From: "L-Soft list server at Indiana University (1.8d)" To: "ARTF@MemoryAlpha.nil" File: "LOISCLA-GENERAL-L LOG0001C" ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 00:33:17 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lara Blasingame Subject: Re: NEW: The Darkest Hour part 20 Hi Erin, I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying your story. It's very well written... the subtle humor, the WAFFs, the angst (boo Trask)... it's nicely plotted as well. Even if you have been unsure about your muse lately... we haven't... please post more asap :) Lara ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 08:50:52 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: NEW: The Darkest Hour part 20 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Erin, This is so fun to check my mail each day for latest installments of fics...especially when they are well written ;) Thanks for giving so much pleasure! Kate ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 09:35:37 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/ Subject: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey you Murcans.... is anyone watching "Now and Again"? I thought it sounded lame when I first heard about it, but lately I've heard it's really good ... should I be watching this show? And if I watch it, and love it, does anyone have tapes? :) (we should probably talk about tapes in private mail) -- ------------------------------------------------------- Pam Jernigan | jernigan@bellsouth.net ChiefPam on IRC | ChPam on AOL IM ------------------------------------------------------- "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby into idiots, too." --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 10:03:50 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Pam, NOW that's ironic.....I had heard good things about N & A too, especially a Superman reference, since he supposedly has unique abilities. So I taped it last night and just watched it this am. I don't know, maybe I need to give it another chance, but I was bored. It definitely did not have that magic something that would bring me back for more. And, there was no interaction between the hero and his widowed wife. And, even though I really like Margaret Collins, who is the female lead, this actor (don't remember his name) is no Dean Cain. I don't know if I ever even want to find another show that had that magic that Lois and Clark had, but it would be nice to come close. Kate ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 11:05:32 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Incidentally, I sort of landed on the show last night. I wasn't very impressed. The interaction between the two (male) main characters was flat. The scientist guy reminded me of Scully with even less personality. I wouldn't go back and watch it. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 11:09:43 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Shannon Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" I love the show personally. I've been watching it since the beginning. Anyways, if you watch some other eps, there will be interaction btwn the hero and his wife. Give it another try (next week is a rerun). Shannon "Love can move you to a place inside your heart, Where you can feel no evil, acceptance is a natural part of life." - Savage Garden "Love Can Move You" ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 15:02:59 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/15/00 8:37:36 AM Central Standard Time, jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET writes: << Hey you Murcans.... is anyone watching "Now and Again"? I thought it sounded lame when I first heard about it, but lately I've heard it's really good ... should I be watching this show? And if I watch it, and love it, does anyone have tapes? :) (we should probably talk about tapes in private mail) >> The only precaution I'd give with this show is that it's a "negative premise" show. Lost in Space, for example, was a negative premise. If the Robinson family found their way back home, then the premise, and thus the show, would be over. The worst type of negative premise is employed by Now and Again, a romance that can never be permitted, or rather is forbidden the hero. In this story, a middle-aged man who is happily married and has a daughter, is killed in an accident. A secret project wanted a test subject for their experiment of implanting a human brain in a synthetic "super" body (yes, Metallo or Robocop) One stipulation to this man (Michael) is that he cannot have contact with anyone from his former middle-aged life. Unfortunately, that includes his wife and daughter. In fact, that's the one real "hook" in this series. Otherwise, it's basically an A plot action show. Now, here's my biggest caution, it is produced and created by Glenn Gordon Caron (Moonlighting). He was the master of continuing sexual tension to the snooze point of frustration. He felt the mistake he made with Moonlighting was letting the couple finally get together. Actually, what they finally did was have sex At any rate, in an interview, Caron said he would not make the same mistake with Now and Again that he made with Moonlighting. You do the math ;) Personally, I've made a vow not to get interested in a show until after it's canceled and in reruns It's sort of like my vow to never read a fanfic unless it actually has "the end" instead of "to be continued" ;) Zoom ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 18:51:04 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rowan Fuller Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 15/01/2000 20:03:29 GMT Standard Time, Zoomway@AOL.COM writes: << Personally, I've made a vow not to get interested in a show until after it's canceled and in reruns It's sort of like my vow to never read a fanfic unless it actually has "the end" instead of "to be continued" ;) Zoom >> Thanks for the lowdown Zoom. We don't have that over here in the UK yet. But I think if we do get it I'll try my hardest to give it a miss . Moonlighting's problems IMHO was that it started to have stupid scripts and just became uninteresting an I think I'd stopped watching it long before they had sex. I made it a decision in 1997 when Murder One & Lois & Clark both got cancelled in the same season, that I was not watching anything again until it was in reruns. That way you don't get into something and burned by the network , at least in reruns you know where you stand. Same with finished fanfic. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 18:34:23 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pat Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Zoomway wrote: >The worst type of negative premise is employed by Now and Again, a > romance that can never be permitted, or rather is forbidden the hero. Negative is definitely the operative term here, too. I watched the show twice, and won't be watching a third time. Watching the writers torture their characters (and their audience) by keeping the characters apart isn't my idea of entertainment :( >I've made a vow not to get interested in a show until > after it's canceled and in reruns Good policy, Zoom. After having Lois & Clark cancelled out from under us, 5th season renewal notwithstanding, my vow is not to get interested in any show that solicits an emotional investment from the viewer. I'll watch comedies like Frazier, and documentary/reality shows on the Discovery Channel and the Learning Channel, and I'll even watch Dean's Ripleys show but I refuse to get involved with any program that has lovers and angst as major parts of it's plot. >It's sort of like my vow to never read > a fanfic unless it actually has "the end" instead of "to be continued" ;) I *tried* that vow, but it disappeared faster than a new year's resolution after Erin posted her latest fanfic to the list. BTW, Erin, is part 21 due anytime soon? ;) Pat peabody@mcs.com pattijean@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 17:56:12 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Daily Planet MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I need to ask a question for the grand finale of my current fanfic. Can anyone tell me how many floors the Daily Planet has? Nan ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 22:24:24 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Laurie Dunn Subject: Re: Daily Planet and Darkest Hour MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Nan- Shouldn't the answer to your question be visible on the MXYPTLk (sp?) episode? I seem to remember watching the dial over the elevator door, but can't remember what it said. Time to get the tape out. Erin- We "Darkest Hour" fans are getting restless. Please, I hope you have a nice productive weekend, this weekend. hint hint LaurieD ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 23:25:23 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Alicia Utowski Subject: IRC Question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, I just found IRC, and I am sure this question has been asked before, but I dont have my mail saved. I've seen you guys talk about #lanekent and #loiscla. Whenever i try to get into #lanekent, it says i need a key. what does that mean? sorry for asking the same question i know someone else asked. Alicia ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 23:28:57 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Chris P Subject: Re: IRC Question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/15/00 8:25:35 PM Pacific Standard Time, Alicia3456@AOL.COM writes: << Whenever i try to get into #lanekent, it says i need a key. what does that mean? >> #lanekent requires a keyword because it is restricted to 18 and over...we sometimes splash around in the gutter...er make that frequently. If you are 18 or over, email me privately, stating that, and I will give you the keyword. Chris ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 00:14:28 -0600 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: Back ... and catching up :) In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello everyone! As you can see from the topic line, I'm back at my computer and slowly getting caught up with all the mail that came in while I was gone. (About 350 messages in 3 1/2 weeks ... *after* going NOMAIL on the listserv. ) The Archive already has stories ready to go for both this weekend and next, and I still have a few stories out to editors that are more than likely finished by now, so we should be ready for February uploads on time. I had a good dozen stories come in while I was gone, and I'm slowly getting them assigned to GEs ... if you've submitted one, please be patient while I get everything put back together. :) (And GEs, if you have completed stories, feel free to return them to me. :)) BTW, what do you think of the new Archive format?? I think Lauren did a great job! Now I just need to keep up my end of the bargin and revamp the FAQ section -- anyone interested in volunteering for the task, let me know! :) Let's see, what else? Oh yes! I compiled the Archive story list for 1999. We uploaded 287 stories!! No wonder I was so busy this year. I hope everyone had a great holiday. I certainly did ... 2 1/2 weeks in Michigan with family (mine and the in-laws), then a week in Aruba alone with my husband -- no kid! Of course, Erin hates me now because I'm tan. And now I'm caught up with the listserv mail I missed thanks to the wonderful listserv archive, so I'm ready to head back into the fray. Kathy _________________________________ Kathy Brown Editor-In-Chief Lois & Clark Fanfic Archive: kathyb@springnet1.com OR kathyb@lcfanfic.com KathyB on IRC _________________________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 01:15:29 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Alexis W." Subject: Re: Back ... and catching up :) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/16/00 1:12:33 AM EST, kathyb@SPRINGNET1.COM writes: << then a week in Aruba alone with my husband -- no kid! Of course, Erin hates me now because I'm tan. >> Sounds like your own little "Ordinary People," ep but with much happier circumstances. =) Welcome back Kathy! Alexis ;-.) {who needs to find her "own" Clark to spend time on an island with.. sigh....} ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 03:53:59 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" (Sorry if this goes through twice...) This one just popped into my head and demanded to be written. It took twenty-six minutes. We could call it a classic case of the addiction in question. ;) I hope a certain mother-and-daughter pair won't object to their little cameo in this one! Feedback is *obviously* encouraged. :) THE ULTIMATE DRUG by Hazel "Okay, Doctor Folk," said Lois, her pen poised expectantly over her notepad. "What can you tell me about this new drug? FDJ?" "FDK," the man corrected her. He sighed. "It's not pretty, Ms. Lane. It's a thousand times more addictive than anything else on the market, and as far as we can tell, there's no cure." Lois frowned at this. "No cure? There's no cure for cocaine, either." "Perhaps I should have worded it differently," Dr. Folk agreed. "Let's say, rather, that rehabilitation has, so far, proven impossible. To date, there has not been a single case of a person who has succeeded in getting over the addiction." Lois' eyes widened. "Not a single case?" "Not yet," the doctor told her. He gestured towards the computer on the desk. "I've been monitoring our patients. Some of them seem to go quietly dormant for years, and then the sudden need blazes up again and becomes completely insatiable. Our longest 'sleeper' case has been two years, four months, and eleven days. Just last week, the man in question succumbed." "That's... scary," Lois mumbled. She shook herself. "Do your studies document what FDK does to its victims?" Doctor Folk nodded and rattled off the list without bothering to consult his files. "Incredible euphoria. A single hit can keep the victim grinning for days, yet constantly seeking more. Side effects include a tendency towards sleeplessness, aching finger joints, neglect of outside interests, and eye strain. Some victims retreat into themselves; others become more garrulous. On occasion, a 'bad' hit will leave the victim despondent, but these happen only rarely. "As the drug eventually works its way through the system, the victim is suddenly struck by a craving for more. The victim will do anything to get more FDK, including spending hours on end in pursuit of a single extra hit." Lois bit her lip, trying to retain her professionalism. "What exactly do you mean by 'anything'? Have these kids been hitting the streets?" "Actually, there are many more adults involved than 'kids,' Ms. Lane," the doctor corrected her. "Although there have been reports of a mother-daughter pair who apparently seek FDK together. Most victims are twenty-one or older; there have been several documented cases of suffering teenagers, but the ones who seem the most addicted are usually in their thirties or forties." Lois looked up at him sharply. "Do you mean to say that *adults* are getting hopelessly addicted like this?" "Oh, yes," Dr. Folk nodded soberly. "There have been cases of normally responsible men and women sneaking fixes in the workplace, turning up red-eyed in the morning because they've been up all night... I told you it isn't pretty, Ms. Lane. I wasn't kidding." "So you have adults running rampant, robbing and stealing people blind in order to afford their next fix?!" "No, no, Ms. Lane," Dr. Folk said hastily. "That's the one saving grace of FDK. In terms of money, it's absolutely free. All you need is access." "Access?" "Availability, shall we say. The necessary equipment. Even the most rudimentary tools can be used in a pinch, although most of our patients seem to prefer more sophisticated methods." Lois sat back, trying to hard her confusion. "So you're saying that FDK victims are only harming themselves? They're not a menace to society?" "That's a matter of opinion, I suppose," the doctor said judiciously. "After all, think of all the hours that are wasted by the victim in pursuing the fix. Who knows what might have been accomplished in that time?" "Well, yes, I suppose. Those symptoms you listed didn't sound very pleasant. But at least they're not hurting anyone else." Dr. Folk hesitated. "That's not entirely true. There is a strong tendency for victims to spread the addiction. In their excitement over the fix, they will encourage others to give them further doses, and also offer doses to others in an effort to proliferate the problem." "They offer doses of FDK to other victims?" Lois stared at him, incredulous. "But I thought you said that the victims are constantly looking for another fix!" "It's hard to explain," said Dr. Folk, spreading his hands in apology. "But it seems clear that a FDK victim can somehow give a fix to another victim without lessening his or her own dosage. It seems almost symbiotic; the more fixes one victim offers to others, the more that victim seems to recieve from those same sources." "Wow." Lois sat silently for a moment, then asked one last question. "So, there's no cure, and no hope for rehabilitation. What's being done to get FDK off the market?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" Lois was horrified. "But all those lives..." Dr. Folk shrugged. "As you yourself said, Ms. Lane, FDK really only harms the victim. The physical side effects do go away with time; a 'sleeper' patient is as healthy and well-adjusted as we are. Look at it as a chronic disease that flares up on occasion." He gave her a quirk of a grin. "One thing's for sure, Ms. Lane -- the victims are most definitely happy. They do no harm to others, except those that are suffering from the same condition; they even manage to hone skills through their addiction, and it definitely keeps them off the streets. For the time being -- until the powers that be come up with some kind of miraculous solution -- that's the best we can do." Lois left Dr. Folk's office with her head down, deep in thought. Were FDK victims really happy, or did they secretly long to escape their addiction? Was there any way to save them from themselves? An absent-minded glance at her watch shook her out of her reverie. "Oh, no!" she muttered, walking more quickly now as she trotted towards her jeep. "I forgot to set the VCR this morning, and 'The Ivory Tower' will be on in ten minutes. I'd better hurry home as fast as I can..." END. ;) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 05:12:41 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii LOL! Hazel, very cute! I loved this. Irene (FDK addicted too!) --- Hazel wrote: > (Sorry if this goes through twice...) > > This one just popped into my head and demanded to be > written. It took > twenty-six minutes. We could call it a classic case > of the addiction in > question. ;) > > I hope a certain mother-and-daughter pair won't > object to their little > cameo in this one! Feedback is *obviously* > encouraged. :) > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 08:14:53 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/ Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thanks everyone who responded, I appreciate your time ... and Zoom, you make some excellent points, as always. I may still check this out but I'll try not to get suckered in... -- ------------------------------------------------------- Pam Jernigan | jernigan@bellsouth.net ChiefPam on IRC | ChPam on AOL IM ------------------------------------------------------- "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby into idiots, too." --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 08:24:53 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/ Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ROFL, Hazel!! That's hilarious... > "It's hard to explain," said Dr. Folk, spreading his hands in apology. "But > it seems clear that a FDK victim can somehow give a fix to another victim > without lessening his or her own dosage. It seems almost symbiotic; the > more fixes one victim offers to others, the more that victim seems to > recieve from those same sources." So true, and a lovely cycle that is, to be sure... Don't forget all the social avenues that have sprung up just to accommodate those poor addicts... the hit is more potent if one can share it with others, in a clear violation of the laws of physics... The only thing I didn't get was I couldn't figure out what FDK stood for, but I expect I'm just slow this morning... And now I'm off to the archive for my next hit... ;) PJ who reminds everyone that Hazel is eligible for Best New Author this year ;) -- ------------------------------------------------------- Pam Jernigan | jernigan@bellsouth.net ChiefPam on IRC | ChPam on AOL IM ------------------------------------------------------- "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby into idiots, too." --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 08:27:21 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ok, my brain is not clueing in this am..... FDK= fanfic drug ?? forever deanaholic ?? free download ?? just can't seem to make the connection here, even though I fit most of the symptoms of the described addict. Someone tell me so I can feel stupid and get it over with. Kate ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 05:30:45 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I'm just guessing and Hazel will tell me if I'm wrong, but I think FDK refers to feedback. Irene --- Kate Crane wrote: > ok, my brain is not clueing in this am..... > FDK= fanfic drug ?? > forever deanaholic ?? > free download ?? > just can't seem to make the connection here, even > though I fit most of the > symptoms of the described addict. Someone tell me > so I can feel stupid and > get it over with. > Kate > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 10:12:07 -0500 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: A couple of quick questions Hi guys I have a niggling little question that would help in a story I'm currently working on (and have been working on for the last two or three months... Maybe one day I'll even finish it!) Does anyone know the name of Clark's landlord? Indeed, were we even told in the episode what his name was? (I'm talking about the man we saw when Clark first rented the apartment in Neverending Battle, and not lady who we see in the New Krypton arc.) The second question is really one for the North Americans out there. I'm under the impression that Neverending Battle got shown after Strange Visitor in the US (and Canada / elsewhere?). This is the reverse of what happened in the UK, and it would help to know whether anyone would be bothered by a story that assumes that Neverending Battle came first. Would that be confusing without some sort of note in an introduction to the story? Any and all help appreciated! Thanks. Chris ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 10:21:27 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) In-Reply-To: <20000116133045.29652.qmail@web904.mail.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Irene wrote: >I'm just guessing and Hazel will tell me if I'm wrong, >but I think FDK refers to feedback. Yes, it does. :) Kate, Irene, Pam -- thanks for supplying my fix! And an extra thanks to Pam for the free plug. Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 07:21:27 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: A couple of quick questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi Chris, I can't help you with the first question but yes, you are right in the second instance. The order of episodes was reversed here in Canada and the U.S. which makes no sense at all. You don't need to explain this in the actual story but a word about it in your preamble wouldn't go amiss. Irene --- Chris Carr wrote: > Hi guys > > I have a niggling little question that would help in > a story I'm currently > working on (and have been working on for the last > two or three months... > Maybe one day I'll even finish it!) > > Does anyone know the name of Clark's landlord? > Indeed, were we even told in > the episode what his name was? (I'm talking about > the man we saw when Clark > first rented the apartment in Neverending Battle, > and not lady who we see in > the New Krypton arc.) > > The second question is really one for the North > Americans out there. I'm > under the impression that Neverending Battle got > shown after Strange Visitor > in the US (and Canada / elsewhere?). This is the > reverse of what happened > in the UK, and it would help to know whether anyone > would be bothered by a > story that assumes that Neverending Battle came > first. Would that be > confusing without some sort of note in an > introduction to the story? > > Any and all help appreciated! Thanks. > > Chris > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 07:34:53 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hazel wrote: > (Sorry if this goes through twice...) > > This one just popped into my head and demanded to be written. It took > twenty-six minutes. We could call it a classic case of the addiction in > question. ;) > > I hope a certain mother-and-daughter pair won't object to their little > cameo in this one! Feedback is *obviously* encouraged. :) > > THE ULTIMATE DRUG > > by Hazel > > Gee, I have no idea what mother daughter pair it is to whom Hazel is > referring. Very cute, Hazel. Nan, (an addict who has no no wish to be cured...) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 10:52:36 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Katy Beisheim Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Actually, I'd like to defend this show. I know you guys all hate it and all, but I guess I'm just s sucker for the sexual tension. It's exactly the same thing that attracted me to L&C. Plus, I really think you need to have seen more than one episode to make an accurate judegment. I really think it's better than most new shows this season, and it's the only one I'm still watching. Sure, I know what the creators said, but we all know how that can fall through. Sorry, I tried not to offend anyone, but I had to get my word in as I haven't been able to check my mail in the last few days. Call it innocence on the part of the high school student, but I love it. Katy ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 11:04:00 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) In-Reply-To: <3881E51D.F27A8B02@earthlink.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Nan wrote: >> I hope a certain mother-and-daughter pair won't object to their little >> cameo in this one! Feedback is *obviously* encouraged. :) >> >> THE ULTIMATE DRUG >> >> by Hazel >> >> Gee, I have no idea what mother daughter pair it is to whom Hazel is >> referring. Very cute, Hazel. > Glad you liked it! Um... mother and daughter? Did I say that? Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 10:28:45 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cute Hazel merry Hazel wrote: > (Sorry if this goes through twice...) > > This one just popped into my head and demanded to be written. It took > twenty-six minutes. We could call it a classic case of the addiction in > question. ;) > > I hope a certain mother-and-daughter pair won't object to their little > cameo in this one! Feedback is *obviously* encouraged. :) > > THE ULTIMATE DRUG > > by Hazel > > "Okay, Doctor Folk," said Lois, her pen poised expectantly over her > notepad. "What can you tell me about this new drug? FDJ?" > > "FDK," the man corrected her. He sighed. "It's not pretty, Ms. Lane. It's a > thousand times more addictive than anything else on the market, and as far > as we can tell, there's no cure." > > Lois frowned at this. "No cure? There's no cure for cocaine, either." > > "Perhaps I should have worded it differently," Dr. Folk agreed. "Let's say, > rather, that rehabilitation has, so far, proven impossible. To date, there > has not been a single case of a person who has succeeded in getting over > the addiction." > > Lois' eyes widened. "Not a single case?" > > "Not yet," the doctor told her. He gestured towards the computer on the > desk. "I've been monitoring our patients. Some of them seem to go quietly > dormant for years, and then the sudden need blazes up again and becomes > completely insatiable. Our longest 'sleeper' case has been two years, four > months, and eleven days. Just last week, the man in question succumbed." > > "That's... scary," Lois mumbled. She shook herself. "Do your studies > document what FDK does to its victims?" > > Doctor Folk nodded and rattled off the list without bothering to consult > his files. "Incredible euphoria. A single hit can keep the victim grinning > for days, yet constantly seeking more. Side effects include a tendency > towards sleeplessness, aching finger joints, neglect of outside interests, > and eye strain. Some victims retreat into themselves; others become more > garrulous. On occasion, a 'bad' hit will leave the victim despondent, but > these happen only rarely. > > "As the drug eventually works its way through the system, the victim is > suddenly struck by a craving for more. The victim will do anything to get > more FDK, including spending hours on end in pursuit of a single extra hit." > > Lois bit her lip, trying to retain her professionalism. "What exactly do > you mean by 'anything'? Have these kids been hitting the streets?" > > "Actually, there are many more adults involved than 'kids,' Ms. Lane," the > doctor corrected her. "Although there have been reports of a > mother-daughter pair who apparently seek FDK together. Most victims are > twenty-one or older; there have been several documented cases of suffering > teenagers, but the ones who seem the most addicted are usually in their > thirties or forties." > > Lois looked up at him sharply. "Do you mean to say that *adults* are > getting hopelessly addicted like this?" > > "Oh, yes," Dr. Folk nodded soberly. "There have been cases of normally > responsible men and women sneaking fixes in the workplace, turning up > red-eyed in the morning because they've been up all night... I told you it > isn't pretty, Ms. Lane. I wasn't kidding." > > "So you have adults running rampant, robbing and stealing people blind in > order to afford their next fix?!" > > "No, no, Ms. Lane," Dr. Folk said hastily. "That's the one saving grace of > FDK. In terms of money, it's absolutely free. All you need is access." > > "Access?" > > "Availability, shall we say. The necessary equipment. Even the most > rudimentary tools can be used in a pinch, although most of our patients > seem to prefer more sophisticated methods." > > Lois sat back, trying to hard her confusion. "So you're saying that FDK > victims are only harming themselves? They're not a menace to society?" > > "That's a matter of opinion, I suppose," the doctor said judiciously. > "After all, think of all the hours that are wasted by the victim in > pursuing the fix. Who knows what might have been accomplished in that time?" > > "Well, yes, I suppose. Those symptoms you listed didn't sound very > pleasant. But at least they're not hurting anyone else." > > Dr. Folk hesitated. "That's not entirely true. There is a strong tendency > for victims to spread the addiction. In their excitement over the fix, they > will encourage others to give them further doses, and also offer doses to > others in an effort to proliferate the problem." > > "They offer doses of FDK to other victims?" Lois stared at him, > incredulous. "But I thought you said that the victims are constantly > looking for another fix!" > > "It's hard to explain," said Dr. Folk, spreading his hands in apology. "But > it seems clear that a FDK victim can somehow give a fix to another victim > without lessening his or her own dosage. It seems almost symbiotic; the > more fixes one victim offers to others, the more that victim seems to > recieve from those same sources." > > "Wow." Lois sat silently for a moment, then asked one last question. "So, > there's no cure, and no hope for rehabilitation. What's being done to get > FDK off the market?" > > "Nothing." > > "Nothing?" Lois was horrified. "But all those lives..." > > Dr. Folk shrugged. "As you yourself said, Ms. Lane, FDK really only harms > the victim. The physical side effects do go away with time; a 'sleeper' > patient is as healthy and well-adjusted as we are. Look at it as a chronic > disease that flares up on occasion." He gave her a quirk of a grin. "One > thing's for sure, Ms. Lane -- the victims are most definitely happy. They > do no harm to others, except those that are suffering from the same > condition; they even manage to hone skills through their addiction, and it > definitely keeps them off the streets. For the time being -- until the > powers that be come up with some kind of miraculous solution -- that's the > best we can do." > > Lois left Dr. Folk's office with her head down, deep in thought. Were FDK > victims really happy, or did they secretly long to escape their addiction? > Was there any way to save them from themselves? > > An absent-minded glance at her watch shook her out of her reverie. "Oh, > no!" she muttered, walking more quickly now as she trotted towards her > jeep. "I forgot to set the VCR this morning, and 'The Ivory Tower' will be > on in ten minutes. I'd better hurry home as fast as I can..." > > END. ;) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 09:35:37 -0700 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: Daily Planet In-Reply-To: <3881253C.C7ED78D5@earthlink.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 05:56 PM 01/15/2000 -0800, you wrote: >I need to ask a question for the grand finale of my current fanfic. > >Can anyone tell me how many floors the Daily Planet has? > >Nan Unknown. Not so big as it couldn't be blown up but still leave the front door ;) (BatP/HOL) Also, the newsroom is on a floor that is high enough to have a view of middle portions of other buildings around it. I don't know if the show ever visited other areas of the building with the exception of the lobby/Daily Java, briefly (TAGD?). I put my version of the newsroom on the third floor just... because. Mostly for that view reason, but also it shouldn't be too far from the street so that reporters can rush to and from it in case elevators are out. The Lobby must by definition be on the first floor. I'd put some business offices (like Personnel) on the first or second floors. Accounting, too, and probably Supplies and the Maintenance department. I worked for a magazine publishing company once and the printing machines (big mamas) were in the basement. Above the third floor can be all the offices of the managers and those types, advertising, PR, the loftier parts of the paper. Debby Debby@swcp.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 16:56:48 -0000 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: A couple of quick questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Chris wrote: > Does anyone know the name of Clark's landlord? Indeed, were we even told in > the episode what his name was? (I'm talking about the man we saw when Clark > first rented the apartment in Neverending Battle, and not lady who we see in > the New Krypton arc.) > ~~~Certainly do, since it was a major bone of contention for me when I was writing Caped Fear that required a last minute quick fix when I came up with the answer months after writing the scene our friend appeared in. It wasn't actually mentioned on screen, but I did find it in an LNC script, probably the pilot, although I can't remember for certain. His name in there is given as Floyd. (I'd christened him Leo and had to hastily invent Floyd as a nickname his friends used ;) No last name that I recall and as I made one up and didn't change it I suspect it wasn't included. But perhaps someone else knows differently. LabRat :) > The second question is really one for the North Americans out there. I'm > under the impression that Neverending Battle got shown after Strange Visitor > in the US (and Canada / elsewhere?). This is the reverse of what happened > in the UK, and it would help to know whether anyone would be bothered by a > story that assumes that Neverending Battle came first. Would that be > confusing without some sort of note in an introduction to the story? > > Any and all help appreciated! Thanks. > > Chris > ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 10:05:02 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: James Tull Subject: IRC Challenge MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I just read Joy Sowell's 12 fanfics of Christmas and had a wicked idea that I would never try myself. I challenge the IRC to compose a story based on the 12th day's list. {I have no idea what a "flake bar" is but I am sure you can makeup something!} On the twelfth day of Christmas my fanfic gave to me twelve flake bars, eleven super saves, (could be difficult) ten make out scenes, (easy for the group) nine interruptions, (easy for the group) eight misunderstandings, seven take out dinners, (could be difficult) six soggy Kleenex, five SUV's, (could be difficult) four bombs exploding, three major villains, (could be difficult) two time travelers, and an ending that was very waffy. ===== Mr. D8a Philipians 4:8 James' sweetheart is Elisabeth, but... Daddy's little girl is Rosa! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 19:22:32 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: James Bishop Subject: Re: IRC Challenge In-Reply-To: <20000116180502.5848.qmail@web209.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I second that challenge :) By the way a flake bar is a crumbly chocolate bar sold over here in Britain. James -----Original Message----- From: Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic [mailto:LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU]On Behalf Of James Tull Sent: 16 January 2000 18:05 To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: IRC Challenge I just read Joy Sowell's 12 fanfics of Christmas and had a wicked idea that I would never try myself. I challenge the IRC to compose a story based on the 12th day's list. {I have no idea what a "flake bar" is but I am sure you can makeup something!} On the twelfth day of Christmas my fanfic gave to me twelve flake bars, eleven super saves, (could be difficult) ten make out scenes, (easy for the group) nine interruptions, (easy for the group) eight misunderstandings, seven take out dinners, (could be difficult) six soggy Kleenex, five SUV's, (could be difficult) four bombs exploding, three major villains, (could be difficult) two time travelers, and an ending that was very waffy. ===== Mr. D8a Philipians 4:8 James' sweetheart is Elisabeth, but... Daddy's little girl is Rosa! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 14:55:52 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Anita Dicker Subject: Fanfic order Comments: To: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, I've been catching up on my reading. On the 'SwapMeet' crossovers, which should be read first. "SwapMeet: Burbank or "SwapMeet: Metropolis Some story's are easier to follow in order Thanks. Anita Dicker abooks@bellsouth.net ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 12:31:36 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: Fanfic order MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Anita, in the absence of Debby and Margaret, the two authors, responding, I'll put my two cents in. It doesn't really matter which order you read them in. They are two well-written companion pieces that fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. You won't have any trouble following what is happening no matter where you start. Just dive in and enjoy two fantastic stories. Irene --- Anita Dicker wrote: > Hello, > > I've been catching up on my reading. > On the 'SwapMeet' crossovers, which should be read > first. > "SwapMeet: Burbank or "SwapMeet: Metropolis > Some story's are easier to follow in order > Thanks. > > Anita Dicker > abooks@bellsouth.net > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 15:33:32 -0500 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: A couple of quick questions Thanks Irene and LabRat. The help is appreciated! These maybe little details in the wider scheme of things, but they niggle. Chris ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 14:47:01 CST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jessi Mounts Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Now, Hazel, you wouldn't be poking fun at of us (or yourself ;-), now would you? Oh well, I thoroughly enjoyed being poked at. Jessi (an under 21 addict and proud of it, gosh darn it! ) jessi914@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 14:56:17 CST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jessi Mounts Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >Thanks everyone who responded, I appreciate your time ... and Zoom, you >make some excellent points, as always. I may still check this out but >I'll try not to get suckered in... Do go ahead and check it out, Pam. Now and Again's not Lois and Clark by any means, but the writing is fun and the acting is great. I'm not to the point that I drop everything and watch for this, but it is one of the best new shows this year. Jessi jessi914@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 13:55:59 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: Back ... and catching up :) In-Reply-To: <7c.9602c6.25b2bc01@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit First of all, welcome back, Kathy! And yes, I hate you for being tan. And I was thrilled to hear that we had very nearly 300 fanfics on the archive this year!! Way to go fanfic authors! ;) Though this does, however, make me cringe when I think of Kerth nominations, which will start in just a couple of weeks. But with Kerth nomination time quickly closing in, be sure to keep those favorite 1999 fanfic stories in mind for nominations! The Kerth committee and I will be sending more Kerth info to the listserv very soon (probably this very week ;), so watch for details!! Alexis wrote in response to Kathy's comment: > Alexis ;-.) > {who needs to find her "own" Clark to spend time on an island > with.. sigh....} My wishes are slightly different...I have a "Clark," but spending two weeks in a bathing suit while being six months pregnant and not being able to see my toes anymore definitely does *not* sound like my ideal vacation!! I'm enjoying winter right now because my heavy coat can hide my bulkiness. ;) But that doesn't mean I can't envy the heck out of you for looking so great and being so relaxed, though, Kathy!!! :P Erin (who is off to put her feet up for a while :P) __________________ erink@ida.net Visit my LNC/Kerth Website: www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "It's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." __________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 13:03:40 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: Back ... and catching up :) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Erin Klingler wrote: > Erin (who is off to put her feet up for a while :P) Uh, Erin, I don't suppose you could work on your story with your feet up, could you? There are a whole bunch of readers who are suffering from an overabundance of suspense. We'd be happy to give you multiple doses of FDK in return (Feedback!) Irene __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 14:10:52 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: Back ... and catching up :) In-Reply-To: <20000116210340.14400.qmail@web904.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Irene wrote: > Uh, Erin, I don't suppose you could work on your story > with your feet up, could you? There are a whole bunch > of readers who are suffering from an overabundance of > suspense. > > We'd be happy to give you multiple doses of FDK in > return (Feedback!) LOL, Irene! Actually, you read my mind. ;) I picked my hubby's brain yesterday about computer virus technicalities, protocols that corporations take when finding them, etc., etc., etc., and I'm now about to include all that into my fic. If he hears me say even one more time, "I have another virus question..." he'll probably run screaming. But I'm hoping to post the *rest* of 'Darkest Hour' (yes, the rest...the part that says 'the end' ) to the list in several installments next week, so watch for that. ;) I'm flattered and thrilled that so many of you are so interested in reading "Darkest Hour," so I promise I'll hurry! ;) Erin :) __________________ erink@ida.net Visit my LNC/Kerth Website: www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "It's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." __________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 17:12:37 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/16/00 8:03:10 AM Pacific Standard Time, Glofkryptn@AOL.COM writes: << Plus, I really think you need to have seen more than one episode to make an accurate judegment. I really think it's better than most new shows this season, and it's the only one I'm still watching. Sure, I know what the creators said, but we all know how that can fall through. Sorry, I tried not to offend anyone, but I had to get my word in as I haven't been able to check my mail in the last few days. Call it innocence on the part of the high school student, but I love it. >> Katy, Thanks for the differing opinion. It's good to know that the critics were not wrong. I will give this show a second look. Kate who keeps wishing for just one more new episode of L&C ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 17:55:52 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Alexis W." Subject: "ADITLOM" (RPG) Thirteenth Installment, Week #14 (Part 1 of 2) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable New Fanfic (ongoing) "A Day in the Life of Metropolis" (PG-13) All characters are property of DC Comics, WB, Lois and Clark etc.. unless otherwise noted. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Feedback is welcomed whether public or private. But no grammar please! =3D)= NO=20 ONE responded to my last post except for one person.. (thank you!) Please=20 let me know if you loved it or hated it.. etc.. My cast and i would really=20 appreciate it! Thanks. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Summary: This is the thirteenth installment of a rpg club I created on yahoo. We cam= e=20 up with a story line, and we can correspond through email, dialogue, etc.. Anything goes. If you want more information on this club or if you would like to join in the fun yourself please go to: Yahoo! Clubs= =20 adayinthelifeofmetropolis=20 Thanks. Alexis ;-.) {"ADITLOM, arbitrator} =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Cast List Clark Kent : Alexis W. (that's me!) Lois Lane : Alexis W. Cat Grant: Renda Mayson Drake : Renda Perry White: Renda Sam Falcon : Lisa H. Bruce Wayne : Lisa H. Lex Luthor: Dave Dick Grayson: Dave Anya Starr: Tabitha Ellen Lane: Tina T. Dan Scardino: Abie Marie * * * * WEEK #14 (1/10 to 1/16) Re: The Dark Knight Returns... Catherine Grant decided to look for Diego and also see if she could find=20 out if Lex had indeed crashed the ball. She made her way behind the=20 elevators and unlocked the french windows that lead to the private=20 veranda that only she and a few of the staff used to get away from the=20 noise of the ball. Tension gripped her as she heard a noise behind her=20 or above her. Cat couldn't really tell so she stepped onto the veranda as she inhaled the crisp air and looked over the brick walling to the=20 street below. Suddenly she felt the hair on her neck rise, knowingly=20 she turned a little to see a dark, figure looming in the shadows behind her. Instinct took over and she swung around as the figure approached her.=20 To Cat it looked like this masked man had a candlelabra in his raised arm. "Jesus Christ!" Cat screamed and went into her martial arts mode. She kicked= =20 the black clothed figure so hard that he was knocked off his feet and=20 slid down the veranda hitting his head on the wall. Cat thought she=20 heard him say that he was *Batman!* Cat scrambled over and turned=20 on the outside light and much to her surprise and horror the figure still=20 laying on the cement did look like Batman. He had on a Bat suit. But Cat=20 couldn't believe that this was Batman. Her instinct told her this wasn't=20 the Batman of Gotham City. For one thing he looked shorter and that suit=20 looked like it was a little too big for him. "Batman, is it really you?" Cat asked as she approached him. "I=92m so=20 sorry. I thought you were trying to kill me." Cat feably explained to=20 the poor man. *God did I kill him?* she asked herself. Then she heard movement behind the curtains, she looked to see if it was=20 Diego but it was a man in a ski mask, and he had a large baton that he=20 used to knock Cat's legs out from under her. She took a karate roll and=20 landed on her feet screaming... "Diego,Clark,Perry,Ramone, someone help=20 us, help us!!!" Cat moved to keep herself between the ski masked man and=20 Batman. Diego had heard her screaming atthe top of her lungs and decided to find=20 out what was happening. =3D=3D=3D=3D Re: The Dark Knight Returns... Dick slowly got up, groggy and dazed. He watched as another masked=20 figure moved to attack Grant. Spreading his cape into the night air,=20 Grayson lunged onto the veranda, between Cat and the attacker. Dick could see the look of shear fear in the man's eyes, as the visage=20 of the Dark Knight desended before him. Feeling the advantaged,=20 Grayson lashed out with a round-house kick, rendering the man=20 unconscious. Handcuffing the figure, the Batman rose to face Cat,=20 and the approaching crowd. Locking eyes with Grant, Dick desperately=20 tried to stare at her with cold, distant eyes, silently. Dick took the boun= d=20 man into his grasp, and fired a grapnel onto the roof, rising into the nigh= t sky and disappearing into the fog.=20 =20 *Bruce is gonna kill me...* >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: The Dark Knight Returns... Catherine Grant watched what appeared to be Batman slowly fade from=20 sight in the night fog with the would be attacker. She looked down on=20 the veranda and saw something shiny. She bent over to pick it up and it=20 was cold metal in the form of a bat. Cat turned it over in her hands=20 and then decided to slip it into her evening bag. She started back into the=20 ball when someone grabbed her from behind, trying to choloraform her.=20 She managed to get a rib into the man's gut and then get the metal bat=20 graple out of her bag. She slashed the man's eyes as he yelled and=20 lunged towards her. She side stepped his attack and he landed head first int= o=20 the large plants on the veranda. Cat screamed for Diego or Ramone. "Diego! Ramone! Help! Help! God Dangit help!" Cat kicked the=20 man in the head again, but he was as strong as Godzilla and tough as=20 steel. She started to run back inside, but he grabbed her ankle. She turned and nailed him with her other stelito heel right smack in the groin.=20 The attacker screamed in a very high pitched moan. Cat managed to=20 scramble into the ballroom just in time to see Lex making a fool of himself.= =20 "You!!!" Cat said as she looked into the eyes of sheer madness. Then=20 thinking to herself. *Luthor must be crazy!* Little did Catherine Grant=20 know that her attacker was behind her just waiting for round two. >tbc<=20 =20 * * * * Re: Back at Ellen=92s Place Ellen didn't wait for an answer from Sam. She went over to the video=20 collection and took out the movie, then she stopped. "I think we need popcorn," Ellen said putting down the tape. Ellen went into the kitchen to pop some popcorn. After a while Sam heard=20 Ellen shout, "OH NO! I didn't get the lid on quick enough and I put too=20 much popcorn in the popper. Popcorn is everywhere," Ellen shrieked. Sam ran into the kitchen and found that he couldn't see the floor=20 anymore, because it was covered in popcorn. He looked at Ellen,=20 on the floor, also covered in popcorn and he started to laugh. "Sam Lane! It isn't funny!" Ellen said trying to keep herself from=20 laughing. She didn't do a good enough job because soon she was laughing too.=20 >tbc< * * * * Re: Cutting In Nigel waited patiently in the darkened limo. The time was nearing for=20 disaster to strike... >tbc< * * * * Re: Cutting In Dick could hear the distant sound of police sirens, and quickly strung=20 his prisoner to a nearby lag post where the officers could find him. Cautiously, he entered an alleyway and made his way into a parked,=20 classic looking vintage limo. Dick closed the door behind him, and=20 began swiftly changing. An elderly driver raised his eyebrows as he=20 looked in the rear mirror to see the silluette of the Bat. "Master Grayson?" "How's it goin' Al?" Alfred looked at Grayson, with a touch of humor in his pale blue eyes.=20 "Looking to take a new job, sir?" "If Bruce won't do it, someone has to." "Someone indeed." Dick carefully stashed the Batsuit into a secret compartment,=20 oblivious to the appearence of an identical suit also hidden away in the compartment. He straighten his tux, and smiled at Alfred.=20 "Well, what do you think?" "I'm sure you'll be a hit with the young women, sir..." Alfred smiled.=20 "I'll be waiting here." "Thanks, Al."=20 "And, Master Dick?" "Yeah?" "I'm certain you seem a bit apprehensive about the choice you've made=20 tonight. But, I'm sure that Master Bruce will understand that you did it=20 only to help. No matter what happens, lad, remember to follow what your=20 heart tells you." Dick looked down. "I hope Bruce understands that. But it's the heart=20 that's getting him into so much trouble." Dick closed the door. "Don't=20 wait up, Al." He smiled, as he made his way to the Observatory entrance. Walking in, Dick could see and hear the confussion. He made his way to a=20 young woman, with strikingly long dark hair who was taking pictures of=20 the commotion ahead.=20 He tapped the young woman on her elegant shoulder. "Hey.. what's going=20 on?"=20 >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D What=92s going on "Apparently Lex Luthor has a thing for Lois Lane and her partner Kent=20 just kissed her and started a big mess. Luthor threatens to arrest Clark=20 and some other man." Anya wrinkled up her nose and exclaimed, "It sounds=20 something straight out of the movies," she laughed. "I guess I better=20 introduce myself, the names Anya Starr, photographer for the Gotham=20 Herald," she said as she held out her hand for Dick to shake. Dick stared at the young woman, unable to find words. She had long, dark=20 hair, and strikingly beautiful blue eyes. Dick smiled. "Uhh... I'm Dick Grayson... pleasure to meet you Miss=20 Starr. When did you arrive here at the ball?" Dick watched her graceful=20 moves as she turned to face him... "Actually just a little while ago, being on time is not one of my strong=20 points I=92m afraid. My boss is always telling me that," she said with a=20 little laugh as she looked up at him. "I've already gotten some good=20 pictures though, something tells me tonight is going to be interesting.=20 I=92m glad because these things can be really boring you know?" she said=20 checking him out while she talked. He was definately very hot like a=20 model or something. "I=92m talking too much aren't I? So when did you=20 arrive Mr. Grayson?" Anya asked.=20 Dick looked down, trying to hide his embarassment. He had been looking=20 long and hard into her deep eyes.=20 "Um... no... you're not talking too much at all. I... ah... just got here=20 a few seconds ago." Dick pointed to a well dressed couple in the center=20 of the crowd. "Do you know Lois and Clark?"=20 =20 "No not personally really I met Clark once, but they're pretty famous so=20 I guess everyone knows of them. Looks like they=92re going to be more=20 then reporter partners if those two keep it up. So do you usually come to=20 these things, Dick?" she asked. A blush rose on her high cheek bones as=20 she caught his eyes. =93He's hot very hot,=94 Anya thought, then blushed eve= n=20 redder when she realized she said it out loud!=20 =20 Dick tried desperately to stifle a giggle, as he watched the young woman=20 blush after her words. He reached out, and caressed her rosen cheek softly.= =20 "I think you're 'hot' too". He smiled warmly. "No, usually I only come when= =20 Bruce drags me here. I'm sure you've heard of him... Bruce Wayne? He's the 'other man' Luthor was going to arrest." Dick stepped back, realizing=20 suddenly=20 that he may have moved too quickly. *What would Clark do?* he thought to himself. 'What would BRUCE do in this situation...? "Maybe I should go... I= =20 don't want to be in your way, Miss Starr..."=20 =20 "Please don't," said Anya quickly then she said more softly in her=20 normal tone, "I like talking to you, and you=92re not in my way. Honest.=20 I=92m surpised I didn't reconize him, Bruce Wayne I mean. I actually just=20 moved to Gotham a few months ago and heard a lot of things about him. I=20 only come to these things if my boss drags me here, I prefer being=20 outdoors really. I love in line skating as much as I love photography.=20 There he is, my boss I mean. He always looks like somebody has spit in=20 his breakfast or something. We call him the 'Bear' because he's always=20 grumpy," said Anya as she pointed to a sour face man. She was relived to=20 feel her face grow back to its normal tempature. "What do you like to do=20 in your free time?" asked Anya out of curiousity=20 =20 Dick smirked "If I ever had free time..." he whispered under his breath.=20 "I like to rebuild motorcycles and race them. Dangerous stuff, but it's=20 nothing compared to the high wire in the big top. Umm... please don't=20 take this wrong, but... would you like to dance, Miss Starr? While we=20 do, maybe you could tell me what you like to do in your spare time." Dick held out his hand to her.=20 >tbc< * * * * Gossip Gerty She left her photographer to watch the group gathered around Bruce, as=20 she had to answer the page on her beeper. She turned around as she saw=20 the crowd gather around the group and saw a familair flash right in the=20 middle=20 of it all. She left the main party and a man walked up to her. "I've got a video I think you might want." "What?" "I've been watching Wayne's house. I know the girl he stole from me." "I see. How well?" "We dated." "Often?" "A few times,=94 he said nervously. "What's on the tape?" "Lois Lane being carried into the house by Clark Kent. Miss Lane looks=20 somewhat odd." "How much do you want for it?" "That's not all. I've got footage," he started. Before going on he turned=20 his head and spit. "Footage of Wayne and her going upstairs together=20 real coozy." "How much do you want for it?" "How much you willing to pay?" "Let's talk." The two of them go off and try to make a deal.=20 >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Gossip Gerty Gerty's photographer is right there when Clark kissed Lois. He has his=20 camera ready and snapped a photo. He snapped several. He also got a real=20 nice one of Lex Luthor breaking the whole thing up. He quickly made his=20 way through the crowd and tried to find Gerty.=20 >tbc< * * * * Diego finds Cat "Catherine, why were you screaming so?" Cat: "Well, a mask man tried to kill me, and I think he=92s still here."=20 she told her handsome date. She looked around still feeling that lugs=20 hands on her. Shaking she picked up a glass of champgane from a passing=20 waiter. Diego: "Catherine, my sources tell me that our fears may be greater than=20 we suspected. Luthor may have help here in Gotham. We shall have to wait=20 and see." Cat: "Diego! What do you mean?" Diego: "Cat, I can't go into it right now, but trust me Princess! The=20 fat is about to hit the fan!" And with that Diego kissed her and went to=20 his brother and the two Spainish men went back outside. Mayson was left alone and so she made her way to Cat. "Cat, why are=20 Ramone and Diego in Red Alert mode?" the pretty blonde asked her lovely=20 friend. Cat: "Mayson, all I know is it has something to do with all that has=20 been going on and with Interpole and the CIA and FBI." Mayson: "So that is why Ramone kept repeating something about weapons of=20 mass destruction to the Spanish Don." Mayson said to Cat tapping her=20 hand into her open palm. Cat: "Mayson, you may need to go and stay with Perry for now, I cannot=20 gurantee your saftey if this does go down here." Cat told her friend. Mayson: "Not on your life Catherine. I=92m your friend and I shall help=20 you and Diego all that I can." Cat looked at her and smiled. "I need to find Diego and Ramone." >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Diego finds Cat/Ramone Catherine Grant stepped out into the foggy night, looking for her date=20 and his brother. She saw them stepping into a dark van. Catherine walked=20 over to the van and knocked on the side door.=20 Voice inside: "Who's there?" Cat: "Amazon!" Voice inside van: "Amazon who?" Cat: "Wonder Woman!" And with that answer the door opened and Catherine Grant stepped inside. >tbc< * * * * Mayson finds Perry Feeling left out and alone after Ramone and Catherine left her, Mayson Drake walked around the ballroom looking for Perry White.=20 The kindly Editor of the Daily Planet spotted her and smiled. "They leave=20 you alone too hon?" Perry asked with a smile. Mayson: "You know it Mr. White, something about *World domination and=20 mass destruction* from what I could gather with my spanish." Mayson told=20 him. Perry: "Hum, that sounds like a front page scoop if I ever heard of one.=20 Ms. Drake would you do me the honor of a dance? Now mind you I=92m not as=20 young and handsome as your Don Ramone Dela Vega, and I=92m not a looker=20 like that young Dick Grayson over there, but I can tango and waltz with=20 the best of them. Alice made me take dance lessons years ago." Perry=20 said to Mayson and extended his and winked. Mayson blushed as he referred to Ramone and to Dick Grayson. *Had he=20 noticed me checking Dick Grayson out?* *God! I hope not!* Mayson=20 thought to herself. To Perry she said. "I'd be honored to dance with you=20 Mr. White." And extended her hand to his. Perry: "You've made me the envy of the ball. All the young men are=20 looking at you like you are an Amazon Princess just stepped off of=20 Paradise Island." Perry whispered in Mayson's ear. Mayson wondered if Perry could feel her heart racing. Mayson smiled=20 at Perry's comment and wondered to herself why all powerful men made=20 her dizzy. Perry White is one of those men, a silver fox in the highest=20 order. He is charming, polite and he is a gentleman to ladies. Mayson=20 couldn't help but wonder if Ramone would ever return to the ball though,=20 she liked him and was hoping to dance with him somemore. *Hum, I'd like=20 to dance with that Dick Grayson too, if he asks me!* Mayson thought to=20 herself as she and Perry White waltzed around the ballroom.=20 Perry smiled at her and told her some Elvis stories. Mayson smiled and=20 told him that her mom is also a big Elvis fan and that Perry and Alice=20 should get together with her family and talk Elvis. Mayson watched all the people float by in dance and smiled. "Life is=20 good!" she said to herself, not realizing she'd spoken aloud. Perry: "Yes, it is indeed! Ms. Drake." >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D Mayson and Perry Dance! The waltz turned into the tango. Perry laughed as he dipped Mayson and=20 then started the arm out stride through the middle of the crowd. The=20 tango is one of Perry White's favorite dances. Mayson laughed as they=20 passed by couple after couple who looked on in awe at Perry as he moved=20 with precision across the floor. >tbc< * * * * Anya "I'd love to," said Anya as she laid down her camera and took his hand.=20 "Well as I said I love in line skating, collage takes up most of my=20 time, and so does my job of course. So what little free time I have is=20 usually taken up a lot. That is totally amazing that you walked the=20 tightrope, I bet that was a thrill of a life time. When I was growing up=20 my dad was an army commander and the two of us were always moving from base to base. One time I got so sick of being a military brat I told hi= m=20 I was sick of moving and if we moved one more time I would run off and=20 join the circus. That didn't last very long when he told me the circus=20 moved more then army families," she smiled remembering. "Look, those=20 two. They seem to be having the time of their lives," she smiled and her=20 dark blue eyes twinkled in mischief as she pointed to Perry dipping Mason.=20 =20 "The circus was great." Dick's smile widened as he remembered performing=20 in front of all of the crowds that had gathered from city to city to see=20 Haly's Circus. "I was actually a trapeze performer, but I learned to=20 tightrope walk as well as a few other tricks. I guess growing up around=20 so many talented people gives you an edge..." Dick's voice trailed off=20 as he remebered his Mother's smile as she watched him practice his=20 routine with Dad day after day. Dick glanced over at Sam and Bruce. "When my parents died," he whispered in her delicate ear, "I finally settle= d=20 down after Bruce took me in. As much as I'm happy being in Wayne manor=20 with Bruce and Alfred, and Barb, I still miss them sometimes." Dick looked again at her, loosing himself in her deep blue eyes. "I know=20 it must have been kinda hard for you to move around all of the time.=20 Sounds like you really miss your dad, too." Cautiously, Dick raised a=20 hand to brush away a lock of dark hair which had covered her eyes, and=20 caressed her cheek. "But you're right, they do look like they're having a=20 great time... and we should too. Even if you are here on assignment. What=20 made you decide to come to Gotham?"=20 =20 "Well mostly because of Gotham University and partly to be on my own and=20 away from my dad, he was always very strict. He never could quite figure=20 out how in the world he could command hundreds of men and come home to=20 find he couldn't handle a daughter who was always neck high into=20 trouble," she smiled looking up into his eyes. "I=92m sorry about your=20 parents, it must have been hard. I remember losing my mom and it just=20 about killed me, but it happened when I was a kid. I think I could dance=20 like this all night," she said with a content smile. She was thanking=20 her lucky stars her boss had assigned her to this society party and=20 meeting him.=20 =20 Dick watched Anya cuddle comfortably in his arms as they danced. For=20 some reason, this just felt right. No less than an hour ago, he had been=20 on the roof tops of Gotham, cursing himself for taking the mantle=20 without Bruce's permission, feeling the stark loneliness the unforgiving=20 night can bring. Wearing that mask, Dick knew for sure that there was=20 only one Batman, and while he could stand in for him, Dick could never=20 replace HIM. But now, he had met this elegant young woman in his arms,=20 and it just seemed like things were right again in the world. Maybe Clark=20 was right after all. Dick cringed when Anya's eyes sadened as she spoke=20 of her mother. It hurt him to see her relive that pain, and he had known her for mere minutes. What was it about her that captured him so? Being Robin, and Nightwing, left him little time to date, and live like=20 a normal college student. Apart from his nightly excursions, Dick=20 couldn't see much reason to be in any longterm type relationships. Most=20 young women could hardly understand him for who he was, and what he had=20 been through. He thought that perhaps this was why most of Bruce's=20 relationships were shallow and short. The women could see Bruce, but=20 couldn't see the true man underneath it all. How could a woman's charms=20 compare to the thrill of fighting the Joker from the roof of a=20 skyscraper? Or a midnight car chase with Two-Face? Did Dick have the=20 same problem? Was he so like the man he admired? But as he gazed into Anya's eyes, it didn't matter. He wanted nothing=20 more than to stay like this, and forget the madness around them. Dick looked over at Bruce and Clark. "I almost hate to break this up,=20 Anya..." He smiled. "Would you like to meet Bruce?"=20 >tbc< * * * * Re: Bruce and Sam "Is that screaming what's bothering you?" "I though I heard that . . .come on let's go see if we can find out what=20 that was. Bruce took her hand and led her away from the slowly=20 scattering crowd that had gathered. >tbc<=20 =3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Gossip Gerty Gerty walked back into the main room. She saw Bruce and his "date"=20 walking away from the crowd. She debated about going up to him now or=20 saving the tape for later. >tbc< * * * * Van in the foggy night... Don Diego Dela Vega and his brother Ramone and Catherine Grant sat=20 listening intently to the Scarlette Pimpernal, a man known only by that=20 code name and by voice disguise box. They were given instructions and=20 for Catherine, he confirmed that indeed the games were from Lex Corp.=20 holdings, also they learned that the attack on Ms. Lane and the attack=20 on Catherine. They were given discs and more instructions.=20 Diego: "Well it is almost showtime Princess!" Catherine: "Yes, Locksley so it would seem." Ramone: "Well, since it is almost showtime and we must be in our=20 respective places. Why don't we leave one at a time and get back=20 to the ball?" Diego: "Yes, Ramone that is an excellent idea." Cat: "Why don't I go first? I need to check out the entrances and=20 exits anyway!" The Dela Vega brothers nodded to her and she stepped out of the van and=20 into the gloomey night. Catherine made her way to the dark veranda to look=20 for the key that the operative had asked her to find. Suddenly she felt like= =20 she wasn't alone, and instinct told her it was trouble. >tbc<=20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Van in the foggy night...Cat Catherine Grant made her way to the veranda that the Scarlette=20 Pimpernal told her to check out.=20 Cat: "I don't see anything important here! Perhaps the bad guys beat us=20 to the key!" Cat walked around looking under tables and chairs and also=20 under the lights and in the plants. So far nothing of value to Interpole or=20 the=20 Military intellengence. Cat wondered if she had been sent on a wild goose=20 chase because she was female. "Nah! Agents don't do that to fellow agents. >tbc<=20 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 17:59:30 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Alexis W." Subject: "ADITLOM" (RPG), Thirteenth Installment, Week #14 (Part 2 of 2) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable * * * * Mayson and Perry go to the bar for drink Perry escorted his lovely dance partner to the open bar for some=20 refreshment, and to his surprise, Mayson ordered Dweir's Whiskey, one of=20 Perry's favorites, next to Southern Burbon. Perry: "Well, Ms. Drake, uh I mean Mayson, what shall we drink to?" Mayson: "How about to a successful ball and good friends and just plain=20 fun?" Mayson asked and smiled at Perry. Her little nose curled up as she=20 smiled and made her look quite fetching. Perry looked at Mayson and replied, =93sure, hon! why not!" He thought to=20 himself that if he were about 20 or so years younger and single, he'd=20 give the younger men a run for their money where Mayson was concerned.=20 *She is intellegent as well as beautiful, and a very good dancer!* Perry=20 thought to himself as Mayson chattered about a case she had when she was=20 first out of Law School. Perry watched the way the ballroom lights=20 lightened her hair and played across her beautiful face. Mayson: "Perry! I=92m boring you aren't I?" Perry: "Not at all Mayson, I was just watching how the lights play on=20 you blonde hair. And I mean that in the most respectful way. Your hair=20 just caught my eyes." Perry told her and blushed. Mayson: "Well thank you Perry, I'll take that compliment with pleasure!"=20 Mayson said to him and smiled again. Perry: "Would you like to dance again or sit for awhile?" Mayson: "Let's get some air, I=92m a little hot and would like to get=20 some fresh air!" Perry: "Sure thing. Now where in the Samhill is my coat and your wrap?" Mayson: "At the coat check, however, I think I shall go without mine for=20 a bit. I need some fresh air. Perry: "Sounds good to me and if you get cold you can have my tux=20 jacket!" Mayson: "Well whoever said chilvery is dead, never met you, Perry!" >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Van in the foggy night...Cat Mayson excused herself from Perry to go freshen up. She got lost and=20 found herself at the staff elevators. She noticed a door behind them,=20 stepping through it she saw french doors. She walked over to them only=20 to find they were locked. "Just my luck!" Mayson started to walk away=20 when she saw movement on the veranda. Mayson decided to knock on the=20 doors. Catherine Grant was still looking for the key, when she heard=20 someone knocking on the french doors. "This is a private veranda for staff=20 only!" Mayson: "Cat! It's me, Mayson!" Cat heard Mayson and said: "Hold on I'm coming." Mayson: "Okay!" she replied to Cat and waited until Cat opened the=20 french doors. Cat unlocked the doors and waited for Mayson to enter the veranda.=20 Then Cat locked the doors behind them. Mayson: "I=92m glad that I found you. I got worried when you didn't=20 return to the ball." Cat: "Well Mayson, I think I should fill you in on some of this.=20 Currently I=92m looking for a key to this mess that my superiors told me=20 to look for here." Cat looked at Mayson hoping that she would understand=20 and not ask anymore than she could give her. Mayson: "So this mystery person has you out looking for something that=20 you haven't got a clue what it looks like?" Cat: "Well, I was told that I'd know it when I saw it!" Mayson walked around the veranda looking at the flower pots. "Cat!=20 Aren't the flower pots lead?" Cat: "Mayson, yes they are lead or at least lead lined on the outside!" Cat and Mayson started digging into the dirt of the flower pots and came=20 upon a box. It was locked and Cat couldn't pry it open. Cat: "I think that we have found the key! Or at least part of it!" Cat and Mayson placed the box onto one of the tables. Cat took a lock=20 pick out of her evening bag and finally managed to open the box. To the=20 two women's surprise it was an ominious green glowing rock or meteor of some kind. Cat let memories run through her mind, finally she=20 remembered an article that had run in the Planet that stated something=20 about the Planet Krypton exploding and small parts of it falling to=20 earth. "Oh God! Mayson this could hurt someone really badly!" Cat looked at her=20 and said. "I have to find Diego, he can help us with this. It is a good=20 thing that Superman didn't appear at the ball tonight since this stuff=20 can make him really sick." Mayson looked at Cat and asked: "Is this the same green rock that=20 makes him sick and could possibly kill him?" Cat: "Yes, I believe that it is Kryptonite. >tbc<=20 =20 * * * *=20 Mingling Lois fell out of her trance as fast as she got into it. The hazy look in=20 her eyes seemed to dissapate as the ballroom had come back into focus.=20 Lois finally noticed the crowd of people that had gathered around Clark=20 and herself. *OMG! What was I thinking? I mean kissing Clark like that!=20 Kissing my partner like that while everyone watched!!! Why did I kiss Clark=20 like that, when I'm in love with Superman!?!* Lois turned around and saw her partner smiling at her. "Um, Kent?"=20 Clark frowned at the name Kent. "I think I'm going to go mingle for a bit. I will...um...see ya later." *Mingle...yeah right!* Clark muttered to himself as he watched Lois walk=20 away. Clark decided to "mingle" too, but in the opposite direction. He=20 was heading towards the bar. >tbc< * * * * Re: Anya "Sure," she answered. She looked into his eyes puzzeled. Something was=20 worrying him but she didn't know what=20 >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Anya Dick reached out, and took Anya's delicate hand into his own.=20 Slowly, he led her over to Bruce and Sam. Visibly, Dick tensed at the sight of the taller man. "Bruce?" >tbc< * * * * Re: Anya Bruce stopped and turned as he heard Richard call his name.=20 Sam turned with him. "Glad to see you made it." >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Gossip Gerty When she saw Richard Grayson walk up to the two, she decided=20 to wait.=20 >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Confrontation Dick tried to hide his frustration. "Yeah, well... I wouldn't have=20 missed this." He looked back at Anya. "Bruce, this is Miss Anya Starr...=20 Anya, Mr. Bruce Wayne and Miss Sam Falcon."=20 =20 "Nice to meet you, Anya," Bruce said. "Nice to meet you. So what do you do?" Sam asked.=20 =20 "Hello Mr. Wayne, Ms. Falcon. I=92m a photographer for the Gotham Herald.=20 My boss assigned me to take pictures of tonight's ball," said Anya as=20 she shook hands with the two. In the corner of her eye she saw a woman=20 looking under plants. 'Now what is she up to?' Anya wondered. "There seems to be a lot to take pictures of tonight. Luthor certainly=20 didn't do himself any favors with that display of his. I saw a flash go=20 off right about then too." "I'm actually surprised he wasn't more aware of that." "He had other things on his mind. Make sure you have your camera ready=20 Anya, you never know what you might get a picture of. If something were=20 to go really wrong 'The Dark Knight might show up. That picture would=20 really be worth some money." Bruce becomes slightly uneasy beside her. Dick glanced at Sam warningly. "Bruce... Can we talk for a minute?" Dick whispered quietly so as not to=20 have Sam or Anya hear his frustration.=20 >tbc< * * * * Re: Mingling Lois looked around the ballroom. *Is it me, or does this place look a=20 bit empty? Where did everyone go?!?* she asked herself. She started looking around at all of the tables, when she came upon the=20 table where Luthor was sitting. "Oh my God, Lex!" Lois yelled as she ran up to the table. "Lex? Are you=20 okay? Who did this to you?" Luthor wouldn't answer her. "Lex?..." Luthor slowly raised his head to face Lois. "Who did this? WHO DID THIS?! It was him!! That dulard partner of=20 yours!" Luthor looked away, disgusted, desperatly avoiding the gaze of=20 Lois' deep brown eyes. "I'm sorry, my dear" he whispered. "Come sit with me. You know how I=20 enjoy the company of your loveliness."=20 =20 "Lex..." Lois sighed. "I can't believe Clark would do something like=20 that. I mean it's so not him. Kent can be such a...such a...um...such a=20 dork sometimes! Arggh!" Lex smiled at Lois' outburst. "I still can't believe that man put me in=20 such a fog that I had no clue that he was hurting you! I swear if I had=20 known that I would of given Kent something else to deal with!" Lois noticed Lex dabbing at the cut on his lower lip. "Oh Lex..." she=20 said as she kneeled on the floor and softly kissed his lips. Lois had no=20 clue why she kissed Lex in the first place. There was just something=20 about the man that she found attractive. Lex reached out to carress her face. "I'm sorry, Lois. But, I suppose=20 when it comes to you, I'm irrational. You're the most beautiful creature=20 in the world, and I will always do everything in my power to protect=20 you." Lex looked down at her, and smiled softly. "Will you forgive me and let me have this dance?"=20 =20 "Ah, Lex, there's nothing to forgive. You did nothing wrong. You were=20 just looking out for my well-being and I thank you for that." Lois grabbed onto Lex's hand as he helped her up and twirled her into=20 his arms so they could dance. >tbc< * * * * Re: Kryptonite/Mayson goes to find Diego Catherine Grant decided that there was maybe more Kryptonite on the=20 veranda, so she looked at Mayson and asked: "Mayson, will you go back=20 inside and find Diego or Ramone and tell them to come here?" Mayson: "Sure, Cat anything to help!" Mayson left the veranda and=20 started to look for Diego and Ramone. She remembered that they were=20 still outside, so she made her way to the coat check and got her wrap=20 because she was chilly from standing on the veranda with Cat. Catherine decided to hide the lead box with it's green contents until=20 she either found some more or Diego and Ramone came, or maybe she=20 should find Bruce and get him to help too. Cat knew that Bruce Wayne and all= =20 his resources could definitely help out in this situation. She waited=20 and looked for more evidence and planned her next move. "Thank God Superman didn't take the bait and attend this ball tonight!" >tbc< * * * * Re: Confrontation Bruce nodded. "I'll be right back, Sam." He leaned over and=20 whispered, "No more talk about that." "Well, I thought . . ." she started. "When I get back," he finished.=20 >tbc< * * * * Someone arrives fashionably late Amid the confusion, a taxi pulled up outside the Gotham Observatory.=20 A dark-haired man jumped out of the cab, threw a twenty at the driver and=20 looked at the Observatory. "Funny," he said. "I thought it would be=20 bigger." He smoothed his flashy vest. "Lex Luthor, prepare to meet=20 'Michael Sullivan'... aka Tom Paris, aka your one-way ticket out of this=20 racket." Sullivan/Paris/Scardino pulled his cell phone out of his jacket=20 pocket... "Are you ready?" "Ready as we'll ever be, Dan." "All right. Let's do this and get this over with. I left the=20 oven on." "Ha ha ha. Just get Luthor, okay?" *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* As Scardino entered the Observatory, he noticed that all eyes were on=20 two people near Bruce Wayne. "That's one heck of a kiss. I guess I=20 missed all the fun." He sighed and shook his head. "There must be no=20 such thing as being 'fashionably late' any more."=20 >tbc< * * * * Perry at bar Perry White took out his handkerchief and wiped sweat off his face and=20 ordered another drink. Wondering why Mayson was taking so long in the=20 lounge, and where Cat, Diego and Ramone had gotten off too. "Oh well, I reckon they'll be back eventually. >tbc< =20 * * * * Re: Kryptonite/Mayson goes to find Diego Cat looked around the veranda somemore and just when she thought that=20 there was nothing else to find, her heart plummeted to her feet as she=20 found yet another lead box. Picking it open she found another glowing=20 rock. "Well, it looks like someone really wanted Superman dead!" Cat put the other box beside the first one. Thinking to herself. *If=20 Mayson doesn't find Ramone and Diego soon, I may have to go find Bruce=20 Wayne or at least some security. Maybe I should call STAR LABS!* Cat=20 thought as she waited for Diego,Ramone and Mayson. >tbc<=20 * * * * Re: Confrontation Dick watched with growing anxiety, as Bruce leaned over to whisper to=20 Sam. *Sure... you told her about Batman, but I had to sneak around to=20 find out...* Dick silently cursed himself for thinking that way. Bruce looked up, and walked towards him. Even outside of the costume,=20 Bruce Wayne's presense was intimidating. The man was imaculately=20 dressed, the portrait of the image he projected. Rich, powerful, and=20 indulging in the playboy lifestyle. Dick could see the concern in=20 Bruce's eyes, and shuttered to look directly at him, hoping he did not=20 sense the frustration Dick felt. The two walked to a quiet alcove, away from the crowds and prying eyes where the shadows concealed=20 them.=20 "Bruce, what the hell are you doing?! Do you have any idea what's going=20 on?!!" Dick tried to keep his voice low, but he could feel the anger=20 growing in him. This was still the man that helped raise him, and had=20 always been there for him. But lately, Dick could see that he was not=20 acting normally.=20 >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Confrontation Anya looked at the two walk away with a frown. She resisted the=20 tempation to follow them. She focused her attention to Sam. "I assume=20 that Batman doesn't have his picture taken often. So what do you do,=20 Sam?" asked Anya avoiding looking at where Bruce and Dick had gone off=20 to =93I=92m a writer.=94 >tbc< =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Re: Confrontation "I=92m well aware that Luthor is up to something and I can tell something=20 else is going on. Your point?"=20 =20 Dick scowled at him. "My point?! Jeez, Bruce, what's wrong with you?! At=20 the first sign of trouble, you'd be in costume." "I can't just show up that way. It's amazing what you can learn when no=20 one expects you to be paying attention."=20 =20 "No, but it's like you don't even care about what's happening around=20 you. It's her, isn't it?!! You've never been like this, not even with=20 Dr. Meridian!"=20 =20 "I do care what's going on, I always will. Unless you know about=20 something I'm not privy to, going and changing won't be of much use=20 right now. You seem to be implying that there's something different=20 about me now that I'm with Sam. No one else seems to have noticed or at=20 least if they have, they don't seem as concerned about it as you are. My=20 relationship with her is none of your business, I try to keep all that=20 as separate from the other as I can."=20 =20 "It is my business when it comes between our partnership!" Dick's faced=20 was flushed with anger. "You and I both know she's affected you! You=20 also know how much of a mistake it was to let her in on the secret!"=20 Dick hesitated and looked down, composing himself. "Look, you were the=20 one that told me that Batman and romance don't mix. Every time you've=20 tried to have a relationship, it failed. And you know what? Sooner or=20 later, so will this!! I'm not going to stand here and let you get hurt!=20 I don't even like Sam, but I suppose that's my opinion. But I can tell=20 you that no one knows you better than Alfred or I. And I certainly think=20 Alfred can see the change. Don't let her do this, Bruce. Clark needs=20 you. I know you don't like him, or trust him, but he still needs help.=20 If you want to continue to do whatever the hell it is you're doing,=20 fine! But Batman has to help his city... and if you don't, I guess that=20 means I have to do it!" Dick turned away, about to storm off angrily...=20 =20 "It's my business whether I let her in on my secret or not. Her remark a=20 few minutes ago was not appropriate and I'll talk to her about it, but=20 nothing else has gone wrong because I told her. I told Vicki and it=20 basically ended the relationship. Sam's stayed and that in itself makes=20 her something worth holding on to. My personal life is my business. I=20 know that I=92m spending more time at home, but I always go out when I=20 have to. My past relationships are just that, the past. With Sam it's=20 different, I've known her for a long time . . .Alfred does know me better=20 than anyone and he hasn't mentioned anything. He doesn't seem concerned=20 about my relationship . . .I have no problem with Clark Kent or his=20 other half. How does he need me . . .and I will help the city when I=20 know what it needs, right now I'm watching. If you feel that I=92m not=20 helping the city you can do it on your own, as Robin and don't get any crazy ideas about going out as anything else. Now is there something=20 going on that I don't know about."=20 =20 Dick shuttered at the "crazy ideas" comment Bruce shot at him. He turned=20 to face his mentor. "Vicki loved you! Just as you assume Sam does. It wasn'= t=20 her fault that you're so obsessed!" Dick shook his head. "Look Bruce, I don'= t=20 want to fight with you, but we gotta get some things straight here. Since yo= u=20 started dating Sam, you've been spending more time in that bedroom than=20 anything else!!" Dick winced, instantly wishing he hadn't said that.=20 "And you know full well how much you don't trust Clark because he's "not=20 human" as you so delicately put it. You're so damn compulsive about=20 being on top of everything, whether it be Superman, or your city, or=20 even your relationships! For once, why can't you take some advice, and=20 listen to me when I say I think you're doing the wrong thing. Sam=20 doesn't understand you, but Clark does, and right now, he's the one that=20 needs you, not her!" Dick clenched his fists. He couldn't believe the anger= =20 that was building in him. "I respect you more than anyone else in the world, but I'm not gonna stand here and let the two men I look up to most, Superma= n, and Batman, be destroyed. Even if it means me taking the mantle MYSELF!!" Dick stepped back, and watched Bruce's reaction, immediately aware he=20 had said far too much.=20 =20 "You do and you'll regret it kid! Obviously you haven't been paying=20 attention especially since you haven't been around much. I've been=20 spending more time out than in. She's been sleeping in her room at=20 night...I know Vicki did, I loved her but she left. Sam hasn't complained=20 once and I know she cares. She's not in a hurry to leave even though she=20 knows. When was the last time you had a life outside of the job, Dick? You don't need my mantle, you have your own! It's taken me years to=20 perfect mine. I know you'd do just fine. To do what you want, you have=20 to do what I did with...I won't let you use what's taken me years to=20 get. I have no doubt you can do it, it takes time though and right now I=20 don't see much evidence that you have the patience for it!" Dick was enraged, and it took all of his effort to keep from swinging at=20 Bruce. "Don't you dare try to bring my personal life into this! You're the one=20 that always pushed me, told me I didn't have time for social stuff!!=20 Always trainning, and more trainning... never good enough for the big=20 bad bat! I've done my damnest to make my life a bit normal after my=20 folks died, and in case you haven't noticed, I seem to do a better job=20 than you!!" You know I would NEVER try to take Batman away from you!!!