Saving Earth 137 (New Story: Chapter 1) - Draft

The Hypertime an interconnected flow of realities, where time diverged at a certain point from a main universe. It is the collection of all the Alternate Timelines and Possible Futures from the many iterations of the Multiverse.

In one of these realities, there is a reality born of changes and mergers in the Hypertime, which ended in a Hypertimeline known as Earth 137, this being a fusion of events of the New 52 and the DCAMU, the latter destroyed by the last crisis, so perhaps as a consequence of this, the Hypertime created this new timeline where the events of our history take place.

---

A pang of confusion hit him before he could even open his eyes. His consciousness floated in a state of lethargy, caught between reality and dream. He did not feel the weight of his body, only an ethereal chill that ran across his skin like an icy whisper. An instant later, a startle overtook him.

“Ooooh, fuck... where am I?”

His voice sounded muffled, trapped in an unfathomable void. Blackness enveloped him, as if he had been swallowed by the abyss. He tried to blink, but the absence of light prevented him from knowing whether his eyes were open or closed. Then, with a conscious effort, he forced his body to react and finally perceived the sensation of a hard, polished surface under his back. He inhaled with a gasp, his shuddering breath breaking the spectral silence.

“Shit, what the... What the fuck am I doing here?”

He whispered, his own voice sounding alien to him. With awkward movements, he brought a hand to his face, noting the warmth of his skin in contrast to the impersonal cold of the ground. His mind was slow to process it, but he finally opened his eyes. A crimson glow pulsed in the darkness like a living heartbeat. He blinked several times, his pupils adjusting to the environment around him.

He was not in his bed. Nor in his house. Not even on Earth.

The cabin he was in seemed sculpted from dark, lustrous glass, translucent yet impenetrable, as if every molecule was engineered with supernatural precision. The structure had no visible fissures or assemblages, as if it were a single block forged from the immensity of the cosmos. The material reflected its distorted silhouette in shades of scarlet and black, with vibrant light flowing in sinuous lines that traversed the space around it.

The seat where he lay was molded to his body with eerie accuracy. It was not a simple chair, but a receptacle that embraced him, adapting to every curve and contour of his form. He saw no controls, no buttons, not even a screen. Only that pulsating, almost organic light that seemed to respond to his presence.

Above him, a transparent dome revealed the immensity of the cosmos. An ocean of stars stretched beyond the ship, their lights twinkling in the infinite blackness. For an instant, fear seized him. The vastness of space, the impossibility of what he saw... nothing made sense. A knot of panic formed in his chest and his breathing became erratic.

“Okay...this isn't normal. It's not a dream. Or it is... but it feels too real. I need to... confirm...”

He pinched his arm hard, holding his breath. He felt the stabbing pain and his stomach sank.

“Shit... it's not a dream. Great...and scary at the same time.”

He struggled to calm himself, turning to the strongest anchor he had: his identity.

“Okay, calm down. Your name is Peter. You live in Boston... well, you lived in Boston. You like comics, manga... and when you're alone sometimes you like to... okay, no, that last one's not necessary. I'm better now.”

He shook his head, making sure once again that it was all real. The cockpit. The emptiness outside. The vibrating red energy coursing through the walls. He swallowed saliva, trying to organize his thoughts.

“If my geeky knowledge serves me right... this looks like a spaceship. And the way it's designed... it's similar to Superman's in the Christopher Reeve movies. Maybe also in Superman Returns... but no one's counting that one... although I liked it.”

Suddenly, a flood of memories exploded in his mind.

A red sun. A dying world. A father with a face full of regret. A farewell with no return.

The pain was unbearable. He screamed, bringing both hands to his head as the images shot through him like fiery daggers.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

The pain spread in waves, an uncontrollable tide that swept him to the brink of collapse. He felt his consciousness tearing in two. It was Peter. But it was also...

When the suffering subsided, his breathing became erratic and his mind clearer. As if a switch had flipped inside him.

