The Skrull looked into Loren's eyes, searching those dark depths for something.
Cruelty, indifference, or some weakness he could exploit.
But he found nothing. Loren's eyes were calm, like a wall that reflected nothing.
"What do you want my genes for?" the Skrull asked.
Loren did not answer.
He turned to the workstation, set his tablet on the counter, and brought up an animated demonstration.
It showed a human cell fusing with a fragment of Kryptonian DNA through the Skrulls' genetic plasticity mechanism.
The cell membrane became soft and permeable, while the foreign gene fragment was enclosed in a special vesicle.
It was transported safely to the nucleus, then integrated into the host genome.
There was no rejection throughout the process. No immune attack. No cell death.
The Skrull watched the animation, his slit pupils narrowing slightly.
"You want to use my genes to alter yourself?" he said, his voice a little less hoarse.
"You want to become someone with Skrull genetic traits?"
"You're wrong. I don't want Skrull genetic traits.
I want to borrow the Skrulls' genetic plasticity mechanism to solve the rejection between human cells and foreign genes.
Once the fusion is complete, I won't need the mechanism anymore.
Your genes won't be integrated into my genome. They're just a tool, to be discarded after use."
The Skrull was silent for a long time.
Only the low hum of the equipment and the faint chime of the blood collector every fifteen minutes remained in the laboratory.
"What if I refuse?" the Skrull finally asked.
Loren looked at him, his dark eyes unmoved.
"Then I'll take it myself."
The Skrull's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.
He lowered his head and looked at the Inhibitor on his wrist, the