Deviation Actions
Literature Text
FILE ACCESSED: Sigma-04
Observing: Subjects #14-15; “Florangel” & “Lepidor”.
Presiding: Jett, Howard Magnus
Log 12/25/2000
I haven’t had much time to study these two interesting women until now. Previously, I was heavily occupied with testing on the other heroes further back. Now I have all the time in the world...as far as current work will allow. So I don’t forget, I’ll re-read their background info. *ahem*
Drs. Kara Donovan and Helen Johnson are two biological researchers with highly distinguished and specialized careers. Since 1972 up until I caught them in 1995, they were researching a possible transformation of Earth’s ecosystem to combat the already increasing concentration of CO2 and methane in our atmosphere.
Helen Johnson, on the other hand, is an entomologist researching undiscovered insectoid life forms, also working towards the same goal: saving Earth’s natural life by helping insects aid plants at a faster rate than normal, without the risk of harm by pollution. Although word didn’t get out about it, the subjects they were testing – a specially stimulated venus flytrap bioengineered to adapt to urban soil; and an exotic purple wasp-like insect, suddenly escaped their testing confines and engulfed the two women.
Kara’s flytrap grew so large that it “swallowed” her inside the trap, holding her still and forcing her unconscious. While, the wasp – being female - stung Helen, inducing a bizarre type of venom that did not harm her, but instead formed a human-sized cocoon around her body, initiating a slow metamorphosis into an anthropomorphic hybrid of said insect.
Several hours had passed, and intense physiological transformations took hold while the scientists were placed in a deep sleep. Journals found upon recovery described intensively vivid dreams of somehow communicating with the very “essence” of nature itself, finding that plant life and correlated species (insects and tier-one consumers) all share billions upon billions of neural connections with each other, forming a “hive-mind” of sorts.
Kara’s dream elaborated that nature is being slowly killed by manmade pollutants everywhere, it cannot do anything about methane control despite awareness of its consequences, and has no conduit with which to speak back to humans in response. However, from the changes granted to Kara as a human-plant hybrid (30/70), this conduit is now possible thanks to her enhanced brain being connected with this hive-mind through a flower-like orifice that opens whenever Kara is in meditative state, like the so-called “Third Eye” from by certain religious cultures.
Likewise, Helen’s dream involved meeting the “queen” of that wasp’s species, sentient enough to speak human language and tell her that nature asked for this species’ to grant reinforcements to its cause in a second human. The wasp that died was a messenger, whose venom was specially designed to change Helen’s body. Therefore, Helen would also join this “hive of nature” through her powers and new semi-insectoid body. Thus, the two women thus adopted heroic aliases “Florangel” and “Lepidor”, their newly acquired nature-based powers allowing them to continue this research in ways no human alone could do so.
Well, with that out of the way, I’ll get to the active studies on these two people.
Log 12/27/2000
So far, so good; I have authorized Dr. Winchell and his biology crew downstairs to start testing on these two...dare I say, gorgeous women? They’re already out of the pods and headed there on gurneys. I will watch the team’s work on CCTV with care, as by the time we’re finished with them, a nice chat and maybe some coffee would certainly be in order. Sarah is a little offended by me talking about women “prettier” than her, but that’s not the point: I simply wish to tell them all about how much I support Ms. Donovan’s claim to countering pollution, and how my research in part could also benefit both hers and Johnson’s.
Log 12/28/2000
Strange, Sarah just woke from dreaming about a 6-year old boy locked up in a hospital P.I.C.U. for 2 months out cold with intensive pneumonia treatment, and visited by someone dressed as Santa Claus. A wonder in itself that she could remember that much, but somehow it hit a chord with me: Knowing all these people are being held captive, unconscious while suspended in fluid sustenance and implanted with tubes, sounded very similar to that dream. I pray, dear God, that we progress faster with the villains after these last two heroes are done. It would haunt my dreams having to read through their backstories. Now that I think about it, if we have the results out of the heroes already, and know that all powers have their roots in the 4 base pairs, then perhaps there would be less testing and quicker results. But such speculation isn’t to be taken lightly.
Log 2/1/2001
First of Februrary, and just in time, too: I’ve received the test results back from Drs. Kenneth and Winchell. The computer should display these results soon, and I’ll save them in a separate file.
Log 2/8/2000
Moment of truth. With the research complete, now I think it’s time to let these two beauties out for a nice chat. A shame that the others haven’t been released yet, their research is still ongoing, as annoying as that is.
Transcript of meeting, 2/9/2000
Howard: Good morning, ladies. How are you feeling?
*moans and signs of discomfort*
Howard: Don’t worry, recovery from long-term hibernation is a bumpy road, but just take it slow.
Kara: Who...who are you?
Howard: My name is Dr. Howard Xavier Jett.
Helen: Where’s my lab? What is this place?
Howard: You’re in my lab. I run a research group that studies superpowers. That’s why you’re here.
