2 Escape

It was hard to believe that this was my new life. That for the past six years I had not only been fighting in a war in space, but I was now apart of a race of aliens that had produced one of the most powerful and famous characters in all of comic books, Superman himself. That was the hardest part for me to wrap my head around.

But, I struggled to believe that the thought of what this meant was worth the life I had lived in this world. I had always thought that living with absentee parents was difficult, a naivety that this was the harshest existence I could endure. Yet the life I lived in this new world was far harsher than anything I had endured previously. I was born to Lor-Em Spokesman of the Council of Five, the ruling authority of Krypton which meant I should have lived my life in comfort. Yet that had not been the case, far from it in fact.

I'm not fully aware of it and only discovered this later through espionage that when I was born, Lor-Em had effectively put me in a coma. Barely a few seconds after my birth and I was in a coma where I was transported to a secret facility and experimented on me for ten years. By all accounts, I didn't even exist up until the point I joined up for the Kryptonian Military Guild as one of its most promising recruits.

Not surprising to be honest, for the ten years I was in a coma they experimented upon my body. They made me faster, stronger, smarter, more resilient, everything about me had been enhanced to the absolute peak of perfection. I was effectively, the greatest mind and soldier in Kryptonian history. Then, upon my 'birth' I had been trained extensively in all aspects of Kryptonian life, especially combat.

I learned and mastered both the Torquasm disciplines, both Rao and Vo by the age of fifteen. I even began learning the disciple of Horu-Kanu, the deadliest form of martial arts in Krypton and was touted as one of the greatest users in history.

On top of my overwhelming physical skills, my mental skills allowed me to shine expertly. Capable of analysing situations and coming up with solutions in a matter of moments. I not only was the greatest soldier in Krypton, but also its greatest mind, just as my father had intended. So it was only natural that Dru-Zod took notice.

I had always been told that my mission was to save Krypton from both external and internal threats. Yet looking back in it now I realise that it was nothing more than a lie. For the past six years sine my awakening from forced come I was put under, I had been training not to save Krypton, but to save the Council of Five. And Zod, he was their biggest threat.

Everything I had done was a lie.

Despite my best efforts, I struggled to contain the anger I felt. Not only at the council, but at myself. Perhaps it was a desperate need of a child so deprived of love from his own parents that forced me to focus purely on gaining the love and attention of my new father, Lor-Em? The answer I couldn't tell you because even I struggled to find the answer. All I knew was that I had lived life the way others wanted to, but that was going to change now.

Comic books, the had been my haven as a child, my form of escape from a lonely house. I had knowledge on this world and I was going to use it the way I wanted to. And with the tools Lor-Em had provided me, I would succeed at any cost.

From this point on, I would live the way I wanted to.

And to start things off, I needed to find a way out of Kryptonian space. And as I looked over the body of the robot I had dismantled, I finally had an excuse that would allow me to gain the permission from the council to exit Kryptonian space without being labelled a criminal. Considering the Kryptonian space was patrolled heavily by the various fleets, escaping without being destroyed was all but impossible.

I wasn't going to risk my life when success and reward wasn't definite.

Activating my communication console, I connected it through to my father. "What is the meaning of this call, Tah?"

"I have discovered who stole Kandor." I told him, well-aware of the hostility in which Lor-Em spoke to me with. Understandable really considering for the past few days after Zod's failed coup, I had been calling insistently in an attempt to secure permission to exit Kryptonian space and invade the Vrang home world. I had already done a great deal of research and found out that two space sectors beyond that was a rich yellow sun far greater than the suns in nearby solar systems.

Considering that no Kryptonian had reported powers similar to that of Superman in the times in which they entered Vrang space it was obvious that their sector did not possess a sun capable of gifting them power like that. So I needed to look beyond that and the invasion of the Vrang home world would give me that opportunity without being pursued by the Kryptonian military.

"It was a race of beings known as the Coluans. They exist in the Milky Way Galaxy." I informed him. "Give me a ship and I'll retake Kandor. It will certainly go along way in helping secure your position as the new High Eminence of the Council of Five."

"I will consider it." And before I could say anything more, the communication link was shut down and the screen went black. As soon as it did my anger got the best of me and I slammed a fist down on the table, a deep glare upon my face. I needed permission to leave in order to ensure that I was not hunted down by the entire Kryptonian military. And considering those words were the same ones Lor-Em gave me whenever I asked about the permission to invade the Vrang home world, I had no doubt that there was not going to be any intention of giving me what I wanted.

