This Has All Happened Before
Title: This Has All Happened Before
Author: AshtakRa
Fandom: Smallville/Other (to be advised but you can probably guess pretty quick)
Pairing: Clark/Oliver
Genre: Romantic Adventure & Slash
Summary: It has happened before and it will happen again. What is it that makes Earth such a popular spot for wayward visiting aliens? Of course Oliver finds that there is really only one alien worth his interest, unfortunately more than one alien finds him interesting. What is a hot blooded young man to do?
Part 1
The alarm came in at 4am local time; for anyone else that would have been annoying but for the Green Arrow it was perfect. It was like being asked to lunch at midday.
“Go ahead Watchtower” spoke the hooded man of justice (a name he secretly called himself when he needed a bit of a pick-me-up, Green Arrow was so last year).
“This may be more Boyscout’s purview but we’ve got something that just made a big blip on the radar - and its moving directly over Metropolis.”
Oliver chuckled but kept his voice schooled. “Sounds more like an airforce problem Watchtower, in case you haven’t noticed I am not exactly equipped for flight.”
“Really? The skin tight leather isn’t for reduced wind resistance… huh.”
“Its not leather and well, it does help, I move really quickly sometimes,” Oliver tried to defend himself. Chloe could be merciless about his fashion choices.
“Wouldn’t matter Arrow - the radar feed is coming from one of… from a satellite we hacked into.”
She’d almost said ‘our satellites’ a near error Chloe rarely made in case someone was monitoring their comms. That meant she was spooked, not a lot since she could still joke around but enough to put her a little off her normal perfect game. From one of Queen Industry’s satellites meant the object was high, upper atmosphere possibly the mesosphere. A sudden realisation made Oliver’s gut turn over just a little.
“Its space-bound isn’t it Watchtower.”
“Got it in one Arrow, I think its time for close encounters of the big and possibly mean kind.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Just get here now and I’ll show you, here’s a teaser to help.”
His phone chirped and Oliver checked the screen, Chloe had sent him a JPEG. The background was stars, a sliver of Moon visible in the corner. In the other corner looked like a sliver of more Moon except this was sleek and darker in colour. It looked big and like Chloe said, mean. The rest was not visible but the piece looked like an arm of a larger vessel.
Oliver wasted no time and leapt from the building, using a convenient gutter to slow his descent. He needed to get to the Watchtower and fast.
OQOQOQOQOQ
“I’ve sent an SOS to Clark but no response, probably with Lois - and you know how she can be.”
A little part of Oliver flinched. Chloe was not the kind of woman to be jealous and vindictive but she did manage to say just the right thing to needle him. Her prerogative and at least this time she did not put it in terms of some kind of partner swap. He had regretted correcting her on that one by pointing out that Chloe had never actually been with Clark.
Her revenge had been subtle but to the point, literally as she had put one of his own toxin tipped arrows near a very delicate body part.
Never again.
So he smiled graciously but said nothing. He was pretty sure he heard her mutter something about stubborn mules can be trained.
“So what do we have? Has the Empire turned up to find the Princess?”
“Nice try with the geek Ollie but they were after droids not damsels.” She could be really smug and Oliver was not sure if he had liked this more or less after they started seeing each other.
“Half-an-hour ago there was a significant radiation burst fifty-thousand kilometres away from our stratosphere, on the planetary elliptic and almost immediately the satellites registered a mass approaching the Earth.” Her fingers played over keys as she spoke, the three closest screens showing graphs and grainy radar returns. “I don’t have to tell you Oliver, the chances of something approaching along the elliptic and not being found before this is slim to none. While the popular notion of only one percent of the sky being scoured for asteroids is accurate the danger is less than people know, given that almost all inner system objects follow the elliptic plane.”
“Yeah,” snorted Oliver. “You so didn’t need to tell me… but why is that significant? An object is coming this way on the elliptic and you say most do anyway.”
