Superman Movieverse Forum

Lois breathed a sigh of relief as the airliner took off from Wichita. A couple hours and she and Jason would be back home in Metropolis. It wasn’t that she disliked Smallville, or staying at the house where Clark grew up. Martha Kent was charming and she adored Jason. And the tidbits and insights into Clark’s childhood had been fascinating. Jason had adored everything about the farm, including being chased around the farmyard by the chickens and the aged Shelby.

But Smallville wasn’t Metropolis and Lois missed the city almost as much as she missed her husband. And she missed her husband. His mom’s farmhouse hadn’t been the most private place they could have stayed while visiting Smallville. She was glad to be out of there, away from prying small town eyes.

Pastor Linquist had been polite. Apparently Martha had briefed him on what had been going on in Clark’s life, including his abrupt acquisition of a wife and son only six months after his return from a nearly six year sabbatical overseas.

“So, Jason, where do you go to Sunday School?” Linquist had asked. He had avoided any probing questions about Lois’s relationship with Clark or Jason. He probably thought Sunday School was a safe question.

Jason rolled his eyes. “Sometimes I go to Sacred Heart when Dad goes. Sister Mary Frances likes Superman and so does Father Daniel. Mrs. Costerman didn’t like Superman when I went to her Sunday School.”

Lois caught the look of consternation that crossed Martha’s face. Apparently the older woman hadn’t briefed her minister on the fact that Clark was considered a member of Metropolis’s Sacred Heart parish and had been for nearly ten years. Lois imagined it was a little embarrassing for Martha since she knew the older woman was a staunch Methodist.

Superman had no religious affiliation. Clark was still fundamentally Protestant, but the community at Sacred Heart had been comforting and accepting when he’d needed it most, soon after his arrival in Metropolis. Lois knew he still had nightmares about the fire at the daycare center.

Lois’s parents had been nominally Roman Catholic – at least that was what they put down when religious affiliation was asked for on various forms. But they had rarely made Lois or her sister attend church. The occasional Easter service was about it and even then there was something more political than religious about their attendance.

Lois considered herself agnostic but had attended church with Richard for Jason’s sake – even though Jason had hated every moment of going to Sunday School at their neighborhood church. The ‘church ladies’, most notably Mrs. Caroline Costerman, had disapproved of Lois’s relationship with Superman, had disapproved of Lois living with her fiancé without benefit of a marriage license, and had disapproved of Jason asking his own probing questions – especially questions Costerman couldn’t answer.

Linquist had smiled at Martha’s discomfort. “I’m glad Sister Mary Frances likes Superman and I’m glad you like Sister Mary Frances,” Linquist told Jason sincerely. “I’m sure you ask a lot of questions. I know Clark did when he was your age. And you are the son of two prize-winning journalists.” He glanced at Martha. “We both know Clark stopped attending services because he didn’t want the hypocrisy of those who claimed to be faithful to destroy his faith.”

He glanced at the television. GNN was still running coverage of the disaster in Podansk and Latislan, and Superman’s press conference. “Tell me Lois, you know him better than anyone, what does he believe in?”

Lois tried not to let her surprise show. She hadn’t expected to be quizzed about Superman’s religious beliefs. She took a moment to consider her answer. “Truth and justice and the best that humanity has to offer. He loves life. “

Linquist nodded to the television. “Will he be able to stop that?” On the screen Navance and Kasparov were posturing, blaming each other – and Superman – for the disaster.

“I know he’ll do his best,” Lois had told him. “But I don’t know what he’ll do if they start shooting at each other. I don’t know what he can do.”

“Mommy,” Jason asked, interrupting his mother’s thoughts. He’d been quiet during most of the flight but now he was getting restless. “Will Superman be able to stop those bad men?”

“Honey, they aren’t bad men,” Lois said gently, folding over her copy of the Daily Planet. Clark’s story on Superman’s press conference was on the front page, although it was below the fold.

“Then why are they saying bad things about Superman?” Jason asked. GNN’s coverage of the crisis had abated somewhat, but it was still emphasizing the negative comments that had been made against Superman.

“Sometimes when bad things happen people look for someone to blame, even if that person had nothing to do with it,” Lois explained. “And sometimes, even when they realize they were wrong, they’re too proud to admit it so they keep blaming the wrong people. General Navance and President Kasparov aren’t bad men. They just don’t have all the facts and they need someone to blame.”

“Will there be a war?”

“I don’t know,” Lois admitted. “I hope not. Why?” It wasn’t like Jason to pay so much attention to world events, even though they had always been discussed over dinner. Richard’s focus had always been international affairs. Now, Lois and Clark tried hard to keep discussions of their own city and crime beats out of the house. World events, history, and science, were safer subjects for a house with a young child.

“Wendy’s mommy had to go to Taza… Tazra…”

“Tazarastan?”

He nodded, head bobbing like a toy. “She was in the army and she went to fight and she didn’t come back. You’re not going away to fight, are you?”

“I’m a reporter, Jason,” she said gently. “Reporters don’t go to war to fight and Uncle Perry wouldn’t send me anyway. I have you to take care of.” It wasn’t the entire story, but the truth was complicated. Before Jason, she would have jumped at the chance to cover a situation like that in Latislan and Podansk. Even if she hadn’t been assigned to the story she would have found a way to go. War was exciting, an adrenaline junkie’s wet-dream, although she was loath to admit it even to herself.

Now… now she was torn. She wanted to cover the story. She wanted to cover Superman handling the situation in his unique way but she had a family to worry about – and so did he. So she would keep the home fires burning while Clark no doubt covered the upcoming war. That was assuming he failed to stop it as Superman.

