Junction Pt. 01

Children were listed as 'pure', in the case of Dragon's and the local entitled race(s), 'pure' humans were effectively considered extinct. At that time due to the extensive genetic manipulation over the previous 2,500 years.

Humans were still a category but they were mostly human and considered to be human by the significant percentage which had to be greater than any dragon or entitled race. Typically 51% human was required, with few exceptions.

As the fastest-growing races, humans were watched and populations controlled. Humans became the batteries of the world, which helped to control the population while border wars helped to trim those populations even further. They were often seen as chess pieces; pawns in those struggles and there to be sacrificed unless truly gifted assets who happened to survive.

When human children achieved the age of 18, they were then assigned a role in society starting with a two-year stint in the military, if capable. The military had the Army, which included all aircraft, and the Mage Corps. Some units were a mix.

Those ill-suited for military service or who was better suited to another path were examined to fill other roles in society, those numbers were few if any in any given year as even a science prodigy could be useful inside the military.

Scientific research, magical construction, law enforcement, and technological manufacturing were considered potentially viable occupations for humans after the minimum 2 years of service.

Farmers and miners were an exception to military service, but not typically in a good way. Miners working for the dwarves in some lands were seen as expendable slave assets in some of the more dangerous mines. All males were forcefully sterilized to keep their genetics out of the population.

Women who sought children had to make other arrangements as they were still fertile, but they could grow 'crops of children' if only for the Ki they would bring in. If only to extend their own lives further.

While mega-corporations were run by 'entitled individual humans', they were all watched over by the entitled races and the Dragons of the City-State they operated in to ensure they would not be a direct threat to any of the 'truly entitled races' of society.

Especially the Royal Families. History recorded the destruction of one City state due to a failure to protect the local royal family from a bio-engineered weapon over 550 years ago. Else 'humans' were left to their own devices to exploit their own kind. Yet another control mechanism to the human population.

Humanity had a natural penance for fucking each other over. Survival of the fittest as it were. While human children were a form of currency that form of currency was called a resource. There were several kinds of resources. Be they a magical relic or technological discovery (created or found but the rarer and more exotic the more it was worth as determined by the Royal Family at their sole discretion.)

Another resource was a number of energy crystals. They were used to run or create magical and technological wonders. Dwarven miners typically found those in some of the more dangerous mines. They were the pieces used to merge science with magic.

The final form of currency was the only transferable currency (legally) between the cities, the DC's. If you looked to relocate between City-States then getting your assets into a bank and getting a DC value assigned to them was the only effective legal means of commerce.

Those funds could then be placed on credit chits; like the pre-paid credit cards of 'Earth' without annual fees or even names associated with them. Dragons hated hidden fees; thus, they were barred.

The story of Jace

Codename: Project Chimera

Location: San Angeles Mountain Top Research Facility

Sealed and restricted medical files on subject Jace, primary and only surviving subject in the Chimera Project as transcribed by the project overseer, Sylvia Xioroz:

"The project consisted of 10,000 carriers and only had one viable survivor produced via this method, Jace. The parental hosts of the subjects were spliced from 2 female human mages eggs to increase the genetic markers of non-human species in the child at birth.

I genetically manipulated both eggs and pulled all but a small percentage of human DNA from the eggs for all test subjects created, to match the species 874 genetics inside of those eggs.

Only small percentages of species 874 in the 'mothers' genetics were shown in those eggs before splicing them together. After splicing the percentages were 1.5-2x higher than the individual eggs. An anomaly or the genetics from 874 happened to stack together. Regardless Subject Jace had 1.77% species 874 in his genetics from the Mother's egg.

The sperm donors' sperm were harvested from a pair of career war heroes. Almost all human DNA, except for the residual markers from species 874 used on both men in earlier trials of the program which were relatively high. Species 874 genetics could never fully be removed from any test subject. Estimated species 874 percentages from those given spliced sperm samples were 14-22% on those tested.

In subject Jace's species 874, receiving half from each parental donor showed his species 874 genetic percentage at 10% within the embryo. The end product for each embryo was implanted into several hundred surrogates over the course of 12 years, yet only one test subject survived this approach to genetic alteration. When he was born he was given the name of Jace by his genetic creator, Sylvia Xioroz.

Females were brought into the program to do comparative studies on mass production of the offspring to create yet another line of super soldiers for the army. I used Jace's genetic template to match the females through traditional genetic manipulation techniques.

Jace's life was conducted within the lab as he learned about the world, ancient humanity, tactical combat, strategies, computers, computer security, and the art of War. All educational information fed to him via accelerated courses and subliminally where directed by his geneticist creator.

