Title: Core
Series/Sequel: Prequel to Kidnapped
Author:Lydia aka Vinca
Pairing(s): Clark/Lex
Category: AU
Disclaimers: Smallville characters not mine. *sniffle*
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: I want to say that you guys are really great and I
enjoyed your responses to the story so much. Thanks a bunch for the
feedback! :)
Part 12
Cresta-Al felt Kal-El walk his way to the cellar where she waited.
She felt the connection between them grow then was startled when she
felt his mind wrench away from her contact. The pod hummed and glowed
with the blue-purple that it had come to be and she shimmered in the
air as he walked in. She took in his body language, anger and pain in
as she plastered a smile on her face.
"Kal-El. What's the matter my child?"
"Cresi...We have some serious discussing to do. Lex told me that you
threatened to break us up and to hurt him. I think you don't
understand that Lex is my soulmate. I will never let you come between
us, or harm him." He watched her face distort quickly in face of his
words and her laugh rang loudly in the cellar.
"You can't tell me what to do Kal-El. I am your mother and I know
what's best for you! Lex isn't one of the things that is good for
your well being... He's a menace to your Kryptonian nature."
He looked sadly at her than shook his head. "Cresi, you must not
understand what I said. 'Don't touch Lex.' In any way, shape, or
form. That goes for my family and friends, as well as other humans.
We're not of this planet and we don't have a right to force our
advanced nature on them. That's all I'm going to say about the
matter. Get yourself under control." He turned and started to walk
away when he saw brilliant red tendrils come from behind him and
block his exit.
"I will do whatever I need to protect you and the future of
Kryptonia. Taking out little humans being one of them." With that she
disappeared and he turned back to the pod and groaned. He had wanted
to try to reason with her instead of fight with her.
He felt drawn to the pod and he walked to it and placed his hand
against the center in instinct. The pod hummed and pulsed gently
beneath his fingers. A small part of the pod rose up about an inch
from the rest of the pod. He placed his hand in the indentation at
the center of it and then removed it when a shimmer appeared above
the small section. A man this time was visible in the image.
"Hello Kal-El. I am the program for your informational needs,
fashioned after Jor-El. I was put into the pod as an information
source in the event that Cresta-Al was damaged and incapable of
assisting you. What is it that you desire to know?"
Clark's eyes went wide, and he immediately thought that it was
another Cresi. But the image's voice was computer like and
unemotional. 'It's just for information. It doesn't seem to possess
the same abilities that Cresi does. Is this what my father looks
like?' The program was as tall as Clark, with dark chestnut/ red
hair, and deep blue eyes. "Can you tell me what wrong with Cresta-Al?"
"Cresta-Al's systems are in defense mode. She was programmed to
protect you at all times, but in the face of a threat her defensive
mode turns active. She has discovered a threat to you and will remove
it as soon as possible. But once in active defense mode it is not
possible for her to return to her original mode. She will always
perceive threats within others and eliminate the threat whether a
person, or a group of people."
"What kind of destruction is Cresta-Al capable of?"
"Cresta-Al is capable of mass nuclear destruction advanced of
Earth's. She knows the way of 'Reptis Qefu', which are the Kryptonian
words for many fighting styles in one, deadly in itself. She has
energy cords that can kill, cut through, destroy, or incapacitate
anything of Earth in seconds. She has light rays that can make a
person loose their memory or events, as well as render them
unconscious."
Clark took several deep breaths and tried to calm his racing
heart. "Can she hurt me?"
"She has programming against harming you in any way. She cannot hurt
you as the last Kryptonian. And she is programmed to follow your
lead." He sighed in relief and then asked something that was
bothering him.
"Why is she after Lex Luthor, my mate?"
"Cresta-Al perceives him as a threat to her, in turn to you since she
protects you. But as he is bearing the future of Kryptonia within
him, she wouldn't harm him, until she retrieved the unborn."
"The unborn? What do you mean?"
"Your mate is carrying your unborn child." An image popped up and he
saw a blueprint of Lex's body. Where he had seen the lump within Lex
the diagram showed an embryo-like vessel in the center of Lex's body.
A close-up of the embryo was provided, and showed a tiny mound curled
within the vessel. Clark's mouth dropped open and he sat down
unceremoniously on the hard floor. He gaped for several moments until
his brain kicked in and began processing again.
"Lex...L-Lex is pr-pregnant?!"
"Yes." Jor-El tilted his head to the side and stared at Clark as his
throat worked and his heart beat quickly against his rib cage.
"How? Why? When?!" With each word his voice rose an octave until he
was practically squeaking.
"Cresta-Al took it upon herself to apply the pregnancy procedure
which was simple since the human physiology is similar to
Kryptonian's. She did it because she hoped that you would continue
the line of our people, so that the race didn't die out completely.
She thought that you were taking too long to make the decision so she
did it for you. It happened when Lex first came to see the pod."
Clark was shaking on the floor and knew that if he tried to get up he
would fall right back down, so he stayed there.
"How long does the pregnancy last?"
"On Krypton it would last for approximately 8 months. The Earth's
time is not the same however so the pregnancy will last for
approximately 5 1/2 months." Clark swallowed convulsively and
groaned. Jor-El could hear him muttering 'I'm dead' under his breath.
