My original story with that title. Before I took the story ANY particular direction.
Superman
Defeated but created and written anew, five times over when I am
finished. The particular stanza this is based on will be found in the
story. As with the other five stanzas once I write their stories.
“No,
no please whatever you have against me, whatever you want from me,
leave her out of it. Jeremiah told me we were enemies. I just didn't
know you hated me this much. Whatever I am, whatever happened to make
us enemies, she has nothing to do with this. There's nothing she
could've done to deserve this. On that I would stake my life! [trying
to keep his temper] God I don't even know your name! So tell me,
who are you? And you am I to you?”
“My
name is Lex Luthor. The world knows you as Superman and it's a name
you live up to in my eyes. My only problem with you is that you were
handed the keys to the kingdom and you don't bother to open a single
door.”
“People
look at me like I'm a god and you want to humble the 'god' before
you?”
“People
look up to you as a king and a hero. I don't have a problem with the
hero part. The world certainly does need as many heroes at it can
get. But to be born to greatness and refuse to claim it? I've spent
an exorbitant amount of time trying to figure you out. And to decide
if I actually wanted you dead in the first place. I finally decided I
simply want you out of my way. And your heroics have a tendency of
putting you directly in my way. It's strange, I used to think...”
Whatever Lex Luthor was thinking went unsaid. Instead he pressed a
button on his handheld with two fingers. And Nikita convulsed in
pain.
“Stop,
Stop it!!” Seconds passed as Superman watched his friend literally
quiver in pain. Then she was still. Superman looked and saw Lex
holding the control in his right hand with a strangely pleased
expression on his face.
“Well,
you know how this goes Superman. You try to have the innocents, we
face off and one of us goes down. By your own word this radiant young
alien is as innocent as they come. More than that, she is special to
you. You'd have to be blind not to see it. If you want her back
unharmed, give me what I want. Otherwise...” Lex turned a dial on
his compact and Nikita once again cried out in pain. But somehow this
was worse. Five seconds ago Nikita could have been sleeping and now
it was like every nerve in her body was fiercely alive.
“What
are you doing to her?!”
“There's
a cortical implant at the base of her neck. A clean, quick, shock of
pain, directly into her central nervous system.” He turned the dial
down again. Nikita hung suspended in the air by metal claws,
unconscious and still. “Normally this type of stimulation would be
used to restart a failing heart. Get epinephrine flowing freely into
her system, shock the brain back into working again. But constant
stimulation, overwhelming cortisol levers will...what else, overwhelm
the brain. It's the most efficient form of torture I could think of
on such short notice. Now shall I continue the demonstration? Or will
you give me what I want?”
“Sir
please, I don't understand...” Superman stammered.
“Well,
can't say I didn't give you a chance.” Lex turned the dial to the
right and slipped the control into his pocket. Superman simply
watched in horror as Nikita's body pulsed and shook with the
'stimulation'. There was nothing he could do to help her, except one
thing. “Le-Mr. Luthor I swear to you I will do anything you ask,
just please don't hurt her anymore. “Spare her life, let her go
free and I will be your slave.” He spoke the last word without
horror or strong emotion, simply as a matter of fact. He knew what it
meant, what he was offering to become. “Yes, I mean it. You said
you were fine with me being a hero, so I know you won't set me loose
on the people of the Earth. You want my surrender, not my death. You
have it.” Lex took the control out of his pocket, turned the dial
off and smashed the control with his foot. Superman breathed a
effusive sigh of relief. “Than...” Lex Luthor gave him a look
which plainly said 'Get on your knees, slave'. And Superman complied.
Falling to his knees, he bowed low before his nemesis. “What is
your wish, Master?”
“I
want to hear you beg me for something.” Lex replied honestly.
“Spare
my friend, Let Nikita go free please I beg of you.” Superman
pleaded with passionate sincerity. He flew up to Lex, his demeanor
anything but threatening, stopped less than a foot in front of the
man and once more sank to his knees. He took Lex's hand in both of
his as if swearing allegiance. And in an almost desperate voice
whispered. “Please master, she's done nothing. Spare her, I Beg
you!”
“You
have the strength to break her chains Superman. Ger her down from
there.”
Superman
looked at Lex with surprise. He flew up and broke the metal arms
holding his friend above the pit of death. Gently he carried her back
to the rampart. “Will you let me carry her out of here?” He
didn't use the word master, it was spoken and unspoken at the same
time. “Wait until she wakes up. I want to make sure she's alright.
I'm not sure any human doctors know how to treat her.”
“A
Zavallen you mean? No, probably not. But there is a human scientist
who does.”
“You
have my attention. And you can call me Mr. Luthor.”
