Part 24 (2/2)

No-Ton bustled about in distress. Though he was part of the Ring of Strength, the n.o.ble-born scientist paid more attention to engineering matters than strategy meetings. ”Commissioner, could I please have more technical details? This is very delicate equipment.” He glanced sidelong at Nam-Ek, who continued to wrestle with the machinery. ”It could take a day or more for proper realignment and recalibration, depending on the target.”

Zod drew a deep breath of the razor-edged cold air. ”Can't you do it faster?”

The scientist stiffened. ”Do you want it fast, Commissioner, or accurate? I can do either one, but not both. Which would you prefer?”

Aethyr came up beside Zod and spoke in a hushed voice. ”Another day won't make any significant difference, my love, but a mistake would be quite embarra.s.sing. Let No-Ton do what he says he needs to do.”

”Very well.” Zod unfurled his filmpaper map and held it against the gusting breezes. ”These are the coordinates. This is your target.”

CHAPTER 65.

After warning his brother about Loth-Ur's Hammer, Jor-El ignored all other tasks Commissioner Zod had set for him. In fact, he ignored the Commissioner entirely, instead spending the rest of the day engrossed in his calculations, estimating the ma.s.s of the approaching comet, a.n.a.lyzing spectra from its wispy tail to determine its chemical composition...trying to determine how much damage the impact would cause. He plunged into the problem wholeheartedly. Loth-Ur's Hammer, Jor-El ignored all other tasks Commissioner Zod had set for him. In fact, he ignored the Commissioner entirely, instead spending the rest of the day engrossed in his calculations, estimating the ma.s.s of the approaching comet, a.n.a.lyzing spectra from its wispy tail to determine its chemical composition...trying to determine how much damage the impact would cause. He plunged into the problem wholeheartedly.

At first Jor-El considered modifying his small solar-probe rockets to carry powerful explosives (as Zod had originally ordered him to do), but he swiftly realized that the comet was too ma.s.sive to be deflected or destroyed by even a thousand such missiles. In fact, the explosions would likely fragment the icy ma.s.s into several equally deadly chunks that would also bombard Krypton.

He needed to have an army of engineers and technicians to work on the problem-and he knew he could succeed, if only Zod would give him the manpower and equipment. It would be a project like erecting the giant telescope array on the plains or the Rao-beam installation in the mountains. He could could do it. do it.

But he had to make Zod see the magnitude of the disaster. Jor-El simply couldn't do this work alone. Though he doubted he could penetrate the man's stubborn fixation, he needed to try. His face set with determination, he marched back to the government palace, prepared once again to debate with the Commissioner. He would demand to know why Zod-or at least his misguided fanatics-had attempted to abduct Alura and Charys, as Zor-El had claimed.

The government palace seemed empty, though. A Sapphire Guard stood outside the door, rather than burly Nam-Ek. ”I am here to see Commissioner Zod. He'll want to meet with me right away,” Jor-El said, hoping it was true.

The guard, whose face was mostly hidden beneath his round, polished helmet, obviously recognized the white-haired scientist. ”The Commissioner is not here. He is dealing with the dissidents.”

Jor-El suddenly recalled all the military plans Zod had apparently been making. Zor-El was right to be concerned. ”He went to Borga City?”

”No. He headed north to the crater of Kandor.”

Jor-El left, disturbed. What would the Commissioner want there? Something from the old refugee encampment, perhaps?

When he arrived back at their designated living quarters, he found Lara deeply alarmed. She had pushed aside her work on the writing table to expose the inset communication plate. She met him at the door and pulled him over to hear the message. ”Listen to this! It just came from No-Ton.”

The private-channel image sharpened into the distraught face of the other scientist, who spoke under his breath. ”The Commissioner has seized the Rao beam. Tomorrow he plans to blast Borga City! He means to make an example of Shor-Em.”

A rush of cold anger and fear coursed through Jor-El. ”Isn't the comet going to destroy us fast enough? I can't believe Zod would do something so insane.”

Lara looked intently at him. ”I can. He sees only his own priorities. We have to warn Borga City, evacuate the people.”

Jor-El tried to envision all the inhabitants of the giant floating city fleeing into the marshes. It would take days to get them out of there, days to convince them to move in the first place. But he did not allow doubts to paralyze him. He was Jor-El, Jor-El, and they would listen to him. He'd have to make them listen. He would save them...for another day. and they would listen to him. He'd have to make them listen. He would save them...for another day.

He contacted the city leader directly, demanding to speak to Shor-Em even though he was in the middle of a banquet. When the blond-haired leader frowned at him on the communication plate, Jor-El delivered his warning in a rush. Shor-Em blinked, then chuckled nervously. ”Surely you are overreacting. That is not how we respond to political disagreements on Krypton.”