“I understand now...”

His voice sounded different. Firmer. More confident.

“My name is Vey-El. I am the firstborn son of Dax-El and Elna-Su. My father was a philosopher and pacifist who fought to abolish the caste system on Krypton, standing up to the Science Council. He was treated as an outcast by his own House, except by Jor-El, his only friend. He believed Jor-El's warning about the destruction of the planet's core and decided to save me? just as they did Kal-El.”

His gaze wandered around the cabin, recognizing it. He had grown up on Krypton. He had known its culture. Its crystal cities. Its eternal skies.

But now... he was the last vestige of his lineage.

“That's the story the owner of this body had.... but how did I end up here? I don't know. It doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is getting to Earth.”

With renewed determination, Vey-El turned on the ship's console. His hands moved with an instinctive familiarity, as if he had made those movements hundreds of times before.

But something caught his attention.

“Strange... according to the console, I'm stuck in the orbit of a yellow star, Ral-Tor. The ship's trajectory took it right into its gravitational field... and, instead of being pulled into the fire, it was left orbiting like just another asteroid.”

His mind worked at high speed, analyzing the data on the screen.

“This would explain why I feel stronger... the ship must be designed for its occupant to absorb radiation from a yellow sun. Like Kal-El on Earth...”

Vey-El frowned. He couldn't stay there. He had to find a way to break orbit and continue his journey. He checked the propulsion systems and noted that the engines were still responding, albeit less efficiently.

“Okay... it's time to get out of here.”

“I need an escape maneuver... If the ship is already orbiting, maybe I can use the momentum to break the gravitational pull.”

He unfolded a gravity map of the area and noted that his best chance was to perform a gravity-assisted acceleration maneuver, a sort of gravitational slingshot. However, he had to be precise; an incorrect calculation would send him back to the star or throw him aimlessly into deep space.

He initiated the engine firing sequence, making sure to redirect power to the lateral thrusters to slightly alter the trajectory. The ship began to vibrate as the acceleration increased. Vey-El felt the pressure against his body, but his enhanced endurance, thanks to the solar radiation, allowed him to withstand it with ease.

He waited for the exact moment, watching the data on the screen. When the ship reached the point of highest orbital velocity, he activated the engines to maximum. The roar of the thrusters shook the hull, and he immediately felt the jerk as the ship began to pull away from the star's orbit.

For a few moments, tension filled the air. If the calculations were wrong, he might be caught in an erratic trajectory. But then, the indicator showed that the ship was leaving the gravitational pull zone.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as the display confirmed its success.

“Perfect, with this the ship can finally correct its trajectory and continue the journey to Earth.” I muttered as I placed the cockpit into stasis mode again, as apparently the previous stasis mode had been interrupted by getting so close to the star.

Once the cockpit entered stasis mode again, the ship continued its journey through the interstellar void, trying to reach its destination despite the detour that had ended up delaying the ship by several years. The warp drive was operating steadily, propelling the ship to speeds impossible for any conventional technology. Outside the hull, the universe unfolded in a spectacle of light and shadow, with distant nebulae and twinkling stars marking its path.

As the ship moved forward, the navigation system automatically adjusted its course, making sure to avoid any gravitational anomalies or asteroid fields in its path.

For long periods, the ship traveled in complete silence, gliding through space without resistance, crossing desolate regions where the light of the stars barely illuminated the exterior.

With each automated review cycle, the ship’s artificial intelligence made minor adjustments, ensuring that fuel and energy levels remained optimal. Despite the apparent tranquility, space was an unpredictable territory. However, the ship, designed to withstand the rigors of intergalactic travel, continued its course without interruption.

Weeks, months, perhaps years passed in the cold void until, finally, the sensors detected its approach to its destination. Earth appeared as a small blue dot in the vast darkness of the cosmos, slowly growing on the navigation screen as the distance decreased. The ship adjusted its speed, gradually decelerating to begin its atmospheric approach.

