my Trek fic, which some >>of you are reading, my dad caught a glimpse of it on the computer I was >>working on at the time. Well, I got a huge lecture about how I shouldn't waste >>my time on TV (we grew up without TV) and all that sort of stuff. So now I >>keep my fic ideas and occasional writing efforts to myself, except for what I >>share with a carefully chosen group of like-minded friends. And I >>consider all >>of you members of that group. > >Gosh, Debra, I'm sorry you don't seem to have gotten the same family >support I have. :( However, I'm glad you consider us FoLCs "members of >that group." I'm sure it's safe for me to speak for all of us when I say >we're honoured to be considered your friends. :) > >In closing, I just have to say how lucky I feel to have met such a >wonderful group of people as a result of my little (okay, I give up, it's >not little - it's *really* *really* big) obsession. Never in my wildest >dreams did I imagine that I'd meet such incredible people, not to mention >one of the best friends I've ever had the privilege of knowing, as a >result. I just hope every FoLC has gotten as much out the experience as I >have. :) > >Sincerely, >Karen :) >who's not sure where this spew came from >but is glad to have it off her chest. :) _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 01:11:06 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Poor Grammar in Fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" (Sorry if this goes out twice. I wrote this some three hours ago by replying to another post, but it doesn't seem to have shown up. I'm reposting this by simply typing out LOISCLA...etc. Maybe someone could offer me advice for future reference.) Real life sneaks up again and pounds to be let in the door . Being an editor/writer leaves me incapable of reading a story, pro- or fan-, without analyzing it half to death. So I hope no one objects to my personal two cents about grammar in fanfic. This is merely my humble (or not so humble?) opinion, YMMV and all that, and of course, this is aimed at no one in particular and I have no intention of insulting anybody. >--- Peggy Mueller wrote: >> Unless the writing style or grammar is so poor that >> it makes the story >> incomprehensible, bad grammar usually doesn't stop >> me from enjoying a >> fanfic. I've read many fanfics that moved me to >> tears or laughter because >> the author still managed to get his/her point acorss >> in spite of the poor >> grammar. While Elisabeth wrote: > >It sounds like we differ on grammatical views. I find >poor grammar and punctuation to be a great >distraction. However, after reading stories written >>from all forms of the English language, I've enough >adapted to spelling differences that outright errors >don't bother me anymore. (Well, not much. It still >bugs me to see alot, instead of a lot.) You forgot "alright," Elisabeth. ;) Along with "loosing" vs "losing," "shudder" vs "shutter," and many many more... But seriously, what's the definition of bad grammar? There are stories out there that are a mix of prose and transcript style. That's terrible grammar, but the stories don't suffer from it. (Frex J Eagan's highly entertaining stories, as well as several other authors.) British spelling (a wink at Margaret there, along with Wendy and others across the pond) and usage of non-American terminology certainly doesn't qualify as poor grammar, but rather a different way of using the English language. I would hardly expect someone to complain about that! No, the real problem, even more than poor spelling or the misuse of homonyms (which are quite frankly irritating enough, and can easily be avoided with a spell-checker and an editor that's willing to be honest with you), are stories where the *structure* of the sentences and paragraphs are so poor that the reader spends half of his/her time just trying to figure out who is saying/doing what. Two people's dialogue in the same paragraph, changes of POV or scene without a space or line of asterisks to indicate the change, paragraphs that are haphazardly strung together -- these errors in structure leave your reader more preoccupied in following the yellow brick road than in absorbing the storyline that you've labored over for days (or weeks or months). You've lavished so much TLC and effort into your work -- after all, fanfic is, by definition, a labor of love! Why, *why* do you sabotage your own efforts by causing your readers to dismiss your story as unreadable? Or even if the reader struggles through it, much of the enjoyment is lost! Peggy, authors shouldn't just "manage" to get their points across. Considering all the offers I've seen from various FoLCs to proofread others' work, it can't be that difficult to find an editor. Please, all you authors out there - do both yourself and your readers a favor and have your story checked before you post it! Hazel (who thinks this is one aspect of constructive criticism that should *definitely* be addressed to an author privately, and is not alluding to any particular story) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:34:16 EDT Reply-To: AStory2873@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: April Story Subject: Fanfic - A Reader's POV (Was:Re: Writing Criticism/Rewriting) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ::::coming out of lurkdom for a few ::::: Well, after following this thread for almost 2 weeks now - I thought I would throw my .02 into the bucket. I have found the conversation to be very interesting and it seems to have brought out many posters too - which is always a good thing! But I have a question - am I the only one on this list that doesn't write fanfic? Are other writers more critical than those of us that just read to read - mainly for the entertainment value? Do I, for example, look for different things in a story than a fellow writer might be looking for? Not only with the discussions on this list of late, but I have also had some interesting discussions with a couple friends of mine and it seems to me that there is a big difference on how *I* would view a piece of fanfic as opposed to someone who writes.....so I was just wondering what you all thought as well. On this whole critiquing/rewriting issue: I have been reading fanfic for about 3 years now and I honestly have to say that in all that time - there have only been one or two writers that have moved me so much that I felt I just had to write to them. *Please* do not misunderstand or take that wrong - there has been tons and tons of fanfic that I have LOVED - but to be touched on a level that I felt I just had to write the author doesn't happen often - at least for me. Many of my favorite authors are on *this* list! There have been some incredible stories written about Lois and Clark. Maybe people, like myself, should take more time to write the authors - maybe it is ignorance on my part not realizing the importance of that type of feedback. As it has already been mentioned a few times - writing is an 'art' form - an outlet if you will - for people to express themselves freely. I guess I always thought "Who am I to say anything about another's creative process." If a writer portrays L&C, for example, in such a way that I don't like or agree with - that doesn't necessarily mean either is right or wrong - the perspectives are just different. In the "rewriting" discussion - why would you *want* to rewrite another's work? Why not just write your own "vision" instead of trying to turn someone else's story into the way you think it should be? If you go through the L&C archive - there are many stories that are similiar - and that is ok - from a reader's POV. Just because they may have some of the same ideas doesn't mean people won't read them or that one story is better than the other. To me - that could cause a stifling of the creative process if people can't express themselves as they see it. Also, it seems to me that if people are afraid of what others might say about their work or whether others are going to rewrite you - then I would think that creative process within yourself would suffer. IMHO, you have to write for *you* first and foremost and if the masses like it - then all the better - but if they don't - that is okay too as it was obviously something you had within yourself that you need to get out! I think that holds true whether it be writing, drawing, acting, music, whatever your interests are. Maybe I am naive in my thinking here since I am not a writer. If I come across a story that does seem completely wrong - then I may or may not finish it - depending on what the author's intentions are. We get so used to having characters 'be' a certain way, act a certain way, etc that when they don't - some prefer not to read the story - but I have always believed that there are many many ways to write these characters - even ones as beloved as Lois and Clark who have been around for 60 years. You just never know what kind of wonderful new characteristics can be uncovered when a writer sees them differently than the norm. In a message dated 99-04-17 06:50:11 EDT, Zoomway wrote: << Well, I was sent some VR5 fanfic once, but I had no idea who the characters were, so it wasn't even a matter of them being interpreted by me as "right or wrong" because I never saw the show. Even though the story was well written -- *shrug* -- I had no emotional investment in these characters and so I lost interest in the story. I didn't care enough to even know how it ended. Good, bad or indifferent, I didn't *feel* anything for them. With fanfic, I want to be able to recognize the characters I fell in love with, and if I can't, then the fanfic doesn't interest me. With a non-fanfic piece of fiction, like a novel, the author introduces the characters to the reader so that the reader can learn enough about them to care about them and what happens to them.>> In a message dated 99-04-17 13:58:06 EDT, Demi wrote: << I think there *is* the potential out there to enjoy other fan 'series' work without knowing the characters from television or film, if the author works to build a modicum of character backstory in any given piece, and if the premise of the story is a universal one. Of course, it's not the same to create a new character as it is to do a little recall on the backstory of an already established character, but I think that can be acheived. I also think it doesn't happen very often because most fans write for their own group. Indeed, fanfic authors are often more than content with reaching their own people primarily, they don't need or want any more than that. That's natural and normal and perfectly right as far as I'm concerned. However.. I do think it's *possible* to bridge the gap, if an author really wants to do it. >> I have to agree here with Demi. I think it is highly possible to "bridge the gap" when it comes to fanfiction. It does all depend on the author. I think that if the characters are interesting enough, if the theme of the piece is universal enough that you can enjoy and even love a story for which you knew nothing about. There are several writers on this list that are extraordinary and I would read any work they do. Now, that is not to say that I would necessarily like all that work However, just because it was not Lois & Clark - it would not keep me from reading it. I do have my favorite authors and those seem to be the ones that can take me to a different time and place - who's writing is so real you can actually see yourself there in the story. It is like going to a bookstore for example and looking for a great book to read - what do you look for? Romance? Characterization? Drama? Comedy? Etc. We know nothing about these characters and I am not necessarily talking about the great novels out there - just a book to read. Just because we are not familiar with who these characters are does not mean that we can't enjoy the story or get emotionally involved, IMHO. The same holds true for fanfiction. I have read several different forums of fanfiction - some of which I was familiar with the show and some I had never seen one episode. Some of the fiction I really loved and some I did not but it didn't have anything to do with whether or not I watched the show but more the individual piece of fanfic. I don't think I would have liked it even if I did watch the show LOL!!! On the flip side of that - I have also read some fanfiction that was like nothing I had ever read before. I was already familiar with the author's work through another medium and so I read their new stuff as well and was completely blown away! It is a talent that amazed me! It was like I had gone into that bookstore and picked up a book that I knew nothing of the characters and fell in love with all of them. I was completely drawn into this story because it was written with such a creative level that is astounding! The author writes with a depth of characterization and emotion that even not knowing the show's background made no difference at all. In fact, it might have been for the best as then I had nothing to compare it to but to simply enjoy the story. But due to the way in which they write - it was as if I did indeed watch the show for through their writing - I knew all the history I needed to - to fully understand some of the more intricate details of the characters. So, do I think it is possible to enjoy fanfic outside of a person's normal 'circle' - you betcha! But I am also a firm believer that it all depends on the writer and whether or not they are able to draw you in. Luckily, I have found a small handful of authors that could probably draw me into a fanfic about insects LOL and those things give me the creeps!! It is all in the style =) When I think of fanfiction as a whole - many of the authors on this list come to mind and I think that says alot about the talent that we have here! So keep those masterpieces coming Well, I think I have said more than my .02 Hope my ramblings made some kind of sense! April ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 16:59:54 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: New Fanfic: Recognition -number of parts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry, everyone. There are 13 parts -- it's long. Carol ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 18:48:18 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: problem posting -checking MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is just a check to see if this gets posted to the list -- I sent several parts of a new fanfic this afternoon, but they seem to have disppeared. Carol ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 17:13:17 -0600 Reply-To: Rhonda Robinson Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rhonda Robinson Subject: Re: Fw: Virus warning on Christian message MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0044_01BE8A87.EAFFC000" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0044_01BE8A87.EAFFC000 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi FOLCs, I've been lurking here for several months, and probably would continue = to lurk if it weren't for this message. It's just a hoax. The "It = takes guts to say Jesus" fake virus warning has been around for a long = time, and someone recently updated it with the Melissa reference. If = you visit http://www.av.ibm.com/BreakingNews/HypeAlert/Guts/ you'll get = the whole truth about it. However, one thing that is common to all fake = virus warnings is that they claim that by just READING an email you will = infect your computer with a virus. That's impossible. The only way you = could infect your computer with a virus would be to run an ATTACHED = program. Simply reading your email won't do anything to your computer. = Next time you get a similar message, tell whoever sent it to you that = it's a fake, and please don't send it to anyone else. Bye, Rhonda -----Original Message----- From: LabRat To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU = Date: Monday, April 19, 1999 4:11 PM Subject: Fw: Virus warning on Christian message =20 =20 Passing this along to everyone, guys. Sorry if you already have the = info. =20 LabRat :) ------=_NextPart_000_0044_01BE8A87.EAFFC000 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi FOLCs,
 
I've been lurking here for several months, and = probably would=20 continue to lurk if it weren't for this message.  It's just a = hoax. =20 The "It takes guts to say Jesus" fake virus warning has been = around=20 for a long time, and someone recently updated it with the Melissa=20 reference.  If you visit http://www.av= .ibm.com/BreakingNews/HypeAlert/Guts/=20 you'll get the whole truth about it.  However, one thing that is = common to=20 all fake virus warnings is that they claim that by just READING an email = you=20 will infect your computer with a virus.  That's impossible.  = The only=20 way you could infect your computer with a virus would be to run an = ATTACHED=20 program.  Simply reading your email won't do anything to your=20 computer.  Next time you get a similar message, tell whoever sent = it to you=20 that it's a fake, and please don't send it to anyone else.
 
Bye,
Rhonda
-----Original = Message-----
From:=20 LabRat <labrat@UKF.NET>
To: = LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@= LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU=20 <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@= LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Date:=20 Monday, April 19, 1999 4:11 PM
Subject: Fw: Virus = warning on=20 Christian message

Passing this = along to everyone,=20 guys. Sorry if you already have the info.
