When I reached Jor's chambers, the doors slid open automatically. Jor was standing near his work station, examining holographic projections of planetary data. The moment he turned and saw my transformation, his eyes widened in shock.
Without hesitation, Jor had dropped to one knee, his head bowed in respect. His brother Zor-El, who had been working at another console, did the same immediately.
Right now, they were both on their knees.
"Rise," I said.
They stood, though I could see Jor struggling to find words.
"Report," I commanded, getting straight to the matter at hand.
Jor quickly composed himself and moved to his panel, activating the main display. A detailed scan of Mars appeared before us, showing maps, atmospheric composition, and core analysis.
"My Lord... Your Majesty," Jor began, the shift in title not lost on me. "I have completed the comprehensive scan of Mars. The planet is structurally sound and possesses the basic requirements we need. It is the perfect candidate to re-establish Krypton."
The data flowing across the screens confirmed his assessment. Mars had the right size, the right position in the solar system, and the right basic composition to serve as our new home world.
"However," Jor continued, his expression becoming more serious, "there is a significant problem. Mars' magnetic field is no longer active. The planetary core has gone dormant sometime in its geological past."
I studied the report more carefully. A dormant core meant no magnetic field, which meant any atmosphere we create would slowly be stripped away by solar winds without a magnetic field to shield it.
"That will be a bit of a problem, but not an insurmountable one."
Jor looked relieved that I wasn't overly concerned. "Indeed, Your Majesty. It's a challenge, but one we can address."
"How about restarting the core?" I asked. "We have the technology for that, correct?"
"Yes, my Lord. We can restart Mars' planetary core. We possess the energy generation capacity to trigger the reactions needed to restart the convection currents."
"Then what's the concern?"
Jor hesitated. "The concern is time, Your Majesty. A project of this scale would take considerable resources and time to complete properly."
"How long?"
"To restart the core and stabilize it sufficiently to generate a protective magnetic field? I estimate approximately two months of continuous work. Then, terraforming the surface would require another three months minimum."
Five months total. Not ideal, but manageable. We could remain on the ship during that period, or create a temporary base on a planet.
Jor then added, "I do have a suggestion of my own, Your Majesty. An alternative approach that might be more efficient."
I raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Jor pulled up Earth's data on the display, replacing the Mars scans. "Why don't we simply take over Earth? It already possesses perfect conditions for supporting Kryptonian life. The atmosphere is ideal, the gravity is extremely lighter than Krypton's but well within acceptable parameters, and the magnetic field is strong and stable."
He gestured to the atmospheric composition data. "The minor changes we would need to make to optimize it could be accomplished in just a few hours of targeted terraforming."
It was a logical suggestion from a purely practical standpoint. Earth was indeed a perfect planet, already fully terraformed and requiring minimal modification.
"No," I said flatly.
Jor looked surprised at the immediate rejection. "Your Majesty?"
I walked closer to the display showing Earth, studying the blue and green world. "Earth is like an Alquita plant. It looks beautiful and is undeniably resourceful, but it has poisonous thorns hidden all around it."
The comparison was apt. The Alquita was a Kryptonian plant known for its valuable properties, but unwary harvesters often got severely injured or killed by its concealed defensive mechanisms.
Jor considered this metaphor. "You're referring to the various powered individuals and organizations Jon's report identified?"
"Partially," I replied. "But they are hardly an issue. There are deeper issues than just the current inhabitants."
I thought about the Celestial that was gestating in Earth's core. Even if I were willing to fight and defeat all the forces currently on Earth - the heroes, the gods, the secret organizations - it would not be worth making our permanent home on a planet that would eventually explode when that cosmic being emerged.
And even if I prevented that specific threat, Earth was a cosmic beacon. It attracted attention from beings and forces across the universe.
"Earth serves a different purpose in my plans," I explained. "I want some humans and members of the other races on this planet to eventually become part of our empire. But I do not want Earth itself to be our base of operations."
"You intend to incorporate them as subjects rather than eliminate them?" Jor asked, his scientific curiosity evident.
I nodded.
"Exterminating entire species is not something I will do unless they prove to be an extreme and unavoidable threat."
I turned back to the Mars data. "Besides, even if I were willing to take Earth as our home world, the process would require completely wiping out all existing life on the planet to make it truly secure, and it won't be worth it considering the plans I have in mind for it."
"Strategic considerations beyond just the immediate benefits," Zor-El observed quietly. It was the first time he had spoken during the meeting.
I nodded as I made my decision. "We proceed with Mars. Five months total from start to completion, correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Though that timeline assumes no major complications arise during the core reactivation process."
I nodded, accepting the schedule. It was actually faster than I had initially thought.
"Start today," I commanded. "Begin the preliminary operations immediately."
"Your Majesty, we should survey the planet's surface first to identify optimal drilling locations and—"
"Today, Jor," I repeated firmly. "Time is a luxury we cannot afford to waste. Begin the surveys, but do so alongside the initial preparation work."
Jor bowed his head. "Of course, Your Majesty. We will begin immediately."
I continued with my instructions. "We brought more than enough resources from Krypton for the initial phase of construction. However, we cannot rely solely on our existing supplies for a project of this magnitude."
I pulled up a star map showing nearby asteroid belts and mineral-rich bodies. "Start identifying locations where we can mine additional resources. Send out mining drones to extract what we need. The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter should provide abundant raw materials."
"The asteroid belt would indeed be ideal," Jor agreed, already making notes on his data pad. "Rich in metals and minerals without any planetary gravity well to complicate extraction."
"Coordinate with Jon on providing security for the mining operations."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Zor-El spoke up again. "Your Majesty, should we establish the mining bases on Mars itself till it is ready for our stay? Using the planet as a staging ground for resource extraction would be efficient."
"Yes, but prioritize locations away from where the primary settlements will eventually be established. I don't want industrial operations disrupting our future cities."
Both scientists nodded their understanding.
"One more thing," I said. "The terraforming of Mars needs to result in something magnificent. Not just habitable, but impressive. This will be New Krypton - the foundation of our empire. It needs to inspire awe in anyone who sees it."
Jor's eyes lit up with the challenge. "We can exceed the environmental conditions of old Krypton if given proper resources."
"Good, take whatever you need. Just make it happen."
"It will be done, Your Majesty," Jor said with conviction.
I turned to leave, but paused at the doorway. "Jor, how is Kal-El adjusting?"
It will be a lie to say I was not curious about the original protagonist.
Jor's expression softened slightly. "He is... processing everything that has happened. Losing his home world while gaining knowledge of what we might become. It's difficult for someone his age."
"He is an asset of our Empire now, just like every single Kryptonian is. Make sure he understands that he has a crucial role to play in our future."
"I will, Your Majesty."
I nodded and stepped out of the chamber. As I walked through the corridors, my mind was already moving to the next phase of my plans.
Mars would serve as our base of operations from which we would expand our influence across the galaxy and then to the universe.
I just had to wait a few months for Krypton to be reborn again.
For now, I wanted to understand Earth more thoroughly.
"LYRA," I called out.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Her voice responded instantly through my implant.
"Prepare a vessel for planetary approach. The destination will be planet Earth."
"Understood, Your Majesty. A Type-7 scout vessel will be prepared and ready for departure within a few minutes."
The vessel would be ready soon, and then I would descend to the blue planet.
Time to see how it compares to the original versions of it in my memories.
....
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