"I knew it... I knew it..."
When Luke saw the black battleship, his expression darkened. As he feared, Linda was captured, her body encased in a gelatinous substance, unable to speak or move. She was held by a short-haired, confident female warrior.
They used Linda as leverage to demand the Fortress of Solitude open its main gate.
"Al, enough hiding. Let's figure this out."
The intelligent butler appeared quietly. "Kara's safety is the priority."
"So, you'll follow their demands and surrender control of the Fortress?"
"…"
Luke sighed, exasperated. "You're the super AI running this place. Can you not act so timid? There's a particle cannon here, right? Target those intruders and neutralize the threat."
"I can't operate weapons without Kara's authorization."
"She's silenced, unable to speak. How about I give the order on her behalf to rescue her?"
"You lack the authority."
After a pause, Al continued, "I will not follow orders from Earthlings."
Luke groaned, frustrated. This Kryptonian AI was testing his patience, and he hadn't seen Linda issue any commands. What was he even doing before this?
It's always bias!
Sensing the urgency, Al spoke again after a brief silence. "I can lift Kara's restrictions."
Luke blinked, surprised. "So, if we free her, she can speak?"
"Yes."
Luke rubbed his chin, thinking. "I'll help, but you need to back me up."
"Within protocol, I can assist."
After a quick discussion, they agreed. Al opened the main gate. Luke headed to the warehouse, where a hatch revealed a sleek steel suit glowing faintly.
The dark, scaled armor with purple accents was the Ghost No. 1 prototype. Its eye sockets flickered with blue light, and the suit's surface parted to form a human-shaped outline.
Luke took a deep breath and stepped in.
The armor sealed around him, adjusting to his body. Blue energy pulsed from the chest, aligning the plates into a hybrid metal-energy suit.
Boom!
The ground trembled as energy radiated outward, forming a protective field.
Luke clenched his fists, feeling unstoppable. "It's not perfect, but it'll handle Kryptonians without their Yellow Sun boost."
Outside, General Zod's group grew restless.
Fiora stepped forward. "General, should we remind them we hold the hostage?"
"Wait thirty seconds."
"Understood."
Fiora nodded, her arm blade resting near Linda's neck. If the gate didn't open soon, she'd act decisively.
Kryptonian warriors showed no leniency, even to their own.
Linda, trapped, felt dread. Memories of escaping Krypton flooded back—flames consuming her home, her mother lost to the fire. Now, decades later, she was helpless again.
Anger and frustration burned in her chest, her eyes blazing with defiance.
Fiora glanced at her coldly. "Dal said you're close to that Earthling."
"I'll interrogate him in front of you to get what we need."
Linda glared, and Fiora smirked dismissively.
The El family—clever, yet foolish.
The gate finally opened.
Zod led the charge, issuing orders after passing the airlock. "Fiora, secure the central system."
"Edwin, capture the Earthling alive."
"Understood!"
The team split. Zod took Kara to the control room. Fiora and two engineers headed to the data center to override the AI. Captain Edwin, soldier Hill, and marksman Druett moved to the residential area.
Hill grumbled quietly. "Captain, you don't need us to handle one native."
Druett agreed. "Supplies are low. We're hungry. We can capture him without this hassle."
"The general says this Earthling is key."
"They're just primitives. Once we have the planet's coordinates, they're disposable."
Still, they moved swiftly. At the residential area, their life detection system pinpointed the target in the restaurant.
Druett readied his cannon. Hill opened the hatch. A metallic clank echoed, followed by a blinding roar. White light flooded their vision.
"Ambush!"
They braced for defense. Druett fired instinctively at the figure.
The energy blast hit the ghost armor, absorbed as kinetic energy.
Luke charged, striking Druett's face, then grabbed his leg and hurled him at Hill.
Edwin reacted, retreating while firing. Some shots missed; others hit but did nothing.
Luke wagged a finger, taunting in rough Kryptonian. "Your weapons are useless."
He lunged, the ground denting beneath him. Edwin stowed his gun, deploying a blade and scaling his fist for close combat.
Their fists clashed. Edwin staggered, pain shooting through his arm as his scales cracked. He dodged a punch, countering with an elbow.
Crack!
A sharp blow to his abdomen sent him crashing down.
"Good try, but too weak," Luke said, tossing him toward the others.
The three slid across the floor. Hill, wiping blood from his face, charged his cannon. A massive energy sphere fired.
Luke raised his arms, the blast sending him skidding dozens of meters into a wall.
Pain surged through him, breathing labored.
He coughed, grimacing. "Okay, your weapon works. But you won't get another shot."
Switching to holographic mode, the armor streamlined, enhancing agility. His vision expanded to 240 degrees, data streaming to his retina.
The fight felt like a third-person game—effective, but not his preference.
Edwin's team, stunned by the armor, raised their weapons. Energy blasts flew, but Luke dodged effortlessly in his agile mode.
"You've had your fun. Now try Earth's tech."
Luke's palm sparked, firing a blue lightning bolt at Edwin's chest.
Edwin convulsed, the shock piercing his suit. Hill pulled him aside as Druett's cannon charged.
Luke fired a laser from his palm, striking the cannon's muzzle.
Boom!
The explosion rocked the corridor, sending the trio crashing into walls and debris, their fate uncertain.