[COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][COLOR=SILVER][SUB][SUP][H3][b]KRYPTON[/b][/H3][/SUP][/SUB][SUB]Rao System - Andromeda Galaxy[/SUB]
[SUP][i]A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away[/i][/SUP][/color][INDENT][color=#ffffff]“What he's doing is inhumane! No Kryptonian has suffered through a natural birth in over a millennium!” [/color]

Murmurs rippled through the gathered science council as Jax-Ur made his claims—pearloid pillars of translucent ivory glistening in the refracting lights. The tall columns stood in stark contrast to the polished ebony stone beneath their feet. A lone figure, dubbed in the blue robes of the Science Guild, paced back and forth before the elevated bench housing the Kryptonian Council.

In the center of the room, atop a glowing projection of his house sigil draped in the subtle hues of prosecution blue, paced Jax-Ur as he made his case. Standing adjacent was the accused, silently situated over his own sigil, illuminated from above in the customary, condemning red as the defendant. 

Mere hours earlier, the accused, Jor-El of the House of El and his pregnant wife, Lara Lor-Van, had been dragged from their afforded living space in the dead of night. Placed in restraints by the Kryptonian Military Police Force and marched into the Council chambers for trial. 

[color=#ffffff]“We evolved beyond such crude means of reproduction. Every Kryptonian added to our society comes designed for a purpose, perfectly made to fulfill a role and contribute as needed. To throw such unbridled chaos in the face of progress-”[/color]  He collected his words, containing his rage before Jax-Ur spun towards his accused with a bony outstretched finger. 

[color=#ffffff]“Jor-El spits in the face of every member of the Religious Guild; this defies Rao’s natural order.”[/color] Ur continued, [color=#ffffff]“If Rao wanted us to have these abilities, Rao would have continued to bless us with a yellow star. But instead, Rao’s red rays have strengthened Krypton and given purpose to each of us. We have grown beyond our dependency on the yellow star. Grown beyond the infliction of such suffering upon our partners and the unnecessary nuisance of nurturing a child. We are an evolved species!”[/color]

A chorus of agreement came from the gathered heads of the Guilds and family houses.

[color=#ffffff]“Who is Jor-El to question the nature of Rao’s plans? Who is Jor-El to claim he has more wisdom than the Religious Guild and more intelligence than all of the Science Guild?”[/color] Spittle flew from the enraged man’s mouth.

[color=#ffffff]“Who is Jor-El to create a being who he claims will hold more power than the entire might of the Military Guild? Is he a conqueror? Does the House of El seek to usurp power for itself and plunge all of Krypton back into the dark ages?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“Here, here!”[/color] Voices echoed from within the din.

[color=#ffffff]“The Council has to caution the speaker from House Ur that these accusations are great and border on slander-”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“The House of Ur actually cares about Krypton, unlike the idle hands of the Council-”[/color] Jax-Ur spun around from his audience, eyes aflame with anger, glaring up at the lofty faces atop their flowing white robes. The projected heads of each Council Member hovered above them, allowing each of the five elected members to appear larger than life. 

[color=#ffffff]“That is enough!”[/color] Ro-Zan bellowed, standing from her towering seat, her projection flickering briefly as it tracked its host. 

[color=#ffffff]“Disparaging your legal opponent was one matter, but you will not slander this Council. This Council is elected to represent all of Krypton, consisting of a member from the Science, Religious, Military and Artist Guilds. I am the fifth elected member of this council and its chair, elected from the Military Guild to speak on behalf of all of Krypton, including the Labour Guild. I will not have the sanctity of this council dragged through the mud.”[/color] Her tone softened as she turned to address the wider audience. 

[color=#ffffff]“The Council has gathered today to discuss whether the actions of Jor-El and his partner Lara Lor-Van are in open rebellion with the societal contract borne by all citizens of Krypton. The character of the Council is not on trial.”[/color]

Returning to her seat, Ro-Zen turned her attention from the prosecution and addressed the accused.

