SV - Reposted fic - Vengeance is Mine, teens, various pairings
I did not repost this here, at the time, and the comm is MIA. So, Zod!Lex, with another 100-ish words added, from the original.
Title: Vengeance Is Mine
Author: laurab1
Pairings: Lex/Lana, Clark/Lana, Zod/Jor-El, Zod/Lana, Zod/Ursa
Rating: teens
Spoilers: Oracle, Vessel, Zod, Superman, Superman II
Word Count: 4790
Summary: Revenge is a dish best served cold
Some of this was betaed by marag. Thank you!
Feedback is loved and appreciated :) Enjoy!
Teaser...
They had been the scourge of Krypton: Zod, and his hounds, Ursa and Quex-Ul. They had destroyed the planet’s technological and political infrastructure, and murdered with glee and abandon. For this, Jor-El had sentenced them to incorporeal imprisonment in the barren wasteland of his creation, the Phantom Zone. They had once been as close as brothers. Zod planned his revenge, on Jor-El and his children, from the moment he arrived there.
They did not witness the ultimate effects of their destruction. They did not witness the death of their planet, its radioactive demise hastened by the lack of infrastructure.
Neither did they see the little ship that carried Krypton’s last son begin her long voyage to Earth.
***
Vengeance Is Mine
by Laura
There were others there, they knew this. But the Phantom Zone would not allow them to travel very far, so they just remained in their shelter, and saw no-one else.
Sometimes, Brainiac appeared, phasing through a portal. Zod had created the computer and only he communicated with it, planning and scheming. And learning of the outcome of their destruction and killing sprees, of the death of their planet.
Other than that, it would be a very long time before new prisoners arrived there.
***
And then, Aethyr and Nam-Ek appeared at their shelter. On first appearance, they were solid, whole, not just spirits. Aethyr, the female, pulled up the clothing she wore. She showed Zod her bare back, marked with the symbol of his house. That was his sign. They were shapeshifted parts of Brainiac, computer-created lifeforms. However, they were bodies.
Bodies that spirits could possess.
Bodies that could kill and destroy.
Bodies that could take revenge.
“Who sent you here?” Zod demanded of them.
“It was Kal-El,” Nam-Ek said, his anger clear.
Kal-El. A son of Jor-El, their gaoler. “And where did he send you here from?” Zod asked.
“Earth,” Aethyr said bitterly.
Oh, Zod knew of Earth, thanks to Jor-El. “Then we shall go there and exact revenge upon Kal-El for our imprisonment by his father,” Zod declared, as loudly as he could.
“And just how will we accomplish that, General?” Ursa asked, shimmering towards him.
“I have planned for this since we were imprisoned here, my dear. Brainiac has put in place technology that will allow us to leave the Phantom Zone. A vessel; a body is being prepared for me. You and Quex-Ul will possess these bodies, and I will summon you when I require your presence at my side,” Zod said.
He watched Ursa’s eyes. He could see she relished the thought of once again being able to cause mayhem. He imagined his own eyes looked much the same.
***
Brainiac continued to phase through and brought all of them tales of the work that was being done to prepare the vessel.
It brought Zod alone tales of the work that was being done to effect the circumstances for the destruction of Earth, and its rebirth as something new.
***
And on Earth, Fine had injected Lex with a vaccine. He claimed it would save him when the rest of the world perished from the super-virus that he had manipulated Lex into creating, and something had changed within Lex’s body. His doctor informed him that he had never been healthier.
Accidently, Lex cut his thumb. He watched the blood appear. And promptly disappear, as the cut healed before his eyes, instantly.
Later, Lex repeatedly and deliberately sliced open his thumb, watching it heal, again and again, sometimes sucking the blood away. He felt his pulse when he did this; it was so much stronger than it was before the injection.
He was perfectly happy to admit just how much that turned him on.
Lex closed his eyes, and smiled wickedly to himself.
***
Lex couldn’t possibly have known that this was the first step of his preparation to receive the spirit of Zod.
He was summoned, and taken... away, by Fine and the black ship. He returned even more changed, in suspiciously familiar ways. He was fast, strong. Firing a bullet into his hand, and frightening Lana, he found he was invulnerable.
And then she told him that Clark was going to try and kill him.
So much for friendship.
***
In the dark, Lex stood at the entrance to the barn, held out his hands in a questioning gesture and asked, “So, what did you decide, Clark? Are you gonna kill me?”
Clark replied, all matter of fact, “You can't blame me for this, Lex. You did this to yourself.”
Maybe he had. His dad had told him he’d been foolish to trust Fine. Anyway, Lex entered the barn and said, “Oh, come on, Clark! You love it! Ever since that day on the bridge, you've always seen yourself as my savior -- the one thing that would pull me off the dark path I'd started. See, that's why you cling to the idea that there's still some good in me. You don't want to face the fact that you might have failed.”
“Maybe I just can't believe someone would have so little willpower,” Clark said, sounding angry and disappointed.
Continuing to walk towards Clark, Lex said, “It's a little hard to compete with the iron willpower it takes to kill one of your best friends. How did you know I was gonna come back like this?”
“You don't realize how much danger you're in,” Clark told him.
Clark obviously wasn’t going to tell him anything (like that made a change), and Lex also felt angry. And disappointed. Looking up at Clark, Lex said, ”I used to think you had this...strong inner core. You were so virtuous.” Lex bit his lip, and continued, ”And yet you lie all the time -- to me, to Lana, to all the people who cared about you. What kind of sick person would do that?”
Clark just replied, “If you thought this friendship was doomed from the beginning, then why did you fight so hard to keep it?”
If Lex still cared about him, he’d think Clark was trying not to cry.
But he didn’t care about Clark anymore, that bridge had been burnt for a while now.
Giving Clark his answer, Lex went straight for a nerve, and said, “Because I wanted everything you had -- the family, the inconspicuous life, the loyal girlfriend. Well, at least I walked away with the part you loved the most.”
”You're not yourself,” Clark said placatingly.
“Or maybe I finally am,” Lex replied, before grabbing Clark.
They fought, until Clark threw him across the barn. Lex supersped back to Clark and came up behind him. Clark had foolishly given himself away, and Lex said, “I knew there was something different about you.”
