Meta-Humans

Meta-Humans (Also known as Homonus Vltrus), are a sub-section of Humanity. They are Humans with a unique gene on their 23rd chromosome pair, designated as "MH-001" (colloquially known as the Meta-Gene), which gives them superhuman abilities when activated. Generally thought to be a natural offshoot of humanity, Meta-Humans have become a prominent demographic within the larger expanse of the world - concentrated primarily in Western countries due to their origins. While Meta-Humans have been generally integrated into society and culture, they are nonetheless targeted as scapegoats for various geopolitical and economic circumstances. They are also weaponized in various experimental programs which are done in order to provide strategic benefits to various nations and organizations across the world.

Characteristics

Cellular Structure

Meta-Humans are generally born with a unique 23rd chromosome pair in their genome, carrying a gene known as "MH-001" or more casually as the "Meta-Gene". This gene, found in the nucleolus of the cell, encodes specific proteins that lead to the creation of "Metachondria" - unique organelles found inside of the cytoplasm of Meta-Human cells. The MH-001 gene also encodes for the creation of Meta-Proteins known as "MHP-002" and "MHP-003". In addition, enzymes known as "MHE-004" and "MHE-005" are encoded in the MH-001 gene as well. The Metachondria of the cell produce biochemical substrates that bind to the MHE enzymes in order to catalyze the metamorphic reactions that give Meta-Humans their abilities. There are enzyme inhibitors that can weaken the effectiveness of these reactions, however they are generally disabled in the bodies of most Meta-Humans.

Physiology

Most Meta-Humans have a skeletal and musculature structure very similar to that of a Human being. There are no discernible differences from regular Humans in the case of most Meta-Humans. However, certain Meta-Humans with visually distinct characteristics (e.g., wings, animalistic features) may have varying skeletal and musculature systems; usually maintained by the innate abilities manifested from their Meta-Gene. Most Meta-Humans have a degree of physical strength generally above that of normal humans - due to a byproduct of their Metachondria cellular factors amplifying the production of musculature cells, for reinforced durability and strength.

Meta-Human brains have an extra gland called the Metamorphic gland which secretes a hormone called "MHH-006" or "Metatone". Metatone is responsible for the regulation of the Meta-Human body's cellular metabolic activity, serving as a secondary mediator of cytologic activity within the body. Blocking the production of Metatone leads to a gradual wind-down of metabolic activity in Meta-Human cells, with the inevitable effect being the complete loss of their powers; so long as the Metatone production system is deactivated. This neutralization factor is the basis of Meta-Human Dampener technology used by the Meta-Human Response Division (MRD) and all Meta-Human law enforcement organizations.

True Origins

In reality, the Meta-Gene and Metanium are direct manifestations of the Power IsoMatrix - one of the core foundational forces of existence.

History

Early Period (1960s - 1970s)

Meta-Humans first came about as the result of an experimental procedure involving alien material, recovered from a meteorite strike. The meteorite, an obsidian and ruby ore the size of a car, crash landed in the continental United States on June 6th, 1960. The meteorite was immediately recovered by the U.S. Government and examined for study. Upon initial inspection, scientists noticed a strange, glowing red substance arcing across the crystaline structure of the meteorite ore. The substance was chemically inert in most circumstances, but reacted strongly in the presence of biological material - carbon-based in nature. After theorizing about the substance's potential mutagenic properties, the substance was then dubbed "Metanium", and initially believed to be a new chemical element from the deep reaches of outer space.

Subsequent experimentation involving the Metanium led to the creation of the "Meta-Human Genesis" Project. An experimental initiative in which the Metanium substance was suspended inside of a carrier fluid, aerosolized and then converted into pressurized vapor. This was done after learning that Metanium could be evaporated from its liquid state at room temperature - at extremely high pressures (even sublimation from a solid state was possible with the same pressurized conditions). The lead experimenter on the project was Dr. Amadeus Grayson - a revered scientist and molecular biologist, hired by the U.S. Government to determine the viability of the Metanium substance for combat purposes. Although reluctant at first to engage with the request, Amadeus eventually relented. The first experiments involved injured prisoners from correctional facilities who had waived their rights for experimentation purposes. The subjects were injected with a saline solution of the vaporized Metanium, intravenously, in order to observe the potential of the mutagenic substance adaptational abilities. The subjects all died shortly after injection - with the cause of death later determined to be the concentration of vaporized solution given.

However, one subject did achieve success with the experiment. The subject, known as "MHEXP-001", was a man in his late 20s with no history of genetic or environmentally developed diseases. The lone survivor of the subject was then subsequently tested again several times afterwards. With each injection of the Metanium, the subject became more and more unstable - until they finally manifested Pyrokinesis; the psionic ability to generate and manipulate fire and flames. This was the first officially recorded display of a Meta-Human ability.

Later in the testing process, Dr. Grayson continued his experiments on behalf of the U.S. Government - only later relenting after recognizing the unstable nature of the subjects he was creating. They were seemingly stronger and more durable than regular humans, with a remarkable degree of supernatural skill and power. He would later name these humans "Meta-Humans" for their blatantly supernatural displays of power and strength. During one of his experiments, Dr. Grayson had been testing a variant of the Metanium that had mutated into a different form. This new variant of the Metanium was highly virulent in nature, capable of propagating itself in its inorganic state like a virus. During an experiment, a test subject instinctively threw the vial containing the mutated Metanium away from them - causing it to fall to the ground, shattering.