Shortly before entering Earth’s orbit, the stasis system deactivated, awakening Vey-El. His eyes opened slowly as his mind adjusted to the sudden return to consciousness. He felt the subtle vibration of the speed shift and saw on the monitors how the blue planet filled his field of vision. Finally, his journey had reached its destination.

Earth.

The ship swiftly entered the planet’s atmosphere, igniting into a fiery ball. Its quartz-like crystals shimmered, making it appear as if a comet were descending upon the planet, leaving a blazing trail behind.

---

Somewhere else in the world, a computer detected the arrival of the ship on Earth—or rather, a Batcomputer did.

At that moment, a man clad in a dark, form-fitting suit reinforced with advanced technology was already aware of the alien visitor. He wore a black cape, gloves, armored boots, and a mask that covered almost his entire face, leaving only his mouth and chin exposed. This was the famous billionaire businessman, owner of Wayne Industries—Bruce Wayne. But at night, he changed his identity, fully immersing himself in the role of Gotham City’s vigilante: The Batman.

Now, he was calculating where the UFO would crash while behind him, an older man dressed in a formal butler’s suit—with a white shirt, vest, and tie or bowtie—he observed the event with a straight and distinguished posture. This was Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s butler and father figure.

“Shall I call the League, sir?” The butler asked in his typical formal tone, his British accent unmistakable. Bruce did not respond immediately, still calculating the trajectory, until he finally stopped typing and a simulation of the object's impact was displayed on the screen.

“No need, Alfred. I already did. After Darkseid’s invasion, it’s best not to take any chances with any object or being coming from beyond Earth.”

“I understand, sir. In that case, I’ll open the cave’s hangar so you can fly there.”

Bruce gave a slight nod. His voice, though cold, carried a barely perceptible hint of gratitude.

“Thank you, Alfred.”

On the Batcomputer’s screen, a map of the United States was displayed, with a blinking red dot near its center, marking the imminent crash site of the ship.

---

The night sky ignited with a blazing streak as the ship tore through the atmosphere. Its scorching surface roared through the air before crashing into the ground, sliding violently for kilometers, leaving a trail of devastated earth and a massive smoking crater in its wake.

Minutes later, a red blur appeared on the horizon, moving at a speed nearly imperceptible to the human eye. In the blink of an eye, The Flash was already standing in front of the ship, examining it with sharp eyes.

“Whoa, Batman wasn’t kidding when he said an alien ship would crash in Nebraska, huh?”

It wasn’t long before others arrived—this time, from the sky. Three figures descended, floating: a woman clad in armor, a man wearing a glowing ring, and a young man enveloped in an red suit with a white cape and hood.

“Oh man, I ditched recess just for this? From Batman’s message, I thought at least a mothership had crashed.” Shazam remarked in a carefree tone, though a flicker of curiosity was evident in his eyes.

“My ring detected it too when it entered Earth’s atmosphere,” Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, interjected, his voice filled with caution. “Even if it’s small, we can’t let our guard down.”

Wonder Woman said nothing at first. Her eyes scrutinized the ship seriously, as if she could sense something beyond the visible. Finally, she crossed her arms and looked at the others.

“Let’s not lower our guard. Whatever is inside that ship, it’s our responsibility to ensure it’s not a threat.”

The group nodded in agreement. At that moment, they heard the sound of a jet approaching. A few seconds later, the jet came to a halt and landed a few meters away. From the cockpit, Batman jumped out.

He landed with precision, his cape billowing briefly in the wind caused by the Batwing before settling against his back. His dark silhouette contrasted against the metallic glow of the crashed ship. Wasting no time, he strode firmly toward the group.

“Any updates?” he asked in his characteristic low, gravelly tone.

Flash, arms crossed and tapping his foot impatiently against the ground, was the first to respond.