=20 See what I mean?!! This has got the two of us at each other's throats!! You=20 know=20 that being your partner is important to me, and even if I had to step in=20 for you, I could stand in, but NEVER replace you! You know how much all=20 of this means to me!! I can't believe you said that!!" Dick's voice was=20 raising with every word, and although the two men were off to the side,=20 his voice had carried into the main ballroom, and grabbed the attention=20 of some of the guests. "There are people in danger right now, people who=20 care about you, and all you can do is sit around, flirt with HER, and act li= ke you're doing something about it! In my own way, being Robin, and now=20 Nightwing,=20 has helped me to make my own identity, away from the shadow of the bat. But=20 I'm not going to stand by and let you disgrace what I've thought Batman=20 always stood for!! I don't want to be Batman, only you can do that. I=20 look up to you, I trust you! Why can't you do the same thing?!" Dick=20 pointed out at the crowd to the lone figure at the bar. "And right now,=20 Clark needs your help! So what are you going to do about it?!" He=20 lowered his voice. "Bruce... we all need your help..."=20 =20 "Do you know how many years I spent training? You've been at this for a=20 much shorter length of time, but I'd say you're almost to the point of=20 being able to go out on your own. I know how much this means to you; as=20 much as it means to me. We both do it for the same reason. I have very=20 much gotten use to having you as a partner and would miss it, but if=20 this fighting keeps up that may be the only option. I=92m learning to=20 listen to you, it's still hard for me, but I=92m not going to change my=20 mind when it comes to Sam. She stays as long as she wants. Sam is my=20 attempt to make at least one part of my life more normal and I believe=20 she may be the one to do it, she has patience that none of the others=20 has had. As to taking Batman away from me, that is what I assumed you=20 were alluding to. I didn't want to believe you'd do it, but it sounded=20 very much like that was your intention, at least temporarily. The city=20 is not on it's own tonight. I knew I had to make an appearance here=20 since I=92m one of the prime sponsors. I asked Barbara to keep an eye on=20 things, since you were nowhere to be found. Since I haven't seen Alfred=20 up here to get me yet, I assume she's handling things. I would have=20 asked you if you'd been around. If you're so concerned you can go=20 downstairs and bring the case up here, so it's nice and close," Bruce=20 said as he started to raise his voice. Then he noticed some of the other=20 guests staring at them. "As to Clark, you=92re absolutely wrong about my=20 not trusting him. I don't trust him as much as Alfred, you, and Barbara, but= =20 the trust I have for him grows daily. How exactly does he need my help?"=20 >tbc< * * * * At the Bar Clark stared at Lois in disbelief. He had no clue why Lois was doing=20 this. Was Lois dancing with Lex real close to get back at him or did she=20 really care for the man? "Lois, Lois, Lois..." Clark muttered to himself as he got up out of his=20 seat to go break up the pair. But something stopped him. Clark returned=20 to his seat and let Lois and Lex dance. *If Lois wants to dance with the=20 devil, far be it for me to stop her!* "Bartender? A Scotch please and make it a double!" >tbc<=20 * * * * Look for Week #15 coming to a PC near you! Enjoy! Alexis ;-.) {"ADITLOM" arbitrator} =20 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 18:00:59 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Back ... and catching up :) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/16/00 4:05:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, sirenegold@YAHOO.COM writes: << Uh, Erin, I don't suppose you could work on your story with your feet up, could you? There are a whole bunch of readers who are suffering from an overabundance of suspense. We'd be happy to give you multiple doses of FDK in return (Feedback!) >> I second this motion! It has been days since you left poor Lois and Clark in somewhat dire straits--are you trying to give Tank a run for his money in the torture the readers department? Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 19:34:53 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lisa Mobley Subject: Re: Daily Planet MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Also wanted to add that the "bullpen" area has to be high enough so that Lois and Clark can have a major make-out session (Brutal Youth) after riding up a few floors and still have time to adjust themselves before the doors open ;) Lis ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 21:07:43 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Tara Smith Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit lol! This is so funny! I love this kind of story! And no, a certain mother-daughter pair doesn't object to a little cameo :)! I think it's funny! I wish I cound write like this! Tara ------Original Message------ From: Hazel To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Sent: January 16, 2000 8:53:59 AM GMT Subject: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) (Sorry if this goes through twice...) This one just popped into my head and demanded to be written. It took twenty-six minutes. We could call it a classic case of the addiction in question. ;) I hope a certain mother-and-daughter pair won't object to their little cameo in this one! Feedback is *obviously* encouraged. :) THE ULTIMATE DRUG by Hazel "Okay, Doctor Folk," said Lois, her pen poised expectantly over her notepad. "What can you tell me about this new drug? FDJ?" "FDK," the man corrected her. He sighed. "It's not pretty, Ms. Lane. It's a thousand times more addictive than anything else on the market, and as far as we can tell, there's no cure." Lois frowned at this. "No cure? There's no cure for cocaine, either." "Perhaps I should have worded it differently," Dr. Folk agreed. "Let's say, rather, that rehabilitation has, so far, proven impossible. To date, there has not been a single case of a person who has succeeded in getting over the addiction." Lois' eyes widened. "Not a single case?" "Not yet," the doctor told her. He gestured towards the computer on the desk. "I've been monitoring our patients. Some of them seem to go quietly dormant for years, and then the sudden need blazes up again and becomes completely insatiable. Our longest 'sleeper' case has been two years, four months, and eleven days. Just last week, the man in question succumbed." "That's... scary," Lois mumbled. She shook herself. "Do your studies document what FDK does to its victims?" Doctor Folk nodded and rattled off the list without bothering to consult his files. "Incredible euphoria. A single hit can keep the victim grinning for days, yet constantly seeking more. Side effects include a tendency towards sleeplessness, aching finger joints, neglect of outside interests, and eye strain. Some victims retreat into themselves; others become more garrulous. On occasion, a 'bad' hit will leave the victim despondent, but these happen only rarely. "As the drug eventually works its way through the system, the victim is suddenly struck by a craving for more. The victim will do anything to get more FDK, including spending hours on end in pursuit of a single extra hit." Lois bit her lip, trying to retain her professionalism. "What exactly do you mean by 'anything'? Have these kids been hitting the streets?" "Actually, there are many more adults involved than 'kids,' Ms. Lane," the doctor corrected her. "Although there have been reports of a mother-daughter pair who apparently seek FDK together. Most victims are twenty-one or older; there have been several documented cases of suffering teenagers, but the ones who seem the most addicted are usually in their thirties or forties." Lois looked up at him sharply. "Do you mean to say that *adults* are getting hopelessly addicted like this?" "Oh, yes," Dr. Folk nodded soberly. "There have been cases of normally responsible men and women sneaking fixes in the workplace, turning up red-eyed in the morning because they've been up all night... I told you it isn't pretty, Ms. Lane. I wasn't kidding." "So you have adults running rampant, robbing and stealing people blind in order to afford their next fix?!" "No, no, Ms. Lane," Dr. Folk said hastily. "That's the one saving grace of FDK. In terms of money, it's absolutely free. All you need is access." "Access?" "Availability, shall we say. The necessary equipment. Even the most rudimentary tools can be used in a pinch, although most of our patients seem to prefer more sophisticated methods." Lois sat back, trying to hard her confusion. "So you're saying that FDK victims are only harming themselves? They're not a menace to society?" "That's a matter of opinion, I suppose," the doctor said judiciously. "After all, think of all the hours that are wasted by the victim in pursuing the fix. Who knows what might have been accomplished in that time?" "Well, yes, I suppose. Those symptoms you listed didn't sound very pleasant. But at least they're not hurting anyone else." Dr. Folk hesitated. "That's not entirely true. There is a strong tendency for victims to spread the addiction. In their excitement over the fix, they will encourage others to give them further doses, and also offer doses to others in an effort to proliferate the problem." "They offer doses of FDK to other victims?" Lois stared at him, incredulous. "But I thought you said that the victims are constantly looking for another fix!" "It's hard to explain," said Dr. Folk, spreading his hands in apology. "But it seems clear that a FDK victim can somehow give a fix to another victim without lessening his or her own dosage. It seems almost symbiotic; the more fixes one victim offers to others, the more that victim seems to recieve from those same sources." "Wow." Lois sat silently for a moment, then asked one last question. "So, there's no cure, and no hope for rehabilitation. What's being done to get FDK off the market?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" Lois was horrified. "But all those lives..." Dr. Folk shrugged. "As you yourself said, Ms. Lane, FDK really only harms the victim. The physical side effects do go away with time; a 'sleeper' patient is as healthy and well-adjusted as we are. Look at it as a chronic disease that flares up on occasion." He gave her a quirk of a grin. "One thing's for sure, Ms. Lane -- the victims are most definitely happy. They do no harm to others, except those that are suffering from the same condition; they even manage to hone skills through their addiction, and it definitely keeps them off the streets. For the time being -- until the powers that be come up with some kind of miraculous solution -- that's the best we can do." Lois left Dr. Folk's office with her head down, deep in thought. Were FDK victims really happy, or did they secretly long to escape their addiction? Was there any way to save them from themselves? An absent-minded glance at her watch shook her out of her reverie. "Oh, no!" she muttered, walking more quickly now as she trotted towards her jeep. "I forgot to set the VCR this morning, and 'The Ivory Tower' will be on in ten minutes. I'd better hurry home as fast as I can..." END. ;) ----------------------------------------------- FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 22:52:43 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/ Subject: NEW: Private Grief Comments: To: Chris Mulder MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit TITLE: Private Grief PART: 1/1 AUTHOR: Pam Jernigan RATING: PG FEEDBACK: Comments welcome public or private -- I'm a big girl, I can take it ;) I originally posted this story to the message boards and received a lot of feedback about what didn't work, which enabled me to (I hope) fix this version. I'm particulary interested in hearing from those who haven't read it on the boards before -- does it work for you? SUMMARY: A quick recap of Clark's "death" in That Old Gang of Mine, from a different perspective, and with a twist. Dialog and actions in the second scene are taken directly from the episode (written by Gene Miller & Karen Kavner), I added my interpretation of some motives. PRIVATE GRIEF "Lois, are you sure you're okay?" Clark asked anxiously, one more time, as they arrived at her apartment building. She considered the question. "Well," she allowed, "It has been a rough day, what with nearly being blown to pieces by that sattelite and all." "Lo-is. That's not what I'm talking about." "I know, Clark, I know..." she looked around, recognizing this as the very spot Superman had set her down a few days ago, after she'd been pushed out her window. She seemed to be suffering from an odd sort of doubled-vision, distorting everything she'd thought she knew. "I'm tired," she observed, in vague surprise. He was instantly contrite, which really hadn't been her motive, but she welcomed the respite regardless. "We can talk more tomorrow, Clark, okay? Maybe over lunch?" Clark chewed his lip uncertainly. "How about dinner, instead. At my place?" A slow smile crossed her face. "Clark Kent, are you asking me out?" The day's stresses might have been worth it, after all, came the stray thought, if it could inspire him so. He hesitated, then grinned. "Yeah, I guess I am." She boldly looped her arms around his neck, moving that fraction of an inch closer that brought their bodies into full contact. "Good. It's a date." Thus encouraged, he dipped his head, and they indulged in a kiss ... their first real kiss, Lois decided. All the others dimmed in comparison, anyway. She was smiling dreamily when he finally pulled back. When she opened her eyes, she found he was watching her, his earlier anxiety at least somewhat allayed. She wanted to clear up his remaining doubts ... but they were, after all, well-founded. In some ways, she wasn't all that sure of this, herself. They'd just have to deal with it. "So, I guess this is goodnight..." "Yeah, I guess it is." Reluctantly, Lois stepped back. "Goodnight, Clark. I'll see you tomorrow." *** A few very busy days later... "Bonnie and Clyde are both here," Clark reported in an urgent undertone, diverting Lois' attention from the late Georgie Hairdo. "We gotta call the police, c'mon." He tried to pull her towards the door, but she resisted, knowing he could handle it just fine alone. "You go -- I've gotta find a gray-haired lady with a bucket of my nickels." Clark rolled his eyes, but before he could reply, a burst of gunfire roared through the room, and Lois turned to see that she was facing several armed gangsters -- she caught a glimpse of John Dillenger putting down a tommy gun before Bonnie and Clyde rushed over to join their reconstituted friends. The muzzle of Clyde's pistol, a mere few feet away and pointed in her direction, riveted Lois' attention. She'd had guns pointed at her before, but they never ceased to send her adrenaline rushing. Especially when Superman was, as yet, nowhere in evidence. Al Capone stepped forward, smiling toothily at the crowd. "My apologies, ladies and gentlemen, for this interruption. I just dropped by to inform you that Georgie Hairdo," he smiled a bit wider, "has wisely decided to retire from the hospitality business. So from this day forward, this joint is owned by Al Capone." Dillenger moved forward again, and looked right at her. "Hey Al, maybe we could make this cutie our head hostess." His eyes raked over her outfit. "I was always partial to a lady in red." Lois bit her lip to restrain a cutting reply, trying not to provoke anything. When Dillenger reached out to touch her face, however, she instinctively flinched away from his hand. Immediately, Clark was there, batting away the intruder. "Leave her alone," he stated firmly, and she looked at him gratefully. Dillenger sneered. "Who are you, her big brother?" He gave Clark a push on the chest, and Clark fell back a few paces, but then started forward once more. Lois watched him, concerned at this hint of violence, but was shocked when three shots rang out, the bullets hitting Clark in the chest. Clark stumbled a half-step backwards, looking down at where the bullets had hit, a surprised look on his face. Lois gasped, and tried to grab him by the shoulders, but his eyes closed, and he fell backwards, dragging her along so that she was on her knees by his side. "Clark," she half whispered, her hands flying to his face. Her fingers brushed his cheek, and paused for a moment on his lips ... so warm, but so still. "No..." His glasses had been knocked askew by the fall, and she had an absurd urge to straighten them for him, but he hardly needed them anymore. She patted his chest, instead, frantically wondering if there were anything useful she could do. Behind her, she heard Capone call someone a moron -- he continued speaking but her brain seemed unable to process it, her attention focused on her fallen partner. Until her agonized watch was rudely interrupted by strange arms reaching down to grab Clark. "No, no..." They half-carried and half-dragged him towards the door. "No!" She rose to her knees, but knew she was helpless to keep him here. "No..." Her last view of him was of him being dragged away, his body limp, but his face peaceful. "Clark...?" The cry escaped her, but there was no answer, and she sank down to sit on the floor, sobbing quietly. *** Lois made it through the next few hours on sheer stubbornness, pulling herself together and describing the evening's events to any number of policemen and to one of her fellow Planet reporters -- this was one story that Lois was not even remotely capable of writing. While she functioned on a surface level, her inner thoughts were whirling. What was she going to do without Clark? How could she bear to go to work if he wouldn't be there to get her coffee, and tease her, and encourage her, and inspire her? She couldn't possibly take on another partner, but working alone no longer held any appeal. She wanted *Clark*, her heart stubbornly insisted, and she cursed all the time she'd waited -- wasted -- thinking they'd have all the time in the world. At least they'd made some sort of progress, earlier in the week. The hadn't found time for that dinner, but Clark had been more affectionate, more open ... that was a very real source of comfort to her. She loved Superman, too, of course, and she was grateful that she still had him ... but she had to face the fact that he wasn't really real. She wanted a normal life, with a regular husband and a partner at work -- someone to go to dinner with, and chase stories with ... she wanted *Clark*, and much as she loved Superman, he simply couldn't fill that void. Another wave of desolation washed over her. She needed to see Superman. She wanted to call the Kents, too, but she couldn't talk to any of them until she got home. She gathered her remaining strength, praying she could hold herself together long enough to get there. *** In the darkness of Lois' apartment, Clark sat quietly, his head resting on his folded hands. As soon as the gangsters had dumped him out of the car, he'd flown to Kansas, to let his parents know he was fine, despite what they might hear later. Then he'd returned to Metropolis -- he'd spent some time searching for Capone and the others, but to no avail. So now he sat, waiting for Lois. He was still wearing the Superman suit. He would rather have changed out of it, but that hardly seemed worthwhile -- he no longer had another identity. All the things he'd wanted, the normal life he'd worked so hard for ... all ripped away in a moment. He hoped to salvage some of it, with Lois, but even so ... if he could no longer be Clark, he had no idea what to do. Lois couldn't want a real life with Superman -- Superman didn't *have* a real life to offer, no matter how she felt about him. His head hurt from thinking about it, until only one thing was clear. He needed Lois. His head came up as he heard the locks on her door start to rattle, and a quick check revealed that it was her. She looked tired, and she'd been crying. He cursed the circumstances that had caused that. The door opened, and Lois walked in, dropping her coat and bag near the door. She made no move toward the light switch, which suited him. "You look like you just lost your best friend," he said quietly. Lois turned to him, showing no surprise at finding him there. She replied equally quietly, "I think I have." She paused, then added, "This is a nightmare." "I know." He stood, and held his arms open. "C'mere." He waited, afraid that she wouldn't come, but then she moved, and he enfolded her in a warm embrace. At her touch he felt the weariness and despair begin to ease. They remained locked together for a long moment, his hand stroking her hair, before Lois turned her head to the side just far enough to speak. "Clark ... what are we going to do?" He sighed. "I don't know, baby ... I just don't know." He hesitated a moment, then continued. "We never had that talk. I -- I wasn't sure you'd even want to see me..." She looked up, alarmed. "Clark, of course I wanted to see you -- I love you!" Clark just looked at her for a moment, studying her beautiful face. He raised a shaky hand to trace her jawline and cup her cheek. "God, Lois ... you don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that..." She smiled tenderly, "As awful as today has been ... it did teach me how much I love you. And I'm so glad you're not really dead ... but I'm still going to miss you terribly, at work." Clark sighed again. "Yeah, I really hate to lose that -- I mean, I want to be with you all the time, not just stolen moments here and there." "Well, that's why we just have to figure out how to get it all back." "What?" He looked down at her in surprise, and found a thoroughly determined expression on her face. "We have to find a way to bring you back from the dead, Clark, that's just all there is to it. I was too upset earlier to think about it, but now that you're here I'm feeling better, and there's just *got* to be a way. We can talk to my dad, maybe, he's a doctor, and we could tell people he fixed you up with cyborg parts -- it wouldn't pass a medical exam but I guess you try to avoid those anyway, and--" Clark stemmed the rising tide of words with the best weapon at his disposal ... a long, soul-stirring kiss. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and he was becoming convinced that they could salvage his life, but at the moment the details seemed unimportant. When he finally released her, she was smiling and breathing heavily. "Wow... what was that for?" He grinned. "I'm in love with the most brilliant woman on the planet." She smiled slowly. "Thank you. So you think my idea will work?" "I think ... I think we'll find something. Between the two of us, we can do anything." THE END (y'all know how they fixed it, so I don't need to go into that, do I?) -- ------------------------------------------------------- Pam Jernigan | jernigan@bellsouth.net ChiefPam on IRC | ChPam on AOL IM ------------------------------------------------------- "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby into idiots, too." --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 23:03:00 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Alicia Utowski Subject: Re: NEW: Private Grief MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wow, Pam... I didn't think it could get any better than it was, but you proved me wrong. I love the new first scene and the changes you made to the last scene too... I also liked the subtle changes you made throughout... It made it a lot more believable :) I see, now you're trying for next year's Kerths :) Alicia :) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 20:18:59 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: The Ultimate Drug MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well done, Hazel. Clever and creative; an enjoyable quick read. Jude ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 22:35:09 -0600 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: Private Grief In-Reply-To: <3882920B.6502A51F@bellsouth.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Well, I didn't read it on the MBs, so I guess I'm in the group of readers you are hoping to hear from. :) Spoiler space, if needed. I really enjoyed the story. You got me with the twist ... I didn't see it coming, and went back to re-read the relevant sections to see if I could find any hints. I couldn't; nicely done. I know from experience how hard it is to write on two levels like this -- my own Revisionist History employed a similar technique and I know how long it took me to get that story right. So congrats. :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com kathyb@lcfanfic.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 02:53:04 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: new story MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I wrote a new fanfic after months of just reading. I would like to post it but hope that people are gentle. It's not quite the Lois and Clark people expect and don't want to upset the normal readers. Give me the strength. Mary ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 03:10:49 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: OT: my message boards Comments: cc: LoisandClarkNAOS@onelist.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I just wanted to ask if anyone using a pacbell.net ISP, especially with a Mac computer, is having trouble posting to the message boards. Or, if you do have pacbell.net and aren't experiencing a problem, let me know. Oh, and if you have Prodigy, same thing ;) Please respond to me privately at zoomway@aol.com so the list doesn't get clogged with his thread Thankee ;) Zoom ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 05:14:45 -0700 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: Fanfic order In-Reply-To: <20000116203137.5439.qmail@web902.mail.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:31 PM 01/16/2000 -0800, you wrote: >Anita, in the absence of Debby and Margaret, the two >authors, responding, I'll put my two cents in. > >It doesn't really matter which order you read them in. >They are two well-written companion pieces that fit >together like the pieces of a puzzle. You won't have >any trouble following what is happening no matter >where you start. > >Just dive in and enjoy two fantastic stories. > >Irene I agree. We wondered about trying to weave them together, even some how making them so they could be seen in column format, one story per side. But as we live several thousand miles apart, it was hard to collaborate for that kind of complicated endeavor. We would also have had to write about the same amount of material, another difficulty impossible to overcome. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy them both :) Debby Debby@swcp.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 07:43:20 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Re: NEW: The Ultimate Drug (1/1) In-Reply-To: <20000116204702.22441.qmail@hotmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Merry, Jessi, Tara, Judith -- thanks for supplying me with my latest fix. :) Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 08:08:30 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: authors we haven't read lately MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Speaking of Margaret....does anyone know where she gotten herself to and when/if we can expect another wonderful story from her? But then again, what about you Debby? Anything in the works? And Demi: seems to me I remember a fic based on TOGOM?? Zoom, always room for more! Kate ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 13:12:30 +0000 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: Fanfic order In-Reply-To: <200001171218.FAA04307@kitsune.swcp.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Mon, 17 Jan 2000 05:14:45 -0700 Debby wrote: > I agree. We wondered about trying to weave them together, > even some how making them so they could be seen in column > format, one story per side. But as we live > several thousand miles apart, it was hard to collaborate > for that kind of complicated endeavor. Well, I've read both - several times each - and it really does make no difference whatsoever which order they are read in. But rest assured, they are a fantastic read, very entertaining and highly imaginative. (They're also partly responsible for at least some elements of my Big Boys Do Fly series, which could be a strike against Debby and Margaret, of course, but don't hold that against them!) Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 05:22:28 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: new story MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mary, be reassured. Most of us are quite gentle. One thing you can do when you post it to the list is to specify what type of feedback you prefer - public or private, constructive criticism allowed or not. Most people will respect your wishes. Looking forward to your new story, Irene --- Mary Scibetta wrote: > I wrote a new fanfic after months of just reading. > I would like to post it > but hope that people are gentle. It's not quite the > Lois and Clark people > expect and don't want to upset the normal readers. > Give me the strength. > > Mary > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 08:44:57 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Re: authors we haven't read lately In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:08 AM 17/01/00 EST, Kate wrote: >Speaking of Margaret....does anyone know where she gotten herself to and >when/if we can expect another wonderful story from her? Margaret is currently nomail from the list because she has about 5 meg's worth of fic backlogged on her hard drive. :) She is in the second stage of fine-tuning Only You part 5 (which will be marvelous!), so hopefully it'll show up here pretty soon! Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 09:01:26 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/ Subject: Re: NEW: Private Grief MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Goodness, you're quick, Alicia! :) > Wow, Pam... I didn't think it could get any better than it was, but you > proved me wrong. I love the new first scene and the changes you made to the > last scene too... I also liked the subtle changes you made throughout... It > made it a lot more believable :) Thanks, that's what I was trying for... you guys on the message board deserve a lot of credit for gently pointing out areas that could be improved ;) > I see, now you're trying for next year's Kerths :) LOL, too true! I'll confess ... I'm *always* trying for Kerths ... I'm hopelessly addicted to FDK, and a Kerth is a *huge* hit... Kathy wrote: > Well, I didn't read it on the MBs, so I guess I'm in the group of readers > you are hoping to hear from. :) Yes, thank you :) They all knew the twist, so it gave them a different perspective... > I really enjoyed the story. You got me with the twist ... I didn't see it > coming, and went back to re-read the relevant sections to see if I could > find any hints. I couldn't; nicely done. But you didn't have any trouble accepting it, when it occurred? Good. My first draft was a little rougher and the twist was too abrupt. With that first scene, I meant to imply that the revelation was *very* recent, and that they hadn't really talked it out yet... did that come through? > I know from experience how hard > it is to write on two levels like this -- my own Revisionist History > employed a similar technique and I know how long it took me to get that > story right. So congrats. :) I love that story... and I like this technique; Wendy Richards says she expects it of me these days... But it is tricky; the story has to make sense both ways. And thank you. :) -- ------------------------------------------------------- Pam Jernigan | jernigan@bellsouth.net ChiefPam on IRC | ChPam on AOL IM ------------------------------------------------------- "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby into idiots, too." --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 14:48:20 +0000 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: NEW: Private Grief In-Reply-To: <388320B6.23EDEC1@bellsouth.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Mon, 17 Jan 2000 09:01:26 -0500 Pam Jernigan wrote: > and I like this technique; Wendy > Richards says she expects it of me these days... But it is > tricky; the story has to make sense both ways. Yes, I do sometimes, Pam, but in case I didn't say it on the MBs, *this* twist got me too! When I came to the scene with Superman waiting in Lois's apartment, I thought you were going to give us the revelation/confession scene; then it became clear that she already knew. You may not have caught me on your great little nfic vignette, but you got me here! Wendy (just making sure Pam gets sufficient fixes of FDK to keep her writing ) ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 09:43:17 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Hodges, Sue" Subject: Re: Back ... and catching up :) Comments: To: Erin Klingler MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I have the day off today, and just pieced together all 20 parts of "Darkest Hour", and read it. I am truly suffering. This is a fine story. I don't know if my heart can take this reading great stories in parts. Before joining the list, I downloaded from the archive. Much less anticipation that way. Keep up the very good story,please. -----Original Message----- From: Erin Klingler To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Sent: 1/16/00 3:10 PM Subject: Re: Back ... and catching up :) Irene wrote: > Uh, Erin, I don't suppose you could work on your story > with your feet up, could you? There are a whole bunch > of readers who are suffering from an overabundance of > suspense. > > We'd be happy to give you multiple doses of FDK in > return (Feedback!) LOL, Irene! Actually, you read my mind. ;) I picked my hubby's brain yesterday about computer virus technicalities, protocols that corporations take when finding them, etc., etc., etc., and I'm now about to include all that into my fic. If he hears me say even one more time, "I have another virus question..." he'll probably run screaming. But I'm hoping to post the *rest* of 'Darkest Hour' (yes, the rest...the part that says 'the end' ) to the list in several installments next week, so watch for that. ;) I'm flattered and thrilled that so many of you are so interested in reading "Darkest Hour," so I promise I'll hurry! ;) Erin :) __________________ erink@ida.net Visit my LNC/Kerth Website: www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "It's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." __________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 13:17:58 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/ Subject: Re: NEW: Private Grief MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Wendy > (just making sure Pam gets sufficient fixes of FDK to keep > her writing ) Aw, thanks, Wendy! It'll probably work, too! If I can get the baby to take a nap, I can get back to one of my many unfinished stories... -- ------------------------------------------------------- Pam Jernigan | jernigan@bellsouth.net ChiefPam on IRC | ChPam on AOL IM ------------------------------------------------------- "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby into idiots, too." --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 11:50:07 -0600 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: authors we haven't read lately In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 8:08 AM -0500 1/17/00, Kate Crane wrote: >And Demi: seems to me I remember a fic based on TOGOM?? That would be me, not Demi. :) Alas, I can't provide you with your fix. But I guess once a story has been in the works for 3 years, what's one more? I had actually been making good progress on the story this summer/early fall (Demi had to bow out of the co-writing due to a *very* busy real life), but then *my* real life got crazy (but in a good way :)), so all of my writing is on hold too. (Yes, that's all ... sorry!) I do plan to finish it eventually, though! It just may be awhile. Just warning everyone in case you can't hold your breath as long as Clark can. Of course, I could find time to write if I gave up running the Archive, helping with the Kerths, and reading this listserv ... But that would be no fun! :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com kathyb@lcfanfic.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 15:56:43 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: New Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, I posted a note recetly that I wanted to post a new fanfic that I just finished. I still have a bit of relfeshing on some parts but thought I would give everyone a head's up. Premise: This fanfic is set as a mix of the first and second seasons. I am always looking for new angels adn therefore some of the timelines from the series are being mixed up for story purposes. This finds Lois currently dating Lex Luthor, but a stragely more kind one. At the same time, a happen chance meeting of a young attorney intrigues Clark. There is an A-Plot here although subtle. All comments public and private; just rip me for the grammar privately. Warnings: Not for those who think there is no one but Lois and Clark forever and ever. PG rating. The song lyrics are there solely there as a transition without me having to write paragraphs. All the characters are the property of Warner Bros, yada yada yada Thanks to Bill Gates, AOL, and Time Warner for the strange inspiration Mary meg4076@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 16:00:00 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: Mergers and Breakdowns Part 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit "Good morning Clark." Lois spun her chair out from underneath her desk and sat down, plopping her feet up on the desk. Everyone in the Daily Planet newsroom stopped and stared. Perry White came flying out of his office with a story possibility in hand. "Good Morning Lo..." Clark turned to answer Lois and found himself cut off by Perry. "I have a thought," Perry announced to the rest of the newsroom very loudly. "Why don't we all figure out the reason that Luthor Industries needs to buy out the largest internet interface in the country." Turning, Perry smiled at Lois expecting her to reply. "Don't you know someone near and dear to Lex Luthor Industries?" Perry waved a handful of papers at Lois until she stood up. "I get it. Good old Lois. Use my influence to get a story out of Lex." Grabbing the paper from Perry, she smirked in Clark's direction and rolled her eyes when he smiled at her. People in the office immediately went back to work when Perry turned toward the office door again. Everyone knew that if Luthor Industries was involved, Lois got the story and everyone else would be out of the loop. For several months, since Lois tried for the story with Lex, she had been seen with him at every social function of the year. Although not completely convinced that his love for her was real, Lois felt more comfortable with him than she had with any man in the past. The only burden was the constant overuse of her influence to get the exclusive of any Luthor holding. As far as anyone had told her, Lois was the luckiest woman in the world. Luthor and she had not been romantic up until the last few weeks, but she looked like she was living with her head in the clouds since their first kiss. The rest of the world applauded her the next morning, seeing as everyone saw it on the Man of the Year broadcast earlier that week. The only person not convinced was Clark. Walking over to her desk, Clark looked over her shoulder at the secret newswire that Perry had handed her. The image of every email service going through a Lex Corp operative frightened Clark. He knew that email was not secure as it is, but Lex for sure knew how to pull up anything of his choosing. "So, you want some help with this one or would you rather just ask him at dinner and write it tomorrow." "I always represent myself as a reporter and nothing else when working on a news story, even if I'm dating the man involved. And I don't take sides." Clark halfway breathed an 'Ohhhh', making fun of her. As Clark walked back over to his desk with the copies that Lois had shoved into his chest, Lois stood up and followed him. Poking him in the back, he turned around and looked at her. "Look, I know this is really weird for both of us. I mean we work together and we're partners but it's just easier for me to talk to Lex alone. I really have no idea why you and him hate each other so." "I can't explain it Lois, and you seeing him makes it even harder for me to try. I just have this feeling. There just seems to be so many stories that we've done where the destruction of something happened to be something of Luthor's. Bad luck or good luck doesn't explain it away. Not to me anyway. I'm happy you found someone, just don't ask me to be happy it's him." Clark turned and sat down at his desk as Lois continued to stare at him in an awkward way. Shaking her head, Lois sat down at her desk and begun working on some other story, holding off on the merger headline. She knew if there were any dirt to dig up on Luthor's intentions, Clark would find it. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 16:02:42 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: Re: New Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry about all the typos. Hubby gets kind of sick of me using computer and decides to rush me. I promise the fanfic is not as messed up as the last post. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 16:15:38 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: authors we haven't read lately MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/17/00 5:46:29 AM Pacific Standard Time, zis-s@ACTCOM.CO.IL writes: << Margaret is currently nomail from the list because she has about 5 meg's worth of fic backlogged on her hard drive. :) She is in the second stage of fine-tuning Only You part 5 (which will be marvelous!), so hopefully it'll show up here pretty soon! >> Be still my beating heart!! Thanks for the info Hazel....can't wait for part 5! <> Now, let's not be too hasty, Kathy . The Archive is my home away from home! Sorry to hear that Demi is no longer involved in the project but I will patiently wait for your masterpiece. Thanks for the update....and many, many thanks for all that you do for us folc's. Kate ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 05:14:33 -0700 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: authors we haven't read lately In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:08 AM 01/17/2000 -0500, you wrote: >Speaking of Margaret....does anyone know where she gotten herself to and >when/if we can expect another wonderful story from her? > >But then again, what about you Debby? Anything in the works? Too much real life attacking at the moment. When that settles, and it will eventually, I'll write again. I've already bought a nice red pen to use when rereading old Dawnings :) >Kate Debby Debby@swcp.com Beyond the darkness, there is such a gentle light. --Whitley Strieber, www.strieber.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 08:42:13 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Charlotte Fisler Subject: Re: authors we haven't read lately MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Debby: Sigh. Is there anything we can do to help? Forget the red pen. We don't care about edits, etc. I've aleady read Dawning 1-23 (or 22?) three full times and the earlier ones even more times. I'll continue to re-read them with the same enjoyment as I read them the first time. We just want more. Charlotte - who is getting desperate to read more Dawning and who will be happy to tell you all about all the loose ends still waiting to be attended to. