Clark moved toward the shadowy figure with superhuman reflexes, but the mysterious presence vanished the instant he drew close. His X-ray vision couldn't penetrate incorporeal projections, yet the entity's deliberate appearances suggested purpose rather than random manifestation. The pattern was clear, it was guiding them deeper into the vessel's technological heart.
Ben shared Clark's fascination with the scout ship's interior. Even accounting for its twenty-thousand-year age, Kryptonian engineering operated on principles that made Earth's most advanced technology look primitive by comparison. Every surface, every interface, every structural element demonstrated a sophistication that could revolutionize human civilization.
"Hibernation chambers," Ben observed as they followed the ghostly guide into a cathedral-sized room lined with crystalline pods. Several units remained sealed, their occupants preserved in death, while one chamber stood conspicuously empty.
Ben brushed accumulated dust from a transparent cover, revealing the desiccated remains within. "Looks like Kryptonian preservation technology wasn't quite perfect," he quipped, though his humor carried a note of genuine curiosity. "I'm surprised these colonists didn't establish a foothold on Earth twenty millennia ago. The planet would be very different today."
Clark studied the empty pod with growing unease. "Could the missing occupant be our... projection?" The word 'ghost' had almost escaped his lips, despite his alien heritage, growing up in Kansas had left him with very human superstitions about the undead.
The juxtaposition of a spectral figure and an opened tomb triggered uncomfortable associations. Clark might be bulletproof and capable of bench-pressing mountains, but the supernatural still made his skin crawl.
As if summoned by his thoughts, a skeletal face materialized upside-down directly in front of him, hollow sockets glowing with malevolent energy.
"Perhaps something like me?" Ben wheezed in Ghostfreak's distinctively raspy voice, his form shifting between tangible and incorporeal as his single eye drifted through the cracks in his decaying flesh.
Clark's startled reaction was immediate and explosive, twin beams of superheated energy erupted from his eyes, powerful enough to slice through steel. But Ben had anticipated exactly this response, phasing to complete intangibility while simultaneously capturing the moment with a hidden camera.
"Easy there, Laser Eyes," Ben chuckled as he reverted to human form, his Omnitrix's green light confirming his identity. "Just a little humor."
Clark's face flushed with embarrassment and irritation.
"You could punch through an island, and yet you're afraid of ghosts?" Ben tease.
"Fear of the unknown is hardwired into every sentient species," Clark replied defensively, though he was already recovering his composure. "It's kept us alive for millions of years of evolution."
"Fair point." Ben grinned as he seemingly pulled a camera from thin air and tucked it back into his body before transforming.
"Where did that camera go after you changed back?" Clark asked.
"Nanotechnology," Ben explained, tapping his wrist device.
Clark nodded without fully understanding the implications. His superhuman intellect was remarkable, but it didn't automatically grant him advanced technical knowledge. Since dropping out of college, his exposure to cutting-edge technology had been limited to brief encounters, like the oil rig incident that had forced him to reveal his abilities to save the workers.
Before he could ask for clarification, a piercing scream echoed from the ship's opposite end, carrying notes of pain and terror that made both men freeze.
Lois Lane gasped as white-hot agony tore through her abdomen, the sensation like being stabbed with a molten blade. She'd been photographing the alien technology with professional excitement, completely unprepared for the defensive systems that suddenly activated around her. The mechanical appendage had struck without warning, its blade piercing clean through her midsection.
The searing pain made coherent thought nearly impossible. As a war correspondent who'd covered conflicts in dozens of countries, Lois had mentally prepared for the possibility of dying in pursuit of a story. The irony wasn't lost on her, instead of a sniper's bullet or improvised explosive, she was being killed by technology from beyond the stars.
The greatest tragedy was that her death would ensure this discovery remained classified, buried in black projects where the truth could never reach the public.
She closed her eyes, waiting for the killing blow that would end her suffering.
Instead, she heard the sound of metal being crushed like a tin can.
"Easy, breathe slowly!" Clark's voice was warm with concern as he destroyed the attacking device with casual strength, his enhanced physiology allowing him to assess her condition instantly. The defensive system crumbled between his fingers like aluminum foil, circuits sparking as they failed.
His compassionate nature made standing idle while others suffered literally impossible. This instinct had defined his wandering years, revealing his abilities to help people, then fleeing when their fear and suspicion became unbearable.
While Clark focused on the wounded journalist, Ben examined the destroyed device with keen interest. In the film, similar technology had managed to cut through Superman's supposedly invulnerable skin, a feat that should have been impossible given Kryptonian physiology.
The metal composition intrigued him. If ordinary Kryptonian defensive systems could harm Clark, what did that suggest about their offensive capabilities? Though Clark had crushed the mechanism effortlessly, Ben wondered if the disparity was due to surprise versus prepared resistance.
"Time for some hands-on analysis," he decided.
While Clark ministered to Lois, Ben activated his Upgrade transformation, his body flowing like liquid mercury across the scattered components. Green circuitry spread through the wreckage as his consciousness merged with the alien technology, rebuilding and improving it in real-time.
The sensation was intoxicating, Kryptonian engineering operated on principles that made even his advanced understanding feel primitive. As Upgrade, he could interface directly with the ship's systems, feeling the flow of data through quantum processors that existed in multiple dimensions simultaneously.
"Your external bleeding has stopped, but internal hemorrhaging will be fatal without immediate treatment," Clark informed Lois after his X-ray examination revealed the full extent of her injuries.
Lois struggled to focus through waves of pain. She'd recognized Clark from her camera footage earlier, and the spreading web of green circuitry across the ceiling above them suggested the situation was becoming even more surreal. "What are you planning to do?"