“Mommy, Dad won’t go away to fight, will he?”

Lois pulled Jason close. “No, honey. Even if he does go there, reporters fight with words, not guns.” But it doesn’t make it any less dangerous.



Clark sighed. The situation in Latislan and Podansk seemed to be deteriorating despite the best efforts of the U.S. State Department, including two former U.S. Presidents noted for their diplomatic successes. And Faulkner claimed to know nothing about Doctor Mardon’s research, or who may have picked up the pieces to continue his inquiries after his death. She had made the suggestion that WayneTech and LuthorLabs may have had an interest in Mardon’s research.

“LuthorLabs?” Clark asked. As far as he knew, Lex Luthor’s empire had been broken up more than ten years before – well before Superman’s arrival in Metropolis – after Luthor’s mental disorders became obvious and dangerous. His formerly compliant board of directors and previously uninvolved family had ousted him, taking of the reins of his companies and breaking them apart. LuthorLabs had been given over to a cousin. Both the cousin and the company dropped off the radar shortly thereafter.

“LuthorLabs had a number of government contracts that kept them afloat after being spun off,” Faulkner explained. “Body armor, high tech weapons, that sort of thing. Nothing spectacular. Not like when Luthor was top of his game. But they do have a reputation of funding oddball research.”

“And WayneTech?” Clark asked.

Faulkner had chuckled. “If what you say is true, then Mardon’s work was certainly weird enough for the Gotham bunch. But Fox is the one you want to talk to.”

Clark sighed again. He was now waiting for Lucius Fox to return his call. He knew Fox was a busy man. Running Wayne Enterprises wasn’t a job for the faint of heart or weak of mind. Fox was neither and answering questions about an obscure researcher wasn’t going to be high on Fox’s list of things to do, particularly questions from a mere employee of one of Wayne Enterprises’ less profitable subsidiaries. While Clark had been on his fool’s errand to Krypton, Wayne Entertainment had acquired the Daily Planet from Franklin Stern who had been unenthusiastic about supporting an old medium.

The phone on his borrowed desk rang, breaking into Clark’s reverie.

“Clark Kent,” he responded. The caller ID screen indicated the caller’s identity was being blocked.

“You know Boy Scout, I’m a little miffed you didn’t call me directly about Mardon,” Bruce Wayne stated without preamble.

The last person Clark had expected to call him directly was the Prince of Gotham. Clark knew that Bruce was at least as busy as he was, maybe even more so. Gotham City was not as inherently law-abiding as Metropolis was. And even playacting at being a womanizing sot was a full-time job in itself.

“Well, I didn’t want to bother my boss,” Clark said.

“So you’d rather bother Lucius?” Bruce asked with a chuckle. “Not bright, farm boy. He’s a very busy man.”

“So he passed it off to you?”

“Well, I didn’t have much else going on today,” Bruce said with another dry chuckle. “My polo game was cancelled.” His tone turned more serious. “My people have been looking into the weather mess over in Latislan and Podansk. White’s hunch was right. The change does not appear to be from natural phenomena. Even though it’s against God knows how many international treaties.”

“Since when has that stopped anybody? You know about Richard White’s research?” Clark asked. He knew he shouldn't be surprised. Bruce Wayne was one of the finest detectives in the world, even if the world didn't realize it. He knew more about what was going on in his world than most spy-masters.

“White contacted some of my people well over a year ago, asking questions about Mardon's research. It was enough for me to put some people onto looking into the possibility that someone was taking a bad situation and making it worse by manipulating the weather.”

“And?” Clark prompted.

“And everyone knows that war is good for business,” Bruce said. “Arms imports in the region is up by more than five hundred percent… the governments, the militias, they all want in on the action. One false move and it all blows up.”

“Any ideas on who wants to light the fuse?”

There was a snort from the other end of the line. “Who doesn't want it lit? The current administration wouldn't mind another little warfront to get everybody's mind off the economy and terrorist threats it hasn't been able to handle. The arms dealers need their markets and places to test their wares. Even biotech will have their hands in once it starts… all those lovely trauma victims to test their newest techniques on. There're even a couple of news organizations who seem to think a nice little war will do wonders for their numbers.”

“I don't remember you being such a cynic,” Clark commented mildly. That wasn't quite true. Ever since he'd known him, Bruce had been a cynical observer of the human condition.

Clark had faith that most people were honest and honorable and just needed reminding to do what was good and right, and that truth and justice were the linchpins of civilized society. Bruce's view had always been far darker. For him evil and wrong were mortal foes in an ongoing battle with overwhelming odds. For Bruce, the war in heaven hadn't ended and there was no guarantee the angels were winning. But now Bruce's tone was laced with bitterness.

“You were gone a long time, Boy Scout,” Bruce said. “The world isn't what it used to be.”

“So I keep being reminded.”

“I'll have Lucius send you copies of our most recent research on the subject and our analyses of the situation,” Bruce said. “I'll also have him send what we know about what LuthorLabs is up to. They got a large influx of cash not long after Luthor started wooing the widow Vanderworth.”

“Do you think Luthor was masterminding this mess?”

“Wouldn't surprise me if he was,” Bruce said. “But it’s not his style. Do you think the big guy can get them to stand down?”

“Navance and Kasparov were both good men in a bad situation,” Clark said. “I'm hoping that hasn’t changed and if they can start talking again, they can come to a peaceful solution and save their people. If not… They both have nukes.”

“I know. I also know they're not just aimed at one another.”