 
LabRat = :)
------=_NextPart_000_0044_01BE8A87.EAFFC000-- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 19:25:22 EDT Reply-To: Lansbury1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lansbury 1 Subject: Writer's Showcase MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, Sorry to post this twice for some of your, but, there is a new Featured Writer at the Writer's Showcase. I hope you go check it out. The URL...... http://www.simplyorganized.simplenet.com/showcase.html Annie Lansbury ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 19:36:04 -0700 Reply-To: Ara Swanson Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Ara Swanson Subject: Re: Charactrs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >Here's a general question for everyone: what characteristics of CK, >Lois, >Lex, >Perry, Jimmy, Martha, Jon, etc. one and all - do you expect to see in a >story? >What tells you that the person under the hood is the character if the >author >doesn't come right out and name he or him? What characteristics do you >*not* >expect to see attached to any of the characters? Clark would definitely have to get in a "Lo-is!!" You know in that tone of voice that says, "I really wish you wouldn't go putting yourself in danger, but I know there's absolutely nothing I can do to stop you, and I love you for it." Ara ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 19:51:33 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Mechanics of writing MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/19/99 7:18:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time, all4_mr_d8a@YAHOO.COM writes: << I am not saying that good grammar alone makes a good story, however poor grammar can make a great story merely good >> Very true. Poor grammar and syntax can actually get in the way of the story, making it difficult to follow and enjoy. Cleaning up grammatical, spelling, and syntactical errors is an important part of the writing process. (Think about it, Clark was always editing Lois's copy; and Perry got paid big bucks to edit everyone's copy.) Ann ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 19:56:05 EDT Reply-To: Zoomway@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: the "critique" thing MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I think the reason that this is a "two schools of thought" type of debate regarding "critique" is that there are two different points of view on why we write fanfic. Some who write fanfic may hold out dreams of one day becoming professional writers. In that case, an "in depth" critique could be of great value to them. For others however, writing fanfic is used as a unique form of fan expression. In fact, Lois and Clark could be the first show that ever moved them or touched them deeply enough to want to express that affection in a creative way. For them, fanfic isn't so much about *writing* as it is about sharing something personal inside their hearts as it relates to the source material (L&C). Fanfic, in a sense, has traditionally had more in common with fan conventions, posters and T-shirts than it has with Dickens, Twain or Shakespeare, because it's more about the fan experience than an attempt to create immortal literature. On the issue of critique itself, what I'm hearing from those who want to critique and those who want to be critiqued, is that they both feel this is for the purpose of "helping". That is, the person who wants to critique claims she does so to help writers and those who want to be critiqued say they would find it helpful. That's great, but always remember that "help" is something that should be *offered* or *asked* for and not something *forced* on anyone. Also, this is not a matter of some writers "being made of sterner stuff" simply because they are willing to have a story critiqued. A lot of writers are not primarily into fanfic for the purposes of becoming a more accomplished or professional writer. It's not about courage, it's about the goals each of us have in mind when writing and posting fanfic. Not to mention that whether writing or critiquing, we're all amateurs, and so even the person doing the critiquing can only do so from an amateur standpoint. There are also good and bad approaches to critiquing. A critique that pedantically criticizes, corrects, rewrites and does not also point out the good of what a writer has done, is a poor critique and is not only *not* helping, but could cause a fledgling writer to become discouraged. There is an art to critiquing with heart and the understanding that the main function of a critique is to help while minimizing the hurt. When a couple of people posted stating that they would prefer private rather than public critiquing of their work, I think that is a request that should be respected. If we all agree that the purpose of a critique is to help, then help them in the manner they request. Many people simply do not want to go through a critique publicly, and that should be their right. There was a Dick Van Dyke episode (yes, my major reference points will always be TV shows ;) where Laura asked Rob if a girl had ever slapped his face in school. Rob said yes, that one time a girl had slapped him because he had told her that her slip was showing. Laura was surprised. That seemed like an extreme reaction from the girl simply because she'd been told her slip was showing. Rob then confessed that he told her that her slip was showing via the school's loud speaker system There may also be confusion over what constitutes a "critique", as opposed to a "review" or even just general "constructive criticism". An in depth critique tends to look more like this: >>"To be or not to be: that is the question:<< Okay, Bill, I'd suggest replacing the colon with a question mark. Then you will not have to state "that is the question" because it will be clearly worded and marked as such. Also, this next bit: "whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them?" Is this the question you alluded to in the beginning, re: "that is the question" or is this a separate question? To alleviate the confusion, perhaps it would be best to help the verb out a bit, i.e., "to be (a prince/melancholy/alive) or not to be..." See where I'm coming from here, Bill? I think you'll agree it flows a lot better this way. Then the next question will clearly be seen as a separate question. Are you really dead set on using "'tis", because I think "it is" would be more clear and not sound like a poetic affectation. The use of "suffer" in conjunction with "fortune" is confusing. I'm assuming you meant "fortune" to mean "fate" rather than "wealth", if so, consider being more clear and simply use "fate" rather than "fortune". Okay, enough of that Anyway that's more in keeping with critiques I've seen and admittedly my example is of a bad critique because the critic had no idea what the spirit of the prose was about at all and was just concerned with mechanics. However, this does raise the specter of "bandwidth". An in depth critique can sometimes be twice as long as the fanfic itself. Would it be possible for those who do public critiques to put "CTQ" in the topic line so those who might not have the time or desire to weed through page after page of critiquing could put a filter on their mail program to avoid twenty to thirty minute downloads? I've seen this done on other lists. Just a suggestion. Zoomway@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 16:57:12 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kimberly Thomas Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.19990419224615.0079a530@actcom.co.il> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >You forgot "alright," Elisabeth. ;) Along with "loosing" vs "losing," >"shudder" vs "shutter," and many many more... What's wrong with "alright"? Webster says it's acceptable: Main Entry: al.right Pronunciation: (")ol-'rIt, 'ol-" Function: adverb or adjective Date: 1887 : ALL RIGHTusage The one-word spelling alright appeared some 75 years after all right itself had reappeared from a 400-year-long absence. Since the early 20th century some critics have insisted alright is wrong, but it has its defenders and its users. It is less frequent than all right but remains in common use especially in journalistic and business publications. It is quite common in fictional dialogue, and is used occasionally in other writing . Okay, so maybe it doesn't say it's *fine*, but it doesn't really say it's horribly wrong either. Kim ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 20:44:10 EDT Reply-To: AStory2873@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: April Story Subject: Fanfic - A Reader's POV (Was:Re: Writing Criticism/Rewriting) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well, I sent this through several hours ago and haven't seen it and so I am going to send it again - sorry if you should receive this twice...... Subject: Fanfic - A Reader's POV (Was:Re: Writing Criticism/Rewriting) Date: 99-04-19 17:34:16 EDT From: AStory2873 To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU ::::coming out of lurkdom for a few ::::: Well, after following this thread for almost 2 weeks now - I thought I would throw my .02 into the bucket. I have found the conversation to be very interesting and it seems to have brought out many posters too - which is always a good thing! But I have a question - am I the only one on this list that doesn't write fanfic? Are other writers more critical than those of us that just read to read - mainly for the entertainment value? Do I, for example, look for different things in a story than a fellow writer might be looking for? Not only with the discussions on this list of late, but I have also had some interesting discussions with a couple friends of mine and it seems to me that there is a big difference on how *I* would view a piece of fanfic as opposed to someone who writes.....so I was just wondering what you all thought as well. On this whole critiquing/rewriting issue: I have been reading fanfic for about 3 years now and I honestly have to say that in all that time - there have only been one or two writers that have moved me so much that I felt I just had to write to them. *Please* do not misunderstand or take that wrong - there has been tons and tons of fanfic that I have LOVED - but to be touched on a level that I felt I just had to write the author doesn't happen often - at least for me. Many of my favorite authors are on *this* list! There have been some incredible stories written about Lois and Clark. Maybe people, like myself, should take more time to write the authors - maybe it is ignorance on my part not realizing the importance of that type of feedback. As it has already been mentioned a few times - writing is an 'art' form - an outlet if you will - for people to express themselves freely. I guess I always thought "Who am I to say anything about another's creative process." If a writer portrays L&C, for example, in such a way that I don't like or agree with - that doesn't necessarily mean either is right or wrong - the perspectives are just different. In the "rewriting" discussion - why would you *want* to rewrite another's work? Why not just write your own "vision" instead of trying to turn someone else's story into the way you think it should be? If you go through the L&C archive - there are many stories that are similiar - and that is ok - from a reader's POV. Just because they may have some of the same ideas doesn't mean people won't read them or that one story is better than the other. To me - that could cause a stifling of the creative process if people can't express themselves as they see it. Also, it seems to me that if people are afraid of what others might say about their work or whether others are going to rewrite you - then I would think that creative process within yourself would suffer. IMHO, you have to write for *you* first and foremost and if the masses like it - then all the better - but if they don't - that is okay too as it was obviously something you had within yourself that you need to get out! I think that holds true whether it be writing, drawing, acting, music, whatever your interests are. Maybe I am naive in my thinking here since I am not a writer. If I come across a story that does seem completely wrong - then I may or may not finish it - depending on what the author's intentions are. We get so used to having characters 'be' a certain way, act a certain way, etc that when they don't - some prefer not to read the story - but I have always believed that there are many many ways to write these characters - even ones as beloved as Lois and Clark who have been around for 60 years. You just never know what kind of wonderful new characteristics can be uncovered when a writer sees them differently than the norm. In a message dated 99-04-17 06:50:11 EDT, Zoomway wrote: << Well, I was sent some VR5 fanfic once, but I had no idea who the characters were, so it wasn't even a matter of them being interpreted by me as "right or wrong" because I never saw the show. Even though the story was well written -- *shrug* -- I had no emotional investment in these characters and so I lost interest in the story. I didn't care enough to even know how it ended. Good, bad or indifferent, I didn't *feel* anything for them. With fanfic, I want to be able to recognize the characters I fell in love with, and if I can't, then the fanfic doesn't interest me. With a non-fanfic piece of fiction, like a novel, the author introduces the characters to the reader so that the reader can learn enough about them to care about them and what happens to them.>> In a message dated 99-04-17 13:58:06 EDT, Demi wrote: << I think there *is* the potential out there to enjoy other fan 'series' work without knowing the characters from television or film, if the author works to build a modicum of character backstory in any given piece, and if the premise of the story is a universal one. Of course, it's not the same to create a new character as it is to do a little recall on the backstory of an already established character, but I think that can be acheived. I also think it doesn't happen very often because most fans write for their own group. Indeed, fanfic authors are often more than content with reaching their own people primarily, they don't need or want any more than that. That's natural and normal and perfectly right as far as I'm concerned. However.. I do think it's *possible* to bridge the gap, if an author really wants to do it. >> I have to agree here with Demi. I think it is highly possible to "bridge the gap" when it comes to fanfiction. It does all depend on the author. I think that if the characters are interesting enough, if the theme of the piece is universal enough that you can enjoy and even love a story for which you knew nothing about. There are several writers on this list that are extraordinary and I would read any work they do. Now, that is not to say that I would necessarily like all that work However, just because it was not Lois & Clark - it would not keep me from reading it. I do have my favorite authors and those seem to be the ones that can take me to a different time and place - who's writing is so real you can actually see yourself there in the story. It is like going to a bookstore for example and looking for a great book to read - what do you look for? Romance? Characterization? Drama? Comedy? Etc. We know nothing about these characters and I am not necessarily talking about the great novels out there - just a book to read. Just because we are not familiar with who these characters are does not mean that we can't enjoy the story or get emotionally involved, IMHO. The same holds true for fanfiction. I have read several different forums of fanfiction - some of which I was familiar with the show and some I had never seen one episode. Some of the fiction I really loved and some I did not but it didn't have anything to do with whether or not I watched the show but more the individual piece of fanfic. I don't think I would have liked it even if I did watch the show LOL!!! On the flip side of that - I have also read some fanfiction that was like nothing I had ever read before. I was already familiar with the author's work through another medium and so I read their new stuff as well and was completely blown away! It is a talent that amazed me! It was like I had gone into that bookstore and picked up a book that I knew nothing of the characters and fell in love with all of them. I was completely drawn into this story because it was written with such a creative level that is astounding! The author writes with a depth of characterization and emotion that even not knowing the show's background made no difference at all. In fact, it might have been for the best as then I had nothing to compare it to but to simply enjoy the story. But due to the way in which they write - it was as if I did indeed watch the show for through their writing - I knew all the history I needed to - to fully understand some of the more intricate details of the characters. So, do I think it is possible to enjoy fanfic outside of a person's normal 'circle' - you betcha! But I am also a firm believer that it all depends on the writer and whether or not they are able to draw you in. Luckily, I have found a small handful of authors that could probably draw me into a fanfic about insects LOL and those things give me the creeps!! It is all in the style =) When I think of fanfiction as a whole - many of the authors on this list come to mind and I think that says alot about the talent that we have here! So keep those masterpieces coming Well, I think I have said more than my .02 Hope my ramblings made some kind of sense! April ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 21:44:02 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Off Topic/On Topic Babbling MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-19 18:19:45 EDT, smcdermin@EROLS.COM writes: << But, the question is, do I keep the blooper in? What do you think? >> I think... YES. As I told you, I had noticed it, but thought it was done on purpose (by you, not by Clark) and it is the sort of slip he might make and hope he never gets caught on. --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 21:49:32 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Fw: Virus warning on Christian message MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry, Labrat, but I smelled a hoax from this right away... Went to one of the virus myth web sites and found: The "Guts to say 'Jesus'" Hoax (http://www.stiller.com/guts.htm) <> So, don't worry, just don't forward it. --Laurie (whose brother says he got Melissa) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 21:59:32 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-19 19:37:53 EDT, zis-s@ACTCOM.CO.IL writes: << Along with "loosing" vs "losing," >> Yup, I see this one way too often. I'm with Hazel on this. Poor enough grammar and a story not even spell checked will cause me to give up on it and not ever finish it. I'm just a fanfic reader (and sometime proofer) but not a professional editor or English teacher or anything. --Laurie (the Ord one) P.S. Then there's always "peak" for "pique," right Zoom? ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 19:00:42 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jocelyn R Hoffman Subject: Re: Help Please MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > [JaT] There is also the option of Home Schooling. > I know of several individuals that where taught at >home instead of in the public school system. This is >usually done for religious purposes and because some > individuals believe they can do a better job >educating their children than the state(and in most >cases they do!). Just had to say something here. I was homeschooled and I loved it. But would Lois be patient enough to teach? I don't really think so. ~Jocelyn === Jocelyn R Hoffman dreaminglight@yahoo.com jocelynr@hotmail.com ICQ # 17261915 <>< _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 22:05:54 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Characters MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-19 20:45:52 EDT, James.Tull@EMRSN.COM writes: << has the patients to make a quiche. >> This definitely evoked a very odd image: Lex in a lab coat (dressed as a doctor) directing a group of sick people all stirring eggs.... --Laurie (who thinks patience could be added to Hazel's list of misplaced homonyms) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 07:36:59 -0500 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: New fanfic alert + the critique thread Comments: To: Ccmalo@aol.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 04:25 PM 4/19/99 EDT, C.C. Malo wrote: >I can't decide on the title for this story. --- "Recognition: The Way" [my >original title], or "R: The Rules" or "R: Trust". > Carol, I'm just being facetious because I haven't read it yet, but I immediately thought, "Recognition: The American Way," since the others were Truth and Justice. Sheila ( I told you guys I was slap happy) sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 22:57:11 -0600 Reply-To: erink@ida.