“Because,” said a clearly understanding Chloe. “It was not noticed before now, so it was very unlikely not there before now.” She moved a screen closer then hit a key, this time showing more of the object that had been on his phone. It was indeed an arm from a larger source. Like a large beam it got larger before joining what seemed to be a central pylon that had several other arms stretching out. It was both scary and somewhat beautiful in design, and it was definitely designed - nothing could naturally form that way.
“There is a central axis,” Chloe was explaining. “With three arms diverging from both the upper and lower sections to form a double trapezoid , slightly different in configuration but if placed in-line they would be identical - I believe they can be moved depending on what the vessel is intending.”
“Vessel?”
“Well its not a meteorite Oliver - and from these initial scans it may be hostile.”
“How so?” asked Oliver as he moved to inspect the high resolution prints she had ready. Chloe did not need to say anything as she pointed to objects along the central pylon and some of the arms. Even though they were still quite small they could only be smaller and more lethal looking craft. This was like some kind of air-craft carrier and it was heading right for them.
“How long do we have?”
Chloe sighed. “Its fast, if my calculations are right, and lets face it they often are, it should reach our upper atmosphere in the next fifteen minutes.”
“Then what?”
Her frightened face made Oliver rush to quickly embrace her. Too often he forgot that while super-smart and cool under pressure Chloe was like anyone else - and that meant she felt the same fear that coursed through his veins.
Something big and dangerous was heading their way and it was unlike anything they had faced. This wasn’t one single alien or robot or possessed body. It was big, fast and had travelled the universe to be right at this very place.
Coincidence?… absolutely not.
CKCKCKCKCK
His enhanced hearing should have picked it up first but Lois had been going on about some childhood prank gone wrong involving a swimming pool, three grenades and a General’s pet dog. In order to follow he had to give her his full attention, not being able to respond at the correct point had serious consequences that not even his invulnerable skin could withstand.
It was only when he noticed the water in the glass moving that Clark knew there was a problem. He swiftly scanned the immediate area but noticed nothing amiss
“And that’s when we realised one grenade was missing and the dog choking - what the hell is that?” Lois had noticed too and looked around in her normal ‘how dare something interrupt my story’ glare.
Other diners were also becoming alarmed so Clark quickly stood, gently grabbing Lois and they headed for the door - the early morning bakery served the best triple shot espresso in the Northern Hemisphere, according to Lois. It had become a popular spot for people like themselves who started work far too early in the day.
Clark stuck with water.
“It can’t be an earthquake,” stated Lois, looking up and down the almost deserted street. “I know quakes Smallville, and this ain’t one.” She waved her finger at him as if it were his fault. The mild vibration moving through everything increased and a lamp post across the street fell to the ground and several windows shattered at the same moment. While there were not too many people out and about it showed the character of the city’s citizens that there was no screaming but just people exiting buildings and gathering in groups to investigate what was happening. Perhaps a few too many near destructive unexplainable events had hardened them somewhat.
“Lois, I think we should-.” Something made Clark look up, his hearing, his senses or one-too-many alien invasion movies (not his fault really, Clark had just wanted to see if he ever rooted for the alien team). This was almost like one of those.
The shape slid across the sky, dark in the early dawn and indistinct except for the long arms seemingly reaching out to strike at the buildings. Clark knew that they were far above the highest sky-scraper and it was just the strange perspective of seeing an object larger than the looming buildings of Metropolis - his eyes just did not understand what they were seeing; and he was somewhat used to seeing the impossible. How were ordinary people coping? Clark looked to Lois then kept turning - he needed to see what normal people were doing.
Shock
Bemusement
Fear
Amazement
Joy?
Took all sorts he supposed.
“Uh Lois, I think we need to-.”
“One step ahead of you Smallville, I’m on to the new photographer, you - yes this is Lois Lane and I need-.”
Clark blocked out the rest as she spoke quickly into her phone. He had to get to the Watchtower, if anyone had more info on this thing it would be Chloe. Unlike other situations however he could not just leave Lois - this was possibly more dangerous than anything they had ever faced.
