The Genevogue

(37 Geminorum & Psi 5 Aurigae)

A group of Ferals run wild on Darwin (Psi 5 Aurigae IV)

 

By the start of the Warp Era (the second half of the 23^rd century) there was a movement on the more settled star systems of Community space that took a DIY attitude to genetic engineering. Utilising “trailing edge” technology in the field of genetics that the Blee with their liberal attitude to such things made available, this vocal minority took to modifying themselves. Not to adapt better to an environment or eradicate some unfortunate genetic trait or defect but as a choice of lifestyle.

 

 To the horror of the elder generations (who recalled the tales told by their older relatives of controversy about cloning and GM modified foods) this anarchic bunch of youngsters added entirely alien features to their genome. Tails were grown and patterned fur began to sprout over the bodies of the “genepunks” in an assertion of their individuality and freedom. Some took on the characteristics of mythical characters, vampires and klingons appeared in certain bars and clubs talking in made up languages and partaking in unusual consensual bloodletting rituals much to the horror of their parents.

 How could they get a decent job if they looked like some leopard-skinned freak the older generations thought?

 

 The changes in bodyform although not permanent (for the "genekids" fashions come and go) did require some extreme commitment. The genekids compared their lifestyle choice to the tattoos and piercing of earlier times. Should they ever decide to change back into a more conventional form and get a career they could take the relevant treatments and their fur would disappear or skin return to a more traditional shade. It was simply an expression of youthful rebellion the genekids argued in their heavily stylised spools and webcasts.

 

 For some these freakish sub-cultures were too threatening to the established way of life. Parents worried their children might be pressured by their peers into some radical procedure that would curse them for the rest of their lives. Other just couldn’t handle the growth of these mysterious sub-cultures with their own curious slang and practices. Violence broke out on the streets of many systems as “norms” and “genepunks” fought outside nitespots and pleasure domes.

 

 In retaliation some of the more conservative systems outlawed the technology (such as Epsilon Indi and Altair. Those who felt such a conviction to their new body-forms moved to systems where they could be accepted, mainly in the developing Human/Blee Creole of systems such as Pi³ Orionis and 107 Piscium as well as those systems with a strong transhumanist leaning.

 

 But it was felt that for some truly individual cultures to prosper this varied group of sub-cultures would have to lay claim to systems of their own and leave the “norms” behind. By the turn of the 24^th century the genepunks that decided to hold on to their new forms and managed to gain employment (such people were very popular in the media industry for instance) had amassed quite a sizable amount of capital, enough to purchase a number of small warpships to head out into the depths of space and build civilization on distant worlds, to be followed by the majority of genekids on slower but cheaper relativistic colony ships (some such as the Buffy and Spike were hollowed out asteroids filled with hundreds of thousands of colonists.)

 

 Two stars in particular where singled out, 37 Geminorum and Psi 5 Aurigae out beyond colonized systems such as Iota Persei and 107 Piscium. At 56.34 and 53.86 light years distant from Sol they were until recently too far out for anyone to serious think about sending out a colony. Probes had shown them to be prime untouched destinations rich in material and viable worlds.

 

 For the next twenty years millions from all over Community space waved goodbye to their worried families and unaltered friends and hitched a ride on a warpship to one of the systems in which the mighty relativistic colony ships were being assembled. Were-ever the eclectic collection of startling people gathers something of party would ensue. Spaceports would be transformed into a multicolored spectacle as people with mood-sensitive skin; individuals adapted to life both above and below water and those with animalistic traits mixed and showed off their modifications and sub- cultures.

 

 With the warpships zipping around setting up small colonies in the region (Castor, Chi Cancri, Rho Geminorum, BD +29 1441, BD +47 1419 and BD +29 1664 soon followed) the many and varied colony ships trekked their way across the stars. The worlds and system of the region were divided up by each sub-culture.

 

 The sextuple system of Castor with its abundant resources and rare elements became home for mostly space adapted sapients, including a large group of space-adapted neoapes (as in neo-apes with prehensile tails and comfortable operating in all levels of gravity.) Castor is also home to the majority of cyborgs and so-called techno-genepunks within the Genevogue who instead of turning to genetics to style their bodies use more conventional cybernetic technologies and nano-tech. Because of this they are something of an oddity in the Genevogue as most prefer biotech methods and are a little suspicious of the whole cyborgs/Artificial Mind thing.

 

 BD +29 1664 was renamed Sylvania and became home to the uber-goth/ vampire culture with its inhabitants dressed in black sulking around gothic cities and revealing in the mostly stormy weather of their adopted homeworld. Some assume that the inhabitants of Planet Sylvania are a gloomy lot but its inhabitants are full of life, they just don’t enjoy the sun a lot (which considering their star’s flare activity is perhaps a wise move.) Pushing biotech methods to extreme longevity (vampires in human myth were immortal) slanderous rumors of vampires feeding off non-consensual humanoids are unfounded, possibly spread by those who find their whole culture in bad taste!

