Chapter 20
In the Metropolis observatory an instrument began to beep
incessantly that Superman had set up there. A technician ran over
to make sure the automatic beacon had activated that summoned
Superman.
"Whoa!" he gasped. "If I've learned to read this
thing right, there's something approaching the Earth at one
hundred times the speed of light! This thing's supposed to pick
up the waves they emit."
A deep voice behind him remarked, "You've learned to read it
very right!" The technician turned to see Superman. Superman
checked the readings and then sped away. In the White house
Jor-El suddenly came on. "Jason!" he cried, "Come
here!"
In an instant Jason and the robot appeared in the room.
"Jason," Jor-El continued, "there's something
coming towards the Earth at incredible velocity! Your father has
gone to intercept it, but I do not think he can handle it alone. I
think it might be a Kryptonian spaceshhip!"
Without a word Jason opened his locket. With incredible speed his
costume came out, his clothes went in, and he was redressed and
out the window!
"Should I go?" the robot asked.
"You wouldn't be able to help," Jor-El answered.
"But be alert in case there's some emergencies in the
city."
Far out in space Superman was hurtling towards the oncoming
object, when he felt a presence and looked to his side. Superboy
was right beside him.
"Can you match this speed?" Superman asked
telepathically.
"I don't seem to be having any problem," Jason
answered. "Is that it coming?"
Superman looked ahead. Sure enough, a Kryptonian space ship was
entering the solar system! "It's not slowing down!"
Superman warned. "We've got to slow it down! If it hits the
Earth at that velocity it will shatter it! Adjust your speed. Let
it come to us. Match its velocity."
After a few moments they made contact. With incredible effort
they slowed the vehicle but not enough. Suddenly, someone else
was there in a black costume. Darklight came to the side of the
spaceship, pulled out a large crystal, sat it aside on the hull,
reached inside, pulled out a small one, took a crystal out of his
belt and replaced it. Immediately the space ship's engines shut
down.
"Wasn't sure that would work!" Darklight sighed.
"Sorry I was late! Ran into a slight problem. The ship will
land now, on the backside of the moon. Come! I'll lead you
there."
He headed off. Superboy and Superman followed. On the backside of
the moon Darklight flew into a mountain. Superman and Superboy
followed. When they passed through the mountain they realized it
was a hologram. Inside was a shimmering bubble and under that
bubble Superman's fortress of solitude! Superman and Superboy
lighted.
"How?" Superman asked.
"I used its own propulsion systems," Darklight
answered. "It already had the ability to create all of this.
All I had to do was get rid of the real mountain so it could
create this illusion. It will be over one thousand years before
anyone ever detects it. Your descendants will use it regularly
and when it is known about, no one will ever bother it. By then
they'll be permanent residents here. Here's the ship. You'll need
these."
Darklight handed Superman a lead foil package, and before he
could say any more shot away. "Father," Superboy
remarked, "he knows our history. He knows what's going to
happen to us. He has to be from the future!" "If he
is," Superman remarked, "he's doing a very dangerous
thing meddling with the past. But let's see what this ship is
about." The ship had settled and was opening. When Superman
and Superboy got there they saw a teenage girl lying inside in a
Supergirl costume, consisting of a blouse and a short skirt.
"Whoa!" Superboy remarked. "The boys are gonna
like her!"
Superman looked at him sternly then they both grinned. The girl
moaned and opened her eyes. "Kal-El?" she asked,
"Superman?"
"Yes," Superman answered, "who are you?"
"I'm your cousin," the girl answered, "Kara, the
daughter of Zo-El and Alura. I've been sent to warn you. There is
grave danger. They could be no more than a month's Earth time
behind me! You've got to get ready for them! You've got to meet
then in deep space. You can't fight them on Earth, they'd
devastate it!"
"Who?" Superman asked.
"General Nod," Supergirl answered, "and eleven
other Kryptonian criminals from The Phantom Zone! Nod stole the
ship we were building to come to Earth to begin a Kryptonian
colony in the real dimension. He took a Phantom Zone projector,
and went back to Krypton."
"There's nothing at Krypton," Superman argued.
"Not in the material existence," Supergirl explained,
"but The Phantom Zone where hundreds of Kryptonian criminals
have been placed could still be orbiting its sun. The ship will
only carry twelve, but Nod intends to use those to take over the
Earth, then release the others. Gosh, I'm hungry!" the girl
remarked.
"Come!" Superman instructed, "I keep a supply of
extra food hidden on Earth. You're going to need a lot to
recharge. Then I'd better find a safe place for you, 'til we can
figure out a plan. And I think we'd better warn Earth's
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