More Than Human...

A major theme of the EIN setting is the proliferation of modified human beings. Truthfully, from the year 2130 there is no such thing as a baseline human anymore. Everyone and their parents have had minor genetic alterations made to prevent diseases, remove defects, and generally extend their lives. However, this is still all on the level of “corrective” alteration. Flaws are removed and that is about it. Beyond this, there is a whole frontier of “enhancement” genetics. These are alterations designed to elevate the individual beyond that of the common man. A subject can be made stronger, quicker, more intelligent, and even be given capabilities no baseline human could ever possess.

These are the true genetic engineered individuals.

The reasons for performing enhancement genetic alteration are many, but one main drive outshines them all. This is of course military application. In earlier years when gengineering was not nearly as public it was the push for the creation of better and better soldiers that led the genetic revolution. Sure it all began with stem cell research and genome therapy with things like curing cancer and terminal diseases in mind, but it didn’t take long for the governments and corporations of the world to put all of this new budding research and technology to more sinister uses.

With the increasingly destructive character of modern mass scale weapons the military need for small units of super elite soldiers to handle things before they escalated to that level become more and more dire. And then of course, once things became more public gengineering was used for all kinds of things. Every imaginable corner of need, from function to form, industry to pleasure, was being filled by custom genetics. The technology proceeded so much more quickly than the legislation that by the time the rush was under control the system and its people had become a markedly different entity.

There are three main areas of success in the science of genetic engineering that are considered main stream and trusted methods in the contemporary age. The first is unique in that it is enhancement engineering that leaves the subject 100% human on a genetic level. Through pre-birth engineering and advanced genome therapy after a child has already been born human DNA is pushed to its limits allowing the best potential humanity can provide. These individuals are known as “Genjids”. While Genjids don’t have the scope of the other forms of genetic alteration, they can still be quite talented beyond the usual human limit. Additionally, more than any other genetically modified individual, the Genjids can often blend in seamlessly with the rest of baseline society.

The next kind of genetic alteration produces what are called Zoological Hybrids or “Zoobies” or "Franks" (in honor of, or perhaps repulsion by the legendary Frankenstein monster). The basic principle of creating Zoobies is that a human genetic code is taken and combined with a very small amount of animal material. Even the most extreme Zoobies rarely are less than 95% or 96% human, but this amount of change can result is drastic differences between man and beast-man. This method is much less elegant than the Neo Children route but also has much greater results. Mammals work the best as Zoobie engineering bases, but occasionally birds and reptiles are used as well.

Zoobies are somewhat loosely classed as A, B, or C.

Class A Zoobies are the subtlest and can blend in with humanity almost as well as Neo Children. A Class A Zoobie is 99% or more human on a genetic level and only manifests subtle differences as a result of his or her animal heritage. A Class A Zoobie may experience slightly enhanced senses or reflexes, as per the primary animal influence. The signs of a Class A Zoobie are equally as subtle. Perhaps a subject's eyes are slightly cat like or his body hair feels more like fur than hair.

Class B Zoobies dip down to as low as 98% human and can have much greater abilities as a result of their animal genes. However, they are obviously not human when not disguised. Though their bodies are distributed in a mostly human fashion they will often have full body fur, be larger or smaller than most people, and show other features like animal ears, snouts, or eyes. Also, Class B Zoobies are usually of reduced human intelligence.

Lastly, Class C Zoobies are the most extreme of this method and are increasingly animal in genes to achieve more and more results. These Zoobies are no less than full on beast men, often much smaller or larger than humans with nearly full features from their primary animals, simply in a humanoid form. Also, Class C Zoobies are almost guaranteed to be less than human intellect.

The third class of genetic alteration is also the most significant. Know simply as “Kabhalheen”, these amazing creations are the sole work of the labs of Neo Jerusalem and the Canaan Foundation.

This corporate nation controls what has come to be called “the primus node”, a fragment of genetic material of a synthetic nature that somehow unlocks an extreme evolutionary potential within mankind. It sits dormant within a subject, but when the subject is irradiated with a special form of radiation refined from the Engel Continuum wave form the node awakens and the subject experiences an extreme restructuring of his or her DNA. After the process is complete a Kabhalheen has been born.

Kabhalheen show all kinds of special properties way beyond those of the other two classes of genetically enhanced individual, sometimes beyond those possessed by any other living thing. Most Kabhalheen are classed as “static”, meaning that after they undergo their primary period of irradiation and following transformation they never change again. They can have any of a near endless category of abilities, but they tend to be somewhat narrow in application. On the other hand, every now and then an “active node” Kabhalheen is created. These beings, also know as “Kethaheen” or psychics, have powerful abilities that can grow and change with time and practice. Despite their great gifts, all Kabhalheen also experience a wide range of mutations, and deficiencies. The human genetic code simply isn’t suitable to support the kind of expansive restructuring the primus node causes.