This Has All Happened Before part 2
Title: This Has All Happened Before
Author: AshtakRa
Fandom: Smallville/Other (to be revealed this part 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 2
“[Ambient exterior temperature within tolerable limits, adjust altitude by point two zero five points, killing the many leaves the few - few always kill the many, objects detected with malice in their hearts, the dogs must slip their collar but not run rabid... end of line]”
OQOQOQOQOQ
“Woah!”
Oliver watched as Chloe tried in vain to get the screen back but it showed what every working monitor was showing, a flowing script of red code; not in any recognisable language but Oliver knew computer code when he saw it - even when obviously sent by an alien ship hovering over their city.
“They’ve flooded the system, I can’t even send an email let alone monitor communications.” Chloe slammed the table and turned to Oliver. “Whatever they’re doing I can’t stop it.”
The rest of the room was silent and Oliver did not need to look to know everyone was waiting for him to come up with a game plan. The responsibility of leadership; there were times Oliver was jealous of Clark’s ability to do things alone.
“Right, Chloe you keep working on breaking that code - it’s the best chance we have of understanding this…” he shrugged. What the hell was it anyway? Invasion? Attempt at first contact?
“Lois, assuming the phones work see what the military are up to - I know you have contacts and if we’re about to nuke these guys its something we should know.”
They had been able to hack Chloe’s systems in a matter of seconds, that was possible with advanced tech but more likely if this was not first contact but a visit from old friends… or enemies.
“Clark, perhaps a visit to that crazy old guy might reveal who these guys are?” Oliver knew enough about the Jor’El program that a civilisation with ships this size had to have been on Krypton’s radar - and therefore on whatever advanced interface Jor’El existed.
“Clark?”
They all turned to where Clark was standing but Oliver was the first to reach him. “Clark!”
His face was slack and eyes vacant - but it was the trickle of blood from Clark’s nose that had alerted Oliver that there was a very serious problem.
“What’s wrong with him?” demanded Lois trying to move in but Chloe blocked her. Seeing this in his periphery Oliver pretty much ignored it. Chloe knew as well as he did that Lois knew nothing of Clark’s real ancestry - touching him when he was in some kind of trance could be dangerous.
Oliver had no such hesitation - call it trust or concern or whatever. The aliens had somehow disabled Clark and Oliver would lay a large bet it was that transmission Chloe was talking about. He clasped Clark’s wrist and felt for a pulse and was relieved to find a very feint beat, almost too feint came the thought on top of his relief. He wondered if you would normally be able to find Clark’s pulse. To be sure he moved to Clark’s neck to check his carotid. It was still very weak and even more disturbing was Clark did not even flinch at Oliver’s touch. He was still standing so had some kind of muscle control but it was as if no-one was home.
“Oliver?”
“He’s alive Chloe, but have you ever checked his heartbeat? It seems really weak.”
“Why would Chloe know about Clark’s vitals and I’m the first to say he’s a little special but shouldn’t his heart beat the same as anyone else’s?”
Oliver looked pleadingly at Chloe but she just shrugged while continuing to hold Lois back. “Mrs Kent once said something about deep veins, maybe arteries as well - listening might be better.”
Which was Chloe speak for Clark has tough skin but listen to his heart.
Oliver smiled at how this looked as he put his ear to the other man’s chest. Sure enough the steady thump-thump came through loud and clear. It was still pretty slow but then again Clark was not exactly exerting himself. With his ear touching Clark through his shirt Oliver could also feel the gentle rise and fall of his well muscled and might he add, quite warm chest.
Crisis Oliver he reminded himself and reluctantly pulled away. “He’s fine but still a zombie - Clark’s kind of easy going but this is getting ridiculous.”
With that Lois finally got through and started dabbing at the blood, clearing it quickly away. Once more Clark did not so much as twitch a face muscle but Oliver noticed that he was still blinking at regular intervals.
“Should we, I don’t know, lay him down or something?”
“That’s something you’d better get Ollie to do Lois,” said Chloe, giving Oliver a sideways smirk to which he adamantly refused to acknowledge. “Clark is rather big and heavy after all.”
It was hard to believe. Here they were in a bad situation and Chloe had time to make innuendo - bad innuendo. Oliver shook his head; she had obviously been under too much stress and when this was done he would insist on a holiday. He stared back at Chloe unflinchingly and smiled coldly so she knew he was considering a wicked deed. A holiday far far away and without internet access.
“Clark’s fine for the moment, instead we need to find out how to reverse this trance.” Oliver moved up and placed a hand on Lois’ shoulder, also putting one on Clark’s. “He’ll be fine Lois, with us on his side how can anything go wrong?”
Her lack of witty response spoke volumes.
“Chloe, if you’re done figuring out sleeping arrangements how bout we sort out what to do?”
“Just calling it how I see it,” she whispered as she shouldered past him. At the console she once more failed to get anything else up on the screen so instead hit a key and all the monitors switched off. They turned to look at Clark but there was no change.
