Part 30 (2/2)
Tyr-Us spoke next, trembling as he explained how Zod's secret minions had hunted him for weeks. Having sought help from Zor-El and other like-minded critics, he tried to find safety, but had finally been captured in Yar-El's empty dacha. He, too, had been thrown into the Phantom Zone.
No-Ton discussed in a stuttering voice how he'd been forced to help blast Borga City with the Rao beam and then modify the nova javelins, which had almost destroyed the planet. Next came the bent-backed and scrawny servant Hopk-Ins, who sobbed as he told the story of Zod using him to test the Phantom Zone.
General Zod quickly became deaf to their string of complaints, the whining, the pathetic calls for sympathy. He closed his eyes to their pitiful expressions as they recounted their ordeals. The accusations droned on in an endless litany.
Zor-El showed images of the abortive attack on Argo City. Lara described how she had been imprisoned, both to coerce her husband's help and because she'd written the truth in her journal.
Finally, Jor-El stepped forward and fixed his eyes on Zod's. Before the scientist could speak, Zod shouted at him, ”Are you their puppet now, Jor-El? Have they offered you a position on the new Council? Was that what you wanted all along? Political power?”
Jor-El seemed surprised. ”Political power? Hardly. I merely wanted to save Krypton, even as you did your best to destroy it.” With a proud and wise demeanor, he turned to face the men who acted as judges. ”Yes, Zod did all the terrible things you've heard in other testimony. He seized power in our time of greatest need, and he maintained the state of emergency to keep his followers close. He should have let Krypton settle back into a normal rule of law and government.”
”You are just as much to blame, Jor-El.” Zod could not keep the smugness from his voice. ”You built the Rao beam that destroyed Borga City. built the Rao beam that destroyed Borga City. Your Your weapon designs armed my entire military. weapon designs armed my entire military. You You repaired the nova javelins so they could be launched. repaired the nova javelins so they could be launched. You You created the Phantom Zone, where so many political prisoners were held. Without you, I could never have wielded such power.” created the Phantom Zone, where so many political prisoners were held. Without you, I could never have wielded such power.”
From behind the force-field barrier, he watched the scientist's fl.u.s.tered expression, but Jor-El did not back down. ”Your Commission warned that even simple inventions could be corrupted and misused by an evil man. That evil man was you, you, Zod.” He turned back to the group of glaring judges, many of whom now seemed to regard him with uneasy suspicion. ”Under the auspices of his Commission, Zod banned technologies that would have helped Krypton, while h.o.a.rding the designs for himself. He stole my inventions, corrupted advances that should have benefited everyone, and developed weapons that he turned against his own people.” Zod.” He turned back to the group of glaring judges, many of whom now seemed to regard him with uneasy suspicion. ”Under the auspices of his Commission, Zod banned technologies that would have helped Krypton, while h.o.a.rding the designs for himself. He stole my inventions, corrupted advances that should have benefited everyone, and developed weapons that he turned against his own people.”
From inside the dome, Zod shook his head. How he despised the man and his revisionist view of events. Instead of shouting further, General Zod clamped his lips together and waited. He was painfully reminded that Jax-Ur, too, had been defeated by the disloyalty of a trusted companion. He took no satisfaction from the historical parallel. d.a.m.n Jor-El! d.a.m.n Jor-El!
Not surprisingly, the ruling of the provisional Council was unanimous. When his sentence was read, Zod didn't even need to hear it. He spoke through the s.h.i.+mmering barrier. ”These other men are fools, Jor-El, and I expected nothing else from them. But you you-you have truly betrayed me.”
Jor-El didn't even look at him. He spoke to the judges. ”I, too, cast my vote against Zod. He will always be a threat to Krypton.”
”You could have saved yourself considerable time,” Aethyr snapped at the gathered judges. ”You knew what you would conclude before the proceedings began. You didn't even allow us to speak in our own defense.”
Tyr-Us looked brave now that Zod was safely bottled up. He raised his chin. ”And what do you wish to say? How can you defend your heinous actions?”
Zod silenced Aethyr with an abrupt wave. ”Give them no further sport.”
Korth-Or took one step closer to the dome. He was still simmering with accusations, still seeing the holocaust of when his Borga City had been destroyed. ”Aethyr-Ka, do you still wish to stand with General Zod?”
”Do not use my family name! They were dead to me long before they vanished with Kandor.” She stepped to the edge of the s.h.i.+mmering field. ”Yes, I stand with General Zod.”
”And you, Nam-Ek.” Or-Om sounded compa.s.sionate. ”You were a mere p.a.w.n in these actions. We believe you are mentally flawed. We can perhaps find some leniency if you will renounce Zod. Signify by nodding or shaking your head.”
Nam-Ek was incensed by the very suggestion. He balled his fists and shook his head vigorously.
The leaders of the new government stood together as Gil-Ex announced in a booming voice, ”General Zod, there is no more fitting punishment than for you to be confined permanently within the Phantom Zone. There, you will forever endure the torment that you forced upon us.”
Zod did not give them the satisfaction of a defiant retort. Armored soldiers came forward, muscular men who had replaced the Sapphire Guards. They surrounded the small imprisoning dome. A crew of anxious-looking workers brought the silver ring out of the museum chamber.
Despite his proud demeanor and unshakable strength, Zod felt a chill. He wished Aethyr and Nam-Ek had indeed renounced him, so they wouldn't have to suffer the same fate.
