Alpha Clones

A breakdown of Alphas, their abilities, their importance, and their decline. If you've ever seen an Alpha, here you will learn why that sight was a priveledge.

Concept

As detailed in the general section on cloning, the production of the Alpha Genome was an attempt to perfect the human form. Every aspect that could be enhanced was boldly pushed to the limit of our DNA and the result was a being of extraordinary gifts. The passion of those who developed the Alpha Project has changed our way of life. Their perfect vision has propelled us beyond our wildest dreams, saved us from certain death, inspired us to achieve greatness, and led to what some would call the next evolution of our species. Alphas were created not just to safeguard us against the dangers of an ever expanding universe, but to unlock mankind's potential. They sacrificed themselves for the belief that we could realize that potential on our own.

Abilities

The following are the primary abilities that every Alpha is genetically programed with from birth. Some are enhancements of natural human function, while others were transfered abilities from other species or even independantly fabricated.

Tissue Strength and Durability- Enhancement of bone and muscle density, cellular function and repair, oxygenation and hydration processes, etc... provide Alpha Clones with extraordinary strength and speed with minimal requirements by way of sustenance.

Neural Efficiency- Optimized neural pathways and increased bloodflow to the brain allow Alphas to boast increased intelligence, enhanced analytic and problem solving skills, and the cognitive capacity to process many of their other abilities, some of which would overwhelm an average human brain.

Eidetic Memory- A fascinating side effect of amplified brain function is the eidetic or "photographic" memory that all Alphas possess. To this day every known Alpha retains the ability to recount any given day of their life since early in the developmental stage with impressive detail.

Visual Acuity- Modifications to the optic nerve and retinal function have ensured that every Alpha posesses the maximum level of human visual potential, 20/8 as opposed to the 20/20 human norm. Their higher sensitivity to the visual spectrum allows detection of extremely subtle shifts in luminosity and color as well. Their perfect vision pairs well with their attention to detail and proficiency at memorizing it.

Semi-Ultrasonic/Infrasonic Hearing- Increased sensitivity of nerve endings in the ear canal and improved auditory brain function result in an extension of an Alpha's range of auditory range far beyond human levels. From 16Hz up to 100,000 in recorded tests, an Alpha's hearing spans from the low range of elephants to the high end of bats and whales. Their sensitivity to light and sound ensures that they are rarely caught off guard.

Absolute Pitch- Another side effect of the Alpha development is their ability to match pitch perfectly arcoss the entire human vocal spectrum. This pleasent ability is believed to be a merger of the Alpha's excellent hearing and strengthened vocal chords.

Enhanced Chemoreception- The primary function of this ability is an improved sense of smell, but Alpha Clones have been known to detect changes in atmospheric content, barometric pressure, and other environmental changes not linked to detectable aromas. This is another attempt to perfect human sensory perception.

Hyper Somatosensory Reception- Similar to the adaptation of hearing, the amplified sensitivity of the nervous system, particularly within the integumentary system (specifically skin), amplifying an Alpha's sense of touch. The ability is so significantly enhanced that Alphas have been known to identify incredibly subtle changes in wind and weather as well as subtle ground tremors and the telltale signs of impending earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Early use of clones as planetary scouting parties relied heavily on this ability to analyze climate and terrain.

Omniturnality- In keeping with the goal of creating a perfect guardian for humanity, with maximum strength, speed, and all forms of perception, Alphas were relieved of the need to sleep, thus ensuring that they could always be alert and on guard. While physical and mental rest are still a necessity at times, Alphas never sleep and are actually incapable of it.

Ultra-Preflex- A combination of an Alpha's finely tuned nervous system, enhanced brain function, and strength and precision in movement give them astounding reflexes. Alpha's have been reported to mentallly and physically react to stimuli faster than an average human's ability to precieve, their motions often described as a blur. Their ability to recognize and respond to threats with inhuman strength and speed made them ideal soldiers in the war against a far superior species.

Omnidexterity- Another fortunate byproduct of combined Alpha abilities is their adept use of either hand or foot in any function. Alphas have been known to use the ability to impressively multitask, such as simultaneously writing in one language, reading another, and speaking a third.

Immortality- One of the primary selling points of the Alpha Clone Project was the genetic immortality each clone posesses. The introduction of reverse transcriptase into celular function effectively eliminates the aging process and Alphas level off relatively uniformly around the age of 30. The term "immortal" has led to some confusion and given rise to the belief that Alphas are invincible, but those few who remain can attest that their fallen brothers are proof of their remaining vulnerability. No Alpha will ever die of old age, but they can be killed.

Appearance

Alphas are exact clones, thus they are identical in base appearance. While some degree of variation did take shape over the years, it was not until the war that experience and circumstance whittled away the uniformity and a broader spectrum of Alphas emerged. Most of those that survived the war are so subtle in their shifts from the norm that most non-Alphas would be unable to spot the differences, but remaining group of uniform Alphas comprises the crew of The Equidae that left civilized space long ago. The few Alphas that can be found in Earth Space and the colonies today tend to have unique preferences in style and appearance.