“Nothing yet, Bats. But from what I can see, this thing didn’t explode or release hordes of tiny killer aliens. Which, honestly, is a bit disappointing.”

Green Lantern rolled his eyes. “You have a weird idea of fun, Flash.”

Wonder Woman, more focused on the situation, walked toward the ship, her sharp gaze examining every inch of the structure blackened by the impact. With a confident movement, she ran her gloved hand along the surface.

“The ship is intact despite the crash,” she observed. “It’s made of a resilient material, beyond our Earthly technology.”

Batman nodded, already analyzing the situation in his mind. He pulled a small device from his belt and began scanning the structure. Readings of unknown energy appeared on the screen.

“There’s activity inside. Something or someone is still alive,” he announced.

Shazam stepped forward, arms crossed.

“Okay, do we assume it’s friendly, or do we jump straight to ‘let’s force it open’?”

Hal Jordan’s ring glowed as his expression hardened.

“The ring isn’t detecting hostile intent, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe.”

At that moment, they all heard a sonic boom nearby. Looking up, they saw two individuals descending.

“Superman, Cyborg, good to see you guys again,” Flash said, to which both nodded.

“I ran into Superman on my way here,” Cyborg said.

“Yeah, sorry for the delay. I would’ve come sooner, but I had some trouble with Metallo in Metropolis. What are we dealing with…” Superman suddenly trailed off as his eyes locked onto the ship. It looked eerily familiar. His eyes widened, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Batman.

“Superman, is something wrong?” Batman asked, snapping him out of his trance.

“Yes, yeah, it’s just that…” Superman muttered as he descended and placed his hand on the ship’s crystalline surface.

“Kal? Are you alright?” Wonder Woman asked with concern.

Superman didn’t get the chance to answer. A buzzing sound from the ship interrupted him, putting the entire group on alert.

Moments later, the ship opened, revealing its sole passenger.

“Finally got it open, it was stuck,” Vey-El said in an alien dialect that sounded strange to everyone—except one. However, Vey quickly realized he was no longer alone.

“Oh, hello there!!” he greeted, but most didn’t understand him.

“What language is he speaking?” Flash asked.

“According to my ring, it seems to be…”

“Kryptonian,” Superman interrupted, still in shock.

Silence fell over the group like a heavy weight. Superman’s eyes were fixed on the young man who had just emerged from the ship, his expression reflecting a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

Vey-El blinked, observing the heroes in front of him. Although he tried to maintain his composure, his mind was in chaos. Oh, shit. I’m surrounded by the Justice League.

He recognized them all instantly: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern… Even Shazam was there, watching curiously. But he couldn’t let them know that. If he said the wrong thing, he’d raise suspicion.

“Does anyone here understand what he’s saying?” Shazam asked, crossing his arms.

Superman stepped forward slowly, his gaze scanning the newcomer.

“His accent is a bit different, but I understand him perfectly,” he said in a grave tone.

Batman observed the exchange with his usual unreadable expression. His eyes moved from Superman to Vey-El, analyzing every gesture, every reaction.

“Who are you?” Superman asked in Kryptonian.

Vey-El felt a jolt of nervousness. He knew he understood the language, but he also knew he hadn’t learned it in the usual way. The knowledge was just… there, in his mind.

He took a deep breath, trying to sound calm.

“My name is…” He hesitated for a moment, the words feeling strange on his tongue. “…Vey-El.”

Superman frowned.

“Do you know me?”

‘Yes, I know you all too well.’ But he couldn’t say that.

Vey-El averted his gaze, trying to come up with a convincing answer.

“I only know who you are,” he said cautiously. “You’re… Kal-El. Son of Jor-El.”

Superman looked at him surprised and told the league what he had learned.

The group exchanged glances. Hal Jordan clicked his tongue.

“Another Kryptonian? Now that’s a surprise.”

Wonder Woman kept her gaze firm on Vey-El.