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 09:18:16 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rose Cookson Subject: IRC question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi! I have the same IRC question that someone had recently... I am over 18 years old, and I'd like to have the keyword for #lanekent. Will someone please email it to me? Thanks. Rose ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 08:06:16 -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: OT: Now and Again MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I love this show. Vicki Krell Sponsored Projects Officer Office of Research and Creative Activities Arizona State University (480) 965-2171 (480) 965-1703 - fax Vicki.Krell@asu.edu -----Original Message----- From: Katy Beisheim [mailto:Glofkryptn@AOL.COM] Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2000 8:53 AM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: OT: Now and Again Actually, I'd like to defend this show. I know you guys all hate it and all, but I guess I'm just s sucker for the sexual tension. It's exactly the same thing that attracted me to L&C. Plus, I really think you need to have seen more than one episode to make an accurate judegment. I really think it's better than most new shows this season, and it's the only one I'm still watching. Sure, I know what the creators said, but we all know how that can fall through. Sorry, I tried not to offend anyone, but I had to get my word in as I haven't been able to check my mail in the last few days. Call it innocence on the part of the high school student, but I love it. Katy ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 13:18:09 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Chris P Subject: Re: IRC question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Rose, The keyword for #lanekent is blinditem. Chris ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 13:33:10 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Chris P Subject: Re: IRC question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Oops. Remind me not to do email first thing in the morning. I accidentally sent the keyword to #lanekent to the entire list. /me blushes. I'll leave it the way it is for now, but be warned, if we discover any underaged people on the channel, the password will be changed, so please, everyone, be responsible. Chris ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 17:57:25 -0500 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: Rumours of my disappearance are greatly exaggerated Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" A friend forwarded a couple of postings to the list in which people wondered what had happened to me. I haven't disappeared off the face of the Earth! Really I am working on Part 5, honest! (I'm sure you've all heard *that* a million times before;) I'm just really, really s-l-o-w. Thanks for the great comments about SwapMeet:D Margaret Who is actually about 9MB behind on her reading. (It *was* 20MB when I went no-mail, so I'm catching up:) ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@sympatico.ca Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www3.sympatico.ca/brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 17:54:42 -0600 Reply-To: Dennis A Arendt Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dennis A Arendt Subject: Re: Rumours of my disappearance are greatly exaggerated MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Be as slow as you need. I know and love how good your stories are and if slow is what it takes then b..e.......v..e..r..y......s..l..o..w Slow is good, I like slow. :) Brenda -----Original Message----- From: Margaret Brignell To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2000 5:00 PM Subject: Rumours of my disappearance are greatly exaggerated >A friend forwarded a couple of postings to the list in which people >wondered what had happened to me. > >I haven't disappeared off the face of the Earth! Really > >I am working on Part 5, honest! (I'm sure you've all heard *that* a >million times before;) I'm just really, really s-l-o-w. > >Thanks for the great comments about SwapMeet:D > >Margaret >Who is actually about 9MB behind on her reading. >(It *was* 20MB when I went no-mail, so I'm catching up:) > >****************************** >Margaret Brignell >brignell@sympatico.ca >Ottawa, Canada >%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% >My fanfic now available at: >http://www3.sympatico.ca/brignell/ >****************************** > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 21:15:35 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: Rumours of my disappearance are greatly exaggerated MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Margaret! What a relief to hear your ah, em, cyber voice! I treasure your wonderful stories and will wait as long as you need for part 5. Kate who has a little more free time these days and is constantly trolling the internet for L&C fanfic. In desperation I tried a few Star Trek fics, but the ones I read did not come anywhere near the excellence, depth, charm, emotion, excitement, and romance of L&C fics. Maybe I just didn't find the right ones. (anyone care to recommend other genres they like that have touched their hearts?) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 22:12:20 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: Mergers and Breakdowns Part 2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Looking in the mirror, Lois fixed the two curls in front of her face. Lex had called her at the Planet earlier in the afternoon and begged for her company in the evening. Lois knew that meant at least a five-course dinner and then a nightcap on his balcony. But she realized that work had to be done in there somewhere. Fixing the clasp on her necklace, she ran to answer the door. Opening the door and still working on her necklace, she didn't look up. "I thought you said that the limo would come at 8. It's only... Clark, what are you doing here?" Moving around her, careful not to get too close, he closed the door behind them and took the ends of her necklace in his fingers. "I thought I would come by to wish you well and tell you to be a good girl. There." Clark went and sat down on her couch as Lois disappeared around the corner, no doubt to fix her hair all over again. "So where are you two off to tonight?" "I have no idea. It's always a surprise when money is no limit," she yelled around the corner where he could hear her, as if he couldn't really. Coming back around the corner, she put her lipstick on once again while staring into the fish tank. "And you know I'm a good girl." She smiled over at him. "Really, what are you doing here? I thought for sure Perry would have you covering the fire downtown." Lois sat down on the couch next to him and started fiddling with her fingernails nervously. "Yeah, I was on my way. I thought I would drop by though. And I know how you get into trouble and I feel I know Luthor and that made me say that. Anyway, Perry was on my back to remind you about the story." The two sat silent on the couch for a few more unsettling moments. Clark slowly grabbed both of Lois' hands in his. Lois shot him a look of wonder. "If you keep doing that, the polish will flake and I know you don't want Luthor to see that," Clark laughed as he let go of her hands and looked at Lois. Lois' face suddenly became very pale and cold. Clark took her hand again, "Lois, are you ok? You look kind of funny." "I just...I get real nervous before seeing him, like I'm going to do something wrong or like I'm part of some huge practical joke on the world." She looked straight at Clark. "When you think Lex is wining and dining me, do you think he's out for more? I mean not physically, I could handle that. I mean what you are always thinking about. The ulterior motive." She looked over at the fish tank and up at the clock - 7:48. 'Time to recompose, Lois,' she said to herself. She looked back at Clark. "Well?" Clark let go of Lois and stood up. Walking around the couch, he could see Lois following him with her eyes. Clark couldn't believe that the simple visit to see her off was turning into a heartfelt discussion on his feelings of dating Luthor. He wondered why she would care about his feelings on the subject. She never cared before and never asked. "Lois, I'm not the judge here. And I can't tell what to do. Just be careful, but I have to know - why all the questions?" "I just have this feeling." Lois stood up and went to look at herself in the mirror again while Clark still stood behind the couch. "Lois, I know what you're doing in there and you look fine. If he doesn't accept it, then he doesn't deserve you." Clark saw Lois peek around the corner and smile as she picked up her evening purse. 7:56. Clark looked at Lois look at the clock and took the hint. "I have to be going. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He walked by her and ran his hand along her bare shoulder. It was a friendly gesture of good luck, but she shivered anyway. Opening the door to let himself out, he met with Lex face to face. "Clark, nice to see someone is watching out for my Lois. How are you doing on this fine night?" Lex extended his hand to Clark who couldn't possibly be rude in front of Lois. "I'm good Luthor." Looking over at Lois, Clark smiled. "Have a good night. Excuse me." After Clark had walked around the corner, Lex looked back at Lois quizzically. "He never has liked me much, has he?" Luthor held his arm out for Lois as locked the door. He couldn't get enough of looking at Lois when she dressed up so classy. In the few weeks they had been serious, she had gone out of her way to impress him, much more than he would have asked for. Lois took his arm and started down the hall with him, looking up at him briefly. She was still flustered from the discussion with Clark and his not so quite definite answers to her questions. But she was happy again to be on Lex's arm. It almost seemed, as they were their own parade though the apartment building every time he picked her up. It was an amazing feeling. Coming back to her senses, she realized that Lex had been speaking to her. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" "I was just wondering about Clark. He's seems kind enough, but he..." "He just feels there's something off center about you. I keep trying to convince him differently but he still has his suspicions." She smiled at Luthor as she explained and saw his look of confusion turn into a look of disinterest. Obviously, he was not concerned with Clark's suspicions; the suspicions were probably not valid anyway. "Where are we off to tonight?" Lois asked as the driver opened the door for Lois. She sat all the way over as to make room for Lex. "It's a surprise like always love." Lex kissed her hand gently and brushed his hand inside his coat pocket to check for the extra piece of luggage he carried tonight. Lex sat back in the car and pulled Lois in to his shoulder to relax during their ride. As he did, Lois faded to the most comfortable state she had felt in hours. It was going to be a good night. Nothing could mess this up. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 22:13:19 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: Mergers and Breakdown Part 3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Clark had landed several streets over from the fire that started downtown earlier that morning. Of course, he had been there hours before as Superman putting out the blaze but now the investigators had arrived to answer questions in the latest briefing. Fortunately, some old, faulty wiring that was done cheaply during the Depression and not some scheme had caused this blaze. The bad news was that several hundred court files had been torched in three of the attorney offices on the floor. The employees had been clear to get back in the building only for a few minutes. Clark followed several of the employees up the stairs to the offices to survey the end damage. Besides piles of burned paper and rusted out file cabinets and computers, things really didn't look bad - it could have been worse without Superman. "Oh damn, the Carlisle file!" Clark saw from down the hall several papers and a manilla folder come flying out of an office that had been affected. He walked down the hall to see who had a problem and giggled when he watched. Leaning against the doorway, he couldn't help but smile and laugh lightly at a young woman bent backwards over her desk to grab something on the other side. "I think it would be easier for you to get that if you went around." The woman pushed herself up and turned around shocked. Clark knew immediately that he had startled her. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it." Clark walked in and offered his hand to her and handed her the papers from the hallway. "Clark Kent. I work at the Daily Planet and was sent to cover the reaction to the fire." Flipping her hair back and putting up with a clip, she took the papers out his hand and nodded. "Mayson Drake, the new assistant district attorney. What a great first day. I bring all my files into here to go through and put away and then I get a call. 'Go to this meeting Ms. Drake' and when I come back, my new office looks like this." She gestured with her arms outstretched. "It's not that the chair cost me $300 - the fact I have to pay for something that I can't use anymore bothers me. And the fact that Superman was here to save the day doesn't sting, just that his using the fire hoses on everything made the ink run - that bugs me." Mayson turned around and saw Clark musing at all the complaints that she was babbling about. "I'm really sorry, but if you wanted reactions to the fire, you came to the right place." Clark stood and looked at the attorney and started to rub his head laughing. "I am so sorry. This is out of line. It's a great afterthought to the fire. I can use it - it's just the way you put it is so funny." Mayson started to look huffy at him and then turned around. A moment later she leaned up against her desk and looked all the way around the room. "You know I was told that I would be getting another office now. Now that all my personal things are destroyed and my files are non-existent. At least they said it would be bigger. I just have to clean this up myself and separate what's usable from what's garbage." She crossed her arms and wrinkled up her lips at the thought of the amount of work ahead. 'I didn't go to law school for this,' she thought. "You know," Clark moved over and leaned up against the desk with her, "If you weren't afraid of working late with a stranger, I could help a little." Mayson looked over at Clark in astonishment. This strange man, this strange, incredibly handsome reporter was offering to stay and work with her on something that was obviously none of his business or his problem. Clark looked over at her and smiled. "No big deal. I have nothing else to do." "How comforting. You sure you have nothing better to do?" Mayson started going through the things on her desk and looking for a box for usable items. "I didn't mean it like that. I just thought I could help." Clark followed Mayson's lead and started holding up folders for Mayson to identify as good or not. "Thanks Mr. Kent." "Clark," he handed Mayson an empty box from across the room. "Thanks, I'm Mayson," she answered as she took the box. They both stopped and smiled at each other oddly and continued on with their scavenge. "I know. You said that already." Mayson looked over and smiled at him while his back was turned, realizing that she was acting like a silly teenager with this man, but it felt so good. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 21:55:50 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: Rumours of my disappearance are greatly exaggerated MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Glad to hear that your writing part 5 - looking forward to it merry Margaret Brignell wrote: > A friend forwarded a couple of postings to the list in which people > wondered what had happened to me. > > I haven't disappeared off the face of the Earth! Really > > I am working on Part 5, honest! (I'm sure you've all heard *that* a > million times before;) I'm just really, really s-l-o-w. > > Thanks for the great comments about SwapMeet:D > > Margaret > Who is actually about 9MB behind on her reading. > (It *was* 20MB when I went no-mail, so I'm catching up:) > > ****************************** > Margaret Brignell > brignell@sympatico.ca > Ottawa, Canada > %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% > My fanfic now available at: > http://www3.sympatico.ca/brignell/ > ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 00:44:31 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Singin Drew Subject: IRC question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey there. I have a quick question about #lanekent. Why is it that whenever I go there, there's no one there? And I don't need a password? It just let's me right in. Thanks! Kristin ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 01:54:50 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Tara Smith Subject: Re: new story Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Go fo it, Mary! I'm sure we'd all love to see your story! And it doesn't matter if it's not quite the LnC we've come to expect--a nice new slant on the pair is always welcome :) Tara ------Original Message------ From: Mary Scibetta To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Sent: January 17, 2000 7:53:04 AM GMT Subject: new story I wrote a new fanfic after months of just reading. I would like to post it but hope that people are gentle. It's not quite the Lois and Clark people expect and don't want to upset the normal readers. Give me the strength. Mary "Thou shalt remember the Eleventh Commandment and keep it Wholly." Robert A. Heinlein ----------------------------------------------- FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 02:00:04 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Tara Smith Subject: Re: NEW: Private Grief Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cool story. :) Tara ------Original Message------ From: Pam Jernigan To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Sent: January 17, 2000 3:52:43 AM GMT Subject: NEW: Private Grief TITLE: Private Grief PART: 1/1 AUTHOR: Pam Jernigan RATING: PG FEEDBACK: Comments welcome public or private -- I'm a big girl, I can take it ;) I originally posted this story to the message boards and received a lot of feedback about what didn't work, which enabled me to (I hope) fix this version. I'm particulary interested in hearing from those who haven't read it on the boards before -- does it work for you? SUMMARY: A quick recap of Clark's "death" in That Old Gang of Mine, from a different perspective, and with a twist. Dialog and actions in the second scene are taken directly from the episode (written by Gene Miller & Karen Kavner), I added my interpretation of some motives. PRIVATE GRIEF "Lois, are you sure you're okay?" Clark asked anxiously, one more time, as they arrived at her apartment building. She considered the question. "Well," she allowed, "It has been a rough day, what with nearly being blown to pieces by that sattelite and all." "Lo-is. That's not what I'm talking about." "I know, Clark, I know..." she looked around, recognizing this as the very spot Superman had set her down a few days ago, after she'd been pushed out her window. She seemed to be suffering from an odd sort of doubled-vision, distorting everything she'd thought she knew. "I'm tired," she observed, in vague surprise. He was instantly contrite, which really hadn't been her motive, but she welcomed the respite regardless. "We can talk more tomorrow, Clark, okay? Maybe over lunch?" Clark chewed his lip uncertainly. "How about dinner, instead. At my place?" A slow smile crossed her face. "Clark Kent, are you asking me out?" The day's stresses might have been worth it, after all, came the stray thought, if it could inspire him so. He hesitated, then grinned. "Yeah, I guess I am." She boldly looped her arms around his neck, moving that fraction of an inch closer that brought their bodies into full contact. "Good. It's a date." Thus encouraged, he dipped his head, and they indulged in a kiss ... their first real kiss, Lois decided. All the others dimmed in comparison, anyway. She was smiling dreamily when he finally pulled back. When she opened her eyes, she found he was watching her, his earlier anxiety at least somewhat allayed. She wanted to clear up his remaining doubts ... but they were, after all, well-founded. In some ways, she wasn't all that sure of this, herself. They'd just have to deal with it. "So, I guess this is goodnight..." "Yeah, I guess it is." Reluctantly, Lois stepped back. "Goodnight, Clark. I'll see you tomorrow." *** A few very busy days later... "Bonnie and Clyde are both here," Clark reported in an urgent undertone, diverting Lois' attention from the late Georgie Hairdo. "We gotta call the police, c'mon." He tried to pull her towards the door, but she resisted, knowing he could handle it just fine alone. "You go -- I've gotta find a gray-haired lady with a bucket of my nickels." Clark rolled his eyes, but before he could reply, a burst of gunfire roared through the room, and Lois turned to see that she was facing several armed gangsters -- she caught a glimpse of John Dillenger putting down a tommy gun before Bonnie and Clyde rushed over to join their reconstituted friends. The muzzle of Clyde's pistol, a mere few feet away and pointed in her direction, riveted Lois' attention. She'd had guns pointed at her before, but they never ceased to send her adrenaline rushing. Especially when Superman was, as yet, nowhere in evidence. Al Capone stepped forward, smiling toothily at the crowd. "My apologies, ladies and gentlemen, for this interruption. I just dropped by to inform you that Georgie Hairdo," he smiled a bit wider, "has wisely decided to retire from the hospitality business. So from this day forward, this joint is owned by Al Capone." Dillenger moved forward again, and looked right at her. "Hey Al, maybe we could make this cutie our head hostess." His eyes raked over her outfit. "I was always partial to a lady in red." Lois bit her lip to restrain a cutting reply, trying not to provoke anything. When Dillenger reached out to touch her face, however, she instinctively flinched away from his hand. Immediately, Clark was there, batting away the intruder. "Leave her alone," he stated firmly, and she looked at him gratefully. Dillenger sneered. "Who are you, her big brother?" He gave Clark a push on the chest, and Clark fell back a few paces, but then started forward once more. Lois watched him, concerned at this hint of violence, but was shocked when three shots rang out, the bullets hitting Clark in the chest. Clark stumbled a half-step backwards, looking down at where the bullets had hit, a surprised look on his face. Lois gasped, and tried to grab him by the shoulders, but his eyes closed, and he fell backwards, dragging her along so that she was on her knees by his side. "Clark," she half whispered, her hands flying to his face. Her fingers brushed his cheek, and paused for a moment on his lips ... so warm, but so still. "No..." His glasses had been knocked askew by the fall, and she had an absurd urge to straighten them for him, but he hardly needed them anymore. She patted his chest, instead, frantically wondering if there were anything useful she could do. Behind her, she heard Capone call someone a moron -- he continued speaking but her brain seemed unable to process it, her attention focused on her fallen partner. Until her agonized watch was rudely interrupted by strange arms reaching down to grab Clark. "No, no..." They half-carried and half-dragged him towards the door. "No!" She rose to her knees, but knew she was helpless to keep him here. "No..." Her last view of him was of him being dragged away, his body limp, but his face peaceful. "Clark...?" The cry escaped her, but there was no answer, and she sank down to sit on the floor, sobbing quietly. *** Lois made it through the next few hours on sheer stubbornness, pulling herself together and describing the evening's events to any number of policemen and to one of her fellow Planet reporters -- this was one story that Lois was not even remotely capable of writing. While she functioned on a surface level, her inner thoughts were whirling. What was she going to do without Clark? How could she bear to go to work if he wouldn't be there to get her coffee, and tease her, and encourage her, and inspire her? She couldn't possibly take on another partner, but working alone no longer held any appeal. She wanted *Clark*, her heart stubbornly insisted, and she cursed all the time she'd waited -- wasted -- thinking they'd have all the time in the world. At least they'd made some sort of progress, earlier in the week. The hadn't found time for that dinner, but Clark had been more affectionate, more open ... that was a very real source of comfort to her. She loved Superman, too, of course, and she was grateful that she still had him ... but she had to face the fact that he wasn't really real. She wanted a normal life, with a regular husband and a partner at work -- someone to go to dinner with, and chase stories with ... she wanted *Clark*, and much as she loved Superman, he simply couldn't fill that void. Another wave of desolation washed over her. She needed to see Superman. She wanted to call the Kents, too, but she couldn't talk to any of them until she got home. She gathered her remaining strength, praying she could hold herself together long enough to get there. *** In the darkness of Lois' apartment, Clark sat quietly, his head resting on his folded hands. As soon as the gangsters had dumped him out of the car, he'd flown to Kansas, to let his parents know he was fine, despite what they might hear later. Then he'd returned to Metropolis -- he'd spent some time searching for Capone and the others, but to no avail. So now he sat, waiting for Lois. He was still wearing the Superman suit. He would rather have changed out of it, but that hardly seemed worthwhile -- he no longer had another identity. All the things he'd wanted, the normal life he'd worked so hard for ... all ripped away in a moment. He hoped to salvage some of it, with Lois, but even so ... if he could no longer be Clark, he had no idea what to do. Lois couldn't want a real life with Superman -- Superman didn't *have* a real life to offer, no matter how she felt about him. His head hurt from thinking about it, until only one thing was clear. He needed Lois. His head came up as he heard the locks on her door start to rattle, and a quick check revealed that it was her. She looked tired, and she'd been crying. He cursed the circumstances that had caused that. The door opened, and Lois walked in, dropping her coat and bag near the door. She made no move toward the light switch, which suited him. "You look like you just lost your best friend," he said quietly. Lois turned to him, showing no surprise at finding him there. She replied equally quietly, "I think I have." She paused, then added, "This is a nightmare." "I know." He stood, and held his arms open. "C'mere." He waited, afraid that she wouldn't come, but then she moved, and he enfolded her in a warm embrace. At her touch he felt the weariness and despair begin to ease. They remained locked together for a long moment, his hand stroking her hair, before Lois turned her head to the side just far enough to speak. "Clark ... what are we going to do?" He sighed. "I don't know, baby ... I just don't know." He hesitated a moment, then continued. "We never had that talk. I -- I wasn't sure you'd even want to see me..." She looked up, alarmed. "Clark, of course I wanted to see you -- I love you!" Clark just looked at her for a moment, studying her beautiful face. He raised a shaky hand to trace her jawline and cup her cheek. "God, Lois .... you don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that..." She smiled tenderly, "As awful as today has been ... it did teach me how much I love you. And I'm so glad you're not really dead ... but I'm still going to miss you terribly, at work." Clark sighed again. "Yeah, I really hate to lose that -- I mean, I want to be with you all the time, not just stolen moments here and there." "Well, that's why we just have to figure out how to get it all back." "What?" He looked down at her in surprise, and found a thoroughly determined expression on her face. "We have to find a way to bring you back from the dead, Clark, that's just all there is to it. I was too upset earlier to think about it, but now that you're here I'm feeling better, and there's just *got* to be a way. We can talk to my dad, maybe, he's a doctor, and we could tell people he fixed you up with cyborg parts -- it wouldn't pass a medical exam but I guess you try to avoid those anyway, and--" Clark stemmed the rising tide of words with the best weapon at his disposal ... a long, soul-stirring kiss. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and he was becoming convinced that they could salvage his life, but at the moment the details seemed unimportant. When he finally released her, she was smiling and breathing heavily. "Wow... what was that for?" He grinned. "I'm in love with the most brilliant woman on the planet." She smiled slowly. "Thank you. So you think my idea will work?" "I think ... I think we'll find something. Between the two of us, we can do anything." THE END (y'all know how they fixed it, so I don't need to go into that, do I?) -- ------------------------------------------------------- Pam Jernigan | jernigan@bellsouth.net ChiefPam on IRC | ChPam on AOL IM ------------------------------------------------------- "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby into idiots, too." --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam ----------------------------------------------- FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:08:09 -0000 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: IRC question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Kristin wrote: > Hey there. I have a quick question about #lanekent. Why is it that whenever I > go there, there's no one there? And I don't need a password? It just let's me > right in. Thanks! > One reason may be that you have chosen the wrong irc server, Kristin. #lanekent is an Undernet channel, so you must pick a server from that block of options on the list. If you don't, when you enter a channel it will look as though you're in there on your own, even though the channel is occupied. Time zones not withstanding, I find #lanekent busiest on Saturday evenings around 10.30pm. Sundays sometimes too, though not always. That translates - I think - to roughly Saturday afternoon for most in the US. LabRat :) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 12:24:30 -0600 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: Clarification on TOGOM unfinished story (was Re: authors we haven't read lately) In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi all, I wasn't clear in my response to the question about how the TOGOM story was coming. When I said that Demi bowed out of the co-writing, I didn't mean that she was no longer a co-author on the story. She and I spent the last three years working up the first 300K of the story (and I think it's pretty darn good, too ), but then it sat for several months since neither of us had time to finish it up. We finally mapped out the rest of the story -- I figure it's got another 100-150K to go (which at the time was an incredibly long story, but in comparison to recent stuff, it's piddley ) -- then Demi's real life got extremely busy and she wasn't sure how she could find time to work on it in the foreseeable future. I agreed to finish it up based on the direction we plotted. That's all I meant when I said she had to bow out ... not that she was off the project or hadn't done any work (gosh no!), just that it wasn't fair to bug her about when it would be done, since she's not the one responsible for finishing it. That would me, and all tomatoes about it not being done should be lobbed at me. ;) My apologies for the confusion -- that's what I get for trying to respond quickly to a post! Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com kathyb@lcfanfic.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 10:32:40 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: James Tull Subject: Fan Fic Recommendation Comments: cc: Ultracape@aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Loved the story. It's just the kind of thing that makes one stop and think. Also I plan to nominate it for the Kerths 2001 for the follow categories. Short Comedy S P O I L E R S P A C E UltraCape You are not the only one to speculate [no pun intended] that Clark may have actually needed glasses as a child and developed better control of his vision as he aquired super vision. You just went one step further and did it well. Mr. D8a ===== Mr. D8a Philipians 4:8 James' sweetheart is Elisabeth, but... Daddy's little girl is Rosa! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:39:41 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book 2 P/1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 1 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. But please note= this story concerns a struggle for supremacy of the leadership of Krypton= and so involves some major 'whams', though readers might be interested to= know that I have no intention of killing off my hero and heroine. Universal Union Book 2 My First Lord and Lady Chapter One Sacrifice = The icy chill of winter had steadily given way to the kinder climes = of spring and as the snow caps of the mountains melted and swelled the rushi= ng rivers, the burgeoning plant life strove to greet the strengthening sun. = The fresh young leaves sprouted more yellow than green, a condition of growing under the red sun of Krypton, though Kal-El had assured his somewhat homesick wife that in time the foliage would turn to a more recognizable green and in some cases, blue. The flowers that bloomed wer= e a myriad of colours and therefore not unlike those of Lady Lois-El's home= planet. Even the sun at its height was more orange than red and could be= mistaken at times for the yellow sun that had warmed her throughout her growing years on Earth. Four Earth months had passed since the day that Lois Lane had steppe= d onto the firm ground of her adopted home. Krypton's calendar was not dissimilar to that of her native world. A day was very slightly longer than those on Earth and a year had a few less days, but the four seasons came and went with similar regularity. Yet, though the natural clock of= Krypton wrapped Lois in a familiar cocoon, the young girl on occasion fou= nd herself longing for her own land. = And yet, had the Earth girl been presented with a chance to return t= o the far planet of her birth, she would have vehemently refused the offer.= = Lois Lane, now the Lady of El, was completely clear on one point, she lov= ed her husband with an intensity that she sometimes found hard to believe. = Where ever was Kal-El in this wide ranging galaxy, then she would be with= him. They were soul mates, destined to be together throughout their live= s. Lois was perfectly happy with her role as Kal's wife. What was so much harder to come to terms with was her role as his consort. To be accurate, both were still one step away from the throne of Krypton and would, Lois hoped, remain so for some considerable time. But still, she was never allowed to forget the fact that she was a First Lady in trainin= g. She was also aware of being watched. Not by the Els' enemies, although judging from past happenings they no doubt had their eye on her.= = No, those who were watching with interest were the noble men and women of= Krypton, all of whom were waiting in anticipation of hearing that the heir's wife was with child. This made her feel very uncomfortable and as= each month passed, at the onslaught of her monthly visitor, Lois' feeling= s of inadequacy increased. = When she had shared her suspicions and apprehensions with Kal, he ha= d simply grinned with amusement and, taking her into a comforting hug, he h= ad assured her that, as they had been married less than four months, the question of their infertility was not an issue. Kissing her tenderly, he advised her to simply relax and let nature= have her way and, deepening his kiss, he remarked when coming up for air that meanwhile trying to make a baby was a wonderful way to pass the time= . = Lois wholly concurred and the subject had faded into the background. However, the intuitive young wife had not been totally wrong. Those= nobles who had disapproved of the choice of an Earthling and those who complained at the first hint of trouble were already speculating on the premise of yet another barren First couple. Only this time the situation= was more disturbing, Kal-El having no brothers to take his place in the line of succession. Would the throne fall by default into the hands of t= he dreaded Rad-Nor? Zor-El and his council and any other sensible-thinking aristocrat of= Krypton quickly doused the flickering rumour, but speculation is insidiou= s and so the disturbing gossip spread, dimming Lois' joy in her new life o= n a new world. = ***** The daily council meeting had broken up a short time ago and a careworn Zor-El sat behind his glass-topped desk listening absent-mindedl= y to his private secretary list the invitations that had arrived over the last few days, at least those which the efficient assistant and Prime Councillor Trey thought their Lord and his Lady should attend. Over the last months the ruler of Krypton had found these personal attendances eve= r more tedious, finding it increasingly difficult to assume an enthusiastic= face when confronted with the tiring sycophancy that he often encountered= under these circumstances. Then too, he was even more concerned with his= wife Rochelle's debilitating anxiety in face of the thinly veiled contemp= t with which she was regarded by many of the nobles of Krypton. Close friends and confederates of the Els had come to care and sympathise with the woman who, from the outset, had been totally ill-equipped spiritually to cope with the life of a First Lady and whose nervous disposition had deteriorated quickly in the early years when certain greedy and power-hungry nobles had sought to manipulate a youthfu= l and naive Zor- El. At such a troublesome time it would have been helpful= to the lady to immerse her worries in the care of her children but, unfortunately, that too had become a source of heartache when her inabili= ty to provide an heir was soon confirmed by the physicians to the royal family. = Flying in the face of public opinion, Zor had resisted all attempts= by his council to annul his wedding to the lovely, fragile young woman. = He had quickly come to love the lady whom he had transported from her happy and safe family home into the cauldron of the covert power struggle on hi= s planet. Looking back, he often wondered whether he had done his dear wif= e a disservice in holding her to their marriage. Honesty, nonetheless, compelled him to acknowledge that his actions had not been selfless. = Without her love, which she had given him unquestionably from the beginning, he would not have been able to fight the corrupt council he ha= d inherited and finally gain the upper hand. Rochelle had always had such faith in her husband's inborn goodness and his search for justice for his= people. She had given him the strength to go on and in doing so had depleted her own meagre store. Thankfully, Jor-El, his younger brother by a number of years, and h= is wife Lara had in the birth of their second child provided a male heir to the House of El. An heir who would be for the first time in many years, due to the laws associated with the origins of the First Lady, a true-blooded Kryptonian. Surprisingly, there had been no legislation to prevent the child's nomination as heir to the throne, indeed many of the noble houses were secretly pleased that the successor would be from two o= f the most consequential families and finally the niggling complaints and corrosive requests to send Rochelle home gratefully ceased. = Yet the damage had been done and the already shy lady never regained= her equilibrium. She carried out her duties as best as her broken health= would allow but she was never at ease in the company of the society that had sought her downfall. When first it seemed that Kal-El would succeed in his quest of bringing his chosen one to Krypton, Zor-El had suggested to his wife that= shortly they would be able to retire and place the responsibility of Krypton's rule in young Kal's capable hands. Strangely, his wife had adamantly vetoed such a course of action, in fact it had been a very long= time since Rochelle had shown such fire. The kindhearted woman was uncharacteristically but obstinately insistent that the 'children' should= be given time to adjust to marriage and to each other before they were thrust into the uncertain world of Kryptonian politics. This world whic= h appeared to the uninitiated orderly and controlled but which secretly seethed with undercurrents that threatened to sweep their settled world into a return to ancient conflicts. So, instead of pleasantly planning a long promised visit to Rochelle= 's home planet, Zor-El was filling in his diary of coming events in the whirlpool of aristocratic society. Many of the suggested dinners, balls and ribbon-cutting occasions the weary aging man had consigned to lesser members of his family but the invitation which Trey was now holding aloft= was one which would be difficult and inopportune to waive. = The event in question was the opening of the latest and exceedingly rich kryptonite mine owned by the Fre family. The situation between the two families had been awkward and fraught with jeopardy since the heir to= the Lordship had inexplicably broken his marriage contract with the lovel= y Lady Zara-El and plunged into a life of debauchery. And while the Fres could find no fault with their son's ex-fiancee they found themselves steeped in ambivalent feelings towards the ruling family, deeming, inexplicably, that somehow the Els must have been in some way responsible= for their only son's fall from grace. = The proffered request for Zor-El's presence at the opening ceremony was in a way a peace-offering, a mending of fences between the two principal noble houses and Zor was very aware of its importance. Besides= , Lady Gwyn-Fre was one of Rochelle's few friends and he recognised how troubled his wife had been by the rift. It was time to heal the breach. Resignedly he agreed to his councilor's suggestions and lifting his= tired body from behind the large desk he thanked the two men for their attendance and strode out the door. His heavy expression brightened as h= e went in search of his wife who was at this moment supervising the replanting of the rose arbour high on the palace ramparts. It was a beautiful warming spring day that should be spent outdoors enjoying the sunshine with loved ones, not buried in dark council chambers wrestling with boring paperwork and he had news to impart that would bring a smile = to her gentle face. Zor-El was completely oblivious that he had made a decision which would change his life and the lives of his family irrevocably. = ****= * The young man smiled as he exited the transporter that had brought h= im to the latest site of the source of his family's great wealth. He strode= confidently across the concourse and into the lift that would take him to= the platform where the electronic ribbon cutting ceremony would take plac= e in a very short space of time. From his vantage point he surveyed the bu= sy scene with keen interest and certain degree of smugness. The yard below him seethed in orderly chaos as the Fre's security force was strengthened= by the royal guard, all in preparation for the visit of the monarch and h= is consort. = And wouldn't the old fool Zor-El be surprised when he discovered who= was the head of the welcoming committee? Of course, his mother and fathe= r would be present but he had persuaded them, as he had been the cause of t= he breach in relationships with the royal house, that he should now be the o= ne to re-offer the hand of friendship. It had all been so easy. The power of a heartfelt apology with just= the right amount of contrition had worked wonders. He had shown humility= and a willingness to accept the blame for his indiscretion, touching fleetingly on his fear of commitment, his dread of being united to such a= n important family, who, by the way, had not been over-welcoming of his presence, and his youthful folly at being lead astray by his wayward friends. It had been an award-winning performance. At the outset, his father had been suspicious of his motives, even suggesting that his son's financial status must be in dire straits and he= was now hoping to be bailed out yet again, but Rol-Fre had been able to assure his parents that this was not so. In doing so, he had allayed hi= s father's misgivings and rendered the older, disillusioned man more pliabl= e to his mother's persuasion. At least the sainted watering-pot had acted with customary hysteria, Gwyn-Fre could always be relied on to turn on th= e tears, and his father, through genuine concern or a less laudable desire = to shut her up, had finally given way to his wife's and his son's pleas and welcomed home the prodigal son. With his overseeing of the investiture of the new mine the reconciliation would now be made public and hopefully the El's would find= it impossible to controvert the family reunion on such a public stage. = Rol-Fre had made certain that the ceremony would be broadcast throughout Krypton and Lord Zor-El was too well mannered and diplomatic to reveal hi= s private distaste to the world. The