He checked his own phone. Twenty-two messages. Scrolling through they were mostly from Chloe and a few from Ollie. Obviously they were about this. That or they had been on a date and both wanted to talk to him about it. Honestly, Clark had spent the better part of the last three months avoiding that conversation and pretending he knew nothing of their arrangement.
He was also avoiding exactly why he was doing the avoiding.
He dialled and while waiting he wondered that for supposedly super-secret members of a shadow organisation Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan were terrible at hiding their relationship. If he was seeing-.
“Smallville?”
Right, big scary shape hovering over Metropolis and scary Lois standing right next to him. Clark shook his head, maybe he was becoming more jaded than the fair citizens of Metropolis if his thoughts could stray during such an event.
“Hey!” Lois slapped his shoulder. “Can you believe they put me on hold - ME! I’m their star reporter, I am numero uno when it comes to the weird, are you laughing at me?”
“Sorry Lois, but star reporter? - up-and-coming maybe and we are meant to be a team so you should have said-.”
“I am seriously rethinking this relationship Smallville, I feel the respect you once had for me is fading fast.”
“That wasn’t respect Lois, it was fear.” How angry could she be, he said it with a smile?
OQOQOQOQOQ
Oliver stared at his phone. “I think they’re busy having some kind of domestic.”
“Now!”
He shrugged, answering the phone when it had rang all he could hear was Lois shouting and Clark baiting her. At least the guy had worked out how to keep her interested - for an alien with super-speed Clark was quite behind on understanding how to interact at a romantic level. That thought somehow put vision into his head of romance and superpeed - romance in the bedroom and super-strength.
“Why the hell are you leering at a time like this?”
“Chloe!” Oliver almost yelped like a little girl. Thoughts of Clark like that had made Oliver forget where he was and what they were doing.
“Nothing, I - oh is that something coming out of the alien ship?”
There was not but it made Chloe check anyway.
Putting the phone to his ear it seemed Clark had finally stopped his argument/flirting with Lois.
“Ollie - you seeing this?”
“Clearer than you are Clark.” Oliver grinned, it had taken a while but Clark called him Ollie more often than not and he was honest enough to admit it sounded good on the Kryptonian’s tongue.
“What is it?”
“A ship, a big ‘came from outer space’ alien ship - no markings that would indicate its like anything we’ve ever found on Earth.” Oliver was careful not to mention Clark’s alien ancestry, never knew who was listening.
“Alright, I’ll try to get to you guys soon but Lois is intent on trying to get to a better vantage point - I can think of one place that would do it.”
Oliver understood what Clark was asking and was also kind of flattered; not that long ago Clark would not have asked, he just would have turned up with Lois on his arm.
“Bring her in Clark, she already knows about me and I don’t think Chloe will be a big surprise.”
“Thanks Ollie.” Was that another flutter in his chest, Oliver really needed to focus.
“We’ll be there shortly, you know how fast Lois can move when she needs to.”
Clark hung up and Oliver turned to an expectant Chloe. “They’re coming here. I assume you can explain Watchtower and yourself to Lois?”
“Careful about assuming,” muttered Chloe, but she did smile. “I heard the last, they’re moving at Lois speed so Clark is happy to reveal my secrets but not his own.” Her gaze lingered on Oliver for far too long and a very thoughtful and insightful look crossed her face.
“He’s kind of good at that, like others I might mention.”
“Chloe! I - what have I done now?”
She walked up and kissed him delicately on the cheek. Her smile said she knew far more than she was letting on. “Nothing… Ollie.” Then laughed and walked away.
Oliver stood dumbstruck - she had said it with a deep bass just like Clark but with a definite huskiness he sometimes wished Clark would use.
Was there anything she did not know?
CKCKCKCKCK
“Lois, welcome to the Watchtower.”
Her silence let everyone in the room know her displeasure.
“Uh Lois,” continued Clark. “I’m sure you have lots of questions but Chloe will be pleased to answer them later.” He grinned at Chloe, but the expression froze on his face as she raised that one damned eyebrow.
