tushanshu | video; 001.

[The video flickers on without any trouble. The console's familiar enough that Lex doesn't have to fumble with it to get it working the way he wants. Behind him is the large space of a luxurious room that obviously originates from the Metal Sector. He couldn't see the harm in letting the, uh, 'citizens' of this In-Between see where he stands on trivial matters like his choice of interior decoration and he'd even gone and tidied up some before the broadcast, or at least that's what it looks like with two small cuts above his right eyebrow nothing but thin red lines now as opposed to the angry marks of earlier.]

[And the young man himself is seated comfortably, leaning to one side, legs crossed somewhere off-screen, left arm propped up on the table where the communicating device rests. A finger twitches and, right, he doesn't have anything around to grab a hold of at the moment. And so he begins to speak.] 'Tu Vishan. An In-Between of life, death, and dreaming.'

[And he has a sort of hushed voice despite the obvious intention to project to, well, the audience. And there's some light in his eyes that signals amusement-- or something resembling it. Excitement is either good or bad, never both. There's no upturn of his lips, no creased brow. He shifts, sitting straighter, peering closer into the camera, damn well expecting someone out there to listen.]

I'm supposed to believe this?

[He expects someone to listen, not to answer, because he just goes on.] The Kedan were generous enough to offer the explanation that I might not be dead, and to be frank, I appreciate any attempt of reassurance on the matter. I'd put more faith in it if I hadn't also heard the turtle had been in danger of dying. Spending the rest of my years aboard an ailing reptile wasn't exactly the life I envisioned. [He can believe abduction and drugs, but no deep sleep of his will ever revolve around an animal so stupid and slow. His voice turns wry. He knows he's not dead. He knows he can't be fully alive. The... Kedan were nothing from his waking world. That could only mean one thing left to figure out.]

[He's still seemingly calm. He's still only just sitting, just talking like he can see the company across the screen already. Like it's only a conference call he's taking from his desk. But now he sighs and he wants to smirk, but he doesn't. And now he'll be waiting for an answer.]

So who's the big dreamer?

[Show yourself, mastermind. A clear challenge, but after a second he tacks on a detail with clear concern and some well meaning urgency.] I also heard something about a clinic in trouble. Is there anything I can do to help?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ She huffs quietly. Why is it always so hard to explain her home? ]

The planet is gone now, so it really doesn't matter exactly how far it was.

[He likes her. He does. But this conversation's taken a turn for the weird. He came from Smallville, he ought to know how that works by now, but the fact here was supposed to be that he wasn't at home anymore. He can believe the meteor rocks' effects because he'd experienced and seen them when he'd been well and alive (and awake). Other planets, though, inhabited? He had entertained the thought.]

[But it was just that. Entertainment.]

No, I suppose not.

[What a sad, strange girl.]

[ She clenches and unclenches her jaw, eager to change the subject. ]

You haven't told me your name.

[ She can find it out if she listens hard enough, but she would really rather hear it from him. ]

[Right, that. He's not shy about it, no, a booming voice and no raised volume can attest to that.]

Lex Luthor.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Kara. [Considerably softer, warmer than his own name. It's just the nature of the exchange.]

[ Now there, there is familiarity. She was warned about Luthor.

But he seems very nice, and she wasn't really told what he did that was so horrible. Just that there was a bad history. She frowns. ]

A pleasure to meet you as well, Lex. Are you familiar with Superman? [ Maybe he's someone else. Alternate universe maybe? She just really wants to like him, but her instincts steer her wrong so horribly often. ]

[What kind of question is that? Seemingly out of nowhere, and Lex has to grin from the sheer absurdity of it. Should he know the name? There's a watered down fraction of laughter in his reply. Kryponians are fun.]

He sounds vain.

[But it's clearly a joke, and he's clearly confused.]

Why? Who is he?

[ She relaxes. No, this can't be the Luthor she was warned about. ]

He's my cousin. I don't know how he came by the name, really, but his proper name is Kal-El.

[A family from Krypton. A planet that's no longer there, twenty seven light years from Earth.]

And you and your cousin came straight here, after Krypton?

It's a little more complicated than that. We were both sent to Earth first. I was only there a couple of weeks, but [ wait, she can't just say he grew up there, she really doesn't get this secret identity stuff and she doesn't want to take risks. ] he lived there for a good while.

[Lex Luthor didn't believe in little green men from Mars. He believed the universe was incredible, that it provoked men to build better things to better their understanding. He's not sure what he ever meant to believe when he started asking these questions.]

Twenty-seven light years is a far way to travel. It'd take a long time. [As if Kara wouldn't already know.] Your planet's technology must have put Earth's to shame.

Oh, it did. [ This she says matter-of-factly. Krypton's technology was far advanced over Earth's. The only reason they didn't master space travel was the intense gravitational field. ]

I was in stasis for the duration of the trip. I assume Kal was as well.

[The affirmation leaves a sour taste in his mouth. He purses his lips and shows it, too.]

We'll have to get together some day. You can tell me all about Krypton. It'll be interesting to hear- much more interesting than learning about a turtle's shell.

[ She brightens at the prospect. ]

And you can tell me more about Earth!

[That wrangles a dry breath from him, a half-laugh. She was a cute girl in a very clean way- she was just enthusiastic. Of course, Lex is quick to remind himself that... aliens, you know. It'll take him a few long moments to convince himself he believes entirely. She's not a human-- that's exciting to him, and his eyes shine again.]

It's very doable. But I doubt you'll find the exchange as interesting as I will.

[He waits a second, searches her face for the sincerity that comes from it.]

I think this is the time when I tell you I'd best be off, and that I'll let you know when we can work something out to talk about it.

I wouldn't be so sure. [ She's been gathering all of the cultural knowledge of Earth that she can get access to, and she's finally starting to understand some of it. She has a great thirst for knowledge. ]

Give me a call when you have the time. I'm free most days.

[Another half-laugh, another smile.]

I'll keep that in mind, Kara. You won't go long without hearing from me.