With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Breadnaught]

Does the thread have any ideas on what he'll do with the Sheeda long term? We know that, once shit is stable enough, they're going to be working on some sort of time portal and ditching this place, even if they do fix whatever star-vampire bullshit is making this planet a lost cause.

Do we think Grayven is just going to ditch his investment here? Leave the people and resources he conquered? Because I doubt it.

So I assume he's going take them back to the past/present and resettle them somewhere if at all viable. So where would he put them? The Vega cluster seems like an option, but he's already putting a lot of eggs in that basket. Some random empty world? Find some despotic alien dipshit and show them how it's done?

 

[Darko]

I doubt it.

Kaldur has dark eyebrows, despite his mother being blonde.

So it seems one member of the Team does in fact dye their hair to look like a parent, it's just Kaldur.

Artemis's look was inspired by a half asian gal who has natural blonde hair- Hanah Cook.

"Victor Cook's daughter is naturally blonde, though she's one-half Korean on BOTH parents' side, making her one-half Asian total. She, in part, served as one of our inspirations for Artemis." Ask Greg.

Click to shrink...

Kaldur is also half Atlantean, a people that have added fish DNA to themselves, so he's not exactly a good example.

she was based on the daughter of a friend of one of the people behind the show the girl she's based on is a blue eyed blonde girl who is part Asian, look it up if it bothers you that much

Click to shrink...

It doesn't really bother me all that much, I was just trying to give reasons for why Zoat would make it so that she dyes her hair blonde.

 

[Mr Zoat]

It doesn't really bother me all that much, I was just trying to give reasons for why Zoat would make it so that she dyes her hair blonde.

Click to shrink...

It just seemed that with her mother being Vietnamese and given the age of the relevant parties she'd almost certainly have to bleach it.

 

[Pez]

I always assumed that Artemis physically took more after her father (she certainly looks less Asian than her mom and sister), while her sister looks more like her mother, as both of them are clearly drawn as being Asian in the show.

I figured this played in more with the family. Jade, who looks like her mother and loathes her father, followed in her father's footsteps. Artemis, who looks like her father (and also loathes him), followed more in her mother's footsteps (relatively speaking).

Her hair was always blond in all the flashbacks, so I would think she was a natural.

 

[mathpotato]

Hair also sometimes darkens as you get older, she may be bleaching it to keep it a lighter blonde.

 

[rdfox]

Hair also sometimes darkens as you get older, she may be bleaching it to keep it a lighter blonde.

Click to shrink...

This. I had sandy blond hair when I was young (I still have photos and, from my first barbershop haircut, a lock of hair showing me to be almost pure yellow hair when I was 5-6 years old), but by the time I graduated from high school, my hair was decidedly brown. Now, twenty-five years later, it's essentially black (except for those stray colorless ones I refuse to admit are starting to appear)...

 

[Darko]

Hair also sometimes darkens as you get older, she may be bleaching it to keep it a lighter blonde.

Click to shrink...

Based on the conversation she had with renegade she seemed to be dyeing her hair to be blonde from her natural color, which is most likely black like her mother and sister.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Based on the conversation she had with renegade she seemed to be dyeing her hair to be blonde from her natural color, which is most likely black like her mother and sisters.

Click to shrink...

...

Artemis has multiple sisters?

 

[Darko]

...

Artemisi has multiple sisters?

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Sorrow]

So, they've been there at least 200 years. Huh.

And I'm calling it right now! The DNA source is Kryptonian! Don't know if it's Kon's or Kal's or another's, though.

 

[LostPath]

And I'm calling it right now! The DNA source is Kryptonian! Don't know if it's Kon's or Kal's or another's, though.

Click to shrink...

It would likely be either Kal Kent's or Prime Superman's. Prime Superman being veeeeery different from Superman Prime.

 

[Vaermina]

I doubt it.

Kaldur has dark eyebrows, despite his mother being blonde.

So it seems one member of the Team does in fact dye their hair to look like a parent, it's just Kaldur.

