“Alright, Jor-EL,” Dan leaned over the railing and took in the ocean of five year old Kryptonians below. Still attached to the genesis chamber, they were now ready to be ‘born’ into the world. “Bring them up and clean them off, then arrange them by occupation.”
“About that…” May shifted closer and pressed her shoulder to his. She gave him a sheepish grin as the robots began the birthing process. “I might have taken some liberties in the gender distribution…”
“Hmmm?” Dan squinted at the data feed from the chamber. A laugh snorted from his lips as he snatched May into a bear hug. “I can see that!”
May struggled in his grasp, unable to escape his righteous fingers. Dan delivered a merciless tickle, vigorous enough to bring tears to his laughing wife. May had ordered an equal distribution of males and females, but she had lumped all the women into the soldier cast, with the scientists being reserved for the men.
“Stop!” May clapped her hands and a wall of runes drove off Dan’s attack. She shook from head to toe, like a cat who’d escaped the rain. “You left the genesis chambers to me to manage, it’s your own fault if you don’t like the results!”
“It’s fine,” Dan laughed as May kept up her guard, wary of his merciless fingers. “Supergirl was actually as strong or stronger than a lot of supermen, so I don’t think gender has too much to do with a mature Kryptonian’s power.” A smile touched his lips as the robots began to line up the newborn’s beneath their overlook. “Also, male Kryptonians as scientists is something of a tradition… just look at Jor-EL!”
“If it’s fine, then why did you tickle me!” Sparks flashed from May’s eyes, backed by runic light. She dispelled her barrier and poked Dan in the chest. “I’ve been punished for no reason!”
“Sorry… but I couldn’t resist!” Dan scooped May into another hug and spun around, until her false frown inverted to a grin. “Come on, let’s go greet the newcomers!”
They floated over the rail and landed before the vast group of children. Divided into males and females, thousands of curious eyes met Dan’s gaze. He stepped forward and the crowd sank to one knee, a display of unison that raised his eyebrows. He knew that the genesis born had an instinctive reaction to those with higher level genetics, but this was a bit extreme.
“Greetings, All!” Dan ignored the looks of worship and pressed on. It was good that loyalty wouldn’t be an issue, but he would be glad when natural born Kryptonians were the norm. “I know you’ve all received a large amount of knowledge from the genesis chambers, but some things will need to be told in person.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
A wave of his hand projected an image of Sekot, the living world that would be their new homeworld. Dan waved again and the hologram zoomed in, until it displayed a vast city. Like the false capital on Garnib, it was filled with insectoids. A mixture of Killik Hives and the monkey-esk Taurill, with a small number of more humanoid figures.
“This world will take on the name of New Krypton, as soon as your feet touch its soil,” Dan waved to take in the Kryptonians as a whole. “In less than a year's time, millions of our brothers and sisters will wake from the genesis chambers on its surface. You must spend the time you have training, to prepare yourselves to pass on what you learn to the others.”
A snap of his fingers banished the hologram and called back the eyes of the crowd. They had shifted from confused, to a kind of zealous flame that brought a smile to Dan’s lips. Five months with the Mandalorians, alongside some pointed lessons from Merlyn, and these first borns would be ready.
“You will become the teachers of your race, the keepers of knowledge,” Dan shifted his eyes to meet gaze after gaze, identical in their zeal. “Others born later may hold greater power, but never more importance than the role you were born to play.”
Dan motioned and May stepped forward as well, a bright smile on her face. They stood together, before the small army of young Kryptonians, arm in arm.
“I am Dan-EL, and this is May-EL,” Dan let his ki fill his aura as he rose into the air. May let the runes show behind her eyes, silver beacons that dominated her pupils. “We are the first of Krypton to come to this new universe.” Dan flashed a smile and spread his arms wide. “Together with your strength, we shall create a new golden age for all Kryptoians, for all people, everywhere!”
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“I SAID HOLD HIM STILL!” Thaedus bellowed as Conquest peeled Goku from his back. The Viltrumite hurled the Saiyan into Allen’s face and bounded toward Thaedus with a silent roar. Fists raised, the older Viltrumite let the newfound power of his symbiote carry him to meet the assault.
Conquest’s charge stopped with an impact of flesh on flesh, a look of shock on the scarred Viltrumite’s face. Thaedus grinned and pressed his advantage, a hail of elbows and knees that ended in a tumble of broken teeth. Conquest spat the remnants of white from his mouth, into Thaedus’ eyes.
A tight clasped fist followed, straight into Thaedus’ nose. Stars lit his vision, but his hand snaked out and seized the thicker man’s wrist. He gave a sharp twist, followed by a downward yank that spun Conquest into a joint lock.
“NOW!” Thaedus roared to his companions. Allen, recently detangled from the Saiyan cannonball, thundered forward and rained blows onto the restrained Conquest. Goku turned thoughtful eyes to the battle, before he slid his hands together, behind his back.
“Kaaaaa…”
Both Thaedus and his prisoner flinched as a vast surge of concentrated power billowed from the young Saiyan’s position. Conquest redoubled his efforts, almost freed as Thaedus strained his muscles against the man’s wild push.
“Maaaaayyy…”
Allen leapt forward and helped retrain the Viltrumite, eye locked on his new friend. Power beyond the alien continued to build, focused into the Saiyan’s hands.
“Get ready to run, Great Thaedus…” Allen muttered as Goku completed another drawn out utterance. “I don’t think we want to be close to this guy when Goku fires that off…”
“Maaayyyy…” Goku’s face flickered, the hint of a feral grin as his hands tensed. Both Allen and Thaedus released Conquest and battered the man’s face simultaneously, before they blitzed away from the Viltrumite’s position. “HAAAAAAAA!!!”
Space turned blue, marked by a pillar of light birthed from the Saiyan’s hands. Conquest shook off his injuries and pushed himself to the side, fear in his eyes. Goku simply grinned, a twist of his arms and the beam tracked his target.
Conquest screamed in horror as a wave of energy washed over him, hot enough to rival the sun. Framed by the light, his figure hunkered down, shoulders turned to take the blow.