"I'm sorry,
Minister Vulko, what exactly did they take?"
He looks up from where he's discussing something with another researcher.
Ah, Vulko. Sometimes Orin's greatest ally, sometimes his worst traitor (out of usually misguided devotion.) And whichever continuity he's in, possessor of a damn
classy beard.
"They didn't take anything. Black Manta attempted to steal an ancient creature frozen in artic ice, but when Kaldur'ahm and Garth stopped him all he could do was destroy it."
"When you say 'ancient', how old do you mean?"
Oh, yes. This is going
exactly where you think it is... After all,
what creature in DC would be likely to be frozen in ancient Arctic ice packs?
"It's hard to say. Before the Sinking, certainly. As I hope you can appreciate, we have excellent records of aquatic life in the Atlantic Ocean after that."
"So… Was it an aquatic dinosaur?"
...No. While there are still dinosaurs wandering here and there on the face of DC Earth and beyond, they would have no business in the Arctic...
"Almost certainly not. It appeared to be some form of echinoderm, but I'm afraid that we weren't able to really begin our analysis before the attack."
"Like a sea urchin?"
"More like a giant star fish."
Yup. It's a Starro. Those who've seen the series will know exactly where this is going. Namely, the dig site.
My environmental shield wavers. DC, giant starfish. That says Starro to me, though… I suppose that there might be other giant starfish around the place. I was never an expert on extinct aquatic species.
"Roughly how big?"
I mean, a simple face-hugger form... Not
too big a worry... Unless it manages to hit someone powerful. But even
then, it's not a great threat.
"Roughly… Eight metres, arm tip to arm tip?"
"And it was completely destroyed?"
Oh, that's
bad. At that scale, there's no need for the face-huggers. They'll control people
direct.
"No, not completely. A small amount of tissue was left over." He sighs as he swims upwards towards me to carry on out conversation. "We're sending it to the surface. King Orin feels that S.T.A.R. labs are better situated to contain samples in the face of criminal attack." He looks at my face, then gives me a mild frown. "Is there a problem?"
Explaining what I think it could be might risk someone questioning how I-.
Surely this isn't the first time your meta-knowledge has informed you of something of concern, CS!OL? Still, let that little super-power of yours work...
<Common Sense Interrupt>
Oh, of course. The Green Lantern Corps must have records of Starro. Even if the local Green Lanterns haven't ever bothered looking it up. And while Jordan and Stewart regularly talk to each other, neither of them talk to Gardner if they can possibly help it. I've talked to all three of them, and unlike me they don't have perfect recall. They also don't know that I have perfect recall. If questioned I can just say 'I think you mentioned it one time', and if, say, Jordan says that he doesn't remember I can just shrug and say if might have been Gardner. He won't be sure that it wasn't him and he certainly won't contact Gardner to check.
Ah, the joy of taking advantage of other Lantern's issues with Bobblehead Malware...
And their poor relationship with Guy. Just a little annoying there. Still, needs must...
"It… Might be nothing, but I've been training with Green Lantern Two Eight One Four A, and… He mentioned a species of giant alien starfish. It might not be the same species, but it… Might be worth checking."
"I hardly think it's likely that an alien starfish made its way to Earth. We didn't find any wreckage or remains that could have been a ship…"
Vulko, Vulko,
Vulko... This is a world of magic and miraculous technology. Yet you draw the line at something flying in space unaided?
...Then again, does the average Atlantean really
understand the concept of Space?
"The species in question flew in space using massively strong telekinetic fields. I don't now how familiar you are with the phenomena..?"
He shakes his head. "Not at all. The genetics that grant risk to that class of mental abilities don't occur in Atlanteans. I think it may be something to do with the alterations made to us to adapt us to sub aquatic life. Or it might be that our forebears simply didn't have the genes. Since magic can serve virtually the same purpose there wouldn't have been any evolutionary incentive for the trait to arise. But these starfish could fly through interstellar space?"
Even
if an Atlantean had possessed psychic powers, they would likely have left society due to the mental noise. And their abilities would have been unlikely to be recognised as psychic powers due to ignorance...
I shrug. "I haven't seen it myself, but that was my understanding."
