Chapter 12 – Planet Protector

There is one true constant in the universe, one lesson that holds true from the smallest microbe to the largest sun. Over a long enough span of time, anything… and anyone, will change. It can be something simple that triggers it; a simple little thing that acts as a catalyst for something on a large evolutionary scale. Sometimes the change can be a desired one. One that helps or benefits the thing that changes in some way. This is called evolution. Sometimes the change is unwanted. Forced if you will. It becomes an adapt or die scenario. In the animal world these changes are most often to the benefit of the host. It is a change that helps it to survive in a new environment. It can be a change like an additional appendage or some defensive claws or markings. There are rare times however that it is unwanted and possibly unbeneficial in anyway. Like when a stars composition changes and it dies out, destroying countless worlds around it. The change was not only unbeneficial but it was one of great destruction.

Kal-Ent sighed contently as he flicked the pad he held in his hand with a single digit. He leaned back in the chair and looked up at the larger monitor that was before him. It had been a long time since he had last laid eyes on the good Doctor. A lot longer than the either he or the Doctor intended at least. It had been several months here on Krypton. He knew the Doctor said it would only have been for a couple weeks, a vacation he said. Was this what he had intended? Many nights he lay awake in the spare living quarters of one of his friends and now coworkers going through the events in his mind. He ran the gamut of emotions as he thought back to his old life and his experiences. The people he would never see again. Rage and despair filled him and filtered through so that finally acceptance was all he had. Acceptance and hope.

He had been given a job in the science labs with his friends that he had made in the park that day shortly after his arrival. Kam was the lead there and after Kal had shared his "visions" of Kryptons future he was offered a job almost immediately. Kal dismissed it initially. Not expecting to be staying as long as he had. After the third week it became apparent that something had happened to the Doctor. Either he wasn't willing to return or he wasn't able to. In either case he had to find a way to sustain himself and that seemed the most likely to do it. His friends met in the park every day on their lunch and after work to discuss theories about the future and this or that. Kal had did not have a hard time finding them and was finally able to accept that job offer.

He worked with Saar in the research and development of new technologies department. Of course with Kal's insight into Krypton's past and future it was more like old technologies. Save for one. He came up with a newly modified, straight from the cusp of the future, Sun Station. It was a smaller design than the one he had been on, but it served the same purpose. Once the world began to fall apart the Planet Protector, he thought it was a fitting name, would be injected into the heart of Krypton and keep the planet together. The Planet Protector would not only save their species but knowing what he did about how Kryptonian's reacted under yellow suns, it would undoubtedly save an infinite number of lives throughout the universe.

It was an easy enough idea to pitch. Saar fell in love with it right away as did Kam. Tas argued the implications and use for it. What was the point? The world was too big. It couldn't just die without warning. At times Kal almost admired Saar's naivety. However it was a naivety that a good majority of Kryptonian's shared. So much so that the Planet Protector work had to be kept a secret, for fear of talks of heresy, terrorism and crimes against the planet. People wouldn't understand what they were trying to do, what they were trying to someday stop, even if it meant saving the lives as a societal collective. But things change. Krypton is changing even now. It was slowly moving toward an event that threatens their entire way of life let alone their entire species. Krypton was moving ever closer to a level of extinction that only he knew would happen, but one that he hoped to stop; one that he would stop.

Kal snapped out of his reverie and looked up at the schematics for the Planet Protector in current yet still early stages. It was still missing a few of the essentials, missing a few things that he couldn't quite remember. He looked at the schematics for the Sun Station for quite a while when he was there helping to save it, but those schematics only showed the layout of the station, the various ducts and conduits of the station that laced through the various floors. They didn't show, however, what they were made out of, how they were constructed, or even the science behind them. It was a shot in the dark trying to get things right. He knew the basics. He knew what was supposed to happen, when and how, but not the why. But that of course was the whole point of R&D. To figure out the minute details of the science that would save their world.

It was hard work. One that was more suited to the logical mind of Batman or the cosmic knowledge of Green Lantern. But it was his brain now that was hard at work. He and a cadre of likeminded science fellows were all working on a secret project to save the world. It always came back to that, didn't it? He was always saving the world, this one or another. It would be amusing how many worlds needed saving out there. And if his plan worked the way he envisioned it, how many worlds he would actually save. Krypton would be the first.

xXxXx

Normally the dully thrum that was the heartbeat of the Tardis was a great comfort to the Doctor. He had been in similar situations before, countless times in fact. The planets were always in need of saving. In the back of his mind he wondered why Earth was such a focal point for alien invasion as he rushed around the Tardis frantically twisting knobs and pulling levers. He was far more frantic than normal any way. He wondered if he should have brought any of his other companions in on this. Possibly even another Doctor? Truth was he knew where his first stop had to be. It was his own fault that this happened, the Doctor sighed regrettably. He should have never dropped Superman off. Had he known… well there is the heart of the matter isn't it? The Doctor should have known.

