...of Ash and Despair...

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A fan fiction story revolving around the world of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures." No infringement of ownership is meant. It is just for fun.

December 4th, 1998

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GI Jane lifted the over-turned railcar and carefully set it back onto the train tracks. She smiled at the Indian official as she carefully bent the frame back into exacting shape. Five minutes here, and she's saved India many lives and much money that could be better spent on their burgeoning infrastructure.

She lifted off the ground slowly, even as the crowd cheered. Her heart swelled in pride. This was such a different, good, feeling of being able to be able to help all these people. She just couldn't imagine not helping people anymore.

She waved jauntily to the crowd and then zoomed off into the distance. There was an overturned fishing boat just a few miles away on one of the many rivers.

The work of a hero was never done, Cil-An noted to herself.

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The seemingly inhuman Cil-An, otherwise known as GI Jane, ghosted above Jerusalem's market district. She'd taken to flying over and giving the area a quick x-ray scan for malcontents and bombs. She didn't want to have to deal with another suicide bomber. Or, more accurately, the aftermath of it.

These humans were just so barbaric that-

Lucille Newtrich's eyes opened wide. The Red Kryptonite insanity lifted from her mind with startling clarity.

"Oh my, God. Nell!" she screamed as she rocketed into the air. She had to get to Washington D.C. as quickly as possible. Air turned incandescent, trying to get out of her way but failing. Below her, the startled peoples of Israel were stunned when they saw a meteor streaking up into the air.

In mere minutes, Lucille was landing in front of the nondescript office building that housed General Winston and his staff. She barely slowed to subsonic speeds on her way to his office. She slammed the door, nearly knocking it off its hinges.

"Winston! Where's my sister?" Lucille asked in a panicked voice.

"Mr. Church, if you don't mind, something very important has come up." Turning back 'GI Jane', he said in the most calming voice possible. "If you will follow me?"

Mr. Church looked over at the supposed Kryptonian in surprise. He hadn't heard a thing about her having a sister. But he also new better than to blab about anything he hear here. He wasn't a top military contractor for nothing. "How about tomorrow, George? We can look at that funding for the Synthetic Kryptonite Laser System."

Winston nodded in response as he led the distraught young woman down a hallway and outside. He glanced around, noting that no one was within a short distance. His grave expression turned even harder as he turned back to the super-human.

"Mrs. Newtrich, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your sister did not survive her injuries inflicted by Miles. She suffered complications-"

"No! You're wrong! She can't be dead! She's my sister!" Lucille just couldn't believe it. Nell couldn't be gone. She grabbed the front of Winston's shirt.

For just a moment, he thought he was about to be crushed. But he was surprised when she seemingly collapsed onto his chest. "Please, tell me you're wrong. She was never -hic- supposed to get hurt."

Winston started to pat her consolingly. "I really wish I could change the past, Miss Newtrich. But her wounds were just too much. She fought for days, but she finally passed away three weeks ago. There was literally nothing that could be done."

Lucille just lifted her head to stare at him in shock. She pushed him back lightly, causing him to fly back fifteen feet. "No. That just can't be right." She took a deep breath as she hunched over, tears drenching her mask. Suddenly she threw her head back and screamed. And with her powers and abilities, unleashed with her grief, windows shattered and the false ceiling exploded outwards down the hall.

Suddenly, she just had to get away. Anywhere but here, where horrible reality crushed her sanity.

Winston stared in shock even as he held his ringing ears. With a thundering crack that hurt his poor, abused ears even more as Lucille broke the sound barrier before she'd hit the end of the hall.

He had better figure out how to get a hold of Superman fast! Who knew what that woman would do now?

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You can not scream or yell in space, Lucille discovered. The overwhelming silence could not distract her agonizing thoughts from her failure to her family. If only there was something that you could do to district yourselves from your thoughts?

Or turn off your feelings. Oh, how she wished that she could be Cil-An right now. She may have been pompous, but she didn't let much affect her.