They began fighting again, and Lex threw Clark into the loft. He dashed up, and they continued to fight, ending up on the floor. Clark gained the upper hand and removed a dagger bearing familiar markings, that Lex strongly suspected were alien. The markings came alive, and as Clark held the weapon to his neck, Lex prepared for the worst.
“Do it, Clark. Let's see if you're really your father's son,” Fine, or whoever he really was, said, from the main barn. When had he appeared?
Lex watched Clark struggle with his decision, before he climbed off of him, apparently changing his mind about killing his supposed best friend. From the floor, Lex half saw Clark turn away from him and throw the dagger out into the barn. Was he trying to silence Fine? What did Fine mean, anyway?
And then Lex heard Clark ask, “What have I done?”
What had he done? Something with dire consequences, very possibly, as Fine replied, “You've opened the portal for Zod.”
That didn’t sound like a human name, or word.
Lex was now upright, and saw that Clark had embedded the dagger in Fine. However, there was a suspicious lack of blood, and Lex really didn’t think it was due to body armor. He watched the hilt of the dagger glow red.
***
And up in the Arctic, in what was meant to be Kal-El’s Fortress of Solitude, Brainiac’s technology activated, causing some of the crystals to turn red.
***
In the Phantom Zone, Ursa watched her general’s spirit change color, and phase out. “We shall meet again, soon, General,” she said, as he disappeared.
“Quex-Ul, we have our orders. Merge your spirit with Nam-Ek’s body,” Ursa said.
Merging her own spirit with Aethyr’s body, she took a chance at asserting her will, and managed to alter the body she now possessed, and its clothing. The hair became shorter, the eyes became darker. ‘Oh, yes,’ Ursa thought, running her hands over her reformed body. She was particularly impressed with the thigh high leather boots she’d managed to create.
***
From the Fortress, Zod began the second stage of his journey. His spirit changed into the symbol of his house, and went up into the sky. He sought out Brainiac.
After passing an indeterminate amount of time, he found it, and connected with it.
***
Lex watched, as a red beam appeared from the sky, and hit Fine's back. The beam passed through Fine and went towards him, causing Clark to be thrown back. The beam hit him in the chest, and Lex screamed. It burned, whatever was happening. He felt his mind and body being invaded.
Then he didn’t feel anything at all.
***
The final part of the technology was a program for destruction, of a fashion. Brainiac said, “Afterburn,” and another beam came out of the vessel and went back to Brainiac, making it disappear.
***
Then, Zod finally settled himself into the body; the vessel Brainiac had prepared for him.
Rao, possessing physical form again after so very long felt wonderful.
“Lex? Lex?”
The worried voice of a boy, to use these particular Earthlings’ words. Some of the many words Jor-El had recorded in the Archives after his visit to Earth, years ago. Zod turned around to face the boy and walk towards him. Standing on slightly higher part of the structure they were in, he could look down at the boy. For a moment, he thought he saw Jor-El again. But he knew Jor-El was long dead. This must be Kal-El, son of Jor-El.
Son of his enemy.
Son of his gaoler.
The one he wished to take revenge upon.
“You have your father’s eyes,” Zod informed him. “Hello, Kal-El,” he announced.
The boy blinked rapidly at that, before asking, “Where’s Lex?” His tone suggested he suspected Lex was mentally unstable.
Zod knew that was the name of this body. “Lex is dead,” Zod informed him, and watched him swallow, hard, at that. His statement wasn’t precisely true, but it served his purpose well enough.
“Why are you here?” Kal asked.
The boy was forcing himself to remain calm, Zod could see that.
“Revenge,” he said.
Zod turned away from Kal. Walking away from him, he described to Kal his imprisonment by his father. “And in the end, the only survivor of his pathetic crusade,” he said, and turned back to face Kal, ending with, “was his son.”
His voice was cold, betraying nothing.
“Then this is between us. These people did nothing to harm you,” Kal said, his voice betraying everything.
“No. But you feel no pain greater than to see others in agony,” he replied, using something Brainiac had told him. Kal-El cared for these humans, by and large.
“I won’t let you destroy this planet like you did Krypton,” Kal said forcefully.
“You don’t have a choice. Unless you join me,” Zod told him.
“I’ll never join you,” Kal said, emphasis on the ‘never’.
“Well, I hope that’s a decision you’ll be able to live with. Forever,” Zod said, drawing the ring emblazoned with the symbol of his house out of the coat this body wore. Brainiac had placed it there, in a pocket dimension inaccessible to humans, when he was preparing the vessel. It flew out into the sky. Kal turned back to him, and Zod nodded. Then the ring sent out a beam and dragged the son of his enemy away, consigning Kal-El to the Phantom Zone.
Zod allowed himself a smirk. It was time start the real plan. Kal-El had just been a bonus. He would bring Earth, this pathetic, backward planet, to its knees. And there was no-one to stop him.
***
Some residues of the vessel’s knowledge and feelings remained. Using them, Zod flew to a large house. There, he changed into the most intimidating clothing he could find. Then, he went to the tallest building in Metropolis.
***
Zod stood on the roof of the LuthorCorp building, and watched the city burn beneath him. Brainiac had done well, causing this disintegration and destruction, with one little computer virus. There was a noise behind him. Zod turned around, and saw a human girl.
"Lex!" she said, and began talking about tests, betrayal, abandonment and being there for Lex. The girl, something told him her name was Lana, then said, “I don't know what you and I have, but I'm there because I want to find out. Do you?"
For all her babbling, it sounded like Lana had some fire. Nothing to compare with Ursa, though. Her words indicated she wished some form of contact. He wasn’t about to tell her his true identity at this precise moment in time, and it had been so long since he had touched anyone. Zod placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder.
And then he kissed her.
Below them, Metropolis continued to burn.
***
They separated, and the girl said something about helping the people below.
Then Zod did show his hand (he, Jor-El and Lara had often spent hours playing poker, an Earth card game), and reveal who he really was. "Lex Luthor is dead," he said, watching Lana’s eyes go wide in surprise. "My name is Zod, and I will not assist the humans."
Zod placed an arm around the girl, and flew off the roof.
***
They landed near the place where Brainiac’s ship was housed, and Zod pulled Lana inside. She whined rather too much about this for Zod’s liking, and asked him to let go of her.
