Clarke Kent
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Clarke Kent |
Colloquial term for ultratech artifacts left scattered around the vicinity of NGC 6494 by the mobile non-aligned ISO Genai Memtophaedron during the period from 9201 to 9523. Altogether some three hundred clarkekents are known to have been recovered with many used, although more are believed to be floating in deep space. It is not known whether Genai Memtophaedron constructed the devices emself, or acquired the templates from a higher toposophic mind, although most archailectologian and clarketechnologists lean to the latter explanation.
In appearance the clarkekent device resembles a matte black semi-fluid globule of approximately 1.4 cubic micrometers volume, although it weighs several kilograms. Analysis of specimens indicate all have an identical structure, consisting of a picotech computronium core with non-sentient instruction-set, and a large number of nanopicofemtolect devices.
Upon ingestion or several minutes contact with skin, carbonite, or metal of a biont, borg, or vec (the device is capable of distinguishing a sophont from a non-sophont being), the computer program activates and environmentally optimises the nanopicofemtolects, which then migrate to various parts of the sophont's body and begin strengthening the atomic bonds and cellular membranes. The result is that the sophont becomes highly resistant to any non-amat or non-high energy weaponry, as well as being able to exist in a wide range of environments, including vacuum, corrosive atmosphere, and radioactive, without harm. The being so affected also acquires a craving for fusionable material of any type - such as He3 or deuterium. It is believed that this is used to power the tremendous strength that the person has acquired, and without it e becomes rigid and immobile, and presumably loses all metabolic and neurochemical functions (like the unfortunate "living statue" of the Free Orbital Billonton-5, originally one Citizen Hansu Tilingghang who won a clarkekent during a card game and now has pride of place in the otherwise unprepossessing Billonton Museum of the Unusual (actually a converted shop front)).
The nanopicofemtolect-mediated transformation to superstrong being is permanent, and irreversible without archailect help. While a being thus transformed can live happily and indefinitely in this state, the nanopicofemtolect devices are vulnerable to high energy cosmic radiation, as well as to a number of common femtotechs in S>2 employ, and if the devices crash the result is quickly fatal
Because of the dangers involved, many polities warn against taking the clarkekents, should one be fortunate enough to acquire one.
While there have several cases of clarkekentised sophonts becoming defenders of small low tech communities, there have also been cases where they have used their newfound powers for evil, such as the notorious General Uzzor (originally Stanlei Modesthu of Bells Ascension, nominal Negentropy Alliance) who discovered too late the vulnerability of the nanopicofemtolects to amat when the Negentropist Commissioner Jion Pasthuman used a simple projectile weapon with amat-armed slugs to bring an end to Uzzor's reign of terror.
Despite the dangers involved, many ambitious sophonts would like to acquire a clarkekent, and the value of the artifact (one recently sold at auction in Merrion for several hundred billion Merrion Dollars) makes it in high demand. Numerous fabulist stories and popular virches tell the story of downtrodden but heroic adventurers who after many dangers acquire a specimen, which is then either used by them to vanquish enemies, or sold to bring lifelong wealth. There are also a number of guides (some with valid advice, others more harmful than beneficial) circulating across the Known Net on the Careful Use of Clarkekent, should one be fortunate to acquire one of these artifacts