Artemis's look was inspired by a half asian gal who has natural blonde hair- Hanah Cook.

"Victor Cook's daughter is naturally blonde, though she's one-half Korean on BOTH parents' side, making her one-half Asian total. She, in part, served as one of our inspirations for Artemis." Ask Greg.

Click to shrink...

Well, guess that answers that... Mr Zoat! To the editmobile!

 

[Gantradies]

No, Stupendium.

Click to shrink...

you are home, we- feel happy, hurt?~
excellent taste Zoat- even if that song's one hell of an earworm is a tune that keeps playing in your head, baby,baby yeah. just plastic....

....so safe... and nothing..to worry about...
....ha
....ha
....FUNNY!

how do you say INSANE?

 

[Gantradies]

Thank you corrected.

Click to shrink...

ahem "thank you, corrected"

 

[Darko]

ahem "thank you, corrected"

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Where We
Stand

The Vat Lord of Caergwaed puts a block of chitin into a reader device and then places his hands on the work station, sigils lighting up as he uses magic to read the contents.

"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…"

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."

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?"

"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."

I take a closer look, but…

Ping.

Really?

"Vat Lord, my Mother Box recognises parts of this."

"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.

"Our every cell contains 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?"

"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."

"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."

"Very well, that is simple to achieve."

Artemis points at the illusion. "Could those work in a human body?"

"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?"

"I have never seen unaltered human flesh. The Harvest Dreadnoughts 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?"

"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."

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 of origin. Did you think I didn't have any human biological traits?"

"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."

"So-."

"My lady, you are not Sheeda. I am not… Sure you understand what a significant finding this is?"

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."

He shakes his head. "I will not take that bet. It sounds all too likely."

"That doesn't… Bother you?"

"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 reached 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."

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?"

"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?"

"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."

"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."

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."

Artemis nods, and we both step away as the Vat Lord deactivates the station and peers longingly at the sample container.

 

[Darko]

"Our every cells

Click to shrink...

maybe 'Our very cells' or 'every one of our cells'

Did you think I didn't have any human biological traits?"

Click to shrink...

To be fair even New Gods that have only New God parents look like humans, so it's understandable why no one would figure out he was half human.

I have reach

Click to shrink...

'reached'

 

[DrThoth]

I nod. "Like the visovoric effect which drains everything which is unprotected."

Click to shrink...

Googling 'visovoric' doesn't give any results, and Latin to English translation gives 'seeing' for 'viso' which doesn't seem right. Maybe it should be 'vito' to indicate life?

 

[Mr Zoat]

maybe 'Our very cells' or 'every one of our cells'
'reached'

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

Googling 'visovoric' doesn't give any results, and Latin to English translation gives 'seeing' for 'viso' which doesn't seem right. Maybe it should be 'vito' to indicate life?

Click to shrink...

No. 'Vis' is energy, and there are a couple of occurrences of 'visovore' on the internet.

 

[Handlewithcare]

I'm not sure I follow.

Why does this sample logicaly lead to those conclusions?

The assumption is that this gene variant works like a blood spell, shielding against the draining spells caster.

But the vampiric effect could have a thousand other reasons and the gene sequence simply shields against it.

It's good that Grayven wants to do further tests because that seems like a large jump to conclusions.

Also, if that thing truly does live in the sun the universe may have been shrunken in order to contain it. Creating access to the bleed might be a very bad idea then.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

Where We
Stand

The Vat Lord of Caergwaed puts a block of chitin into a reader device and then places his hands on the work station, sigils lighting up as he uses magic to read the contents.

Click to shrink...

How.. mundane, for something that old. This is like finding a chunk of rock with bits of the first lifeforms to evolve on Earth, in terms of timescale, you'd think there would be more ceremony to this...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"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…"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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.

Click to shrink...

Translation: "Well, that's peculiar..."

Really?

"Vat Lord, my Mother Box recognises parts of this."

Click to shrink...

...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.

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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?"

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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."

Click to shrink...

