"It's in the block?"
The Vat Lord nods at Artemis's inquiry.
"It's a standard sample container. It's designed to exclude external contaminants, but given the age of the sample it should have long since spoiled. But in fact…"
The fact that is hasn't spoiled at all is.. worrying at the least. Evidently, whatever this was, or is, it doesn't suffer from the limitations of mortal flesh...
An illusion image appears… That's not human DNA. I… Don't even think that's DNA. I'm… Passingly familiar with genetic encoding which uses other chemicals, but nothing like to the level I'd need to be for what I'm seeing to actually make sense to me.
"As you can see, this sample is undamaged. Pure. Even after all this time."
So, not kryptonian. He'd have recognised that, given his part in Karsta's new generation of Kryptonians. That at least eliminates things like Superman Prime.
Artemis looks at it, then looks at me. I shrug, and she peers at the image instead.
"Do you know what sort of… Thing this molecule would create?"
Even an expert like him couldn't know that from one chunk of DNA. But... The only way to actually know...
"No. I could begin work on a specialist vat to grow it, if that is your wish."
"This… Thing killed the most powerful superheroes in the galaxy when the galaxy was full-sized. Let's not create another one."
Yeah, let's be careful about this. For all you know, using this sample could make whatever's causing the Vampire Sun effect to come looking for it...
I take a closer look, but…
Ping.
Translation: "Well,
that's peculiar..."
Really?
"Vat Lord, my Mother Box recognises parts of this."
...Fascinating. Something she's encountered in Grayven's service, or something from whatever general database all Mother Boxes share? Either way, that means it's known to New Genesis...
"Well, yes, my lord. These segments here and here-" Several parts are illuminated. "-exist in every creature on Earth. In myself, other Highborn, Lowborn, our beasts, even the material of the ground. All of us."
The work station glows and a series of example cell structures appear, each showing the segments in their own structures in the cell. Other parts of the cell vary greatly; this is a cross section of Sheeda-life.
So, this is something...This sequence is what makes them Sheeda? Presumably, the Columbians inherited it from Melmoth's 'attentions' back in the day, too. So it's likely what makes them capable of becoming Grundymen...
"Our every cells contain structures specifically designed to grow and maintain it. This discovery implies that either this… Creature is a more developed form of Sheeda, or that we were created as derivatives of it."
Artemis regards him levelly. "Meaning?"
Whatever it is, it's clearly vital to the fact that they can stay alive. Presumably people like Sivana, captives from the past, pick it up in food and water, allowing them partial resistance...
"It's not my personal specialty, but there are wards which can be created from the blood of one's foe which will function perfectly against the donor's spells. It is known amongst Vat Masters that creatures without this component will fail to develop correctly, but the component itself is generally regarded as being purely inert. And… Biologically, it is. But perhaps there is some magic unknown to us where having this… Shields us."
I nod. "Like the visovoric effect which drains everything which is unprotected."
That drain is ignoring Sheeda life-forms.. because it considers them to be friends. It
is a bloody biological IFF system! Holy shit!
"Perhaps. Certainly, I cannot think of anything else that could explain this state of affairs."
"Design a small creature without it. I will shield it with my New God abilities so that we can study the precise effect."
So, a tiny bug or the like. This should be fascinating to examine.
"Very well, that is simple to achieve."
Artemis points at the illusion. "Could those work in a human body?"
Make a hybrid, like Kon? Assuming it doesn't end up literally tearing itself apart due to incompatibility...
"Yes, certainly. Though not without… Problems. You have met our recycling units?"
The zombie children. But if they are as… Human as they can be… "And if you wanted to create…" Artemis and I share a glance. "Something… Intelligent, as similar to a human as possible, that could contain that genetic sample and still be alive?"
He'd need a sample of human flesh, first. I doubt anyone in this room qualifies, except maybe Artemis.
"I have never seen unaltered human flesh. The Harvest Dreadnaughts convert it into a more useable format before returning to the Land of Summer's End."
Artemis slightly raises her right hand. "Grayven, do I have human DNA?"
Oh, she's quick. Comes from decades of experience, I guess.
"Sort of. If you're planning on offering it for analysis it probably wouldn't work. Don't worry, you can still get pregnant and donate blood without it killing anyone." Huh. "Uh. Actually, don't donate blood."
"What?"