“Mr.
Luthor, when I woke up, Nikita guided em to a place called the D.E.O.
Apparently she works there. And there were two men there who seemed
to know her exceptionally well. One seemed in awe of her and that
feeling was mutual. His name was Hank Henshaw. The other was a
scientist, with a specialization in the physiology of alien races.
That's the man I would take Nikita to see. They were friends, you
could see it in an instant. It didn't take me long to realize I was
more than that to him. The first time he saw me...or the first time I
saw him...he walked up to me and embraced in his arms. He called me
his son. I have a father here on Earth. And for most intents and
purposes I met him a few weeks ago.”
“And
he will lose you again.” Lex Luthor said in a flat voice.
“I
know. And I'll make my peace with that. I'll leave Nikita in his
care, ask him to look after her, as a daughter. And then I'll return.
I shouldn't be gone longer than 8 minutes.”
“Let's
make that your first test or trust.” Superman lifted Nikita
carefully into his arms, bowed his hand in assurance to his master
and flew away.
'I
never expected to have such feelings for an alien. Much less the
Superman himself.' Lex pondered in his head. 'But he is an honorable
man and I have to admire him for that.'
Seven
minutes seconds later Superman returned to the cavern Where Lex
Luthor waited for him. Without hesitation he flew up to the ramparts
and dropped to one knee before the human he was certain had never
been particularly a villain to him; only an adversary.
Superman
looked in stunned silence. Nikita was suspended in front of him,
dangling over a vat of some phosphorus liquid. A man stood on the
other side of, a control device in his hand. There was a look of
unrestrained satisfaction on the bald man's face and yet there was
also__anticipation.
“Is
this a game to you?” Superman said effusively.
“You
should know I take my games deadly seriously Superman. And it is not
just a game.”
“Okay
let me take this another way, do you know what this will do to her?”
“You
mean that she'll react to the sulfur/phosphorus as if it were a pot
of boiling tar, yes of course.” A look seemed to pass over his
face. “Why do you care?”
“She's
done nothing to you and you use her as a pawn in your game? And you
expect me to just be fine with this?”
“That's
not what I mean. You would go out of your way to save a total
stranger. That is perfectly to be expected. But why do you care so
intensely for some random alien girl? I've had that reporter Lois
Lane here in these exact same proverbial shoes and you didn't debase
yourself like this. Why is she
different?”
“Because
beyond the people she's introduced me to in the last eight weeks, I
have no clue about anything. I woke up fifty miles past nowhere and
she was at my side. She's been lock step with me for two months.”
Superman paused to take a second look at the situation. “I assumed
you knew who she was. Or why abduct her?
And you dont' believe me do you?
“Did
you really expect me to?”
“Sir,
I realize I have no way to convince you of that. I don't know if I'd
believe it either if our positions were reversed. What do you want
from me?”
“Perhaps
this will clarify things for you.” The man turned a dial and the
claws which held Nikita by her shoulders lowered until her legs were
submerged in the liquid. Nikita struggled weakly but it was obvious
she was barely conscious.
“Wait
please! Why are you doing this? Please at least tell me that?”
“You
really don't want to know, Kryptonian.”
“Nikita
says I'm a hero to your people. The only criminal - You're Lex
Luthor.”
“Indeed
I am.” The man said with a bow of his head. “And you really
*don't remember do you. Well that will almost take the fun out of
this. But not all of it.” A mechanism that resembled nothing so
much as a pair of industrial pliers reached out to 'clasp' Nikita at
the waist. A moment later the apparatus at her shoulders retreated.
Superman understood what was happening, though he could scarcely
believe it.
“Sir
please! I don't understand what's going on. But whatever happened
between us, don't hold my arrogance against her.
She is true innocence if such a thing exists on this planet. Whatever
you want from me, you have it. Whatever I have to do to make this
right I will do it. Just PLEASE stop hurting her.” Superman put his
hand to his mouth and bit into his own palm. “You say I'm a
monster. Well you haven't SAID that but you treat me like one. So be
it. I'm telling the truth, I don't know why you hate me. I barely
know who I am.” Superman flew over the rampart directly up to
Lex, his demeanor anything but threatening. “Mr Luthor, I appeal
to the humanity I am certain you must have, whatever I did to you, or
even if I did nothing, don't make her suffer for it. Take your
revenge upon me alone. There must be something that can penetrate my
flesh.”
“Short
of using Kryptonite on you__nothing will. I take it you don't
remember but if I get you around that stuff, a normal medical needle
would penetrate your skin. It's also about 30 different kinds of
painful for you.”
“Then why do you not...” Superman said,
sincerely confused.