For all the times he had encountered the Cybermen it had never ended well. He should have taken the time to dispatch the Cybermen completely from Cardiff when he had the chance. He should have taken the time to do it correct. His thoughts went back to the rooftop on the day he met Superman. He was sure this had all spawned from that point. It had to have. It was far too coincidental for it not to. People go missing in Cardiff and he coincidentally finds evidence of the Cybermen. Then he returns to Earth some time later to find that it is overrun by Cybermen with conversion centers on every other street corner. Coincidence? And was it coincidence that he removed the only person other than himself that might have been able to stem the tide of the mechanical monstrosities? It was far too coincidental for his liking.

"For the smartest guy I know you certainly are the dumbest guy I know." He muttered to himself. The Tardis lurched hard nearly tossing him over the railing. "Now that's not good." He said softly as he hastened his way back to the flight assembly. Would nothing go right today? He pulled the monitor down and glanced over it. He didn't see anything amiss. He wondered if he had any unscheduled hitchhikers again. It seemed to be a thing with him; First Captain Jack, then Superman. His thoughts came back to Superman full circle. He smirked at his own circular logic.

"So I get Superman back to Earth and then what? It's not like he has any special abilities that allow him to turn back the hands of time, right? Does he? I don't think so. Right, so it would be no use getting the man of steel back to a Cyberman ridden metropolis and then sit there like to globs of custard." He smirked as he reasoned with himself.

"I could go for some custard about now." He muttered with a wry grin. It was like a chess match between the Doctor and the new Cyber King whoever that was. Who was the Cyber King anyway? Another problem for another time, he would find out soon enough. First things first no matter, but yes, a chess match. It was a chess match and he had to be thinking several moves ahead if he were going to win this one. The Cyber King had essentially one move. All pawns forward. Attack and convert, make more pawns. Then all pawns forward. Rinse, and repeat. So if the Cyber King was moving all his pawns forward he certainly wouldn't be expecting an attack from the side. Or even from behind? The Doctor arched a brow.

"Ok. But when you get past all the pawns you still have the King himself to deal with. What do you do with a King that is the size of a building, let alone a walking pawn spawner?" He shook his head and ran to the other side of the array flicking a few switches as he passed. "You do like to ask all the hard questions don't you Doctor."

"I do." He answered himself. "But the only thing more fun than coming up with the hard questions my good Doctor, is coming up with the hard answers!" he shouted as the Tardis came to an overly abrupt stop. This time he did fall backward to the floor. He used the momentum of the Tardis to carry him to the floor and roll under the railing to land on his feet facing the doorway. He smirked, slid his fingers through his hair, straightened his bowtie and made his way to the door of the Tardis.

xXxXx

Kal-Ent pushed away from his terminal display pleased with himself. It had been a long and frustrating day but they were a bit closer to realizing their dream… his dream of saving Krypton. He could leave knowing he did his best and that tomorrow he would be back to bring them even closer. He made his way to the park where he would meet up with his philosophy circle and talk about the events of the day and how close they were to success. They would throw back and forth quips and pointed barbs about each other's theorems much like he did with the Justice League before. It was an excellent way to compare notes and ultimately unwind after work. Some people preferred a stiff cocktail to relax and destress after a hard day at the office, but he preferred his circle.

He could hear his friends before he ever even saw them. Already their chuckles and dignified voices carried on the listless air within the park. He descended the steps and rounded the fountain when he almost choked. They had already been joined by a fourth today. Someone had already taken his place among them. Someone with whom he was rather familiar with. His teeth grated, and his fist clenched reflexively. Slowly he approached.

"But then I said to the poor chap. You've never seen a poli-neuric isotope act that way from the inside!" spouted the Doctors. The three fellows burst into a raucous laughter along with him when Saar looked up and spotted Superman.

"Ah! Here comes the straggler now. Kal, come say hello my dear boy. Don't be shy. This funny fellow heard our debates and wandered into the conversation. He has quite the amusing anecdotes."

"Ah yes, sorry about that." The Doctor rebutted. "I do have a tendency to wander into things I'm not supposed to."

"His name was the Doctor." Kam said leaning back against the low set park wall.

"Doctor who exactly?" Tas interrupted.

"Exactly! Yes, that's it!" The Doctor said excitedly. Kal eyed him with a steely glare. He was expecting to see the Doctor a lot sooner, several months sooner in fact. He knew what his being here signified. It was time to go home.

"Yes, we have met." Kal said sternly. "I hate to be rude gentleman but the Doctor and I have some unfinished business to discuss; if you will please excuse us." He nodded to his friends, grabbed the Doctor by the arm and led him away from the others to the other side of the fountain. The Doctor waved to his new found friends as he was escorted away.

"They seem to be rather the jovial bunch, eh?" he remarked to Kal.