“Not visual then,” muttered Chloe and put her hands on hips to stare at Oliver. “The signal must be the source; hopefully you shut that down you reboot Clark - and logically the ship is the source.”
“Right, so I’ve just to get to the ship, infiltrate it and shut down the signal - probably by having to blow up the ship… because that is kind of what I do best.”
“Yeah Oliver, you make it sound so simple, I think that is what you really do best.”
“Kind of snarky today Chloe,” ventured Oliver. “Something I said.”
She sighed and walked over, embracing him softly. “Just having trouble letting go.”
“Letting go?” The pain that had been growing in Oliver’s chest finally had a name and he should have seen it coming for a while. Worse he was not feeling as disappointed as he should. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. At this point and with all the things going on there was no more explanation required.
OQOQOQOQ
If the ship seemed massive from far below up close it was like standing on the edge of a canyon you realise just how small a person is. Atop the highest building in Metropolis, not surprisingly one he owned, Oliver breathed deeply and prepared to hit the release switch. His normal crossbow had not been powerful enough to reach the hull, nor would it have been enough to embed a bolt. Upsizing had been his only option and a retrofitted stinger rocket was hopefully going to do the job. Coiled at his feet was hundreds of yards of rope, that and the knowledge that doing nothing was not a option made this plan remotely possible. Hook a line into the ship’s hull, use the electronic pulley on his crossbow to pull him up, then find an opening and somehow shut down the signal.
Easy.
Unless the ship detected him… unless it was made of some impenetrable alloy and unless they zapped him with some disintegrator gun as soon as he made it on board.
Using a helicopter or plane had been an even worse option. The smaller scout ships were whining about everywhere - keeping any other aircraft well away from the base ship. No shots had been fired, yet! “Time Oliver, wasting it when you never had enough to begin with.” Talking with himself was just another stalling method so picturing a comatose Clark was the only way to spur himself on.
Oliver activated the missile.
“[He that must not is coming - forget the past to fight the future, increase oxygen levels in sections three through seven, particulates exceed ten parts per million - increase filtering to compensate… intruder alert but do not alert the intruder, adjust relative velocity to match orbital path… end of line]”
CSCSCSCSCS
The dot that was Oliver faded from the hand held screen and Chloe sighed. She had been surprised to get the tracking system working, the fact that it had stopped once he entered the ship was no surprise at all.
“He’s in, how’s Clark.”
“No change.” Lois was being stoic as usual and Chloe could tell she was looking for something else to occupy her instead of having to hover over an unresponsive Clark. She made her way over and sat on the desk with Chloe. “Why were you giving Ollie such a hard time - he has a right to be just as worried about Clark as the rest of us?”
“Lois, we’ve had this conversation.”
“Yes, I am aware of your theories in regards our men and their… apparent bond but there is such a thing as friendship - Ollie is not necessarily pining after Clark.”
Chloe smirked. “Hardly conclusive since Oliver Queen would never pine after anyone… Lois I only know what I see - and over the past few months I’ve been seeing it more and more.” She shrugged and splayed out her hands in a motion of helplessness. “I’ve done what I can to try and get Oliver’s spark back but there’s something missing and I think its Clark.”
Lois’ eyes narrowed dangerously. “Even when I was with Ollie those two seemed to have their own code - talking in riddles, significant glances.” She sighed heavily. “I am not saying you’re right Chloe but there is something I am being kept in the dark about.” She looked back at Clark. “And Smallville over there is always at the centre of it.”
OQOQOQOQOQ
There were many expectations that Oliver had on entering an alien ship. Some were met and others were not.
The interior was kind of a reflection of the exterior; not really a surprise. The walkway was metallic and quite stark but had enough curves and small finishes to exude class and, if Oliver could put a word to it, a strive for perfection. The lighting was low and he could not discern a source; except for the red strips along the wall that brightened at regular intervals - like a heartbeat.
The possibility his observation was close to the mark sent a shiver up Oliver’s spine. His crossbow was out and ready in his hand. He had enough explosives in his pack to take out a building. He also had no idea where to go from here. Did a ship like this even have an engine room? A control centre? Crew?
At a Y junction Oliver hesitated; he had absolutely no idea where to go and what to do if he even found something. He had been walking for what seemed like hours, Clark could be dying, this city could suddenly attack Metropolis and he, Oliver Queen - the Green Arrow, may be the only one capable of stopping it. Oliver put is arms on the side panel and leant over, breathing to try and get this minor panic attack under control. He had not felt like this since his parents died - the helplessness and the fear were almost unbearable. Clark was relying on him and Oliver could not let him down, not here and not now.
“You worry too much”
Oliver froze for a second and he was sure his heart may just have skipped a few beats. He knew that voice but it wasn’t right - it sounded wrong. He turned his head and there he was; Clark Kent leaning casually on the same panel only a foot away.
Yet this was not Clark. Oliver had been around the farm boy and enough of his alternate versions to know that this was not his Clark. Dressed in a form-fitting pin-stripe black Armani suit with a dark purple shirt and gold cravat this Clark also sported a thin moustache and goatee.
