The Last Son of Krypton: Chapter One; Part Two

OK! here it is, Part Two of Chapter One. It took longer to post then I wanted, but that's because I rewrote it. I want to see a real story, out of the superman mythos. I wont see that if I short change my self.
            My original 'Part two' had a sparse description of the people. I felt that it didn't do any justice to what I was trying to accomplish. So I picked one moment and expanded it into a more intimate scene.

  

The red eyed men were laughing and congratulating each other as they approached the downed bird. A large quick man rushed to slit its throat, while the others started unzipping and unbuckling their thick coats.

A young boy gasped and fought with his zipper in desperation, he looked sick enough to throw up.

“Calm your self manling.” A tall, darker man said, dropping his coat and tunic. “You can’t restore any faster while in a panic” he laughed as he helped the stricken boy out of his things.

Bare skinned, the boy threw him self out into the sun.

“Whose idea was it to bring a child on a hunt?” said a burly man with a bald head and unkempt beard.

“Mine!” said the boy’s father who was cleaning his knife.

“Zod? Wouldn’t it due, to wait until his change is over?”

“No” Zod said calmly removing his coat. “This is better”

Burly beard started to protest, but thunder shook the sky. Flames rolled and danced above. “Fi’storm” he said squinting upward “this looks like a bad one!” he looked back to the boy. “He better not slow us down, Zod" he said pointing. "because when that storm descends...”

“IF! that storm descends!”, Zod interrupted, walking past him. “Then you better pray to your god that I don’t tie you to that cannon barrel.” He pointed out the massive barrel sticking twenty feet out of the ground.

When the light touched Trohins skin, the burning feeling within started to fade and color returned to his face. He ignored the men as they teased him about his “change” and stood tall as his father slapped his bare back in passing. He was going through Mensure, and was becoming a man.

Trohin was the son of Captain Meis dok Zod; Unified Army, Off world Battalion, who was a war hero. He quelled the Gen-form revolt on the Kry’bion mining station three years ago, and the most respected man in upper Amorra.  

After a moment he felt better and turned to find his father. He found him giving orders to the men. These were his father’s men; they followed him every where. Except the man with the beard, his father seemed to know him, but he joined the group during the night. Trohin watched as the men cleaned the Chir’Mia bird, and inspected the Lepord that fell with it.

Most of the men still had there shirts off while others put on the thin sleeveless shirts that allowed maximum restoring. While watching, Trohin couldn’t help but notice the large bearded man had markings on his back and arms. He didn’t want to embarrass his father by asking about them right now.

“Once we’ve eaten, we’ll break into Alfa and Beta groups.” His father announced “We are hunting for fuel cells and cores today.” He was answered by some hoots and hollers. “I will be training my son for the rest of the morning….Dorrin!” he called to the tall darkish man. “Are you sure about that ridge?” he pointed up a small incline.

“Yes caption”

“Good, carry on men. Report if you find a core.” He turned and walked toward Trohin briskly peeling off gloves as he came. “Are you feeling better son?”

“Yes, I mean, Yes sir” Trohin said sheepishly.

“Your mother has babied you” he said as he walked passed. Trohin had to jog to keep up with his father’s long stride.

“Father, may I ask a question?” he asked as he jogged along.

“Of course” he said curtly.

“Who is that bearded man? I’ve never seen him with you.”

“That is M’arjok” he said. “He came to help with the hunt, he's an ass, but also good in a pinch.”

“What are those marks he has?”

“Those are Freemen marks” Zod said looking at Trohin from the corner of his eye.

Trohin tripped but caught his balance “He’s a Stick!” he blurted.

His father stopped short, and looked right in Trohins eyes. “Don’t you ever let me hear you say that word again! Understand!” He said in a quite, angry tone.

“Yes father” Trohin stammered, ashamed.

Zod continued his pace up the hill “The Union won the war, and we owe our allegiance to the Congress. That does not mean we can dishonor the memories of those who opposed the Union. They were solders, following orders.”

When they reached the top of the hill Trohin was surprised when he saw that the edge dropped into a valley that was filled with...destruction. Thousands upon thousands of uninterrupted Battlemech forms, Canotrips and Tankers littered the rolling hills. He thought he saw v-suit frames, and blaster supports through out the rubble, but he couldn’t tell. The most amazing, yet horrifying part was that, the rubble covered every inch of the land, and continued into the horizon.
 This valley was now a graveyard. It was the final battle between the Freeman and the Unified Congress of Krypton. It happened over a hundred years ago, yet it looked like it ended yesterday.  Trohin didn’t know what to say.
"Go'Romoth" Zod said reverently. "The Freemen were marching to take Amorra, the Congress's Capital at the time."
“Is this…the reason you brought me with you?” Trohin said in a whisper.

His father stood on the edge for a moment looking down into the mist swirl below. “No” he finally said. He took in a deep breath and blew in a burst, dispelling the mists. Satisfied, he said “This is!” then he threw Trohin off the ridge.



Part three