The Kryptonian Dilemma
The saying "your position determines your perspective" is absolutely true.
From an Earthling's point of view, it's logical to assume Clark should side with humanity. After all, his parents, classmates, friends, and lover are all human, and the education he received was about protecting Earth's civilization, not Krypton's.
But when viewed from a Kryptonian standpoint, the situation changes entirely.
The Codex is the cornerstone of Kryptonian heritage. Without it, Krypton can never be complete. Every Kryptonian would believe that Clark Kent, who possesses the Codex, should shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding their civilization.
Even his biological father, Jor-El, probably held the same belief; otherwise, he wouldn't have placed such a vital object inside his son.
Yet, Clark chose to become a Kryptonian traitor!
No wonder Linda was so enraged. Encountering a younger cousin like this, it was a miracle she didn't kill him.
After realizing this, Luke suddenly noticed his own flawed position: If Clark was a Kryptonian traitor, didn't that make him an Earthling traitor?
"Why are you silent?"
Luke shrugged. "It just occurred to me that if I help you deal with your cousin, Earthlings might view me as a traitor."
Linda was momentarily stunned. That made sense.
"However, I have a personal motto: I help my friends, not necessarily the righteous. We've become acquainted; that's enough to be friends. A friend in need is a friend indeed."
Linda was pleasantly surprised. "So you'll help me?"
"I can help, but we must first clarify three questions. One: What is your ultimate goal? Is it just to go back and look at your homeworld, or to take control of the Codex and the Fortress of Solitude and assume the task of rebuilding civilization? The two choices lead to completely different outcomes."
"Two: What price do you want your cousin to pay? Do you just want to teach him a lesson as an older relative, or do you view him as a traitor who deserves to have his life ruined and to die without a grave?"
"And three: What effect will this have on me and on Earth? I don't want to bring disaster to Earth because of my own oversight."
These three questions served as both Luke's self-restraint and a core interrogation of the girl's conscience.
Every question went straight to the heart of the matter. She didn't know how to answer and remained silent.
Kill her cousin? Impossible. She couldn't do it. The House of El would lose its only remaining male member, and the family bloodline would be extinguished.
As for shouldering the responsibility of rebuilding civilization, the thought made her scalp crawl.
Rebuilding a civilization wasn't simple math. It involved too many issues. First, she would need territory. Earth was a decent choice, but this world had too many strange and powerful entities. Rebuilding a civilization here would inevitably lead to war with the locals. Setting aside everyone else, the man in front of her was a huge problem.
He looked cheerful and easy to bully, but if she focused her vision on him, she felt a paralyzing sense of death, a feeling like her soul was being devoured, making her instinctively tremble.
Linda still didn't understand what his power was.
If one man was this difficult to deal with, let alone everyone else, she would surely fail if she started a war.
Time ticked by slowly. Unknowingly, three minutes passed, and Linda was still lost in thought.
Luke yawned.
"Beautiful lady, let's talk tomorrow. I need to go to sleep."
"Wait!"
Linda looked up, her expression serious. "I just want to go back to Krypton and look at it. I don't care about anything else."
"If that's all it is, I advise you to give up."
The girl frowned. "Why?"
Luke said wearily, "Krypton exploded. It went boom from the inside out. You've studied physics; you know that a planet that loses its core won't remain in a stable orbit. Even if you use space coordinates to find Krypton's original position, all you'll see is nothingness."
"Whether you admit it or not, Krypton no longer exists. It's just a bunch of large and small meteoroids drifting across the universe. Maybe one day, they'll fall onto Earth, and you can collect them as souvenirs."
He paused, glanced at her constantly twitching face, and sighed.
"Even if you fly back in the Fortress of Solitude, you won't find anything. It's not worth turning your only blood relative into an enemy over nothingness. Take my advice and give it up!"
"I won't give up."
Linda took a deep breath, gritting her teeth. "Regardless of the result, I have to go back and look at it."
"Fine."
Luke shrugged. He knew this would happen; a person's obsession isn't easily changed.
"Since your goal is only the Fortress of Solitude, I can help. However, my service is not free. You have to give me something."
"What do you want?"
"Kryptonian energy technology."
Linda frowned, her eyes filled with scrutiny.
Kryptonian technology far surpassed Earth's. This superiority wasn't merely in scope but in a leap of civilizational level.
If cosmic civilizations were divided into seven tiers, Earth hadn't even reached the first. Krypton, however, was somewhere between the second and third tiers. If Kryptonian technology fell into the hands of Earthlings, who knew what they would use it for?
"You don't trust me."
Linda glanced at him without speaking.
Although this guy appeals to my taste, he's no good man. He looks clean and innocent, but he's full of wicked intentions.
Luke feigned offense. "What's with that look? Who do you take me for? Am I Luke Shaw, the kind of dictator or black-hearted entrepreneur you think I am? Besides, even if you gave me the technology, so what? Scientific development is a gradual process. Every step forward requires corresponding equipment as a foundation."
"Kryptonian technology is hundreds of years ahead of Earth. Even if you put the schematics in front of me, I wouldn't understand them. Even if I miraculously did, I couldn't build anything. My purpose for the energy technology is just to find the right direction and avoid detours."
"Simply put: are you giving it to me or not?"
Linda lost her temper. She snapped, "What if I don't? I can still get the Fortress of Solitude without you."
Luke chuckled, his eyes flashing with an unusual light, as if he saw right through her.
"I know what you're planning. A word of friendly advice: that's your cousin. Before you threaten someone, learn to control yourself. Don't push things past the point of no return, and don't turn your only relative into a bitter enemy."
The girl was greatly shaken, her expression becoming extremely complex.
"One more thing: the FBI is looking all over the world for you, including psychic metahumans. Be careful not to be controlled. If you fall into their hands, no one will retrieve your body."
"That's all I have to say. I'm going to bed. Feel free to stay, and remember to lock the door when you leave."
Luke let out a long yawn and headed toward the bedroom. He hadn't walked far when he heard a voice behind him.
"Wait!"
"If you help me get the Fortress of Solitude, I'll give you the fundamental knowledge of energy technology."
"Fundamentals?"
"Yes, fundamentals."
"Alright! Fundamentals it is."
What was the old saying? With a foundation, anything is possible. Once you have the first step, the second follows, and then countless more. The distance between the first and the infinite is only a thin pane of glass.
You've stepped onto my pirate ship. I won't let you jump off now.
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