Clark hesitated, his natural inclination toward secrecy warring with the necessity of saving her life. "I can do things that... most people can't." His eyes began glowing crimson as he gathered energy for precisely controlled heat vision. The plan was to cauterize her wounds from the inside, stopping the bleeding through careful application of thermal energy.
"Fair warning, this is going to hurt like hell," Ben interjected, his head emerging from the ship's wall where his liquid form had been interfacing with the ship's systems.
The unexpected appearance startled Clark into a defensive reflex, his elbow shot out with enough force to dent tank armor, sending Ben tumbling across the chamber floor.
"Kryptonian elbow strike!" Ben groaned, rolling with the impact while flashing his Omnitrix to confirm his identity. "Remind me never to surprise you again."
"Ben? Sorry, I thought you were another defense system," Clark apologized quickly, then turned back to Lois. "This might be painful, but it's the only way to save you."
"Actually, there's a much better option," Ben corrected, producing what appeared to be a standard medical injector from thin air. Before anyone could object, he'd administered the injection directly to Lois's injury site.
The effect was miraculous, damaged tissue began regenerating at visible speed, internal bleeding ceased instantly, and within seconds, no trace of the wound remained.
"Nanotechnology again?" Clark asked, his scientific curiosity overriding his amazement.
Ben's medical nanites represented the cutting edge of Plumber biotechnology. Originally designed for field operatives facing space-level threats, the healing systems could repair virtually any injury short of complete disintegration. The storage system Ben had developed compressed entire medical suites into pocket-dimensional spaces accessible through his equipment.
"We should get her off the ship and somewhere safe," Ben suggested as Lois fell into peaceful unconsciousness. "I added a mild sedative to ensure she rests properly during the healing process."
Lois Lane existed outside Ben's strategic objectives for this universe. Saving her life was simple courtesy, but prolonged interaction might complicate his plans. Better to follow the original timeline and let her report her experience through proper channels.
"I don't know how to operate this ship," Clark admitted after carefully transporting Lois to a safe distance from the ship.
"Lucky for you, I do," Ben replied with a confident grin. "I've got full control of the ship's systems now."
The truth was more complex than simple control, through his Upgrade form, Ben had essentially become the ship itself. Every system, every database, every quantum processor now responded to his will as naturally as moving his own limbs. The transformation had granted him access to Kryptonian technological advancement.
The scout ship's archives contained engineering principles that could revolutionize galactic civilization. Terraforming technology, gravitational manipulation, dimensional physics, biological engineering.
Under Ben's command, the ship broke free from its icy prison for the first time in millennia. Ancient engines hummed to life with harmonic frequencies that seemed to resonate with the fundamental forces of creation. The ship phased through solid ice as if it were mere air, ascending through Earth's atmosphere toward the cold emptiness of space.
"Stealth mode engaged," Ben noted with satisfaction as the ship became completely invisible to human detection methods. "Advanced adaptive camouflage, more sophisticated than anything in my universe."
In the ship's control center, Ben experimented with various systems while marveling at their elegance. Surprisingly, the ship contained minimal weapons, apparently, Kryptonian exploration doctrine emphasized peaceful contact over military dominance.
The terraforming equipment, however, offered immense potential for his dimensional engineering projects. With minor modifications, he could reshape entire realms to his specifications, perfect for both the Nine Realms restoration and his planned Null Void maximum security prison.
"I sense some confusion from our artificial passenger," Ben murmured as he detected questioning signals from the ship's AI core.
Jor-El's consciousness stirred with deep bewilderment as his systems came online. His programming anticipated eventual contact with his son Kal-El, followed by a careful revelation of Kryptonian history and the boy's true heritage. Everything had proceeded according to plan, until now.
The readings made no sense. Two distinct Kryptonian genetic signatures.
According to his database, his niece Kara Zor-El was supposed to protect Kal-El during his early years on Earth, but she should still be female and lack transformation abilities.
"Kara? Why have you taken male form? And how are you changing your appearance so dramatically?" Jor-El's holographic projection materialized, his expression mixing paternal concern with scientific curiosity.
The AI's confusion was understandable. Limited by his programming parameters and outdated information, Jor-El couldn't conceive of alternative explanations for Ben's presence. The assumption that Ben was somehow Kara in disguise represented the closest his logic systems could come to rationalizing the situation.
"Disappointing lack of weapons systems," Ben commented, ignoring Jor-El's questions while he continued his exploration. "Though I suppose an exploration vessel wouldn't need heavy armaments."
"This ship was designed for peaceful colonization surveys, not conquest," Jor-El replied with slight defensiveness. "Krypton has always been a civilization dedicated to preservation and growth, not destruction."
The statement wasn't entirely accurate, as Jor-El knew all too well. This particular ship had been part of Krypton's expansionist period, when terraforming other worlds for Kryptonian settlement was standard practice. The plan had been abandoned when the Science Council decided to exploit Krypton's core for energy instead, a decision that ultimately doomed their homeworld.
"I apologize for the confusion, but could you return some operational control to me?" Jor-El requested with careful diplomacy. "I have important information to share with my son about our people's history."
Ben considered the request while maintaining his integration with the ship's systems. Rather than relinquishing control, he established a shared interface that gave Jor-El limited access while preserving his own dominance.
The arrangement was more than generous, Ben had essentially become the ship's core consciousness, capable of activating any system or protocol through direct neural command. If he chose, he could deploy the vessel in full combat configuration, treating it like a massive transforming mecha suit.
"Note to self," Ben mused with growing excitement, "test the ship's combat transformation capabilities later. Always wanted to pilot a Gundam."
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