“I said… you worry too much Oliver.” He said it in a deep husky tone with just the right roll of the tongue on the second syllable of his name to make Oliver gulp and know for certain that his Clark could never say it that way - much as he would have liked him to.
“You’re not-.”
“Oh let’s not get into what is and what isn’t.” This Clark shoved off and circled around Oliver, laying a hand on his shoulder in a very familiar way. “See, I am real… or maybe not - perhaps I am some kind of alien security system.” He pushed a finger against Oliver’s sweat soaked brow. “Am I something mined from this? A collection of hidden memories and needs and wants... desires made flesh?” He smiled and it wasn’t evil or mean, it actually looked a little more like a patented Clark Kent smile. “You don’t need to worry about me Oliver; I’m here to help you.”
“Yeah?” Oliver smiled at his own weakness, wanting this to really be Clark but knowing it was just not possible. “Then tell me how to shut the signal off and destroy this ship.”
The finger moved and a hand was cupping his face and Clark’s eyes were directly in front of his own. “That is not what you are here to do Oliver.” His thumb brushed over Oliver’s lips. “There is a plan for you and all that is needed is faith and trust.”
Oliver grabbed Clark’s hand before he got lost in the touch. This situation was surreal and needed to end right now.
“Who the hell are you?”
Clark did not answer but cocked his head in the direction of the left corridor. “They’re coming, you need to go.”
Shoved in the opposite direction Oliver had no choice as he heard the clanking of approaching footsteps and the unmistakeable whirr of mechanical servos. Great, this ship was full of alternate Clark’s and robots. He jogged to a bulkhead and squeezed up behind it, a useless manoeuvre if they came this way.
Luckily they didn’t and the other Clark had disappeared. He was able to catch a glimpse of the robots which confirmed his suspicion that they were actually robots - all chrome and dull metal with angles and sharp spindly limbs that could not possibly be organic.
“Great,” muttered Oliver to himself as he moved on. “I’m being harassed by a phantom and avoiding tin men from a galaxy far far away.”
CSCSCSCS
Tightening her grip on the pistol Chloe glared at the tall blonde. “Stay away from him.”
The woman looked up from leaning over Clark and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. They had turned up from seemingly nowhere, the blonde and her robotic soldiers and while no-one had been hurt they seemed to have an interest in Clarke.
“You can put that away I think.” Her voice was clear, precise and very confident, as if she knew that Chloe would not shoot - or maybe she was not concerned if she did. Walking to within reach she smiled and held her hands clasped firmly behind her back. She wore a small red dress of extremely light material, not exactly something Chloe would expect of someone at the head of an invading army.
Chloe reappraised the situation. While it felt comforting to be the one with the gun she was outnumbered and those robots probably had better fire-power. One of them was holding Lois very firmly without harming her. If they wanted her and Chloe dead they could have done so by now.
With only a small amount of shaking Chloe lowered the gun and the woman gave that smile, almost maternal in nature.
“Thank you.” There was a huskiness in her tone and also a slight hesitation, as if she was either not used to speaking or perhaps not practiced in talking with another person. “Now we can talk… one woman to another.” She walked closer, examining Chloe like a specimen. “You are quite beautiful.” She turned to Lois and also glanced back at Clark. “You all are…” That hesitation again as she went to touch Chloe’s face but stopped at the last instant. “I cannot help but wonder which blood runs stronger.”
Taking a step back Chloe tried to process that. “Blood? Whose and what do you mean strongest?”
The blonde gave a sharp laugh, more of delight than derision. “Such spark with that underlying anger - you remind me so of someone I used to know.” She too stepped back and brought her hands to steeple in front of her pelvis. “I cannot imagine there is even legend of our existence, yet it was inevitable that we would return to check upon our brethren.”
“What?” Chloe looked at this woman. So overtly sexual, her gender on display in every word she spoke and in every curve of her body. Too grand, too perfect. Chloe also looked at the machines, then back at this women… and things fell into place. “You’re not human - or Kryptonian… you’re one of them.” She nodded at the robots.
“Perceptive, yet you say it with such disgust - which surprises me.”
“Sorry, machines masquerading as human tends to bug me out… probably because I’m human.”
The blonde laughed, hard enough for tears to form in her eyes and she clapped in delight. “Humanity,” she said a little breathlessly. “Always so arrogant, such belief in their own supposed superiority.” Her laughter stopped and her face grew serious. “Unfortunately your precious identity is misplaced - you see humanity… true humanity, died out long ago.”
Chloe could not respond to that. The statement was too ludicrous to contemplate.
Stepping forward the blonde did not hesitate this time to brush fingertips across Chloe’s cheek. “You are the descendents of those humans and of our kind.” She gestured to the robots, their single red eyes sweeping eerily back and forth.
“Your kind?” Chloe’s throat went dry as she realised she was indeed entertaining this notion.
Bringing her lips close to Chloe’s ear the blonde whispered the single word.
“Cylon.”
Tbc…