“It's
not the most accessible substance in the world. Being from 7 galaxies
away.”
“Find
some. I'll happily submit.” Superman drew himself to his knees but
looked steadily at Lex. “You want my surrender. You have it. I'll
do whatever you want, I swear it. All I ask is that you let her go.”
Lex Luthor gazed at him, unable to keep the look of shock from his
face. Superman clutched Lex's hand desperately. “Mr. Luthor, spare
her, I beg
you.”
A
Short Day a Long Return
No,
no please. Whatever I have done, whatever I could have done to make
you my enemy, punish me
not her! You treat me as your enemy. And that's okay, that's fine.
But
whatever I am, whatever I could have done to make you my enemy, do
not make her Suffer for it. She doesn't deserve this. There is
nothing
she could have done to deserve this! On
that I would stake my life if I could. Whatever I have to do to make
this right, I will do it. Just stop hurting her!” Superman put his
hand to his mouth and bit into his own palm. “You say I'm a
monster. Well you haven't said
that but you treat me like one. And I accept it. I'm not lying to
you! I don't know why you hate me. Min
Gud
I barely know who I am. Whatever you want from me, whatever I did to
you or even if I did nothing, don't make her suffer for my
sins. Take your revenge on me alone. There must be something that
can penetrate my iron flesh. I'll happily submit.” Lex Luthor
raised an eyebrow. “You don't have anything against her, do you? I
mean, she is just a means to get what you want from me. You have no
reason to hurt her?” Lex didn't verbally respond but casually
nodded his head. “Then let her go. You have me.” He let himself
fall to his knees, bracing himself on his left wrist as he did so.
Keeping
his head down and his eyes to the ground. He changed the world. ”You
wanted my surrender; you have it. I'll do whatever you ask, I swear
it. All I ask is that you let her go. I will beg for it if needs be.
Catching
a look in the man's eyes, Superman actually smiled. “that's what
you want from all of this, isn't it? To hear me beg you...if not for
my own life then for the life of a friend.” Superman's
eyes softened. He looked at Nikita with something between love and
resolve. And to Lex's lasting astonishment Superman bowed his head to
the ground, his forehead resting on his wrists. “Mr. Luthor I
stand...I Am Defeated before you. But Nikita has done nothing to
deserve your enmity. Spare her life. Let her go free. I BEG of you.”
Superman
started in horror as the man who identified himself as Lex Luthor
walked up to Nikita and tore off her oxygen mask. This time, when
submerged inside the phosphorus liquid she would suffocate on what
for her might as well be a vat of boiling tar.
A
myriad story is when the players are all the same but everyone is
playing slightly different roles. It's set up so the world these
characters live in is slightly different than the one we heard
of...and the only one our characters have ever known. The word
doesn't actually mean 'many'. It means 'various, distinct, unique'.
Like in the phrase 'myriad of excuses' a bunch of different ones.
But
I need some input as to which TV series to write myriads of. If there
is a SET of movies in a single story-line, like harry Potter or The
X-men, I can do those just as easily. No stand alone movie lets the
characters develop enough to convincingly portray an altered version
of those characters.
The
collected tales of Harry Potter Hercules/Xena Stargate:Atlantis
Star
Trek:TOS (Kirk's 5 year mission) Earth: Final Conflict
X-men
(possibly after Logan's DoFP reset?) Merlin
(please
specify how dark. After all, I tend to write myriads a little
murkier than the real thing)
****
”Then
submit.” Lex Luthor demanded. Superman sank to his knees. He bent
his head but kept his eyes fixed on Lex.
“I
submit. I will do anything you ask of me, I swear it. Even steal.”
“Seriously,
you?”
“Short
of being turned into a weapon__promise me you will not ask me to hurt
people – and I am yours to command. On this I take my oath. All I
ask is that you release her. Let me take her home first.” Suddenly
Superman reached out and clutched his hand. “Let her go free. I BEG
of you.”
Lex
Luthor couldn't keep the look of delighted shock off of his face.
“Superman...you have a deal.” Les said almost congenially.
Superman
breathed with relief and joy. “Thank you, that you...whoever you
are.”
“My
name is Lex Luthor. I'm a business mogul and a criminal mastermind.
I'm also a Machiavellian student of all human philosophy. My first
command to you is to break the claw holding your friend over that
poison -it might as well be. And fly back to me.”
Superman
stood up and without a word flew over to Nikita. Wrapping his arm
around her to support her, he broke the claw that held her by her
waist. He carried the young woman to the rampart and laid her down in
front of Lex Luthor.
“Where
is home for her?” Lex asked.
“She
works at a place called the D.E.O. She has living quarters there as
well. And actually she works with my father.”
