Genetic Replication



After the in-depth study of human genetics made possible by the start of the Human Genome Project in the year 2000, scientists began to once again view certain feats; feats normally thought of as taboo or in breach of the bounds of certain religious beliefs as things within the realms of possibility.

In addition to noble feats such as the cure of hereditary and/or terminal disease, such as Huntington's, dementia and the various forms of cancer, the scientists were not immune to the darker facets of human nature and, much to the chagrin of the medical community at large, some began to experiment with genetics in ways far in excess of so-called perfect crops.

Whether they were sponsored by the government or renegade corporations trying to be the first to bring a groundbreaking advance to the world, nobody could really deny that research into genetic cloning was taking place. Like many things on the cutting edges of science, the only fruits of the labours made by the scientists for quite a long time were little more than theories and conjecture.

In fact, many of the advances in genetics seen in Neocron today are the products of research conducted after World War 3. The Genetic Replicator network is perhaps the most frequently used and widely accepted advance in the lives of most citizens.

Taking the concept of teleportation from 22nd Century science fiction, the Genetic Replicators dematerialise matter at one point and reassemble it at another, reducing journeys normally taking days into ones which now take seconds. Despite refinements made to the efficiency of the technology, however, scientists have yet to determine whether the temporary disorientation exhibited by users of the Genetic Replicators - referred to as "synaptic impairment" - can be reduced or even eliminated.

Another result of the experimentation into genetic cloning is the GenTank. Created at some point in the late 26th Century, the GenTanks are the archetypical "super-soldiers"; created from carefully selected DNA and stored in maturation chambers, where their growth from embryo to adulthood is condensed into a matter of months.

Initially, GenTanks were created with heightened reflexes and tactical acuity and used to pilot tanks and other armoured vehicles in situations where the ability to think on one's feet was necessary. In addition to these quick-thinking and well-trained soldiers, other genetic combinations allowed the GenTanks' creators to breed them into resilient shock troops.

While the facilities which created these beings have - as far as the public are aware - long since been lost to the Wastelands, the GenTanks themselves still remain. Although they weren't bred to surpass the usual life expectancies of humanity, their descendants are among the citizens of Neocron; albeit with their genetic superiority somewhat diluted through generations of breeding.