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 23rd 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 24th 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.
Places In The Galaxy
Early Warp Era Colonies