[Third Person Pov]
"Yargos Uto Drega, by the new law decreed by the planetary president Cranis Axiom Draal, you have been issued to report and serve within the new planetary unification force," one of the two blue-skinned men stated. They stood side by side at the entrance, both wearing matching high-tech military uniforms, their energy rifles resting firmly over their shoulders in a practiced, disciplined stance.
"The law states that any functional male resident within the age eligible for labor is to present himself and serve his country and planet. Failing to do so will be seen as treason—" the other continued, his voice cold and procedural as his eyes remained locked on the man standing in the doorway.
Yargos stood there, blocking the entrance of his home, his body tense. Behind him, his family huddled close. A clearly pregnant woman clung to the back of his arm, her free hand resting protectively over her stomach. Two children stood near her—a young boy and a little girl—both staring at the soldiers with fear written plainly across their faces.
Yargos, however, stared back with defiance. "He's no President! He's a tyrant!" he shot back, his voice rising with frustration. "And I can't serve, my family depends on my income. Can't you see my wife is pregnant?" His tone shifted toward pleading, trying to force some measure of understanding out of them.
"You have no choice in the matter. Compliance is not negotiable," the first soldier replied flatly. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and grabbed Yargos by the arm. The second soldier followed suit, gripping his other arm as they began pulling him out of his own home.
"No! Stop! You can't make me!" Yargos cried out, struggling against their grip, his feet dragging against the ground as he tried to resist.
"Honey!!" his pregnant wife screamed, rushing forward and grabbing onto his arm, refusing to let go.
"Papa!!" the little girl sobbed, her voice breaking. "Please don't take him away!"
"Let go of my father!" the boy roared, anger overtaking his fear as he charged forward toward the soldiers without hesitation.
"Honey, take the kids inside! Don't let them see this!" Yargos shouted over the chaos, though his voice was strained from the struggle.
The situation quickly spiraled. Voices overlapped—shouting, screaming, orders being barked, cries of panic filling the air.
The boy didn't make it far. One of the soldiers swung the butt of his rifle, striking him hard and knocking him to the ground. He hit with a thud, a sharp cry escaping him as blood immediately began to seep from his nose.
The little girl's sobs grew louder as she dropped beside him, clutching onto her brother.
"No!!" the wife cried out, dropping to the ground beside her children despite her condition, pulling them both close in a desperate attempt to shield them.
Something in Yargos snapped.
With a surge of raw strength, he tore himself free from the soldiers' grip and lunged at them, throwing wild strikes fueled by rage. It didn't last. He was quickly overwhelmed and forced down, the two soldiers regaining control as they brought their weapons up.
Energy rifles were raised and aimed.
Yargos, bloodied and breathing hard, crawled back toward his family. He pulled himself between them and the soldiers, wrapping his arms around them as best as he could, shielding them with his body.
"It's all going to be okay," he said through choked breaths, tears streaming down his face. The faint, rising whine of the rifles charging filled the air. "It's all going to be okay."
The little girl clung to both her parents, her small hands trembling. She pulled back just enough to look past them, her face wet with tears as she cried out, "Someone! Please…! Stop them!!"
A sudden crack split the air.
The sound barrier shattered with a thunderous BOOM that echoed for miles, cutting through everything.
Something streaked down from the sky—white and red—dropping directly between the soldiers and the family.
Superman landed hard on one knee, the ground beneath him fracturing slightly from the impact. His head was lowered, a red hood draped over it, his arms slightly outstretched as he steadied himself in a protective stance.
The soldiers reacted instantly.
Energy rounds erupted from their rifles in rapid succession, bright bursts firing toward him. Each shot struck his body and ricocheted harmlessly away, scattering in random directions, none of them reaching the family behind him.
The Drega family flinched at the deafening barrage, instinctively bracing for impact—but nothing came.
Slowly, they looked up.
Their fear shifted into stunned disbelief as they stared at the broad figure standing between them and certain death.
"Wha—" one of the soldiers began, confusion overtaking his composure.
Superman didn't move much. Beneath the shadow of his hood, his eyes ignited, glowing with intense heat.