[color=#ffffff]“Jor-El, head of the House of El, son of Seyg-El, brother to Nim-El and Zor-El, might I take this moment to remind you that natural births were banned nearly a thousand years ago. Our forefathers found a better way to populate the planet, casting genetic material and incubating it into young adults to fill the roles abandoned by those who have passed. The last Kryptonian children grew up over nine hundred years ago. We evolved beyond such a crippling delay in development. A process that once took nearly eighteen full cycles around Rao can now be completed in just five seasons. Your actions go against the natural progression of our society.” [/color]Zen stated, reiterating the charges brought before Jor-El and Lara.

[color=#ffffff]“It is worrying that the head of the House of El would engage in such base behaviours. If we are to begin exchanging in sexual intercourse, let alone mating, what is to distinguish us from the animals? How many of our people do you seek to breed in this violent manner?” [/color]The representative from the Science Guild added before turning a the sound of the Artist Guild’s own seat, adding their thoughts.

[color=#ffffff]“I was under the impression all caste-born were created sterile.”[/color]

The statement rang out a sudden realization among the gathered crowds, and whispers practically rose to a din that threatened to derail the trail.

[color=#ffffff]“Order! Order!”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“This child will never be accepted among our people; he will always be an outsider. Worse, he is a threat to our very way of life. Yet Jor-El speaks of the child as though he is a messiah, while parading his engorged wife around as a madonna.”[/color] Jax-Ur interrupted the quieting crowds, seething more venom towards his opponent.

[color=#9fc5e8]“The speaker from the House of Ur mentioned returning Krypton to the dark ages, but I would like to assert that we are already there. The dark ages began when the last remaining naturally born Kryptonians died off, those who had made this fate for the entire planet. They chose to take away our choice, chose to instead of shaping and moulding the lives of a child, have them cast to fit a role and follow a path without any need for individual thought.”[/color] Jor-El argued, finally making his voice heard.

[color=#9fc5e8]“My son should not be the only one of his kind. Individuals deserve the right to choose their own fate; they deserve the right to be children, to be full of wonder and awe for the world. To see things through their own eyes for the first time, not through in utero programming.”[/color] He turned from the bench to address his peers draped in the shadows surrounding the crystalline court.

[color=#9fc5e8]“The Caste system is a mistake, and it has stripped our people of their free will and lust for life. Look at how the Artist Guild has suffered, a shell of what it once was. Krypton has become absolutely spartan, architecture made for efficiency, not to inspire. How can a drone create art? We have become a cold and distant people.”[/color] Jor-El began to stand taller.[color=#9fc5e8] “No longer do you go to bed with your partners. I have seen murals of ancient people strolling the streets, hand in hand. Ancient depictions of couples in the throes of passion. Where is that zeal for life?”[/color]

Cries of disagreement rose from the crowd. Sounds of disgust and revolt at Jor-El’s suggestions echoed through the chambers of the Council’s court.

[color=#9fc5e8]“Is this what Lorra would have wanted? Art without freewill is godless. Rao turned the sun red to quell our savagery, not to strip our free will. Have we too abandoned Telle by devolving to idiocracy over a millennium?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“Blasphemer!”[/color] The venom in his tone practically dripped onto the floor as Jax-Ur physically stopped himself from lunging towards Jor-El.

[color=#ffffff]“Order! The House of Ur does not have the floor.”[/color]

[color=#9fc5e8]“We were peacekeepers to the galaxy for thousands of years; we used to value life in all of its stages. But in an effort to fight overpopulation and climate change, we made our people into a product. A member of the Labour Guild dies, and a new one is ready from the birthing pods in hours to replace them.”[/color] The accused pleaded.

[color=#9fc5e8]“We used to be invited as arbiters to disputes, but now we are marked as warmongers. Spreading fear far further than our reach of influence. Even the Shi’ar Empire on the fringes of known space knows the might of Primus Quex-Ul and the Kryptonian Star Armada.” [/color]The representative from the Military Guild’s face flushed red at the accused speaker’s implications.

[color=#9fc5e8]“And we’re printing new soldiers every day. Krypton is fighting a war on one side with the [/color]
[color=#9fc5e8]Dheronians, while dealing with the Daxam Rebellion. That’s not even including our continued skirmishes with the Kree and the Chitauri.”[/color] Jor-El continued.

