Belter gene modifications

[shadowdancer]

Could Belter, Star League and or Clan gene modification change the appearance of an adult human. Making a change in DNA and appearance that would not match the original human.

[beachhead1985]

Totally.

The old fluff had the Magistracy of Canopus able to create catgirls, mermaids and centaurs. Just for kicks.

[Daryk]

It really doesn't take genetic modification for that... Cosmetic surgery is totally a thing and would be enough.

[AlphaMirage]

You probably couldn't and shouldn't change all the genes of a human because then it would be messy.

Most of the Clan's (sans the canon rumor GeneCaste or water people of Frobisher) gene 'modifications' are merely pure-breeding (the point of a bloodhouse) with particular genes selected for 'performance'  (the point of the bloodname) but Elementals/Pilots/Belters are genetically human, just different phenotypically and given specialty training/upbringing.

Much of the Belter modification is as likely to be extensive training (like Clanners) and selection vs genetics with maybe some cybernetics in critical places or merely superior equipment or medicine (SLDF dead-end tech from their history). The same is likely true for the Ebon Magistrate and the MoC's 'Exotic Performers' (Catgirls, Centaur, Mermaid, etc...), just limb cybernetics and specialty gear from an interstellar empire that specializes in medical technology and 'acquiring' 'objects of interest.'

Just like modern SOCOM Operators, Warrior Houses of the CCAF, Shadow Divisions, or Lohegrin you can accomplish much with some moderately advanced technology, motivation, and a bit or large amount of immoral/brutal selection and training of a small portion of your population.

[shadowdancer]

I am not saying to change all of the DNA. But could you change voice, eye retina, ear lobe and fingerprints all the things that would identify a person. Change eye and hair color would be easy. But make somebody a little taller or shorter, broader shoulder, shoe size to become somebody else. Not to make a double of someone but make an alternate ID that could not be traced. All in an adult.

[Paul]

I am not saying to change all of the DNA. But could you change voice, eye retina, ear lobe and fingerprints all the things that would identify a person. Change eye and hair color would be easy. But make somebody a little taller or shorter, broader shoulder, shoe size to become somebody else. Not to make a double of someone but make an alternate ID that could not be traced. All in an adult.

No, you'd get truly exceptional amounts of cancer. You'd have them be born that way.

[AlphaMirage]

All of that can be done via cosmetic surgery, disguise/spy gear, or prosthetics in universe already for the most part (taller yes, shorter no).

[Daryk]

Well, you could do shorter, but you'd probably need a wheelchair...

[Hellraiser]

The old fluff had the Magistracy of Canopus able to create catgirls, mermaids and centaurs. Just for kicks.

You know, the 1st seems fairly easy, the 2nd even if its more like "Tritons" with webbed feet/hands v/s a full tail, but the last?
I'm just wondering WHAT that actually looks like.

[beachhead1985]

All of that can be done via cosmetic surgery, disguise/spy gear, or prosthetics in universe already for the most part (taller yes, shorter no).

I took that retcon as authoritative, myself.

[Hellfire]

Could Belter, Star League and or Clan gene modification change the appearance of an adult human. Making a change in DNA and appearance that would not match the original human.

This is a pretty late reply, but hopefully it will be useful for someone.

Your looking for Type 6X augmentations for the externally visible genetic alteration. Type 6X is: "EXOTIC OR EXPERIMENTAL GENETIC ENHANCEMENTS (SUCH AS HUMAN/NON-HUMAN GENE-SPLICING)"

Here a basic description of the augmentation type.

Indeed, Star League-era genetic manipulation was so advanced that it allegedly made the creation of actual mermaids and other human-animal hybrids possible, and it was a recurrent fad among the more eccentric nobles and wealthy elite in the Star League period to undergo genetic therapy for cosmetic effects. Thus, even in the modern setting (albeit in very remote areas), descendants of the generic manipulations might be found—their alterations to the human genome possibly grown monstrous after generations of mutations and inbreeding.

Buyer beware, your grandchildren may grow vestigial heads or have their skin turn blue (also from A Time of War Companion), Battletech has a bunch of genetic conservative types who may try to stone you, the FWL anti-augmentation sentiment extends to genetic mods to the point modified heavy grav worlders fled across the Lyran border to Gulf Breeze and they didn't have tails, Clanners would probably try to sterilize you at best, etc.

[Maingunnery]

One loophole for the gene mods would likely be to artificially grow edited tissue/organs, and then use surgery to add/swap them.

[Daryk]

That would be pretty tricky to do to fool a blood test...

[idea weenie]

One loophole for the gene mods would likely be to artificially grow edited tissue/organs, and then use surgery to add/swap them.

I could see something like this as mass-grown small organs whose only purpose after implantation is to consume excess calories and produce critical vitamins.  I.e. Vitamin C, Thiamine, Niacin, and other vitamins.

[Daryk]

That's begging for consolidation into a micro-nutrient generator or some such.

[idea weenie]

That's begging for consolidation into a micro-nutrient generator or some such.

I figure a Micro-nutrient generator won't self-heal like the fake organs would.

But a larger setup that is used for multiple people at a time would be useful.  Give it an external power hookup, a source of sugar water, a decent supply of nitrogen, a set of various internal bacteria that produce the necessary vitamins, and it would produce a 'vitamin slurry'.  Good for towns or remote mining operations that can't easily import vitamin pills from off-world.

The fun part is making sure you don't get a bacterial mutation that makes it less efficient, which could be solved by using 3-4 separate bacterial tanks for each vitamin and monitoring their output.  Whichever produces the lowest nutrition per unit of sugar water would get dumped, its container would get sterilized, and whichever container produced the most nutrition per unit of sugar water would be introduced to the cleaned container.  Depending on the capabilities, introducing fresh bacterial specimens every year or so might be good along with sending the older bacterial cultures back for analysis.  (This would be used by the company for research into better bacteria for the future generations, and would be part of the contract you sign.)

[Wrangler]

In the fluff (more current) the Belters were living longer than typical base-line humans in the Inner Sphere. Though there was example of individuals living longer (see Morgan Kell example) remaining fairly active as they enter normal senior age that would leave average person less active or deprecated.

Belters could also have some DNA changes to allow them remain in space without medical pills from losing marrow loss in their bones or suffer other Zero-G effects.