"Zod doesn't take orders. He gives them," he informed her.
“What are you?” Lana asked.
They arrived at the ship, and seeing that silenced her.
But only for a few minutes, as she then exclaimed, "Oh God. You're one of those things from that ship!"
"Aethyr and Nam-Ek? They were merely foot soldiers, part of the advance guard," Zod said.
Apparently, Lana remained unconvinced, as she then addressed the vessel, saying, “Lex! You’re being controlled by Milton Fine and the ship, and you have to fight it!”
“Lex is gone,” Zod said simply.
“I don’t believe that,” the girl said.
Zod grabbed her face and asked, “Do you think I care what a primitive human like you thinks?”
Exhibiting some of her fire, Lana asked, “Why am I here, then, if I’m just a primitive human?”
“You will bear witness to the destruction of the human race and to the rebirth of Krypton,” Zod said.
"'Krypton'?" Lana asked.
“It was once a shining jewel in the vast, dark universe, before it became dark itself, and I hastened its demise,” Zod replied, pulling Lana over to the ship. “You will play a part in its resurrection.”
He placed a hand on the ship, and it lit up, displaying his own language. The ship gave him a disk, which also bore Kryptonian writing. This disk would allow him destroy Earth, and summon his hounds.
The removal of the disk triggered the invisibility program, and the ship vanished.
Lana attempted to get away, but Zod whooshed behind her. “There is no escape from what is about to happen,” he said menacingly. He grabbed her again, and they flew off to the vessel’s home.
***
“How did you know to come here? There must still be some Lex in that body for you to remember where to go,” the girl said.
Zod snatched up the Earth computer which was spreading the destructive virus, its screen covered in Kryptonian. "You had feelings for this human," he said.
“I did,” she replied.
Zod looked at the girl. "His feelings for you were also strong. They left an unpleasant taste when I consumed his essence," he said.
Oh, she did not relish that turn of phrase.
Looking back at the screen, he continued, “The computer virus crippling your pathetic planet could only be stopped at the point of infection. That is the only reason I am here.”
Zod pulled out the disk Brainiac’s ship had provided him with, and placed it near the computer. It began to glow. Zod put the disk over the control pad, and watched it spin around. A map of the country they were in, the “mighty U.S.A.”, appeared on the screen.
"You got rid of the virus," Lana said, stating the obvious.
“I needed to acquire information. That was the sole reason for halting its progress,” Zod told her. The lights above them sputtered.
"Power," Lana said.
Another completely obvious statement. “It would take days to restore the power, if you pathetic humans even had that long.”
The disk gave him the location of the country’s military command centre. "The Pentagon," Lana gasped, when it appeared on the screen.
“There is an item at the Pentagon that I need. The black ship will send a pulse around the world, reforming the Earth's crust,” Zod said, giving her more of his plan.
"Into what?" Lana asked.
"My home," he replied.
"Krypton," she said.
Well, she certainly had some intelligence. “Yes, and this time, it willl be perfect; an empire ruled by the bloodline of Zod.”
Zod watched her shudder at that statement.
“What about the black ship? Don’t you need that?” she asked, when she recovered.
This was becoming a little tiresome. "Its hard drive will create the pulse, but I require military satellites to broadcast it,” he said.
Zod saw something dangerous flicker in Lana’s eyes. He watched her remove one of the vessel’s weapons from the wall and brandish it at him.
“I’m not going to let you do this, Zod,” she said angrily.
“There is nothing to be afraid of. The fate of this planet will not be yours, if you give me what I want,” he replied.
"What do you want?" she asked, still bearing the sword.
"An heir," he said simply.
She swished the blade, and Zod caught both her hands. He took the girl’s right hand and held it against the wall. Then, he rammed the blade through her hand, attaching her to the wall. She screamed in pain and fell limp. “We shall discuss this further when I return from the Pentagon,” Zod informed her.
***
Zod found various threats of violence worked still worked surprisingly well, even when it was military commanders you threatened, the so-called “top brass”.
***
Zod returned to the vessel’s home carrying a battered old suitcase. He spotted the weapon he had used to impale the girl. So, she had freed herself. Had she escaped, too? Zod opened the suitcase, and the computer which could control the satellites was revealed.
"That's all it takes to end the world?" Lana asked.
"And begin a new one," Zod replied. He turned towards the girl. “Why did you not run when you had the chance?” he asked.
She approached him, and said, ”There was nothing to run to. In order to survive, you sometimes have to give up the things you care about most. And give in to fate. I’ll sleep with you, Zod. You can have your heir.”
Was she playing with him? She would suffer the consequences, if that was the case. Zod asked, "You would give me an heir? Willingly?"
“The heir will be the first of many children,” Lana said.
Zod looked at Lana, before pulling her onto the couch. They kissed. It was...pleasurable. "Perhaps I have underestimated the females of your species," Zod said.
Lana said, "Maybe you just underestimated me," before reaching into the couch, and removing a dagger bearing Kryptonian markings.
Where had that come from? Kal-El was trapped in the Phantom Zone, and Brainiac had...disappeared. She had got out, then. Somehow, another dagger had been obtained. The weapon had been presented to her, and she had come back. Foolish girl. She attempted to injure him with the dagger, and he halted her, immediately. Sensing him, the dagger glowed.
“Do not to play with things you do not understand, human,” Zod said. He then slapped her, making her bleed. She landed on the floor, and sighed, pathetically. “Did you really think that would work? That you could make a difference? Nothing can change the fate of your world," he said, pulling the disk out of his coat pocket. He placed it on the desk, and watched it light up. Zod stood the still glowing dagger’s hilt on the disk, and both items together opened a portal to the Phantom Zone. Ursa and Quex-Ul would soon once again be by his side.
***
In the Phantom Zone, Ursa and Quex-Ul felt themselves and their hosts being pulled...elsewhere.
Then they arrived at a house.
A bald man snatched up what Ursa recognised as a Kryptonian dagger and broke it. “Ursa, Quex-Ul, welcome to planet Earth,” he said.
And Ursa knew where they were, and who this was. “General, you looked like that, in your youth,” she said, impressed at the sight of him, “That must be why Brainiac chose that human as your vessel.”