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Fanfic Idea In-Reply-To: <19990420040207.64745.qmail@hotmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi FoLCs ;) This was posted to the main Lois & Clark list: >>Tempus escaped from the Kansas Mental Institute or whatever it was >>called > >of course, he was there long enough to write that journal that ends >up in Mazik's hands in "And The Answer Is". I wonder how long he was >in the mental institute? These posts got me thinking. Has anyone ever written a kind of "life and times of Tempus", revealing what happened to him in that Kansas Mental Institution, etc, etc.?? I, for one, would *love* to read a story about this! Maybe it could talk about all the time (days, weeks, months...years) that he's spent plotting to destroy Clark (and Lois?) and how he finds the means to get around to all those times and places. If a story like this hasn't been done, somebody do it, please!! And, NO, don't look at me!!! Erin :) _________________ erink@ida.net ELK on IRC Visit my 1999 Official Kerth Awards Website! http://www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "The truth is, no one knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." _________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 11:22:14 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Celia Carvalho Subject: Re: problem posting -checking Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi, Carol! I did get them all. Celia. Ccmalo%aol.com@interlock.lexmark.com on 20-04-99 00:48:18 Please respond to Ccmalo%aol.com@interlock.lexmark.com To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L%LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU@interlock.lexmark.com cc: Subject: problem posting -checking This is just a check to see if this gets posted to the list -- I sent several parts of a new fanfic this afternoon, but they seem to have disppeared. Carol ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 06:15:31 EDT Reply-To: Zoomway@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 13 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Really great story, CC! Very waffy, great edge-of-the-seat suspense, and it's nearly dawn here, so that's all for now, no spoilers and no critique It was just a wonderful story, the kind I love to read. It also allows me to respond to Demi's comment about reading other fanfic and finding it equally enjoyable. I should have made myself more clear, I'm in it for *this*, for "Lois and Clark" fanfic. I know other fans might have wide-ranging interest in other shows or fandoms and fanfic, but I don't. I only love one thing at a time Zoomway@aol.com (I received all 13 parts, and no attached files ;) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 11:03:59 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Attachments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >>Might I suggest that the dinner trip to Atlanta and run-in with Perry might >>not seem so contrived if the Elvis convention was a surprise to them after >>they arrived. IMHO :) > >Yes, you're right -- this sounded contrived. In fact, the whole incident >sounds so contrived that I'm going to ditch it and just end the story with a >"to be continued." I can write a sequel to tie up loose ends and work the >restaurant scene in later. > A sequel! Yeah! But please, Peggy, make sure that rewritten restaurant scene makes it, because it's one of my favorites. I loved the nod to Perry knowing - although I'm ambivalent about whether he knows the secret or not generally and either way suits me in fanfic, I had been mildly wondering throughout the story whether he did and what the subterfuge was doing to his theories if he'd suspected. I loved the babbling attempt to explain away AltClark's presence to Perry from Clark and Lois and most especially, the line where Clark tells them he's sure Perry knows everything. Except about the AltUniverse. Hope to see that sequel soon! My nominations file for the Kerths 2000 is starting to fill up nicely. ;) LabRat :) >> ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 08:59:00 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Vicki Krell Subject: Re: New Fanfic -- Loises and Clarks, 7 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" The end??? THE END??? ARGH!!!!!! What a fabulous story, Peggy! Please, I'm begging you, please write a sequel! Vicki (who was expecting/hoping for at least 5 or 6 more chapters! I really wanted to see a little more.....some.....er......kissing?? between Alt Clark and Alt Lois!!) Vicki.Krell@asu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 13:23:24 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Patricia Chenenko Subject: Re: Fanfic-a reader's POV MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >We get so >used to having characters 'be' a certain way, act a certain way, etc that >when they don't - some prefer not to read the story - but I have always >believed that there are many many ways to write these characters - even ones >as beloved as Lois and Clark who have been around for 60 years. You just >never know what kind of wonderful new characteristics can be uncovered when a >writer sees them differently than the norm. How true! Consider the consequences if John Byrne and later Debra Joy Levine had not been daring enough to challenge the accepted mythos of our revered super-hero. To the purist, the changes in Lois' and Clark's characters wrought by John Byrne might be considered blasphemous. But, where would any of us be now if he had not worked his magic and re-created Superman? In his own words, John Byrne says of the new Clark Kent (his emphasis): "Now, though, it was *important* to Clark that he convince Lois of his real worth, his human worth. After all, Clark Kent was who he really was, who he'd been most of his life. Superman was just a red and blue suit he wore. He wasn't a real person. That was Clark, the boy raised in Smallville, the man trying to carve a life for himself in Metropolis. A life in which the most important element was a vivacious young woman named Lois Lane." Admittedly a fan of Superman since childhood, John Byrne saw the potential for "wonderful new characteristics" and paved the way for DJL to bring the characters to life in L&C. I can't thank them enough for daring to challenge the "norm" and thereby bringing me years of immense pleasure and enjoyment. Likewise, I thank the many wonderful and talented fanfic writers who preserve, and expand, the world of L&C and keep me coming back for more, day after day. Patty C pchenenko@worldnet.att.net My ICQ# is 7824988 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 14:15:27 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Maggie Subject: the Blooper in Little Man, Super MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is my vote, rename the Blooper, call it "Foreshadowing" and keep that puppy right where it is! :o) Maggie sorry Laurie, meant to send it to the list before, not quite sure how it ended up going just to you the first time ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 22:02:50 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >>You forgot "alright," Elisabeth. ;) >What's wrong with "alright"? Webster says it's acceptable: > Since the early 20th >century some critics have insisted alright is wrong, but it has its defenders >and its users. It is less frequent than all right but remains in common use >especially in journalistic and business publications. It is quite common in >fictional dialogue, and is used occasionally in other writing years of medical school were alright -- Gertrude Stein>. > >Okay, so maybe it doesn't say it's *fine*, but it doesn't really say it's >horribly wrong either. Okay, Kim, I'll concede the point. :) My phobia about "alright" dates back to 8th grade, when a teacher lambasted me for using it; other than that, though, I think it simply gets on my nerves. It *looks* wrong to me. At one of my former publishing companies, they actually changed "all right" to "alright." It drove me nuts, and I ended up re-structuring my sentences to avoid the use of the phrase entirely. :) Still, Kim, Webster's says it's *okay*, not proper. I admit that it's not enough to make me delete a fanfic. It just makes me roll my eyes. :) To add a bit from another thread entirely: I envy April's ability to simply enjoy a story without worrying about its readability. I've never been able to do that, even before I started publishing myself. Grammar and spelling are always going to affect how much I enjoy a story. But to answer a different question, we're not all fanfic writers here -- I'm not one either, no matter what I do in RL (although I'd like to be, if I can, and maybe I actually will write one someday. And way to go, Irene!). I think it's simply that the names we remember on the posts -- Kathy, Zoom, Wendy, Margaret, Erin, etc. -- are the names we recognize in the first place, the ones we associate with fond thoughts of the wonderful hours of reading they've given us. Hazel We could have a contest of ridiculous homonyms if we'd like (peak and peek snuck into that last RR when no one was looking...) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 14:23:51 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Mr. D8a" Subject: Re: Help Please MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email Neither do I and home schooling is not for every child. But I could see Clark doing it. With frequent trips to the supply room, of course. MR. D8A A.K.A. James Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Please visit and explore my house at: http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 mailto:mr_d8a@yahoo.com From: Jocelyn R Hoffman [mailto:dreaminglight@YAHOO.COM] Just had to say something here. I was homeschooled and I loved it. But would Lois be patient enough to teach? I don't really think so. ~Jocelyn === Jocelyn R Hoffman dreaminglight@yahoo.com jocelynr@hotmail.com ICQ # 17261915 <>< _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 16:06:36 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gillian B Tanz Subject: Re: Dean's CA accent Nicole- Thanks for that very detailed explanation! :) Very helpful indeed :) -Jill aka AlienDove- who thinks that if she ever meets Dean in person the first thing she'll say to him is "Could you say 'the fox is on the loose'?" AlienDove@juno.com my webpage: http://members.tripod.com/~AlienDove/index.html The truth is nobody knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not years that count, it's the moments. Right now, as they happen." - Clark Kent in "Brutal Youth"~~**~~ "You still my girl?" "Always." - Angel to Buffy in "Enemies." On Fri, 9 Apr 1999 09:51:48 +0200 NKWolke writes: >Hi Folcs :-) >Oh dear, that's a really difficult request you have for me here, Jill! > >I wrote: >>>>I always say that if someone called me pretending he was Dean Cain, >I would >let him say "Because the fox is on the loose" and I would instantly >know if that >someone was an imposter or the real guy . I'm sure nobody else >could >pronnounce "because", "fox" and "loose" like that!<<< > >and Jill answered: >>>> Nicole- I was wondering if you could write out (phoenetically) how >you would >expect Dean to say "because the fox is on the loose". Like some other >FoLCs, I >never much noticed Dean's accent, and for some reason I can't hear in >my head how >it would sound if he said that phrase. Guess you've just got me >curious now >;-)<<< > >I can't write phonetically but I can try to describe what I mean. Let >me first >say though, that I have no idea if it is and "accent-thing" or just >*Dean* . >Actually I would be disappointed if it was just an specific accent, >because then >my wonderful theory about being able to discover Dean-imposters would >be worth >nothing! > >Okay, here it goes. Let's start with his pronnounciation of certain >vowels (I >don' even know if that's the right word for it... I mean "a" "o" "u" >etc.) > >I learned in school to pronnounce the "au" in "because" like the "au" >in >"Claude". Dean's "because" though is totally different. The "cause" >sounds more >like "us" only a little bit longer. > >His pronnounciation of "The Fox" is even harder to describe. It's a >vowel we >don't have here in Germany and it's neither an "o" nor an "u". It's >somewhere in >between. > >The most typical thing in his pronnounciation isn't his usage of >vowels though, >but his consonants. He doesn't use hard consonants at all and he takes >his >time especially for the smooth consonants. The "s" in "because" the >"f" and the >"x" in "the fox" and the finally the "s" in "loose" sound extremely >smooth >and they all slur together a little bit. Furthermore he has this >"melody" in his >sentences (You know in the sentence "because the fox is on the loose" >it's like >ta-da-da-*dam* ta-da-da-*dam* ) all the time, it all sounds very >smooth and >melodic. > >It's very different from Perry's talking for example he has much more >growling in >his pronnounciation, every word sounds if there was an "r" in it. And >the >"melody" is very different, too. His speech-melody sounds more like a >galloping >horse all the time, you know like ta-*dam* ta-*dam* ta-*dam*. > >BTW speaking of accents. Does anybody know where the actor who played >Bill Church >senior (I can't remember the name right now) comes from? He doesn't >sound >american to me, he more sounds like my husband trying to speak english >, with >his chopped talking. One exmple that comes to my mind is his sentence >"Son, it's >so good to see you". Night and day from Dean's way to talk!! > >Okay, hope this helped :) >take care >Nicole (just to think of Dean slurring the words together makes me >drool ) >AKA CKgroupie on IRC >NKWolke@t-online.de > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 21:45:59 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Just wanted to say I'm pleased as punch that my very first message provoked such interesting responses. If I ever get time, I'll do a count of how many are 'in the closet' and how many are out in the open, although at the moment I'd say the majority only go as far as sharing with their partners. I'm dying to know from you, 'ninety-six and i planted poppies' or kubitc@KENYON.EDU, what your former English professor thought of the fanfic you showed him/her? Cheers, Yvonne (yconnell@ukf.net) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 16:11:14 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dennis A Arendt Subject: Re: Characters MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I, for one like Lois and Clark in character. And the reason is all the wonderful fanfics that have been written. you fanfic writers have expanded these characters so very well that changing them and not recognizing them would seem........................odd. Brenda ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 16:42:22 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dennis A Arendt Subject: Re: Colorado MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Anyone in the area of this Denver high School shooting, I need you to know that my prayers and hopes are with you now. Brenda ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 18:00:58 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Attachments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: LabRat > I loved the nod to Perry >knowing - although I'm ambivalent about whether he knows the secret or not >generally and either way suits me in fanfic, I had been mildly wondering >throughout the story whether he did and what the subterfuge was doing to his >theories if he'd suspected. Thanks for the feedback! I'm convinced that Perry knows Clark's secret because of the way he acted at the end of WHALLTA and in Lethal Weapon. At the end of WHALLTA, he smiled composedly and very knowingly (I thought) when Superman asked Lois to go with him (this after Perry jumped all over Clark for letting Scardino get "one paw in the chicken coop"). In Lethal Weapon Perry seemed to be hesitant about letting Lois know about the destruction Superman had wreaked downtown, and was quite shamefaced when Clark said later that "Superman" would put in a good word for Jerry. Maybe I'm "reaching" in my interpretation of the Lethal Weapon scenes, but anyway, that's how I *like* to read those scenes! Like you, though, I could go either way as far as fanfiction goes. Whatever fits with the story is fine with me. :) Peggy :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 17:54:51 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Attachments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Tull, James [CORP/STL] >FYI > Yahoo mail thought all of Peggy's were attachments. But MS Outlook >handled it fine. > > This thread is good for those that have not posted a story yet(we're >working hard to get to that point!)because it reminds us that not all tech >is created equally. > I finally found the problem -- I think. You were right, Sheila, that my HTML coding was turned on, which more than doubled the size of my emails and added all those HTML tags. (I won't go into the trouble I had trying to determine if it was off or on, and how to turn it off and why it was sometimes off and sometimes on depending on who I was posting to and whether I was replying to one of their emails or creating an entirely new email!) Anyway, I've re-configured my email and want to give my apologies to everyone, and especially to those of you who received garbage from me two or even three times! Peggy gremlino@pathway.net >From Cathy, by Cathy Guisewite: Cathy: "I don't understand how computers work." Man: "*Understand??*" You'll *never* understand them! You're not *supposed* to understand them! You may eventually get one of them to do a few things you want it to ... ... but *understand??* *NO!* No one will ever actually understand them! Cathy: << No wonder men have such a natural affinity for electronics. >> ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 17:38:11 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dennis A Arendt Subject: Re: New Fanfic, untitled MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Great story, I got so involved that I had to print a copy of the last part to keep my neck from breaking because stopping was not an option. Brenda ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:40:59 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Fanfic - A Reader's POV MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey April! >::::coming out of lurkdom for a few ::::: > You should do that more often. Interesting post. But I have a question - am I the only one on this list >that doesn't write fanfic? I doubt it. > >Are other writers more critical than those of us that just read to read - >mainly for the entertainment value? Do I, for example, look for different >things in a story than a fellow writer might be looking for?..... I was just wondering what you all thought as >well. > Me, I tend to just read. I can be put off of a story by my own prejudices - don't like script dialogue, don't like first person narrative, but I've overcome some of them recently. The Amazing Adventures of Wanda Detroit cured me of the latter. Think what i could have missed out on? And did, actually. I gave up on reading that one after the first paragraph first time around and only tackled it again on the urging of several friends. What can I say? I'm an idiot. Other things irk me like writers putting injokes among their friends or information that could easily have been inserted into the narrative in parenthasis within the prose. 'Lois was wearing her red dress (think the one she wore in that episode were that woman was trying to kill her')' for example or 'Clark picked up the coffee mug (it was in that cupboard second from the right). But we all have our own little bugbears that make us roll our eyes and click our tongues impatiently. Not much can make me stop reading a story outright. Being a writer in other words doesn't automatically I don't think make you more critical or stop you from being purely a reader when you pick up another's story. Some of us are more grammar conscious, others aren't. I'm in the latter. I like a story to be typo free and grammatically correct to the point where it makes sense, but it bothers me not one whit thereafter. Don't tell me that ellipsis only have three periods not six. I know that. But three doesn't give me the pause I need. Looks dumb. I can be incredibly stubborn in that area and won't always follow the accepted rule if it ticks me off, unless I'm dragged to it, kicking and screaming all the way. It took me 8 years to accept that I had to use 'till' instead of 'til. Where's the sense in that? It's a shortened form of until, isn't it? Finally I caved in under pressure, but it took a time. I was plain, mean-dog digging my heels in up till that point. I will say that I was pleased recently to hear >from a friend that her writing guide now claims that the new standard form is one space after a period, colon, etc. Excellent! *Finally* I become fashionable by default, since I never used two spaces anyway just on principle. ;) >On this whole critiquing/rewriting issue: > >Many of my favorite authors are on *this* list! There have been some >incredible stories written about Lois and Clark. Maybe people, like myself, >should take more time to write the authors - maybe it is ignorance on my part >not realizing the importance of that type of feedback. We can always do with having our egos stroked. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can wonder for months what she did wrong on a particular story if she gets no feedback on it whatsoever. And, as I've said already here and elsewhere, even negative criticism is often inspiring. It just has to be worded gently, as others have pointed out. :D I must confess that I have a hard time mentioning any major criticisms of another's stories. I will cheerfully point out typos or plot holes, but if I really hated something I'm not keen. It always feels to me like strangling someone's baby. > >As it has already been mentioned a few times - writing is an 'art' form - an >outlet if you will - for people to express themselves freely. I guess I >always thought "Who am I to say anything about another's creative process." > If a writer portrays L&C, for example, in such a way that I don't like or >agree with - that doesn't necessarily mean either is right or wrong - the >perspectives are just different. > Who are you? Well, some might say just the most important person in the entire chain, Hazel. I know some writers who write only for themselves. A friend of mine only distributes her amazing fanfic (not LNC) to close friends and even we have to beg. Once she has the story out of her system it mostly gets dumped in the depths of the closet, never again to see the light of day. But most write, I presume, for the same reasons I do. Because we like to share when we think we've got a good idea and we want our stories to be read by people who understand our love for the characters and share our desire to have more adventures. And without readers, where would any of us be? I agree about differing perspectives - that's what makes fanfic so interesting for me. I don't always agree with the characterisations, although I have always been firmly of the belief that you can make a character do anything - and I mean anything - *providing* you set the situation up properly in advance and provide the right stimulus and incentive for the character to take the course he does. In SF, of course, that's even easier to do. A mysterious potion or bodyswap or mind control implant can make a character do all manner of things he wouldn't normally consider. But variety is the spice of life. >In the "rewriting" discussion - why would you *want* to rewrite another's >work? Why not just write your own "vision" instead of trying to turn >someone else's story into the way you think it should be? Well, it *can* be a force for positive good. Not always but sometimes. I've read a lot of fic from all kinds of fandoms that were sparked off by the writer reading another's story and thinking now what if.....and taking the premise just that step further, exploring and building on the core idea. Some marvellous stories have resulted, that the fanfic world would be the poorer for not having seen. I have to admit that until recently, I'd never known anyone in that situation not to contact the original author first and ask permission - it just wasn't something that ever came up. No one would ever think not to - and I've been a little startled by this new development as pointed up here on the list. I still think it's a simple case of good manners to ask. I think most writers are as curious to see what is done with the concept they originated as the rest of us. I would be. Might be. Some people have far better imaginations than I do. > >If you go through the L&C archive - there are many stories that are similiar >- and that is ok - from a reader's POV. Just because they may have some of >the same ideas doesn't mean people won't read them or that one story is >better than the other. To me - that could cause a stifling of the creative >process if people can't express themselves as they see it. Also, it seems >to me that if people are afraid of what others might say about their work or >whether others are going to rewrite you - then I would think that creative >process within yourself would suffer. I don't think writers are necessarily afraid, Hazel. There can be a danger in that if you listen too closely to your critics, you will start changing your style to suit and lose the plot completely. You have to remain true to yourself, while bending a little where necessary. Compromise. As true in writing as anywhere else in the world, I guess. But you can't bend too far. You can't let your creative abilities be stifled by wondering if your story will end up being savaged or your original characters twisted into something unrecognizable that you loath by someone else when they read it or even plagarized and end up on a website somewhere under someone else's name. Again, as in all areas of life, there are dangers and hazards, but you can't let that stop you. And, to be honest, I think many writers are the same as me - it's not a question of will we or won't we? That story idea hits, boy, if you don't get it out of your head and down on paper you're cooked. We have to write. No option. > >IMHO, you have to write for *you* first and foremost and if the masses like >it - then all the better - but if they don't - that is okay too as it was >obviously something you had within yourself that you need to get out! I >think that holds true whether it be writing, drawing, acting, music, whatever >your interests are. Maybe I am naive in my thinking here since I am not a >writer. > Absolutely not, Hazel! This has always been my credo through the years. And many professional writers have shared your view. C.S. Lewis, Agatha Christie, even, if I recall correctly, H.G. Wells were all on record as saying that they began writing because they couldn't find the stories they wanted to read and so wrote them themselves since no one else would. Others wrote for children in their family because they couldn't find the stories they wanted. Thank you for making my early morning so interesting, Hazel. Stop lurking and post more often. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris > LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 19:14:19 EDT Reply-To: Zoomway@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/20/99 7:32:59 AM Central Daylight Time, Larus2407@AOL.COM writes: << P.S. Then there's always "peak" for "pique," right Zoom? >> Woohoo, that's my fave! (okay, along with "rye" grin..or is that grain? ;) I love when people give me a set up to tell my old boring stories In one fanfic, before I sent it to the editor, I had typed "peak" instead of "peek". Now "peak" can mean "to reach a climax" whereas "peek" means to "steal a glance". So when I wrote Clark telling Lois, "I was never tempted to *peak* until I met you" It meant something a whole lot different from what I had intended! Not that my typo might not also be valid where Clark was concerned, but just not what I had meant ;) For those who would like help with grammar, I'd suggest (thanks, Georgia): http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html This is a fun page and puts to rest a lot of "etched in stone" notions of what is and what is not "good grammar". If you've ever suffered over the verb taking the subjunctive case or fretted over whether or not to split an infinitive, end a sentence in a preposition, start a sentence with a conjunction, it's all there. You'll even learn why there's no "Whoms" in "Whoville" ;) As to words like "peek", "peak" and "pique", I think it often is the "default settings" our fingers and minds have on the most commonly typed words and not the writer misunderstanding the differences between them. You can see this all the time on IRC where people type live on the channel. As soon as someone sees their mistake (typo) appear on the channel, they realize their mistake and so will then type "there=their" simply because that person may more often have to type "there" than "their" and when we hear "there", "their" and "they're" in our heads, they all *sound* the same. For example, I'm not likely to type "maid" for "made" simply because I rarely have the occasion to use the word maid. However, a friend who is a hotel accountant, and thus deals with "maid" as a ledger entry all day long, sent me an e-mail in which he wrote, "that maid me so mad" ;) Another example of "finger default" setting is "an" and "and". I do this one *chronically* ...sigh, and it ticks me off Worst of all, "Lois" and "Clark" have now likewise become default settings for my fingers. I've typed "Lois Angeles" and "St. Lois, Missouri". I've typed "five o'clark in the afternoon" (that's a great part of the day, eh? ;) With words such as "lose" (not win, or to misplace) and "loose" (not tight, or to unleash) I think the writer is being influenced by "choose" because of the *sound*. Since "choose" has two "O"s and is pronounced "chooz", the writer might assume that a word pronounced "looz" would be spelled with a double O as well. If you always mix these words up, just type "lose". 9 out of 10 times, it'll be the right choice..if you so choose Most of this can be avoided by having the writer contact a good editor, and once it's edited, send it out to a few beta readers. Beta readers are those who volunteer to read a story before it hits this list or the archive looking for "trouble spots" in your story. Sending your story out to three or four beta readers is great, because even though they all might have favorite or least favorite spots in your story, if all or most of them find the *same* area to be awkward or confusing, then it's a good bet you need to work on that area. Much younger writers on the list may have a tougher time of it if they're still in school and still learning grammar. When I said I was more forgiving of less than stellar grammar, it's usually in the case of a very young writer, or if English is not the native language of a writer (though Nicky >from Germany is astounding in her excellent grasp of English). I try to see the "story" he/she was trying to tell despite the errors. Storytelling is an art that predates the written word, and so that's where I start looking. I always write them privately in hopes of encouraging them by telling them what I liked about their story and to tell them how many mistakes I've made and how much an editor has helped and continues to help me look a lot better ;) Zoomway@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 17:17:21 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Subject: Re: Characters In-Reply-To: <79C7BC7656CBD21190910008C7FA82ED211A15@mxsemrstl01.emotors .com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 03:43 PM 04/19/1999 -0500, you wrote: [snip] >That was fun I agree! :D >James >Core Personality Type: Otter/Lion/Golden Retriever mix with Beaver >tendencies;-) Yeah, but what about the female wombat?? Debby :) Debby@swcp.com hummingbird (a surprising little creature with a lot of attitude ;) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 18:28:36 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Farah Meitzen Chisham Subject: Sorry about this guys (was Re: hate crime petition for Matt Shepard.) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Okay, I have to put my foot down on this one. No one is to send anything like this to the list. This isn't even close to Off Topic and it won't be tolerated. Sorry you had to get this on your email. Please don't respond to this on the list or I will hurt you. I know people name Guido. farah :) farah@chisham.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 03:23:48 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Re: Fanfic - A Reader's POV In-Reply-To: <00b901be8b81$24b16480$409f01d4@default> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Thank you for making my early morning so interesting, Hazel. Stop lurking >and post more often. I wish I could take the credit, but it was April, not me. :) I'm the one who was muttering about stories posted without going through a good editor first. But as long as you presented me with the opportunity here... (3 dots, you note, and quite evidently sufficient ) Those of you who've met me on the IRC know that I am rather unique as a FoLC -- I don't own a TV or VCR and have never actually seen a single ep of LnC. And yet I call myself a FoLC. It was *your* fanfiction that did that (by "your," I mean all the authors on the archive and this list). Is your characterization untrue to the series? I couldn't say. :) I can only compare to other fanfics, and I must say that for the most part, you all seem to have shared the same general vision -- and what a nice one it was! A general salute to all of you for introducing me to a truly lovely universe. As a RL author, though, I *do* tend to be somewhat critical. This is prolly because (IMHO) more people are writing because they want to *do* something with Lois and Clark than because they want to write. They're entitled to write it and post it. I'm entitled to not read it if I so choose. No one is trying to create a "quality threshold" (and I think we passed the "quanitity threshold some time ago ). So what's my POV as reader? Thanks to all the wonderful authors out there -- "oldtimers" like Margaret and Zoom and Debby, "newcomers" like Wendy and Irene (and the many, many more I'm not mentioning because my brain just froze). And thanks to those whose stories I might not have enjoyed as much, simply because you gave another glimpse at LnC. Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 18:50:58 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: new fanfic: The Best Bargain 2/2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > (The Best Bargain, part two of two) > By Christine Carr > c.carr@virgin.net Christine, I loved your story. I must confess, in the hecticness that is my life, I missed the part from Clark's point of view and would really appreciate it if you could send it to me privately at mandyc@lcc.net. That aside, I really enjoyed this look into Lois's feelings after they became engaged. It's something I don't think the series ever delved deep enough into. I'm one of those people that loves to get inside a character's head and feel what they are feeling and in that few minutes that I read your story, you gave me that. I could feel Lois's elation at being so deeply loved by Clark and it made me sniffle more than once. Really, you did a wonderful job, and thank you for writing such a great story :) Mandy Crustner mandyc@lcc.net ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 19:50:13 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dennis A Arendt Subject: Re: voting poll MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm sorry to post this to the list, but can anyone tell me where the "beautiful men" poll is? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 20:53:06 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sandy McDermin Subject: In Praise of My Editors, Et Al. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear List: After the horrendous news of today, I hardly think there's a thing I have to say that's very important. However, earlier at work, I composed a message I wanted to send when I got home. So, that's what I'll do. > In a message dated 99-04-19 18:19:45 EDT, smcdermin@EROLS.COM writes: > > << But, the > question is, do I keep the blooper in? What do you think? >> > > I think... YES. As I told you, I had noticed it, but thought it was done on > purpose (by you, not by Clark) and it is the sort of slip he might make and > hope he never gets caught on. > > --Laurie Laurie, thank you so much for reminding me of something. I've been very, *very* negligent -- not about remembering that you had answered me on this question before -- but on something else. When I posted my message about the bloopers in "Little Man, Super," I neglected to make clear that these "errors" were in no way a reflection on the wonderful proofers (Laurie, Leanne, Kate, and Genevieve for her grammar research) who had helped me with the story, nor even a reflection on myself. We're all human and there is no way in this world that we're going to be perfect. I must have read that story 5 times over and still managed to miss a few things. As a matter of fact, I missed the blooper referred to above, and I'm the *only* one who would have known it was an error. As you point out, Laurie, you and my other very generous and skillful editors (and I say that sincerely), thought I meant it to be there. You flattered me by assuming me cleverer than I am -- dangerous assumption. How dare you trust me! This leads me to another point. When I began work on S5 and we were assigned editors from those who had volunteered to be a part of the project, I was a bit nervous. Laurie was the person assigned to me, and I knew absolutely nothing about her. Well, it turned out to be one of the most fortuitous pairings. I couldn't have asked for someone who was more capable, patient, and insistent -- when need be. I think we produced a pretty darn, good story together. I was so satisfied with the result, in fact, that I asked Laurie to work on my next story, "Little Man, Super," and was very happy when she agreed. My work with her on "Charity Begins at Home" made me realize that it might not be a bad idea to invite a fresh point of view into your group of regular proofers -- perhaps challenging you in new ways. A fresh point of view.... That's the one side benefit you can be assured of getting, from those who take the time to comment on a story you've written, and I thank all who have taken the time to comment on mine over the years. Sandy smcdermin@erols.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 01:55:56 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Here's a curious thing. For the second time today, my post went to the person who wrote the original message I was replying to, (April this morning, now this one to Zoom) instead of back to the list, despite my just hitting RTA as usual. I got a confirmation message saying it had successfully gone to the list, but when I later checked through my 'sent' folder they were filed under April and Zoom's eddresses instead. Weird. Is this happening to anyone else or is it just me? Oh, and apologies for confusing you with April, Hazel - and vice versa. I was put off by the misdirection of the message I think. LabRat :) I wrote: LOL, Zoom. At least you're not alone. I suspect most of us have one of those skeletons in our closets. My favorite, which I came across in a non-LNC fanfic some years ago, was 'She had tied her hair in plates.' Which brought up an image so bizarre I couldn't deal with the romantic elements of the moonlight tryst that the writer went on to describe at all. So when I wrote Clark telling Lois, "I was never tempted to *peak* >until I met you" It meant something a whole lot different from what I had >intended! Not that my typo might not also be valid where Clark was >concerned, but just not what I had meant ;) > >For those who would like help with grammar, I'd suggest (thanks, Georgia): > > http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html > What a wonderful little site! Thanks for the directions. I'd recommend it, even just for the fun of wandering through. >As to words like "peek", "peak" and "pique", I think it often is the "default >settings" our fingers and minds have on the most commonly typed words and not >the writer misunderstanding the differences between them. I think this is definitely true. It should never IMO be assumed that a writer doesn't know the difference. Typos and bad keyboard days happen to us all. Which is why, as you say, good proofers are as gold dust. Take care! LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 21:28:48 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Margaret Brignell Subject: Re: the "critique" thing In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 07:56 PM 4/19/1999 EDT, Zoomway wrote: >I think the reason that this is a "two schools of thought" type of debate >regarding "critique" is that there are two different points of view on why we >write fanfic. Some who write fanfic may hold out dreams of one day becoming >professional writers. In that case, an "in depth" critique could be of great >value to them. For others however, writing fanfic is used as a unique form >of fan expression. In fact, Lois and Clark could be the first show that ever >moved them or touched them deeply enough to want to express that affection in >a creative way. Yes, Zoomway, that would be me I had *never* written any fiction until I came across Lois & Clark:) >On the issue of critique itself, what I'm hearing from those who want to >critique and those who want to be critiqued, is that they both feel this is >for the purpose of "helping". That is, the person who wants to critique >claims she does so to help writers and those who want to be critiqued say >they would find it helpful. That's great, but always remember that "help" is >something that should be *offered* or *asked* for and not something *forced* >on anyone. Thank you, Zoom. This is *exactly* what I was trying to get across about public critiques. >>>"To be or not to be: that is the question:<< > >Okay, Bill, I'd suggest replacing the colon with a question mark. Then you >will not have to state "that is the question" because it will be clearly >worded and marked as such. Also, this next bit: LOL! This cracked me up! And, *so* true to life On Mon, 19 Apr 1999 21:34:21 +0100 Yvonne Connell wrote: > If you publish >your story - wherever you publish it - you are making a statement in a >public forum, and you have to accept the consequences of doing so. Why? I have been writing L&C fanfic for several years now, this is the *first* year that the concept that I *should* be publically criticized has ever come up. FoLC have been very kind to me. They write and tell me that they like my stories, they write and tell me (in a nice way) that I'm definitely nuts But they have *always* had the courtesy to talk to me "face-to-face" so that I can explain any problems they've had with the story or apologize for goofing. (I've met some really great friends because they wrote to me and told me what they considered "wrong" in one of my stories, and we progressed onto other things) The only public "critique" of my fic that I can remember was with the last part of "Only You" which had a lot of people demanding to know when "heck" the next part would be out because I ended it with a cliff-hanger;\ (I'll never make *that* mistake again I had fully expected to have the next part out within a few weeks. I guessed *wrong*;p) >As to whether to criticise in public or not - I find it surprising amongst >such a bunch of sensible, reasonable, sensitive people that we need to even >discuss that. For me it's a matter of privacy and consideration. I feel more comfortable "talking" to people one-on-one. Zoomway said it very succinctly: >always remember that "help" is >something that should be *offered* or *asked* for and not something *forced* >on anyone. Thank you Zoomway for telling it like it is:) Margaret glad her computer came back from the shop as quickly as it did, and *without* that annoying grinding noise:) ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 21:57:51 EDT Reply-To: MsLoisette@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: voting poll MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I think the Beautiful Men addy is http://www.freevote.com/booth/bmen If that doesn't work, let me know. Alexis ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 17:58:56 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sue Modolo Subject: Christians on Line Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Drum roll, please. After spending the past two weeks changing over from hotmail to apexmail - I am pleased to annouce that the Christian LNC list at onelist is FINALLY ready for people to join. It is called LNCChristian. So everyone who emailed me about it, join. Thanks. Sue ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 22:30:07 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-20 15:50:37 EDT, zis-s@ACTCOM.CO.IL writes: << We could have a contest of ridiculous homonyms if we'd like (peak and peek snuck into that last RR when no one was looking...) >> That sound like fun . But seriously, maybe we could make up a reference list for fanfic writers to consult like a FAQ. --Laurie (the Ord one) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 22:39:25 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit While we are bemoaning the lack of spell checking in some fan fiction, let us not forget that many of the examples could easily have passed a spell checker. Loose for lose, shutter for shudder, etc. would all be considered acceptable by my spell checker. They are words, just the wrong words. This is the reason that people need proofreaders and editors: to catch the use of homophones or words that are close in spelling, but not meaning. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 22:54:43 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Fanfic Idea MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Along with the idea of exploring the life and times of Tempus, does anyone have any ideas about how he managed to make a time machine of his own to get out of 1866? As I recall, in Tempus Fugitive, he makes the statement that he needs "Herb" to run the machine because he has a complete lack of technological no-how. Nevertheless, by Tempus Anyone? he had managed to escape and make the machine which could change dimensions as well as time. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:00:34 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/20/99 9:00:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, labrat@UKF.NET writes: << Here's a curious thing. For the second time today, my post went to the person who wrote the original message I was replying to, (April this morning, now this one to Zoom) instead of back to the list, despite my just hitting RTA as usual. I got a confirmation message saying it had successfully gone to the list, but when I later checked through my 'sent' folder they were filed under April and Zoom's eddresses instead. Weird. Is this happening to anyone else or is it just me? >> It's been happening to me today, too, Labrat. I thought I was making some sort of mistake. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:12:59 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Demona (Angel Of The Night)" Subject: Re: Grammar Guides In-Reply-To: <4c1dd0dc.244e922f@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:30 PM 20/04/1999 EDT, you wrote: >That sound like fun . But seriously, maybe we could make up a reference >list for fanfic writers to consult like a FAQ. >--Laurie (the Ord one) I think, in terms of grammar, there are already so many very comprehensive sites on the WWW for authors to consult, that even if we were to put together another text book on the subject, we would probably not be able to scratch the surface of the topic as well as has already been done. Not without spending at least several months gleaning from manuals and other such third party texts, at least. ;) If you're looking for something easy to follow, the one which Zoom pointed out (on behalf of Georgia :) is a very entertaining way to read up on the issue. Additionally, one web page I've visited myself in the past is: DangerMom's Grammar Guide: http://members.aol.com/DangerMom/guide.html It's very easy to follow, which I love; written by a fanfic author, for other fanfic authors, which I also love.. ;) And while it's not the most comprehensive guide ever assembled, I do think it has more than enough to set any confused or curious soul well on their way. Like Dangermom's page, there are also hundreds of others on the net for entrepreneurial FoLCs to look up using search engines like ALTAVISTA or EXCITE, and key phrases such as: grammar guide. ;) Demi ___________________________________________ Demi aka Demona nightangel@home.com http://fantasia.simplenet.com/lcfantasy/ "Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember.." - 'Anastasia' (excerpt: 'Once Upon A December') I went to the doctor, I went to the mountain. I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain. There's more than one answer to these questions, pointing me in a crooked line. The less I seek my source for some definitive The closer I am to fine. - Indigo Girls ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 21:42:23 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yvonne wrote: > The thing is, I've been talking to a fellow fanfic writer about who amongst > our friends and family know that we write L&C fanfic, and I got to > wondering what the rest of you do. Are you all bolder than brass, tell > everyone types, or are there some 'closet' fanfic writers out there like > me? Well, I'm lucky enough to have two wonderful parents who watch LnC with me every chance they get. They're not as obsessed as I am, but they've both admitted to me that they really like the show. So, yeah, I've told them. I think they thought it was strange at first and when I mentioned the Kerths and that I was presenting an award, I got some pretty akward looks from them, but now that I've written *so* much and my mom has sat down and read a few of my shorter pieces, they accept it and they're even interested in what I'm doing. However, the other day, my best friend from High School came by and she was laughing about all of my Superman paraphenalia, which is nothing new, and I metioned that I had written some Lois and Clark stories and she said, "I don't believe you!" so, I surfed over to the archive and showed her my name with my 8 stories underneath and she said, "That's *so* crazy! Why do you do that?" And you know, I really couldn't explain it other than to say, "I love this show and these characters and I want to be a part of them living on, even without the series." She continued to look at me strangely and just laughed in my face! Oh well, after I got over the initial shock of someone I'd grown up with, and someone I thought would accept me no matter what, laughing at me, I realized I didn't really care. I've met people in FoLCdom that understand me (Hey! You know who you are! ), I've learned so many things about writing that I never cared to learn in school, and I've found something that I enjoy more than just about anything I've ever done in my life. So, that's really all that matters to me anymore. After that experience, I might not ever tell anyone else about my fan writing, but hey, then again, I might, what do I care what they think? :) Mandy Crustner mandyc@lcc.net ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:43:47 EDT Reply-To: AStory2873@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: April Story Subject: Listserv Reply... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-20 23:08:41 EDT, you write: << In a message dated 4/20/99 9:00:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, labrat@UKF.NET writes: << Here's a curious thing. For the second time today, my post went to the person who wrote the original message I was replying to, (April this morning, now this one to Zoom) instead of back to the list, despite my just hitting RTA as usual. I got a confirmation message saying it had successfully gone to the list, but when I later checked through my 'sent' folder they were filed under April and Zoom's eddresses instead. Weird. Is this happening to anyone else or is it just me? >> It's been happening to me today, too, Labrat. I thought I was making some sort of mistake. Ann ----------------------- Headers -------------------------------- >> Ummmm I am not sure if this makes any difference or not - but this has actually been going on for a few days now - I went back and looked at a few posts and it seems that if we are on AOL that the Reply To: area is the author's addy but if you send email to the listserv from an internet account - it is just as it should be. Is there anything that can be changed in the settings of the listserv to set it back to the way it was with the listserv addy in the reply to for all email addys? April ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 22:58:00 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Farah Meitzen Chisham Subject: Re: Listserv Reply... Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I emailed the listserv admin at IU and they said there were some minor problems, but to just give them some tim. They're working on it. >Ummmm I am not sure if this makes any difference or not - but this has >actually been going on for a few days now - I went back and looked at a few >posts and it seems that if we are on AOL that the Reply To: area is the >author's addy but if you send email to the listserv from an internet account >- it is just as it should be. > >Is there anything that can be changed in the settings of the listserv to set >it back to the way it was with the listserv addy in the reply to for all >email addys? farah :) farah@chisham.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:20:54 -0500 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: Poor Grammar in Fanfic In-Reply-To: <4c1dd0dc.244e922f@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:30 PM -0400 4/20/99, No Name Available wrote: >In a message dated 99-04-20 15:50:37 EDT, zis-s@ACTCOM.CO.IL writes: > ><< We could have a contest of ridiculous homonyms if we'd like (peak and peek > snuck into that last RR when no one was looking...) >> > >That sound like fun . But seriously, maybe we could make up a reference >list for fanfic writers to consult like a FAQ. There actually is one on the Fanfic Archive site (under the FAQ link? I can't remember now). I put it together in the fall of 1997, however, and it is need of updating. I came up with as many of these homonyms as I could off the top of my head, but I was given several more in the first several weeks after it went up. Hopefully we'll get it updated this summer. So, for those of you that have these pet peeves, send them to me at LCStories@cryogen.com! I have a file of them saved for inclusion in the future update! :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:28:49 -0500 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: Fanfic - A Reader's POV In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.19990421032348.00797100@actcom.co.il> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 3:23 AM +0300 4/21/99, Hazel Brown wrote: >Those of you who've met me on the IRC know that I am rather unique as a >FoLC -- I don't own a TV or VCR and have never actually seen a single ep of >LnC. And yet I call myself a FoLC. It was *your* fanfiction that did that >(by "your," I mean all the authors on the archive and this list). Is your >characterization untrue to the series? I couldn't say. :) I can only >compare to other fanfics, and I must say that for the most part, you all >seem to have shared the same general vision -- and what a nice one it was! >A general salute to all of you for introducing me to a truly lovely universe. Wow, Hazel, this is amazing! I did know of one #loiscla regular a couple years ago who had never seen the show, but it was someone else. And he didn't read fanfic either. ;) If I may ask, how did you start reading L&C fanfic if you've never seen the show? Do you have a close RL friend who is a FoLC that turned you onto it? Do you have any interest in seeing real episodes of the show someday? Have you educated yourself on the episodes even though you've never seen them? My ears (er, eyes ;)) always perk up when someone I haven't "met" mentions they frequent IRC. What is your nickname there, if I might ask? Have we met before and I just didn't make the connection? You really bowled me over with this information--how wonderful! Another great compliment to L&C fanfic. :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 22:00:33 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rachel Ernst Subject: Re: New Fanfic: Recognition: untitled, part 13 of 13 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi CC What a wonderful story! Sure, by reading it I missed a few good hours in which I could have been studying for finals, but reading your story makes cramming completely worth it! Spoiler space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I just loved the part when Martha shows Lois the family photo album! This is classic Martha, and also cute because we see Clark's embarassment and Lois's enjoyment of his childhood stories. Also, it was fun to have Clark show Lois around the farm in Smallville. He was able to share his love of Kansas with Lois, who is finally learning to accept that "Nowheresville" could actually be a nice place! Oh, and thanks for having Sam save Superman (when he had that awful chip in his brain. I was on the edge of my seat wondering how that situation would be resolved!). When I was originally reading the story, I was afraid that Sam would get involved in some evil plot and further alienate Lois. Luckily, you portrayed him as a good guy, who did ditch his daughters for a lunch date, but gave them a good reason to rekindle their sisterly bonds! So anyway, thanks for a wonderful story (and a wonderful reason to procrastinate). It drew me in through all 13 parts, keeping me guessing and smiling and cheering for the happy ending!! Bravo, Sheriff Rachel (who is NOT pregnant, but glad that Smallville's Sheriff Rachel is! Nice touch!) _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 01:08:49 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Oops - please don't read previous fanfic submitted -read this first! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Irene wrote: > Hey guys, > > Oops, I made a mistake. Somehow, an unedited version of 'Broccoli > Dancing' made it into my previous email. This version is not hugely > different but has a little teaser for my next fanfic. > > I apologize to those who have already read the story. You won't > notice many differences in this one. > > Take care, > Irene Irene, I just finished this story and I must say, it was just as good as 'Firestorm.' I'd love to see more dealing with your creation of how the characters intertwined. I did figure out pretty quick what was going to be the triggering effect of Lee's dislike for her 'Papa Clark' and I think it was a very plausible one. I'm amazed that this is only your second story, I'm already a huge fan. Keep writing please! :) Mandy Crustner mandyc@lcc.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 01:16:34 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: New FanFic: The Dream MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > Hiya everyone :) > > > > I want to thank, Jo, Chris, Teca, and Steph for all their help and > > encouragement with this story! Thank you very much guys! > > > > Please send comments, good and bad (although, please be gentle ;) to > > SilvrBrwne@aol.com > > > > Thanks ;) > > Liz > Very cute, Liz! ;) You've given me so much feedback about my stories in the past, I had to let you know I enjoyed this. I'm a sucker for revelation stories and this one was really adorable. Thanks so much for sharing it with us :) Mandy ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 10:23:10 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Re: Fanfic - A Reader's POV In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, Kathy. >>Those of you who've met me on the IRC know that I am rather unique as a FoLC -- I don't own a TV or VCR and have never actually seen a single ep of LnC. And yet I call myself a FoLC. It was *your* fanfiction that did that (by "your," I mean all the authors on the archive and this list). A general salute to all of you for introducing me to a truly lovely universe.>> >If I may ask, how did you start reading L&C fanfic if you've never seen the show? Do you have a close RL friend who is a FoLC that turned you onto it? Do you have any interest in seeing real episodes of the show someday? Have you educated yourself on the episodes even though you've never seen them?> I live in Israel and am basically starved for reading material; my Hebrew's not good enough for recreational reading, and there's a dearth of libraries with English books in them. :) (Rather egocentric of us to expect otherwise, isn't it? ) While my forty-odd paperbacks get read again and again, I'm always looking for some new source of reading material. I was delighted when I stumbled on fanfic on the internet. I was giving a cursory examination to a site called "Fanfiction on the Net," which lists fanfic by category -- mostly TV shows. I had no idea what these were and really didn't care all that much either. :) Then I saw "Lois and Clark: TNAOS." This intrigued me. I've always enjoyed the *concept* of Superman -- I'd read a few comics in second-hand bookstores and seen the first two Chris Reeve movies while babysitting at homes with cable. :) I assumed that this was something based on the comics, or maybe the movies -- the different title went right over my head! I surfed over to Debby Stark's FTP site and started downloading. Maybe it's because I'm not enough of a Superman fan to realize the mythos was different, but it wasn't until I came across a reference to "chocolate brown eyes" ;) that it suddenly dawned on me that something was "wrong" here. "Wait a minute! Clark's eyes are supposed to be *blue*!" I was still confused until I followed another link to Margaret Brignell's site and saw Dean's picture. :) Ah, enlightenment finally strikes! >From Margaret's site and her marvelous stories, it was merely another step to the archive, and then an absolute orgy of reading. :) I soon myself surfing the web for other sites -- the AOL archive, Pam's page, Zoom's site, the various episode guides and quotes pages... FoLC-dom does seem to be an inexorable force, doesn't it? :) Margaret has been a marvelous e-mail friend (small wave over there) and given me a lot of extra details and explanations along the way. I've enjoyed discovering how certain quotes fit into the eps in ways I'd never expected. For example, Lois' line to Clark in TA: "You can bend steel with your bare hands, but your high-school girlfriend can push you around?" I'd always assumed this happened in the *alt*-universe. How funny to discover otherwise! And while I wish there was some way to see an ep or two, I don't think it will happen unless someone manages to post an AVI or RealVideo version of entire eps on the net. I'll just have to get my vicarious thrills in another fashion -- the good old printed (or screened) word. :) >My ears (er, eyes ;)) always perk up when someone I haven't "met" mentions >they frequent IRC. What is your nickname there, if I might ask? Have we >met before and I just didn't make the connection? I didn't say I was a *frequent* IRC-er. :) I can't afford to be -- I'm seven hours ahead of America here! I go onto IRC on nights when I can't sleep or have some other reason to stay up until 2 a.m. -- thankfully, that doesn't happen too often! I've met some wonderful people that way -- Wendy, Pam, Karen, Molly, Peace, Debra, Zoom, Liz and several others. This is especially fun -- rather like Annie's showcase, in that I get to "meet" the authors I enjoy so much. I call myself "plugh" (long story, I assure you), but I don't think I've ever been online when you were there. > >You really bowled me over with this information--how wonderful! Another >great compliment to L&C fanfic. :) An even greater compliment perhaps is that I'm actually contemplating writing a fic of my own -- although whether that's a compliment to LnC fanfic or the show's drawing power itself, I'm not sure. :) Peace and Molly finally gave me the hook I was looking for, so it might actually happen one day! Of course, it would need a *lot* of editing to see if the ep scenes actually matched, but you all know my views on editors, don't you? ;) Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 08:31:12 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Chris Carr Subject: Re: combo post: Tempus, and closet writing In-Reply-To: <19990421050047.IPHB16164.mta1-svc@piano.ucs.indiana.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Re the comments about Tempus, and what he did after he got out of the asylum... Ann wrote <> Now, I have to admit, this has bothered me, too, and so much so that I have jotted down a few notes that may, possibly, one day in the far distant future, become a fully fledged fanfic. :) Seriously, though, I think that Tempus must have had help getting out of the asylum, and he must have acquired some education pretty quickly to be able to build his own time machine. I can only assume that he was a lot brighter than he appeared to be in Tempus Fugitive, too. Perhaps he just needed to be inspired before he did any hard studying, and the discovery that time travel was possible was just the sort of impetus he needed! Re: closet fanfic writing. I've been meaning to respond to the closet writing thread for a few days. I've certainly enjoyed reading the posts. I'm sorry this is so belated, but... I have to say that I fall somewhere between the closet group and the real extroverts. I respond in different ways to different people. Yes, some of my family know what I do, but generally they don't get to read any of my stories. This isn't because I'm embarrassed to show them, but rather that I'm not sure how much they would get out of them. The thing about fan fiction is that stories usually rely on a lot of background knowledge, and people who are not quite so familiar with the show as ourselves can be left baffled. (This was brought home to me a while back when I gave a friend a Due South story I'd written to read. At the end of it, he said, "I liked it, but it didn't make too much sense until I realised that Fraser's dad was a ghost." Whoops. That was rather a fundamental piece of knowledge to lack!) To begin with, I think my parents thought that I was a little nuts to be writing this stuff, but ten years down the line they just accept it as something that I do. Mum even encourages me, even though I'm not convinced she actually knows what she is encouraging! Nonetheless, I think they would like to see me publish something original. (One day I will.) Friends. Most of my friends, if not all of them, are aware that I write fan fiction, but whether or not they get to read it, depends on who they are, and what their interests are. However, as a general rule, I think whether or not I give them a story to read is a measure of how strong I feel our friendship is. Acquaintance level friends don't get to see this stuff. Good friends do. Finally, no, the whole wide world doesn't know that I write this stuff, and it isn't knowledge I would chose to share at work. That's it for know. Thanks for 'listening'. Chris c.carr@virgin.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 06:28:03 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Fanfic Idea Comments: To: Aerm1@aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-20 22:56:21 EDT, Aerm1@AOL.COM writes: << Nevertheless, by Tempus Anyone? he had managed to escape and make the machine which could change dimensions as well as time. >> Well, maybe he was trying to make the ordinary sort that Wells had and made a mistake... --Laurie (the Ord one) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 06:49:46 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Zoomway (I think) said: >>I think it often is the >"default >>settings" our fingers and minds have on the most commonly typed words and >not >>the writer misunderstanding the differences between them. > Labrat said: >I think this is definitely true. It should never IMO be assumed that a >writer doesn't know the difference. Typos and bad keyboard days happen to us >all. >Which is why, as you say, good proofers are as gold dust. > I think your both right. A spell checker can flag mispelled words, but only a proofer can make sure a writer doesn't shift your point of view in the middle of a sentence, or check to see if you any words out. And you are write about the homonyms. So use a proofer to make sure you don't use commas, which aren't necessary, and to make sure you use apostrophe's right. About sentence fragments. Peggy ;-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 12:04:07 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ann wrote: >While we are bemoaning the lack of spell checking in some fan fiction, let us >not forget that many of the examples could easily have passed a spell >checker. Loose for lose, shutter for shudder, etc. would all be considered >acceptable by my spell checker. They are words, just the wrong words. This >is the reason that people need proofreaders and editors: to catch the use of >homophones or words that are close in spelling, but not meaning. > Okay, I have to say this. I had never seen the word 'shutter' used in this context until I started reading LNC fanfic. At first I just assumed it was a typo, but it was mentioned often enough in the fanfic that I realized it was there intentionally. Is this a US/UK variation or have I been missing something all these years? I have enough trouble remembering not to use judder anymore. Although I still say that the only reasonable word to describe what an elevator does when it comes to a halt is not shudder but judder. ;) And, while we're on the subject, is there anyone else out there like me, who also tends to use their own words now and then if they come up with a good one? Sacrilege, I know. What can I say? I'm a Grammar Rebel. I should start my own cult. But the English language IMO is in a state of flux. The English we speak now is vastly different from the language used in the 1600's for example. So, if I come up with a good word, I don't feel afraid to stretch the envelope a little. Not that I'm trying to invent new words at all, but sometimes they fit too well to ignore. I've used 'muzzily' (a combination of dizzily and muddled), 'screel' (the scrape of metal on metal - I think that has to be my Scottish roots coming out . It has to be a combination of screech and skirl (as in bagpipes) ;), 'roil' (a combination of roll and boil - the fog roiled across the open moor) extensively in my own fanfic over the years and was delighted some years back when submitting a story to a zine and advising the editor that roil wasn't a typo and shouldn't be converted to roll when she wrote back to say she knew that because she'd had a story from a Candian writer a couple of months before saying exactly the same thing. A great case of GTMA there. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 12:15:50 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Fanfic Idea MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ann wrote: >Along with the idea of exploring the life and times of Tempus, does anyone >have any ideas about how he managed to make a time machine of his own to get >out of 1866? As I recall, in Tempus Fugitive, he makes the statement that >he needs "Herb" to run the machine because he has a complete lack of >technological no-how. Nevertheless, by Tempus Anyone? he had managed to >escape and make the machine which could change dimensions as well as time. > He's a quick learner? LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris PS - BTW, I think the address problem is more extensive because I'm not with AOL, but freeware (UK Fantastic). Thanks for the info, Farah. Now that I'm aware that it's happening it's easy enough to ride out for a time. I'd advise everyone closely checks their address box before hitting send for the time being. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:56:30 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic In-Reply-To: <006601be8be8$dd4ae860$979101d4@default> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Okay, I have to say this. I had never seen the word 'shutter' used in this >context until I started reading LNC fanfic. At first I just assumed it was a >typo, but it was mentioned often enough in the fanfic that I realized it was >there intentionally. Even in the States, "shutter" is that thing by a window. :) This is a classic homophone problem, like "you're" and "your." >And, while we're on the subject, is there anyone else out there like me, who >also tends to use their own words now and then if they come up with a good >one? Sacrilege, I know. What can I say? I'm a Grammar Rebel. I should >start my own cult. But the English language IMO is in a state of flux. The >English we speak now is vastly different from the language used in the >1600's for example. So, if I come up with a good word, I don't feel afraid >to stretch the envelope a little. Not that I'm trying to invent new words at >all, but sometimes they fit too well to ignore. Ah, Labrat, but what if you're *not* inventing them? We've read so much, spoken to so many different people, that it's sometimes hard to differentiate imagination and invention from memory. I personally was horrified to discover that a name I'd "invented" for a book was a former student of mine (I found out *after* it was published!), and a humorous anecdote in another book was practically word-for-word from a novel I'd read years ago. >I've used 'muzzily' (a >combination of dizzily and muddled), 'screel' (the scrape of metal on >metal - I think that has to be my Scottish roots coming out . It has to >be a combination of screech and skirl (as in bagpipes) ;), 'roil' (a >combination of roll and boil - the fog roiled across the open moor) "Muzzy" and "roil" are both read words. :) I'd use "roiling" for smoke from an oil-fire, personally. "Screel," as far as I know, is a Labrat original. :) >I was delighted some years >back when submitting a story to a zine and advising the editor that roil >wasn't a typo and shouldn't be converted to roll when she wrote back to say >she knew that because she'd had a story from a Candian writer a couple of >months before saying exactly the same thing. A great case of GTMA there. I once wrote how the soft breathing of two sleeping girls "soughed" through a darkened room. My editor changed it to "sounded" until I pulled out a dictionary and showed her that the word actually existed. :) Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 12:59:31 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hazel wrote: >Ah, Labrat, but what if you're *not* inventing them? We've read so much, >spoken to so many different people, that it's sometimes hard to >differentiate imagination and invention from memory. I personally was >horrified to discover that a name I'd "invented" for a book was a former >student of mine (I found out *after* it was published!), and a humorous >anecdote in another book was practically word-for-word from a novel I'd >read years ago. But that's my point - and the beauty of an evolving language. We can never tell. Perhaps you read these from me. Considering I started using them in all kinds of fandom almost 19 years ago, anything is possible. Perhaps you didn't. We'll never know. Which is great. > LabRat :) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:04:40 +0300 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Brown Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.19990421145630.0079c5f0@actcom.co.il> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >"Muzzy" and "roil" are both read words. :) I'd use "roiling" for smoke from >an oil-fire, personally. "Screel," as far as I know, is a Labrat original. :) Um, that should be "real words." Maybe I should spell-check my e-mails too. Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:06:43 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: the "critique" thing In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Mon, 19 Apr 1999 19:56:05 EDT The Zoomway wrote: > I think the reason that this is a "two schools of thought" type of debate > regarding "critique" is that there are two different points of view on why we > write fanfic. Some who write fanfic may hold out dreams of one day becoming > professional writers. In that case, an "in depth" critique could be of great > value to them. For others however, writing fanfic is used as a unique form > of fan expression. In fact, Lois and Clark could be the first show that ever > moved them or touched them deeply enough to want to express that affection in > a creative way. > I read Zoom's posting yesterday and wanted to mull over it a bit more before replying. Today I saw Margaret's reply to Zoom, and again I understand where Margaret is coming from, and would defend her right to hold that position. My perspective on this is that I am not - possibly unlike some other fanfic authors - thinking in terms of becoming a professional writer (by the way, for anyone who is confused by the reference on my Writers' Showcase interview, I'm an academic. It's part of my job to write and publish, but *academic* writing is nothing like writing fiction! Here, I'm as much of a beginner as any other new fanfic author). But I do like getting feedback on my work, not only because, like everyone's I guess, my ego actually enjoys the occasional stroke, but also because I like to know how my work can improve. Yes, of course that kind of feedback can happen on a one-to-one basis. However, sometimes the input of a number of list members, each responding to others' comments, can be extremely useful. I've mentioned the discussion about 'The Perfect Match?' in this context before, and I know there are others who found such a discussion useful in the context of their own work. It is also nice to be able to post to the list and say how much I enjoyed - because I *did* - Chris's, Peggy's and Carol's latest stories (which doesn't mean that I won't write to all of them privately as well). Perhaps we're getting a couple of things mixed up here, though. I would be surprised if anyone objected to public postings saying 'I really loved (insert name of story), and I think (insert name of writer) needs to write more as soon as possible!' Perhaps even, 'I particularly liked (insert scene which especially appealed).' Where things can become difficult is where general praise and encouragement turns into a critique: what worked, what perhaps didn't, what needs further development etc. I'm not actually convinced that any critiques of that nature posted to this list have been in any way negative (as opposed to constructive). But not all authors want this kind of public 'deconstruction' of their work. Some of us do, though, if members of the list are prepared to indulge us - and if you're not, then I apologise for asking for it in the past and will slink back into semi-lurkdom on this topic! Perhaps the solution is for writers to indicate whether we would welcome constructive criticism on the list? I'm not in any way suggesting that we use this list as a sort of 'beta editing' process. But certainly there are a few of us who have posted our stories here *before* going to the Archive because we're looking for comments from a wider audience before issuing the final version. I hope this makes sense! Best wishes to all, Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 08:21:22 -0500 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: Poor Grammar in Fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 03:04 PM 4/21/99 +0300, Hazel Brown wrote: >>"Muzzy" and "roil" are both real words. :) I'd use "roiling" for smoke from >>an oil-fire, personally. "Screel," as far as I know, is a Labrat original. :) Or roil might be used for a storm on a lake, since in my 30-year-old dictionary it means "to be in a state of turbulence or agitation." Muzzy, quoting the same source, is muddled or confused. I can't find screel anywhere, but it rings a bell in my mind associated with fishing (and I don't think I'm thinking of reel). It's kind of like "frisson," which I've read in many many places but have been totally unable to find in any dictionary. It's so weird; I know the spelling, the definition (a cold, quivering sensation; as in "a frisson of fear"), the source (borrowed from French), but I still can't find it anywhere. Very disconcerting. I know what you mean, though, LabRat. I don't make up "new" words per se, but I use them in new forms, like making a verb of a noun or an adjective of a verb, so I'm not surprised when my editors question those. However, I'm startled when both my editors (whom I tend to think of as knowing *everything*) question me on what I thought was a fairly ordinary phrase ("this being proof against that"--meaning that "this is invulnerable to that"). It forces me to rethink my word choices in my fanfic. I've spent the past two months working on a 40-page program review in between my teaching duties, which makes me wonder if my academic vocabulary is spilling over into my fanfic. Are Lois and Clark using language more often found in reports and formal papers than in real-life dialogue? In fact, I've had to go back and change a number of passages to make their speech more casual and informal--more like the way Dean and Teri spoke on the show. Sheila (I thought all that writing at work would leave me too burned out to write fanfic; instead it's contaminated my fanfic. Lois & Clark, the New Academicians of Season6 :P ) sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:16:46 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Fanfice Grammar MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >"Muzzy" and "roil" are both read words. :) I'd use "roiling" for smoke from >an oil-fire, personally. "Screel," as far as I know, is a Labrat original. :) Um, that should be "real words." Maybe I should spell-check my e-mails too. Hazel Either or worked for me, Hazel. Read words actually makes as much sense. Or even more sense. Real words to me are in the dictionary. There you go - you invented a new phrase. But I think I should clarify my previous messages, just in case anyone begins to think I've flipped completely and next I'll be claiming the invention of flushed loos and TV. Okay, let's put it this way: Just as an example let's take 'muzzily': *I* invented muzzily because, on a sunny afternoon in 1978 while pecking out my latest Trek story on my typewriter, I sat for 50 minutes cutting and pasting various dictionary words that best described how my character was feeling until finally dizzily and muddled gelled and formed the perfect word for my intent. I liked how it sounded on the tongue (the reason I use a lot of words in my writing - grammar comes a poor second to how a word rolls off the tongue. The guy who invented alliteration is my hero. ). So I used it. Carolyn Swinton invented muzzily because on a sunny afternoon in 1967...... Trevor Mildew invented muzzily because on a sunny afternoon in 1982....... Multiply this scenario to the nth degree..... In other words, I'm not claiming to be the *sole* inventor of these words, but I think I have enough justification to claim to be *a* inventor of them. Me and probably a hundred others. We can all claim to have invented them because we all thought them up independently of having read them before in any other literary source. What is one person's 'read word' is another's invention. There are no set standards for this and you cannot assume that because you have read it elsewhere before using it that that necessarily applies to everyone who uses it. Whether we all invented them at the exact same moment in space or time or several years apart is irrelevant. We all did it. Ergo, we can all claim them as ours. I have no doubt that screel is a LabRat original. So are muzzily and roil. I also have no doubt that they are equally Carolyn Swinton originals. Screel too. I'm well aware of the insidious ways in which the brain can become a sponge. It's chiefly the reason I never use an original character name that just pops on into my head on its own. Unless it's really wild and whacky. I once used a name for a character and then discovered it years later mentioned in passing in all of two seconds in the movie, Sleepers. When I wrote my story I hadn't seen that movie in over 10 years. So, I'm completely cognizant of how the brain can hold onto the most fleeting of information and throw it up again to confuse you. I can also swear on a stack of Bibles a mile high - and mean it - that I had never and have never to this day, come across these words in any other literary source other than my own. Trust me, I still feel kind of possessive about these little guys. I'd notice. And I'd be delighted to see them used because it would mean that either a/ someone picked it up from me after all these years or b/ someone else at some point had the same inspiration I did. Either or is wonderful to me. And I think the amount of work I originally put into forming them precludes them being brain echoes to be honest. Not definitively......like I say, who can tell......but certainly to a high degree of probability I would imagine. Actually, I wouldn't mind them being brain echoes. It would have saved me all that time spent defending them as 'proper' words to all those puzzled editors over the years. ;) LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:25:40 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >At 03:04 PM 4/21/99 +0300, Hazel Brown wrote: >>>"Muzzy" and "roil" are both real words. :) I'd use "roiling" for smoke from >>>an oil-fire, personally. "Screel," as far as I know, is a Labrat original. :) > Sheila wrote: It's kind of like "frisson," which I've >read in many many places but have been totally unable to find in any >dictionary. It's so weird; I know the spelling, the definition (a cold, >quivering sensation; as in "a frisson of fear"), the source (borrowed from >French), but I still can't find it anywhere. Very disconcerting. Ah, now there I can help you, Sheila. One of my favorite words. Perhaps it's more of a UK source than US which might explain why you can't track it down, because it's definitely in UK dictionaries. It gets tagged as an error by my Word spellchecker too, which I have permanently set to US English (makes life easier ;) 'frisson: French. a shiver; thrill. (C18 but in common use only from C20): lit. shiver) - Collins Dictionary. > >I know what you mean, though, LabRat. I don't make up "new" words per se, >but I use them in new forms, like making a verb of a noun or an adjective of >a verb, so I'm not surprised when my editors question those. However, I'm >startled when both my editors (whom I tend to think of as knowing >*everything*) question me on what I thought was a fairly ordinary phrase >("this being proof against that"--meaning that "this is invulnerable to >that"). It forces me to rethink my word choices in my fanfic. Hey, you go, girl - wanna join my Grammer Rebels club? Sounds like a writer after my own heart. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:38:40 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Fanfice Grammar In-Reply-To: <001701be8bf9$78d512a0$419201d4@default> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:16:46 +0100 LabRat wrote: > But I think I should clarify my previous messages, just in case anyone > begins to think I've flipped completely and next I'll be claiming the > invention of flushed loos and TV. I'm not adding anything to what you wrote here, LabRat; I just wanted to comment that your postings on this topic are a joy to read because they really make me smile! (Just as well I have an office to myself...;) )You are managing extremely effectively to distract me >from those 90 essays which I should be marking, I might add! Incidentally, re. Sheila's "New Academicians of Season 6"... If I ever get time to go back to finish it, I have just started a sequel to 'A Love so Long in the Making', in which L&C's son is now a university professor, so some of the action takes place in the university... well, write about what you know! Perhaps my fanfic will also start to merge with my academic work - if I start babbling about collective bargaining or the merits of equal opportunities policies in a fanfic, someone please shut me up! Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:50:07 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: LNC tapes - Israel MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ann, was it you who said you lived in Israel and had never seen any LNC episodes? I've done my usual over zealous swipe at the delete key here and now I can't recall. Whoever it was - what format does Israel use? If it's PAL, then I'd be happy to send you copies. If you're interested, mail me privately and we can work something out. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 08:55:49 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Mr. D8a" Subject: Re: Colorado MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" The same from the Tulls James Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. -----Original Message----- From: Dennis A Arendt [mailto:d.arendt@WORLDNET.ATT.NET] Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 1999 4:42 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: Colorado Anyone in the area of this Denver high School shooting, I need you to know that my prayers and hopes are with you now. Brenda ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:56:46 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Fanfice Grammar MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >On Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:16:46 +0100 LabRat wrote: > >> But I think I should clarify my previous messages, just in case anyone >> begins to think I've flipped completely and next I'll be claiming the >> invention of flushed loos and TV. > >I'm not adding anything to what you wrote here, LabRat; I just wanted >to comment that your postings on this topic are a joy to read because >they really make me smile! (Just as well I have an office to >myself...;) )You are managing extremely effectively to distract me >>from those 90 essays which I should be marking, I might add! Yeah, and I should stop checking my mail and sending out messages. I'm on peak (pique, peek) rate here. I shouldn't be doing this until after 8pm. Bad, LabRat. Bad, bad. Apart from which I'm supposed to be working on tweaking Burnout. > >Incidentally, re. Sheila's "New Academicians of Season 6"... If I >ever get time to go back to finish it, I have just started a sequel >to 'A Love so Long in the Making', in which L&C's son is now a >university professor, so some of the action takes place in the >university... well, write about what you know! Perhaps my fanfic will >also start to merge with my academic work - if I start babbling about >collective bargaining or the merits of equal opportunities policies >in a fanfic, someone please shut me up! > LOL! Well, they do say you should always write about what you know. Personally, Wendy, I think you could write a fic about LNC perusing the Metropolis telephone dictionary and I'd adore it. Definitely shutting up now......Clark's getting impatient to resolve his differences with Lois and keeps casting longing glances at the bed in his apartment. ;) Maybe I'll stop torturing the poor boy and work on letting him have some fun. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@ukf.net "When I hear someone sigh, "Life is hard," I'm always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 22:03:13 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eileen Barnard Subject: Re: Combo Re: critiques/group writing MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Rachel wrote *extremely* new writer of fanfic, I have to say I have mixed feelings >about all of this. So far, I haven't dared post a story to this list >b/c of the people who are on it. You are all so good, and I'm just >learning. > Rachel I understand exactly what you mean. I also haven't dared to send any of my stuff to the list yet because it can be quite daunting with such a wealth of excellent writing around. I know that eventually I will pluck up the courage to send my story in and when I do I would probably welcome constructive criticism. However, I think as well I would like any comments, good or bad, to be sent to me privately. I agree that if the criticism is put in such a way that it is hurtful then that could put you off from sending in anything ever again. By the same token neither would I want someone simply to say "I like this" without adding comments. You need to know if something really works or not and you also need to know whether you have made an absolute "bloomer". The point is that any kind of comment is fine, as long as it is worded properly and the comments are not meant to be hurtful. I love reading the comments that are sent to the list and I can imagine they can be very helpful sometimes. I think what I am trying to get at is that we should remember that some people are very sensitive and their feelings get hurt very easily so when you make comments, you should bear that in mind. Thanks for listening Kind regards Eileen B ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:13:05 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Fanfice Grammar In-Reply-To: <001201be8bfe$dd55e2e0$4d9f01d4@default> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Wed, 21 Apr 1999 14:56:46 +0100 LabRat wrote: > Personally, Wendy, I think you could write a fic about LNC perusing the > Metropolis telephone dictionary and I'd adore it. LOL...well, thank you. But didn't Julie Mack do that - or was that a phone booth? Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 10:33:45 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Closet Writers Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Well, I've been meaning to respond to this thread for a while now, but I keep getting distracted by life and all these fascinating new posts from you people! Anyway, when it comes to my fanfic I am definitely out of the closet :-) = My husband has always watched the show (he was interested before I was, actually) and tho he doesn't read much fanfic, he has seen some of mine, and helped me with some plot points. My family knows that I write (I'd written previous to L&C) and my mom & brother know about the Kerth Awards= , too -- I've made them read a few of my short stories (President Kent is usually the first thing I give to someone, because it *isn't* tied that closely to the series, so it's more accessible). I've even told some of = my friends at work and made *them* read Pres Kent - most of them were polite= enough to assure me that they'd enjoyed it. I haven't really gotten any b= ad reactions. And my fanfic website is linked from my family webpage, so it= 's available to any of my extended family ... I assume some of them think I'= m nuts, but they'd have reached that conclusion sooner or later anyway = And as I've gotten older and more confident, I've ceased to worry quite s= o much about what people think of me :-) I have more to say about the critiquing subject, too (Sandy, I will respo= nd to your post) but it'll have to wait until I have the time to properly phrase what I want to say... PJ !^NavFont02F04760007MGHHK78D69E Pam Jernigan (jernigan@compuserve.com) ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ baby pictures due on the website Real Soon Now... ;-) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 10:47:19 EDT Reply-To: Tovie@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Becky Kuesters Subject: Re: Closet fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/20/99 1:47:53 AM EST, sambrea@HOTMAIL.COM writes: > My parents > have been totally supportive of me, and even enjoy reading many of > them (all of them are pg-13). I don't actually write L&C fan fic but > I enjoy reading them. I write for three shows: Xena, Star Trek: > Voyager and Adventures of Sinbad (it's an older show that's no longer > on the air, at least where I live). I'm also in the process of > branching out into Sliders. That's really nice that your parents support you. I've always found it amusing in a sad sort of way that my parents support my writing when I do things like taking a bunch of writing and journalism classes in college, write articles for the church newsletter and get a story published in a church magazine but that writing fanfic is "a waste of your time and talents." I brought fanfic up in a generic discussion with my parents about what you could find on the Internet and mentioned that I'd written a LnC story as a thank-you for a friend. After the reaction I got, I never mentioned it again. That friend is the only offline person who knows I still write it. Interestingly, I've found that what you "do" with fanfic can make a difference in what people think too. When I mention doing a little bit of proofreading as a story editor for the archive and some others, people think that's really nice and kind of neat, but mention reading or writing fanfic just for fun and they think you're nuts. But, hey, a lot of it's better than the last several books I've bought and how much I can read is no longer determined by how much spare money I have. (since I discovered fanfic, the people at the bookstore no longer know me by my first name)(g) Another list I'm on has been having a discussion similar to this. I was amazed when one of the writers said their mom read everything they wrote, and they write the equivalent of nfanfic or NC-17 stuff. I'm not sure that I would want my parents to read my stories even if they approved and I've never written anything above PG-13. Becky For those in touch with it, reality is the leading cause of stress. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:58:13 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Re: Fanfice Grammar MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry, but I can't resist, considering the subject matter...what exactly is 'Fanfice'??? Yvonne ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:55:15 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: The British are coming... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit No, it's not a threat! I was talking to Wendy Richards about the fact that us Brits seem to be on the increase in L&C fanfic-dom, and it got me thinking about American/British idiom. I know it's been touched on before here, so I don't want to rake over old ground, but I'm still interested to know from the US contingent how important or otherwise you think it is to use American idiom. I know that some of us go to great pains to sublimate our British-ness, while others steer a course somewhere down the middle. What do you prefer? This leads me to another question: what do people think about writing out accents - the prime example, I think, is Perry's. Personally, I find it a little artificial when writers spell out his accent - I prefer to imagine it in my head instead of having to translate oddly-spelt words which try to represent how he sounds when he speaks. Opinions, anyone? Yvonne (yconnell@ukf.net) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 18:03:01 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Margaret Brignell Subject: Re: Fanfic - A Reader's POV In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.19990421102310.0079d8d0@actcom.co.il> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:23 AM 4/21/1999 +0300, Hazel wrote: >Maybe it's because I'm not enough of a Superman fan to realize the mythos >was different, but it wasn't until I came across a reference to "chocolate >brown eyes" ;) that it suddenly dawned on me that something was "wrong" >here. "Wait a minute! Clark's eyes are supposed to be *blue*!" I was still >confused until I followed another link to Margaret Brignell's site and saw >Dean's picture. :) Ah, enlightenment finally strikes! You could see his brown eyes from *that* picture? You *are* good >Margaret has been a marvelous e-mail friend (small wave over there) > Margaret waves back, and says she *will* respond to your last message, er, real soon Margaret ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 18:07:44 -0500 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: The British are coming... Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 03:23 PM 4/21/99 -0600, Erin Klingler wrote: >>This leads me to another question: what do people think about writing out >>accents - the prime example, I think, is Perry's. Personally, I find it a >>little artificial when writers spell out his accent - I prefer to imagine >>it in my head instead of having to translate oddly-spelt words which try to >>represent how he sounds when he speaks. Opinions, anyone? > >I agree with you here, Yvonne. I'm sure Perry wouldn't spell words in his >accent differently, it's just in how he says the words. I, also, prefer >to hear Perry in my mind, not *see* his accent in word-form. I guess my response to this one comes from my reaction to writers who refuse to use contractions. I hate reading dialog in which Lois and Clark speak in complete words like, "I do not think we should go there. If you are going to do it, you will have to go without me." So, I make darn sure I write with lots of casual contractions, many of which don't make it through my spell checker: "I don't think we should go there. If you're gonna do it, you'll have to go without me." L&C's dialog in my stories is well larded with "could've," "you'll've," "d'you," "wanna," "gotta," etc. >From that, it's very little to drop the ending -g's off Perry's speech or the small helping verbs that should follow his you's but don't ("you been"). In general, I don't change spellings, although I make an exception for "git," as in "Now, git!" (as opposed to, "Now, get outta here!"). In some ways, I think this goes back to the last thread when Demi and others brought up the point that most fanfic has an enormous backstory which most writers don't bother to give. Because most readers know what Perry sounds like, they don't need a visual reminder. However, there are some writers (I'm one) who try to put enough references to the backstory in my fics for non-FoLCs to be able to read and understand it. And for me, that includes indicating Perry's accent, not in the heavy, phonetically written accent of the "Songs of the South," but with use of a few specific contractions. This also goes back to a writer's purpose in writing. For me, this is practice (beloved practice, but practice nonetheless) for writing fiction professionally. And since I'll have to create characters from scratch in my non-L&C fiction, I try to practice it some. Sheila sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:18:44 EDT Reply-To: AStory2873@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: April Story Subject: Re: The British are coming... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-21 17:23:23 EDT, you write: << Yvonne wrote: >I know that some of us go to great pains to sublimate >our British-ness, while others steer a course somewhere down the middle. >What do you prefer? And Erin responded with: << I, for one, don't think a person should have to change their language in order to accomodate others. I wouldn't want to change the way I write or the words I use become someone in a different country doesn't use the same words, etc., so I wouldn't expect someone else to do the same. :) For example, some that come to mind are: "cot" vs. "crib", "sweatshirt" vs. "romper", "windshield" vs. "windscreen", etc. Fanfic can be a bit confusing to read for first-time country crossovers , but if the sentence is written well, the reader can pick up what they're talking about. >> I have to agree with Erin and say that I do not think it is necessary for one to alter their normal speaking patterns whether it be British/American or any other country. I think that most of the "themes or words" are pretty universal world-wide. Although I do have to confess that when Labrat referred to me as "Hazel" several times in response to my last post - I did wonder and even asked someone what that meant ROTFL!!! However, Labrat soon cleared that up Otherwise, I think that most people are able to read through the differences by the context of the story. As a reader - I have read work from authors all over this world and I think that the message and meaning has always come through. There are even some authors who when writing for a primarily American audience will include something at the end of their story should there be any words that are so contained within their country they feel the reader might not understand otherwise. Personally, I don't think you should alter anything either - to me that would take away from *you* and your creative process if you are also having to be concerned with writing a certain way for particular readers. But then again - that is all just my opinion. I am very fortunate that I have talked to people from all over the world both online as well as on the phone and even though spellings might be different or words pronounced differently or even different words for the same thing - I do not think that when it is in the written form it is as hard to convey your thoughts clearly if you use your own 'language' if you will. Even here in America - there are different words, accents, mannerisms, expressions, etc all throughout *this* country and so you just never know how certain things might be interpreted. I do have to tell you that yes, there are times when I have had to ask for clarification - like Erin mentioned some examples above - there was a time when someone kept telling me they had to "open a light" and it meant they had to "turn" on the light. There are others too but at the moment they have just escaped me as I went to write out these examples....but nonetheless - the language barrier is something that is here within this country as well as with other countries.......there are many teens these days that speak a language that I have no idea what they are talking about LOL!! So, when I don't know, I just ask But maybe that is just me and I have a different perspective than others.... Ok, that is enough from me =) Take Care All! April ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 18:26:57 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Farah Meitzen Chisham Subject: Perry's accent Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 09:55 PM 4/21/99 +0100, you wrote: >This leads me to another question: what do people think about writing out >accents - the prime example, I think, is Perry's. Personally, I find it a >little artificial when writers spell out his accent - I prefer to imagine >it in my head instead of having to translate oddly-spelt words which try to >represent how he sounds when he speaks. Opinions, anyone? >Yvonne >(yconnell@ukf.net) I wonder if anyone said that about Mark Twain when "Tom Sawyer" was first written. Farah (who's gonna duk reeeel fast :) farah :) farah@chisham.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:34:54 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/21/99 7:23:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time, labrat@UKF.NET writes: << Okay, I have to say this. I had never seen the word 'shutter' used in this context until I started reading LNC fanfic. At first I just assumed it was a typo, but it was mentioned often enough in the fanfic that I realized it was there intentionally. Is this a US/UK variation or have I been missing something all these years? >> To the best of my knowledge, in the US shutter refers only to the wooden door-like things that cover windows and the thing in a camera that opens the lens to light. Shudder is what you do when you are freezing or someone scrapes their fingernails on the blackboard. Is it anything else in the UK? Ann ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:48:23 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: LNC tapes - Israel MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Labrat, It was Hazel who lives in Israel and has never seen Lois and Clark. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:49:45 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Fanfice Grammar MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/21/99 10:00:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time, labrat@UKF.NET writes: << Maybe I'll stop torturing the poor boy and work on letting him have some fun. >> Please dol The rest of us want to have some fun too. :) Ann ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:58:22 EDT Reply-To: Aerm1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: The British are coming... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 4/21/99 5:04:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time, yconnell@UKF.NET writes: << I'm still interested to know from the US contingent how important or otherwise you think it is to use American idiom. >> I don't know that I speak for all of the US contingent, but your using the British idiom doesn't bother me at all. I may be in the minority, but having minored in British literature in college, I don't find the British way of saying things unusual or distracting. I do prefer it when people don't try to spell out southern accents like Perry's. It's easier for me to imagine his voice than it is to wade through someone's attempt to spell it out. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 20:49:23 EDT Reply-To: Ccmalo@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: Re: The British are coming... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, Yvonne wrote << I know that some of us go to great pains to sublimate our British-ness>> . I know that Jenni Debagge (hi, Jenni!) was concerned about this but I don't think it's a problem. I enjoy the "Britishisms", thinking of times I've travelled in Britain, remembering my English grandparents, and I do love the British phrase "over the moon" -- it's so perfect! Nevertheless, having read the posts on this thread I note the hint of a dilemma and so I suggest a solution --- we go with the Canadian version -- a compromise between the American and the British. ;-) About Perry's accent --- I like to be able to hear the characters speak when I read a story; using the phrases and contractions that he uses help to create this feeling, I think. However, sometimes with Perry it can be overdone -- he's hard to write, I think. Carol ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 20:18:54 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melissa Day Hall Subject: Fanfique Grammar ;) In-Reply-To: <001701be8bf9$78d512a0$419201d4@default> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" LabRat said: >Actually, I wouldn't mind them being brain echoes. It would have saved me >all that time spent defending them as 'proper' words to all those puzzled >editors over the years. ;) The odd feeling of having a brain echo occured to me a couple of years ago. In college I'd developed a habit of using fouler language than I had during high school, and one vacation home, my mother pointed it out to me. In deference to my father (not of course, my mother, she was only trying to spare dear dad's ears), I started using nonsense words to convey my irritation at the world in general. 'Fribble' and 'Snerd' are still my favorites. :) Then, during either my 16th or 33rd or some unknown re-reading of _DragonSinger_ by Anne McCaffery, I was bowled over to see the word 'fribble' in print! I certainly hadn't been thinking of the book when I first started using fribble in conversation, but there it was in black and white. And then, the very next month, I was informed by a friend that she was referred to as 'Snerd Snoke' whilst enwombed. Her parents hadn't known which gender she was going to turn out, and settled on a lovely non-gender-specific name until she made her debut as Kelsi. So there I was left with two words that actually meant something. But I still blithely swear 'Fribble!' or call people 'snerd-boy' (an all purpose word meaning anything from 'dumbest-weasel-to-walk-the-earth' to 'how-did-such-genius-and-beauty-ever-fit-itself-into-mortal-form') To veer completely onto another topic (since I don't want to bother replying to more than one email and you're probably already bored enough with my meanderings anyway): homonyms. My least favorite of the bunch - the one which often leaves me twitching and howling in agony, is 'baited breath' in place of 'bated breath'. It's not a particularly common phrase, but it's one that never fails to leave me with a faintly fishy taste in the back of my mouth. Misha (mhall@sound.net) - - - - - "Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been put up to a critic." -- Jean Sibelius ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:23:45 EDT Reply-To: LadyKa1e1@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lane Louise MacKenzie Subject: OT: Cabaret in NY MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear FoLCs, While I doubt I'll get the chance to go out to CA to see Teri in "Cabaret," I did see a performance in New York with Mary McCormack and Alan Cummings. I was blown away. I could definantly picture Teri in the role of Sally Bowles, and I have come to the conclusion that Alan Cummings is a stage-acting genius. One question -- does anyone know who is playing the role of Emcee in the CA production? It'd be interesting to know. Peace Love and Superman, Lane MacKenzie ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:24:58 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-21 07:23:11 EDT, labrat@UKF.NET writes: << At first I just assumed it was a typo, but it was mentioned often enough in the fanfic that I realized it was there intentionally. Is this a US/UK variation or have I been missing something all these years? >> Well, what do you call that thing on a camera that opens & shuts when you snap a picture? Over here we call that a shutter. Were there that many fanfics about Jimmy's photographic talent? --Laurie (the Ord one) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:51:09 EDT Reply-To: Larus2407@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: The British are coming... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-21 17:04:26 EDT, yconnell@UKF.NET writes: << but I'm still interested to know from the US contingent how important or otherwise you think it is to use American idiom. I know that some of us go to great pains to sublimate our British-ness, while others steer a course somewhere down the middle. What do you prefer? >> Talk about opening a can of worms! You're likely to get as many opinions on this as answers. I know Margaret believes that in Metropolis everyone uses British spellings and I can live with that easily. (Well, much of the time I type "centre" and "programme" anyway as I deal with an international organization.) But there are certainly expresssions or phrases or terms that just aren't heard over here and would -- to me-- sound quite odd coming from anyone living in Metropolis. --Laurie (too tired to think of examples) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 18:47:03 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: RFC822 error: MESSAGE-ID field duplicated. Last occurrence was retained. From: Debby Subject: Re: In Praise of My Editors, Et Al. In-Reply-To: <371D2172.4C39CFEE@erols.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:53 PM 04/20/1999 -0400, Sandy wrote: [snip praise of proofers; I know exactly what you mean :) ] >This leads me to another point. When I began work on S5 and we were >assigned editors from those who had volunteered to be a part of the >project, I was a bit nervous. Laurie was the person assigned to me, and >I knew absolutely nothing about her. Well, it turned out to be one of >the most fortuitous pairings. I couldn't have asked for someone who was >more capable, patient, and insistent -- when need be. Laurie was one of my first proofreaders until she got too busy [not only with real life but L&C life :)] and has become a character in my stories (and her last name was used for another character) (she does double duty :). She *is* good :D so I agree with all the praise you heap upon her :) Debby Debby@swcp.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 18:39:32 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: RFC822 error: MESSAGE-ID field duplicated. Last occurrence was retained. From: Debby Subject: Re: Poor Grammar in Fanfic Comments: cc: LCStories@cryogen.com In-Reply-To: <4c1dd0dc.244e922f@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" In a message dated 99-04-20 15:50:37 EDT, zis-s@ACTCOM.CO.IL writes: > ><< We could have a contest of ridiculous homonyms if we'd like (peak and peek > snuck into that last RR when no one was looking...) >> their, they're, there, there're... Debby Debby@swcp.com somewhere ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:54:39 EDT Reply-To: AStory2873@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: April Story Subject: Re: OT: Cabaret in NY MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-21 21:26:09 EDT, you write: << One question -- does anyone know who is playing the role of Emcee in the CA production? It'd be interesting to know. >> Lane, The gentleman playing Emcee in the Touring version of Cabaret which will include LA (which concludes on May 1st) then to Boston, Chicago and DC - his name is Norbert Leo Butz. He has been in many things and actually he is very good, IMHO. I have also heard many incredible things about Alan Cummings who will be leaving the NY show to star in a movie =) He has also received mixed reviews which you can read either on AOL's EXTRA MBs in Teri's folder (Keyword: EXTRA) or on Demi's MBs at: http://destinyy.com/loisclarkmbs/ At any rate - the touring version of this show is incredible and I am sorry you won't be able to catch it in one of the 4 cities that Teri will be in. Hope this all helps =) April ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 20:08:06 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: The British are coming... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yvonne wrote; > No, it's not a threat! I was talking to Wendy Richards about the fact that > us Brits seem to be on the increase in L&C fanfic-dom, and it got me > thinking about American/British idiom. I know it's been touched on before > here, so I don't want to rake over old ground, but I'm still interested to > know from the US contingent how important or otherwise you think it is to > use American idiom. I know that some of us go to great pains to sublimate > our British-ness, while others steer a course somewhere down the middle. > What do you prefer? You know, before I started reading fanfic, I don't think I ever ran into 'Britishisms' but I must admit that I've gotten very used to them. I have a great online buddy who's from Canada and I've read so much of her stories and emails that I often find myself spelling words the way she does. It's not uncommon to find me typing 'colour' 'favourite' and the such now. I don't mind reading them a bit, it always gives me a little insight into where the author is from. I know that if I run into one, then the author is more than likely not from America, and I always like that for some strange reason :) > This leads me to another question: what do people think about writing out > accents - the prime example, I think, is Perry's. Personally, I find it a > little artificial when writers spell out his accent - I prefer to imagine > it in my head instead of having to translate oddly-spelt words which try to > represent how he sounds when he speaks. Opinions, anyone? Being from the South myself, I enjoy putting some 'Southernisity' into Perry. I admit, I like to read it and I loved watching it on the show. I always find it comical in most instances the way they portray southern people on most things, but Lois and Clark made me almost proud, they made a very likeable character and gave him some very believable Southern charm. So, I much prefer to see things like one of my favourite things to have him say, "Not a bloomin' thing' and the such. I can deal with it if he's written without the little southern touches, but I like it better the other way :) Just my $0.2 and a whole lot more, Mandy Crustner mandyc@lcc.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:14:23 -0500 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: The British are coming... Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 07:18 PM 4/21/99 EDT, April Story wrote: >Personally, I don't think you should alter anything either - to me that would >take away from *you* and your creative process if you are also having to be >concerned with writing a certain way for particular readers. Oh, God, once again I'm on the other side of this fence. You can't believe how much time I spend teaching students in my composition classes to *consider their audience.* Since the primary purpose of writing is communication (except for those people who write something for themselves and hide it away so no other soul ever sees it), you *have* to consider your audience. Do you have to do so in your first draft? (Demi, this one's for you :) No. If the thought of writing a particular way for particular readers (whether it's usage, punctuation, or word choice) makes you freeze up and stifles your creativity, *don't* do it!!!! However, if the thought of a dangling modifier or faulty subject-verb agreement or just an awkward sentence makes your skin crawl and keeps you from writing any more, then by all means take care of it first! If you suffer complete writer's block without having a detailed outline with every scene described, then write your outline first. If the thought of being tied to an outline makes you feel claustrophobic, don't use one. Find out what works for you, and then *do* it! I hope you're getting my point. If Lois & Clark (or something different, it doesn't matter what) moves you to write, please write. Don't get tied up in do's and don't's that you've heard about writing. Just write. And then edit. This is where you can fix those Britishisms if you want to get rid of them or decide how to portray Perry's accent or fix those punctuation errors that make it hard to figure out who's talking. When the creative heat has passed and a first draft is waiting on your screen, you can edit without hurting your creativity. But please edit. There's a saying about the unexamined life (that it's hardly worth living) that can be applied to completely unedited writing. If you don't know English rules so you can edit your own work, find someone who can, but edit it so that audience of yours doesn't have to struggle to figure out what you were trying to say. Regarding Britishisms? I love language and the wonderful permutations of it, and I love to read Britishisms in posts and on IRC, but I don't like seeing it in my L&C. It's the same reason I argue for some hints of Perry's accent. I'm big on verisimilitude. L&C are Americans, so I use American idioms. Perry is southern, so I drop in southern expressions ("Wait just a minute before you high tail-it outta here"). When I tried my hand at a Regency romance, I wrote pages and pages of idioms from Jane Austen's novels before I wrote my first line of dialog because the characters were English (c. 1810-1820), and neither they nor the narrator should use modern American idioms and sensibilities. But British spellings don't usually bother me (except "kerb", which I consistently read as "Herb" and wonder what the heck H.G. Wells is doing there :), probably because I can never remember if certain words are spelled with an "s" or a "z" anyway. Hmmm . . . was there any other thread I wanted to hit while I was at it? Oh, yeah: closet fanfic writers. Nope. Never have been. My parents think I'm wasting my time; my husband thinks I'm having an affair with Clark Kent; my kids think I'm a total screwball, and my boss reads everything I write :), but I'm too passionate about writing to worry about what *any*one else thinks (don't tell me: you guessed, right? :) I've given a presentation in one of the English comp classes here at the college on the difference in form between fiction and screenplays, and I used selections from "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet" (both script form and S5 version) for handouts. And the instructor knew what I was using ahead of time. I told the English faculty when I won my first Kerths, and they congratulated me. I am . . . shameless, but I love writing L&C too much to care. I'm also very long winded when I start talking about writing (and opinionated and pedantic and . . . :) Sheila (what can I say? It was a slow night in the lab and I spent most of the time proctoring tests) sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 22:22:38 -0700 Reply-To: Ara Swanson Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Ara Swanson Subject: Re: The British are coming... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: No Name Available >I know Margaret believes that in Metropolis everyone uses British spellings > and I can live with that easily. (Well, much of the time I type >"centre" and "programme" anyway as I deal with an international organization.) >But there are certainly expresssions or phrases or terms that just aren't heard >over here and would -- to me-- sound quite odd coming from anyone living in >Metropolis. > >--Laurie (too tired to think of examples) Although I like the fact that authors from throughout the world add their own unique idiom, etc. to their stories, it does sound odd when characters use phrases and words that they would not normally use. So, in one way, I think it is important to keep the characters "in character," yet on the other hand I also think it is important for an author to be comfortable with what they are writing. Say, for example, Superman was actually set in a fictitious city in the UK rather than Metropolis and I wanted to attempt writing a fanfic in this situation, I think would have a difficult time convincing my audience I actually knew what I was doing if I tried to use British idiom. So, I can understand from the British standpoint that it might not be comfortable to try to write from the American standpoint. Ara ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 20:30:01 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Subject: Re: Perry's Accent In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:49 PM 04/21/1999 -0400, you wrote: >About Perry's accent --- I like to be able to hear the characters speak when >I read a story; using the phrases and contractions that he uses help to >create this feeling, I think. However, sometimes with Perry it can be >overdone -- he's hard to write, I think. > >Carol I think he's hard to write only if he's assumed to be a gullible person (as unfortunately the show did in the last, um, 2.5 seasons or so). I try to see and write him as a highly intelligent person with tons of experience and horse sense (reminding me somewhat of my late, Ozarks-born stepfather). Perry inspires his employees (they'll do anything for him - but he wouldn't ask them to do anything he wouldn't do himself if they weren't there), and he loves the smell of fear in the newsroom - because he knows that magic is happening. With this in mind, I have no trouble trying to recreate is drawl, "Well, Lois, honey, you know how it is. Now all the rest of you, git back to work, pronto!" I don't even mind his Elvis fixation. Debby :) Debby@swcp.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:45:57 -0500 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: The British are coming... In-Reply-To: <199904212117.WAA21575@radius.connectfree.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 9:55 PM +0100 4/21/99, Yvonne Connell wrote: >No, it's not a threat! I was talking to Wendy Richards about the fact that >us Brits seem to be on the increase in L&C fanfic-dom, and it got me >thinking about American/British idiom. I know it's been touched on before >here, so I don't want to rake over old ground, but I'm still interested to >know from the US contingent how important or otherwise you think it is to >use American idiom. If I come across an unfamiliar British idiom or phrase in a story I'm editing, I will question the author about it, mainly for my own benefit but also to point out that it may be unclear to some of their American readers (which make up the majority of FoLCs). It is then completely up to the author to decide if they want to make any changes. In general, I see no reason for European/Canandian fanfic writers to change their spellings and narrative descriptions. However, I make an exception for dialogue. It is distracting for me, as an American reader of L&C fanfic, to have Lois or Clark or any of the American characters speaking in British expressions. It goes back to the whole concept of "pulling the reader out of the story". I may very well know exactly what an author means, but it's jarring to be distracted like that. In those cases, I point out what I feel Lois or Clark would really say. "I would have done" becomes "I would have", "whilst" becomes "while", etc. But again, it is up to the author to decide what to do with those suggestions. Actually, I've always wondered ... to the British writers, when you hear Lois and Clark speaking in your story, do you hear them as using those British-isms? Or is it simply an automatic reaction to type dialogue for them using the phrases that are most natural to you? Are you ever "jarred" of a fanfic by the American phrases that Lois and Clark use? >This leads me to another question: what do people think about writing out >accents - the prime example, I think, is Perry's. I second what Sheila and Erin said ... I think there is a difference between spelling out a pronunciation and sprinkling the little idioms Perry uses into his speech. The same goes for Clark ... face it, he says "gonna" a lot. ;) And if I'm writing dialogue for him, I'm going to sprinkle those kind of spellings in there. I think it provides authenticity as long as it's not overdone. Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 22:24:08 -0500 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: the "critique" thing and Poor Grammar in Fanfic and In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.19990421145630.0079c5f0@actcom.co.il> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 2:06 PM +0100 4/21/99, Wendy Richards wrote: >Perhaps we're getting a couple of things mixed up here, though. I >would be surprised if anyone objected to public postings saying 'I >really loved (insert name of story), and I think (insert name of >writer) needs to write more as soon as possible!' Perhaps even, 'I >particularly liked (insert scene which especially appealed).' This whole discussion has been amazingly similar to the private discussion a few of us have been having while trying to come up with an FAQ for this fanfic list and the Fanfic Archive. The difference between "feedback" and "critque" was questioned there as well. Ultimately, this definition is key--no one is suggesting that to send a compliment to an author ("great story! I can't wait for the sequel!") you need to ask permission. Same goes for giving feedback or your opinions on a story ("I love the part where ... but I was confused on this one area ...) even if that feedback is not all positive ("I disagree with your view of Clark; killing criminals is not in his character"). Comments like these often lead to the best discussions on this list (e.g., the "medical school" thread for Firestorm). However, what many of us believe permission should be obtained for is the in-depth critique of a story. This term is important to define--in this discussion, "in depth critique" means "the paragraph by paragrah edit of a story that is considered complete by the author." Once we start talking the same language, I think we will have a common starting point for discussion. I am an editor as well as a writer when it comes to fanfic. When I write a new story, I have a handful of editors that I rely on to give me invaluable full-blown edits. When I sent out my S6 episode, Fatal Attraction, to my editors, I expected and received paragraph by paragraph comments--what worked, what was confusing, suggested dialogue changes, typos, flat out mistakes ("you have Lois grab Clark's jacket sleeve, but two paragraphs later, he pulls his jacket from the back of his chair as he leaves the newsroom") several "LOL!"s and one "Omigod, I can't believe you did that!" (If you've read the episode, you might have a good guess as to what line inspired that last reaction. ) But as valuable as I find those edits to be when the story is in process, I wouldn't be as welcoming if someone did a line by line "critique" of the story on the fanfic list after I posted it. Go ahead and tell me which parts didn't make sense or point out a plot hole--you can do it on the fanfic list in full view of everyone; I'm game! But if you want to rewrite my dialogue to make it sound "better" or go line by line and pull the story apart, I'd prefer you'd do it privately. *This* is what people are talking about when they say that if you want to do a full-blown critique, you should ask the author's permission first. Once a story is done, an author may not be interested in receiving further "edits", only comments on the story overall. Or they may be happy to receive them--just ask first. Now, onto grammar ... At 2:56 PM +0300 4/21/99, Hazel Brown wrote: >I once wrote how the soft breathing of two sleeping girls "soughed" through >a darkened room. My editor changed it to "sounded" until I pulled out a >dictionary and showed her that the word actually existed. :) This sounds like a discussion several of us had on IRC a week or two ago. I believe the word was "snugged", but Zoomway can verify that since it was her word. Several of us had never heard it before, assuming it was a typo of "snuggled", but Zoom (and Georgia, I believe) said it was properly used in a slightly different context--you snuggled up to someone, but you snugged someone to you (as in, pulled them to you). This conversation also showed how different dictionaries have different words. Zoom and Georgia had "snugged" in their dictionairies, but I didn't have it in any of my three. (I had the word "snug" as an adjective, but not as a verb with the definition they cited.) As Sheila mentioned in her post, however, sometimes you just have to reword a section even if you are right in your word choice. Like in Sheila's "proof against" meaning "safe from", she may very well have been technically correct, but if the majority of your readers say "huh?" you may decide to reword so as not to confuse anyone. I believe this was what Zoom said about "snugged" on IRC--that she was correct in her usage, but got sick of all her editors changing it to "snuggled" so she just stopped bothering to use it. Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 23:37:54 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: ninety-six and i planted poppies Subject: COMBO: closet fan, britishisms, critique I've been following the list discussions closely (except when my ISP delays my outside e-mails by days) and have finally found some time to add my $.02. Yvonne asked: << I'm dying to know from you, 'ninety-six and i planted poppies' or kubitc@KENYON.EDU, what your former English professor thought of the fanfic you showed him/her? >> That would be me ;) Sorry about the random quotes that show up instead of my name- another pitfall of my school's ISP. Anyway, the former English professor liked it. I was trying to get into an intro to fiction-writing course and I showed her some fanfic to see what she thought I should submit. She and I settled on one of the beginning scenes of 'The Martha Bums' (which was sent out to this list late December) and I got into the class ;) On the subject of critique-- I agree with Margaret that I'd rather receive criticism one-on-one- I am better talking to people that way, both in person and on-line. However, when I 'release' a fanfic, I accept that I may receive public criticism. Also, I am a big believer that harsh criticism can help one's writing. I've had a few people critique my writin (both L&C and through the fiction-writing course I mentioned earlier) and, when honest and kind-spirited, it's been helpful. However, that's pretty easy for me to say, since I've never received criticism through this list, even though I have posted a story. (And, believe me, it's much better to receive *some*thing than nothing.) The most public criticism of writing I've received was through my fiction-writing class and that wasn't exactly public. This is a very tough subject, especially when criticism is recieved but isn't asked for (which it often is). It can trample on people's often precarious views of their writing abilities and ultimately discourage them, if not done with care. In my aforementioned writing course, the professor warned us against critiquing someone else's story harshly because they've critiqued yours harshly. No one's mentioned that point yet and probably because it hasn't happened on this list (to my knowledge at least), but it can be the focus of a class where most of the students (except me ;) were English majors hoping to make some sort of career out of their writing abilities. Sheila wrote: << I'm big on verisimilitude. L&C are Americans, so I use American idioms. Perry is southern, so I drop in southern expressions ("Wait just a minute before you high tail-it outta here"). >> I completely agree here. I love British-isms, but Lois and Clark aren't British, and for me, allowing them to speak in British-isms starts me thinking that the writer isn't being true to their characters (the biggest thing that turns me off some fanfic). I was also interested by a question Debby asked a little while ago, about what are the specific character traits we look for when reading about Lois, Clark, etc. I've thought about it since reading her post and the only thing I can come up with is that, as they say about pornography- 'I know it when I see it.' The only thing I could think of, though, was Lois's use of the moniker 'Clarkie' (bracing myself for the onslaught of posts by authors using this name in their story) I know this was used in the show, but (as far as I can remember) it was used when Lois was out of character (perhaps in DTOSC?) I personally cannot 'hear' her say 'Clarkie'- it makes my shiver, in fact. Sorry. Kathy wrote: << Actually, I've always wondered ... to the British writers, when you hear Lois and Clark speaking in your story, do you hear them as using those British-isms? Or is it simply an automatic reaction to type dialogue for them using the phrases that are most natural to you? Are you ever "jarred" of a fanfic by the American phrases that Lois and Clark use? >> I can't answer this exact question, but I've been trying to work out a Lois and Clark/Avengers crossover fic in my spare time (what spare time?) One hard thing for me is keeping the voices of the two characters in The Avengers, Steed and Mrs Peel, 'honest.' I'm American, but they aren't. I use American English in the description parts of their segments of the stories, but I've had to be very careful (and lots watch of episodes on tape :) not to let them slip out of British English and into American. I don't get jarred hearing British-isms in the show (never read any other Avengers fic); instead, I love it, especially their use of 'baddie' :) -Christy (drudging back to her physics book to study the photoelectric effect) kubitc@kenyon.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 20:37:24 PDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Diyan Smith Subject: Re: Homonyms Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain << We could have a contest of ridiculous homonyms if we'd like (peak and peek snuck into that last RR when no one was looking...) >> > The one that really gets me is the verb "lead" (to go before someone showing the way), its past form, "led", and the metal that Superman can't see through, which is spelled like "lead" but ronounced like "led". Same problem with the verb "read" (what we do to fanfic), and its past form which is spelled exactly the same, "read", but is pronounced like the color, "red". Diyan Smith _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:12:57 PDT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Diyan Smith Subject: Re: Perry's accent Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain >>Being from the South myself, I enjoy putting some 'Southernisity' into Perry. I admit, I like to read it and I loved watching it on the show. I always find it comical in most instances the way they portray southern people on most things, but Lois and Clark made me almost proud, they made a very likeable character and gave him some very believable Southern charm. >Just my $0.2 and a whole lot more, >Mandy Crustner >mandyc@lcc.net<< I'm also from the South, and I second what Mandy said, (except take out the "almost"). I love that Perry calls Lois "honey", and that every man younger than himself is "son". Ahh, these are the things we love about the South... Diyan Smith _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 23:22:06 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Kerths and "fledgling" fanfic writers In-Reply-To: <000301be8b9a$f56df0c0$83be883e@eileen-s-place> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:03 PM -0700 4/19/99, Eileen Barnard wrote: >I understand exactly what you mean. I also haven't dared to send any of my >stuff to the list yet because it can be quite daunting with such a wealth of >excellent writing around. This comment, originally on the critique thread, got me thinking about an email exchange I had last month. Those of you who are new to writing fanfic (or are still deciding whether to write it at all), does your reading of "high quality" L&C fanfics make you want to write more? Or does it make you less willing to try? On a related note, did the Fanfic Kerth Awards make you more or less likely to try your hand at fanfic? Does the presence of more experienced fanfic authors on this fanfic discussion list intimidate you? During the course of the Kerths this spring, a FoLC suggested to me that the Kerth Awards were actually bad for L&C fanfic because fledgling writers would be intimidated by the awards/winning authors and would not submit their stories, were they to write them at all. I disagreed, citing the fact that the number of fanfics per year has actually increased since the first Fanfic Kerth Awards (especially impressive considering the show has been off the air for 2 years now). I also cited ancedotal evidence of over-hearing several FoLCs say that the Kerths were so much fun that they now wanted to write some of their own. However, I recognize that since I am neither a lurker nor a new fanfic author, I really can't speak for those of you who are. Comments? Opinions? Obviously, even though I disagree with this person's opinion, it's stuck with me. Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 00:32:18 -0700 Reply-To: Ara Swanson Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Ara Swanson Subject: Re: Perry's accent MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Just out of curiosity, does anyone on the list with scriptwriting experience know how writers manage accents of their characters? Ara ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 00:35:31 EDT Reply-To: MsLoisette@aol.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Kerths and "fledgling" fanfic writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-04-22 00:26:23 EDT, you write: << This comment, originally on the critique thread, got me thinking about an email exchange I had last month. Those of you who are new to writing fanfic (or are still deciding whether to write it at all), does your reading of "high quality" L&C fanfics make you want to write more? Or does it make you less willing to try? On a related note, did the Fanfic Kerth Awards make you more or less likely to try your hand at fanfic? Does the presence of more experienced fanfic authors on this fanfic discussion list intimidate you? >> I have only been part of this list for about a month, but I have been reading LnC fanfic for about a year now. And yes, reading the posts sent by you *regular* LnC fanfic writers have inspired me. I have always wanted to write an LnC fanfic, because i LOVE the show that much! But I have never had the guts. Because of the openess and support of you wonderful FoLCs out there, I am now as we speak attempting my first fanfic. My friends have told me that I have SUPER ideas, so now it is time to get them down on paper. I am not sure how long it will take, because I have already experienced how frustarting it is to get these pictures and dialoge that I have in my head, down on paper! sheesh... But I am sure as heck going to post it on this list when it is through! Alexis ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 00:33:24 -0400 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Demona (Angel Of The Night)" Subject: Re: Sheila's Audience ;) In-Reply-To: <371BCE2100000D7E@cncc.cncc.cc.co.us> (added by cncc.cncc.cc.co.us) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 09:14 PM 21/04/1999 -0500, Sheila Harper wrote: >Oh, God, once again I'm on the other side of this fence. You can't believe >how much time I spend teaching students in my composition classes to >*consider their audience.* Since the primary purpose of writing is >communication (except for those people who write something for themselves >and hide it away so no other soul ever sees it), you *have* to consider your >audience. Do you have to do so in your first draft? (Demi, this one's for >you :) No. Thanks Sheila. I appreciate that. In so far as the written word is concerned, you are one of the few authors, professional or otherwise, whose work inspires me. Not to mention the fact that I'm usually in awe of how much people like you (and Georgia, for that matter), understand about the language. I've always loved to write, and done so most of my lifetime, but whenever I'm in a chatroom with either of you ladies, I bring a pen! (Bet you didn't know that, huh?) I always know that I'll probably learn at least one new word for the evening, so I come prepared to write it down. ;) Like most people who are passionate about any artform, I'm constantly aware of where I'd *like* to be as a writer, as opposed to where I actually am. Those are times when I love to selfishly inhale wisdom from people like you, who teach, as well as you write. And I hope you don't mind. :) I'd like to go back for a second, however, and I do want to comment on at least a part of what you mentioned earlier. <> I agree. I think the primary purpose of any artform is necessarily communication -- an outlet for some form of creative expression. However, I think that's true, even for those who "hide it away so no other soul ever sees it". I'd argue that the purpose of that individual's work was still to communicate something, though their 'audience' may be less than readily apparent: It was still something which forced expression. ;) If you'll permit me to shamelessly draw an analogy to the only artform which *I* teach, which obviously isn't creative writing.. It's a little bit like what some of us call "they myth of the monologue". When we watch an actor, alone in a scene while delivering his/her lines, despite the fact that there isn't another soul on stage (or in an audition situation), the question which arises and remains all too often unanswered (by the actor themselves) is: Who are they talking to? The fallacy is for the performer to choose "themselves" -- "There's no one else here, therefore I'm talking to myself". But that's probably the surest road to a poor performance one can take. Just because a piece does not have a visible audience, doesn't mean there's no one there -- at least in concept. An artist needs to choose a target. As Sheila mentioned regarding her students of composition, the first thing she said she teaches them, is to consider their audience. That is also one of the first things I teach my acting students. Though with actors, we consider two audiences. The one without, and the one who plays with us, whether real or imagined. In either case, as artists, writers, actors, whomever we are -- I believe we must always consider who we are speaking to when the moment comes that whatever it is inside of us (or our characters on paper or in performance), forces an exit; reaches critical mass and necessarily HAS to be communicated via the artform. Whomever we decide is "out there" tends to make a very big different in terms of the outcome of our work. ;) >I'm also very long winded when I start talking about writing (and >opinionated and pedantic and . . . :) ...And if you ever stop writing (especially L&C!), the rest of us will have to hunt you down and staple you to your computer chair! I think I can safely say, Sheila, that as passionate as you are about writing L&C, the rest of us are just about as passionate about reading what you write. I'm sure you've already guessed by now, if not through private email, then by this post at least, I'm one of your biggest fans, myself. And I know I'm among the majority of FoLCs on this list in that opinion, at least. ;) Take Care All, Demi ___________________________________________ Demi aka Demona nightangel@home.com http://fantasia.simplenet.com/lcfantasy/ "Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember.." - 'Anastasia' (excerpt: 'Once Upon A December') I went to the doctor, I went to the mountain. I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain. There's more than one answer to these questions, pointing me in a crooked line. The less I seek my source for some definitive The closer I am to fine. - Indigo Girls