 

BD +47 1419 was renamed Veracuoad by its HuBlee inhabitants, a group of people who successfully combined the Human and Blee genomes and cultures into something brand new. Golden-Badelilee, the A class world in the system is a planet with three different coloured moons dominating the sky (and causing dramatic tides that have caught out unwary visitors!)

 

The city of Gremmin’s Chance on Golden-Badelilee is typical of the blend of the Blee and Human traditions of its hybrid citizens.

 

Chi Cancri is the home to the oceanic world of Venice. Compared to similar such worlds where the humanoid and cetacean sapients (neo-dolphins, neo-whales, uplifted saquanshi from Blee and Jabborand from Ese) keep to their own spheres Venice has a much more integrated population. Aqua-sapients swim with the neo-dolphs through the colourful reefs and amphibious cities on the world in a culture where the land based feel very much at a disadvantage!

Venice is a world of shallow seas and volcanic islands. Most settlements have both submerged and dry areas.

 

BD +29 1441 (renamed Wild Star) and Rho Geminorum became the domain of the Ferals. Maybe not the largest but certainly one of the most influential of the myriad groups that make up what is now called the Genevogue their lifestyle is perhaps the most extreme in the Community.  Taking on the attributes of inspiring animals from all the Homeworlds and beyond but retaining their humanoid form for the most part the Ferals who stalk the wilderness zones of Wild Star and Rho Geminorum live an anarchic life of hunting, communing with nature, adventure sports and hedonistic pleasure.

 

 It is perhaps the hedonist side of Feral culture that is spoken about the most in certain company. Living a tribal culture of unrestricted sex and drugs some outsiders who come to the Feral worlds on holiday or to satisfy curiosity become intoxicated with the ways of the animalistic and raw inhabitants. Polite manners are not the way of the Ferals and with the exception of the more cosmopolitan groups in the capital systems of 37 Geminorum and Psi 5 Aurigae, Ferals often get into all sorts of social mishaps with their uninhibited behaviour and “barbaric” personal habits.

 

37 Geminorum itself has three viable planets, Javern, Liberty and Pandora. Javern was originally a desert world on its way to losing its oceans to a culminating green house effect until the terraformers stepped in. Now a heavily urbanised world home to an increasing variety of new body-fashions and sub-cultures its youthful vibe has given rise to the legend that there is no-one on the planet over fifty! The hedonistic lifestyles and cutting edge fashions of the world attract many youngsters whilst on their “trek”, possibly coming back with a tail or sparkling skin as a souvenir!

The party cities and nightspots of Javern serve an important social function. It is an arena for young Genevoguers to show off the latest in body-fashions.

 

Liberty is the more mature hardworking planet in the system. The first world to be colonised it is a benign viable planet with ferns and amphibious insects being the most complex land based life forms. The corporations and clinics of Liberty offer their customers the very latest in biotech. Be they frontier colonists looking to adapt themselves to their new environment (without changing too much about themselves) or fashion gurus from other systems looking for The Next Big Thing.

 

 Pandora is a Martian-type world terraformed within the space of 70 metric years. Its inhabitants are a tall and slim group (like the original Martians) nut with the added extra of wings. The Pandoran Angels as they call themselves had developed a pair of wings on their backs, which in the low gravity of the world operate very well. They soar high in the skies, between the high mountain peaks and over lakes and seas. The more hardcore Angels live in tree houses attached to Pandoran-adapted fir trees or live in cave cities on sheer cliff faces and canyon walls. Some say the Angels are an arrogant bunch, especially when outsiders attempt to fly along with them using nano-tech glider-wings or flying by in a car, the Angels openly mock those offworlder attempts to follow them with their abhorrent machines.

 

Krypton is capital world of the Psi 5 Aurigae system. It is a massive A class world with a surface gravity almost twice that of normal. Consequently the colonists of the world geneered themselves for great body strength and strong diamonoid reinforced bones. The biological process for re-enforcing bones structure with diamonoid (the strongest form of carbon) was taken from the indigenous life forms of Krypton and has proved a goldmine for the colonists. Any sapient wishing to follow a career involving some risky activity or violence jump at the chance to have a bone structure harder than steel. Kryptonians delight in showing off their strength when offworld, punching through walls and lifting heavy objects like the Superman from Terran mythology.

 

 Krypton has, not surprisingly a very macho culture with great pride taken in physical power. Kryptonian archietecture is tough and robust, not only because of the high gravity of the planet but also the local’s habit of destroying things either by accident or as a macho display. Kryptonians are notorious for causing unintentional havoc when visiting other systems and have earnt a clumsy reputation. Even the females of Krypton engage in macho displays earning them the nickname of Xena’s!

 

These days the Genevogue are not considered as radical as when they first appeared on the cultural scene. Changing your body using either biotech or nanotech is seen as merely an act of youthful rebellion or a statement on individuality. Most systems accept such behaviour and even celebrate it, especially those nations where free choice and individuality are venerated above all else.