- Doomsday - Volume One: Gods and Monsters

Chapter 10: Dr. Bertron, Laboratory Journal

— Extract from a journal entry supposedly written by Dr. Bertron, head of the 'Doomsday' experiment, that was acquired after the British government began their investigation on the site of the main lab after a week of zero contact. (UK GOVERNMENT CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT, 2054)

CODENAME: THE DOOMSDAY

EXPERIMENT #17

DATE: 05/04/2046

LEAD-SCIENTIST: ████████

SITE LOCATION: ███████ ██

Dr. Bertron

ENTRY 76: "This experiment was supposed to be my magnum opus among the scientific community. The work I am doing here is revolutionary, it will change humanity as a species. When we see the advancement of humanity over the hundreds of thousands of years we have savagely resided upon this rock in the ever expanse of infinity, we humans were the creature, out of all the monsters on this planet, to rise to dominance, through a gradual evolutionary process. Shaped by hundreds of thousands of repeated trial and error, in order for the purest-sample group of humans to succeed. The genetic makeup of our species has grown from the suffering of untold thousands over the course of existence who lived so we could thrive."

"However, in this day and age we have become complacent, stopped thinking about how we can improve ourselves, but rather how we can make life easier for ourselves. I say these imbeciles had the 'Omnic Crisis' coming to them, every few hundred years we have an event that snips away at the weak links in the gene pool. The time we are living in is only following a natural cycle, though definitely more grand than any crisis humanity has gone through before. But, thus is the nature of humanity, ever expanding, ever improving."

"I can already feel my impact within the scientific community. The other day I was reading a research paper by a young Irish woman. I fail to recollect her name, but she too was discussing the possibility of gene manipulation. Already the cowards are biting at the heels. Too scared, too worried to lose their peaceful, blissful status quo, afraid to be challenged and struggle for a greater possibility. However, everyone will bear witness to what I will achieve here, or as much as I can progress without these idiotic amateurs holding back my brilliance..."

"DNA is a remarkable and ingenious medium, able to store and copy great stores of biological information. In layman's terms, the high amount of knowledge is due to the processes of the hundreds of genes involved in replicating, proofreading and repairing damage to the body. DNA has the potential to create and reproduce an organism through its vast stores of knowledge built up over a combined human existence. And other than this human experience, via the process of trial over and over again humans have become the pinnacle, the top of the food chain. However, we are now in a period where we are being challenged by our own creations, some would argue it was destined to happen with the rapid scientific and engineering feats, I say that it was necessary, for if human resolve is not tested over and over again, we will lose our position as the apex."

"Thus, when coming to this experiment my general hypothesis was that, in order for humanity to evolve to the next level of existence, to truly become the APEX, we need to undergo an evolutionary and genetic mutation. However, we do not have hundreds of thousands of years to wait. Opposing us is a mechanical threat that does not need feeble human bodies. Thirst, hunger and weariness do not affect them. Creations that are specialised to their respective roles and positions and will carry out orders without questions. [sigh] If only my test subjects would be so reasonable..."

"So, with the aid of the 'Doomsday' serum, which will allow for a faster coalescence for human mutation, we must put the test subjects through ever increasing extreme circumstances in order to reach this apex. Now, I have received much criticism from these mediocre 'scientists' who have challenged the use of children in this experiment. They do not understand how crucial it is to have the subjects start out young. Like most things, we adapt and learn faster when we are in our youth, for example, learning an instrument or a new language. It is believed that after a certain age it is impossible to learn these things. Thus, the use of children is necessary."

"I will admit, it can be somewhat irksome, these brats have some vexing traits, a favourite seems to be coming up with infantile nicknames for each of the scientists. I gesture to the guards whenever I hear it personally, a good beating will ensure that they won't attempt to chagrin me..."

"However, there have been some successful candidates so far who seem to be taking to the experimental process far greater than most of the other subjects. One of the research subjects that I have had my eye on for the last month is Number Seventeen. He shows a great aptitude towards his 'Doomsday' form and seems enthusiastic to continue further experimentation outside of mandatory tests, seemingly first on this list every time. He seems promising, I will need to note his progress."

"Yet, to no fault of my own, most of this may be for naught. The damn Americans have invented their own enhanced soldiers, who appear callow, nowhere near as impressive as the feats we are discovering here. However, the damn politicians have deemed my research a failure. Fools, all of them, fools. They think of the approval ratings rather than humanity's progress as a species. My intellect is waisted here... [sigh]"

"I have had some luck, it would seem that through the positive results we have gained recently, especially the progress shown by Number Seventeen, the government has allowed me to continue my research. Albeit, with a lower budget, but I suppose it's better than having all my research wasted."

"The government has ordered the immediate combat training of the subjects. The time that I could be spending investigating the vast potential of this groundbreaking science is being wasted so that the bureaucrats have a crude mercenary band. I believe the name of the trainer is that they have procured ends with a Wilson. Though, he goes by the codename, Deathstroke, Deathstroke the Terminator."