With his advanced mind, Zod swiftly completed the physical formation of his creation. Now, all that remained was to spark brain activity and "awaken" the new body. The figure before him, her eyes closed in an unknowing slumber, bore a striking resemblance to a certain artificial woman. Modeled on mutants, Zod had engineered her with similar structural genes. If this experiment worked, he could potentially bring more figures to life—mimicking the likes of White Queen, Mystique, and others.
Zod focused electromagnetic waves into her brain, simulating nerve impulses to activate the body. Gradually, the heart began to beat, blood started circulating, the lungs expanded, and organs commenced functioning. Yet, despite repeated stimulation, there were no signs of consciousness.
"Frankenstein managed to do this," he muttered. "No reason my scientific approach should fail…"
Grasping her head, Zod intensified the electromagnetic output. Her body convulsed under the energy's force; her eyelids flickered, and he could detect her rapid eye movement as if in a dream. Suddenly, a powerful electric current surged from her, though the lab's instruments held steady, crafted from Zod's unbreakable "atomic alloy."
She opened her eyes, and electric sparks danced within them. Although she possessed no awareness, her instincts drove her toward him. She reached out, and Zod remained still as an invisible magnetic field held her in place.
"A blank slate," he observed. "A mind with no memory, no sense of right or wrong…"
Zod turned her in mid-air as she began to cry—a childlike reaction of shock to the world around her. Unperturbed, he completed his examinations. Finding no structural issues, he projected his mind into hers, guiding her consciousness to awaken.
"I am… Robot 18?" she murmured, gazing at Zod, aware of his power and authority.
"Interesting. If this works, I could create others with their forms but no original essence," Zod considered.
He released the magnetic field holding her, letting her stumble to the floor. She wasn't built to crush anything akin to a Saiyan; even Zod hadn't achieved such strength. But with his Life Code, a genetic archive of Kryptonian DNA, he could potentially engineer a legion of artificial humans.
"One day, I might create a Kryptonian army… although I'll still be wary of oddities like the Soul Stone," he mused, remembering his current limitations and the lack of incubation chambers, given his expertise lay in weapons, not bioengineering.
"No. 18, how do you feel?" Zod asked, using his atomic powers to assemble a garment for her from vibrating fibers.
"I feel… good," she replied, pausing to assess herself, not questioning the creator before her. By his estimates, her strength reached almost two hundred tons, with durability and an ability to release energy waves—traits rivaling Abomination's.
Leaving her with instructions not to wander, Zod headed out to meet Uuld for her birthday dinner.
Uuld was already at an exclusive New York restaurant, having transformed her look with a sophisticated new outfit. She noted the restaurant's unusually quiet ambiance and soon learned why: Zod had bought it outright. The manager, now acting as a personal waiter, cleared the restaurant for their private dinner. Passing celebrities gave Uuld approving looks, discreetly handing her business cards on their way out.
When Zod arrived, he raised his glass, admiring Uuld's radiant appearance. "Tonight, you look like you stepped out of a painting. I'm almost afraid to speak loudly, in case you return to it."
"Thank you," she said, pleased.
Zod produced a small box. "A birthday gift."
"You coming here is gift enough," she replied, though she eagerly opened the box. Inside was a sapphire the size of a pigeon's egg, a gem of unmatched clarity that sparkled in the restaurant's soft lighting.
"I thought cool colors would suit you," Zod said. He, too, favored blues and blacks.
"Does it have a name?" she asked, entranced by its depth.
"The Blue Queen," he replied with a smile. "It's the finest sapphire there is."
"I love it," Uuld said, tucking it safely away.
Zod gave her an approving nod, content to have offered something worthy of her.