"It won't hurt anyone, but it might give them temporary New God powers or something, and that would be confusing. But, yeah, we can't provide material for human comparative testing."
Heh. I love that that's a risk. Has Grayven even investigated that? I mean, he's assuming it
could be safe. Comic-book logic, after all. I mean, She-hulk got her powers from a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner. She could easily have developed gamma-powered cancer, but nope: Big green amazon powers.
She nods, then frowns. "'We'?"
"My mother's from Earth. We don't know where, or what her name was, but this is her planet or origin. Did you think I didn't have any human biological traits?"
Well, easy mistake to make, what with New Gods
generally being perfect humans, barring the few freakshow types.
"Oh. Yeah, okay. Vat Lord, is this material in the mists as well?"
"Most certainly. Microbes in the water droplets contain the exact same segments."
And As I posited earlier, actual captives end up ingesting them from food and water. Hence Sivana's survival, if not comfort, during his visit.
"So-."
"My lady, you are not Sheeda. I am not… Sure you understand what a significant finding this is?"
I'm betting... Something on par with discovering your deity is
really real, and they really
do live up to your expectations of them?
I raise my eyebrows.
"I'm not sure you do, either. I'll wager you a pint of my blood that Sheeda were created by the final generation of humans specifically to be able to survive the draining effect of the Vampire Sun."
A last generation of scientists, finding a way to spit in the eye of the creature killing their world? Yeah, I can see that.
He shakes his head. "I will not take that bet. It sounds all too likely."
"That doesn't… Bother you?"
If it didn't, he wouldn't be alive.
"Not really. I think everyone who would have been bothered by it either left with the Queen or died in the war. For myself… I have reach the pinnacle of my career, and I have nothing to look forward to but a gradual reduction in my capacity to create novel forms of life. But if you are successful… I will be unbound, free to create as I will. Purely from a self-interested point of view, the choice is an easy one."
Heh. Nice to see someone with big dreams. You'd hardly expect it in Sheeda culture...
Hm…
"When we're finished here, I may have a role for you. I know some people involved in the 'novel life form' business." I shake my head. "Can you use this sample to create a better ward?"
Ooh, putting him in touch with Doctor Cranius and the U-Men? That'll put the cat amongst the pigeons...
"Certainly. I would first have to find a way to reproduce a pure sample. And then there would be… Limitations. The creature sustaining it would effectively only exist to sustain the sample, though that would be quite sufficient for sorcerous purposes. For a sojourn to the Vampire Sun… Additional design work would be needed. A great deal of design work."
I nod. "You have the resources of the Sheeda civilisation." I smile at Artemis. "Chances that the thing that killed the Justice Legion is having a kip in the sun because the only thing left that it can feed on is warded against it?"
And it assumes that there's nothing left for it to feed on? Grayven and Artemis are kind of shielded by their New God nature, but when he had that moment of despair... Could be whatever it is is starting to wake up, perhaps?
"Would the ward work if it just flew here?" Artemis makes eye contact with both of us. "I mean, it's a sun. If the tissue was blocking its draining spell, why wouldn't it just come here in person?"
The Vat Lord gestures to the room. "For much the same reason that we Harrow the past. There is nothing here. If the Vampire Sun can sustain itself upon us, then it will do so for as long as it can. It has no alternative."
Why try and mess with a good thing? That'd be like killing the goose that laid the golden egg...
"So that's not the sun-sun?"
I shrug. "Could be. Might not be. Might be… I mean, it was originally humanoid. It might have flown into the sun for fuel, and be draining Earth as a bonus. Either way, we need a creature that can survive the sun and this thing's draining. And an organic bleed torsion generator. Probably easiest if I have my people work on the generator while yours work on the rest."
Division of labour to allow focus. Just make sure they remember to make them compatible. Don't want a generator that fries the thing it's supposed to power, or has the wrong size attachments...
Artemis nods. "I agree. With the Vat Lord having oversight of everything?"
I nod. "He's the best on the planet. Meanwhile… You and I have about a thousand and one meetings to sit in on."
The joy of actually ruling things. Paperwork and meetings.
Artemis nods, and we both step away as the Vat Lord deactivates the station and peers longingly at the sample container.
Yeah, might pay off to keep an eye on this guy, just in case. Because that's how you get supervillains, in most cases.
