Terran Dusk: 2261

“Racial” Packages

Normal Human	Cost: 0 OP
No Characteristic Modifications
No Special Abilities
+1 to Rule of X calculations

• Normal Folks... Humans are the most prominent race, by far. Humans tend to come in three varieties - Terrans, Orbitals, and Junkers. Though each variety has a number of colorful metaphors for the others, no significant difference exists between them, save culturally.

Genetix Series

In the past half century, Helm Biocybernetics Corporation has been a mover and shaker in the field of Biotechnology and Genetic Manipulation. They’ve pushed the envelope of commercially available technology time and again with myriad successes in their Biosynthetics division. The Genetix Series of Biosynthetic beings are their crowning achievement to date. Commonly availble in three models, the Genetix Series are sure to meet the needs of almost every consumer.

Of course, this is all Helm Biocyb hype. While the Genetix Series are excellent products, they are by no means the pinnacle of Biosynthetic technology. Indeed, the best Helm has to offer is barely able to compete with the lowest garbage that Morningstar Corporate casts off. However, unlike the majority of Morningstar’s technology, Helm’s Genetix Biosynthetics are commonly available on Earth and in the Orbital Colonies.

In truth, owning such Biosynthetic beings is tantamount to being a slave owner. The Genetix Series and similar beings are quite capable of free will, insight, and creative expression. For decades, a debate about the moral and political status of Biosynthetic beings was waged among the Terran governments. These debates culminated in the Albrecht Decree of 2250, by which all Biosynthetic beings capable of proving their own independent, autonomous thought were “emancipated from their forced servitude”. The Albrecht Decree was a double-edged blade, however, for though it freed the various Biosynthetics to “pursue the moral, spiritual, and personal perfection of their Being”, it made no provisions for them. No restitution was ordered from the mostly corporate owners, and many Terran governments made no special effort to aid the newly freed “slaves”. Confused Biosynthetics had little capacity to acclimate to a new social climate, some reacting with violence, others with hysteria or suicide, and still others simply continued thier jobs as if nothing happened, banding together to meet subsistence needs. The social chaos that erupted was quickly quelled, however, when leaders began to arise among the ranks of Biosynthetics, aided by a variety of liberal politicians. By 2254, several countries had instituted divisions of Biosynthetic Affairs, intended both to watch the Biosynthetic population and to help them be assimilated into local culture by organizing employment and social outreach programs. In fact, some corporations found it easier to just re-hire their old Biosynthetic workers as employees, rather than expend the cost for training and maintaining a new human labor force. Of course, some corporations just folded outright, unable to continue without their cheap Biosynthetic workforce in the years than immediately followed the Albrecht Decree. Furthermore, the Albrecht Decree only applied to UN member nations, leaving many Biosynthetics still in bound service in the wilder territories of Central North America, the South American Continent, and Africa. Being beyond the influence of the UN or its decrees, The Orbital, Lunar, and Martian colonies were unaffected by the Albrecht Decree.

Helm Biocybernetics unveiled the Genetix Series in 2248, two years prior to the Albrecht Decree. Many of their Biosynthetics were freed on that historic day, but even more were not. To this day, Helm continues in the creation of new Genetix beings, fulfilling custom orders and exporting to the Orbitals. Helm has continued its operations by exploiting a loophole in the wording of the Decree, and using its considerable wealth and influence to crush any global legislation to correct it.

Genetix: Drone	Cost: 9 OP
+2 Strength	-3 Intelligence
+2 Constitution	-2 Willpower
+1 Body	-1 Presence
	-2 Movement
Advantages	Complications
High Pain Threshold	Distinctive Features: Genetix Drone
Thermographic Vision	(Total/Frequent)
Adaptation: Safe In Hostile Environment	Sterile
Spacial Position Sense

• Drones are the workhorse model of the Genetix Series. Short, squat, and densely muscled, the Drones have an almost simian appearance, with arms that hang low, past their knees. The Drones are not bred for intelligence, and most, while often friendly, are very simple and slow, lacking in creativity or problem solving ability. Each Drone model is created to be used in a specific hostile environment. Undersea models, for example, are capable of withstanding the extreme pressure of sub-oceanic work, as well as the pressure changes that come with rapidly altering one’s depth. Zero-G models are adapted to work in low or no gravtity environments for protracted lengths of time with only a breather tank. Arctic and Antarctic models are able to live in extremely cold environments, and similarly, models for high-temperature work are common as well. All Drones posses a high tolerance for physical hardships, the ability to see in both the normal spectrum and heat sources, and have an excellent sense of their own position in space – they rarely get disoriented in Zero-G or Underwater maneuvering. It is important to note that though Drones are bred to survive and function in certain environments, they still are, at base, human stock. Like all such beings, they still require food and sleep, and must breathe – even those underwater or in the vacuum of space.

Genetix: Soldier	Cost: +14 OP
+1 to all Physical Characteristics	-2 Willpower
+1 to all Combat Characteristics
+1 Movement
Advantages	Complications
High Pain Threshold	Implanted Sense of Duty (Major/Constant)*
Combat Sense (+1)	Distinctive Features: Genetix Soldier
	(Minor/Frequent)
	Outsider (Total/Frequent)
	Sterile
*A Player wishing to have had his Character overcome his imprinted Sense of Duty, may substitute a Psychological Impairment at the (Minor/Frequent) level, instead.

• The most human looking of the Genetix Series, the Soldier Model resembles a normal human save for a complete lack of body hair, a severely flattened nose, and similarly flattened ears, that rest pressed tight against the head. Built for combat, the Soldier is stronger and faster than a normal human, with better agility and coordination as well. However, the Soldier is meant to follow orders without question. Each Soldier is imprinted with a loyalty code upon creation which governs what or whom the soldier fight for. Unforseen by the folks at Helm Biocybernetics, it is possible for a Soldier to break his imprinting, though doing so often leaves a significant psychological scar. Soldiers are the least likely to integrate well into mainstream human culture, and often form communities with other Genetix Soldiers when not under servitude. They tend to be cold, tenacious, and ruthless in pursuit of their goals. They have manners, temperament, and demeanor better suited to professional soldiers than civilian life, rendering them perpetual outsiders in the world of the Normals.

Genetix: Professional	Cost: +9 OP
+2 Intelligence	-1 Body
+1 Presence	-1 Strength
+1 Tech
Advantages	Complications
Skill Predilection (Knack)	Distinctive Features: Genetix Professional
[any Science, Business, or Tech Package]	(Major/Frequent)
	Sterile

• Professionals, also known as “Big Brains” are almost alien in their appearance. Tall, but very thin and lanky, they have long, slender appendages. The head is somewhat out of proportion to the rest of the body, large and somewhat bulbous, it rests atop a thin neck. Professionals have the easiest time integrating themselves into human societies, and they are often pleasant and inquisitive people. Their intelligence sometimes makes enemies of professional rivals, but such instances are contingent upon the pettiness of the culture and environment. The rarest of the Genetix Series, the Genetix Professional is created to pursue a specific administrative or research focus, and often do so to the exclusion of other interests. Professionals have found employment in a variety of places, though the NEM hires more Genetix Professionals than any other Terran nation, and the Bubble often seeks out Professionals with a focus in the Terraforming Sciences.