scene was set wherein Rol-Fre would once again retake his place = in his aristocratic world and the conceited boy was feeling mightily pleased= with his planning. Yet, in truth, he was only acting out another more devious lord's schemes. Even the finery which adorned his person was supplied by another hand. The body hugging purple suit, which only serve= d to display his bony shape; the heavy silken surcoat with velvet lining an= d the twisted gold chain that circled his neck with the symbol of his house= , picked out in precious gems, hanging on his narrow chest. This striking ornament had made him gasp in wonder and he had even voiced the opinion that perhaps it was a little too ostentatious. After= all, the First Lord and Lady were well known for their love of the simple= things in life and dressed accordingly, and wasn't it bad taste to outshi= ne the guests of honour? His secret benefactor had given a mirthless laugh and pointed out that Rol's downfall had been precipitated by certain members of the House of El and wouldn't it give Rol a measure of satisfaction to display such an obvious sign of his reinstatement? = The vainglorious boy had been readily convinced and now stood watchi= ng the approach of the royal cavalcade as it appeared on the horizon and spe= d towards its untimely fate. Unknowing of the havoc that it was about to unleash, Rol fingered the device that weighed so heavily on his shoulders= as his parents took their place by his side. Lord Dom-Fre ran a critical= eye over his gaudy son's choice of raiment and his eyes widened in horror= at the massive necklace'. "Zor's teeth, boy, what is that thing you have around your neck?" T= he older man asked in amazement. "A symbol of our House, Father. I'm entitled to wear this," Rol add= ed petulantly. "It's a symbol of our wealth, no doubt, and just as vulgar," Dom continued with his tirade. "I won't have our riches so flagrantly displayed and wherever you got the money to pay for such a thing I have n= o idea. Get rid of it at once!" = Given time, Rol would have remonstrated with his disapproving father= but the visiting party was already through the gates and about to alight from the transporters and, as head of the welcoming group, Rol should be there in the courtyard to offer his hands. Throwing an angry glance in Dom's direction, but understanding that Lord Fre would brook no disobedience, Rol pulled the offending article over his head and thrust i= t into a deep pocket in his surcoat. Then without a backward glance he strode off to meet the royal dignitaries. *****= Continued in P/2 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:40:19 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book 2 P/2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 2 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. ***** =46rom a lookout post on the surrounding hills a solitary figure stood, training his spy camera on the far-off scene. A fresh breeze ruffled his= lank shoulder length hair and stirred his nondescript garments, his need for anonymity in this case outweighing the man's natural flamboyance. H= e had thought to bring his bodyguard with him but deemed this action so hazardous that it was best known only to the two conspirators.... soon to= be reduced in number by fifty percent. Of course, there was the jeweller= who had fashioned the artifice and the explosive expert who had hidden th= e minute yet powerful bomb within its egg-sized stones. But then these craftsmen were off-worlders, supplied to him by his alien allies and certainly out of the jurisdiction of the Kryptonian security services. = There would be no trail that would lead back to him from that quarter. Which brought him to his second consideration. It was always sad to= close down a partnership which had taken considerable time and effort to cultivate. Yet a wise man recognized limitations and, while it was disappointing to lose out on a somewhat large investment, it was more prudent to use one's tools to the best of their advantage. And Rad- Nor had decreed that in death Rol would serve him more beneficially than in life. There had always been the chance that the stupid boy would become mor= e of a liability than an accomplice and if the Fres were once more united then that became a more distinct possibility. Dom-Fre was not as foolish= as his offspring and if the old Lord suspected that his son was in league= with Rad-Nor then the opportunity to milk the wealth of the Fre's would b= e lost forever. Far better to initiate the reconciliation and use it to hi= s own ends. And who knew, perhaps he would be able to acquire some of the family assets in the confused aftermath of the coming tragedy. Zor!! Why did nature have a way of thwarting his plans?! Well, tha= t perhaps was too strong a distinction, but the bright sun shining full int= o his view was making it very difficult to follow closely what was taking place far below. Studying the group on the raised platform, he witnessed= what seemed to be a small altercation between the two men, then as the concourse filled with the royal transporters he tracked the progress of t= he three Fres as they hurried to meet their guests. Not long now! His mind= soared in anticipation of a plan come to fruition. A sinister smile lit his face as he caressed the remote control device between finger and thumb. In a few seconds he would take the first step in his quest for revenge against the House that had conquered and humiliated his family fo= r so many years. And at last he would stand on the path that would lead hi= m to the throne. With a grin of anticipation his finger pressed down. *****= = As Zor-El stepped into the glare of the morning sun and the avid attentio= n of the gathering crowd the First Lord's normally even-tempered dispositio= n threatened to vanish in a surge of icy cold disapproval. How dare the Fr= es insinuate this rogue into their ceremonial party? This buffoon who had assaulted and insulted close members of his family. And in a public circumstance where he had no choice but to accept their machinations. = Feeling affronted and betrayed, the usually gracious and friendly Zor-El hung back from the approaching Fres. Not so the First Lady of Krypton. Ever kindly and ready to forgive any misdemeanour, Rochelle forgot her place at her husband's side. She quickened her step to displa= y to the watching throng that Lord Dom-Fre and his wife Lady Gwyn, once a member of her small band of friends, would be reinstated into the close circle of the royal court. And so it was that the First Lady carried out her final duty to this= planet of Krypton, which had already taken so much from her, as she and t= he family of Fre bore the first blast of the explosion. The gaudy crest of the House of Fre exploded in a deadly ball of fire. It was only a small bomb. It was never meant for mass destruction. But cocooned in a pocket= of a thick coat and shielded by the bodies of its four hapless victims, t= he device failed in its objective. Along with the others present at the scene, Zor-El survived, shocked and with many superficial injuries. And although, his body recovered from its injuries his spirit was broken. = Never before had the noble classes understood the strength of this tragic= Lady's presence, the love she had brought to her husband. = *****= Kal-El walked slowly down the stark corridor in the royal apartments= of Elvar's Palace wishing to postpone this coming meeting for as long as possible. He had already visited Zor- El since the tragedy and he had found it very difficult to recognise his once confident and affectionate Uncle in the tired and distant man. Of course, Kal understood only too well how his elder relative must be suffering. Just a short time ago he had almost lost his Lois and he had felt so bereft and they had only been= together for so short a time. How much more devastating it must be for Z= or who had spent so many years with the woman he loved. Losing Rochelle had= taken away all the joy from Zor's life and, Kal discerned, the will to continue with his role as leader to his people. Nothing had been said, but the young man instinctively knew the reason behind his summons. What troubled Kal most was the realization th= at he was unsure how he felt about the consequences or, more to the point, h= ow his wife would react to their pre-emptive call to the throne. Since childhood, Kal had been raised with the knowledge that he would one day = take his place as the First Lord of Krypton. All his life he had been learning to fulfill this momentous task. Lois, however, would be thrust into this position only by the love she bore him and they both had hoped that she would be given time to acclimatise herself to the role and her life on this new world before they finally ascended the throne. Now, it seemed, there would be little chance that their wish would be realised an= d he prayed for the fortitude to assume his destiny and to assist and prote= ct Lois in her role of consort. = Yet, for all that, Kal could find no blame in Zor-El's decision to abdicate and the heir- apparent who stood outside his uncle's suite awaited, with a sympathetic heart, permission to enter. Silently the doors slid open upon a dimly lit room and Kal stepped inside with a quiet= sigh. = The still figure of the ruler of Krypton sat in a comfortable chair = by the chamber's large window, staring sightlessly at the moonlit scene. Th= e portal closed behind Kal and for a moment both were frozen in a haunting tableau which was broken finally by Zor acknowledging the younger man's presence. "Kal, my boy, thank you for coming." He motioned with his hand for his visitor to come forward then swept an arm across the window at the silvered scene outside. "Your Aunt Rochelle always loved this view of th= e river by moonlight when the toil of the day is done and everything is sti= ll and quiet. How often we would sit here holding hands and watching the world go by. It was strangely soothing especially after a hard day spen= t wrestling with the council or listening to one family attack another with= a trivial and often imaginary slight. For a noble and just society I have often found some of our aristocratic Lords to be avaricious and narrow-minded." Zor gave a derisive snort then turned his gaze inward in= reverie. "Somehow Rochelle ever found a way to comfort me. She had a listening heart, Kal. How often would I solve an arduous problem here i= n our chamber while she sat in this chair busily stitching at her needlepoint." Standing in the corner was an antique wooden frame with an intricate= piece of embroidery stretched across it's surface, forlornly awaiting the= return of its creator. = A wistful smile crossed Kal's face at the fond memory of his aunt. = "She loved her stitchery. I remember once when I was very small I broke into her sewing box and unravelled all the colourful silks, Mama was very= angry but Aunt Rochelle laughed and told mother not to scold. Her laught= er was like a bell. It was my first memory of her." "Come, Kal, sit here by me." The elderly man with tears glinting in= his eyes waited while his nephew drew a chair to the opposite side of the= window. "You loved her too." "All those who knew her loved her, sire." "Yes! But so many never took the time to know her. They saw only t= he anxieties and the failures. It broke my heart to watch her hurt by such ill-conceived judgments." = "I think that in the end Aunt Rochelle learned not to let them troub= le her. She was content with you and with Krypton." "And this was how Krypton repaid her!" Standing abruptly Zor strode= about the room fighting to repress his anger as Kal waited with bated breath for the tirade to still. Finally, ire faded to despondency as Zor= halted by the window and searched the dark landscape without. "I'm told that the security service can find no trace of the assassin, merely that the explosive was hidden in some piece of jewellery which belonged to Rol-Fre." "If Rol was involved then he had to have been set up by Rad-Nor. Ro= l was a rogue but he had neither the wit nor the contacts to plan something= like this. And he was definitely too vain to contemplate a suicide mission." Kal too was finding it difficult to control his temper. "And = it is Nor who is determined to destroy our family." "But we have no proof, Kal. All Commander Medi can discover is that= both the explosives and the ornament originated off-world, probably from the space station Caytan; every pirate, terrorist and drugs-marketeer plies their illegal trade from that den of iniquity." "It's a favourite haunt of the Taureans, isn't it?" "Yes, it's rumoured to be the place where they negotiate their deals= to bring down the Federation. The Taureans are an undisciplined and warring nation whose very existence is threatened by the continuing influence of the United Planets." Once more the statesman in Zor rose to= the fore. "And Krypton is the Federation's founding member and you are the hea= d of the Kryptonian government... you were probably the target...." "Oh yes! My poor wife died in my stead." That thought returned Zor= to his wretchedness while his nephew continued with his hypothesis. "Is Nor so desperate to gain power that he'd willingly ally himself = to an off-world power? Is he willing to sell Krypton to the Taureans in exchange for the throne?" The silence stretched out in dawning horror until Zor faced his heir= . = "I believe that he has it in him to do so but hopefully such a terrible premise will not come to pass. The nobles will support their new and rightful Ruler." "New Ruler?!" Kal had been cognizant with his uncle's intentions, y= et to hear the words spoken struck a chord of apprehension deep into his sou= l. "Sire, the noble houses trust you. Wouldn't it be better were you to retain the throne?" With a sorrowful shake of his head Zor answered. "I'm a weary and heartsick old man and I have no spirit to face the struggles ahead. All = I can do now for my people is to leave their welfare in your strong and capable hands." "What will you do?" Kal asked resignedly. = "I intend to take the remains of my wife back to her home. I always= promised Rochelle to do so in her life, so it is the least I can do to ma= ke her resting place the planet of her birth. Afterwards, I plan on going i= n search of your grandmother. Perhaps, far away from Krypton I can learn t= o forgive its transgressions against my dear one." Old and young eyes lock= ed gazes for sometime until the elder looked rather shamefacedly away. = Moments passed, yet when Zor's eyes returned to his nephew they were full= of determination. "My dear Kal, I wish that your path to the throne was not so beset with menace but I have faith that you and Lois will prevail.= = Within you both lie the seeds of truth and justice and the Kryptonian way= . = Together you can face whatever the future may hold and I commit this real= m, with every confidence, to Kal-El, First Lord of Krypton, and to his Lady,= Lois-El." ***** = Continued in P/3 = ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:53:51 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book2 P/3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 3 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. ***** Chapter Two The Pledge Leaning against the ancient granite wall warmed by the spring sunshine, the chestnut haired girl stared intently at the scene beneath her. It seemed to her stunned gaze that all the citizens of Elvar had gathered at the base of the castle rock to witness this illustrious occasion. The castle itself was filled to overflowing with the noble men= and women whom tradition had bade attend the investiture of the next Firs= t Lord of Krypton. Some weeks had passed since her adopted family and the people of Krypton had bade farewell to Zor-El as he embarked on his sad pilgrimage and it had upset her, more than she cared to admit, to lose his comfortin= g presence; not to mention the momentous implications that his leaving mean= t for Kal and herself. Thankfully, the intervening time had been too hecti= c for either of them to dwell on their insecurities and fears. = When Lois had first heard of Zor's intention to abdicate her immedia= te instinct had been one of panicked flight. But Lois was not a quitter. S= he had known, from the outset, what her role on this planet would one day be= and she was not about to turn tail and run simply because events had overtaken her. Besides, she had seen mirrored in her husband's eyes a heart wrenching look at once forlorn and sympathetic. Kal needed her no= w as never before and she would not fail him. Together they were stronger than one alone. They would face whatever the future would bring side by side. Which was rather difficult to do at this moment since Kal had been taken away by the council twenty-four hours previously. There had been alliances to be reinstated and papers to be signed and policies to be forged and in this male dominated society the presence of the First Lady was not required in council chambers. Kal had promised his feminist wife= that once his position had been confirmed by his public inauguration, he would gradually introduce Lois to the corridors of power. But for the moment she would need to exercise uncommon patience, a state of mind that= had required all her fortitude in her lonely bed of the past night. = Following his marathon session with his councillors Kal-El had been closeted in the Hall of Meditation at the very heart of the Palace to spe= nd the night hours in ritual contemplation, seeking the commitment and the mind set to undertake the lifelong care of his people. There was no worship of a Deity on Krypton as there was on Earth. Nevertheless, the Kryptonians did firmly believe in a higher power, but one that was found within one's self; an understanding of all things noble and just and the will to act always in their name. And thus, as each new leader took up t= he sceptre, tradition demanded that they spend the night of their coronation= in lonely self-reflection. Lois had been kept company in the early evening hours by Zara and th= e new first Lady had taken the opportunity to gently probe her sister-in-law's feelings regarding Lieutenant Ching, Kal's bodyguard and= friend. Her motives were partly to distract her anxious thoughts from he= r husband but largely she held Zara in high esteem and would be pleased to assist the younger girl to her heart's desire, even though Ching's status= was not considered suitable for an alliance with the youngest lady of the= House of El. Unhappily, Lois' good intentions were thwarted by Zara's natural reticence. Knowing the strict traditions of her world, the Kryptonian girl protected her hopeless love from even the most well-minde= d = prying and, when the two were joined for dinner by Jor and Lara, the mome= nt was lost but the ever tenacious Lois-El simply filed it away for another time. The hours had crawled by as her new family sought to alleviate her apprehensions of the coming day but it was obvious that Lois' thoughts we= re centred on Kal and, after warning the distracted young woman against tryi= ng to reach her soul mate telepathically, the El family had bade her goodnig= ht and left. Lara, as she took her daughter-in-law's cold hands into her ow= n, stressed that such a thing would not be possible, Kal being incarcerated = in a shielded hall, and would be considered, in any case, an unacceptable intrusion. = = Soon after sunrise Lois had awakened with the noise of the crowds gathering in the streets below, each intent on finding the best vantage point from where to view the auspicious proceedings. Thankful that the night was finally over, she had dragged her weary body from the empty bed= . = Her sleep had been fitful and filled with uneasy half-forgotten dreams. = Oh, this wasn't good! The intense programme of the day demanded a well-rested body and calm mind. Lois only hoped that she managed to rema= in totally conscious during this second important ceremony of her life on th= is planet. One major happening had lifted her tired soul while she lay tossing amongst her silken sheets thinking absentmindedly about the missi= ng occupant of her bed. Suddenly, she had found herself close to Kal and sh= e had instinctively realised that he had been freed from the confines of th= e containment chamber. In a happier frame of mind she had stepped beneath the warm jets of the body shower. Lois couldn't hold back a grin of amazement as the hot spray had connected with her skin. The bathroom was large and, apart from the necessary bathroom fixtures, contained a large sunken tub and a shower cubicle that comfortably accommodated two. Neither bath nor shower had a= ny noticeable controls but were programmed to both Lois and Kal's preference= s, from hot and soothing to cool and invigorating. Lois only need think of which she would like at any given time and the equipment did the rest, ev= en providing warm blasts of hot air to gently dry her body when she had finished. Of course, sometimes Lois preferred the old fashioned method o= f soft, fluffy towels, especially when sharing the bathroom with her husban= d, but today she had been grateful for the automatic help. = As Lois had exited from her lonely ablutions, Etta arrived bringing her lady's breakfast, scolding gently that Lois hadn't waited for her assistance in rising, once again. Lara had followed quickly on the newly= promoted lady-in-waiting's heels bearing with her a surprisingly plain go= wn of unrelieved black. Lois' brow had wrinkled in distaste. Wasn't a coronation a celebration and not a funeral? The dowager Lady El had smil= ed indulgently at Lois' observations but she had explained that while an investiture was a solemn occasion the celebration of a new reign would begin immediately the ceremony was over and the black uniforms of the Fir= st Lord and Lady would be overlaid by a more suitable raiment. Lois regarded her mother-in-law with an apologetic air. After an inauspicious beginning this woman had proved to be a stalwart support and= caring friend. But Lois could not forebear thinking that she was usurpin= g Lara's position. "Lady Lara," Lois stretched out to lightly touch the hands that held= the dress. "I'm sorry..." "Sorry?! My child whatever are you apologising for? This dress is hardly high fashion so you don't have to like it." She lifted the offending article aloft to survey it. "Hopefully you'll approve of the overdress I've chosen for you to wear later." "Oh, I'm sure I will." The younger girl spoke with conviction. Lad= y Lara was always tastefully attired. "But that wasn't what I meant. All this should be for you and Lord Jor- El." Lois waved her hand in the general direction of the window and the scene far below. For some minutes Lara looked perplexed then catching Lois' intension= she laughed feelingly. "My dear, this was never meant for Jor-El. He wa= s never considered as his brother's heir. Well, only fleetingly and only because the council were growing desperate. They understood that he woul= d have been completely unsuitable. And never was anyone more relieved to have a son as Jor. He would've hated to be First Lord and I would've be= en so worried about him coping with a role he detested. So, dear Lois, you'= ve no reason to feel guilty. I'm proud of my son and you." = Uncharacteristically Lara leaned forward and pressed a light kiss on her daughter-in-law's brow. "And I shall always be here if you need me." "Thank you," Lois whispered and both women exchanged misty smiles th= en turned to the business of the day. The rest of the morning had been spent preparing Lois for the coming ritual, Etta in charge of the practicalities while Lara recounted her girlhood recollections of the coronation of Zor- El. Now it seemed that the moment was nigh and that Lois was to be accompanied to meet with her Lord. An escort of the Palace Guard waited outside her chamber with the second Councillor, Lord Jen-Mai, at their head. With a final look at the throng below, Lois lifted her head high and, with a stylish wiggle of her hips, she tossed her black train behind= her on the ground and went to meet her destiny. *****= = If Lois had found the night hours tedious, Kal-El had spent them alternating between emotional highs of exaltation and deep troughs of sel= f depreciation. In his hands he held a world steeped in high ideals and ancient traditions and his dream, his ambition was to mould it into a mor= e modern, more open society. But was he ready for such great responsibilit= y? = In apprehension how like a god'. Kal was reminded of a quote he had= learned when studying Earth's great playwrights. Did this mean that the gods were an anxious group? Long ago he had asked this question of his Uncle Zor, the most godlike figure his adolescent mind could comprehend a= nd now in the darkened Hall the answer came back to him. It is not that the gods are anxious about responsibility,' the wise ruler had explained, but with such great responsibility comes great understanding.' The youthful Kal had only hoped to learn a little of the understandi= ng that Zor had possessed in such abundance but when he had voiced his fears= to his uncle he had been surprised by Zor's gruff laugh of derision and n= ow he recalled how the older man had related the tales of his own inadequaci= es when first he ascended the throne and his certain belief that Kal already= had the potential to surpass Zor's hard won wisdom. Such a memory soothed Kal's wildly escalating thoughts. If Zor-El's= estimation was correct and with Lois by his side then he could make a difference to this world. And Kal had few illusions about his people; ma= ny of his noble Kryptonians had feet of clay. It was around this time, having reached this point in his deliberations, that he had been sorely tempted to reach out with his mind= to Lois. It was amazing and wonderful how she had become so much part of= his life, her presence so needful to his contentment. Their relationship= was a true partnership and his natural instinct was to share his conceptions with his wife but the Hall was thought shielded and he was al= so aware that any communication he might make at this time would be monitore= d. The Council, the aristocracy and the general public were prepared to= accept his investiture as their First Lord but Kal was mindful of the fac= t that for some time his rule would be probationary. Not that either the council or the noble families would seek to overthrow him but they were quite capable of trying to control him as they had with Zor-El. A steely= resolute shadow settled on the handsome face of the young man and his mou= th froze in a firm line. Kal was determined to remain his own man. He was perfectly willing to listen and take good advice from older, more experienced minds, if the situation demanded. Yet an indecisive and malleable ruler was a bad ruler. In the silence of the night, Kal resolved that as the ancient ways of his world had placed this responsibility on his shoulders then his will would be paramount. When just before dawn his entourage arrived to escort him from the chamber, it was a calmer and infinitely more persevering Kal-El who stepp= ed from the chamber and at once he felt the warm supporting mind of his Lois= entwining her thoughts with his own. His step lightened and he smiled warmly at his friends and attendants as he went to spend his last carefre= e hours in the ceremonial cleansing of his body and soul in the natural spring baths of the shores of the River Elvar. With such an all-consumin= g love to uphold him, he would never be alone again. ****= * Continued in P/4 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:55:32 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book2 P/4 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 4 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. ******** In the dazzling sunshine at exactly midday the noble Lord Kal of the= royal and illustrious House of El was lead by his Prime Councillors, Trey= and Jen-Mai, up the gentle slope of the Mound of Inauguration where for thousands of years his forebears had pledged to do their duty as First Lords of all Krypton. = All eyes were riveted on the handsome young man clad in the customar= y black body suit, his symbol, on this occasion, picked out in silver on h= is expansive chest. Arriving at the time and place of his destiny, Kal, awe= d by the seriousness of the situation, solemnly took his seat on the heavil= y carved and polished bench of unique black Kryptonite. With great sense o= f purpose the Chief Councilmen commenced the stately traditions of investin= g their Lord with the symbols of his rule while the crowd watched with bate= d breath the ancient rituals unfold. Trey lifted the heavy gold sceptre fr= om its velvet-lined case and paced his way to the throne where, dropping on one knee, he presented the rod of office to his master. "Do you solemnly accept this sceptre as a symbol of your rule and do= you swear to commit your life to the leadership and protection of this world and all those who dwell therein?" The Councillor pitched his voice= so that all present might hear. "I do!" Kal's clear voice dropped into the silence as he ritually touched the intricately engraved object before it was carried away to be replaced by a large ancient book covered with worn leather and inscribed with faded gold leaf. Once again The Prime Councillor accepted the sacred volume and turne= d back to Kal-El. "And do you promise to uphold the ancient laws of Krypton as written= in this our Book of Legislation?" A pregnant stillness stretched out for some seconds as fleetingly Kal's glance drifted towards his wife, waiting statue like by the side of= the small hill. Beside Lois, the Dowager Lady El drew in an anxious brea= th as she contemplated what revolutionary thoughts might be passing between the couple. But her worries were unfounded. The new Queen Consort sent = an understanding and encouraging smile to her husband and quickly Kal responded with a firm pledge. "I do!" Since Zor had declared his intention to abdicate, the couple had a number of conversations on this subject; namely could Kal promise in good= faith to uphold these old laws when he had every intention of modernising= a fair proportion of them. Finally, when they had reached an uneasy impass= e they had asked for a last audience with the retiring leader. = Understanding, something of the dilemma in which his heir now found himse= lf the wise old man had gladly given them his advice. In Zor's opinion, ma= ny of the ancient laws were outdated and desperately in need of review. To= cling to outmoded legislation for the sake of tradition was more treasonable than to swear to a broad principle, which the older man was very aware Kal would honour where his people's welfare was at stake. Zor= 's only regret was that he himself had not had the courage to change some of= these restrictive practises. Now with Zor's blessing echoing in his min= d, Kal stood and announced his pledge. "My people of Krypton, I solemnly swear to take up the position of First Lord; to represent your interests within the Federation of Planets;= to lead you into a more prosperous and peaceful existence and to protect you, with all the strength I possess, from those who would attack you. A= nd this I promise with all my heart." When it was clear that Lord Kal-El would say no more a cry of suppor= t swelled from the throats of the ordinary citizens of Krypton who viewed this beautiful, yet serious, young man as their champion, a cry that was quickly echoed by the nobles, the majority of whom supported the House of= El. The old reign was gone and a new was dawning. It was a time for ne= w beginnings; a time of great expectations and everyone was swept along in the excitement. "Kal-El! Kal-El!" The shout was repeated by thousands of happy voices. The person at the centre of all this attention seemed overwhelmed by= the emotions and Lord Trey, catching a glint of tears in Kal's eye, speedily raised his arms and called for silence. This took some moments = to attain, but finally the exuberant throng obeyed the Master of Ceremonies and an expectant peace settled over the crowded green beneath the castle rock. "Fellow Kryptonians," the councillor's stately voice carried above t= he masses, "the time has arrived when the heads of the principal houses of o= ur world will pledge their allegiance to Lord Kal. However, in a break with= tradition, but at the particular request of the lady in question, and as the sole representative of her home planet, the Lady Lois-El desires to lead the oath taking." = These words were met by a communal hum of amazement as all present recognised that already this reign was breaking from the old ritual. Was= this a pattern for the future? And what did it mean for the people of th= is ancient world? When approached by the lady on this subject Lord Trey and the rest o= f the government had been in something of a quandary. To say that the Ladi= es of Krypton were exempt from a promise of fealty was not strictly true but= tradition had never demanded that they take a public oath. Besides, this= youthful Earth woman was smart enough to realise that in suggesting she w= as making her pledge on behalf of her home planet it would be extremely difficult for the council to refuse. Such an action would be undiplomati= c and went against their deeply ingrained sense of courtesy. In turning do= wn such a proposal they would now be, in effect, turning down an approach of= friendship from another world. But, strangely, it had been none of these idealistic notions that ha= d moved Lord Trey to support Lois' cause. Rather it was the fact that Lord= Jen-Mai had loosed a tirade in chambers, as disproportional as it was derogatory, against the Earth girl and, perversely, Trey had found himsel= f Lady Lois' champion. He couldn't quite put his finger on what he dislik= ed about his deputy, he only knew that he had never wholly trusted the man a= nd had been uneasy since Jen-Mai had been voted into this post by the other councillors. In fact, he had been in accord with his old friend and master's summation of the second Councilman's character; that the man was= way too smooth and charming to be on the level. Unfortunately, neither Z= or nor Trey could find anything concrete to back up their suspicions and so the artful Lord remained in position. = Perhaps though, there was now a legitimate chance to be rid of Jen-Mai; on ascension to the throne the leader had the right to call for = an election of a fresh cabinet. At this behest the noblemen of Krypton woul= d then elect twelve of their peers to aid the new First Lord in his government. Of course, there was nothing in the rules to say that Lord Jen-Mai could not stand for reelection and, knowing that the man would be= reluctant to give up his position of power, Trey wondered whether the who= le exercise might be pointless. Still, the faintly troubled Prime Councill= or determined to discuss the matter with Lord Kal-El at the first opportunit= y. That, however, was for the future. At present, Trey found himself gratified by the smiles of approval from the assembled nobles and the enthusiastic applause from the masses as the slender, lovely girl stepped= into the limelight. Dressed as her husband in her plain black robe adorn= ed only by the silver crest, Lois walked steadily forward across the surface= of the grassy mound and gracefully dropped to her knees before Kal-El. H= er clear voice, somewhat husky with emotion drifted out over the crowd. "My Lord, I, Lady Lois-El, formerly Lois Lane of the planet Earth, d= o promise to honour and support your rule with every fibre of my being and for as long as I may live." = Having professed her oath, Lois raised her clasped hands to the man= seated, still as a statue, before her. Kal had been totally shocked by this turn of events. How had Lois and the council managed to keep the fa= ct that she would lead the oath taking from him? And more amazingly, how ha= d she persuaded the council into allowing her to do so? Staring down at h= er bent head, did he detect a satisfied smile on her lovely lips? She was a= remarkable woman. On an indrawn breath, Kal took Lois' hands within his own and raised them to his lips. Then, as this was a complete break from= tradition, Kal decreed that a new action demanded a similar response and,= raising Lois to her feet he captured her lips in a fleeting, yet passiona= te kiss. Unaccustomed to such a public show of affection on such an austere occasion, the multitude erupted in cries of glee as the emotional salutation between the handsome Lord and his fair Lady touched the hearts= of the many. Even the more staid nobles, carried along by the auspicious= atmosphere, applauded benignly the couple's kiss. And if the members of the council realized that the Lady, in her agreed speech, had transposed the word 'obey' with that of 'support' they= did not allow this small transgression to spoil the general rejoicing. But the moment was quickly over since both Lois and Kal sensed it wa= s better not to push the bounds of change too far too soon. The pair broke= apart with a shared smile of understanding and Lady Lois-El, re-assuming her rehearsed role, stepped back to a position slightly behind her husband's right shoulder while Kal took his seat once again on the symbol= ic stone to accept the waiting Lords' pledges of allegiance. The stately ceremony continued till all the representatives of the great houses of Krypton had repeated their vows, with the notable excepti= on of the family Nor whose Lord had sent his apologies. It appeared that th= e noble House of Nor had been struck down by an unexpected but very contagious illness (of short duration) which prevented any of the family from attending the ceremony. Neither Kal nor his council was duped by th= is thinly veiled ruse but, for the moment, as the First Lord was not willing= to challenge his self-appointed rival, the absence of the Nors was grudgingly accepted. Nevertheless, Kal, Lois and the more astute members= of the nobility recognised the danger behind Rad-Nor's avoidance of swearing an oath of fealty to the House of El. This piece of disquieting knowledge, however, would not be allowed t= o mar the importance or the enjoyment of the day and thus, when finally the= last nobleman had risen from his knees, the whole tone of the proceedings= brightened, much to Lois' surprised delight and the bored attention of th= e crowds who had grown restive during the repetitive exchange of vows. The= ancient and often austere civilization of Krypton would prove to the universe that they had not forgotten how to party. Silver over-robes appeared to veil the drab black and were donned by= the royal couple who then spent a busy afternoon happily touring the city= of Elvar with their entourage and visiting, fleetingly, the many celebratory parties that were taking place. The already picturesque city= was decked out in floral wreaths and colourful flags, all depicting the famous El shield, and no gathering was thought too inconsequential to ignore and so, for the first time since she had arrived on Krypton, Lois mingled with the ordinary population. Gratefully, for the sake of her rumbling stomach, Lois perceived tha= t the procession was at last making its way back to the castle. All the members of the royal party had been offered food and drink during their progress through the city but the repast had been accepted only sparingly= as the consequences of mixing the varied diet on offer, combined with the= heat and excitement of the day, might prove somewhat embarrassing. But Kal, aware that this was a totally new experience for Lois, and daringly hopeful that they were in the early stages of fulfilling their duty to th= e planet of Krypton, kept a wary eye on his wife. = A little over a week ago, Lois had drawn his attention to the fact that a certain monthly and normally very punctual visitor had failed to show up. They had been overjoyed at the prospect of a baby and not only for the sake of duty, though Lois had also been, not surprisingly, a mite= apprehensive. Motherhood was a big step, not to be taken lightly. It wasn't like buying a pet. Kal had smilingly reassured his panicking wife= that he had every confidence in her future parenting skills. Given her o= wn experiences she would certainly know what not to do. Besides, this was something that they would share and together there was no problem that th= ey couldn't solve. A child of their own would be born of love and be brough= t up with love. Meanwhile Kal resolved to take very good care of his possibly pregnant wife. And so, the instant he noted her wan face and the weariness behind h= er smile, the concerned husband surreptitiously ordered a return to the pala= ce where his tired wife could rest before attending the evening's coronation= banquet. Throughout the planet, from the major cities to the smallest hamlet,= the people of Krypton joined in the feasting and festivals with Elvar cit= y at the heart of the celebrations, which culminated late at night in a fantastic laser-light display, blazing in technicolour magnificence high above the castle rock. Technological fireworks, Lois hypothesized silent= ly as she stood by Kal, his arm tucked gently round her waist in support, gazing at the brilliant show flashing in the dark skies above her. It ha= d been a long and very eventful day and one that would stay in her memory f= or all the years to come. = Was it the seriousness with which the whole population, from noblema= n to commoner, had viewed the investiture that had impressed her? Or was i= t the heartfelt commitment that this remarkable man by her side had pledged= to his people that had so moved her? For Lois was in no doubt that Kal-E= l would dedicate his life to the help and protection of this planet. More= importantly, his people also recognised this truth. There had been genui= ne emotions in their rejoicing at Kal's enthroning and, if one small part of= this world had not joined in the celebrations, surely it did not automatically bode ill for the new First Lord and his family. A glimpse of Lois' disturbing thought reached Kal and he tightened h= is arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on the top of her head as it rest= ed on his shoulder. "Let it go, sweetheart. We'll face whatever the future brings as it= happens. Tonight is our night for celebration. I know it's been a long day and you're feeling more tired than normal." But here he let his word= s die away and simply raised his eyebrows expressively, then added with unaccustomed anxiety. "You are feeling all right?" Lois quickly reassured him. "I'm fine." And in return she tightened= her arm around him and pressed a tender kiss on his chin. "And you did feel that today was special?" Discerning that Kal had been deeply affected by the monumental occasion and was seeking her approbation, Lois whispered her blessing. = "Very special! And you are a very special person! And everyone knows it= !" With a swift kiss pressed to her upturned lips, Kal and Lois returne= d their attention to the lightshow. Soon they would say a goodnight to their guests and share their own recollections and celebrations in the privacy of their chamber. This day had indeed been memorable, the day th= at the planet Krypton celebrated the coming to the throne of Lord Kal- El. ***** Continued in P/5 = ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 14:34:05 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book2 P/5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 5 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. ********** Chapter Three Royal Progress The cavalcade that began its journeying from Elvar on a damp misty morning departed somewhat later than planned, due to the unexpected malai= se of one of the principal travellers. There was a reason for this unfortunate incapacity, Lois' pregnancy having been confirmed, although, = at this particular time, it was not a matter that had been made known to the= general public. Lois had awakened from a deep sleep feeling warmly content and, for some moments, she had chosen to rest in the arms of her still sleeping husband, reviewing lazily the plans for the busy day ahead. Realising th= at she had in front of her a long and tiring trek and, being well aware that= the coming weeks would be spent in the glare of the public spotlight, Loi= s relished every second of spending this last morning in the privacy of the= ir own bed chamber. With that thought in mind she pushed up onto her elbow and turned to plant a kiss on Kal's slightly open mouth, but the kiss was= destined never to be delivered. = Instead, an uneasy lightheadedness overtook her, swiftly followed by= her stomach heaving unexpectedly and it was all the surprised girl could = do to direct herself towards the bathroom. The unsettling sounds of someone= in distress invaded Kal's slumber, and groggily exiting the bed, he went = in search of his absent wife. The scene that greeted him brought him sharpl= y to his senses as he found Lois leaning shakily over the toilet bowl, her