The Spaceship

Martha heard the front door opening and closing and turned her head from the sofa, where she was sitting and knitting a woolen sock, towards the door and saw her daughter coming home.

"Claire…"

Claire saw her mother looking almost like she was going to start sobbing again and decided to stop it preemptively, by racing towards her and enveloping her in a hug.

"It's okay mom. I don't blame you and dad for not telling me."

"Just remember that it doesn't matter who your biological parents are, we are your parents now and forever."

"I know mom."

Their tender moment was interrupted by Jonathan coming inside from doing his chores around the farm. Claire stopped her hug with her mother and went to hug Jonathan, while telling him the same as her mother.

"You know Claire I think I should show you the storm cellar now too, that's if you're up to it?"

"Well might as well get it over with. Mom will you come too?"

"I think I'll start making dinner, so you two can go by yourself."

Jonathan nodded to Claire and started leading the way towards the storm cellar, which housed his daughter's spaceship.

Jonathan unlocked the lock of the cellar door and opened it causing dust, from a long time being left unused to scatter in the air.

"I always wondered why I wasn't allowed inside, I figured there was something harmful in there."

"Well, now it's time for you to finally see."

Jonathan gestured with his hand for Claire to go in first, and she did with trepidation in her steps.

Once inside the cellar and down a small set of stairs Claire saw many used paint drums and other scraps. In the right corner of the cellar she saw something under a tarp that was a couple meters wide and its height came to just about her chest level.

Claire pointed towards it and looked at Jonathan, who nodded to her in confirmation. Claire stepped forward and yanked the tarp off, revealing the spaceship beneath. Claire held her breath as she studied the ship.

'Well, it looks alien alright. I can't believe I used to fit in such a small thing. I wonder what all these symbols mean… wait there's an indentation that looks to be the size of the crystal I saw in the trunk.'

"Dad, can you see that, I think the crystal you showed me earlier fits in it."

Jonathan looked where his daughter pointed and was surprised he never made the connection.

'Then again me and Martha have barely been here in twelve years.'

"I think you might be right,wait here let me go fetch it."

"No, I'm faster."

Before Jonathan could say anything Claire was gone and just as quickly she was back with the crystal in hand.

"There's no hurry Claire."

"Speak for yourself, this is important to me."

Claire brought the crystal to the ship and placed it in its indentation, where it fit perfectly. Claire stepped back expecting something to happen, but nothing happened.

Just as Claire was about to speak to her father, the ship started emitting blindingly bright light and started levitating a meter off the ground.

Claire started walking backwards, until she was next to her father, when the ship began projecting a hologram of a man. The man looked to be in his forties, with some silver in his dark hair and was dressed in a strange looking white garment that reminded Claire of lab clothes.

"Hello, my daughter Kara-El, I'm your father Jor-El."

Claire heard the hologram-man speaking inside her head and though he wasn't speaking English, she could for some reason understand his speech.

"When you hear this, me and your mother Lara Lor-Van will have been dead for many years. You come from the planet Krypton, from the noble house of El. The reason you have been sent away was because I predicted the destruction of Krypton and while I was unable to convince my fellow Kryptonians of their doom, I managed to make a small spaceship that could carry you to safety. I know this is not easy to hear, but you are the last daughter of Krypton, and all of our hopes and dreams live in you now, Kara. Inside this crystal is everything I, and the previous members of the house of El have invented and discovered. You will be able to access it once you have found the three artifacts hidden around the globe, by your ancestors and brought them together. I wish I had more time but time is running out, so all I can say is good luck Kara my daughter and never forget your parents love you."

Claire didn't know what to think or how to feel. She just saw her biological father for the first time and he and her mother did not abandon her, they in fact sacrificed their lives to save her. She found out where she came from and who her people were only to find out they were all gone already.

Jonathan hadn't heard anything of the speech, all he saw was the man in the hologram speaking without a voice, while his daughter looked to be listening.

"Claire, what happened, are you okay?"

Claire dropped to her knees and began weeping. She didn't know if she was crying because she now knew her parents did not abandon her, or because they and everyone else like her were dead. Jonathan didn't know what made her daughter cry either, but he crouched in front of Claire and took her in a hug.

"I don't know what's wrong, but I and your mother are here for you. Always."

After some time Claire gathered herself and explained to Jonathan what she heard from her biological father, Jor-El.

"I know it's hard, but you shouldn't be sad about them being gone, instead you should be thankful for all they sacrificed for you."

"I know dad, I'll try."

Claire and Jonathan stood up and Jonathan wiped her tears away with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Come on, let's go eat your mom's cooking, she made your favorite food. Good food should make you feel better."

"Okay"

Jonathan and Claire left the storm cellar, with the recent revelations weighing heavily on their minds.