^^ the Lab's living area ^^
— Erin —
Needless to say, I did not 'call down the Divine Wrath of Fate', subsequently being Smote from existence by a seemingly random bolt of lightning.
Instead, I carried Moray with me back to the truck, and drove back to Conner and Megann's house, settling Moray into the bed to rest, and sitting at my desk to survey the progress to my base, over the course of the day.
The lab was nearing completion, so I queued the fabricator to use my measurements to start making me some clothes, as well as a set of bulletproof duds like Deathstroke's. Those seemed pretty nifty, and seeing as my clothes weren't nearly as indestructible as I was, I would need to prevent any future wardrobe malfunctions.
I placed the Tooth inside the tray for the Synthesizer, and stepped back. "Scan that, analyze it and record everything about it. Can it be replicated with 100% accuracy?"
"Scanning... Scanning... Scan- Scan Complete. Object: Bicuspid; Species: Homo Magi; Subspecies: Homo Magi Aquarius; Common Name: Atlantean; DNA Match: Prince Orm of Atlantis. 99.99998% accuracy Replication Projected Possible."
"Alright, good to know. And this?" I placed the collar in its place, taking the tooth and dropping it into a small jar of honey, to preserve it. (Honey being the best preservative substance in existence.)
"Scanning... Scanning... Scanning... Recognized; Object: Collar; Material: Greco-Roman Divine Metal, from the Forge of Hephaestus/Vulcan. Status: it is only 80% Replicable. An unknown energy is necessary for the creation of this metal."
I nodded. "And at 80% accuracy, what are the properties of the metal?"
"Extreme Durability, 10,000x the weight-strength ratio of titanium carbonate. 4,000x that of graphene super-carbon tubes. Absorption and instantaneous dispersal of energy and heat, up to a temperature of 300,000kelvin, 10x hotter than a bolt of lightning, as well as any known plasma weapon, though unknown Alien Technology likely Surpasses known weaponry. It is likely the common ancestor between Captain Atom's Containment Suit and the semi-radioactive metal dubbed 'Promethium', as it carries all the properties of both metals."
"Ooh, nice! Use a triple-layered nanomesh made of that in my new suit, coupled with ribs and plates tactically placed to allow full flexibility and mobility, and include a set of electric conduits and a ultra-high-capacity battery, to redirect the stored energy into bioelectric shocks, strong enough to take down metahumans or even Kryptonians, for potentially non-lethal take-downs?" I grinned.
"... reconfiguring... done. It will take much longer to create, approximately four hours."
"And it looks just like my normal hooded leather jacket, jeans, boots, and gloves; all black and charcoal, yes?" I clarified.
"... electrical combat modifications will glow blue-white, reminiscent of Atlantean Tattoos, when in use."
"That's acceptable, move it to the top of the Queue, and add in a second set, just in case. Last change, make it adjustable, so it'll fit itself to whoever's wearing it." I leaned back, thinking about the implications of what I was doing.
'Do I really intend to stay here and be a costumed Super Hero? Really? Honestly, I wasn't the type! Or at least, I didn't think so, but my actions so far had proven otherwise a few different times...'
"Reconfiguring... done. time frame changed to 5 hours." The machine broke me out of my thoughts.
"Good... add somewhere in the queue my weapons of choice, my knife and pistol, made of the same material, and with a miniature synthesizer in the pistol's magazine, so I don't need to reload." I smiled at the thought.
"Processing... currently impossible. Requisition computer Ram for R&D?"
"Yes, figure it out. In the meantime, bullets made of this Semi-Godly metal will do, I suppose."
"Processing... Complete. Adding to Fabrication Queue. Time to completion: 3 hours."
I nodded, and placed both the collar and the tooth in a nondescript cardboard box, labeling it 'from: Nomad; To: Aquaman/Batman', then setting that on top of one of Conner's bikes. He'd deliver it, I hoped. When I returned, Moray was still asleep, so I wrote a note, setting it next to them, and went into the shower.
'To: 'Moray'
From: Nomad (The chick who knocked you out).