Which raised the question of what I was going to do now?

-X- Line Break -X-

I don't really know why I felt something was off, all I knew was that I woke up with a strange tightness in my stomach. Butterflies fluttered around in there almost as if I was nervous and the hairs on the back of my neck rose up. However, I had not survived on the battlefield for so long without having a healthy deal of trust in my instincts.

So, I rose out of my cot upon the Gunship and moved to a wall across from me. Pressing a button to my right the wall opened up revealing my Battle Armour and weapons all laid out. Quickly getting changed into it all, I clipped the Direct Energy Pistol to my side and gripped hold of my Direct Energy Rifle. Checking the the chamber to make sure everything was okay, I then turned to the door and began making my way out making sure to make as little noise as possible and even I clipped my cloak to ensure absolute silence.

"Get ready." I heard a whisper on the other side and I frowned, which was when I heard the charging of the Direct Energy Rifles preparing to fire. My eyes only had a moment to widen before I ducked down to one side just as the door was blasted open.

I crouched down, smoke and debris peppering my back and energy rounds fired to where my bed was. It was quick decisive and brutal ensuring that if I had not awoken with a strange feeling in my gut I would have died. Just as I had trained my soldiers to act which left me the question of what they were doing.

But I couldn't focus on that anymore and then raised my rifle and fired. Only six shots, but each one was accurate and the heads of the Kryptonians that attempted to kill me all exploded in a shower of red mist and gore. As the bodies collapsed to the ground, I took note of the sounds and clambering down the halls on both ends and knew that this was far from an isolated incident and as far as I could tell, the worst case scenario was that my entire ship had turned against me.

Yet instead of panicking, I instead felt a sense of calm, purposiveness fall upon me and reached to my chest. One of the parts of my suit came undone and I gripped hold of the cylinder object, pressing the top part getting a beep.

Heading to the open door and I threw the object to my right hearing the panicked shouts from my soldiers as they realised what was coming towards them. However it was too late, I knew exactly how long it took for the object to explode and held it just long enough that once my soldiers realised what was coming towards them, it was too late. As soon as they recognised it, it exploded, shouts and screams of pain sounding as the ship was rocked.

Then, using this moment of chaos, I stepped out and began firing. Dozens of energy rounds fired from my rifle down the left end. As soon as I could feel my rifle overheating I attached it to my side and grabbed hold of my pistol and began firing as well.

All the while I kept on moving forwards till I reached a junction, there I stepped to one side behind cover, taking a moment to fire at the cameras before pulling out another grenade. Again I waited, firing upon those few Kryptonian soldiers that attempted to flank me all the while keeping a careful countdown in my mind. As soon as I reached zero I threw the grenade back down the corridor I came from, directly to where those soldiers that survived the first grenade rushed to the second.

My clean out of the Gunship was calm, collected, meticulous and methodical. There was little movement wasted and minimal effort expended with all of my actions. I occasionally took a moment to stop and collect new grenades and weapons when my pistols and rifles got overheated.

The soldiers on this ship didn't stand a chance, I after all was the greatest warrior in Kryptonian history. Genetically modified to be the best of the best and my achievements only further proved this point. When I graduated from Kryptonian Military Academy I had been a simple soldier and I had orchestrated battles and manipulated both Kryptonian and Vrang forces to make impossible situations while also targeting my superiors. Then in these impossible situations with my superiors dead, I took command and led Krypton to victory time and time again.

This was why I was recognised by Zod and why I was promoted to be a Commander of the Sword of Rao and even create a sub-branch known as the Spear of Rao. All of it had been built upon my actions and achievements and despite their best efforts, my soldiers just couldn't match my skill.

But eventually I succeeded and as I stepped over the body of my former Sub-Commander, I looked out of the bridge windows and looked to see the ships of my fleet all turning to my direction. Beeps sounded throughout the consoles and I realised that this was far from over and I let out a humourless. 'It seems you were right, Zod. I would be betrayed and no doubt my father is behind this.'

And as that thought came to me, I couldn't help but laugh out loud even as the various Hammerhead, Gunships and Assault Ships locked their weapons upon my position in preparation to blast me into smithereens. Yet I could nothing but laugh and laugh.