“Indeed, my dear,” Zod said, regarding her. “Now, this is what I have planned for this planet...”
***
Zod explained his plans for the resurrection of Krypton to his hounds, and told them of Lana’s betrayal of him. Then he placed the disk over the computer from the Pentagon. It lit up and began spinning. "Accessing Satellite..." the screen read. A map of the Earth appeared. Lana still lay on the floor. Zod watched Ursa take her by the hair, and drag her up. Then he went back to observing the computer.
Ursa said, “You could have stood with us as Krypton was reborn, little one. Now you will die with all the rest."
Then there was a whooshing noise. "Let her go!" someone shouted.
Ursa just held her more tightly, he assumed, as the person repeated their demand.
In the louder tone, Zod knew who the voice belonged to. He was surprised to hear it. Turning away from the computer, "Kal-El," he announced.
The boy saw the spinning disk on the laptop. He fired heat from his eyes at it, breaking it into pieces.
And stopping the satellite.
The destruction of Earth was temporarily suspended. Krypton would have to wait for its resurrection. Zod rushed at the boy and headbutted him. They crashed through the large window and flew into the sky, spinning together. Zod looked up at Kal-El, who was trying to choke him. Kal-El stared back, anger all over his face.
They flew on.
They didn’t know that Ursa and Quex-Ul had followed them, also flying.
***
They fell to the ground in woodland, and ended up in some earth. Less than a second later, they were standing again. They fought, throwing each other a few times. "I don't know how you escaped the Zone," Zod said, "but you were safer where you were." He grabbed Kal-El, before dropping him onto a large stone, making it crack. Zod hit him again and again, making the boy bleed. Zod pulled him up, asking, “Did you honestly think you could win? Against me? You’re an idealistic fool just like your father!" Zod threw Kal-El again. And quite a way, this time. Zod rose up through the trees. He spotted the boy in a field, and flew down to him. "So easily beaten. Disappointing," Zod said sarcastically, landing in front of him.
Rising to his feet, Kal-El said angrily, “I told you before, Zod, I won't let you destroy Earth like you did Krypton.”
"Jor-El couldn’t stop me, and neither will his son," said Zod.
“I'll die trying,” the boy said.
Yes, idealistic fool.
“The humans will die, and Krypton will be reborn, I assure you of that.” Zod walked toward the boy, and continued, “I demand that you swear allegiance to me. Then, your loved ones will live.” Kal-El made no move, so he said, "Kneel before Zod." Still no response. "Kneel!" Zod demanded again. Then the boy reacted, kneeling and bowing his head. Zod held his hand out to Kal.
“Kneel and swear allegiance to me as well, Kal-El. And the girl will live,” a female voice said from behind him.
Zod turned, and saw Ursa come into view, followed by Quex-Ul. She joined him, and also held out her hand to Kal-El. The boy took both hands, continuing to bow. Zod smiled down at him.
Then he felt a stabbing pain in his hand. What had Kal-El done? He looked at Ursa and saw that she too was in pain. Both pairs of hands glowed brightly. The boy looked up at them, smiling and proud. Zod scowled. Kal-El removed his hands, and stood.
"My father sends his regards to both of you," he said. “Sorry, to all of you.”
He’d left something in their hands, Zod could feel a small sharp object in his. Zod and Ursa both opened their hands. Only to see a certain insignia. An ‘S’ in a pentagon. The symbol of the House of El.
"Jor-El!" they both exclaimed, followed by a scream of, "No!"
Zod was forced out of the vessel and into Jor-El’s crystal, screaming all the time. Also screaming, Ursa was forced out of Aethyr and into a second crystal, then Aethyr just disappeared. Quex-Ul gave up and Kal-El grabbed his hand. Quex-Ul was sucked in, there and then, and Nam-Ek also vanished.
Then, Lex lay on the ground, an ‘S’ in a pentagon branded into his hand.
***
Later, Lex was at the hospital. He saw Lana, looking like she was leaving. “Lana? Are you all right?” Lana didn’t answer, just looked frightened. “What happened?” he asked, dreading her reply.
"You don't remember?" she asked.
“Everything went blank after the field and the black ship. I just remember waking up here,” Lex said. Then he saw the bandage on her hand. What had he done to her?! "Is that why you're afraid of me?" he asked. “There are many scared people here, Lana. Is this all because of me?”
“You weren’t yourself, Lex. What you did wasn’t your fault. Lex, I almost killed you," she concluded, seeming sad.
Lex had a very vague feeling that someone else had also nearly killed him, recently.
“I’d have done the same thing. Lana. I know I can't make up for what happened, but I’ll have everything I damaged rebuilt, “ Lex said.
“That won't be easy, Lex,” Lana said.
"Nothing worth it ever is," he concluded.
***
The next day, Lex was patched up, and home. Sitting at his desk, he opened up his laptop, discovering a broken piece of metal. Picking it up, he examined it. It was covered in alien letters, this time, unlike the other suspicious metal disk he had once possessed. Another research project to be undertaken, then. He’d have to do this one on his own, he suspected.
Well, that was nothing new.
He started up his laptop, and looked for one of Dr Walden’s reports. He entered the password for the document. Grabbing some paper and a pencil, he compared symbols, noting patterns and frequency of occurrence and drawing new ones from the disk when they appeared.
His notes showed a rather high occurrence of a ‘Z’ like symbol.
Something told him that was significant. But what was significant about it was just out of reach. Lex sighed in frustration, and opened up some other reports he had to read. Perhaps Lana could be persuaded to tell him what he’d done when he was someone else. He smiled to himself at just how he’d get her to tell him.
***
Trapped in his crystal, Zod planned revenge on Kal-El and his heirs.
He felt something electronic pushing at his mind. So, they were at the Fortress. “Foolish boy, Kal-El,” Zod thought. “Brainiac?” he asked.
“Indeed, sir,” his computer said.
If he’d been able to, Zod would have smiled. With Brainiac’s assistance, he would get out of here, kill Kal-El and then he would resurrect his planet.
The House of El and planet Earth would pay for this second imprisonment.
-end-
Notes
"19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:19-21
Pierre Ambroise Francois Choderios de LaClos (1741-1803), Les Liasons Dangereuses, 1782: "La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid." Translates as, "Revenge is a dish best served cold."