Aquaman will come check on you in a few hours, probably. I'm in the shower, cause I have dry saltwater in my hair, and then after that I have work to do, so I'll be back around nightfall. You're in my bed, but don't worry, sleep as much as you need. If you're hungry, there's protein bars specifically designed for super-appetites in the little mini-fridge downstairs in the garage. Oh, and Ocean Master is already in prison in Atlantis, so don't worry about that part.'
—
The living quarters overlooked the lab from an angle on high, the wall facing it fully glass, like an industrial loft. In an effort to disguise the location of my new home, I'd taken several measures.
First: Sound Dampeners so perfectly occlusive that I instantly was reminded of the shadow realm, and my own heartbeat. It was not pleasant, until phase two kicked in.
I'd sent a little belt of cameras to Star city, where it was wrapped around an apartment building in the middle of downtown, constantly transmitting the sounds of the city, as well as the sights from one side, as the glass wall was built to look like the same window as the loft apartment it was modeled after, and it was playing the view from the window at a luxurious 600 pixel per square inch display, an acuity almost exactly equal to the human eye.
Next, phase three: the ground vibrates ever so slightly, exactly as if cars were moving nearby, and the neighbors were walking around. The cameras were using finely-tuned tremor-sensors to match that, as well.
Thus, with the sound, view, and tremors, only Superman would ever be able to tell something was not right with the apartment, because as far as I was aware, he was the only one with super-senses that could see better than the average human being, in pixels/in^2.
The interior was modeled after a girlfriend of mine's old Condo; she'd sold it, a few years ago, and I missed it, having lived there as her roommate for three years, and as her lover for another four.
A mixture of grays, blacks, and browns gave it an incredibly earthy vibe, like the cave it was, while brand-new chrome appliances mixed with black and silver granite countertops tied the two together nicely. I'd always hated our backsplash in the kitchen, so I changed it, and nodded, happy with my work.
I hummed, staring at the front door, which currently led to a large laundry room, with a little Zeta-Beam emitter tucked into the back closet, for entry and exits.
The location signal was bounced off of nearly every single piece of receptive and unused metal capable of transmitting Zeta Beams in the world, effectively hiding it, while still allowing me to use the Zeta Booths around America to get to the apartment, though no one else would be able to guess the code.
'Open, Says Me' was my favorite quote of all time, not that anyone here would ever guess that, and there was no way for them to look up my Netflix watch history.
"Ahh, Netflix... how I shall miss thee..." I sighed, sitting back on my couch. The elevator dinged, and opened, revealing some of my drones, carrying fabricated items and placing them around the house. One of them carried over my new clothes, and deposited them in my lap.
I grinned and felt the material, a wonderfully soft cotton polymer, with what felt like elastic, running throughout the entire outfit. I pulled it on quickly, and grinned when it fit itself to my body, accentuating my curves without making me any bulkier. "Perfect... now is it bulletproof?"
I drew my pistol and shot the sleeve of the jacket, flinching when the bullet ricocheted and clattered to the ground, crushed nearly flat. "Alright, it is, in fact, bulletproof."
One of the drones picked up the bullet, flying away, and another settled a gun belt next to me, nearly identical to my own, with copies of my gun and knife clipped to it.
I drew them both, and frowned at the lightness of the gun, something I'd have to get used to. "Hmm... Requisition the Computer's R&D budget to make the bullets and casings both dissolve on their own, ten minutes after their use... police the brass, essentially." I nodded, and laced them onto my hips, placing the original belt above the fireplace.
"Confirmed. Requisitioning."
I noticed it was getting close to dark, so I nodded and stepped into the Zeta Booth, traveling to Conner's Zeta Platform instantly.
—
Moray was awake and sitting up when I entered, and flinched when they saw me, covering their bare arms swiftly.
I ignored them, sitting at my desk. "So, you're awake? Good. How are you feeling?"
"Exposed... Confused... Scared..." they muttered.
