Man of Tomorrow

Exchange

Young Clark barges into the house, covered in black soot and his clothes are charred with holes in them. He appears as if he's just run into a burning building.

"Dad."

Jonathan walks in from another room to meet his son.

"Dad, I screwed up."

"What happened? Are you all right?" Jonathan asks with concern.

"I tried to save them. I really did. There was a fire over at the Ross farm. I went in there and tried to save them. But there was so much smoke and fire that I couldn't see anything and I didn't get to them in time. I couldn't even find them."

"Are they?" Jonathan asks without finishing.

"Pete got out I think. But his parents." explains Young Clark.

"I'm sorry son."

"I screwed up." Clark says, clearly upset.

"Clark..."

"I tried. I really tried. But I screwed up. I couldn't save them. I screwed up and people got killed."

"No, Clark you didn't." insists Jonathan.

"People are dead Dad."

"I know. But that's not your fault. None of it is. You didn't start that fire. It's not your fault that people died. You can't save everyone Clark. No matter how much you might want to, sometimes you can't save people. Not even you can change that son. But at least you tried, and that's the important thing. As long as you do that, then I know you'll do everything you can for other people. And that's the important thing. What's best for other people." Jonathan says, putting his arm around Clark's shoulders and starts walking away from the front door, "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

Clark and Jonathan make their way into the living room.

* * *

Vril and Lex are walking down the hallway towards the Communications Room.

"I see. That's an interesting approach to sensory detection. I may have to use it for my own sensors." Vril suggests.

"If it will help us continue contact with the people of Colu, then I welcome it." Lex says.

"Indeed."

"But the main communications computer is what makes it all work. I'm sure you'll be impressed by that most of all."

Lex and Vril walk into the Communications Room. Vril and Lex move into the middle of the room.

"Impressive. Especially for an advanced primate species."

"I thought you'd like it."

Vril walks up to the main control panel and begins examining it.

"May I?"

Lex motions for Vril to proceed, "Please."

Vril begins examining the console from all angles. Eventually, he begins keying in coordinates and a message.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sending a message to my ship for instructional purposes."

Lex walks up beside Vril to examine what he's doing, "I don't recognize that configuration."

"I wouldn't expect you to."

"Is there someone on your ship receiving this transmission? A crew?"

"No, just the ship."

"Just the ship? It functions on it's own? Like, artificial intelligence?"

"You could say that." Vril responds.