Part 29 (1/2)

”No!” With an ineffectual shout, Zod ran toward the access doorway that led down into the control tunnels, knocking aside the terrified people who stood in his way.

Before he could get inside, all fifteen nova javelins launched.

CHAPTER 76.

Blinding shafts of yellow light and fire spat from exhaust cones. With an earsplitting rumble and a high-pitched whine, the doomsday weapons hurtled into Krypton's sky. and fire spat from exhaust cones. With an earsplitting rumble and a high-pitched whine, the doomsday weapons hurtled into Krypton's sky.

”Stop!” Zod yelled at the air, as if the ancient devices might obey his order.

The trails of fire and smoke climbed upward, scribing Krypton's epitaph upon the heavens. The General paused and stood white-faced, unable to tear his eyes away. Nam-Ek stared in fascination at the exhaust plumes and vapor trails, apparently thinking they were beautiful. Aethyr fell to her knees. The streaking missiles raced high across the sky. The end was surely coming.

Zod pushed his way down the stairs and raced along the sterile, white-walled halls to the control chamber. There, No-Ton and four technicians stood in pasty-faced helplessness before the banks of guidance systems. Zod stormed in and hammered at the controls, trying to realign the target vectors. The systems did not respond.

He grabbed No-Ton by the front of his laboratory tunic. ”We've got to stop this! Destroy the weapons. They must have a self-destruct mechanism.”

No-Ton lashed out at Zod, no longer intimidated by the man. ”After the incident at the Rao-beam installation, you specifically ordered us to deactivate any systems that could be used to sabotage the nova javelins. You instructed instructed us to disconnect the self-destruct capability because you were afraid someone might stop you from launching them.” us to disconnect the self-destruct capability because you were afraid someone might stop you from launching them.”

Zod cursed. ”Then change their course! Get rid of them somehow. They will blow up all of Krypton.”

”General, there is nothing nothing we can do!” Frantic technicians yanked out crystal after crystal from control decks, but it did no good. we can do!” Frantic technicians yanked out crystal after crystal from control decks, but it did no good.

Filmscreens transmitted high-resolution images from the telescopes and monitoring dishes in Jor-El's distant early-warning array. The nova javelins continued to burn, thrusting higher.

”They should reach the zenith soon and begin their plunge to Argo City,” the scientist said, his voice oddly brittle. ”After that, the whole planet will break apart. The chain reaction could take minutes, it could take a month. This is uncharted scientific territory for me.” Zod didn't like the flare of defiance in No-Ton's eyes. The scientist sniffed. ”If there's anything you wish to say to your followers, now may be your last chance to do it.”

Zod desperately needed to find someone else to punish for this debacle. ”Why did this fault occur? I ordered only one weapon to be launched. What caused them all to take off? Who is responsible?”

”What does it matter? Maybe the weapons were all linked somehow. Maybe this is a final trick that Jax-Ur played upon later generations, his revenge against anyone who uncovered his stockpile. There's no stopping it now.”

”Get Jor-El in here!” Zod shouted.

One of the female technicians gasped. She bent over the display screen. ”General! Look at this.” The telescope array tracked the progress of the nova javelins, and on the image, the sky had turned darker, more purple, full of stars. ”The parabolic trajectory is wrong. The javelins have changed course!”

Zod shoved his way closer. ”How so? Where are they headed now? What part of Krypton will they strike?”

”It doesn't matter,” No-Ton insisted. ”With that much firepower, any impact will blow the whole planet apart.”

The technician shook her head vigorously. ”No, they've achieved escape velocity. They're...they're heading out into s.p.a.ce.”

Zod couldn't believe what he had heard. ”To s.p.a.ce? Are we safe, then?” He spun toward No-Ton. ”Is it an accident, or was it planned?”

”I set the coordinates for Argo City myself, General. As you ordered. The missiles have completely deviated from their program.”

Cl.u.s.tered like a flock of migratory birds, all fifteen nova javelins soared out of the last wisps of Krypton's atmosphere and clawed their way free of the planet's gravity well.