He stood shakily and leaned against the nearest wall. "What are the
signs of a human male pregnancy? I mean will Lex react the same way a
female of this planet would? Is he in any danger because of it? How
do we get the baby out when it's due? What do Kryptonian babies feed
from? What am I going to do? How am I going to tell Lex?!" He was
becoming hysterical as flashes of different outcomes came to his
overworked mind.
Jor-El as if sensing his agitation pressed his palms together
and modulated his voice down. "Kal-El. I know you are fearful but
there is nothing to be fearful of. Your mate will be healthy, if
slightly different." Clark calmed down and focused on what Jor-El was
saying. "Lex's pregnancy will produce many of the same reactions as a
female of the Earth would. He will eat more and gain weight slightly,
he will be emotional, he will run out of energy frequently, and he
will produce a substance not much unlike the milk that human females
generate for their young. The differences are that he will have to
undergo a procedure from either Cresta-Al or myself to remove the
child when it is ready to be born. After birthed it will feed from
Lex for several months. Then I suggest you feed in Earth food. It
will grow accustomed and it will naturally eat Earth food from then
on. As a suggestion for telling your mate, it should be tactfully."
Clark threw the image a glare, but then sighed as it just blinked at
him. 'This is going to be a looong night.' He thought. "Can you turn
yourself off or do you need my assistance?"
"No Kal-El I am able to tend to myself. Whenever you need me call,
and I shall answer you."
"Oh. One more thing. Where did Cresta-Al go?"
"She went to eliminate the threat of Roger Nixon, then to perform an
early removal procedure to the unborn child in Lex Luthor."
Clark was gone before Jor-El finished speaking. Jor-El shut done his
information banks and disappeared in the darkness.
*
"Cresi! Stop!" She had an unconscious Nixon in her grip and she was
about to snap his neck when she turned and saw Clark in the doorway
of his apartment. She had felt him contact her mind, and he had found
the information before she could disengage them.
"Kal-El. You're in time to see me destroy your threat."
"Nixon is no longer a threat to me. Release him now and go back to
the pod."
She blinked at the command in his voice and let Nixon drop. "I must
take care of something before I return to the pod."
"What take the baby out of Lex and then kill him? You didn't
understand me then, but perhaps you will now. You will never lay a
hand on my mate. 'Ever.' And if you try I will take out your core and
disintegrate it." The warning in his voice coupled with the threat
snapped the last of her controller systems.
"You are apparently to far gone to make wise decisions. I will do it
for you my son. You will have your child and heir and Lex and the
rest of the ingrates will be gone from your presence forever." With
that she disappeared and he super-speeded Nixon to his room and into
his bed before zipping out of Metropolis and to his family.
*
'Where's Clark?' Lex thought as he paced back and forth in the
livingroom of the Kent's home. Chloe and Pete were visiting the
family and they all sat and watched him pace back and forth waiting
for Clark. Martha had told them about Clark and his relationship
accidentally, and they had congratulated him warmly before settling
down to wait for him. All he had been able to do was pace, and simmer
about Clark leaving him here. He had tried to go with his mate, but
Clark insisted he stay in case Cresi tried anything. He sighed and
sat, abruptly tired, in a rocking chair. Martha and Jon looked at him
concerned but he waved off their questioning eyes with a hand. It was
quiet in the room except for Chloe and Pete talking softly, when
suddenly Cresi appeared in the center of the room. She shot a ray at
Chloe and Pete immediately sending them unconscious. Then whirled on
Martha and Jon who had gotten up to stand between her and Lex. Before
she could ray them all Clark burst into the house.
He super-speeded up to her and shoved her hard so that she went
flying against the wall. She disappeared before Clark could reach her
again and everyone looked at each other.
"What was that?" Lex's shaky voice asked breaking the silence.
"Cresi's gone wild, but I'm going to try and dismantle her before she
can do anything drastic. Stay here and look after Chloe and Pete.
Watch Lex carefully and guard him as best you can."
With that he was gone with only a gust of wind left in his wake.
*
Clark found himself in the cellar looking around carefully before
hurrying to the pod. "Jor-El." He said softly. Jor-El shimmered into
sight and inclined his head to Clark.
"How can I dismantle Cresta-Al's core?"
"It is here." It looked like a cylinder shaped canister when he saw
it slide up out of the center of the pod. It glowed red, and vibrated
gently. "But know when you dismantle the core, that she will be gone,
as well as the memories of your mother. Whatever you wanted to ask of
her about your family will disappear. The only information banks I
possess are that of basic knowledge of the Kryptonians. I do not have
the culture, or personal information that she does. When you
dismantle her, you are doing so to your heritage."
Clark's expression filled with pain and sorrow at the revelation and
he tightened his grip on the core hugging it to his chest.
Cresi appeared then and her hands came over his, her voice
soothing. "Clark I can show you so much. Things that are deep within
you, that you wonder about. I can show you 'who' you are."
His eyes glistened with tears. "I wish I could know my past... But I
have to save my future...I'm sorry Mother." Her face contorted and
she screamed at him as lasers shot from his eyes and her image
stuttered then cut off as the core's red glow throbbed and went out
like a candle in the wind.