Title: Vengeance Is Mine
Author: laurab1
Pairings: Lex/Lana, Clark/Lana, Zod/Jor-El, Zod/Lana, Zod/Ursa
Rating: teens
Spoilers: Oracle, Vessel, Zod, Superman, Superman II
Word Count: 4790
Summary: Revenge is a dish best served cold
Some of this was betaed by marag. Thank you!
Feedback is loved and appreciated :) Enjoy!
Teaser...
They had been the scourge of Krypton: Zod, and his hounds, Ursa and Quex-Ul. They had destroyed the planet’s technological and political infrastructure, and murdered with glee and abandon. For this, Jor-El had sentenced them to incorporeal imprisonment in the barren wasteland of his creation, the Phantom Zone. They had once been as close as brothers. Zod planned his revenge, on Jor-El and his children, from the moment he arrived there.
They did not witness the ultimate effects of their destruction. They did not witness the death of their planet, its radioactive demise hastened by the lack of infrastructure.
Neither did they see the little ship that carried Krypton’s last son begin her long voyage to Earth.
***
Vengeance Is Mine
by Laura
There were others there, they knew this. But the Phantom Zone would not allow them to travel very far, so they just remained in their shelter, and saw no-one else.
Sometimes, Brainiac appeared, phasing through a portal. Zod had created the computer and only he communicated with it, planning and scheming. And learning of the outcome of their destruction and killing sprees, of the death of their planet.
Other than that, it would be a very long time before new prisoners arrived there.
***
And then, Aethyr and Nam-Ek appeared at their shelter. On first appearance, they were solid, whole, not just spirits. Aethyr, the female, pulled up the clothing she wore. She showed Zod her bare back, marked with the symbol of his house. That was his sign. They were shapeshifted parts of Brainiac, computer-created lifeforms. However, they were bodies.
Bodies that spirits could possess.
Bodies that could kill and destroy.
Bodies that could take revenge.
“Who sent you here?” Zod demanded of them.
“It was Kal-El,” Nam-Ek said, his anger clear.
Kal-El. A son of Jor-El, their gaoler. “And where did he send you here from?” Zod asked.
“Earth,” Aethyr said bitterly.
Oh, Zod knew of Earth, thanks to Jor-El. “Then we shall go there and exact revenge upon Kal-El for our imprisonment by his father,” Zod declared, as loudly as he could.
“And just how will we accomplish that, General?” Ursa asked, shimmering towards him.
“I have planned for this since we were imprisoned here, my dear. Brainiac has put in place technology that will allow us to leave the Phantom Zone. A vessel; a body is being prepared for me. You and Quex-Ul will possess these bodies, and I will summon you when I require your presence at my side,” Zod said.
He watched Ursa’s eyes. He could see she relished the thought of once again being able to cause mayhem. He imagined his own eyes looked much the same.
***
Brainiac continued to phase through and brought all of them tales of the work that was being done to prepare the vessel.
It brought Zod alone tales of the work that was being done to effect the circumstances for the destruction of Earth, and its rebirth as something new.
***
And on Earth, Fine had injected Lex with a vaccine. He claimed it would save him when the rest of the world perished from the super-virus that he had manipulated Lex into creating, and something had changed within Lex’s body. His doctor informed him that he had never been healthier.
Accidently, Lex cut his thumb. He watched the blood appear. And promptly disappear, as the cut healed before his eyes, instantly.
Later, Lex repeatedly and deliberately sliced open his thumb, watching it heal, again and again, sometimes sucking the blood away. He felt his pulse when he did this; it was so much stronger than it was before the injection.
He was perfectly happy to admit just how much that turned him on.
Lex closed his eyes, and smiled wickedly to himself.
***
Lex couldn’t possibly have known that this was the first step of his preparation to receive the spirit of Zod.
He was summoned, and taken... away, by Fine and the black ship. He returned even more changed, in suspiciously familiar ways. He was fast, strong. Firing a bullet into his hand, and frightening Lana, he found he was invulnerable.
And then she told him that Clark was going to try and kill him.
So much for friendship.
***
In the dark, Lex stood at the entrance to the barn, held out his hands in a questioning gesture and asked, “So, what did you decide, Clark? Are you gonna kill me?”
Clark replied, all matter of fact, “You can't blame me for this, Lex. You did this to yourself.”
Maybe he had. His dad had told him he’d been foolish to trust Fine. Anyway, Lex entered the barn and said, “Oh, come on, Clark! You love it! Ever since that day on the bridge, you've always seen yourself as my savior -- the one thing that would pull me off the dark path I'd started. See, that's why you cling to the idea that there's still some good in me. You don't want to face the fact that you might have failed.”
“Maybe I just can't believe someone would have so little willpower,” Clark said, sounding angry and disappointed.
Continuing to walk towards Clark, Lex said, “It's a little hard to compete with the iron willpower it takes to kill one of your best friends. How did you know I was gonna come back like this?”
“You don't realize how much danger you're in,” Clark told him.
Clark obviously wasn’t going to tell him anything (like that made a change), and Lex also felt angry. And disappointed. Looking up at Clark, Lex said, ”I used to think you had this...strong inner core. You were so virtuous.” Lex bit his lip, and continued, ”And yet you lie all the time -- to me, to Lana, to all the people who cared about you. What kind of sick person would do that?”
Clark just replied, “If you thought this friendship was doomed from the beginning, then why did you fight so hard to keep it?”
If Lex still cared about him, he’d think Clark was trying not to cry.
But he didn’t care about Clark anymore, that bridge had been burnt for a while now.
Giving Clark his answer, Lex went straight for a nerve, and said, “Because I wanted everything you had -- the family, the inconspicuous life, the loyal girlfriend. Well, at least I walked away with the part you loved the most.”
”You're not yourself,” Clark said placatingly.
“Or maybe I finally am,” Lex replied, before grabbing Clark.
They fought, until Clark threw him across the barn. Lex supersped back to Clark and came up behind him. Clark had foolishly given himself away, and Lex said, “I knew there was something different about you.”
