Ask Maria

"What kind of experiments?" Lois said.

The lights continued to intensify, and though Lois knew she should start to feel the burn from the lamps, it felt no more than being out on a summer's day...albeit naked.

Maria raised her arms, welcoming the light.

"They gave us a virus. Said it was going to rewrite our DNA. We'd never get sick or drunk again. Never tan. Some sort of alien DNA. And it would...they'd be able to do things to us. Change us. The changes, they were powered by sunlight. The first ones, they made them build up a charge for hours and hours, but it didn't work right..."

The light was almost blinding now, but Lois felt...alive, almost burning with excess energy. Even the tinge of pleasant alcoholic haze had vanished.

"Change us how Maria?"

"All sorts of things." Maria said. There were tears coming from her eyes now. "They have...all these triggers. They knew they changed things, but didn't know which did what. They wanted to test them all out. See what they did, if the results were consistent across all subjects. So they could market it."

"Market it?" Lois asked, aghast, but Maria pushed on.

"But it didn't work. Some of the triggers, they didn't seem to do anything. They figured we didn't have enough alien DNA, or not the right parts of it. Others, they worked but...some people, they got stuck. I was one of the successes."

Lois walked over, instinctively, and gave the crying woman a hug. Maria turned into it, and laid her head on the reporter's shoulder. The woman's bare breasts against her own felt warm in a way that the sunlamps didn't, except for the cold barbels that pierced the other woman's nipples.

"I wasn't always a woman." She sobbed. "I was...do you know what it was like, being trapped a lesbian in a man's body? I was one of the lucky ones. And they said as long as I worked here, it was okay. I wouldn't have to worry about changing back, because if that happened they could just expose me again. Except now..."

"Now, we have a more important experiment to carry out." Luthor finished. His bald head filled the screen, business shirt open and unbuttoned to reveal his pale hairless chest; his voice boomed from hidden speakers. "And you, Maria, are essential to what is about to happen."

"This is illegal, Luthor!" Lois yelled at the screen. "You can't just experiment on people against their will."

"On the contrary Miss Lane, this experiment is entirely legal...and you are going to be a very willing volunteer. I take it you've read between the lines of what our friend told you?"

"Kryptonians," Lois said. "And kryptonite. You've found a way to use Kryptonian DNA to effect humans with red K, and you're trying to market it as some health and beauty treatment."

"More than that," Lex nodded. "But close enough. Unfortunately, the process isn't quite...stable. Our test subjects revert from changes after 48 hours. Your friend Maria here is going to start regressing very soon...to become Martin once again. Unless, that is, you care to assist in this experiment." He had a very punchable smile.

"Go on," Lois heard herself say.

"We've found a way to make the changes to Maria permanent. However, the process requires two compatible subjects to catalyze the process. We've been monitoring potential subjects for weeks and...well, you are the best potential we've yet come across. All our simulations suggest that with your willing cooperation we can give Maria here the body she's always wanted...permanently." He paused. "I would have asked more politely but...time is of the essence. Of course, if you're not willing, you're free to go. The door to the chamber is unlocked. But if you wish to stay...I'm going to need a verbal consent."

Maria looked at Lois, eyes full of tears...