[color=#9fc5e8]“We lost our identity, we became so obsessed with progress and might that it made us cold as a people. Too arrogant to see our own self-harm and too sure of ourselves not to impose it on those beyond our borders. A family used to be enough for a man at the end of the day; now the average Kryptonian seeks ways to avoid rest out of fear of being inefficient.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“The representative from the Military Guild has heard enough of the ravings of this man.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“The Science Guild also concurs.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“And what of the Artist and Religious Guilds?”[/color] Ro-Zan asked, turning to the last two remaining council members.

[color=#ffffff]“The Artist Guild would like to abstain in this matter.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“As would the Religious Guild, we do not find Jor-El to be completely unfounded, although perhaps a bit radical. This kind of zealot behaviour cannot be further encouraged.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“The Council then asks the prosecution what they are seeking as an outcome of this matter.”[/color]

Jax-Ur smiled as he stepped forward.

[color=#ffffff]“The unborn child must be killed, Jor-El should be stripped and reprogrammed to the Labour Guild, and both should be assigned new partners.”[/color]

Nods of agreement came from both the representatives of the Military and Science Guild. 

[color=#ffffff]“The Council rests. Take Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van into custody for processing.”[/color] Ro-Zan ordered as members of the Military Guild stepped forward. Suddenly, a loud splash echoed across the cold, stone floor as Lara stood there in stunned silence, a puddle between her feet, before gasping in pain as her knees began to buckle. 

[color=#ffe599]“Jor-”[/color][/INDENT][/INDENT]
[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/01999aaf-3f89-7769-8311-808050322667.webp[/img][INDENT][COLOR=SILVER][SUB][SUP][H3][b]EARTH[/b][/H3][/SUP][/SUB][SUB]Sol System - Milky Way Galaxy[/SUB]
[SUP][i]Two Years Ago[/i][/SUP][/color][INDENT][color=#93c47d]“So, you’re really gonna do it?”[/color] 

Clark smiled, looking down from the night sky towards the blonde-haired girl looking up at him with watery green eyes. A warm westerly wind momentarily broke the chill of the Kansas autumn air. Lifting an arm, Clark pulled the girl tighter to his chest, giving her an affectionate squeeze before replying. 

[color=#6fa8dc]“I have to do it.”[/color] He replied softly, his eyes scanning beyond the sky into the stars.[color=#6d9eeb] [/color][color=#6fa8dc]“I came from somewhere, Chloe. I need to find out where that was.”[/color][color=#6d9eeb] [/color]Clark took a deep breath, letting out a long sigh. Chloe had come to affectionately refer to it as the sigh bearing the weight of the world.

[color=#6fa8dc]“Mom and Dad, they found me in a cornfield on their way to the hospital, the same day Ryan came into their lives, so did I. But I came wrapped in a red blanket and surrounded by debris of an alien pod and falling meteors. I know I’m not meteor rock infected; they came with me, they’re part of where I’m from.”[/color]

[color=#93c47d]“Clark, I know that’s your way of trying to take ownership of everything the meteor freaks have done. You know you can’t do that, even if Smallville doesn’t know it, you’re a hero. You’re a hero to me.”[/color] Chloe smiled softly, intermingling her hand with Clark’s,[color=#93c47d] “I know who you are.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“But I don't know who I am,”[/color] Clark pressed,[color=#6fa8dc]  “[i]What[/i] I am.”[/color] He added, looking towards the sky, [color=#6d9eeb] [/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“There could be people out there still looking for me, missing me.”[/color]

[color=#93c47d]“There will be people here missing you, too.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“I just can't commit to anything until I know. I’ve tried to build a life here, but I’m left with so many questions, Clo, who am I? What am I? Where am I from? Or why did my birth parents send me to Earth? I’m going to continue to have all these questions hanging over me unless I go.”[/color]

[color=#93c47d]“Life is going to get a whole lot more boring around here without you.”[/color] She sniffled,[color=#93c47d] “I can only take so much more of Ryan and Lana wedding planning before, y’know.”[/color] Chloe made a mocking gag movement, a soft smile appearing on her lips.

[color=#93c47d]“How are you with all of that anyway?”[/color] Her tone was pensive as Clark carefully chose his words.