"What are you doing here?!" Kal hissed in a harsh whisper.

"Oh right, business." The Doctor shook his head almost as if he were coming out of a strange dream. "I'm a little late, and I'm dreadfully sorry about that, but we need to go. Like now. The Earth is in trouble."

"A little late? A LITTLE LATE?!" Kal had to struggle to keep his voice low, but the level of anger he had at this moment was rather high. "You were supposed to pick me up after two weeks. TWO WEEKS! It's been over four months! You come back now and expect me to just leave on a whim? Well I'm sorry but I can't."

"I'm sorry? You can't? Did… did you hear the part where I said the Earth is in trouble?" The Doctor queried.

"You mean the Earth a couple of thousand years from now is in trouble. The Earth now is just barely reaching its own awareness. Oh I've done my research Doctor. I have had plenty of time. The Earth I knew will not even exist for quite some time."

"The Earth you knew will not exist at all if we don't go back to save it. The Cybermen have amassed an amazing army and…"

"Don't you get it? I am not going back. You are talking about saving Earth. A single planet. I have plans in motion to save Krypton."

"So you're simply trading one planet for another? And that's ok with you?" The Doctor asked with a hint of venom in his voice.

"No. It's not ok with me. But you're missing the big picture. By saving Krypton I will in fact be saving Earth. I will be stopping so many galactic atrocities from happening. I was one super man protecting a single planet. What if my whole race continued to exist? We would be a race of super men and women protecting planets across the universe. An intergalactic police force if you will."

"News flash 'Superman', the Judoon already tried that and it didn't work well for them. Look at how many atrocities still happened! We still have things like Cybermen and Dyleks that continue to threaten the universe!"

"Judoon?!" Kal queried his face twisted in confusion.

"A group of paramilitary enforcers that look like rhinoceroses. Rhinoceri? Rhinos? Anyway, they are a group that try to police the universe and still many things fall through the cracks. It's not up to one person or one race of people to protect the universe. No race is perfect. Need I remind you of the whole General Zod incident?"

"You mean no one person other than you? You are a single person going around policing time and space, aren't you? I don't expect it to be perfect. Kryptonians are far from perfect. But it is better than going back by myself and being alone in the world. Not only will Krypton be saved, but Earth will be saved, and many other planets as well."

"So that's what this is all about, the true heart of the matter." The Doctor said shaking his head. "You don't want to be alone. All this bluster about protecting your world, protecting other worlds, it's all a lie. It's simply a rouse that you tell yourself so you don't have to look at the facts of the matter. Earth's mightiest hero is suffering from loneliness. Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you can't save Krypton!"

"What do you mean? With the knowledge I have… the research we're doing..." Kal shook his head incredulously.

"It is a staple in time, a fixed point that can't be changed. Krypton is destined to be destroyed. You can't change that. No matter what you do, no matter what you try, it will always be destroyed. You have to trust me. I know. But right now, we have a chance to save a planet from an evil blight upon the universe. Right now we can do something that will make a difference." Pleaded the Doctor.

"No I can't believe that. I won't believe that! If one man can make a difference than a whole race of men can make even more. I have to try. If you throw a rock in the pond it makes ripples that can spread outward and change the surface of the pond. I have to believe my actions are still going to amount to something. I can save my people. In doing so I will save the universe."

"You just don't get it do you. Are you blind or stupid? You intend on saving the universe? Is it going to be just the planets that surround a yellow sun? What about those around a red sun? You cannot hope to save everyone everywhere. You can hope to save Earth. Please, stop being so selfish and come back with me." The Doctor said extending his hand to Kal.

"I believe it is time for you to go Doctor." Kal said as he swatted the Doctors hand aside. Kal turned his back toward the Doctor. The Doctor lowered his hand shaking his head.

"I never thought I would see the day when Superman, of all people, would turn his back on planet Earth. Turn his back on his friends, his family, and the whole entire human race. I never thought I would see him give in to such things as selfishness and self-pity. I happen to like Earth. Some of the people I admire most are from Earth. I will do whatever it takes to save it. I'm glad we're here Kal."

"Why is that?" Kal asked turning back to the Doctor.

"Because were we on Earth I wouldn't be able to do this!" he replied as he struck out with a balled fist catching Kal-Ent square on the jaw sending him to the marbled floor of the park. Very rarely had the good Doctor ever resorted to any kind of fisticuffs but today he deemed it necessary. Surprised, Kal looked up from the ground rubbing his jaw. "I'm going back to Earth Clark. I'm going back to Earth. I will save the Earth and I will save every last person there. You have my word on it." The Doctor turned and started to walk away, but stopped and looked over his shoulder at him. "Don't forget Kal. Once you cast the stone into the pond the surface may ripple but it eventually calms. And when it does, the stone is still in the pond."

Kal watched the Doctor walk away.