DNAM - A Few Thoughts

Introduction

GDW 2300AD contained an example of mass genetic engineering to colonise the hellworld of King (named after Martin Luther King). The genetic vector is called a DNAM (DNA Modifier) and is a virus. It's mode of action is similar to most cancer causing viruses - it infects (transfects) multiplying cells, and the new cells grow much faster than the old ones and crowd out the unmodified tissue. When the cells it targets (lives in) have all been destroyed/ transformed it can no longer survive in the host and it dies off. Sounds like an oncovirus or HIV? Yes, because that's exactly what it is.

Getting Transformed

The task to be transfected. The task is simple (3+ on a d10 in 1st edition, 2+ in 2nd) with physical endurance (typically 2 or 3) as a penalty. Yes, around half of all those infected with a DNAM will actually reject the virus and fight it off. The task is also hazardous, meaning that on a failure you roll 3d6 and consult this table

3-6: rejected with no side effects
7-10: rejected with unpleasant side effects
11-14: Mishap (roll 2d6 on next table)
15-18: Serious mishap (roll 3d6 on next table)

Mishaps
2: Reroll on above table
3-6: serious, permanent medical complications
7-18: death

So, of those infected with DNAM, ca. 50% will be transformed, about 25% will reject the virus but without permanent injury and of the remaining 25%:

80% will roll 2d6 on the mishap table leading to roughly 50% dying
20% will roll 3d6 etc. = ca. 91% chance of dying

= just under 60% chance of dying, assume this for a round number, hence:

of the transfected 10% will be permanently crippled and 15% will die outright. Close to 1 in 6, there's a nasty little game of Russian Roulette.

Effects of Transformation

The effects of the virus are:

• increases bone density (i.e. gives you Paget's Disease)
• increased muscle mass
• enlarged and strengthened heart
• at expense of lung volume
• probably disregulated vasculature

As a consequence the transformed human is unable to stop bleeding, and even a mild bruise can develop into a lethal internal hemorrhage. Their bones are effectively killing them slowly, and a painful arthritic old age (at 40!) awaits the lucky ones.

Breeding

GDW 2300AD says the modified can breed. Maybe they can, assuming stable nth generation transformed parents.

However, 1st generation female transformed already have all their ova, and these are not transformed - females born as normals and then exposed to the virus still have normal human ova. Also, most males probably develop testicular cancer and have to have them removed.

Hence we have a problem, transformed humans born that way will be able to breed more transformed humans, but those you transform won't. This can be solved by having 1st generation females breed with untransformed males and them inject the DNAM virus into the uterus soon after conception. 1st generation males if they still have gonads have transformed gonads, and so will be incompatible with 1st generation females.

Once you have a 2nd generation, these can breed true to their new type. However, the uterus can't be carried to term on the surface of King, but the acceleration of a rocket (needs to hit 8 or even 9 g to escape King's might grip, and have a lot of reaction mass) will cause a miscarriage. Worse, the internal injuries inflicted by such forces will probably kill any transformed humans aboard.

The female would have to be impregnated in orbit on the "birth boat". Since the transformed have to have the child cut out via Cesarean, and the transformed have a super-pressured circulatory system then some (many?) mothers will be killed by the surgery. They will bleed profusely, and one assumes the incision must cauterised, or the mother will die.

These requirements suggest a society where the females of child bearing age are shuttled upto the birth boat and used effectively as breeding stock.

Population of King

The author of the Colonial Atlas for King made both the American and Australian settlements a single "light effort" which assumes 2,500 new immigrants a year, but also assumes no death. Since the transformed humans have only half the life-span (roughly) this must be doubled. Hence

360,000 new transformed children born every year
5,000 new transformed

To have 360,000 new transformed children every year, given birth length and a 18 month refractory period (standard recommendation for untransformed humans now after a C-section) there are 1.08 million breeding women in orbit, excusing wastage. This is roughly a quarter of the population, and hence essentially all females of breeding age.

Hence we have a society where when a women reaches maturity she is taken away and expected to pump out new miners, errr, children for much of her adult life, and is returned to the surface when too old to breed. That's quite unpleasant.