knuckles gripped tightly about the rim. His tender heart went out to he= r as he kneeled by her side and gently rubbed his hand up and down her hunched back waiting in concern for the spasms to cease. There was so mu= ch more he wished to do for her but this was a natural symptom of pregnancy and, moreover, one of those particular things' which the research physicians had decided not to tamper with. A hint of a smile touched his= lips, remembering Lois' snort of derision at that piece of information. = Clearly this was a male dominated society!' = When finally the nausea passed, Kal lifted his exhausted wife easily= into his arms and carried her back to bed, telepathically calling for assistance from his medical staff. "My timing's not too good," relieved to lay her head on the soft pillows, Lois managed to grind out through a mouth that was feeling dry a= nd distinctly unpleasant. "I'm thirsty," she added in a raspy tone. Kal made a speedy trip to the bathroom returning with a glass of wat= er which he helped her to drink. "Sip gently," he instructed solicitously. = "Slowly, though, or you'll make yourself sick again. And don't worry abo= ut timing. It isn't important. I'll postpone the tour if you're not up to it." The concerned husband and future father was unwilling to risk the well-being of his new family for the sake of tradition. Her speech oiled by the welcome liquid, Lois protested. "Kal, we've= been through all this already and we decided that I'm well enough to make= the trip." This fact was certainly true. Lois had suffered very few debilitati= ng symptoms in this earliest stage of her pregnancy. Apart from a few bouts= of morning sickness, tiredness and an annoying tendency to weep on occasi= on the First Lady had enjoyed remarkably good health and so, with the provis= o that Physician Tamar should join the entourage, it was felt that the roya= l progress would not pose any undue risk to the precious mother-to-be. A conclusion that Kal now decided might be up for review. At all events, the interlude, while extremely distasteful, was short-lived and by the time Tamar had arrived the Lady had almost recovered. Once again Lois was subjected to another invasive examination= . = Why was it that all other illnesses on this planet were treated by highly= advanced medical techniques while the process of having a baby remained i= n the dark ages? Any unnatural or modern medicines were regarded as too risky to the child's welfare to be administered. In point of fact, Lois was being a little unfair in her judgment. = There was much that could and would be done to protect the life of an unborn child, and particularly in the case of this baby. Since the tragedies which had befallen her predecessor, Kryptonian medical research= facilities had concentrated all their resources on negating any problems encountered during pregnancy, but she was correct in her assumption that their research had centred mostly on the well-being of the baby and any discomfort experienced by the expectant mother was considered a necessary= sacrifice. However, the competent little doctor had been quick to reassu= re his patient with a measure of pride that, here on Krypton, no mother had been lost in childbirth for a great many years. It was soon established that Lois' morning sickness would not be a serious impediment to their plans and, given a firm promise from Tamar th= at he would strictly monitor Lois' state of health, Kal ordered the exodus t= o proceed. ****= * Lady Zara was thrilled at the news. From the moment she had been to= ld that milady Lois- El wished for her company on the expedition through the= lands of Krypton her excitement had grown steadily. On this day of departure, she had risen before dawn to oversee her packing and to carefully dress in her new travel clothes which her mother had generously= supplied for the occasion. Should she wear her hair piled on top of her head with just a few strands escaping to rest on her shoulders? She knew= it made her look older.... more sophisticated. = When word had reached her of Lois' indisposition, she could not suppress a feeling of deep disappointment. Could her imaginings be over before they had a chance to begin? Of course, she sympathised with her sister-in-law's malaise, but never before having ventured so far from th= e lands of El and without the chaperonage of her parents, she had delighted= in thoughts of the coming adventure. Indeed, she would still be under th= e care of her family but somehow she surmised that neither her brother nor his wife would be quite so strict with their supervision. And too, she shyly admitted to herself, the fact that Lieutenant Chi= ng would be one of the party lent an added thrill to the coming journey. N= ot that she had any hopes that their relationship could develop further, but= surely no-one would find fault with them sharing a friendship and she cou= ld not totally prevent her traitorous heart from rejoicing in the thought of= spending time in his company. Given all these points, she had found the possibility of a postponement a sad anticlimax. = ***** Happily, for Zara's peace of mind she was totally oblivious to the fact that Lois had discovered her secret love or that her sister-in-law h= ad determined to assume the role of matchmaker. Kal, on the other hand, was= completely aware of Lois' ulterior motive and he too was aware that the couple in question did harbour a secret yearning for each other but, unli= ke his wife, he found it hard to foresee an optimistic outcome for the coupl= e, at least at this present time. = Immediately following her encounter with the unfortunate Rol-Fre and= the subsequent breaking of his betrothal to Lady Zara, Lois had been hinting to Kal, none too guardedly, about an attachment between Zara and Ching. His ever curious wife had stumbled upon this clandestine relationship on her very first night on Krypton and, since Zara's engagement was no longer an issue, she was hoping to unite the star-cross= ed lovers. But, while Ching was his friend, Kal could not endorse such an unsuitable liaison. The council and the nobility would not countenance a= misalliance and he did not yet feel sufficiently secure in his position t= o flout their wishes. = All this he had attempted to explain to Lois some nights ago when sh= e had asked casually that Zara be included in the royal party. Kal had not= been fooled and an extremely stormy conversation ensued which had almost resulted in their first quarrel. Who was he fooling? They had fought ea= ch other to a standstill, Lois accusing him of monumental snobbery and narrow-mindedness and he charging her with stubbornness and an unwillingness to understand the disastrous position into which she was propelling him. = How had it happened? He had never seen it coming. It had begun quite reasonably with a suggestion from Lois that Zara be allowed to accompany them on their journey. "Lois, sweetheart, I've no objections to Zara coming along with us. = I know the two of you have become close friends and you deserve to have som= e familiar female company when I'm dealing with business'. But..." And here he realised he was skating on very thin ice; what if he was wrong an= d she didn't have an ulterior motive? Still, he thought he knew his Lois. = "If you're thinking of throwing Zara and Ching together on this journey, I'd have to advise you not to." = "Advise', Kal?" Lois immediately turned defensive. His suspicions had been spot on. "Don't you mean order' not to?" Kal tensed in anticipation of an approaching storm. He tried conciliation. "I hope it won't come to that, Lois. But, as I explained the last time we talked of this, a relationship between the two is impossible and to encourage one would be cruel." Conciliation didn't work. Lois bridled. "Are you insinuating that I= 'm cruel?" "No! Of course not! Misguided, yes." "It's misguided to want two people, who are obviously in love, to be= together?" She set her feet firmly on the ground in front of Kal and placed her hands on her hips in a confrontational stance. Kal's hackles rose. "In this particular case, yes! I've already to= ld you; they are from different classes. Ching comes from a respectable family but he isn't a nobleman and Zara belongs to the highest family in the land. The two are not compatible." "Nonsense! That's ridiculous! They're very well suited." "That's not what I meant, Lois! You are being deliberately obtuse."= = "Oh, misguided and obtuse! Keep going Kal! Are there any more of m= y faults you'd like to air?" "Lois, this is crazy. And, no, I'm not suggesting that you're crazy= ." An exasperated sigh escaped from Kal. "But this conversation is. I'm sorry if it upsets you but I can't condone your matchmaking schemes for Zara and Ching." A firm denial about matchmaking was swiftly discarded in favour of t= he truth. "But why? Zara is your sister, you love her and I know that Chin= g is your closest friend. Every day you trust him with your life." "That's true, but it's not the point here. Neither the council nor the hierarchy would agree to a liaison, even if I did give them my blessing," Kal stated baldly. He fought his anger and was barely keepin= g it under control. "That's unadulterated snobbery." The answer was snapped back. "And= , besides, you have the power to over-rule them." "Oh, great!" Anger broke through Kal's bounds. "That's a terrific= suggestion, my lady!" He threw his hands in the direction of the ceiling= . = "I've just come into my position. I have to work with these people. And= the first thing you want me to do is thumb my nose at them. If I went along with you, they would think I'd gone mad. I'd probably be committed= ." "So you're willing to sacrifice your sister's and your best friend's= happiness for the sake of your position." Lois sniped. She had lost all= sense of proportion and with attack is the best form of defence' stratage= ms in full flow she sought to wound and with deadly accuracy. Lord Kal-El's face blanched at the vicious attack. "No! That's untrue! There's a greater issue here and you know it." "Do I?!" A part of Lois recognised that she was being unfair, but t= he Lois of old was in control. "I know that when you persuaded me to come here, you told me that you wanted to modernise life on Krypton and yet, a= t the first chance you get, you back down." The words were scathing. "Are= you afraid, My Lord? Or are you just as narrow minded and entrenched as the rest of your proud Kryptonians?" Lois spat the name as an insult. = That cruel riposte had silenced Kal. They had finally run out of insults and they stood sulkily staring at each other, until Kal could no longer stand the silent accusation of her gaze and he had exited the chamber almost at a run. For an immeasurable time he had stalked the castle corridors, while the servants he passed gave him an unusually wide= berth. It was this strange consequence that had made him pause. Normall= y his staff treated him with friendly deference and he must certainly be exuding a grim air for them to... shy away from him? Was this affair worth even this slight alienation of his people and,= more importantly, a breach in relationships with his wife? Especially since he was not totally averse to a connection between Zara and Ching, i= n fact he did consider them well suited. And perhaps in the future it migh= t be a possibility, when he had forged a trusting and workable partnership with his council? Maybe he hadn't explained his thoughts clearly to Lois= ? = If she understood that he did not mean to dismiss, for all time, her romantic plans for the couple then possibly she would forgive him for his= harsh words. And, indeed, when he had returned to their bedchamber he had found a= weeping Lois not only willing to forgive but apologizing for reverting to= type' and eager to listen to his proposals and to add a few suggestions o= f her own. All lingering vestiges of anger and resentment had melted away as, locked in each other's arms, they discussed frankly and calmly their differing perspectives. And finally in the dark of the night, when all talking ceased, in the way of lovers from any time or any world they had reaffirmed their love. A joining made all the more poignant and enduring= by the knowledge that they had weathered their first storm. Only later did he recognise that Lois had succeeded in gaining his approval for her scheme, even eliciting a promise from him that, for the foreseeable future, he would resist all attempts by the council to engage= Zara to another suitor. However, in his relief at returning to a state o= f marital bliss, he didn't much mind. And she had agreed to postpone any direct action until he felt it might be appropriate. However, neither Zara nor her admirer were aware that they had been the cause of an argument or the basis for that argument and both were anticipating with pleasure a lengthy period spent in close proximity of each other. = So it was that the members of the Royal Progress set out in a pleasa= nt state of mind, undaunted by the inclement weather. Satisfied with the progress she had made in the cause of Zara's happiness and feeling much improved in health from her early morning bout of nausea, Lois was lookin= g forward to her odyssey of exploration. And Lord Kal-El, very relieved t= o see the bloom return to his wife's cheeks, was excited, in spite of his anxieties, by his first undertaking as ruler of this land. ***** Continued in P/6 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 14:34:53 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book2 P/6 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 6 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. ********** Chapter Four Treachery = It was high summer as the weary cavalcade approached, over the dry a= nd dusty plains, the great city of Veren. The repetitive nature of the visi= ts with the various lords and ladies and her advancing pregnancy had long since dulled Lois' enjoyment of the tour. Five weeks had passed since th= ey had set out on their journeying and the young wife, in her eleventh week = of pregnancy, was finding the going increasingly tough. The hot summer sun blazed down on the flat landscape and even the aircooled interior of the transporter did little to dispel her discomfort= . = There was another reason for her tedium which had little to do with her condition or the rising temperature. A short time ago, after pointing ou= t a far off bulk shimmering in the heat of the almost desert and announcing= that this mass was their destination, Kal had decided to take to the sadd= le for a spell of exercise and he, Ching and a few other hardier(in Lois' opinion foolhardier) members of the expedition had galloped off into the blinding heat, leaving behind them a trail of choking dust. Staring at the other passengers of the vehicle, Lois fervently wishe= d that she too had been of the foolhardy variety and escaped with the other= s, but unfortunately Physician Tamar had forbade her to go riding, a circumstance that she much regretted as she listened to the honeyed baby tones of the woman sitting opposite. To say that a catalogue of the lady= 's jewels and possessions, all presents from her besotted husband, was a riveting topic of conversation and just what Lois was interested to hear,= was a vast distortion of the truth, but unfortunately neither Lois nor he= r companion Zara had discovered a way to shut the said Lady up. = With a flick of her blonde tresses the Lady displayed her latest acquisition, a large carbuncle sized ruby gracing her left hand and screaming out in protest as it clashed horribly with the figure-hugging gown of baby pink which Lois had concluded was the only colour of robe to= be found in Lady Minerva-Mai's wardrobe. If the woman had lived on Earth= she would have fallen into the category of blonde bimbo' and Lois had fou= nd no reason in the past 48 hours spent in the woman's company to alter her description. In fact, Kal, though shocked at his wife's temerity, had found the title amusing and definitely apt. A number of times, when the= vacuous lady's chatter had become just too tedious, the couple would shar= e an amused glance, desperately trying to suppress the laughter that would bubble up between them. The previous stop over on the journey had been at the small township= of Maison, staying for a single night only with Second Councillor Jen-Mai= and his family. The man had never been one of Kal's circle, being a few years his elder and not exactly to Kal's taste in friends. Nevertheless,= Kal's personal opinions were not a consideration for membership to the cabinet; but, since a long an interesting talk with Trey on the subject o= f Jen-Mai's reliability or lack thereof, Kal had regarded the man with increasing distrust. Hence the duration of the visit to Maison had decreased and after a few hours spent in the company of the Mais, Kal had= uncharacteristically wished that they had bypassed this particular part o= f his realm completely. However, as the man was an important member of the= council, this had not been an option. Thankfully they would be gone by morning. Then the said Lord and Lady had confounded their visitors totally by choosing to join the group who were now bound for the lands of= the Vers. Lois' patience was wearing dangerously thin as Lady Mai's annoying voice droned on and she was about to deliver a rapier like snub when salvation came from an unexpected quarter. The upper exterior of the transporter disappeared until it resembled a large convertible as Kal offered an outstretched hand to his beset wife. "I thought that you'd been cooped up inside that bubble for far too long, Lois, and, as you can't ride alone, I thought that you might enjoy sharing my saddle. There's room for two and you might like some time spe= nt in the fresh air before we enter Veren. Mind you, I suspect the term fre= sh air' stretches the truth a little but at least you won't be so cramped." = His smile was inviting and Lois had no hesitation in accepting his offer. Within minutes Kal had lifted Lois up before him and, after settling her comfortably against his body, he set his unicorn into a gent= le canter and edged away from the line of transporters. The rest of the gro= up fell in behind the couple but tactfully stayed some distance behind, out = of earshot. "I'm sorry to have abandoned you in the scintillating company of La= dy Mai." "You should be ashamed of yourself, Kal." She playfully swiped at t= he hand that encircled her waist, steadying her to the rhythm of the unicorn= 's movement. "And don't think that I'm about to forgive you just because yo= u decided to rescue me a little later." Kal dropped a kiss on the back of her neck and with the warmth of apology thickening his voice he continued. "To tell the truth, sweethear= t, I did have an ulterior motive. What's your truthful opinion about Lady Mai, blonde bimbo not withstanding?" Lois eyebrows rose. She ought to have known that Kal had a reason behind his cavalier behaviour and, though she had tended to treat the wom= an as a figure of fun, her investigative instincts had been on full alert. = Carefully she considered her answer, happy that Kal was treating her as a= partner. "Her jewels are worth a king's ransom... not to mention her clothes.= .. and she boasts that all we've seen is just the tip of the iceberg.... D= o you have icebergs on Krypton?" Kal couldn't help but smile at Lois' deviation. "Yes, Lois. Krypto= n has a north and south pole just like Earth and they too are frozen lands.= = And someday I'll tell you how the Kryptonians, in most cases, utilise thi= s circumstance. But what about Minerva-Mai's wardrobe?" "Well, the Mais' lands seem to be very small in comparison to some others that we've visited," Lois spoke slowly as she thought through her answer, "and, I may be wrong, farming isn't exactly one of my skills, but= their countryside doesn't appear to be very productive. Unless, of cours= e, they've got a few of those Kryptonite mines hidden away somewhere." "No, honey, no Kryptonite mines." "Then where does he get the money for all her finery?" A small frow= n of concentration had appeared between Lois' eyebrows. "That's a question that's been bothering me for some time." Kal worriedly bit on his lower lip. "And not just me. It seems Lord Trey ha= s a few suspicions of his own." "Appears to me that Jen-Mai could do with checking out. And I've a score to settle with him too, so it'll be my pleasure to find out some di= rt about the sleazeball." "Sleazeball, Lois?! Bimbo?! This Earth language is a lot more colourful than I suspected!" "I'm sorry. I really should try to modify my language." Lois looke= d a little forlorn at that admission. "I know that I sometimes shock your people." "Don't you dare, Lois Lane!" my Lord retorted adamantly. "I'm very= partial to Lois Lane. I admire her. I fell in love with her. And I don= 't want you to change one hair on her head. Please remember that, milady." For his decree he received a pert smile. "Your wish is my command."= "Huh! I only wish!" Kal groaned. An even bigger grin met that remark. "But back to business. Did yo= u know that Jen-Mai tried to prevent me from making my pledge to you at you= r investiture? He tried to convince the council to refuse permission. To tell the truth, I think it was his stand that persuaded Trey to back me, = so his strategy failed. But I don't think he likes me much." "Well, the feeling is mutual. Trey told me all about his speech' in= the council slighting you. And believe me, that did not endear him to me= ." Kal's brow had darkened with his words and, for a moment, Lois did not envy Lord Jen-Mai. "I think that a close watch should be placed on my Second Councillor and his wife." During their conversation the steed had covered the intervening distance between the cavalcade and their destination and Kal and Lois fou= nd themselves approaching the great curtaining walls of Veren. The stone boundary of the city swept upwards, straight and overpowering from the desert floor. "Wow!!" was all that Lois could enunciate. "Pretty impressive, hey?!" Kal's voice was soft in her ear. The unicorn's head was turned aside and Kal eased his mount to walk slowly in parallel to the great walls and the two who shared the saddle were silent as they surveyed the scene before them. Finally Kal began to= recount a tale of the city. "Veren is Krypton's second biggest city, surpassed only by Elvar, bu= t while we Els decided to modernise our town the Vers chose to preserve the= ir ancient home. The walls are purely for effect. Nowadays most communitie= s use force-fields for protection but I have to admit that they look awesome." A giant porticoed gateway came into view hung with massive steel gat= es and sporting the inevitable shield of the Vers; an upside down pyramid slashed with what looked to Lois very like a lightening bolt. Kal pulled= up by the side of the roadway which led to these huge gates awaiting the arrival of his guard. They would enter the city in a royal procession. "You'll find the interior just as antiquated as the outside." He carried on with his description as they waited, both they're gazes studyi= ng the scene in front of them. "Old buildings, cobbled streets and market squares, it's very picturesque but whether it's comfortable to live in, I= 'm not so sure. I know that I find Elvar Palace a bit dim and draughty in winter and that's with the modernisation. Lois, if there's anything you want done to the Palace... remodelling... redecoration... anything at all= , you only have to ask. After all it is our home now and it will be for years and years, hopefully. So don't be afraid to make suggestions." Lois wasn't exactly afraid but she, like her husband, had been feeli= ng her way in her new position and though there were many changes she might like to make she had been a little unsure of how they would be received. = Now it seemed she had carte blanche to do as she pleased and she did have= a number of suggestions. "I'd like our own apartment. Like they have in my Metropolis. We spend so much time with others that I'd like a place where we could shut out the rest of the world and be alone. I know that at the moment we hav= e our own suite but there's always servants and courtiers around and it's n= ot what I'm used to. I'm not complaining with things as they are but sometimes I'd just love a place where we can be together... a bolt hole, = so to speak... for when I find things too much to take." This was something that he hadn't recognised, that his Lois felt sometimes overwhelmed. He kicked himself for being insensitive, for not realising that she was troubled. She was normally so brave. Zor!! Ther= e were times when he felt swamped and he had been raised for this! "Lois!! Why didn't you tell me that this was troubling you? I knew= you were homesick on occasions but I didn't realise you felt so badly. I= know I've been dealing with my own insecurities but you mustn't hide your= problems. I ought to have paid more attention." Kal castigated himself once more. "No, Kal! You've hardly had time to turn around since you took over= from Zor. And I'm here to help you not to burden you...." "No, Lois! Don't make excuses for me. You're my wife, you have a right to my attention, no matter how often my duties call me away. Soon we'll be a family and I don't want my child to hardly know its own father= ." The following escort were quickly bearing down on them and Kal lowered h= is voice. "This isn't the time or place to discuss this but when we get bac= k home you shall have your apartment', Zor knows the castle is large enough= to accommodate one. And promise me that you won't hide your feelings fro= m me again." His wife smiled gently upon him but would not comment. She knew how= hectic his life was. From the beginning Lois had recognised that she wou= ld have to share Kal-El with his world. "Promise me, Lois." Kal's voice was determined. "I can't promise that I'll always be able to turn my back on my job but you will always be= first in my heart. Promise, sweetheart." The arm that rested around her= body tightened compellingly. The front ranks of the riders had pulled up a few yards away but Loi= s was oblivious to their presence. She was lost in her love's warm brown gaze. Her hand lifted involuntary to caress his cheek. "I promise." = ***** = Continued in P/7 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 14:36:23 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book2 P/7 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 7 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. ********** = The royal guards took up their station in front of and behind the unicorn bearing the First Lord and his Lady and with Ching and Poli range= d on either side, they entered the famed city. The inhabitants of Ver had turned out in their thousands to welcome their ruler and a happy, festive= air pervaded the streets. Leafy garlands and colourful flags were strung= from every building and in the first large square they came across, a dom= e, similar to the one in which they were married, rested amid a tented village. = Amongst the brightly coloured tents, carnival performers practised their skills and advertised their wares. Jugglers juggled and acrobats tumbled and tossed their bodies about in spectacular and intricate manoeuvres. There were even a troop of trick riders, galloping their unicorns around a tight circular ring while they performed death defying leaps from the backs of their mounts. It was all so much like Earth. "It's a circus!" Lois cried out in amazement, not expecting to find= such an entertainment on Krypton. = "Yes. A Romany circus to be exact," Kal answered, happy that the mood had lightened from their previous discussion outside the walls. "Like your grandmother." "Yes. They travel the galaxy but they always attend the Festival o= f Veren. Every year the Vers hold a cultural festival, music, ballet and drama but I think the people look forward most to the Romany Carnival. I= was sure you might enjoy it too, so I arranged our visit to coincide with= the festival and Lord Dax-Ver was only too pleased to accommodate us." "Oh yes," A circus wouldn't normally be Lois' first choice for entertainment but right at this time she wasn't about to dismiss anything= remotely similar to her home planet. Besides listening to the raucous chatter around her, as these performers shouted instructions and encouragement and just plain argued with each other on how best a stunt could be done, she was reminded of the citizens of Metropolis. She might= not have understood the words but the raw verve that emanated from these folks carried her back in time to her native city and she wanted so much = to dive into the familiar aura. "And can we come down later and explore t= he fairground?" = Her searching gaze had spotted the booths that encircled the square and using her newly acquired language skills she was able to decipher, wi= th some difficulty, the placards that announced each stalls' purpose. There= was even a fortune-teller. However, her husband's next words gave pause = to her rampant excitement. "I'm not sure that would be wise, honey. There are too many strange= rs about and it could be dangerous." He refrained from adding that to strol= l amongst the crowds would be considered not the right thing', deducing tha= t Lois would be incensed by such snobbery. "But we have been invited to attend their opening night as guests of honour." Kal sensed her disappointment and he quickly sought to repair the damage. "And I'm sure= that Lord Dax will have arranged some entertainment for us. And I do hav= e some work to do here too." = The last was added in a resigned tone. People often forgot that Kal= had just entered his twenty-first year and like any other young red blood= ed male he occasionally wanted to forget his responsibilities and just relax= and have a little rest and recuperation. Oh well, after he'd held a mini= council meeting to discuss policy and presided over the regional court session, there would be time to let his hair down and enjoy himself in th= e company of his wife and friends. The younger Vers were amongst those he considered his confidants and this was one port of call he did not regard= as an obligation. The Festival was an added bonus which he was determine= d that Lois and he would have a chance to appreciate. ***** Surprisingly but happily, Lois had not found the welcoming ceremony = as tedious as the others she had attended. Lord Dax-Ver and his Lady Joanna= were already known to Lois, the couple having attended the investiture an= d their son Ren had been one of Kal's aristocratic escorts during the 24 hours leading up to that ceremony. Both families seemed genuinely please= d to greet each other once again and Gellis, the only daughter of the house= , though seemingly decorous under the supervision of her parents, had a definite twinkle in her eyes. Lois was certain she would like this famil= y. Lord Dax had kept the introductions of his vassals to their sovereig= n lord thankfully short and within a brief space of time the couple had bee= n installed by Lady Joanna in a spacious and comfortable chamber. The considerate hostess, after assuring herself of their well being, left the= couple alone to rest from the tedium of their journey and some moments later a servant, clad in the livery of the Vers, arrived with much needed= refreshments. Lois wasn't particularly hungry but the cool drink was certainly pleasant and most welcome. = Dropping into a chair the weary girl kicked off her sandals and laid= her head back against the cushioned rim. Lois' heavy eyelids closed and she didn't notice the look of concern that etched itself upon Kal's face = as he studied her. Had he been right to allow this prolonged tour to take place? Lois seemed to tire more easily and her struggles with morning sickness had become more frequent. Perhaps it would be wise to postpone the rest of the expedition? = His troubled thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of their baggage, followed closely by Etta and Orr, his valet, and for the next half-hour the room was a hive of industry as both servants unpacked their= clothes, carefully hanging the fine robes in the closets provided and carrying on a lighthearted but inconsequential conversation with their Lo= rd and Lady about the amazing sights they had seen in the streets outside. Orr's conduct did not surprise his master as the man had been with h= im since he was a boy and they shared a special bond but Etta's aplomb had blossomed under Lois' influence. Now she no longer shrank in his company= and, as long as he took care of her dearest milady, he believed he would remain high in her estimation. Etta's transformation both amused and assured him, knowing that in the newly created lady-in-waiting Lois had found a true friend. Eventually the piles of dresses and suits disappeared, returning the= room to its normally orderly condition and bobbing a quick salute the two= departed, leaving Lois and Kal once more alone. The sounds from the city= were muted here inside the room and the sweltering heat had failed to penetrate the thick stone walls of the castle. Lois stretched her arms above her head and stood, her spirits recharged by the short period of rest spent in this quiet haven. Now her= natural inquisitiveness asserted itself and, slipping her hand in Kal's s= he pulled him onto the balcony to study the town of Ver. Tall, narrow buildings lined winding shady lanes which opened into higgledy-piggledy squares. There seemed to have been little planning in the building of this city and the watcher surmised that houses had been constructed whenever they were needed without any consultation or thought= to the future. The overall effect was quaint but most certainly cramped.= = Only nearer the city walls, where the houses were fewer, did the land ope= n up slightly and it was here that the circus had pitched its camp. = "Well, what do you think?" Kal's anxious voice intruded on her inspection. "Quaint, very picturesque." Lois turned to smile at her obviously concerned husband, only she wasn't quite sure exactly what his concerns were. Did he think that she would prefer this place to Elvar? "But very= crowded. I prefer Elvar's wide streets and open parkland. This is nice.= " = She spread her hand towards the town, "but Elvar is beautiful." His answering smile told her he appreciated her choice but the smile= didn't quite reach his eyes. Nope, that wasn't it. = "Though Veren does seem quite prosperous and the inhabitants look happy and comfortable and this Festival thing must've cost a lot. And yo= u did say that the Vers were rich and powerful." Lois tried another line o= f enquiry. This time Kal's grin crinkled the corners of his eyes. The intuitiveness of his wife never failed to amaze and inspire him. Besides= , she had revived considerably. Perhaps he worried overmuch. "Very rich a= nd very powerful." "Yet they've never tried to claim the leadership?" "Never. Thankfully for us. They can even claim some royal blood. = In fact, they're distantly related to both the Els and the Nors. But, fortunately, during the civil war they chose to throw their weight behind= the Els and with their help we eventually won. Which was good for my family...." "And for the whole of Krypton, judging by the current Lord Nor. I c= an just imagine what would have happened to this planet if the Nors had been= in charge for a couple of hundred years." Her lovely face creased into a= grimace at the pictures that appeared in her head. "Now, they would have= brought back slavery... and killed off all the opposition... ethnic cleansing on a large scale." "I see you've been reading our history chronicles...." "And watching the hologram-video things... of the destruction they left behind. It must have been a very bad time." "It was. And it took such a long time to rebuild." The two were silent as they shared a moment of commiseration for those people of long ago. Then Kal slid his arm around his wife's shoulder and gave her a consolatory squeeze. "But that was in the past and our people are safe n= ow and between us we can make a better future. And with friends like the Ve= rs to back us there's nothing we can't do." "That's what this journey is all about, isn't it? To make new alliances and re-enforce old bonds?" Lois regarded him with sharp curiousness. "And to smoke out possible adversaries?" "Honey, you've seen enough of our noble' Kryptonians to know that no= t all are as honourable or selfless as they ought to be. Zor gave me a fairly reliable opinion on most of the important families and I've been acquainted with the majority of these, in some degree, for most of my lif= e. But now I'm seeing them from a different perspective and I'd like to get= my own view. And some of the lesser lords I really know nothing about a= nd it's important that I find out where their loyalties lie and who they wou= ld support if there was trouble." "Like Jen-Mai and his wife." "Exactly!" Again he hugged her shoulder gently. "Honey, I have to tell you that I find that instinct of yours extremely helpful and there's= no one that I trust more." Lois beamed. "Glad to be of service, Chief!" "Minx!" Kal beamed back. "But that doesn't mean that we can't enjo= y ourselves while we're sussing out the opposition. And here, among people= we can trust, is just the place to do it." "Oh, does that mean we can visit the fairground?" Lois brightened visibly. "Well, not tonight, sweetheart. Sorry to disappoint you, Lois, but the Vers have arranged a welcoming party. Nothing too grand, just a chan= ce to meet and greet their neighbours over a casual repast... I think that y= ou would call it a buffet-meal and afterwards there'll be a private performance by one of our top singers... opera, honey, I'm afraid. The older generation of Vers are deeply into culture." "Hey, are you insinuating that I don't do culture?" She gave him a playful swipe of her hand. "I can do opera. In fact, I like quite a lot= of classical stuff." "But you like Rock' too. I heard some of the stuff you listened to back on Earth." "Don't they have any Pop' music on Krypton?" Lois asked with just a= tinge of longing in her voice. "I mean, I'm not a huge fan but a little Bon Jovi or something would be nice now and then. Or what about the Beatles? They're a little out of my era but they were good." "I know them!! And Bruce Springstein!! Lois, why didn't you say. = That kind of music wasn't really encouraged here but when we were kids my= friends and I would tap into the communications department and copy some = of Earth's radio stations. Those discs are probably still around somewhere = in my old room in Ro-Ellion. They're yours if you want them. In fact, I could even instruct the monitors to copy the current transmissions and be= am them into our room whenever you wanted to listen." From excitement at finding a simple way to please his wife, Kal's voice took on a more serio= us note. "And you could keep an eye on what's happening on Earth if you wanted too." "And I would be allowed to do that?" An eager yet wistful expressio= n touched Lois' face. "There aren't any laws against it. It's just not encouraged because...." "Because..." Lois egged him on with a roll of her hand. = "Because...." She had a fair idea what Kal was holding back. "Because the council felt the broadcasts might corrupt our society."= "And this from a people who consider themselves an enlightened and tolerant society." The only Earthling on Krypton bridled at this insult = to her native planet. = "Lois, I never said that we were perfect," came the sheepish reply. "Hmph!! Far from it, buster!!" The poke that Kal received in the ribs was not exactly gentle. "But I do remember and I quote Kryptonians believe that Earth is our sister planet'. Some relationship that is!" "We do! Maybe a much younger, naughtier sister!" Kal was quick to= explain. "But one we hope to persuade to enter our Federation when the time is right." "And that would be....?" "When they're all grown up?" Kal raised his eyebrows questioningly,= bracing himself for another hit but Lois grinned despite herself. "Well, I will admit that they're a pretty unruly lot sometimes." Lo= is reviewed the various wars and the terrorist activities that occurred far too often throughout her world and conceded that Kal might have a point. = "And, besides, they still regard aliens as science fiction, little grey m= en with big bug eyes and long skinny limbs and if you were to make contact they'd probably shoot first and ask questions later." "Lois, that's unfair. They might be a bit suspicious but they have sent probes into space with messages of friendship." "And you'd frighten them silly if you replied," she added but with less conviction. "I'll admit that there are some enlightened souls who would be happy to hear from you but for the moment they're in the minorit= y and the voices of reason would probably be drowned out by the hysterical masses screaming for your blood. We can't even get along with each other= never mind visitors from outer space." "I'd have to agree with you there, but don't be sad, honey. It won'= t always be that way. Practically every civilisation there ever was has go= ne through that same phase." "You talk about it as if it were a silly teenage fad." Lois comment= ed with a touch of sarcasm. "Well, in a strange way it is. It's almost as if all the bad feelin= gs have to be vented before people are willing to sit down and find a better= way. Look at us. Krypton almost destroyed itself before we were willin= g to learn to live with each other. And even now, keeping the peace is sometimes like walking on a knife-edge. It just takes one self seeking person with delusions of grandeur and a lot of power and the whole thing could start again." Lois was saddened to see Kal's brow crease with worry and his shoulders brace themselves as if they were taking on the weight of the world. She decided that this conversation had gone on long enough and no= w it was time to lighten the load. "Honey, Nor isn't here and for the moment he seems content to hide away in his own domain." She lifted his hand to her lips and pressed a soft kiss into his palm. "But we are and, as you mentioned earlier, we'r= e amongst good friends and, in case you haven't noticed there's a festival going on. Let's just enjoy ourselves for a few days and I'll take you up= on your offer of beaming in Earth radio. I'm sorry if it upsets you or t= he council, but I would like to keep up-to-date on what's happening back... there." Lois had been about to say back home but she realised that title= was no longer true, her home was with Kal. Turning Lois to face him and wrapping his arms about her, Kal felt t= he fleeting shadows of apprehension lifting. "You're right as usual, Lois. = Rad-Nor can't hurt us in Veren. So is there anything that milady would particularly care to see?" "I realise that tonight is fully booked but can't we explore the cit= y tomorrow?" There was a faint hint of a wheedle in her tone. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but tomorrow morning is booked up too." = Understanding that Lois wasn't really proposing a formal tour of the city= , Kal was glad to offer a plausible excuse. "It appears that Jen-Mai's vis= it to Elvar isn't purely for pleasure. Some weeks ago he lodged a complaint= against one of his neighbours over water rights and he arranged with Dax = to submit his case to a judicial hearing. The court will hear both petition= s tomorrow and because I am in residence and being the Supreme Judge of Krypton, Mai feels it only polite and correct that I should preside over the hearing and Dax agrees with him." "They're still fighting over water in this highly advanced civilization?" Lois asked sardonically. Kal waved a hand out across the far vista. "Take a look, Lois, this= isn't exactly a garden. Water here is pretty scarce." "I just thought that your scientists might have found an answer. Th= ey can clone most things." "I don't think that cloning enough water to irrigate the desert woul= d be a viable option. But you're right in some cases. Some of the nobles transport great icebergs from the poles and hold them in reservoirs, but the cost of de-materializing and materializing such huge bulks is very expensive. Besides, that practise is restricted because of the effect i= t would have on the eco-system. The Vers pipe water in from the mountains= to the south. You can just see their outline in the distance." = Kal pointed his arm and following his line Lois could just discern t= he towering purple peaks shimmering in the heat. "That's still Ver land?" = She enquired with interest. It was important for the protection of her husband that she learn who controlled these feudal states. "Oh yes. We've been travelling through Ver territory since early morning and everything you see before you to the horizon and beyond. The= Vers have no problem with water and they irrigate much of their land for farming. But some of the smaller, poorer fiefdoms still rely on old fashioned deep wells." = "Like the one Jen-Mai is fighting over?" "That's right. It's on the border of two counties but there's some dispute about where the boundary actually lies and as neither party is ve= ry prosperous the water rites are important." "They charge people to use the water?" "In the desert, Lois, water is a sought after commodity. And as lon= g as they don't break any laws the Lords are entitled to trade any of their= resources. I'm just sorry that this will intrude on our time together." = He dropped a kiss onto her forehead. "Gellis has offered to entertain y= ou in the mean time." A memory of twinkling eyes and a merry grin promised that her companion would be good company. "I'm sorry too, Kal, but duty calls. A= nd don't worry about me I'm sure that Gellis and I will find something interesting to do." = Lois' eyes drifted out over the rooftops to the circus dome sitting = in the narrow parkland square near the city walls where Veren's citizens mingled with the roustabouts and entertainers, mesmerised by the sights a= nd sounds of a people who had travelled the galaxy. A restless Lois perceiv= ed that neither Kal nor his council would be pleased to have their First Lad= y stroll unescorted amidst the crowd. But Lois wanted to blend in with the= great unwashed'. Until very recently she had been part of the great unwashed' and she longed, if only for a short time, to return to anonymit= y and wander at will. And as Kal had pointed out, they were in a city that= supported him and his family; here she would be safe. However, aware that Kal would frown on her plans, she kept them to herself. "I'll be fine. Gellis and I shall get along famously and Zara too. I'm sure we'll find something to pass the time." The last was said= airily. A faint premonition of impending disaster hovered round the edges of= Kal's consciousness. "Lo-is, what are you planning? You will be careful= ?" "Of course, sweetheart. Whatever bad could befall me here in Veren?