Dersite Reproduction
For Dersites, reproduction is completely decoupled from sex and sexuality, therefore those topics will be covered in another article. Dersite reproduction takes place exclusively in the Veil, on dedicated asteroids built as enormous laboratories.
Inside these laboratories are a vast complex of scientific equipment and computers predating even the medium itself. The computers here hold a fixed number of blueprints– one for each Dersite, minus the King and Queen who are unique, and not created in this way. Each blueprint contains not only the genetic information for a particular Dersite, but also the basic skills and knowledge he or she will need for his role is encoded into the blueprint.
When a Dersite is to be produced the biologists at the lab load their blueprint, like running a computer program, into one of the liquid filled tubes that function as synthetic wombs. The individual is then grown from raw genetic material over a course of months or years. Regular ‘citizen’ Dersites take around 10 months of growth, pawns for the battlefield 5 or 6, and the more advanced, bestial ones grown for war can take up to two earth years. The reason for the discrepancy is the relative times to grow larger/tougher, more physically complex beings with more complex mental programming.
Each Dersite produced bears a mark on their wrist, like a genetic barcode, identifying them. Like fingerprints, each is unique, however they are very difficult to damage, even if the shell is scuffed or scratched.
When a Dersite is finished, he or she is brought to consciousness just before the liquid from the tube is drained. At this point they are a complete, functional adult with all of the skills necessary to complete their designated role within society, as well as a good base of general and cultural knowledge that will allow them to quickly integrate.
Aside from soldiers Dersite reproduction is a rare event. All of the ‘models’ in the genetic ‘catalogue’ were initially produced near the beginning of the medium (more on that in another article) and they are functionally immortal, rarely needing to be replaced. When one does die, by accident, or murder or other mischance, an order is (with few exceptions) put into the labs to produce another of their model to replace them.
The newly created Dersite is functionally a twin or clone of the original, with the same general thrust of personality, and the same general knowledge as per the process of their birth, but no memory transfer is done. (This is possible but considered extremely taboo). The fresh Dersite is a completely distinct individual from the last, though they do bear the same bar code.
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