”Are they just going to disperse?” He felt a sudden, giddy hope. ”Will they detonate where they can cause no harm?”

No-Ton sat back, pale with disbelief. ”Who can know, General? This is beyond me. When the rockets run out of fuel, they might eventually circle around and fall into Rao. We could have a reprieve after all.”

The words reminded Zod of the instabilities Jor-El had long predicted in the sun. If fifteen nova javelins plunged into the red giant, might such incredible explosions finally trigger the sun to go supernova? He wanted to scream in frustration.

The observing telescopes increased their magnification, and the view s.h.i.+fted. Now Zod finally saw the intended target of the doomsday weapons. No-Ton and the other technicians gasped. Zod clenched his fist. ”d.a.m.n him!”

Aethyr stumbled into the control room, looking drained and terrified. ”I wanted to be with you at the end.”

Zod showed his teeth in a bitter smile. ”There will be no end. Not today.”

A haloed ball of ice and rock filled the screen, surrounded by a vaporous coma and a long feathery tail. Loth-Ur's Hammer.

Like precisely targeted arrows, the nova javelins streaked toward the heart of the comet. All fifteen struck within seconds of each other. The combined explosion released five times as much force as the blast that had obliterated Koron. Filters automatically drowned out a percentage of the glare before the screens themselves overloaded. Outside, the distant detonation created a brief new sun in Krypton's sky.

All that remained of Loth-Ur's Hammer was an expanding cloud of energized gas and the sparkling residue of the greatest weapons display Krypton had ever seen.

The comet was vaporized, no longer a threat. The world had been saved.

The weapons had been sabotaged.

And Zod knew that Jor-El was the man responsible.

CHAPTER 77.

In the confusion and chaos after the missile launches, Jor-El could have escaped from Kryptonopolis. He could have raced back to his estate or fled to Argo City. But he would never leave Lara behind. after the missile launches, Jor-El could have escaped from Kryptonopolis. He could have raced back to his estate or fled to Argo City. But he would never leave Lara behind.

Like the ancient philosopher Kal-Ik, who had spoken the truth even though he knew that Chieftain Nok would execute him for it, Jor-El had done what was necessary. Even though he had saved the planet, General Zod would quite likely kill him. This was a betrayal of unprecedented magnitude.

Nam-Ek came for him, his face a thunderstorm of rage. Jor-El had expected a full squad of Zod's Sapphire Guards and several members of the Ring of Strength, but the burly mute alone was more than capable of hauling him off to the government palace. Unafraid, and proud of what he had achieved, Jor-El prepared to face his nemesis. He would not back down.

Ever since Zod had erected his pretentious statue, the government chambers had begun to take on the appearance of a throne room. Now, that was where the General waited for Jor-El. Zod sat in a squarish, bulky chair on a raised platform with Aethyr at his right hand, icy and beautiful.

Nam-Ek released the scientist with a forward shove, making him stumble. Jor-El caught himself and tried to regain his dignity by straightening his white robes. He touched the curved S family symbol on his breast, drawing strength from a lineage that dated back to Sor-El and the time of the Seven Army Conference. Without a word, he met Zod's gaze.

Sour-faced Koll-Em entered the throne chamber pulling Lara roughly along, despite her advanced pregnancy. When she saw Jor-El, Lara broke free of the man's sweaty grip and ran to her husband. He held her, kissed her lips, and buried his face in her amber hair, certain that Zod meant to execute them both.

With a glower, the General curtly dismissed Koll-Em. When the young n.o.ble pouted at being left out of this confrontation, Zod responded with a look that made him scuttle away in silence. Finally the General said, his voice a low burn, ”I would ask you to explain yourself, but I am not interested in your answer.”

Jor-El was not intimidated. ”You're alive now because of what I have done. Shouldn't you be grateful?”

”You defied me!” Zod launched himself to his feet as if he himself had become a dangerous projectile.