| Carnal Affection Spores | |
|---|---|
| |
|
Creator |
Endemic to Pacific Northwest |
|
Type |
Fungal Spores |
|
Intended Effect |
Rapacious libido in females |
|
Malfunction |
Violent outbursts leading to mangling of males |
|
Location |
|
|
Activation |
Proximity of a female near a coated male |
|
Collected by |
Warehouse 13 |
|
Date of Incident |
Sep.18.2007 |
|
Date of Collection |
Jun.5.2010 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
In nature, spores are often used in asexual reproduction of bacteria, protozoa, plants and fungi. Most single celled organisms undergo mitosis and split into two separate but identical child cells. Mushrooms and molds for example are mainly haploid in formation, each parent containing half the chromosome sets necessary to form a cell. Many disperse their spores through forceful ejection, attraction of insects to the putrid odor or being carried off by the slightest breeze.
Pheromones are chemicals similar to hormones released by an organism that affects others of the same species. Some are used to define territory or incite aggression, but many elicit a sexual or mating response. Common classes include androgens and estrogens that regulate sexual development in males and females. People in close physical contact can often be swayed by another’s pheromone release, detectable by smell. Androstenone in one sample study concluded to have possible pheromone qualities, as cologne manufacturers regularly mix some in to increase attractiveness of the wearer.
Effects[]
Composed of hydrocarbons, trace aminos and a large concentration of the peptide thymosin. Increases the production of androstadiene and related androgens in any male exposed to the spores through inhalation or physical contact. The eccrine gland begins sweating out an average of 379 parts per milliliter of the hormone, fifteen thousand times stronger than normal. Although it has no direct effect on male biochemistry, females become frenzied in its presence. Peptide chains of similar hormonal cocktails, even artificial, pose no dangers.
A woman may suffer from delusions of attraction and insatiable lust for the doused male. Actions become so manic that in one exposure between a pair of courting tundra wolves, the female entirely ripped apart and consumed the male. Trying to remove the male’s presence only provokes the exposed females into violent erotomania to destroy any obstacle between their beloved.
Appearances[]
It appears in the Season 2 episode “Maneater“. The town’s underground cooling system began to malfunction and opened a previously unexplored cavity. Inside were 9000-year-old skeletal remains covered in a fine yellow dust. Analysis showed they were pre-mitotic haploids – spores. They awoke from dormancy when they attached to an active male host.
As heat buildup required emergency venting, its first contact was with the wolves in Taggart’s lab. Enough was released to cover the whole town when the ventilation system turned back on. Henry was also exposed in the tunnels but remained unaffected. To prevent any asthmatic reaction, he sprayed an electrostatic filter on himself to ward off all the dust. It contains a casein-based suspension that completely coats any foreign particle, binding with the spores to prevent absorption. Dispersion into every lung required pumping the solution through the same cooling system to reach the entire town.
Collection[]
Unbeknownst to head security at the time, biologist Laura Maconnel collected samples from airborne particles. Her research was focused on sexual mating and making one sex irresistible to the other. Problem was similar ventures had been too powerful in the past and placed her on internal probation. All the ruckus properly ventilating the town provided cover to study some of the spores.
She mixed together the spores with salamander pheromones, used in mating to attract prospective mates and judge their sexual capacity. Females are normally limited in a population, so they decide which mates can fertilize their eggs, usually the largest. Competing males will physically push another away during courting or force themselves upon the female. The idea was any male or female could be covertly targeted and mobbed by their own forces long after the agent departed. Having a directly applicable DOD function would allow her more funding and greater independence.
It took several years of tinkering between official projects to get anything close to usable. Most variations either made people sex-crazed-murderous or completely detest another. A smaller dosage allowed for a time-delay of roughly 40 minutes. But it still retained aggression between those within the group, causing eight research heads to maul another outside the presentation. The project was officially canned before they had any repeat incidents.