With that being said, there are fundamentals to the Alpha look that are inescapably universal. Alphas are white males with naturally brown hair and blue eyes. They are 5'10" with a typically lean build. Weathering from combat and other sources varies their apparent age from late 20's to early 40's with an average look of about 33 years.

Personality

The fundamental trait of Alpha personality is a fierce loyalty to mankind, to each other, and especially to Legate Orion, their designated leader. Despite what some conspiracy theorists may have implied over the years, at no point has any Alpha posed a threat to any human being or Beta Clone. Their dedication to the survival and protection of humanity has been proven countless times to be without question, a discipline that may be due to their growth and training process, or may be some genetic disposition as yet unidentified.

As stated above, variation in the Alpha Clone population has expanded over the course of the last two centuries. Events of the war began to mold some Alphas differently and those that have remained within colonial space have continued to branch off upon their own paths since the departure of the majority of their kind. Alphas today are hard to find, and usually intentionally so, but efforts are now being made by the Legion to reach out to these all but forgotten heroes in the hopes that we might benefit from their wisdom and experience. Interviews with several Alpha Clones are currently underway and will likely be published soon.

Conscription

The transition of the Alpha Clones from scouts, laborers, and facilitators to warriors was abrupt. In the early days of the war the only survivors fleeing from the Core advance were Alphas and the few humans they picked up along the way. By the time a defense was organized, the front lines were already heavily populated by the Alphas, those organizing the retreat and those arriving in support. Evacuation of the civilians of The Dillamanse became the highest priority and facilitation of that goal was left without discretion in the Alphas' hands. The official conscription of the Alpha population into the newly forming Earth Space Defense Force was essentially a formality before they took command at the borders of the colonies and prepared for the arrival of The Core. The image of the Alpha Legion quickly became a reality in form and function. After the Siege of Alpha Nova, the Alpha's ability to withstand the overwhemling might of The Core solidified their position at the head of the Legion, with full colonial support soon to follow.

Exhaustion

The common question asked is why Alpha Clones are not still being produced today. With the ability to create such impressive superhumans, why bother with anything else. The initial answer is simple; we no longer have the ability. The continued replication of the Alpha Genome, despite efforts to maintain its purity, has deteriorated the blueprint for the perfect human. The final generation of Alphas showed slightly diminished function of many of their abilities, a weakness that claimed many in their early useage and nearly all of those remaining over the course of the war. The Alpha Genome was spent and at the time there was no need for more.

But what about when the need arose? When the Core swept through the colonies and laid waste to the hard earned progress of humanity, where was our superhuman technology then? With the enemy out there to this day, where is our unconquerable host? The answer here is not so simple.

The fundamental issue is what many in the cloning field refer to as the "Alpha Constant". This is a general term for the concept that the Alpha Genome is the only possible combination of Alpha abilities in a single being. Essentially, the original project discovered, through decades of trial and error, the one perfect construct able to realize the full human potential. While other genomes may successfully combine several of the Aplha abilities, attempts to create a new Alpha have proven impossible by the time they are halfway complete. Coupled with the fact that several contributing species are no longer available for mimicry in the cloning process, many top researchers today believe mankind has lost the fundamental components to build a new Alpha Genome or anything like it.

And then there is the matter of public opinion. While none can deny the necessary role that Alphas have played, many now question the need for a "superhuman" clone. There are those who continue to maintain that it is neither natural nor ethical to artificially reproduce the human form, to say nothing of enhancing it to what some consider god-like levels. Today, the controversy over the status and rights of Beta Clones remains a sensitive enough issue to completely deter anyone interested in the pursuit of the new Alpha.

Exile

Where are the Alphas now? When the conflicts of the war slowed to a trickle and then stopped altogether, the ravaged people of the colonies were eager to leave their woes behind and begin life anew for humanity amongst the stars, but the ever vigilant Alphas were steadfast in their posts in defense of humanity. Despite their constant appeals to maintain the Legion's strength, assess the enemy, and prepare for the war to resume, the Alphas' fears were steadily set aside in favor of an imagined peace. When their "warmongering" became too much, they were ceremoniously relieved of duty and honorably discharged. Legate Orion was granted several concessions including the personal acquisition of his flagship, The Equidae, upon which he set out to parts unknown with all but a few of the remaining Alphas.

Though the image of an Alpha is as iconic as ever, the sight of one today is rare, with only a dozen or so confirmed to be within colonial borders. Those that remain are often said to be a different lot than those who left. In the years apart from the Alpha Host, many have adapted to their various surroundings and developed quite differently. Perhaps the only Alpha still widely known is Legate Cygnus Kings, the lone Alpha still of rank within the Legion. Legate Kings currently heads Legion recruitment and oversees Centurion training.