In a single motion, twin beams of heat vision shot forward, striking both soldiers at once.
They were launched backward violently, their bodies slamming into their military hover vehicle with enough force to dent the advanced metal. The impact knocked the air from their lungs, leaving them crumpled against it with pained groans as the rifles fell from their hands.
Clark turned back toward the family and lowered himself, kneeling in front of them again. "It's alright now, you're—"
The little girl suddenly threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she broke down into sobs. "—safe…" he finished more quietly.
Clark let out a small breath and gently patted her head, careful with his strength, letting her cry against him without pulling away.
"P-Princess…" the father said, still shaken, as he cautiously reached forward and pulled his daughter back into his arms. His eyes stayed fixed on Clark, uncertain and guarded as he held his family close.
"I mean you no harm," Clark said softly.
As he spoke, the red hood over his head loosened and came undone down the center. Fine strands of sunstone sand slipped free, drifting through the air in slow, glowing trails toward the family.
They instinctively pulled back, suspicion flashing across their faces, but the sand reached them anyway, settling lightly over their cuts and bruises.
They winced at first, bracing for pain. Then their expressions shifted.
The sting faded. The burning ache from their injuries began to disappear, replaced by a steady warmth as the wounds closed and the blood dried.
Clark's eyes shifted, glowing a bright blue as he focused on the pregnant woman, using his X-ray vision to quickly assess her condition and the health of the child she carried.
Everything stabilized.
"W-Who are you?" the little girl asked, her voice quieter now, filled with awe instead of fear.
Before Clark could answer, a distorted voice crackled from behind him.
"Requesting backup! I repeat, requesting back—"
Clark's head snapped toward the source. He inhaled sharply and exhaled a concentrated blast of cold air. The two soldiers were instantly encased in thick ice, frozen mid-motion along with their communication attempt.
"Superman!!"
Clark looked up as Lala, Momo, and Yami flew in from above, closing the distance quickly. From the opposite direction, multiple military hover vehicles advanced, their engines roaring as more personnel approached—some in heavy power suits, others operating larger mechanized units.
"Is that your name?" the little girl asked, looking up at him again. "Are you Superman?"
Clark glanced back at her, his expression softening. "Yes. Now come on, let's get you all inside."
He helped them to their feet, then gently lifted the girl and carried her back toward the house, guiding the rest of the family with him.
Once inside, he set her down and made sure they were steady. He turned to the mother. "You should lie down and rest. You'll be alright, but don't push yourself."
She nodded, still overwhelmed, holding onto her children.
Clark stepped back and turned toward the door, his feet lifting slightly as he began to levitate.
"Superman!"
He paused and looked back over his shoulder. "Hm?"
The little girl clung tightly to her father's neck, tears still in her eyes. "Please stop them… please don't let them take my papa away."
Clark smiled gently and raised a thumbs up. "Don't you worry about a thing. You can leave it to me. It's what I do best." He gave her a small, confident wink.
The girl's face flushed as she quickly hid against her father's shoulder, but she lifted her hand and returned the thumbs up.
Clark turned forward again, his body tightening for a split second before he launched upward with a powerful boom, rejoining the others in the sky.
"So cool…" the older boy muttered under his breath as the family hurried fully inside.
…
Clark slowed as he reached the others, coming to a hover beside them. Their expressions were serious, the earlier relief already replaced with tension as they took in the situation around them.
They were surrounded.
Hover vehicles formed a loose perimeter in the air, while more units approached from multiple directions, closing the gaps. Armed soldiers filled the space between, some already aiming, others preparing heavier equipment.
"How many times does that make it…" Momo asked, her voice low as they instinctively formed a circle, each watching a different direction.
"Five or six. I'm starting to lose count," Lala replied with a frown, her eyes tracking the incoming units.
"I just know I'm getting sick of it," Clark said, irritation creeping into his tone as he looked around at the forces gathering against them. "It just doesn't end with these people."
Yami said nothing. She remained in her larger form, suspended in the air by her angelic wings, her presence steady and imposing as she hovered with the group, ready for whatever came next.
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