"Fascinating. I wonder if they're artificial, or-. No, no, that's not important. Are they dangerous?"
Yes, focus on the
important questions, Vulko. You saw how CS!OL's aura flickered, you
must be able to recognise the significance...
"They can mind control the populations of entire planets, so yes. Do you still have the remaining tissue here?"
"I… No. It's on its way to America. But it's almost certainly dead."
Dead is such a
loaded term, especially with creatures like that.
"Right, but are all of the others?"
"Others?"
"They usually send millions of little ones. I don't know exactly how their life cycle works." I look around the room. "So it was… Here, right?"
Hmm... Wonder if the Pluto situation might get discovered much earlier... But that's for future CS!OL to deal with,
sensibly.
"Yes?"
"Ring, scan for genetic material in detail."
Ooh, that's going to be a lot of material...
"Compliance."
Thick waves of orange light radiate outwards, repeatedly flowing over every surface.
"Eliminate samples from Atlanteans and known sea creatures."
Boy, he is
focused on this, isn't he? At least that search will knock a lot of signatures off the list...
"Compliance."
"And forward the rest to Lantern Two Eight One Four A and ask him to call me back once he's checked them against the Green Lantern Corps' database."
Ha! Oh, Jordan is going to be putting his environmental field's
waste removal function to use when he sees this, won't he.
"Compliance."
"So were there any other starfish where you found this one?"
"The… Excavation is still ongoing."
Which Black Manta knows, given that he's in contact with Orm...
<Common Sense Interrupt>
"And… What happens if Black Manta goes there?"
"Go there-?" His eyes widen. "They have.. guards…"
Enough guards to deal with Manta and his men? I think not...
I blink.
"More guards than the city of Poseidonis? Also, are those guards sufficiently skilled at defensive magic to prevent an alien starfish taking control of their minds?"
Because that is a definite risk. Depending on whether there are any
more Starros on site...
Also: what? Yes, S.T.A.R. labs usually have good security, but this is the capital city of Atlantis. Even with distraction attacks… That's like
Pokolistan sending a commando team to raid the
Natural History Museum and just flying away. On the surface they'd have to get past radar and sonar. Ships and aircraft would be redirected to intercept exactly like they are when the Russians decide to try it on. How the
heck did Manta get into position to do this?
Obvious answer: He has a man on the inside. And
that's going to set a catfish amongst the minnows...
"No. No, you.. definitely have a point. I will suggest that King Orin-."
The ring blinks.
That would be Hal going "On the phone! Get him on the phone! I want him on the phone right
now!" after seeing the scans...
"Excuse me. Answer."
Jordan's concerned-looking face appears.
"Don't touch it and don't go near it. Where are you?"
Don't worry, Hal, the local item is dealt with... But there may be more on planet...
"Poseidonis. The Atlanteans dug it out from…" I look at Vulko. "Somewhere?"
"The northern polar ice. It's an alien, then?"
Yes, Vulko, CS!OL explained this already. Do keep up.
When a Green Lantern is in
this much of a rush, things are
bad.
"Where is it now?"
"What's left of it after Black Manta hit it with a missile is heading for S.T.A.R. Labs Gotham. Might I respectfully incinerating it, sir?"
I've no doubt Hal will be en-route in moments. Though I expect he'll want a full report on the 'Black Manta with a missile' later...
"There's no need to suggest the completely obvious. I'm heading to Gotham now. Isolate wherever you found it. I'll clear that up next. Green Lantern out."
His face vanishes, and I nod. That seems like an entirely proportional response to me. But I don't know why Black Manta is able to get in and out of Atlantean territory-.
Ah, I see he's having a moment of clarity...
<Common Sense Interrupt>
Oh.
Heh. Okay, yes, that would make more sense. Of course, it doesn't really help when I have a power ring that can track someone anywhere on the planet.
Let me guess, remembering the whole 'Orm equals Ocean Master' thing that he assumed wasn't applicable here, and finding himself
wondering...
"You don't have a blood sample from Black Manta, do you?"
Heh. And since he presumably didn't spook the League of Shadows after the Clayface thing, no wards... Talk about easy-mode.
Methinks the Light will be asking Klarion for
something after this.