They began fighting again, and Lex threw Clark into the loft. He dashed up, and they continued to fight, ending up on the floor. Clark gained the upper hand and removed a dagger bearing familiar markings, that Lex strongly suspected were alien. The markings came alive, and as Clark held the weapon to his neck, Lex prepared for the worst.
“Do it, Clark. Let's see if you're really your father's son,” Fine, or whoever he really was, said, from the main barn. When had he appeared?
Lex watched Clark struggle with his decision, before he climbed off of him, apparently changing his mind about killing his supposed best friend. From the floor, Lex half saw Clark turn away from him and throw the dagger out into the barn. Was he trying to silence Fine? What did Fine mean, anyway?
And then Lex heard Clark ask, “What have I done?”
What had he done? Something with dire consequences, very possibly, as Fine replied, “You've opened the portal for Zod.”
That didn’t sound like a human name, or word.
Lex was now upright, and saw that Clark had embedded the dagger in Fine. However, there was a suspicious lack of blood, and Lex really didn’t think it was due to body armor. He watched the hilt of the dagger glow red.
***
And up in the Arctic, in what was meant to be Kal-El’s Fortress of Solitude, Brainiac’s technology activated, causing some of the crystals to turn red.
***
In the Phantom Zone, Ursa watched her general’s spirit change color, and phase out. “We shall meet again, soon, General,” she said, as he disappeared.
“Quex-Ul, we have our orders. Merge your spirit with Nam-Ek’s body,” Ursa said.
Merging her own spirit with Aethyr’s body, she took a chance at asserting her will, and managed to alter the body she now possessed, and its clothing. The hair became shorter, the eyes became darker. ‘Oh, yes,’ Ursa thought, running her hands over her reformed body. She was particularly impressed with the thigh high leather boots she’d managed to create.
***
From the Fortress, Zod began the second stage of his journey. His spirit changed into the symbol of his house, and went up into the sky. He sought out Brainiac.
After passing an indeterminate amount of time, he found it, and connected with it.
***
Lex watched, as a red beam appeared from the sky, and hit Fine's back. The beam passed through Fine and went towards him, causing Clark to be thrown back. The beam hit him in the chest, and Lex screamed. It burned, whatever was happening. He felt his mind and body being invaded.
Then he didn’t feel anything at all.
***
The final part of the technology was a program for destruction, of a fashion. Brainiac said, “Afterburn,” and another beam came out of the vessel and went back to Brainiac, making it disappear.
***
Then, Zod finally settled himself into the body; the vessel Brainiac had prepared for him.
Rao, possessing physical form again after so very long felt wonderful.
“Lex? Lex?”
The worried voice of a boy, to use these particular Earthlings’ words. Some of the many words Jor-El had recorded in the Archives after his visit to Earth, years ago. Zod turned around to face the boy and walk towards him. Standing on slightly higher part of the structure they were in, he could look down at the boy. For a moment, he thought he saw Jor-El again. But he knew Jor-El was long dead. This must be Kal-El, son of Jor-El.
Son of his enemy.
Son of his gaoler.
The one he wished to take revenge upon.
“You have your father’s eyes,” Zod informed him. “Hello, Kal-El,” he announced.
The boy blinked rapidly at that, before asking, “Where’s Lex?” His tone suggested he suspected Lex was mentally unstable.
Zod knew that was the name of this body. “Lex is dead,” Zod informed him, and watched him swallow, hard, at that. His statement wasn’t precisely true, but it served his purpose well enough.
“Why are you here?” Kal asked.
The boy was forcing himself to remain calm, Zod could see that.
“Revenge,” he said.
Zod turned away from Kal. Walking away from him, he described to Kal his imprisonment by his father. “And in the end, the only survivor of his pathetic crusade,” he said, and turned back to face Kal, ending with, “was his son.”
His voice was cold, betraying nothing.
“Then this is between us. These people did nothing to harm you,” Kal said, his voice betraying everything.
“No. But you feel no pain greater than to see others in agony,” he replied, using something Brainiac had told him. Kal-El cared for these humans, by and large.
“I won’t let you destroy this planet like you did Krypton,” Kal said forcefully.
“You don’t have a choice. Unless you join me,” Zod told him.
“I’ll never join you,” Kal said, emphasis on the ‘never’.
“Well, I hope that’s a decision you’ll be able to live with. Forever,” Zod said, drawing the ring emblazoned with the symbol of his house out of the coat this body wore. Brainiac had placed it there, in a pocket dimension inaccessible to humans, when he was preparing the vessel. It flew out into the sky. Kal turned back to him, and Zod nodded. Then the ring sent out a beam and dragged the son of his enemy away, consigning Kal-El to the Phantom Zone.
Zod allowed himself a smirk. It was time start the real plan. Kal-El had just been a bonus. He would bring Earth, this pathetic, backward planet, to its knees. And there was no-one to stop him.
***
Some residues of the vessel’s knowledge and feelings remained. Using them, Zod flew to a large house. There, he changed into the most intimidating clothing he could find. Then, he went to the tallest building in Metropolis.
***
Zod stood on the roof of the LuthorCorp building, and watched the city burn beneath him. Brainiac had done well, causing this disintegration and destruction, with one little computer virus. There was a noise behind him. Zod turned around, and saw a human girl.
"Lex!" she said, and began talking about tests, betrayal, abandonment and being there for Lex. The girl, something told him her name was Lana, then said, “I don't know what you and I have, but I'm there because I want to find out. Do you?"
For all her babbling, it sounded like Lana had some fire. Nothing to compare with Ursa, though. Her words indicated she wished some form of contact. He wasn’t about to tell her his true identity at this precise moment in time, and it had been so long since he had touched anyone. Zod placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder.
And then he kissed her.
Below them, Metropolis continued to burn.
***
They separated, and the girl said something about helping the people below.
Then Zod did show his hand (he, Jor-El and Lara had often spent hours playing poker, an Earth card game), and reveal who he really was. "Lex Luthor is dead," he said, watching Lana’s eyes go wide in surprise. "My name is Zod, and I will not assist the humans."
Zod placed an arm around the girl, and flew off the roof.
***
They landed near the place where Brainiac’s ship was housed, and Zod pulled Lana inside. She whined rather too much about this for Zod’s liking, and asked him to let go of her.