The shattered vial then released the inorganic and virulent mutagenic substance - causing it to begin rapidly transmitting itself throughout the facility, out of the ventilation systems and out into the wider world. The substance - undetectable to the human eye, would later propagate across the entire world, slowly mutating the genetic information of all Human beings - but only Human beings. Now carrying the MH-001 gene due to the genetic recombination effects of the Metanium - humans would slowly begin giving birth to Meta-Humans at a gradual rate. The recessive nature of the MH-001 gene made the propagation slow and gradual, but over time more and more Meta-Humans would start to appear across the world - leading to their later emergence as a sub-group of humanity.

Decades later in the mid 1980s, Dr. Amadeus Grayson would later die from concentrated exposure to the Metanium substance; leaving behind his two young sons, Elias and Silas Grayson, to continue in his footsteps and further their understanding of the Meta-Gene.

Classifications

The Meta-Human Response Division classifies Meta-Humans into various different classes and types. These classifications are generally made with the purpose of assessing the variability of threat posed by each potential Meta-Human criminal they encounter. Most Meta-Humans registered in the MRD Database are given a classification based on their demonstrated capabilities.

Main Classes

There are 5 main Meta-Human classes, ranked in scale and in terms of severity pertaining to MRD assessments. These classes include:

Omega (Ω): Meta-Humans with abilities so exceedingly powerful, that they cannot be contained by any means. Omega Class Meta-Humans are more of a "theoretical" classification than an actual practical classification.

Alpha (α): Meta-Humans with abilities that are far beyond the capabilities of a regular human. Containment of Alpha Class Meta-Humans is incredibly difficult, generally requiring the Meta-Ops Unit to contain properly. (e.g. High-level Telepathy)
Beta (β): Meta-Humans with abilities somewhat above those of a normal human. Containment is very difficult, requiring proper planning, coordination and tactics. (e.g. Psionic Manipulation)
Gamma (γ): Meta-Humans with abilities slightly above those of normal humans. Containment requires some coordination and planning, though not much. (e.g. The ability to produce and control flames)
Delta (Δ): Meta-Humans with abilities that give no material advantage over those of regular humans. Containment does not require MRD personnel to achieve effectively. (e.g. The ability for the individual to change the color of their eyes)

Types

In addition to the main classes, there are also different "types" of Meta-Human categorizations, each dependent on the unique nature of the abilities being assessed. The types can be connected with the classes in order to give a more appropriate classification of the Meta-Human being assessed as well.

The Meta-Human types include:

Zeta (Ζ): Meta-Humans who can manipulate energy. (e.g. Omni-Energy Manipulation)
Mu (μ): Meta-Humans who can manipulate matter. (e.g. Particle Manipulation)
Omicron (Ο): Meta-Humans with the capacity to "evolve" Meta-Human abilities; either their own or those of other Meta-Humans. (e.g. Self-Power Augmentation)
Rho (ρ): Meta-Humans who can manipulate their bodies in some way. (e.g. Shapeshifting)
Phi (Θ): Meta-Humans with extraneous abilities that aren't covered by other types.
Psi (Ψ): Meta-Humans with Psionic abilities. (e.g. Telepathy)

Dampeners

Devices created to negate the abilities of Meta-Humans. These devices produce carefully tuned ultrasound frequencies that are extremely low-level in frequency. As these ultrasound frequencies come into contact with Meta-Humans, they reverberate across their bodies and create a resonance within them. This resonance causes a disruption to the Metamorphic gland inside of the Meta-Human brain, leading to the aforementioned gradual negation of their abilities. Dampeners generally operate as high energy machines, requiring substantially large wattages of electrical current to sustain. Some Meta-Humans, under rare circumstances, can develop a partial resistance or even an immunity to dampeners. In such cases more invasive approaches, such as neurosurgery to remove their Metamorphic glands, may be required. Chemical treatments involving the creation of hormonal inhibitors may also be utilized.

Meta-Humans with external physical structures and components (e.g. wings and feathers) will still retain their physical characteristics - even under prolonged exposure to dampener frequencies. Extremely long periods of chronic exposure to dampener frequencies are required to reverse the effects of physical Meta-Human alterations. In the absence of this chronic exposure to Meta-Human dampener frequencies - Meta-Humans may opt for surgery or gene recombination treatments to expedite the process of returning to their "human" forms instead.

The Meta-Human dampening phenomenon was first demonstrated by Dr. Elias Nathaniel Grayson as part of his doctoral thesis regarding integrated Meta-Human endocrinology and virology. The patent for the first medicinal Meta-Human Dampener device was then filed as a joint venture between Elias Grayson and his friend William Whitemalkin; making it the first commercial product of his company - Grayson Industries. The next breakthroughs involving the Meta-Human dampening phenomenon came from Dr. Silas Matthew Grayson - and involved the miniaturization of the electrical components and semiconductors required to activate the dampener machinery. This new "portable" dampener was drastically smaller in size - around the size of a large water cooler. The resulting device was one of the first commercial products created by Archeon Incorporated in their early years as a science and technology company.