”I am deadly serious. And you have very little time to get all your people to safety, as far away from the city as possible.”

”That can't be necessary. Allow me to-”

”Do something now, now, Shor-Em. The survival of your populace requires that you act immediately!” Jor-El was shouting at the screen, and the other man flinched. ”Laugh at me in the morning if I am wrong.” Shor-Em. The survival of your populace requires that you act immediately!” Jor-El was shouting at the screen, and the other man flinched. ”Laugh at me in the morning if I am wrong.”

Even when the city leader muttered something that sounded like agreement, Jor-El was not convinced. And so he contacted other people in Borga City, any links he could find on the communication system. He repeatedly sounded the alarm, convincing as many men and women to listen as he could.

Next, he contacted Zor-El and enlisted his aid as well. ”Even with the comet coming toward us, this is happening now. now.” His brother knew more officials and administrators in Borga City, and soon the alarm spread from person to person. Lara hunkered over the communication plate, promising Jor-El that she would continue to access any person she could find in the distant metropolis.

He kissed her quickly. ”I have to go up there myself-face Zod and demand that he not do this. Only I can stop him.”

But he feared that the Commissioner had stopped listening to him.

He departed immediately on the fastest floater raft he could find and flew through the night. He wrestled with his own arguments, seething at what Zod was trying to do. By the time his vehicle arrived at the mountain outpost, dawn's first light had begun to creep into the eastern sky. Very little time remained.

Nam-Ek had swiveled the derrick into its new position, and following orders, the technicians had s.h.i.+fted the focal point, reinstalled the solar batteries, and aligned the prisms and lenses. Flushed and anxious, No-Ton was giving the equipment its final test while waiting for sunlight to brighten.

Jor-El's abrupt arrival startled Zod. The Commissioner's smile looked like a curved blade. ”I did not call for you.”

”The situation situation called for me.” called for me.”

No-Ton stepped hesitantly closer to the other scientist. ”I contacted him, Commissioner. I felt it might be necessary for you to...discuss your plans with him.”

Zod scowled. ”My plans are my own, and my mind is made up.”

Jor-El trudged across the compound and stopped under the tall derrick structure. Cold wind blew his pale hair back from his face. Above him, the ma.s.sive central crystal hung suspended at the nexus of where the solar beams would reflect and converge. ”What are you doing with the Rao beam, Commissioner?”

”Only what is necessary. The fabric of our society is unraveling because of a few ragged ends. Those traitors in Borga City want to throw our world into anarchy. They established their own sham Council strictly to set Kryptonians against each other. How can we afford that?” He sounded so reasonable. ”You saw Shor-Em's defiant message. Your own brother was duped by that inflammatory declaration and signed it.” Zod struggled to regain his composure, fighting back a murderous fury, and took a deep breath. ”Because we owe Zor-El much, and because you love him, I am willing to withhold judgment on Argo City. For now. I will give you one chance to talk sense into your brother. But for the people of Borga City, I hold out no hope. No hope at all.”

The mountain winds made the Rao-beam derrick creak, as if it were shuddering. Zod raised his head, as if inspired to continue his speech. ”Our old, weak society produced far too much deadwood-people who exist but do not live, live, whose hearts beat but do not pound! They are not like you and me, Jor-El. They must be swept away before a new Krypton can be born from the ashes.” Staring into the blaze of the rising red sun, he spoke to Aethyr. ”Power up the beam! We have waited long enough.” whose hearts beat but do not pound! They are not like you and me, Jor-El. They must be swept away before a new Krypton can be born from the ashes.” Staring into the blaze of the rising red sun, he spoke to Aethyr. ”Power up the beam! We have waited long enough.”

With icy confidence, she issued the necessary commands. The prisms in the beam apparatus began to hum with a harmonic tone, and the batteries hungrily gulped the raw energy.

Growing desperate, Jor-El grabbed Zod by the arm. ”Stop this, Commissioner! You can't mean to destroy a whole city.”

With an expression of distaste, Zod plucked the scientist's fingers away from his sleeve. Deaf to further protestations, he gave Jor-El a withering frown. ”Do not act innocent. You created the Rao beam and presented the plans to me. You knew full well that the technology could be used in this way.”

”The Rao beam is a tool, not a weapon!”

”Any tool can become a weapon.”

”But-against our own people?”

”Against our enemies, enemies, whoever and wherever they might be. And when this is over, maybe we can look at the approaching comet that has you so upset.” He seemed to be offering a small consolation prize. whoever and wherever they might be. And when this is over, maybe we can look at the approaching comet that has you so upset.” He seemed to be offering a small consolation prize.

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