Part 15 (2/2)

”Intriguing.” Zod ran a finger down his short beard. ”I can formalize the project of gathering names, putting together a database of everyone who needs to be remembered. That will keep them busy. In fact, I'll even propose a ma.s.sive memorial-a huge crystal wall etched with the names of everyone who vanished with Kandor. A pointless gesture, I know, but they seem to need an outlet for their sorrow.”

”They'll throw themselves into it wholeheartedly and praise the name of Zod for his warm heart and his understanding of the people.”

”You sound very cynical, Aethyr.”

”Not cynical-pragmatic.” She popped another morsel into her mouth and licked her fingers clean. ”Also, once you reveal that you have Jax-Ur's nova javelins, you can claim to be the only person strong enough to defend Krypton against outside enemies like Brainiac. And that's the truth. What will you do if he returns?”

”I am confident that will not happen,” Zod said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. ”He is not quite so appallingly evil as I painted him. Brainiac already has what he wants, and he left the rest of Krypton for me.”

Aethyr was surprised, then seemed to admire him. ”Of course. You were the only one who spoke with the android, so you could alter the story to serve your own purposes. Then all your talk, your beating of the drums, your calling for a ma.s.sive buildup of defenses-”

Zod folded his hands. ”In order to gain power and unite the Kryptonian people, I need to show that I am protecting protecting them. Peace and a common vision once bound us together, but I have found something even stronger: fear. With it, we will cement our hold on Krypton. The best enemies are fabricated enemies for two reasons: one, them. Peace and a common vision once bound us together, but I have found something even stronger: fear. With it, we will cement our hold on Krypton. The best enemies are fabricated enemies for two reasons: one, we we have nothing to worry about, and two, the populace falls in line. And if Jor-El-my ally-develops new weapons as I have instructed him to do, no other would-be leader can hope to oppose me. Victory by fiat.” have nothing to worry about, and two, the populace falls in line. And if Jor-El-my ally-develops new weapons as I have instructed him to do, no other would-be leader can hope to oppose me. Victory by fiat.”

”What about Donodon's race?”

”It will be a long time before they discover he's missing, and longer still until they track him here.” He picked up some of the seared vegetables, crunching them as he continued to talk. ”In the worst case, we can offer Jor-El as the culprit, as the Council intended to do all along.”

”So you have it all planned, then?” Aethyr had moved on to dessert and ate some of the candied fruits, then stabbed the empty skewer into the bones of the half-eaten fish on the main serving plate. The juice colored her lips a luscious crimson.

”Yes, I do.”

”I have plans, too. You have succeeded in establis.h.i.+ng calm, order, and productivity, persevering through great adversity, when no other city leader dared step up to the challenge. In the unlikeliest of circ.u.mstances, you, Zod, were Krypton's savior.”

”Krypton's savior...” Zod leaned closer to her. He liked the sound of that.

”We must send loyal followers to all other cities to proclaim your heroism. You'll get the majority of the people easily enough, especially if you ally yourself with the more prominent n.o.ble families.”

Zod could not hide his sour frown. ”But the prominent n.o.bles are the ones who want the position for themselves, especially Shor-Em in Borga City. He expected a Council seat as soon as one of the members retired.” He let out a sardonic chuckle. ”Of course, all eleven have now retired.”

”Dru-Zod, son of Cor-Zod, I can tell you're an only child! Consider other members of the n.o.ble families, not just the oldest sons. Second, third, and fourth children. Think of all those sons and daughters born into privilege, yet denied any chance to become Council members. What about Shor-Em's younger brother, Koll-Em, who is far more ambitious? Many younger n.o.bles like him never had any opportunities open to them. They'll see this this as their chance. If you offer as their chance. If you offer them them a way to partic.i.p.ate in a powerful government-your government-they'll follow you anywhere.” She reached out and traced a finger down the opening in his s.h.i.+rt, a sensuous tickle that could easily turn into a scratch. a way to partic.i.p.ate in a powerful government-your government-they'll follow you anywhere.” She reached out and traced a finger down the opening in his s.h.i.+rt, a sensuous tickle that could easily turn into a scratch.