“Run
that by me again?”
“I
have a human father. His name is Jeremiah. He works at the D.E.O
under a man named Hank. Nikita led me there as soon as I woke up.
Hank greeted me with respect and courtesy. Jeremiah embraced me. I'll
fly her there, ask Jeremiah to care for her like a daughter and I
will return. It should take less than 8 minutes.”
“Lets
make that the first test of your loyalty. And proof of trust.”
Superman
fell to his knees but kept his eyes on Lex. “You want my surrender,
you have it. I will do whatever you ask, I swear it. All I ask is
that you let her go free. I will beg for it if needs be.” Noticing
a look in the other man's eyes, Superman began to smile. “That's
what you wanted from all of this? To hear me beg you, if not for my
own life, than for hers?”
“Now
you see me clearly Superman.”
Superman
stood and floated himself over the rampart. Setting himself down
barely a foot in front of the man he was certain had never been a
villain to him, only an adversary. Slowly he dropped himself to his
knees. And humbled himself completely bowing his head to the floor.
“I
swear to you on anything that would matter I am Defeated. I ask only
one thing. There is only one...mercy I can think of that would make
this decision bearable. And that is if I could save the life of my
dearest friend.” He raised his head slightly and turned to look at
Nikita who still hung suspended over the vat. “Nikita is precious
to me. And SHE is innocent.” Superman looked at Nikita with
something between Love and Resolve. And to Lex's lasting
astonishment, bowed his face to the ground, his head resting on his
wrists. “Mr. Luthor, I am defeated before you. But Nikita has done
nothing to deserve your wrath.
I implore you, take your revenge upon me alone. Don't punish anyone
else. I swear on my life I am – your slave if you wish it. Just
stop hurting her.”
“Superman
there are a few things we need to have absolutely clear between us. I
will find ways to humiliate you and I will talk down to you
constantly. But I am not interested in hurting you, or anyone else
for that matter. I am willing
to hurt people in order to get what I want. But that was never my
intention. You can keep being Superman, keep helping people, stopping
bank robberies fixing flat tires. And maybe publicly we can even be
partners.
___But
when you come home, when you return to the mansion, you are nothing
more than my slave. And I will not allow you to forget that this was
your choice and your promise.”
“You
knew you could trust me to keep my word.”
“You
are nothing if not honest to a fault. Superman, I know you are
honorable. And criminal though I am, a liar I am not.” Superman did
not say a word, it was clear he wholeheartedly believed the
statement. “I will find something to call you other than
'Superman'. Something a little less lofty. More human...simple.”
“May
I suggest the name 'Eli'?” Superman said with courtesy. “Nikita
told me my human name is 'Elias Danvers'. “Eli seems like the
simplest human name I can still answer to.”
Superman
started in horror as the man who identified himself as Lex Luthor
walked up to Nikita and tore off her oxygen mask. This time, when she
was submerged inside the liquid she would suffocate on what for her
might as well be a vat of boiling tar. “No, no please!” Superman
cried out suddenly. “Whatever I have done to make an enemy of your
person, punish me NOT her. I swear to you, I do not remember you, or
what happened between us. But whatever I've done whatever has driven
you to do this, I implore you, do not make her suffer for it. She is
innocent. There is nothing she could have done to deserve this. On
that I would stake my life.”
“And
how can you be so completely certain of that?”
“Because
in the weeks since whatever it was happened, she's barely left my
side. She has been tireless and endlessly patient with me as I
essentially relearned my own life. And she was the first person I saw
when I opened my eyes in the jungle. A man named Hank Henshaw
mentioned you. He said you and I have been nemesis since I first
came...since I first revealed myself to your world as Superman.”
Superman looked down briefly, relieved he'd kept another secret from
spilling out of his mouth. “Look, whatever you want from me, you
have it. Whatever I have to do, I will do
just stop hurting her.” Superman put his hand to his mouth and bit
his own palm. “I implore you, don't make her suffer for MY sins.
You've no reason to hurt her. She's only here because you knew I
cared for her. Is that right?” Lex nodded silently. “Then you can
let her go; you have me. Take your revenge upon me alone. I happily
submit to your will.” Superman's words seemed to fail him as he
fell to his knees. He bowed his head but looked up at Lex. “I'm the
one you want, so take me. But I beg of you...let her go. You are more
human than I am, I know that. So be human: show mercy. “
“You
make a very persuasive argument Superman. Take her down and take her
home. And then you come back right here to me. Am I understood?”
Superman
breathed with relief and joy. “Yes, yes thank you.” He flew up to
Nikita and held her gently at the waist breaking the claw that held
her with his other hand.