Helen: Superpowers? I didn’t know that was a field of science.
Howard: Well, let’s just say I started that field. But enough about me, why don’t we talk about your research? Like...what were you two last occupied with?
Kara: I barely remember. Do you have our notes?
Howard: Of course, hang on. *Pages Dr. Kenneth to bring research documents*
Howard: Here you are.
*shuffling of papers*
Helen: Oh, there’s something I all but forgot about. *holds up a page *
Howard: Funny, I glanced over that. Mind letting us in on what this is?
Helen: Just a scrapped project. *sigh* I thought making a suit out of beehives could create a mobile pollination device, but it was all for naught.
Howard: I can see why, isn’t walking around with colonies of insects strapped to your body just asking to be covered in stings?
Helen: No, I made a membranous fabric on the inside to protect the wearer. But it wasn’t until I finished the suit and tested it in the open that I realized it was useless.
Howard: How so?
Helen: Because without some kind of trigger substance to motivate the bees and so forth, the process would be very tiresome. I mean, can you imagine standing around for hours in a field of flowers, sweating and waiting for the bees to actually do their work?
Howard: Yes, I can imagine how boring that’d be. You know, I once made this chemical designed to manipulate pheromones that would actively control insects.
Helen: Color me interested! That would have been the answer I needed all along! Where is this chemical?
Howard: That’s just it: Someone broke in and stole it; Drove off before the guards could catch them.
Helen: Oh. Too good to be true, eh?
Howard: But it's not all bad, look where you are now! Controlling insects is completely natural for your current form, so your profile describes. And Kara, I find your power of chlorokinesis, combined with flight to be a potent mix.
Kara: Thank you.
Howard: I am curious about this: Do you regret losing your human forms?
Helen: *gulp* Me? Not really. I had a slight weight problem, but this slender insect shape kind of takes the load off, literally.
Kara: Me neither. Ever since the change, I’ve always felt this pleasure to be what I’ve always been studying, plant tissue somehow feels better than human skin, and I get to keep this hairstyle I always liked as a human.
Howard: *pause* That’s a beehive, isn’t it? Uh...the hairstyle, I mean.
Kara: I know, it’s outdated, but I always had this thing for 60’s stuff. I might be in my late 30’s, but still a hobby of mine.
Howard: The general public would call you a ‘hipster’, but I think it complements your...graceful figure overall, especially with your ‘third eye’ involved.
Kara: *blush* Aw, that’s very kind of you!
Howard: By the way, I have heard that certain kinds of mutations drastically slow aging, and with how...drastic yours are, combined with the...preservation I used, I have a feeling your lifetimes will last at least a few decades longer than a human’s.
Helen: What a coincidence; that was one of my theories on how insects live for long periods of time.
Kara: And being what we are, I think we’ll need that extended lifetime, don’t you think, Helen?
Helen: I suppose so, we haven’t been around our relatives lately, let alone any lab partners. What do we have to lose?
Howard: Good question. You see, part of my work is to simulate powers using special chemicals injected into the bloodstream. Why, I tested one on my son a while ago, and it worked!
Helen: She’s right, this sounds more unethical than what we do-um...DID.
Howard: *grumbling*
Kara: Anyways, thank you, but...we really must be off.
Helen: Yes, who knows how long our last projects were suspended? For all I know, they could have cleaned out my lab at the university of Maine!
Kara: *manipulates flower orifice, gasps* Oh Lord, I can’t reach anything in here!
Helen: Sir...how long have we been under?
Howard: Um...five years? *nervous chuckle*
*...long pause...*
Kara: WHAT?!
Helen: I don’t believe this!
Howard: Yes, it’s the 9th of February, year 2000!
Helen: Take him down, Kara!
* Howard ensnared by elongated vine-like fingers and threatened by swarm of ants *
Howard (choking): Stop, please! I didn’t...intend to hold you...this long! Just...let me go!
Helen: For five whole years? By accident? No, I think you’ve got some kind of motive up your sleeve!
Kara: Whatever that may be, you’re not getting away with it!
*Ants converge on Howard’s neck while toxic flowers bloom in same area.
Howard: Sec...Sec...Security!
*Guards enter interrogation room carrying tranquilizer darts*
*Lepidor attempts to charge guards and remove their guns*
*8 shots fired, 4 make successful hits.*
Guard 1: We got ‘em, what should we do with these women now?
Howard: Put them back in their pods.
Guard 2: Are you serious? After all this time?
Guard 1: Why not just let them go free?
Howard: That was an order, Lucius.
Lucius: Yes...sir.
Alan: Dad?
Howard: Not now, son.
Alan: Dad...I...
*Door closes*
Alan: I just wanted to see those ladies.
Howard: You will, I just need to run down the villains, then we’ll let them all back out, safely. Results before release, that’s how my work always goes.
Alan: (doubtful) Whatever you say, dad.
-- LOG TERMINATED --