”I begin to see.” Zod took a long sip of his wine, admiring the dry Sedra vintage. Then he took her hand.

Aethyr s.h.i.+fted her position, coming closer to him. ”Why do you think I rebelled against my parents? I had no interest in becoming a trophy that adorns some husband's arm. So I went out and did what I wished to do, much to my family's dismay.” She pulled back, nearly hypnotizing him with her large eyes. ”I can think of nothing more attractive than to see you do away with the old order-entirely.”

He tried to kiss her, but she drew away, still talking. ”Other younger n.o.bles might not have expressed their dissatisfaction so blatantly, but they're much the same as I am. Younger sons and daughters of the most powerful families are given nothing important to do, nothing to challenge their abilities. Offer them some power and prestige.”

She finished her wine in a single gulp and wiped her mouth. ”Many of the younger n.o.bles are truly lazy and decadent, but some of us do have ambitions. It's very different to be told that you don't have to do anything, as opposed to not being allowed allowed to do anything.” to do anything.”

Now she leaned forward to kiss him, pressing her moist lips firmly against his. He could still taste the heady wine on her mouth. ”And how do I take advantage of this unexpected pool of candidates?” he asked.

”Offer them what they hunger for. Bypa.s.s the privileged older n.o.ble children and promote the lesser ones. Their loyalty will impress you.” Her tunic came unfastened easily, and he roughly pushed the fabric down, baring her shoulders, then her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Zod's mind spun with the ideas Aethyr had presented, the tantalizing chance to re-create Krypton from scratch. She tore his s.h.i.+rt in her urgent need to remove it. They quickly moved to the thick sleeping pads, kissing deeply, tasting the exotic flavors of the meal and the spicy allure of the possibilities they both saw. They drank each other in.

CHAPTER 38.

Now unexpectedly exonerated, Jor-El began to a.s.sist Commissioner Zod in strengthening Krypton. He was wary that the ambitious Commissioner might be taking advantage of the tragedy to gather a great deal of personal power. On the other hand, Jor-El had witnessed firsthand the total paralysis of the old Council, and he couldn't imagine them trying to deal with the disaster. At least Zod was getting things done. to a.s.sist Commissioner Zod in strengthening Krypton. He was wary that the ambitious Commissioner might be taking advantage of the tragedy to gather a great deal of personal power. On the other hand, Jor-El had witnessed firsthand the total paralysis of the old Council, and he couldn't imagine them trying to deal with the disaster. At least Zod was getting things done.

And Jor-El intended to do the same. He and Lara returned to his research building at the estate, where he a.s.sembled all his best ideas for the protection of his planet. First and most important, the Commissioner had decided that Krypton must be vigilant, alert for any alien attack force that might come against them.

With Zod's encouragement, Jor-El designed a large array of observation telescopes to scan the heavens and provide an early warning about any threats from s.p.a.ce. This was a significant turnabout from his previous dealings with the old government, which had never given his proposals much serious consideration. So far, at least, Zod was giving the brilliant scientist free rein. That was a silver lining to the cloud of awful events that had happened.

As an astronomer, Jor-El had always been fascinated with the heavens, other stars, nebulae, black holes. He longed to see what was Out There. Previously, the dour Council had chided him for his preoccupations. ”Distant worlds mean nothing to Kryptonians,” old Jul-Us had once p.r.o.nounced in a ponderous voice from his high bench. ”It is best that you keep your eyes toward Krypton.”

Now, everything had changed. Zod wanted wanted him to turn his gaze outward. him to turn his gaze outward.

”And those small rockets you built, the ones confiscated by the Council?” the Commissioner had said. ”Find a way to modify them so they can carry explosives rather than scientific probes.”

”I need to continue my solar studies,” Jor-El said. ”We must monitor the fluctuations in Rao.”