“Lois, a pleasure to see you?” Oliver said trying to break the tension and failing miserably as Lois turned her attention to him and raised the ‘dreaded finger of ultimate doom’. Oliver had mentioned to him once the name he had given Lois’ favourite finger waggle and Clark had to turn away to hide his smirk as Lois started in on the billionaire - still clad in his Green Arrow outfit; the very first thing Clark had noticed when they arrived.
He was fairly sure Ollie had toned up a little, or maybe lost weight - either way the leggings seemed trimmer, and his backside did seem to be more-.
“Clark!”
Chloe waved him over to the table and showed him the prints.
“Woah!”
“Indeed. It appeared an hour ago before quickly entering our atmosphere - Clark there was no warning, no approach - this thing just suddenly appeared.”
“Krypton had instantaneous travel across the universe?” ventured Clark.
“Yeah, for individuals but this is a ship the size of a dozen city blocks.”
“I came here by ship, it had some kind of faster than light travel. Otherwise I would have been dust by the time it got here.”
Chloe shook her head again. “I looked into that. I am not sure your ship did work that way and even if it did there is no evidence of that happening here. I have checked the scans before and after - one moment space was empty and in an instant it wasn’t. Just a weird radiation burst - non-lethal by the way, just mild gamma with a lick of -.”
“I get it Chloe… so this might not be Kryptonian?”
“Highly unlikely Clark. While the trapezoid configuration is loosely reminiscent of Krypton’s love of threes I can find nothing technologically to connect this vessel with your home planet.”
“What’s it doing now then?”
Chloe pointed to a screen, showing a now sunlit Metropolis skyline, with a multi-armed ship hovering above. “Keeping station five-hundred meters above central plaza - I don’t know how since the energy required to do that should have wiped out half of the city, of course if they can travel across the universe in a flash then perhaps gravity is not a problem.”
Now that he could see the ship clearly Clark had to admit it was rather impressive and obviously designed for space travel. There was no clear bow or stern, just the cylindrical centre, branching out into six arms, three top and bottom. He could only imagine that seen at a distance from below it would look like a spiked star.
“It’s a base-ship of some kind, with smaller ships attached. With it they can surprise attack whomever their enemies are and retreat under cover.”
“Enemies, like us?”
“Hope not, even with you here they can pretty much strike at will - unless you have the flying thing worked out.”
His glare gave her the answer.
“That smile will not get you off the hook Mr Oliver Queen and you are entirely mistaken if you believe standing there in that figure hugging out-fit will distract me!” Lois finished her rant and stormed over before turning back and once more raising the dreaded finger of ultimate doom. “That kind of thing only works on one reporter here and it ain’t me buster!”
She elbowed in next to Clark and tapped shut his gaping mouth. “I was referring to Chloe Smallville.” Clark was thankful his blush reaction did not activate his heat vision or the entire room would be fried by now.
“Chloe,” Lois spoke a lot more calmer to her cousin. “I have questions that involve how, when and why and possibly ‘are you insane?’ but for now lets just deal with the alien blimp hovering over our heads.”
“And its lovely to see you too Lois.” Somehow Chloe said that with affection where Ollie had sounded, well too much like Oliver. Speaking of the other man he had joined them but wisely stood on the other side of Clark away from Lois.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Nice job on the Mob meeting the other night.”
Ollie smiled at the compliment. “I was bored of weirdly powered villains and went for something really dangerous - apparently the Green Arrow now has a million dollar hit on him.”
“Impressive.”
“Well you know Clark its not just about the money.”
“Oh, you just want to be wanted right.”
“We all have our guilty pleasures Clark.”
“Are we done?” Lois’ fingers tapped on the table and both Clark and Oliver’s eyes were automatically drawn to her index finger before turning to each other and snickering.
Even though he was busy laughing through his hand Clark noticed Chloe give Lois a significant look that made Lois frown but nod somewhat sadly - what the hell was that all about, they were in the middle of a crisis here.
A sudden droning howl whirred by overhead and a shadow flew across the stained glass.
The crisis just got worse.
tbc...