= " And wishing to distract him from further interrogation she used a surefire way to chase all conscious thought from his head.... She kissed= him. ***** = Continued in P/8 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 14:37:38 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: New: Universal Union Book2 P/8 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Title: Universal Union Book2 = Part: 8 Author: Jenni Debbage Rating: PG-13 Feedback: Comments welcome, public or private Summary: This is for those of you who read the First Book of Universal Union and asked for more. As this will possibly be another long story, I've decided to post the first few chapters to the list, to find out what= your reactions might be. I hope you enjoy the continuing story of Lord Kal-El and his Lady Lois an= d of their world of Krypton and the people who live there. ********** Lois had been surprised by how easily she had persuaded the Kryptoni= an women to agree to her scheme, perhaps the female of the species were growing a little tired of male domination. She had been right in her assumption that Gellis had an adventurous spirit and the young girl had fallen in readily with her plans. Etta, who had long since succumbed to Lois' spell, agreed to accompany her mistress and only Zara had shown som= e reluctance to so cavalierly break the rules. It wasn't that Zara was a killjoy but she did recognise, more than the others, that what her sister-in-law was suggesting might place them in danger, especially since= it seemed that Lois had no intention of taking along a bodyguard. This w= as an expedition for women only and Zara, also being aware that they were in= a friendly environment, allowed her concerns to be over-ruled. Slipping out of the castle with the help of Gellis' knowledge had be= en a simple task and the four women headed through the city streets towards the crowded circus area. It had taken sometime to negotiate the busy lan= es and there was the ever present fear that someone would recognise them and= drag them back to the confines of the castle but having all donned simple= attire and making themselves as unobtrusive as was possible for four pret= ty young women they arrived without mishap at their destination. = Had they known that their presence had not only been noticed but th= at they were being tracked by a two burly strangers also dressed in plain clothes but with hoods pulled low over their heads, the happy absconders might not have stepped so light-heartedly. = For some time the girls meandered amongst the throng, wondrously gaping at the performers as they practised their skills. Even Lois, who was used to more sophisticated entertainment back on Earth, was carried along by the general merry atmosphere and all the girls relaxed in the morning sunshine which had thankfully not reached the searing temperature= s of the previous afternoon. They were particularly enthralled by the highwire act, a troupe of daring young men who had strung their tightrope from the highest point of= the dome to the top of the city walls and were performing breathtaking feats above the heads of their watchers. So involved were the four girls= in the spectacle, they didn't notice their followers being joined by yet another who, though similar in size and build and dressed in the same anonymous manner, appeared to be in command. After a few moments consultation the leader cut a steady path through the crowd in the direction of the booths lined along the tall walls. After a time the escapees' turned their attention to the other sight= s that abounded and indeed the delicious smell of baking wafting in the air= drew the attention of four grumbling noble ladies' stomachs. Earlier at= breakfast a mixture of excitement and alarm for the coming forbidden adventure had dulled the appetites of the Kryptonian members of the littl= e band and Lois never found herself hungry in the mornings these days. = However, they had been walking for over an hour now and, as no-one had caught them in their escapade, they began to relax and enjoy their freedo= m and each declared themselves ravenous. = Tempted by the aroma of food they made their way to the vending booth= s at the edge of the camp where they quickly spied the object of their titillation. Only here they hit a small snag as neither Gellis nor Zara had thought to bring any money with them. Lois, on the other hand, was more used to clandestine activity and had come prepared, as indeed had Etta, being of a more practical bent. Neither of the girls were disappointed in the mouth watering cakes and sweetmeats which were bought= and hungrily consumed as they strolled along the lined stands. Such was the state of their ease that none of them flinched when the= y were accosted by a thickset man sporting a placard hung about his beefy shoulders extolling the skills of The Great Madame Ballen', mystic and fortune-teller extra-ordinaire to the galaxy. "Ladies, Ladies!! Madame Ballen awaits your presence!" The stranger's voice was thickly accented yet his words were understandable. = "Wouldn't four such lovely young ladies like to know what the future hold= s for them? Madame Ballen will reveal all." Lois looked doubtful, suspecting fairground soothsayers to be nothin= g more than frauds. Still, this was a Romany circus and thoughts of Kal's grandmother's prophecies crept into her mind while it was clear from the interested expression on Zara's face that she too was recalling her grandmother's gifts. Gellis, with a young girl's curiosity, was clearly willing to visit and she quickly added her persuasion to that of the tout= . "Madame Ballen, sees all and knows all," the man continued with his spiel, turning all his attention to the beautiful dark haired girl who seemed to be the leader of this little band. "Isn't there any question that you would like answered?" His glance slid to the others. "Whether = a handsome husband lies in your future? Will you be happy? Will you be rich? The great Madame Ballen can enlighten you." = "Please, Lois, it will be fun!" Gellis managed to insinuate into he= r tone that fun was not something that often came her way. "Oh yes!" Zara couldn't restrain her eagerness to learn whether the= psychic could identify the man whom the council would chose as her futur= e mate. The girl understood that her brother's ministers would expect her = to make an alliance that would strengthen Kal's position and though her hear= t shrank in dread at the proposition, Zara would do her duty. But all that= was for the future. In Rol-Fre's death she had been given a temporary reprieve and she was determined to enjoy every moment of freedom. "Let's= go, Lois. It will be diverting. Gellis and I have never had our fortune= s told before and I doubt that we'll ever get this chance again." = A note of wistfulness crept into Zara's voice and Lois found she couldn't disappoint the two girls, even Etta was showing a certain amount= of curiosity. "All right! Why not! It should be... interesting. Lead on, mister...." The man bobbed a quick bow and hurriedly shepherded his charges towards a colourful tent a few yards further down the line. Outside were= large posters advertising the expertise of the famous seer and accounts from a list of obviously well-satisfied customers. The silken hangings o= f the tent were adorned by silver crescent moons and star constellations an= d the man led the way to a thick curtained doorway to usher the women insid= e. But here the eager young Kryptonians grew suddenly apprehensive of this chance to read their futures and Lois was elected to be the first guinea-pig. = Laughing at their sudden attack of nerves, Lois ducked to enter but stilled when a stocky arm dropped in front of the following girls. With = an apologetic smile the man explained. "Madame Ballen requires perfect quiet and solitude to enable her to concentrate all her senses on the aura of her subject. She regrets that she cannot give a true forecast otherwise." Zara and Gellis at once saw the merits in this statement and backed off to wait outside but Etta was made of sterner stuff. "I go wherever m= y mistress goes," she informed the man with determination. "I'll be very quiet and blend into the background. Madame Ballen won't even know I'm there. But I won't be shut out!" The troubled man had clearly not anticipated this problem and he gaz= ed from one female stare to another. Lois shrugged, clearly not bothered whether she had company or not, but certainly not willing to hurt Etta's feelings by ordering her to remain with the others. After a few seconds = of indecision the bull-like fellow returned the shrug and, lifting his arm, = he allowed Etta access. = = Once inside the two women took in the dim interior. There wasn't mu= ch space and a small round table with a chair either side took up most of th= e available room. From another heavy curtain at the back of the tent a wom= an came forward and Lois suppressed an unexpected grin at the sight of Madam= e Ballen. The woman was just as stockily built as their escort and Lois assumed that they must be related which wasn't totally impossible as most= gypsies on Earth tended to marry within their own kind and these people were probably no different. Madame Ballen was attired in a caftan like robe with a cloak draped over her shoulders. A strange turban like hat was squashed down on her head, hiding her hair completely and suspended from either side of the silk was a thick veil, covering the lower part of= the wide moonlike face. "Welcome, My Lady, to my humble abode." The voice that came from behind the veil was slightly muffled and husky and tinged with a similar accent to that of her familiar. "Please to sit, milady." = An outstretched hand indicated the chair at the rear of the tent and= once Lois had seated herself, the oversized teller sat opposite, casting = a disapproving glance at the other girl left standing by Lois' side. "Move= back! Move back! I understand you've insisted on being present. I cann= ot approve but if you must be here then please keep quiet and do not interru= pt the proceedings. My contacts are wary of eavesdroppers." And she moved= her hands around in the air as if indicating invisible spirits. A subdued Etta did as she was bid and Madame turned her attention ba= ck to her customer. "Cross my hand with silver, my dear, and Madame Ballen will reveal all the secrets of your future." Oh my! A grin threatened to break across Lois' face but she quickly= swallowed it, realising that this serious woman would not take kindly to being mocked. Was that phrase universal to fortune-tellers? However, willing to go along with the charade for the sake of her companions, Lois= fished for the required amount of currency and dropped it into the hand that lay open on the table. A fleeting suspicion assailed her earthly cynicism, hadn't those blunt fingers done some manual labour? Yet the gypsy was continuing with her fortune telling. With a flourish the velvet cover was lifted from an object on the table revealing a large crystal ball. And just as Lois was suppressing another laugh at the sight of the obvious prop, the inside of the glass filled with a strange gassy material. Oh, these people were good! "Lean closer, my dear," came the compelling whispering voice, "look deep into the crystal and all will be revealed." Lois dropped her head towards the murky ball, hoping that she could hide her grin from the watching woman. Amazingly an ethereal face materialized in the swirling gas, a face that looked vaguely familiar and= despite her reservations Lois peered closer. Immediately the face and the glass disappeared. The gas, no longer enclosed within the sphere shot into Lois' face, enveloping her, choking her, almost instantaneously Lois fainted. A shriek escaped from Etta's lips, at once cut off by a large fist that clamped itself over the lady-in-waiting's mouth and another body came swiftly from behind the hangings and, using an injection gun, anaesthetised Etta before she could= come to the aid of her mistress or alert the others to their plight. = Within minutes the interior of the tent was emptied and the unconscious women were bundled through a back exit and unceremoniously dumped into a compartment in the floor of a large wooden cart that was filled with a noxious material... circus dung. Madame Ballen, discarding= her colourful disguise to reveal a labourer's coverall, climbed onto the driver's board, his partners in crime joining him forthwith. Slowly, wi= th an exaggerated air of nonchalance, along the alley between the wall and t= he rear of the tents the cart made its way out of the camp site, hidden from= inquisitive eyes and, due to its nasty smelling contents, totally uninterrupted. For longer than they had anticipated Zara and Gellis waited outside = in the sunshine enthusiastically awaiting their turn to enter the soothsayer= 's domain. Yet as the time slipped by, first Zara and then Gellis became increasingly uneasy. After another surreptitious glance over her should= er Zara announced that the guard who had remained at the entrance to bar any= interruptions had now gone and their stress levels rose alarmingly. = Did this mean that Lois and Etta would be coming out shortly? They waited impatiently but to no avail. Finally, Zara stomped to the tent do= or and, as there was no solid surface on which to knock, she raised her voic= e and called for her friend. Silence was her only answer. She called agai= n but Gellis being of a more adventuresome nature pulled the curtain aside and exposed the empty interior. Rushing inside they sped through the ten= t and out the other side, but clearly the object of their search was nowher= e to be found. = Desperately the two frightened girls combed the surrounding booths b= ut after a short time Zara declared it a useless exercise. With heavy heart= s the two young women retraced their steps homeward. It was time to return= to the palace and confess to Kal-El that his beloved wife had been kidnapped. = ***** = = Continued in P/9 Hopefully I should be able to post the next part in a few days. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:53:40 -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: Universal Union Book2 P/8 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Jenni, this is wonderful!! Please keep the next parts coming. :) Vicki Vicki Krell Sponsored Projects Officer Office of Research and Creative Activities Arizona State University (480) 965-2171 (480) 965-1703 - fax Vicki.Krell@asu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 22:35:18 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "=?iso-8859-1?q?R.=20Ziegler?=" Subject: Re: Universal Union Book2 P/8 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Oh, I love your story so much, Jenni!! :) Please, post more soon!!! Ren __________________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail - http://mail.yahoo.de Yahoo! Auktionen - gleich ausprobieren - http://auktionen.yahoo.de ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 15:14:35 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: Universal Union Book2 P/8 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jenni - ditto Ren - keep it coming merry "R. Ziegler" wrote: > Oh, I love your story so much, Jenni!! :) > > Please, post more soon!!! > > Ren > __________________________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail - http://mail.yahoo.de > Yahoo! Auktionen - gleich ausprobieren - http://auktionen.yahoo.de ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 17:52:57 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: Mergers and Breakdowns Part 4 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit "Lex, where are we?" Lois looked around and couldn't fathom how Lex had gotten her up so high without her noticing. "I must have fell asleep or something." "You did my dear but that's alright. It just makes the surprise all the more sweeter." Lex walked Lois around the corner and escorted her into the elevator. Holding her arm in his, he caressed her shoulder with a gentle touch of his fingertips. The whole incident flashed the memory of Clark's touch into her mind but was quickly forgotten. The elevator doors opened and Lois looked out beyond the railing and then to a small dinner table that was set. Waiters and servants were by the table and by the doors. As soon as she and Lex stepped out, she was greeted with a small but very warm mink wrap for the evening. She looked up at Lex who was having a discussion with one of the waiters. The other waiter pulled out a chair for Lois but was relieved but Lex. Lois had seen Lex as a gentleman before but this was different. Was he trying to help her forget the questions that Clark had posed to her? No, she had not discussed that conversation. Forgetting about Clark again, she looked out and still wondered where she was. "Lex, where are we?" She asked him again as he seated her and sat down across from her. "I remember getting on the plane and I remember getting off but your staff is no help at all when I try to get them to tell me things." Lex smiled gently over at her and then looked out on the city. It was a beautiful skyline and much more exciting than Metropolis. "Toronto. I started one of my first businesses here before I moved to Metropolis. I have always loved the skyline here. So romantic and perfect. Such a symmetry about it all." Lois marveled in watching Lex talk about the lights and architecture of the different buildings that seems to jump out in the dark of night. She wondered if what she felt was pure exhilaration or was she really falling for Lex. Wouldn't that be something - Lex Luthor's woman. "Lois dear?" "Sorry, I was musing. I'm just always so taken aback by how all out you go for these dates." Lois looks up and sees Lex hold up his hand and the two men by the elevator disappear. "I only do this for you. My purpose when I am with you is to only concentrate on us." Lex took Lois' hand from across the table. "You - I could have anything in the world - but I choose you over all others. I think money only makes me so much. I want more." Lex smiled over in Lois direction. She thought she could never hear words that would make her feel so good. She squeezed Lex's and looked back over the skyline. Several minutes later, the waiters serving dinner interrupted the two. Lois was so impressed that she and Lex had separate waiters to wait on them hand and foot. Every time Lois' wine glass was half full, the waiter topped it off. She was amazed. The rest of the evening she and Lex talked about their work and the city as they ate. In the back of her mind, she remembered the story that she had to get. "Lex. Thank you, I'm finished. Lex, The Planet got a tip that you're buying up Interweb Explorer. I know you hate to talk shop but I was pressured to ask." Lois gritted her teeth and squeezed her palms together. "No, that's fine. I understand there's no way for you to get away from your work when I am one of the biggest news stories. It's true - I have made a very generous bid for the Interweb Explorer Company and its email services. I just feel that way I can link LNN so much more easily to the rest of the world without having to pay a royalty to someone. Regardless of the implications, I think it's a solid buy; it will make money in the long run. Is that what you wanted to hear?" "Something like that. We just got a hunch and wondered how true it was." Lois was asking questions about work but still felt like her head was in the clouds. She didn't know what to ask next. She looked over and saw Lex staring at her longingly. She felt somewhat embarrassed by talking about work but felt satisfied that the answer would get Perry off her back. Staring back out into the sky, she didn't notice that Lex had gone to talk to the waiters and other staff that was around them. Soon after, Lex returned and moved his chair around the table in front of Lois. "What?" Lex continued to stare at Lois and rub his hand in hers. Letting go, he pushed the chair out of the way and rubbed his hand across the side of Lois' face. Lois sat completely motionless; she had a feeling what was coming. She had had this feeling since she talked to Clark so much earlier in the evening. Reaching into his pocket, Lex pulled out a little black velvet box and opened it. "Lois, I would be honored if you would say yes. Will you marry me Lois Lane?" Lex took the ring from the box and looked in Lois' eyes to search for her answer. Lois started breathing deeper and rubbed her hand along Lex's face. She could see from his eyes that this was completely real and no joke. "I ... it's so soon. Lex, I don't even know you very well. The dates and the places and the gifts are all wonderful but I can't say yes if I don't believe I'm in love." Lex looked somber at Lois' remark. Closing the box, he put it back in his pocket and pulled the chair up again to sit down. "I am so sorry I jumped the gun. I thought we had gotten close in the few weeks and I assumed..." Lois put her fingers over Lex's mouth. She didn't want to hear the rest of the conversation. She knew she should have taken the ring and held him off longer during the engagement. Lex got up and went into another room off the side of the elevator and returned with the help. Soon after, a very quiet Lois and Lex returned to the ground and the plane. On the plane, Lois decided to break the awful silence. "Lex, please talk to me. I just want to get to know you better. Marriage is a really huge step in life and my parents have already showed me that anything can happen." Lex turned and looked at Lois. She looked so sad that she had stabbed a proverbial knife in his heart. "I want us to be happy. And if waiting will make you happy, it will make me happy." Lex gestured in taking Lois' hands and placing them on his heart. Inside, Lex felt there had to be more. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 17:53:46 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: Mergers and Breakdowns Part 5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit "Well, the office looks a little better. Did they by any chance tell you where your new office would be? We could take all the stuff down there is they did." In the last few hours Clark had lost his sport coat and loosened his tie during all the work. He treated the work like it took all the possible strength he had to hide the obvious. Mayson had continued to trade glances and smiles with him during the whole clean up stage. Now that they were done, they stared each other and wondered what to do next. "I haven't been given a new office number exactly; they assumed it would take me longer to clean up I guess. But thanks to you." Clark looked over at her and smiled. "Well, it's getting really late and I know both of us have homes to get to." Clark stacked the last box of usable papers together and started toward the door. "I should have known. You're such a great guy; you probably have kids or a wife to get home to. I really didn't mean to keep you so late." Mayson put her jacket back on and handed Clark his. "You were about to forget this." "Then I would have had an excuse to come back. Mayson, I'm not married. I just have a few errands to run before getting to bed tonight." Bed. Mayson took another look at Clark's body and thought about what his body would look like in a bed, wrapped in a sheet. She tried desperately not to sigh where he wouldn't notice. "Can I walk you out?" "Let me get the keys. The last thing I want to do is someone to steal all the stuff in the office. I am so glad that tomorrow is Saturday. I need a day off after today." Mayson followed Clark and closed and locked the door behind her. As Clark was walking her down the stairs, he was careful to put his arm just near enough around her side to keep her balanced but not pulled to him. She was extremely tired and seemed to stumble some down the stairs. All the while, Mayson was thinking of the small electric shocks going through her skin every time Clark's finger accidentally brushed up against her. Walking to her car, Mayson stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "Look, Clark you are a really wonderful guy and I have no idea how or why you fell into my office, but I would love to pay you back sometime." Clark could see Mayson blushing the most beautiful crimson color. Smiling back, he continued to her car without answering her proposal. Opening her door, Mayson climbed in and took another deep breath with seeing Clark leaning over her. "To answer your question, I think you know where I work." Smiling one more time, he closed the door and watched her drive off before turning toward his place and toward his Superman duties. 'Work awaits,' he thought before he disappeared into the alley to take to the skies. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 18:49:02 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Terry S. Horowit" Subject: Where are the writers, take 2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I thought I'd peek out of lurking to ask if Beverly Medos is still around and still working on NEBS part 4? I seem to remember reading something about this several months ago and have been waiting with bated breath. Nu, Beverly - are you listening? Please come back! Also, Erin promised us the rest of her great story THIS WEEK - so where is it!?! Not to forget Kathy Brown's tantalizing continuation of 'Nightfall', Margaret Brignells's 'Only You', anything new by Wendy Richards, Pam Jernigan, Hazel, Nan Smith, Yvonne Connell, Irene Dutchak, Phil Atcliffe... (and, of course, any time she feels like it, Debby Stark's 'Dawning). I'm forgetting many, many people, I know. Please don't be insulted if I've forgotten to mention lots of other talented authors. So many wonderful stories have been written lately that I've gotten quite spoiled. I'll go back into lurking now... Terry ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 00:53:32 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Singin Drew Subject: Re: IRC question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit OK, I understand what you wrote, I just need to know how to do it! :o) Any help? Thanks!!! Kristin ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 01:03:36 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Singin Drew Subject: Quick question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey all. I have a question about something my older sister told me. She said she was flipping through channels and said something about them bringing Lois and Clark back. I asked her what else she saw or remembered but she couldn't remember any more. She said it was like on Inside Edition or Access Hollywood or one of those types of shows. If anyone knows of anything about it, please let me know!!! Kristin ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 02:01:32 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Alicia Utowski Subject: New: Lois and Clark Meet EBME 201 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Title: Lois and Clark Meet EBME 201 Author: Alicia Utowski (lxu2@po.cwru.edu) Feedback: PLEASE!!! I am a hopeless addict of that FDK drug! Summary: This is a little fic I wrote in 15 minutes about something we learned about in my biomed class the other day. I am so glad my parents pay to send me to college :) ************************************************* Lois and Clark Meet Biomedical Engineering 201 "Okay thank you, Dr. Cechner," Lois Lane said as she walked out of the doctor's office. "Just remember to give your husband that beeper," the tall doctor replied with a smile in a voice that reminded her somewhat of Peter Jennings. "You don't want all my hard work to go to waste." "Don't worry, I won't. I just hope it doesn't go off when he's in some strange place," Lois replied, giggling silently. What if the little beeper went off when they were at a restaurant, or while he was being Superman? That would certainly make for an odd situation. According to Dr. Cechner, they would have to drop everything they were doing to answer the beeper's call. Lois walked out of the office with a little hop in her step because this device would work; it just had to after everything they'd tried. She reached her hand up to her ear to feel the area where the doctor had inserted the little device. It was an interesting feeling, almost like her ear was plugged up, but it was not a painful feeling at all. Hopefully the device would work the way the doctor said it would. When Lois got home, Clark was waiting for her on the couch. As she walked in the door, he jumped up and met her. "What did the doctor say, honey?" Clark asked with a concerned expression on his face. "Well, he gave me this beeper for you to wear. When the device he implanted in my ear sends it a signal, it will beep and you have to come find me," Lois said with a sly grin on her face. "And then you'll know what to do." "Do you think it will work?" "I hope so." In the next few days, both waited on edge for the beeper to sound, but when it hadn't sounded for over a week they had pushed all thoughts of it to the backs of their minds. Clark still carried the beeper at all times, and Lois still felt the little device in her ear, but they didn't realistically believe it would ever beep. Neither said anything, though, because each didn't want to destroy the other's hopes that this would turn out successfully and they would finally get exactly what they had wanted for so long. One afternoon, Clark heard a fire siren and had to leave the newsroom to be Superman. He got to the scene and, after he ascertained that there was no one left in the building, he began helping the fire fighters control the blaze. Suddenly, a beeping sound emanated from Superman's cape. Clark gasped. Did this have to happen now? Even though this was what he had wanted his whole life, he hadn't expected it to come while he was Superman. What was he going to do? How was he going to explain this? The answer was obvious. He had to go get Lois and take her home. They would think of an explanation later, and that was the least important thing on his mind as he flew away. The people nearby all stared at Superman, with the strange beeping coming from his cape, while Clark wondered why he hadn't asked Lois to get a beeper that had a vibrate setting on it. It was obvious to Clark, what he had to do. He mumbled a quick regret and flew back to the Planet as quickly as all the Superstrength in his body would let him. Lois was already waiting for him on the roof. "It went off," Clark said, blushing a bright crimson. "I know, I felt the vibrations in my ear." The grin on Lois' face grew as Clark asked, "Why did you get the vibrating one?" Lois hopped into his arms and kissed his neck. "Let's stop talking and get home. We have to do this now." During the short flight home, Lois waited with bated breath for what would happen when they finally got home. An hour later, Lois leaned into Clark's bare chest and yawned lazily. Clark's hands instinctively wrapped around her small body, and he kissed the back of her neck. "That was wonderful." "I know" "Yeah." "Clark, who knows, maybe this temperature monitor worked. Maybe we'll have some good news in a few weeks." "I hope so. We've been trying so hard." "Who would have thought you could tell when a woman is ovulating by putting a thermometer in her ear?" "Yeah, and who would have thought you would ovulate when I was trying to put out a massive fire?" Clark smiled to show he was only kidding, and that he was, indeed happy that the beeper had finally gone off. "Oh, did people hear it?" Lois said softly, a hint of laughter in her voice. Clark laughed harshly, "Um, yeah. I think they thought it was a little strange that Superman started beeping and then he flew away without any explanation." Lois joked, "Well, you could always freak them out and tell the world that you had to leave because your wife was ovulating." Clark turned Lois in his arms and kissed her passionately. In between kisses, he managed to say, "Do you want to do something about it again?" The End (Okay, it's probably not perfect. It only took 15 minutes...) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 02:06:11 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Singin Drew Subject: Re: New: Lois and Clark Meet EBME 201 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit That was adorable! I thought that's what they were talking about but I wasn't exactly sure until the end! Very cute!!! BTW... can you really do that??? Kristin ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 02:34:01 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Alicia Utowski Subject: Re: New: Lois and Clark Meet EBME 201 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit yep you can really do that :)... my professor was telling us about it in class the other day... he said by the end of the semester we will be able to make them :) Alicia ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 04:26:35 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Re: New: Lois and Clark Meet EBME 201 In-Reply-To: <73.895856.25b80ccc@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Lois and Clark Meet Biomedical Engineering 201 Alicia, this was one was light, humorous, and a lovely proof that fanfic writing really is taking everything you know, see, or experience and applying it to Lois and Clark. :) As to Kristin's question -- sure, why not? Ovulation can be determined by a sudden rise in basal body temperature. As long as Lois hasn't come down with a fever, it should work just fine. Hope this was a satisfying dose of FDK, Alicia! Hazel (who thinks that FDK is going to become FoLC-lore if you'll pardon the pun. :) ) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 04:26:39 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Re: New: Universal Union Book2 P/3 In-Reply-To: <200001191354_MC2-9562-CE91@compuserve.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Jenni, This was very good. I adore villains who are wholly ruthless and your Nor seems to fit the bill rather nicely. :) I did find myself wondering, from time to time, about the earth-centric flavor of certain events. A ribbon-cutting ceremony...? A throne and sceptre are things I can percieve as being more or less "universal," although the ceremony did most definitely have a very Terran flavor. Even the "cross my palm with silver" thingy at the carnival took me aback. I'm not faulting this, you understand, Jenni. It's just that the setting is so clearly a different world that some of the more blatantly earth-like aspects shook me out of the story. I personally preferred this kind of thing: > which culminated late at night in a > fantastic laser-light display, blazing in technicolour magnificence high > above the castle rock. Technological fireworks, Lois hypothesized silently > as she stood by Kal Similar ways of rejoicing, but without screaming "Fourth of July!" (or "Guy Fawkes" for you FoLCs across the pond) BTW, I noticed that the "blonde bimbo" lived in a town called "Maison." A little bit of irony there, Jenni...? :) I think this was my favorite line: >The >ancient and often austere civilization of Krypton would prove to the >universe that they had not forgotten how to party. Now *that* is prolly the greatest common denominator. ;) Good cliffhanger and a highly original kidnapping. I look forward to more of this, Jenni. Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 11:01:28 +0000 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: Where are the writers, take 2 In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Wed, 19 Jan 2000 18:49:02 -0500 "Terry S. Horowit" wrote: > [snip] anything new by Wendy Richards, [snip lots of fantastic writers ] Terry, I thought I tended to write so much that people have trouble keeping up! But I should have a new story on the Archive in the next few weeks ('For the Greater Good', my long WHAMmy story which some people will already have read on the MBs), and I'm about half-way through a sequel to my next-gen story, 'Love so Long...' which also reintroduces Conor from 'Big Boys Do Fly.' Does that help? :) Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 12:40:17 +0000 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: Mergers and Breakdowns Part 4 In-Reply-To: <2d.31d467.25b79a49@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Mary, this is getting intriguing. I like the way you're bringing out the conflicting emotions within your characters, and I look forward to seeing where you intend to take the story. Thanks for posting this! Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 13:11:14 -0000 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: IRC question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Kristin wrote: > OK, I understand what you wrote, I just need to know how to do it! :o) Any > help? Thanks!!! > Was this me? Sorry, I'm catching up on my list posts at least a day late here and doing a lot of deleting, so I have no idea if anyone else answered your question or not. If it's me , mail me privately and I'll try to help. LabRat :) labrat@starlabs.fsnet.co.uk> ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 06:59:26 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Where are the writers, take 2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit If you're talking about me, Terry, I'm in the middle of another one on the message boards right now, which will eventually come to the list and the Archive. Nan Smith Terry S. Horowit wrote: > I thought I'd peek out of lurking to ask if Beverly Medos is still around > and still working on NEBS part 4? I seem to remember reading something > about this several months ago and have been waiting with bated breath. Nu, > Beverly - are you listening? Please come back! > Also, Erin promised us the rest of her great story THIS WEEK - so where is > it!?! > Not to forget Kathy Brown's tantalizing continuation of 'Nightfall', > Margaret Brignells's 'Only You', anything new by Wendy Richards, Pam > Jernigan, Hazel, Nan Smith, Yvonne Connell, Irene Dutchak, Phil Atcliffe... > (and, of course, any time she feels like it, Debby Stark's 'Dawning). I'm > forgetting many, many people, I know. Please don't be insulted if I've > forgotten to mention lots of other talented authors. So many wonderful > stories have been written lately that I've gotten quite spoiled. > I'll go back into lurking now... > Terry ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 09:23:18 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: James Tull Subject: New-7 Days of Superman Part 1 of ? Comments: To: 7d , BackStep Fiction , Tad Flowers , Marc Gartin , Dave and Debbie Harrison , Travel Time , Dad Tull , Danny Tull MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Once more into the breach dear friends. Since we last met. October – December: Final preparations for the arrival of our first-born. Elisabeth’s nesting drive kicked into overdrive. December 15th – RoseMary Grace joined the ranks of the air-breathing members of our family. Life as we knew it ceased to exist and we have been re-inventing our lives. (Wouldn’t have it any other way:-) While all this has been going on – ideas have been percolating in this sleep deprived mind. I re-wrote everything that I submitted so far and then promptly lost the file. AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! Needless to say I have been a little down about this. But I refuse to give up. I do plan to release the story in smaller pieces. I hope you like it. Enough changes were made that I am starting all over again. All comments and suggestions are welcome. Please let me know publicly of any blatant plot holes. Please let me know privately of any grammatical/spelling blunders. Title: 7 Days of Superman Part: 1 of ? Author: Mr. D8a Rating: PG-13 Genre: Crossover Summary: I don't know what to say that won't give it all away. Superman fails to stop the nuking of Washington DC and gets some help from Frank B. Parker from Operation Backstep. Personal Note: This story, in no way, links in with Mr. D8a's and Elisabeth's Lois and Clark universe. This is purely the creation of Mr. D8a's mind...so beware! (Okay there is some dialog help from Elisabeth) Copyright Stuff: Lois and Clark and the rest of the show's entourage are the property of DC, Warner, ABC, and Joanne Siegel and Laura Siegel Larson. Seven Days is the property of UPN. BACKGROUND INFORMATION.SEVEN DAYS (Details supplied by http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/9329/SevenDays +++++++++++++++++++++++ Wednesday, October 6, 1999 12:40pm EST Metropolis Daily Planet +++++++++++++++++++++++ "Are you sure you want to do this? It's not to late to back out." "Are you kidding! Little Ivan loves his Uncle Jimmee and Aunt Lucee." Jimmy Olsen exaggerated the 'EE' sounds just like the toddler in question. "Ha ha. Okay. Our reservations are for 6:30, so be there by 5:30 so that Lois will have enough time to give you the litany of things to do, phone numbers to call..." Jimmy's eyes started to motion over Clark's shoulder before he said, in a positively cheesy grin on his face, "Hi Lois!" "... and don't bother eating beforehand. We'll have something for you when you get there." "Who's doing the cooking?" This was said with a mock look of horror on Jimmy's face. "I heard that James Olsen! Just for that *I'll* do the cooking! What do think Clark, Ellen’s Spam souffle with spinach leaves stuffed with pureed black olives, smothered in a Alfredo cream sauce or Lucy’s No-Crust Vegetarian Pizza?" The look on both their faces was reward enough. Lois turned on her heel laughing all the way back to her desk. Clark leaned toward Jimmy and spoke in a sotto voice, "I'll throw in a pizza about ten minutes before you get there." ===== Mr. D8a Philipians 4:8 The love of James' life is Elisabeth, but... Daddy's little sweetheart is Rosa! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 10:48:40 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: James Tull Subject: New-7 Days of Superman Part 2 of ? Comments: To: 7d , BackStep Fiction , Tad Flowers , Marc Gartin , Dave and Debbie Harrison , Travel Time , Dad Tull , Danny Tull MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii All comments and suggestions are welcome. Please let me know publicly of any blatant plot holes. Please let me know privately of any grammatical/spelling blunders. Title: 7 Days of Superman Part: 2 of ? Author: Mr. D8a Rating: PG-13 Genre: Crossover Summary: I don't know what to say that won't give it all away. Superman fails to stop the nuking of Washington DC and gets some help from Frank B. Parker from Operation Backstep. Personal Note: This story, in no way, links in with Mr. D8a's and Elisabeth's Lois and Clark universe. This is purely the creation of Mr. D8a's mind...so beware! (Okay there is some dialog help from Elisabeth) Copyright Stuff: Lois and Clark and the rest of the show's entourage are the property of DC, Warner, ABC, and Joanne Siegel and Laura Siegel Larson. Seven Days is the property of UPN. BACKGROUND INFORMATION.SEVEN DAYS (Details supplied by http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/9329/SevenDays +++++++++++++++++++++++ Wednesday, October 6, 1999 8:01pm EST Metropolis Dining Room at the Lexor Hotel +++++++++++++++++++++++ Even though it was overcast the cityscape looked beautiful. As it passed slowly by their window, Clark couldn't help but notice the pensive look in Lois' face. That and the fact that she had tortured her chocolate mousse for the last ten minutes without eating a bite caused him to raise a questioning eyebrow and clear his throat to get her attention. “Oh! Sorry. I was off in the ozone wasn’t I?” “Yes. I thought that was my job.” Clark flashed her reassuring smile. He put his fork down and gave her his full attention. “What’s on your mind?” "Should I feel bad, Clark?" "Why should you feel bad, Lois? We finally have a night alone. No evil plots unfolding. No hot story to investigate. No two year old wanting yet another drink of water and yet another story to be read to him. Just a quiet evening dinner for two, atop the city's most expensive rotating hotel." "That's it exactly. It's great that Lucy and Jimmy agreed to watch little Ivan tonight, but..." "But you're wondering if it is alright to *enjoy* being away from Ivan considering that you feel like you're barely there for him during the week. This from the woman that spends every coffee break and half her lunches in the Daily Planet's Early Editions Day Care" "I know it's been months since we've had any time alone, but I still feel like we don't spend enough time with him. We were so lucky that the adoption went through and we where able to bring little Ivan here to the states. But now that we have him we hardly ever see him. The hours we keep are atrocious...hectic...completely unacceptable if we hadn't been doing this for so long! Don't look at me that way. I know we spend nearly every waking hour together but mostly it's Daily Planet time or commuting time or stake out time or chasing bad guy time. Combine that with the world's hold on your time and there is no time for *family* time or us time." Lois finished with tears welling up in her eyes and her hands clenched. Clark reached his hand across the table and slowly disentangled her hands and wrapped hers in his. The look in his eyes spoke volumes of the sorrow her words had brought to his heart. "I know you have cut back as much as you can. And I know that your heart breaks when you have to ignore a cry for help. I'm not begrudging you that. The world needs you. I've never asked you to stop helping people, and I won't start now. But I've been looking at the last two years of our lives and something has *got* to change…." And, as if on queue, Clark got that look in his eye. The world was calling her love away. The shocked look on his face told her this was no ordinary emergency. The investigative juices started to flow. "What?" "There is a old SS-5 nuclear missile heading for Washington D.C. It seemingly came from Cuba but at speeds not possible. Every counter-measure along the path has failed to stop or even slow it down. President Clinton has already been evacuated and they are trying to get the Members of Congress out of the city. There is no time to evacuate the entire city. It will hit in 7 minutes. Those things carried enough fissionable material to level the entire city and spread nuclear waste for miles around. I gotta go." "GO. GO. Congress was having a late session to overturn President Clinton's veto of the new tax relief bill. If that bomb goes off we will lose most of the politician in the country." Lois' eyes got a mischievous look. "Maybe you should let it go off." "Cute. I love you. Kiss Ivan good night for me. I will tuck him in later." And with that, he was gone. Within seconds, a familiar sonic boom rattled the windows of the restaurant as once again the man she loved went off to save the world. ~*~ ===== Mr. D8a Philipians 4:8 The love of James' life is Elisabeth, but... Daddy's little sweetheart is Rosa! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 00:09:46 -0000 Reply-To: Yvonne Connell Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Re: Where are the writers, take 2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Terry, I actually have a new story ready to go up, but I was going to wait a couple of days, since Jenni's just posted her wonderful story and I didn't want to crowd the list (it's on the message boards, if anyone's impatient and has browser access to the net). Also, it won't be that long before it's on the archive - unless you all pick holes in the plot, of course! Yvonne (yconnell@ukf.net) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 21:41:49 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mary Scibetta Subject: Mergers and Breakdowns Part 6 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable It was late when Clark made his normal nighttime pass by Lois' apartment= .=20 He felt he should take a careful watch by her place particularly tonight=20 since she was concerned about her date. Seeing her lights on so late=20 surprised him. Hanging outside her window, he waited to see where she was.=20= =20 In her apartment, Lois could feel the recognizable draft that his entrance=20 usually made, and she pulled the curtains back.=20 "I didn't mean to bother you so late. I heard about tonight from Clark=20 wanted to make sure you were alright." "I'm fine, just a little tired. Probably just the jet lag. He took me=20 to Toronto for dinner. Something about the best view in the East." Lois=20 hesitated and then walked up to Superman. "Superman, have you ever had a=20 relationship with someone?" "No Lois, not in that way. I tend to try to stay a low profile unless=20 I'm needed." Superman walked past Lois and turned to look at her. "I feel=20 my involvement would bring more harm than good to certain people, like those= =20 I could get involved with. I don't want anyone hurt, especially because of=20 me." "I just was curious. " She moved closer to him and started to rub her=20 hands up his arms. "You know how I feel about you. Can you tell me true -=20 if everything was right in the world, would you fly to me?" Superman took a= =20 deep breath and lowered Lois hands from his chest. "Truth." Superman lowered his head and then looked at Lois. "Sometimes= =20 the truth is better unsaid." Lois waited another response but instead got a= =20 distant look from the Man of Steel. Walking to the window, Lois pulled back= =20 the curtains. "I'm sorry." Superman kissed her forehead and disappeared=20 into the night. Standing in the window, Lois started talking to herself. "Go. I=20 understand. I just needed to know." Lois closed up the window and retreate= d=20 to bed in complete confusion. 'One down, one to go,' she thought as she fel= l=20 asleep. There ain't no talking to this man He's been trying to tell me so It took a while to understand The beauty of just letting go Cause it would take an acrobat And I already tried all that I'm going to let him fly=E2=80=A6 =20 The next Monday at the Planet was tinged with stress when Clark hit the=20 newsroom floor. Looking in Lois' direction, there seemed to be a crowd=20 around her desk. Trying to root out all the other noise, all he could hear=20 was that she was confused. Picking up his coffee quickly, he hurried over=20 and joined in the group. "Good morning." "Clark, I am so glad to see you. We need to talk." Clark looked=20 concerned at Lois when he saw her face. She had wrinkles he hadn't seen=20 before and noticed she wasn't her steady self. Clearing out the crowd, he=20 escorted Lois into the conference room and closed the door. =20 "Sit down Lois." He poured her some water, knowing that coffee could only=20 make her shaky life worse. Sitting down across from her, Clark took her=20 hands in his and waited. "We're best friends, right?" Clark nodded and squeezed her hands to reassur= e=20 her. "You know when I had a feeling about last night? Lex asked me to marr= y=20 him." Lois sat still and waited for Clark's reaction. He was calm and=20 continued to hold her hands. "And?" Clark moved in closer and looked quickly at her hands for the=20 ring. Luthor would have gotten a rock for her for sure. Clark wanted to di= e=20 to think he couldn't compete for Lois on that level. For some reason, only=20 Superman could compete with that. "I didn't say yes, but I didn't say no. I said I needed some time. I=20 have some conflicting thoughts and then everything that you said last night.= =20 And then what Superman said to me about his feelings. I mean I would hate=20 to fall for Luthor and then find out that he is actually a crook or=20 something. I mean I could be implicated. And you don't like him and if I=20 marry him, it would get in the way of us being partners or he could move us=20 away to somewhere else. He took me to Toronto for dinner last night and kep= t=20 musing like he would want to move back. I just can't leave all this. I=20 can't leave Superman for someone else to adopt him as their own exclusive."=20= =20 Lois looked up and saw Clark's face. No expression except maybe for some=20 twinge when Lois mentioned Superman. She squeezed his hands more. "I can't= =20 leave my partner. I can't imagine being a homebody with everything handed t= o=20 me. I don't want to leave this. I don't want to leave you." Lois and=20 Clark's eyes met from across the conference table. "Lois, no one ever said you had to leave the Planet. Luthor asked for=20 your hand, but if he doesn't have your heart, nothing matters. This isn't m= y=20 decision to influence. You know my thoughts but this is your heart, and I'l= l=20 stand behind you regardless." Clark took a deep breath and sat back in the=20 chair. Lois put her head down on the table in her arms. Clark so wished he= =20 could tell the whole truth about how he felt and who he was. He knew for=20 many months that he was in love with Lois but promised himself to let things= =20 pan themselves out. He wondered if it was time to come clean since Lois was= =20 now on a fence and looking toward a life with someone besides him. Lois=20 lifted her head up and looked at Clark. More composed she looked across the= =20 table at her partner. He just sat there. No reaction. Lois wanted so much= =20 for him to tell her the truth about his feelings but wasn't ready to push. "Well, at least he didn't push. Actually, he seemed real hurt that I=20 dejected him." "Think about it Lois. One of the most well known rich men in the world=20 asked you to be his wife and you said no or sort of said no. That can hurt=20= a=20 guy, especially if it's a man who gets everything he wants." Clark looked=20 across the table and saw that Lois was starting to get the reporter look bac= k=20 in her face and realized she remembered to write the other story. "You want= =20 to go type your Luthor exclusive before you forget. It looks like Perry has= =20 the rumor mill under control." Clark got up from his chair and pulled Lois'= =20 out for her and pointed out by her desk. All the people had dispersed,=20 leaving her ready to work. Clark walked her out and sat down at his desk an= d=20 watched to make sure Lois was really all right. Seeing Perry come out to=20 talk to her, he continued with his own work. He could see Lois had been=20 stressed. He wished she had some other girlfriend to go to sometimes for=20 some things but was happy that she felt confident enough to share with him. "Lois honey, are you alright?" Perry walked up and patted Lois on the=20 back. Jimmy suddenly appeared and was quickly sent off to do something=20 completely unnecessary to keep him busy. "I'm fine. I'm still a little confused but Clark has a gift for=20 listening." Lois looked past Perry to Clark and smiled. Clark smiled back=20 liking the comment that he overheard. She was going to okay. Perry smiled=20 at Lois and knew everything would work itself out. If he really needed to=20 know, he would ask more details later. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 22:03:47 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Alexis W." Subject: Re: New: Lois and Clark Meet EBME 201 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit LOL! That was a cute little story. I found myself giggling at the beeper part. It was nice to take something so techinal like ovulating (the subject can be boring most of the time) and turn it into something like this. I would keep this story going. I want to know if all of that embarrassment for Superman worked! Alexis ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 23:13:07 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genine Murray Subject: Darkest Hour MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Erin, Are you alive out there?!? I sure hope so! :) You didn't think you were gonna get away without any more pestering, did ya? I'm sure I'm just one of many who's wondering when the next installment of "The Darkest Hour" is going to be posted. I've been waiting *very* patiently all week and ... nothing. ;) I'm hoping I didn't miss anything. This is torture!! When are we gonna get Lois and Clark busted outta there?!? They've been in there an *awfully* long time now! ;) Any chance you could post some more, or at least let us know how it's coming? I know I'd sure appreciate it, and I'm sure everyone else would as well. Genine (one anxious FoLC ) SuperGem4@aol.com SuperGEM on IRC ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 22:04:20 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: Darkest Hour In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Genine wrote: > Erin, > > Are you alive out there?!? I sure hope so! :) You didn't think you > were gonna get away without any more pestering, did ya? > I'm sure I'm > just one of many who's wondering when the next installment of "The Darkest > Hour" is going to be posted. I've been waiting *very* patiently > all week and > ... nothing. ;) I'm hoping I didn't miss anything. This is > torture!! When > are we gonna get Lois and Clark busted outta there?!? They've > been in there > an *awfully* long time now! ;) Any chance you could post some > more, or at > least let us know how it's coming? I know I'd sure appreciate it, and I'm > sure everyone else would as well. LOL!!! Wow, it's amazing to hear you're all so anxious to finish reading this! A month ago I was seriously considering scrapping the whole thing, so you can imagine how terrific it is to hear pleas like this. ;) In answer to your question, Genine, as well as the many pleas I've received privately, yes!! I'm planning on posting the next installment in the next day or so, and several more immediately following. I've got the rest of this story all but written, but the next installment needed to have a few bugs worked out of the virus section (no pun intended ) that was in that installment, so it didn't get posted as soon as I'd planned. But once that section is finished (hopefully tomorrow morning ;), I can post *several* pasts to make up for lost time. Also, the reason I didn't get to that section earlier was that Pam, Kathy and I were working on finalizing the Kerth 2000 categories and category descriptions over the last several days, so I've been a little busy. ;) Wendy Richards (jokingly, I'm sure ;) mentioned on IRC that none of you FoLCs would mind if we just put off the Kerth preparations until I finished 'Darkest Hour,' but I could just see the cyber tomatoes being aimed at my head if I did that. So rest assured, I was busy with a worthwhile cause! ;) Anyway, look for more 'Darkest Hour' over the next few days! I hope you'll find it was worth the wait. ;) Bye for now! Erin :) __________________ erink@ida.net Visit my LNC/Kerth Website: www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "It's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." __________________ ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 02:03:57 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Singin Drew Subject: (no subject) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey all! It's Kristin. I was just wondering if anyone is having problems reading stories from the lcfanfic site. If I go to theme and look up stories by Kerth Awards '99, I can't read the stories. It tells me site not found so then I have to go to look them up by name and it's such a pain! Is anyone having this problem? Thanks! Kristin ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 04:02:08 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: Re: New: Universal Union Book2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Hi Hazel, >>>I did find myself wondering, from time to time, about the earth-centri= c flavor of certain events. A ribbon-cutting ceremony...? A throne and sceptre are things I can percieve as being more or less "universal," although the ceremony did most definitely have a very Terran flavor. Even= the "cross my palm with silver" thingy at the carnival took me aback. I'm not faulting this, you understand, Jenni. It's just that the setting = is so clearly a different world that some of the more blatantly earth-like aspects shook me out of the story. I personally preferred this kind of thing:> which culminated late at night in a > fantastic laser-light display, blazing in technicolour magnificence hig= h > above the castle rock. Technological fireworks, Lois hypothesized silently > as she stood by Kal<<< I'm sorry Hazel if the similarities between Krypton and Earth threw you a= little, but as I've mentioned in the story, in my saga Kryptonians believ= e that Earth civilisation has the same origins as Krypton. Also my Romany circus travels the galaxies, so perhaps they stopped by Earth a time or t= wo and some of the tribe were left behind. I've written Krypton as a mixture of a highly techno world and an almost medievil one. And yes, my enthronement scene is based on the coronation ceremonies of ancient Scotland with a some of my imagination thrown into the mix. I'm not really into scientific technology but I do love histor= y, so I hoped that I would get away with creating a world that was a peculia= r blend of both. I hope that this point didn't marr your enjoyment of the story too much. Yours Jenni = ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 11:01:31 +0000 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: (no subject) In-Reply-To: <44.11cac4c.25b95edd@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII I went and had a look after reading Kirstin's email, and she's right. None of the links work; I get an Error 404. Kathy/Lauren, is there some maintenance going on at the moment? Wendy On Fri, 21 Jan 2000 02:03:57 EST Singin Drew wrote: > Hey all! It's Kristin. I was just wondering if anyone is > having problems reading stories from the lcfanfic site. If > I go to theme and look up stories by Kerth Awards '99, I > can't read the stories. It tells me site not found so then > I have to go to look them up by name and it's such a pain! > Is anyone having this problem? Thanks! > > Kristin ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 07:02:54 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Guy or Lesley Hilliard Subject: Re: Mergers and Breakdowns Part 6 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is going together very well, Mary. I am enjoying the story very much. One little thing, however. I don't think that Lois would get jetlag going between Toronto and Metrolpolis. They are both in the same time zone. She would be tired though from the long flight. It would probably take a private Lear Jet something between one and two hours each direction. Keep up the good work Lesley AKA Ladyhawke > "I'm fine, just a little tired. Probably just the jet lag. He took me >to Toronto for dinner. . ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 05:12:13 -0700 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: authors we haven't read lately In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:42 AM 01/18/2000 -0500, you wrote: >Debby: > >Sigh. Is there anything we can do to help? One problem passed away on Tuesday. However, new "problems" has since descended upon me, a ton of L&C scripts, thanks to Nancy that I have to fix up in my own special way so I can offer them to FoLCs >Forget the red pen. We don't care about edits, etc. I've aleady read Dawning >1-23 (or 22?) three full times and the earlier ones even more times. I'll >continue to re-read them with the same enjoyment as I read them the first >time. We just want more. Thanks for enjoying them. :) But I've forgotten most of what I wrote, so *I* have to reread them and maybe make an outline of somekind, too. At the same time if I find typos (what am I typing, "if"?), I'll fix 'em. The pen was a pretty little Pilot one I could not resist :D >Charlotte - who is getting desperate to read more Dawning and who will be >happy to tell you all about all the loose ends still waiting to be attended >to. There will be plenty of them, too, since I started making them on purpose once I realized I was writing them unconsciously :) Debby Debby@swcp.com sometimes unconscious for considerable periods of time... ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 13:25:44 -0000 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: New: Universal Union Book2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jennie wrote: I'm sorry Hazel if the similarities between Krypton and Earth threw you a little, but as I've mentioned in the story, in my saga Kryptonians believe that Earth civilisation has the same origins as Krypton. Also my Romany circus travels the galaxies, so perhaps they stopped by Earth a time or two and some of the tribe were left behind. I've written Krypton as a mixture of a highly techno world and an almost medievil one. And yes, my enthronement scene is based on the coronation ceremonies of ancient Scotland with a some of my imagination thrown into the mix. I'm not really into scientific technology but I do love history, so I hoped that I would get away with creating a world that was a peculiar blend of both. I haven't had the chance to get to this yet, Jenni (so what else is new these days?) but I find this fascinating. Sounds like every favourite science fantasy novel I've read rolled into one! Personally I've never read one yet that didn't have the same blend of earth/alien. So count yourself among some great authors there. In fact, your description reminds me greatly of Patricia Kennealy's Keltiad novels - love 'em ;) - where she postulates an entire alien society whose roots lie in Brendan's Ireland and Arthurian legend. There is of course the theory that you need some earth based elements in such a story - make it entirely too alien and the reader loses all frame of reference. The familiar reminds us that these are people just like us, with problems just like us. Can't remember now who said that. (But I know I agree with it. ;) LabRat (sucker for medieval fantasy and putting this one right at the top of her 'to read' list) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 17:12:58 +0000 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: Resurrecting the Quizzes: Kerth Categories MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII The list has been pretty quiet lately and, remembering the fun we had with these last summer, I thought I'd put another one together. This time I decided to take one of the Kerth Award categories and find stories to fit it. I chose the Episode Rewrite/Tag-on category, and as it happens I think all - or almost all - of the stories I've chosen are eligible this year (now there's a hint if ever I heard one!). Happy hunting, and don't forget the spoiler space. I won't be able to post to this list again until Monday, so the answers will be posted then. Wendy The Episode Rewrite/Tag-on Quiz EXTRACT 1: Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of something glittering and turned her head to get a better view. The costume. The sun was streaming in through her bedroom's partially opened blinds and reflecting off the rhinestones, making the sheer gold and green fabric shimmer in the light. Knowing that the costume was just an ugly reminder of her humiliating night, she sat up in disgust, preparing to grab the costume and chuck it into the nearest garbage can. But before she could, something stopped her. Confused by her sudden change in emotion, she stared at the costume for a long minute, attracted by the shimmery bodice and filmy green veil. She reached out to touch it, fingering the delicate beadwork and stitching. If it hadn't been tied to such a despicable act of passion, she'd have thought it was almost...pretty. A smile slowly formed on her face. Clark must have liked the costume, too, considering his hormone-induced plea when she'd woken up that morning. Or at the very least, had liked the way she'd looked *in* it. There wasn't much she remembered about last night, like where she'd found such a revealing outfit or how Clark had reacted when she'd arrived at his apartment wearing such a garment, but she definitely remembered Clark's words when she'd woken up that morning on his couch. His words still echoed in her mind: "Lois, I can't take it anymore! If you really want me, I'm yours." Unable to help herself, Lois laughed out loud. *Did Clark really say that?* she asked herself. If so, he must've been fighting to control himself throughout the night. And that could only mean one thing. *He's feeling about me the same way I'm beginning to feel about him.* She grinned. Maybe the costume hadn't been such a bad idea after all. EXTRACT 2 Lois moved to sit at the other end of the couch, close enough to ease some of the tension that was building in the room. "Clark," she said again, "it wasn't what you think. I was drying my hair when I heard sounds in my apartment. I went to investigate, and it was Dan." "Scardino?" Lois nodded. "He'd broken in." She began to smile at the memory, and quickly strove to crush the quirk of her lips. However, she wasn't quite fast enough to hide her expression from Clark. "What's so funny about that?" he asked, despite himself. "Oh, nothing," Lois said. "Except his expression when I felled him with a sink plunger." Clark raised his eyebrows. Suddenly sombre, Lois said, "And that's more or less when you came in. I can see how you might have jumped to the conclusion you did, but I'd hoped you knew me better than that." "So did I, but you have seemed interested in him, and I..." Clark trailed off and glanced away, unable to look her in the eye. "And you, what?" prompted Lois. "I've been shutting you out." "Oh, so you are aware of that, then?" she said, an unexpected bite in her tone. Clark nodded his head reluctantly. "I wanted to explain last night. I would have, if Scardino hadn't arrived." Lois nodded. "So," she said, "explain now." EXTRACT 3 "Lois, will you come with me?" She wasn't expecting that. Her jaw dropped infinitesimally and he saw the surprise in her face, no matter how carefully she tried to mask it. "Come with you? Where are you really going?" The sense of urgency made his voice harsher than he'd intended. "Lois, I don't have time to discuss it. Either come with me, or not. I have to go." He turned back to the ramp and started to ascend. She hesitated for only a second, then seized her shoulder bag and hurried after him. Lois couldn't believe it. He had actually asked her to accompany him on one of his mysterious exits. Maybe, finally, he was going to let her know what was behind all of his unexplained disappearances. He was ringing for the elevator as she joined him. "All right, I'll come with you. But I want an explanation." "You'll get one." His voice was tense and low; it probably couldn't be heard ten feet away. "Just not here, where people can overhear me." She was about to retort when she saw the look on his face. She'd never seen that expression on Clark before; grim, stern-visaged--for a moment he reminded her strongly of Superman but she dismissed the thought as illusion. The question remained unanswered, however. Clark was upset; she knew her partner well enough by now to recognize the telltale signs. She was still angry and hurt at his earlier behavior, but her reporter's instincts told her that there was more behind this than she had guessed. The elevator arrived at last and they boarded. As the doors closed she said, "All right, let's have it. Where are we going?" Clark deliberately punched the button for the first floor. "Mazik's Jewelers. I'm going to rob it." EXTRACT 4 "Martha?" Clark turned to Lois. "She's my mom, right?" Martha careened around the bedroom, practically bouncing off walls, carried by the strength of her righteous indignation. Her words tumbled out of her mouth, one on top of the other, until Clark's question to Lois registered. She faltered, and fell silent. "Yes, she's your mother." At Martha and Jonathan's wide-eyed looks of consternation, Lois addressed them directly. "He has amnesia, Martha and Jonathan. He doesn't remember you. He doesn't remember anything." Jonathan dropped their luggage with a thump. Martha sat down heavily on the bed beside them. "Amnesia?" Clark looked quizzically at his mom and dad. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything at all." "Not anything? But you have to remember... You need to remember..." Martha was at a loss. "That I'm Superman?" Clark continued. Jonathan turned even paler. Martha was aghast. Panic-stricken, they both turned as one, and regarded Lois solemnly. "Lois, he's not Superman." "It's the amnesia talking." "He just looks like Superman." "It's a ... a party trick, a thing he does at parties." "He's just joking, just funning around." "I don't know why he would say ..." "Stop! It's okay, guys, really." Lois held up her hand catching their attention. "I figured it out today, all on my own. Clark didn't tell me that he's Superman. He didn't know. No, I told him." EXTRACT 5 "Superman?" she called out, her voice quavering, almost breaking. "Superman? Are you out there? Kal-El? Stupendous Man? Ultra Man? I don't really care what you call yourself, but please, if you're out there --" The ledge groaned warningly under her weight, and she fought to maintain her balance. "Come and rescue me!" she shouted. "Please!" She shifted her foot sideways, reaching -- And the entire ledge crumbled away, sending her toppling outward in a shower of ancient mortar. There was no Superman to swoop in at the last moment and save her from a grisly death. She was falling, and she was going to die. In her absolute terror and despair, Lois screamed out for the one person that she desperately wanted to see one last time and now never would again: "Help! CLAAAARRRK!" There wasn't time for any more regrets or words. Lois braced herself for impact -- And the speed of her descent suddenly slowed. She gasped as warm arms encircled her, supporting her as the killing speed was lessened. Then the direction changed from the vertical to the horizontal, and she was being carried away and upwards to safety. "Superman," she choked. "Superman?" For a moment, there was no answer. Then she heard a low, hoarse voice. "Kal-El," the man whispered. Lois sobbed with relief. He was here, he existed, he'd rescued her from certain death. "Thank you. Thank you for coming in time." "I couldn't let you die," came the whisper, urgent and heavy with emotion. "I couldn't let that happen." They flew onward in silence for several seconds longer. Lois, still shivering from her near brush with death, struggled to calm herself. After all, she'd been tossed off of buildings before, suspended over bubbling vats of chemicals, nearly drowned in cement... She'd lost track of the times she'd nearly been killed, and she usually bounced right back once the danger was past. Why did she have such a bad case of the shakes now? "I thought you weren't here," she said aloud, answering her own question. She'd thought there was no one to rescue her this time, and had been convinced of her imminent demise as she'd never been before. "I'm here," he assured her in that hoarse murmur. "It's all right, Lois." She tried to relax in his arms, but failed. If only she could see him, look into those gentle brown eyes and absorb his confidence and strength... "Could we -- could we land somewhere just for a second? So you can take off the handcuffs and the blindfold?" The arms tightened around her for a brief second, then, "Lois, I'll take off the handcuffs, but not the blindfold. Not yet." Startled, Lois twisted her head in an attempt to look at him. Defeated by the blindfold, she could only question, "Super -- I mean, Kal-El? Why can't I see you?" Again, his grip tightened. "Don't ask," the whisper begged her. "It's just not meant to be." EXTRACT 6 "I've come to the conclusion that I want to be transported, if that's the right word, back into space. We don't really know why my molecules were not scattered as it was threatened they would be. If I was meant to be rescued, it is not clear how I ended up here. Perhaps something has disturbed the space-time continuum to prevent my being rescued. In any case, I would prefer being out there." The last sentence was spoken so softly that Picard could barely hear Clark. Deanna shot him a worried look and Picard came to a decision. In a commanding voice, he said, "We'll do as you ask. If we are successful, you must promise not to reveal any detail about your visit with us." Clark smiled ruefully. "I know a thing or two about keeping secrets. The people of Earth in my time don't know that Superman or Kal-El is really Clark Kent. Thank you. All of you." Clark got up to leave the room and Picard took the opportunity to pull Barbara aside. "Set the transporter to return him to the Enterprise after one hour." She nodded. EXTRACT 7 "We have to let Lex kill Clark. I don't see any other way," said Lois without preamble as Superman set her down on a mountainside high above Metropolis. Superman was at a loss. He didn't have enough information and what little he did have had him frightened for Lois's safety, not his own. He thought back to this afternoon, the last time that he had felt even remotely in control - even then the world had been out of kilter. He had gone to see Lois at her request at LNN and been very surprised at the job offer she had made him. It had given him hope that she really had missed him - even if it was only as her partner. The crumbs I live on, he'd thought in wry acknowledgement of his vulnerability where Lois was concerned. Until that moment, he hadn't been sure that he was going to tell her he loved her. Once he'd seen her, he'd known. He was lost without her and felt a sense of desperation, as if this were his last chance. Lois's reaction had surprised him; her eyes filled with tears as she said, "I do love you, but as a friend." His heart sank and it was with great surprise that he had felt Lois engulf him in a hug. Hiding her face so she wouldn't be seen speaking, she said in a voice she hoped was low enough that it would not be overheard by those she knew were listening, "We're being watched, and if you're not careful, you'll get us both killed. Play along and, as Superman, come to my place as soon as you can." ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 09:28:39 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: Resurrecting the Quizzes: Kerth Categories MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Yay, a new quiz. Lots of fun. Okay, here goes. #1 Dance of the Seven Veils by Erin Klingler. #2 So... That's What You've Been Hiding by Chris Carr #3 ? I know I know it but I can't remember who wrote it and I'll probably end up smacking myself with a wet noodle when I find out whose this is but ... #4 Shaken, Not Stirred by um, me. (g) #5 The Mirror Crack'd by Hazel #6 From the Stars by Carolyn Schnall #7 Forever Obsessed by Judith Tylke So, Wendy, how'd I do? (g) Irene __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 17:42:10 +0000 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: Resurrecting the Quizzes: Kerth Categories In-Reply-To: <20000121172839.24711.qmail@web904.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Fri, 21 Jan 2000 09:28:39 -0800 "Irene D." wrote: [snip Irene's answers] > So, Wendy, how'd I do? (g) > Well, you forgot the spoiler space for a start! /me slaps Irene with Dean's snorkel Pretty good - but get that one you missed before Monday! Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 09:45:57 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: Resurrecting the Quizzes: Kerth Categories MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Oops S P O I L E R S P A C E The one I missed - Nan Smith's 'The Way It Should Have Been. Irene --- Wendy Richards wrote: > On Fri, 21 Jan 2000 09:28:39 -0800 "Irene D." > wrote: > > [snip Irene's answers] > > > So, Wendy, how'd I do? (g) > > > > Well, you forgot the spoiler space for a start! /me > slaps > Irene with Dean's snorkel > > Pretty good - but get that one you missed before > Monday! > > > Wendy > > ---------------------- > Wendy Richards > w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 13:10:15 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: RFC822 error: Incorrect or incomplete address field found and ignored. From: Carolyn Schnall Subject: Review of S5/9 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii" TimesHi FoLCs: S5/9 Whisky Galore by Dom Melaragni, edited by Laurie (Cameraman Jo McBride) S P O I L E R S P A C E I tried really hard to read this in the pix format because the pix were absolutely terrific but I had to resort to the text version several times, which delayed my reading a bit. I not only was glad to see the TV Ep format utilized but the commercials were downright hilarious! If I recall correctly, there is an nfic version of this story and normally I prefer to read nfic versions of stories when I can. But I was enjoying the story and the pictures so much, I'm sure I will enjoy reading the entire story again soon in its nfic glory (can just imagine where some of those scenes might be). On the other hand, some of this was so steamy, I'm not sure how it could be produced for TV < I howled when I spotted the reference to a certain lab rat < but I was slightly confused by the waiter showing up during the Thanksgiving dinner, since I thought L&C were having that in their room. Of course, on film, it would have been obvious where they were. I already was familiar with Flakey bars since I have read other stories by Dom and now I am inspired to read and re-read Dom's stuff:) I loved the parents getting together, CK's quick thinking when Ellen almost spots him, and I sure learned a lot about whisky! It was a nice change from the DP (Klein, JO and PW are mentioned but the actors would have had the week off<) and the Lex Luthor connection was a fascinating plot twist. I also enjoyed the references to L&C trying to get pregnant, the Loch Ness monster discussion and the golfing. In addition, it was nice to get a tour of Scotland. I was in Edinburgh for three days about 13 years ago (visiting cousins), got to see the city and had a sojourn in the country but missed all the sights described here. I am guessing that at the very end, LL has figured out that CK is not wearing a certain undergarment but I have to say, not being Scottish, that I always thought that being nude under kilts was a myth! The solution to the puzzle was nicely revealed. I always prefer not to see those things coming and was figuring it out just about when LL did, which was great timing. Now I have to decide whether to go on to Ep 10 or read the Ep 9 nfic version...... Thanks, Carolyn cschnall@.med.cornell.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 21:52:26 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "=?iso-8859-1?q?R.=20Ziegler?=" Subject: Re: Resurrecting the Quizzes: Kerth Categories MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Wow...I guess I know all of them: S P O I L E R S P A C E ! EXTRACT 1: "Dance Of The Seven Veils" by Erin Klingler EXTRACT 2: "So...That's What You've Been Hiding" by Christine Carr EXTRACT 3: "The Way It Should Have Been" by Nan Smith EXTRACT 4: "Shaken Not Stirred" by Irene Dutchak EXTRACT 5: "The Mirror Crack'd" by Hazel EXTRACT 6: "From The Stars" by Carolyn B. Schnall EXTRACT 7: "Forever Obsessed" by Judith Tylke Ren - who loves such quizzes!! :) __________________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail - http://mail.yahoo.de Yahoo! Auktionen - gleich ausprobieren - http://auktionen.yahoo.de ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 16:50:14 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rich & Dawn Subject: NKerth 2000 update MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi FoLCs! Thanks to everyone who voted for their choice of month to hold the awards. We had a tie! July and September both received the same number of votes, with August close behind. So, we are extending voting through Monday January 31st. If you haven't already voted, send your vote to nkerth@yahoo.com If you' d like to change your vote, let us know the month you originally voted for and your revised choice. Thanks! Dawn, Irene, & Crew ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 15:50:24 CST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jessi Mounts Subject: Re: Resurrecting the Quizzes: Kerth Categories Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Wow, I actually have some idea on most of these. Okay, here goes. 1) Dance of the Seven Veils by Erin, isn't it? 2) I'm thinking Ultra Matum by Zoomway, but I have no idea why I'm thinking that. 3) No idea. Doesn't even sound familiar. 4) Blind Leading the Blind. At least, I think that's what it called. It's by Pam Jernigan anyway. 5) The Mirror Crack'd by Hazel 6) From the Star by Carolyn Schnall 7) I know I'm going to scream when I hear what this is, but right now I can't figure it out. Jessi jessi914@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 22:09:56 -0000 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: Review of S5/9 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carolyn wrote: > I howled when I spotted the reference to a certain lab rat > ~~~Okay, I'll go out on a limb and assume you're talking about me here, Carolyn (LabRat breaks out in a cold sweat at the thought that Carolyn might not have been talking about her at all and whether she's being completely presumptious here....). Anyway, not me I'm afraid if you were. Whiskey was written long before I even discovered FoLCdom. ~~~ > I am guessing that at the very end, LL has figured out that CK is not wearing a certain undergarment but I have to say, not being Scottish, that I always thought that being nude under kilts was a myth! > ~~~Grief no! Read Diana Gabaldon's Cross Stitch. They had to have some way of entertaining themselves on cold winter's nights you know. Well, the ladies anyway. And don't think it's a co-incidence that most Highland reels involve twirling around at high speed either. ;) I'm pretty sure the fairer sex invented those at the time.~~~ > Now I have to decide whether to go on to Ep 10 or read the Ep 9 nfic version...... > ~~~Know which I'd vote for. This is one of the first nfic I read and still one of my favourites. I was particularly enarmoured because St. Andrews is one of my favourite places on earth and one which I still have very fond memories of spending childhood holidays in. It was wonderful to see Lois and Clark visiting all my favourite haunts, like St. Rule's tower. In fact, so much an impression did Whiskey make on my psyche, that recently when I overheard a newcaster proclaim during a report that women were banned from playing on the Royal and Ancient's golf courses, I found myself immediately thinking absently, "Well, that's not true because Clark bought time on one for Lois and........oh." Exit one blushing LabRat. ~~~ LabRat :) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 19:45:24 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Resurrecting the Quizzes: Kerth Categories MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Not fair! These are all ones I know I've read recently and my mind is a total blank. :P --Laurie (though I do remember Carolyn's as I edited it for the archive) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 22:24:19 -0600 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: Archive problems In-Reply-To: <44.11cac4c.25b95edd@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 2:03 AM -0500 1/21/00, Singin Drew wrote: >Hey all! It's Kristin. I was just wondering if anyone is having problems >reading stories from the lcfanfic site. If I go to theme and look up stories >by Kerth Awards '99, I can't read the stories. It tells me site not found so >then I have to go to look them up by name and it's such a pain! Is anyone >having this problem? Thanks! It's not just you, Kristin ... I can't get into the Archive at all. I'm guessing our server went down. If I find out anything, I'll be sure to post it. Hopefully it will clear up soon. Kathy PS. I loved being included in Terry's list of authors we'd love to read more from, but I have no story in process based on "Nightfall". I think you've confused me with someone else. :) _________________________________ Kathy Brown Editor-In-Chief Lois & Clark Fanfic Archive: kathyb@springnet1.com OR kathyb@lcfanfic.com KathyB on IRC _________________________________