From where he stood Zor-El activated the force-field controls, and the small dome disappeared. Briefly freed, Nam-Ek was ready to hurl himself upon the guards and perhaps die in a hopeless attempt at escape. But General Zod touched the big man's arm and shook his head. The mute relaxed, complying with his master's wishes, as always.
Gal-Eth said, ”Take one last breath of Kryptonian air. Smell the sweetness of freedom that you are leaving behind.”
Zod spat at them.
He glared out at the crowd, focusing his anger on the one person he hated the most. ”Jor-El, we could have saved Krypton. We could have led these people out of their own stupidity, but you betrayed me. You betrayed them them! You doomed them all! I could have made this into a world that my father would have admired, but you and all future generations will pay for your shortsightedness. This is on your head, Jor-El-your conscience! I curse you for that. I curse you and all your descendants!”
Jor-El stood coolly, as if he were actually proud proud of what he had done, and he made no reply. of what he had done, and he made no reply.
Ignoring his rant, the guards took Aethyr by the arms. When she struggled, they seized her legs as well and carried her bodily toward the silver frame that enclosed absolute emptiness. Zod grew wild, feeling the last shreds of his long-cultivated control slough away. ”No!”
They threw Aethyr into the blank plane, and she vanished instantly, to become only a flat disembodied face filling the Zone.
Next, it took five men to push Nam-Ek into the singularity.
Finally, the guards came for Zod. With every fiber of his being he wanted to fight, to scream and shout and not allow these hated people a moment of victory. However, he knew he could not escape the guards, the howling mob. Even if he broke away, they would hunt him and kill him like an animal. And if he kicked and thrashed, forcing them to pick him up bodily and throw him into the Phantom Zone, he would only appear childish. Humiliated and worse-impotent. He was Zod, General General Zod, and he could never allow himself to look powerless, especially in front of these people whom he despised. Zod, and he could never allow himself to look powerless, especially in front of these people whom he despised.
By taking control of the situation, he placed himself in charge for one last time. Better yet, he s.n.a.t.c.hed the power and authority from these weaklings who had betrayed and defeated him. He had only one possible option, and Zod vowed to do this on his own terms. His own terms! Let historians record this ending with awe!
Unexpectedly, he spun and broke away. Rather than allow his enemies to touch him, not accepting their their punishment, he had only one place to go. With a last glare of hatred directed toward Jor-El, General Zod dove headfirst through the silver rings. punishment, he had only one place to go. With a last glare of hatred directed toward Jor-El, General Zod dove headfirst through the silver rings.
He heard surprised and outraged shouts from the throne room...until absolute, infinite nothingness swallowed him up.
CHAPTER 81.
In the middle of the Square of Hope the broken statue of Zod lay like a stone corpse covered with dark fabrics. The provisional Council would soon find some way to dispose of it permanently. The public would not feel satisfied until the offensive relic was destroyed. Square of Hope the broken statue of Zod lay like a stone corpse covered with dark fabrics. The provisional Council would soon find some way to dispose of it permanently. The public would not feel satisfied until the offensive relic was destroyed.
In their wild and relieved celebrations, the people also turned their anger against any reminders of the old dictators.h.i.+p. Individual vandals, as well as larger mobs, targeted other examples of civic artwork Zod had commissioned. Lara was helpless to prevent them from defacing the intricate mosaics, sculpture walls, and elaborate murals she had so meticulously designed.
”Stop this desecration!” She tried to push her way to the largest mural wall, moving awkwardly because of her pregnancy. ”It's art art!”
”It's propaganda for Zod-and we have had enough of that,” someone snarled at her.
”Propaganda? Just look look at it-what's left of it!” But they refused to accept that even the most straightforward images did not contain subliminal ideas in support of the overthrown government. Her words went unheeded, and the rampant destruction continued. at it-what's left of it!” But they refused to accept that even the most straightforward images did not contain subliminal ideas in support of the overthrown government. Her words went unheeded, and the rampant destruction continued.
Offended on her behalf, Jor-El demanded to speak with Tyr-Us, who seemed to be in charge of the provisional government, but the man made obvious excuses not to see him. The scientist finally barged in, appointment or no appointment. ”Why would you let vandals destroy my wife's artwork? They're scenes from history history. Lara designed them herself-”
”But Zod commissioned them,” Tyr-Us answered impatiently. ”We want no leftover reminders of that regime. Can you blame the people? It's better to simply start fresh. If your wife would like to submit alternative designs to our cultural committee, she is welcome to do so.” He seemed to think he was doing her a favor. ”However, we have many eager craftsmen who wish to contribute. Your wife may have been General Zod's pet artist, but she will be on equal footing with the rest of our people from now on.”
Jor-El stiffened. ”Why would you punish Lara? I don't understand your att.i.tude at all. We are only trying to help-”
”Really?” The man seemed on the verge of saying much more, but then insisted that Jor-El leave. ”I have more important things to do than listen to your complaints.”
Striding through the streets, Jor-El next encountered Gil-Ex surrounded by a group of advisers. The advisers looked up, startled, when the white-haired scientist stepped forward. ”Gil-Ex, who should I speak to about all the technologies Zod hid in his secret chamber? Krypton might still benefit, but only if someone with the proper vision applies those theories in a constructive way. I could be of ser vice on such a committee.”
Gil-Ex was surprisingly cool. His bald pate flushed pink, and the tips of his long mustache quivered. ”That won't be necessary. We have others to perform that task.”
”But who would be better suited?”
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