"Zod doesn't take orders. He gives them," he informed her.
“What are you?” Lana asked.
They arrived at the ship, and seeing that silenced her.
But only for a few minutes, as she then exclaimed, "Oh God. You're one of those things from that ship!"
"Aethyr and Nam-Ek? They were merely foot soldiers, part of the advance guard," Zod said.
Apparently, Lana remained unconvinced, as she then addressed the vessel, saying, “Lex! You’re being controlled by Milton Fine and the ship, and you have to fight it!”
“Lex is gone,” Zod said simply.
“I don’t believe that,” the girl said.
Zod grabbed her face and asked, “Do you think I care what a primitive human like you thinks?”
Exhibiting some of her fire, Lana asked, “Why am I here, then, if I’m just a primitive human?”
“You will bear witness to the destruction of the human race and to the rebirth of Krypton,” Zod said.
"'Krypton'?" Lana asked.
“It was once a shining jewel in the vast, dark universe, before it became dark itself, and I hastened its demise,” Zod replied, pulling Lana over to the ship. “You will play a part in its resurrection.”
He placed a hand on the ship, and it lit up, displaying his own language. The ship gave him a disk, which also bore Kryptonian writing. This disk would allow him destroy Earth, and summon his hounds.
The removal of the disk triggered the invisibility program, and the ship vanished.
Lana attempted to get away, but Zod whooshed behind her. “There is no escape from what is about to happen,” he said menacingly. He grabbed her again, and they flew off to the vessel’s home.
***
“How did you know to come here? There must still be some Lex in that body for you to remember where to go,” the girl said.
Zod snatched up the Earth computer which was spreading the destructive virus, its screen covered in Kryptonian. "You had feelings for this human," he said.
“I did,” she replied.
Zod looked at the girl. "His feelings for you were also strong. They left an unpleasant taste when I consumed his essence," he said.
Oh, she did not relish that turn of phrase.
Looking back at the screen, he continued, “The computer virus crippling your pathetic planet could only be stopped at the point of infection. That is the only reason I am here.”
Zod pulled out the disk Brainiac’s ship had provided him with, and placed it near the computer. It began to glow. Zod put the disk over the control pad, and watched it spin around. A map of the country they were in, the “mighty U.S.A.”, appeared on the screen.
"You got rid of the virus," Lana said, stating the obvious.
“I needed to acquire information. That was the sole reason for halting its progress,” Zod told her. The lights above them sputtered.
"Power," Lana said.
Another completely obvious statement. “It would take days to restore the power, if you pathetic humans even had that long.”
The disk gave him the location of the country’s military command centre. "The Pentagon," Lana gasped, when it appeared on the screen.
“There is an item at the Pentagon that I need. The black ship will send a pulse around the world, reforming the Earth's crust,” Zod said, giving her more of his plan.
"Into what?" Lana asked.
"My home," he replied.
"Krypton," she said.
Well, she certainly had some intelligence. “Yes, and this time, it willl be perfect; an empire ruled by the bloodline of Zod.”
Zod watched her shudder at that statement.
“What about the black ship? Don’t you need that?” she asked, when she recovered.
This was becoming a little tiresome. "Its hard drive will create the pulse, but I require military satellites to broadcast it,” he said.
Zod saw something dangerous flicker in Lana’s eyes. He watched her remove one of the vessel’s weapons from the wall and brandish it at him.
“I’m not going to let you do this, Zod,” she said angrily.
“There is nothing to be afraid of. The fate of this planet will not be yours, if you give me what I want,” he replied.
"What do you want?" she asked, still bearing the sword.
"An heir," he said simply.
She swished the blade, and Zod caught both her hands. He took the girl’s right hand and held it against the wall. Then, he rammed the blade through her hand, attaching her to the wall. She screamed in pain and fell limp. “We shall discuss this further when I return from the Pentagon,” Zod informed her.
***
Zod found various threats of violence worked still worked surprisingly well, even when it was military commanders you threatened, the so-called “top brass”.
***
Zod returned to the vessel’s home carrying a battered old suitcase. He spotted the weapon he had used to impale the girl. So, she had freed herself. Had she escaped, too? Zod opened the suitcase, and the computer which could control the satellites was revealed.
"That's all it takes to end the world?" Lana asked.
"And begin a new one," Zod replied. He turned towards the girl. “Why did you not run when you had the chance?” he asked.
She approached him, and said, ”There was nothing to run to. In order to survive, you sometimes have to give up the things you care about most. And give in to fate. I’ll sleep with you, Zod. You can have your heir.”
Was she playing with him? She would suffer the consequences, if that was the case. Zod asked, "You would give me an heir? Willingly?"
“The heir will be the first of many children,” Lana said.
Zod looked at Lana, before pulling her onto the couch. They kissed. It was...pleasurable. "Perhaps I have underestimated the females of your species," Zod said.
Lana said, "Maybe you just underestimated me," before reaching into the couch, and removing a dagger bearing Kryptonian markings.
Where had that come from? Kal-El was trapped in the Phantom Zone, and Brainiac had...disappeared. She had got out, then. Somehow, another dagger had been obtained. The weapon had been presented to her, and she had come back. Foolish girl. She attempted to injure him with the dagger, and he halted her, immediately. Sensing him, the dagger glowed.
“Do not to play with things you do not understand, human,” Zod said. He then slapped her, making her bleed. She landed on the floor, and sighed, pathetically. “Did you really think that would work? That you could make a difference? Nothing can change the fate of your world," he said, pulling the disk out of his coat pocket. He placed it on the desk, and watched it light up. Zod stood the still glowing dagger’s hilt on the disk, and both items together opened a portal to the Phantom Zone. Ursa and Quex-Ul would soon once again be by his side.
***
In the Phantom Zone, Ursa and Quex-Ul felt themselves and their hosts being pulled...elsewhere.
Then they arrived at a house.
A bald man snatched up what Ursa recognised as a Kryptonian dagger and broke it. “Ursa, Quex-Ul, welcome to planet Earth,” he said.
And Ursa knew where they were, and who this was. “General, you looked like that, in your youth,” she said, impressed at the sight of him, “That must be why Brainiac chose that human as your vessel.”
“Indeed, my dear,” Zod said, regarding her. “Now, this is what I have planned for this planet...”
