Clones

Cloning represents one of the pinnacle applications of bioware. Each clone is genetically identical to the subject donating their genetic material to the cloning process. Clones are almost identical in appearance to their genetic donor, including their fingerprints and iris patterns. A clone can successfully navigate biometric security on computers and other security devices.

Many species create clones for an assortment of reasons. Cloning was vital on early colonization missions where it was the only viable option to sustaining a colonies population. An individual might turn to cloning to cheat death. There are core planets where cloning is the only culturally acceptable means of reproduction. There are even extreme cases were a species is so genetically depleted that cloning is the only thing keeping extinction at bay.

Clones are as common or rare as their necessity dictates in a colony, core world, or mega-corporation. Clones are more common in societies that dislike robots and artificial intelligence.

Selective Heredity

Occasionally, during the cloning process it is possible to subtly alter the hereditary traits passed on to a clone by its original body. For example, anything that varies from one member of the species to another (such as hair or fur color, eye color, skin pigmentation, etc.) can be altered by subtly changing genetic data when creating the new clone. All such hereditary traits of a trivial nature (i.e. that do not have any in-game effect) may be altered. Altering hereditary traits increases the cost of the clone by 10% and increases its item level by 1 when determining the minimum skill level required to create the clone.

Only certain aspects of a creature may be altered in such a manner. Height and general body type can be subtly altered, but not enough to change size categories or influence ability scores. Any coloration changes from radically different colors, such as black skin, orange eyes, and so on—may be made in this manner, but no changes to any pigmentation may provide any bonuses to skills (such as Stealth checks) under any circumstances. Such drastic changes require additional mutations and do not fall under selective heredity. Selective heredity can be applied to any of the cloning options.

Accelerated Gestation

Cloning allows scientists to create genetically identical embryos that age normally without accelerated gestation therapy. Clones develop and age at rates identical to their donor’s. Growing a twenty-two-year-old version of yourself would take twenty-two years plus nine months of gestation. Accelerated gestation allows the clone to mature at an accelerated rate until it reaches the desired age and is a replica of the donor at that age (minus scars, tattoos, and other acquired physical modifications).

Most people that need a clone don’t have years to wait. Clones grown with accelerated gestation are completed in weeks rather than years. It only takes one week to create a baby or a week per year of the clone’s desired age. A clone identical to your twenty-two-year-old self only takes twenty-two weeks. Most clones - but not all - are created with this method.

Memory Imprinting

Any clone that receives accelerated gestation therapy and is created to perform a specific task under goes a process called memory imprinting while it develops. Memory imprinting gives the clone the life skills it needs to survive and the professional skills it needs to fulfill its role. Some conspiracy theorist even speculate clones can be given hidden directives in their subconscious, which can be triggered at a later date. A clone with a soldier imprint would begin its career as a 1st level Soldier. Memory imprints cannot take a clone past 1st level.

Table: Clones

Name Level Price Type Source
Mini-Me, artificial womb 3 1,750 N/A SH:GA:BE
Mini-Me, accelerated gestation 5 3,000 N/A SH:GA:BE
Mnemonic transfer, flash 6 4,900 N/A SH:GA:BE
Replacement part, limb 8 10,000 N/A SH:GA:BE
Replacement part, organ 8 12,000 N/A SH:GA:BE
One of many, duplicate 10 19,500 N/A SH:GA:BE
Mnemonic transfer, new you 16 170,000 N/A SH:GA:BE

List of Clones

Mini-Me

Development Level Price
Artificial womb 3 1,750
Accelerated gestation 5 3,000

The oldest form of cloning is the creation of a mini-me. An embryo is created from a single genetic donor and grown into a baby. The baby is genetically identical to the donor. Although this can still be done the old-fashioned way where the embryo is implanted in a surrogate mother, it is most common to allow the baby to develop in an artificial womb. An artificial womb is the safest and cheapest way to produce a mini-me.

Each clone must still go through the same gestation period and developmental processes as a child conceived through ordinary procreation. In fact, without a detailed genetic examination it is difficult (if not impossible) to tell the difference between a naturally conceived baby and a clone.

Provided the clone is given the same nutritional and physical environment as the original donor, it physically develops in exactly the same way as the donor. The two may be completely different in terms of personality and temperament, much the same way as any parent and offspring. The clone may be a physical recreation of a person, but it is not an emotional or intellectual duplicate.