“We know not everyone perished with the destruction of the planet,” she said. “Superman is proof of that.”

Superman took a step forward.

“Your ship… it’s Kryptonian. How did you end up here?”

Vey-El swallowed hard. He knew that one wrong word could get him into trouble.

“…I don’t know.”

Superman raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t know?”

“I remember being on Krypton. I remember my father sending me in this ship… but after that, everything is blurry.” Technically, it wasn’t a lie. I have no idea how I ended up in this body.

Superman studied him intently, but Vey-El kept his expression neutral.

“Who was your father?”

Vey-El knew the answer, but saying it still felt surreal.

“…Dax-El.”

Superman looked surprised.

“Dax-El…” he murmured.

Batman, always analytical, spoke up.

“Superman, do you recognize that name?”

Superman nodded slowly.

“Not personally… but Jor-El mentioned him in his records. Dax-El was a philosopher, an advocate for abolishing Krypton’s caste system. An idealist who defied the Science Council… and was mocked and became an outcast because of it.”

The group tensed.

“An exiled Kryptonian,” Cyborg repeated. “That sounds… concerning.”

Vey-El felt a pang of anxiety.

Superman looked at Vey-El again.

“If you’re his son… why were you sent here?”

Vey-El glanced at the ship and then at the heroes surrounding him. The truth was, he didn’t know. All he had were the memories of this body… and his own, which didn’t belong in this world.

He clenched his teeth before answering.

“…Because my father wanted me to survive.”

It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was enough for now.

At this, Superman looked at him with compassion and understanding.

‘He’s like me.’ He thought.

He stepped closer to Vey-El and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Well, you survived. And now, you’re not alone anymore.”

Vey-El returned the smile, though inside, a storm of thoughts raged.

‘I’m sorry I have to hide the truth from you, Kal… but, honestly, even if I told you, I doubt you or the League would believe me anyway.’

He felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension. Relief, because Superman’s presence meant they wouldn’t see him as an immediate threat. Apprehension, because now he had to act with extreme caution.

Flash, arms crossed and looking impatient, broke the moment.

“Very touching and all, but… what do we do with him now?”

Batman, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke.

“We should take him in for further questioning.” His tone was cold and calculating. “We still don’t know if he’s a threat.”

Vey-El felt a chill run down his spine at those words. ‘Oh, sure. Let’s lock me up and scrutinize every tiny detail of my story. Sounds like a fantastic plan.’

Before he could protest, Superman shook his head.

“No.” His voice was firm. “I’ll take him with me for a few days. I’ll evaluate his condition and his control over any powers… if he has any.”

Batman eyed him skeptically.

“You think that’s safe?”

Superman nodded.

“If he were dangerous, we would’ve seen him act by now. Besides…” His gaze softened as he looked at Vey-El. “If he truly is Kryptonian, if he really is Dax-El’s son, he deserves more than a containment cell or an interrogation like a criminal.”

Wonder Woman nodded in agreement.

“I agree. The truth will come out in time, but for now, there’s no reason to treat him as an enemy.”

Vey-El let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“Later,” Superman continued, “I might leave him with Ma and Pa in Smallville. They can help him adjust… just like they did for me.”

The comment caught Vey-El off guard. His mind filled with images of the Kent farm in Kansas, of the comics and shows he had seen. The idea of living there, with Jonathan and Martha Kent, was something he had never imagined.

‘Am I really going to stay at the Kent farm?’ He thought, feeling a mix of awe and nervousness. ‘This is getting way too surreal.’

Batman didn’t seem entirely convinced, but after a moment, he slowly nodded.

“Fine. But if there’s any trouble, let us know immediately.”

Superman gave a small smile.

“I will.”

Vey-El looked around, feeling like his fate had just taken an entirely unexpected turn. He had no idea how to handle this situation, but one thing was certain: he was about to experience something that, in his previous life, he had only dreamed of.