”So long as you help create defensive missiles, we can both get what we want out of this situation.”

Jor-El had never meant to ”get something” from the situation. He merely intended to devote his work to helping Krypton recover from disaster and to stay safe.

He chose a perfect site for the observation network on the uninhabited plains not far from his estate and mapped out a broad-baseline listening post consisting of twenty-three parabolic telescope dishes. He made only clumsy sketches, but Lara proved to be a remarkable help by cleaning up his drawings until they were precise blueprints. From his command tent at the crater, Zod approved the plans with barely a glance. ”You will have all the resources, equipment, workers, and materials you could possibly need.”

Less than two days later, like an invading army, heavy machinery rattled away from the refugee settlement and rumbled across dry gra.s.slands to the open land Jor-El had chosen. The volunteer workers seemed glad to partic.i.p.ate in such a significant project.

Constructors cleared the gra.s.ses, plowed new access roads, excavated foundations, and sank anchor pilings down to bedrock. At Zod's command, foundries from the mines in Corril began producing the structural girders and conduits needed for the framework of the telescope dishes. Tyr-Us, the industrialist leader of Corril, complained about the imposition, but obeyed anyway. Anyone at the refugee camp who demonstrated an ability to perform skilled or technological labor was s.h.i.+pped away to help build the listening post.

Jor-El was amazed, even overwhelmed. In all his years of research, he had never been offered so much a.s.sistance. Previously, his projects had been mere experiments, prototypes to be submitted to (and usually confiscated by) the Commission for Technology Acceptance. Now, though, his dreams became large-scale practicality.

Lara spent the days beside him as his wife, his companion, and his sounding board. Though they had been married for only a short time, she could easily read his moods. Though the loss of her parents and little brother still weighed heavily on her, and she remained restless and agitated, she drew strength from Jor-El and gave it back at the same time. She wrote faithfully in her personal historical journal, recording firsthand all the activities around them; someday it would be a valuable-and accurate-chronicle of what had really taken place during Krypton's most difficult days.

As she watched the construction continue, Lara was pleased to see so many people following her husband's instructions. ”You have an amazing second chance, Jor-El. Krypton needs you. I always knew you'd be found innocent.”

He turned away from the rising dust and rumble, unable to hide a troubled frown. ”I wasn't found innocent, Lara. I was pardoned. pardoned. Those are two different things. People will still a.s.sume I'm guilty, but that Commissioner Zod simply needed something from me. A shadow of doubt will always hang over me.” Those are two different things. People will still a.s.sume I'm guilty, but that Commissioner Zod simply needed something from me. A shadow of doubt will always hang over me.”

”I don't think so, Jor-El.” Lara placed her fingers on his cheeks, turned his face to hers, and gave him a kiss. ”Look around you. Krypton is forever changed.”

Unlike his brother, Jor-El had always held himself aloof from politics, avoiding the petty rivalries and arguments in the Council. Though he'd been repeatedly offered a seat among the eleven, he could imagine nothing more frustrating than to spend his days in bureaucratic quicksand. Better to let them worry that he could accept the appointment any time he wished.

The government had wasted time on decisions that improved one n.o.ble family's personal standing rather than Kryptonian society as a whole; they had misplaced priorities. With his science Jor-El felt he was doing far greater work than a political career would ever have allowed. He had bypa.s.sed the Council when necessary, done what he believed was right, and completed his independent studies.

Now, however, he didn't have to worry about Zod's Commission seizing and locking away his greatest discoveries. Zod had once been his greatest rival and nemesis, but now he couldn't help but feel a sort of grudging grat.i.tude toward the intense man.

Together, Jor-El and Lara watched the first tall girders being installed into pilings for the listening dishes. At the speed these people were working, it would be less than a month before he could begin thorough, round-the-clock observations. While the Commissioner was primarily concerned about alien invaders, Jor-El couldn't wait for the scientific opportunities this huge telescope array would offer. He could finally produce a complete sky survey in various wavelengths.

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