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.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, might pay off to keep an eye on this guy, just in case. Because that's how you get supervillains, in most cases.

This puts a whole new spin on the nature of Sheeda technology. And might explain why conventional tech gets targetted. No 'safe' ward to protect it...Now you've got me looking forwards to seeing just what the hell this thing is...

 

[Darko]

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...

Click to shrink...

Don't forget the Sheeda Sivana ate.

Oh, she's quick. Comes from decades of experience, I guess.

Click to shrink...

I think that even if she didn't stay there for decades she would have picked it up.

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.

Click to shrink...

And nerds around the world rejoiced for they had one more big breasted amazonian woman to masturbate to, along with Wonder Woman, Starfire etc.

Well, easy mistake to make, what with New Gods generally being perfect humans, barring the few freakshow types.

Click to shrink...

Like Sleeze.

Another disturbing looking New Gods I remember was this group called the Court of Apokalips that had a lot of freaky looking New Gods in it.

One guy was just a giant head.

A last generation of scientists, finding a way to spit in the eye of the creature killing their world? Yeah, I can see that.

Click to shrink...

Now I wanna see him be transformed into a bug thing, well more of a bug thing, like Rusty was for pissing in God's eye.

Can't believe they cancelled that show. Really hope they bring it back.

Heh. Nice to see someone with big dreams. You'd hardly expect it in Sheeda culture...

Click to shrink...

They probably do have big dreams, but those include killing a whole lot of innocents.

Yeah, might pay off to keep an eye on this guy, just in case. Because that's how you get supervillains, in most cases.

Click to shrink...

If this guy worked when Gloriana was around then he's technically already a supervillain, seeing as he would have worked to maintain an empire who primarily wants to hurt people.

 

[NightmareWarden]

Clearly this strange non-human material comes from Plastic Man.
I mean which other member of the league could be expected to survive billions of years? Though calling this fragmented state "surviving" would be misleading.

 

[cerberus beasty]

might explain the tiny universe, the thing in the sun eats everything that is not itself including the SPACE in the universe.

 

[Agent Orange]

That'll put the cat amongst the pigeons...

Click to shrink...

This particular flock of pigeons are quite capable of taking this particular cat apart for study.

That'd be like killing the goose that laid the golden egg...

Click to shrink...

Except for the fact that these "golden eggs" probably taste like tofu and have a nutritional value slightly greater than a stack of celery would to a human (on account of the warding mitigating the drain effect). The only reason it nibbles on them instead of devouring them completely is because it has no alternative.

Clearly this strange non-human material comes from Plastic Man.

Click to shrink...

They just said it came from the Vamp-Ra. Unless you think that Plastic Man evolved into Vamp-Ra! That makes even more sense than Mickey Mouse theory! Well done!

 

[BlueMangoAdea]

Except for the fact that these "golden eggs" probably taste like tofu and have a nutritional value slightly greater than a stack of celery would to a human (on account of the warding mitigating the drain effect). The only reason it nibbles on them instead of devouring them completely is because it has no alternative.

Click to shrink...

Tofu can taste great! It depends on how you cook them, imo.

 

[Agent Orange]

Tofu can taste great! It depends on how you cook them, imo

Click to shrink...

I'll have to take your word on that but even your favourite thing in the world will get old super fast if you eat just that and nothing else.

My point is Vamp-Ra is in the same position Matt Daemon's character from 'the Martian' was. Sheeda are its' potatoes. Sun is its' slowly but certainly breaking down homebase. Except there's no rescue coming.

 

[Rafin]

It's weird that the Vat Lord, being such an important person (maybe the third most important in the universe from our protagonist's point of view) doesn't get asked for and referred to by his name.

 

[Agent Orange]

doesn't get asked for and referred to by his name

Click to shrink...

"It's Vat Lord."

"Sorry. Couldn't quite catch that."

"I said my name is 'Vat Lord' okay! My parents thought it was funny. I just added the article to make it sound like a title."

 

[Darko]

every cell contain

Click to shrink...

Maybe 'contains'