[color=#6fa8dc]“I don’t think I’m going to mind being away from it, but I’m glad Lana’s happy. Ryan’s not only my brother, he’s also my best friend, even if we’re from different planets. He can be a whole lot more honest with her than I can.”[/color]

[color=#93c47d]“What is your family going to tell people where you are?”[/color] Chloe asked, raising her green eyes to meet Clark’s deep blue irises. She had always loved his eyes, feeling as though they contained the whole night sky in them, twinkling like the brightest stars. 

[color=#6fa8dc]“Backpacking through Europe. Ryan has a whole itinerary planned in his mind based on what we used to say we wanted to do. He’s got me following the Pogues on tour.”[/color] Clark replied, the tension held by their met gaze left the air nearly static. 

[color=#93c47d]“That’s a little punk rock for you, isn’t it? Your flannel isn’t exactly ripped enough for that scene.” [/color]Chloe teased as Clark offered a sympathetic smile.

[color=#93c47d]“Y’know, Lex is going to miss you, too.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“Is that your last card to play?”[/color] Clark teased,[color=#6fa8dc] “Lex is a good friend, he’s been given the same story, though. Backpacking through Europe, even offered to pay for it. Put me up in a couple of his favourite hotels. I had to politely decline and insist I was more interested in the ‘authentic hostel’ experience.”[/color]

[color=#93c47d]“I imagine that notion slid right over that crimson waterfall of hair.”[/color]

Clark laughed.

[color=#6fa8dc]“He did struggle with it.”[/color] His gaze went skyward again. He had spent enough time procrastinating. Chloe followed his gaze, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes before she stood on the tip of her toes to plant a soft kiss on Clark’s cheek.

[color=#93c47d]“Goodbye, Clark. Come back to us.”[/color]

He nodded, wrapping her up in a careful hug before setting her down. 

[color=#6fa8dc]“You’ll want to keep your distance for this next part.”[/color]

Crouching, Clark summoned all the strength he had, feeling the rays of the sun flowing through him. The ground beneath him cracked and splintered, pieces of rock and soil floating into the air, drawn upwards by his bio-matrix field, before he suddenly rocketed into the air, leaving Smallville far, far behind. 

The blonde girl in the field behind him became much smaller, becoming nearly a tiny speck as the clouds engulfed Clark. He soared higher and higher, passing through the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, and emerging into the exosphere. If his bio field didn’t extend beyond his body, Clark would have quickly found himself without any clothing passing through the atmosphere at the speeds required to break free of Earth’s pull. 

[color=#6fa8dc]“Alright, Clark,”[/color] He said to himself, watching Chloe wave at him one last time, far below the clouds. His tear-filled eyes moved away from the planet below, water droplets floating gently away from his face as the alien, masquerading as a human, looked out into the endless black.

Keen eyes scanned the infinite depths and numerous stars beyond Sol’s eight planets until an unnatural shimmer caught his eye. Exhaling, he propelled himself through the void. Clark cautiously approached the shimmer, at first mistaking it for a tear in space before realizing it was some kind of gateway. Hexagonal patterns rippled from the unnatural hole, flashing periodically in a way that reminded the farmboy of a traffic light. 

There was something entirely unnatural about it, yet ethereal and ancient. It wasn’t part of space; Clark was almost certain it had been put here by something or someone. Watching it illuminate again, the strobe of light gave Clark a sudden case of homesickness, longing to watch the heat lightning ripple over the fields of the farm.

A series of rapid flashes emitted from the gateway before a few pieces of debris spilled into the void alongside Clark. His eyes lit up as the gate confirmed it worked as a tunnel of sorts. The only thing yet to be determined was how to activate it.

[color=#6fa8dc]“And where do you-”[/color] He stretched out a hand before suddenly it came to life, pulling him through. 

And in an instant, Clark Kent found himself light-years from home. Floating through space in front of him was a massive skull. Out of its eye socket came ships of all shapes and sizes, flying about their day to and from the city contained within. [/INDENT][/INDENT]
[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/01999aaf-8081-77eb-8273-0d31205d3510.webp[/img][/COLOR]

[INDENT][INDENT][color=#6fa8dc]“I don't think I’m in Kansas anymore.”[/color][/INDENT][/INDENT]