The Storm Herald Series {#Wattys2018}

2.1

I never thought that I'd be following the instructions of the ghost of my boyfriend's father. Sounds crazy, right?

"Retrieve the Command Key," Jor-El orders, pointing at the port. I nod and grab the key.

"I've fixed the atmospheric pressure in the ship so it's compatible with you," he explains. "It will only be a matter of time before the crew notices." The door to my cell opens, so I run out, ready for anything to pop out at me. Jor-El and I sneak through the corridors, and I try not to make a sound.

All of a sudden, a Kryptonian woman barrels towards me, her eyes wild. It's Faora-Ul. I ball my hands into fists, ready to defend myself. Instead, a door shuts on her, trapping her like a bug.

"That was you I assume," I comment to Jor-El. He nods,"yes. Now pick up her firearm." I grab the weapon, thankful that it was made for humanoid hands. I start to run down the corridors, the shadow of Jor-El leading the way.

"To your right and fire," he instructs, so I listen. The weapon fires a shot of white plasma, the same that hit me when Lois and I were on Ellesmere. I take off running again, wanting to get as far away as possible before either of the Kryptonians get up and come after me. But I soon hit a dead end, so I curse and end up kicking a wall in my frustrations.

"Is there an escape pod anywhere!?" I ask Jor-El. He nods,"if you hadn't been angry, perhaps you would have noticed them." A hatch opens, revealing a small, claustrophobic looking space, but it's what I can get.

"Safe travels, Ms. Wright," Jor-El says to me. "It is doubtful that we'll see each other again after this. The Phantom Drives are crucial to stopping them. Teach Kal. Teach him." I nod as I start to strap myself in,"don't worry, Mr. El. Clark is in good hands." He nods, before looking over his shoulder.

"Move your head to the left," he instructs. As I do so, Jor-El disappears, and is replaced with the pissed off looking face of Faora-Ul. She punches the seat where my head was, then grabs the firearm from my hands. Just as she does that, the hatch shuts, guarding me from her. She shoots the pod, sending sparks up into my vision.

The pod jolts, so I hold on tight, expecting the door to come flying off. Instead, the pod launches from the ship, leaving Faora behind.

As I'm stuck in the free fall, I frantically pound at the controls. My stomach is left somewhere back the Kryptonian ship, and motion sickness nearly causes me to lose the little bit of breakfast I had this morning.

"Keep it together, Wright," I mutter, holding on to one of the arm rests. "Keep it together."

The interior of the escape pod is starting to get uncomfortably hot, meaning I'm starting to re-enter the atmosphere. But it shouldn't be getting hot in here. It shouldn't.

The shot Faora did must have ruined something that protects the passenger from the heat, I think to myself. It's getting hotter and hotter by the second. It's useless to fight anymore. I'll burn up before I even make it to the ground. I slump against the seat, tears leaking from my eyes. I won't get to tell Clark goodbye.

I close my eyes, ready for a slow, painful death. But it doesn't come. Instead strong arms pull me out of the pod, and I'm cushioned against a crimson 'S'.

"Clark," I whisper in shock, as we land safely on the ground.

"You're not leaving me that easy, Wright," he says to me, his blue eyes serious.