Mnemonic Transfer Clone

Development Level Price
New you 14 70,000
Flash 6 4,900

The “New You” mnemonic transfer clone is soulless and incapable of livening on its own. It will not produce its first synaptic pulse until an “identity” is transferred to it from another living subject. An identity cannot occupy two bodies at the same time, so once an identity is transferred to a New You clone its original body dies. The New You can virtually provide immortality for those who can afford it. New You does not include the peruse price on the mnemonic transfer pod. For additional information on mnemonic transfer pods, see Holistic Nanomedicine.

The latest in mnemonic transfer technology allows a subject to transfer their consciousness into a temporary “flash” clone. Flash clones are pre-grown generic husks which are not genetically identical to anyone, but readily accept genetic imprints and an identity from anyone with the same basic genome that it possesses. It only takes 1 minute per level of the subject to transfer their identity to a flash clone. Unlike a normal mnemonic transfer the subject doesn’t die after the transfer is complete, but instead remains in an induced comma like state until its new memories are transferred back, or 12 hours have passed. Flash clones do not possess all the biological systems necessary to live more than about 12 hours and they begin deteriorating as soon they are activated. This deterioration is painless and unnoticeable to most observers until its final hour. The subjects genetic imprint allows the flash clone to appear virtually identical to the subject, minus any scars, tattoos, cybernetics, or nanotech. Although, bionics and bioware augmentations do get imprinted on the flash clone.

In order for the flash clone’s user to remember their experiences, they must return to the mnemonic transfer pod and have their new memories uploaded back to their real body. This upload takes 2d6 rounds. If the user is killed or doesn’t make it back to the mnemonic transfer pod before the flash clone expires then the memories are lost.

Flash clones allow a person to experience something light years away from their location. They are used by megacorporation executives to attend board meetings and make surprise inspections of faraway facilities. Politicians use them to attend high risk events like negotiations with rebel factions or to give a political speech in person on an unfriendly fringe world. Some celebrities even use them while performing their own stunts for their latest holodeck features.

When a character purchases the use of a flash clone it includes a courtesy unitard, but they will have to buy any equipment they might need for their mission. A flash clone includes the cost of the nanites required to perform the memory transfer.

One Of Many

Developement Level Price
Duplicate 10 19,500

“One of many” refers to a type of cloning where one individual with desirable traits is cloned many times. These duplicates create a work force that might otherwise be unavailable or unobtainable. Although many of the clones will share similar personalities they will begin to diverge soon after being activated. If a person is the sum of all their experiences, a clone is no more the person whose genetic structure they share than they are a photograph or sculpture of that person. Each clone’s personality will be driven by their life experiences.

Duplicates are used as body doubles by personalities and VIPs to take their places for brief public appearances, dangerous situations, and other situations where they do not have the inclination or time to appear themselves. In societies where clones are not afforded the rights and protections given those born through procreation, genetic duplicates might be used as a disposable work force. Clones could be sent into the most dangerous situations, used to fill the ranks of the armed forces, and made to perform all manner of unpleasant activities. Depending on where the duplicates are created, this might be an accepted fact of life or there could be a group or political party that opposes clone repression. In societies that place a higher value on clone life, the world’s rich and powerful might still create cadres of clones. In this case, they would clone those people who are especially good at a particular job or activity. They could fill entire companies with people ideally suited for their jobs and who work well together. In this use case, the clones are often memory imprinted with the memories of the original individual.

Replacement Parts

Developement Level Price
Limb 8 10,000
Organ 8 12,000

Anyone with the appropriate levels in Life Science and Medicine can clone living tissue given they have the time, the credits, and a genetic engineering lab. Characters can have specific organs or limbs grown to replacing missing or damaged parts. Cloners are able to stimulate cells in the lab so that they spontaneously develop into a liver, lung, or kidney virtually eliminating the need for organ donors.

Cloned replacement organs can be grown whenever they are needed and match the recipient exactly, down to the last chromosome. There is no chance of a person rejecting their own cloned organs.

Cloning replacement organs is a much faster process than cloning an entire individual. It takes one day per item level to clone a limb or organ. The price of a cloned limb or organ includes implantation.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License