"Exposed? I understand confusion and fear, but why exposed?" I asked, keeping my back to them, as understanding slowly dawned on me. "Ooh... you don't like showing your skin, even your arms and face."
"Yes... my people do not do this, amongst... Others." They sighed.
"Alright... well, in that dresser, there's a few jackets, long-sleeved and hooded, and also pants and socks. I don't have my spare boots at the moment, but I'll get you a pair of shoes, if you want?" I hummed.
The dresser opened slowly, and I kept my eyes on my work respectfully, as they dressed in my baggy clothes.
"They're perfect, thank you." They murmured, and sat down on the bed again, hugging their knees.
"Mm... I am Erin, or Nomad, if you prefer. And you? 'Moray' is a code name, yes?" I asked.
"A species, actually. A type of Atlantean. My name is Terran Doran." They sighed.
I blinked. "Wait, your name is Terran Doran? That's AWESOME!!! You guys probably don't have that band here, but on my home world, that's a pretty famous classic-pop band. Duran Duran, HA!" I giggled softly, and started tinkering with the schematics for my way home, my range-finder.
It was essentially a massive laser, which would scour the general direction in which I had come from, sweeping until it found something glowing and blue, only one of which should exist, as I created that glowing blue tube. The beam was about fifty miles wide and tall, once it traveled five miles out, meaning it would hit the tube, correct course, and slowly narrow, until it was locked on to the tube, and could direct me home.
I didn't intend to stay there, of course, but collecting my belongings, telling my friends and family I was moving to Greece to be with a Greek Barista, (sorta half-true,) and closing out my estate and giving it to one of my siblings would all need to be done. It'd only been three days, so far, so I had a little time-...
'Three days. The planet's moved in three days, and by the time its finished building, it'll have moved even more!' I frowned and added a backwards trajectory to my beam, correcting the angle to include where the planet currently is, instead of where it was.
"So... you're an alien?" Terran asked softly, setting their chin on their knees. I could see them in the reflection of the glass in front of me.
"No, I'm human... mostly. I think. Maybe." I sighed and then shrugged helplessly.
They laughed softly, the sound musical and wry. "Yeah, I get it. Moray's have that problem, too. As shapeshifters, we struggle to find our true selves, and then we hide it from everyone, even others of our kind."
I hummed. "So, that charcoal-skinned form, with the pointy ears? That's your... original form? Or chosen form?"
"Yes, my True Form. It is also the form I take when I have to fight, though it's rare, as concentration is required to remain Changed, so to speak. We, the Moray, are a peaceful, yet powerful race. Likely the reason Ocean Master sought me. I am not fully grown, and therefore have not gained my full abilities yet, but it will not be long, -only about four months, the calends of August-, making me a good choice to exploit." They sighed.
"August 1st? That's in a few days, my dear. It's the end of July, now... how old are you, by the way? You seem to be at least 20, but I can't be sure." I pulled up a calendar, showing them clearly.
"Ah, I seem to have lost time, then... and I am turning 42 human years old on the Calends, though we count our age in every other season, as we mature slightly slower than humans. Considering four seasons is a year, I would say 21 is a fair age for me. Now, your note mentioned food? I was too afraid to retrieve it myself, before." They chuckled awkwardly as their stomach rumbled.
"Ah, right! Yes, come on, I'll get you some food and introduce you to Megann, she's a Martian, a shapeshifter as well!" I grinned and finished my work quickly, checking for mistakes, and then ran it through the computer, which would highlight any errors so I could review them later.
They followed me demurely down into the garage, where I snagged two of the bars for Terran, and a bottle of water for myself, before Superboy rolled out from under a large bike. "Hey! Who's your friend, Nomad?" He asked, already back to work, grumbling softly to himself and the bike.
"Just an Atlantean friend stopping by to say hello, crashing on my bed while I work. I've been busy all day with Diana and Zatanna, helped deal with that Tsunami earlier today, an attack by Deathstroke, all that... it's been a busy day for me." I chuckled, handing the bars to Terran, who quietly began nibbling on them, still hiding behind me.
