As a 12 year old Kryptonian, Kar-Lu didn't want to continue his education with a citizen-trainer. He would rather be a surveyor then learn the duties as a citizen and wear that "idiotic headband." At the age of 15 Kar-Lu went to survey an unexplored jungle area near Eiu Sea with his aide Jan-De. While surveying the area they noticed an iceberg in what should be warm waters. It turned out not to be an iceberg but an ice-craft in which emerged several Urrikarans. The Urrikarans wanted to capture Kar-Lu and Jan-De so that they could gather information on the city of Kandor in which they could invade. Both Kar-Lu and Jan-De fled from the Urrikarans. Kar-Lu took the clear path to escape while Jan-De headed for the dense region. The Urrikarans used a Quicksand Missile on Kar-Lu which caused the stable ground to turn into quicksand. Jan-De who was nearby told Kar-Lu not to panic and move but threw Druasic Berries into the quicksand causing the ground to become solid again. As the two continued to evade the Urrikarans Kar-Lu passed the wrong side of a Whirltop Tree resulting in him being restrained by the tree. Once again Jan-De had to get Kar-Lu out of danger by telling him to squeeze a certain root of the tree which will cause the tree to release him. The Urrikarans weren't as luck as they too were captured by the Whirltop Trees. However, they escaped by using their Ice Ray guns on the trees. Kar-Lu and Jan-De continued to flee the Urrikarans. Jan-De started a fire to stop the Urrikarans. The Urrikarans thought that the two set the fire to sacrifice their own lives instead of being captured. The Urrikarans left the Eiu Sea region to return to Urrika. Kar-Lu feared that they would be burned alive but Jan-De informed him of the cloud formations and that they would be safe. On his return to Kandor, Kar-Lu asked the citizen-trainer if he could learn his citizen studies.

The story was told by Superman to Mike (who is a cousin of Jimmy Olsen). Mike who turned 18 while still in high school decided to leave school before graduating and earning his diploma. The moral of the story was to finish your education like Jan-De had. If Kar-Lu would've started and finished his training he wouldn't have had the problems escaping the Urrikarans. And, if it wasn't for Jan-De's training Kar-Lu would've most likely been captured by the Urrikarans.