Recent Changes -

BeyondAllHorizons > Bioengineering

< Area Knowledge | Skills | Current Affairs >

Bioengineering

Proteus Nanovirus

One of the secrets of the Old Empires that never faded away, the Proteus Nanovirus is everywhere. Some places have more advanced strains than others, and you probably don't want to subject yourself to a Metamorphosis Virus from an unproven source, but treatments like sterility after having one child, changing ones appearance like one changes your wardrobe, and even more advanced options like the a Neurovirus or a Methuselah Program can be found in many places throughout the Galaxy. This is a world where a couple might swap sexes after having a kid, or send a kid having trouble concentrating in school to the clinic to have his personality tweaked. In places with advanced Biotech, like Garden, you see people choosing to grow their own Solar Sails or deciding to really join with their partner via a Merging Virus. Even bringing back the dead isn't beyond the pale -- though results aren't always... perfect.

The simpler treatments are generally very casual; there's very little risk. Metamorphosis Treatments, though, can cause unintended changes or outright kill its patient. Accelerated Nanovirus is even regarded as dangerous! People who decide to turn themselves into human-plants or become Void Dancers either take the risk, or go for a Clinical Metamorphosis. While, a very long time ago when this was first introduced, "letting the doctors stop your life processes and put your body in nanostasis so the nanos can do their jobs more safely," was a scary thing, most people take it for granted these days. Of course, given how expensive this is, many poorer people with dreams of living underwater full-time just take their risks.

Even this assumes that you have a place to get the treatment. Many people won't trust their local facilities for a Nanovirus! There's usually some world not too far away, though, with a reputation for good facilities. "Nano-Junkies" tend to be frequent travelers, and often settle in these locations.

Some Other Nanovirus Notes

  • Just about any Parahuman species out there has a Nanovirus designed to turn someone into a member of the race. These can be quite popular, especially with particularly glamorous species such as Void Dancers for those hoping for life in space, Tieresa's for those interested in a beautiful life free of gender issues, or Camazotz for those on Low-G worlds with dreams of flying. Some people even want to turn themselves into, say, Uplifted Gorillas. And, of course, some Uplifts desire to become Human. Both of these latter options are considered somewhat scandalous but no less common for it.
  • A number of Nanoviruses from the Old War still exist, which were designed as weapons. The most virulent being, of course, those designed by Co.Re. (which were Dry Nanovirus, as its sometimes called, unliving nanobots rather than biological machines), the Pantropic Collective (which released a number of heredity-changing plagues. Some planets still remain "contagious" as it were), and The Trilateral Sphere (who converted entire worlds to pre-sentients with particularly vicious plague neuroviruses.)
  • Many worlds work Nanoviruses into their criminal system. Criminals can be offered Neurovirus Treatments in exchanged for a greatly reduced sentence, involuntarily changed into a pantropic race and sent to a colony world, used in medical testing of new nanoviruses, or subjected to Proteus treatments prior to incarceration to ensure servility and a peaceful re-entrance to society once the term is served. Of course, criminals are hardly unaware of the potential of Proteus Treatments! Many underground Proteus Labs exist; the worst cater to the desperate among the lower classes, while the best work exclusively for criminal organizations handing out new identities and even personalities as needed. A skilled geneticist with few morals can make quite a name for himself amongst the criminal fraternity.