"Oof, Lady Shiva And Deathstroke, two in two days? That's rough." He hummed, and gunned the throttle of the bike, growling when it sputtered to a halt.
"Check the fuel lines." I suggested, and led Terran into the house.
"Thanks. And hey, bring back my Truck!" He called after me.
I winced. "Ooh! I forgot about that!!! Okay, Terran, I'm going to introduce you to Megann, then I have to go get the truck and be back, you okay with that?"
They nodded slowly, pulling the hood down further.
I smiled and brought them into the kitchen, where Megann was apparently doing paperwork. "Megann! How are you doing?" I grinned.
She raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Terran. "My house prides itself as a magnet for Strays, Erin, you don't need to convince me to let her stay."
"Uhm... them, I think. They're a shapeshifter, an Atlantean, and I think they'd like to go home, so it's only until Aquaman gets here to give them a ride. Also, I've got to go get Conner's truck from town." I corrected her quietly.
She nodded, and smiled at Terran. "That's alright with me. Are you hungry?"
Terran showed her the bar they'd been nibbling on, and then retreated again, behind me.
"Alright... well, you can sit with me, and keep me company while I do my paperwork, how about that?" She gestured at the seat opposite to her, where they wouldn't have to be in arm's reach.
They sat down slowly, and I nodded. "I'll be back, and then I'll give Aquaman a Call, see when he's coming to return you to your family."
"Moray do not have family, once grown. Most of us live solitarily, except for the purposes of breeding and rearing children. Once we can take care of ourselves, we make our own homes. Mine was in the North Pacific Ocean, a coral reef I painstakingly built over the course of three decades, and it was destroyed by Ocean Master. It would take several months to rebuild even enough to sleep in." They shook their head.
I blinked slowly. "Oh... alright... then, would you like to stay on land or go to Atlantis? I have a nice place you can build your coral reef in peace, if you'd rather that?"
They nodded. "That would be preferable... no offense is meant to Megann and Conner and Erin, but this is too much human contact in one day for me..." they curled their legs under them, hugging their knees again, and simply sat still, seemingly asleep.
"Huh. Like a turtle, hiding in its shell. Cute." I chuckled. "I'll be back in a little bit, then." I patted their head gently, and walked out, picking up speed as I headed into town.
The truck still had its keys in it, and the groceries, (luckily none of which were perishables,) were still in the bed of the truck, though they were a little damp, from the mist cloud that had only recently rolled back out to sea, it seemed. I moved the groceries into the back seat, seeing no reason to leave them out in the cold and wet, and started the ignition.
During the drive back, I used my knees to direct the wheel, and accessed my computer. "I need the schematics for the Aquaponics Lab, floor -1?"
"Accessing: complete."
"I need four of the channels which allow fish in retrofitted to the size of a sewer tunnel for the purpose of allowing human entry, one on either side of the lab, then a fifth tunnel which goes up to the Apartment for easy travel between the two. All five tunnels are to be equipped with a series of offensive and defensive systems, such as energy and force shields that are only deactivated upon contact with an authorized user's biometrics, and some piranha drones."
"Understood. Queuing Builder Drones..."
"And the area above, the garden area that the aquaponics and fish help nourish, access to that is controlled as well. Add in a subroutine to the aquaponics lab which systematically checks each and every piece of product that leaves that lab for poisons, as well... Lastly, add in a template, for the biometrics of the Atlantean I rescued today."
"Accessing Archive... collecting user biometrics... User: Terran Doran; Species: Homo Magi; Subspecies: Homo Magi Aquintus; Common Name: Siren. Granting Limited Access to Areas H, V, and A, but not B, the Bio-Dome, or P, the Physics Lab. Accessing Schematic... Changes Logged. Time to completion: 16 hours. Prioritize one tunnel to allow immediate access?"
"Do so." I nodded, and placed my hands back on the wheel, driving carefully back to the house.
Just as I arrived, a concussive explosion rocked the front lawn, flipping the truck in a full 360, and then slamming it back down onto its wheels, my face slamming against the steering wheel harshly.