***
Zod explained his plans for the resurrection of Krypton to his hounds, and told them of Lana’s betrayal of him. Then he placed the disk over the computer from the Pentagon. It lit up and began spinning. "Accessing Satellite..." the screen read. A map of the Earth appeared. Lana still lay on the floor. Zod watched Ursa take her by the hair, and drag her up. Then he went back to observing the computer.
Ursa said, “You could have stood with us as Krypton was reborn, little one. Now you will die with all the rest."
Then there was a whooshing noise. "Let her go!" someone shouted.
Ursa just held her more tightly, he assumed, as the person repeated their demand.
In the louder tone, Zod knew who the voice belonged to. He was surprised to hear it. Turning away from the computer, "Kal-El," he announced.
The boy saw the spinning disk on the laptop. He fired heat from his eyes at it, breaking it into pieces.
And stopping the satellite.
The destruction of Earth was temporarily suspended. Krypton would have to wait for its resurrection. Zod rushed at the boy and headbutted him. They crashed through the large window and flew into the sky, spinning together. Zod looked up at Kal-El, who was trying to choke him. Kal-El stared back, anger all over his face.
They flew on.
They didn’t know that Ursa and Quex-Ul had followed them, also flying.
***
They fell to the ground in woodland, and ended up in some earth. Less than a second later, they were standing again. They fought, throwing each other a few times. "I don't know how you escaped the Zone," Zod said, "but you were safer where you were." He grabbed Kal-El, before dropping him onto a large stone, making it crack. Zod hit him again and again, making the boy bleed. Zod pulled him up, asking, “Did you honestly think you could win? Against me? You’re an idealistic fool just like your father!" Zod threw Kal-El again. And quite a way, this time. Zod rose up through the trees. He spotted the boy in a field, and flew down to him. "So easily beaten. Disappointing," Zod said sarcastically, landing in front of him.
Rising to his feet, Kal-El said angrily, “I told you before, Zod, I won't let you destroy Earth like you did Krypton.”
"Jor-El couldn’t stop me, and neither will his son," said Zod.
“I'll die trying,” the boy said.
Yes, idealistic fool.
“The humans will die, and Krypton will be reborn, I assure you of that.” Zod walked toward the boy, and continued, “I demand that you swear allegiance to me. Then, your loved ones will live.” Kal-El made no move, so he said, "Kneel before Zod." Still no response. "Kneel!" Zod demanded again. Then the boy reacted, kneeling and bowing his head. Zod held his hand out to Kal.
“Kneel and swear allegiance to me as well, Kal-El. And the girl will live,” a female voice said from behind him.
Zod turned, and saw Ursa come into view, followed by Quex-Ul. She joined him, and also held out her hand to Kal-El. The boy took both hands, continuing to bow. Zod smiled down at him.
Then he felt a stabbing pain in his hand. What had Kal-El done? He looked at Ursa and saw that she too was in pain. Both pairs of hands glowed brightly. The boy looked up at them, smiling and proud. Zod scowled. Kal-El removed his hands, and stood.
"My father sends his regards to both of you," he said. “Sorry, to all of you.”
He’d left something in their hands, Zod could feel a small sharp object in his. Zod and Ursa both opened their hands. Only to see a certain insignia. An ‘S’ in a pentagon. The symbol of the House of El.
"Jor-El!" they both exclaimed, followed by a scream of, "No!"
Zod was forced out of the vessel and into Jor-El’s crystal, screaming all the time. Also screaming, Ursa was forced out of Aethyr and into a second crystal, then Aethyr just disappeared. Quex-Ul gave up and Kal-El grabbed his hand. Quex-Ul was sucked in, there and then, and Nam-Ek also vanished.
Then, Lex lay on the ground, an ‘S’ in a pentagon branded into his hand.
***
Later, Lex was at the hospital. He saw Lana, looking like she was leaving. “Lana? Are you all right?” Lana didn’t answer, just looked frightened. “What happened?” he asked, dreading her reply.
"You don't remember?" she asked.
“Everything went blank after the field and the black ship. I just remember waking up here,” Lex said. Then he saw the bandage on her hand. What had he done to her?! "Is that why you're afraid of me?" he asked. “There are many scared people here, Lana. Is this all because of me?”
“You weren’t yourself, Lex. What you did wasn’t your fault. Lex, I almost killed you," she concluded, seeming sad.
Lex had a very vague feeling that someone else had also nearly killed him, recently.
“I’d have done the same thing. Lana. I know I can't make up for what happened, but I’ll have everything I damaged rebuilt, “ Lex said.
“That won't be easy, Lex,” Lana said.
"Nothing worth it ever is," he concluded.
***
The next day, Lex was patched up, and home. Sitting at his desk, he opened up his laptop, discovering a broken piece of metal. Picking it up, he examined it. It was covered in alien letters, this time, unlike the other suspicious metal disk he had once possessed. Another research project to be undertaken, then. He’d have to do this one on his own, he suspected.
Well, that was nothing new.
He started up his laptop, and looked for one of Dr Walden’s reports. He entered the password for the document. Grabbing some paper and a pencil, he compared symbols, noting patterns and frequency of occurrence and drawing new ones from the disk when they appeared.
His notes showed a rather high occurrence of a ‘Z’ like symbol.
Something told him that was significant. But what was significant about it was just out of reach. Lex sighed in frustration, and opened up some other reports he had to read. Perhaps Lana could be persuaded to tell him what he’d done when he was someone else. He smiled to himself at just how he’d get her to tell him.
***
Trapped in his crystal, Zod planned revenge on Kal-El and his heirs.
He felt something electronic pushing at his mind. So, they were at the Fortress. “Foolish boy, Kal-El,” Zod thought. “Brainiac?” he asked.
“Indeed, sir,” his computer said.
If he’d been able to, Zod would have smiled. With Brainiac’s assistance, he would get out of here, kill Kal-El and then he would resurrect his planet.
The House of El and planet Earth would pay for this second imprisonment.
-end-
Notes
"19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:19-21
Pierre Ambroise Francois Choderios de LaClos (1741-1803), Les Liasons Dangereuses, 1782: "La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid." Translates as, "Revenge is a dish best served cold."