That included courses in computer hacking, engineering, forensics, weapons mastery, and the use of and creation or disarming of improvised weapons. Including explosive devices. Jace had no concept of individual identity during this time.

He only knew survival through competition against other subjects from other test lines. Initially through academic testing and eventually through physical assessments; one led to 'a death match' as part of the evaluation pre-adolescence within 'the program' and before the normal evaluation exam done as a teenager.

---

Jace was brought into a locker room with 7 other students at the facility he did not know. The facility was large and had many experimental prototypes being conducted. The man in charge, A former spec-ops member of the staff looked at them but had a blank name tag, "This is a project culling day. Meaning 8 genetic lines who are within a month of each other in age are being pitted against each other in physical and magical combat.

This is a tournament-style deathmatch. One on one combat. A deathmatch means to the death, you have to kill the other opponents you are put up against. Only one of you will leave the arena alive. It will decide the fate for any others in your test line.

You will not be entitled to bring any weapons into the arena and no armor is allowed. The winner will be taken back to full Ki, receive a Series 645 Optical implant, and some other modifications as authorized by your specific creator. You each have different designers and the rest of the upgrades will only be known by your designer. You were breed to be weapons. This is where you prove it."

Jace was, by far the largest of the group, standing almost 7-12 cm taller than the other 7 in the room. He was also more tones. He did not see a fair fight physically and knew some of them must have been magical talents. He saw a killing field before him, but the unknowns of magic gave him pause not to get too cocky. 7 minor obstacles to overcome to survive, but they likely had surprises.

They were given no names, moved through two separate doors, and sent into the arena, one by one with instructions, "Wait for the green light. Then kill your opponent."

His first opponent shot a flaming ray at him as the light turned green. Jace dove out of way. Ran toward and up the wall at the side. The other boy pursued him. Jace flipped over him locked his legs around the boy's neck and did a triple no-handed cartwheel and snapped his neck as he came to his feet standing over the boy's lifeless body.

He was taken out a different door and sent back in 30 minutes later. He noticed there were now 4 bodies in the room. Both boys went toward each other and squared off with similar martial arts moves. Jace adapted and started breaking his legs at the knees before ripping his throat out as he was much faster. He was moved to the original room he came out of earlier.

15 minutes elapsed and the smallest of the group remained with 6 bodies. He did a quick analysis and determined that those he had not killed, died by magical means. He was faced with a magical opponent. That meant he needed to get out of the way quickly and close the gap.

The light turned green and he ran left as the boy fired not 1 but 4 ice rays toward him. Jace outran the first two but got hit by the next 2 and was pissed. He shot his hand forward and a powerful nearly invisible arms shot from his arm.

He punched a hole through the boy's ribs and heart in one telekinetic punch. The remains of which were embedded in the wall and door behind him. Jace then calmed and looked at the ground. 7 dead bodies. More than half of which he killed himself.

That was the first time he ever experienced or tried to do magic and it was raw and bloody. He was built for combat and he knew it, as did those who observed the fight. Including Sylvia who looked shocked but then smiled at him for his surprising ability to adapt and release something untrained.

---

"Jace was put into his first death-match at 10 years of age, normally something done in Spec-Ops training only. He killed 4 competitors in the 8-man bracketed tournament. During his final match, he shocked the observes by deploying magic at his enemy as he unleashed raw magical energy into his opponent.

A telekinetic punch that damaged the wall behind it. He knew little about himself beyond being bred to be a weapon. Now he knew that was very accurate. A genetic gladiator as it were. Genetic modifications, in his case, had been completed not just pre-birth, but pre-conception.

His was a new approach being undertaken by this creator. He was the only 1 of 10,000 Chimera subjects to actually succeed in being fertilized and born without obvious genetic defects.

Such as extra limbs, eyes, or missing those same features. Those who were defective from this testing were immediately recycled for there Ki within the program's laboratory"

This was done personally by his geneticist creator. That Ki was unregulated, meaning it was taken 'off the books' and kept or sold by the geneticist. Often to the Royal Family's reserves.

"Jace's training was hard-coded into his mind over the years. His annual evaluations showed strength, agility, intellect, and [as demonstrated in that deathmatch] with offensive magical talent that had been untapped into before that testing.

The later being raw and unfocused without a magical focus. An ideal solution in fact was it was considered yet another control mechanism for this species. At least for this early stage of development. His last opponent and first were both magically trained but were not permitted focuses, they did not need them.

Magical training was restricted in an attempt to identify what talents he might develop on his own 'naturally' until military training was 'officially' initiated. His military applications appeared to be extremely strong and worthy of further consideration."

---

The initial briefings on the subject going to the King of the Royal Family after he was 10 years of age, his shocking display of raw magic which had not been displayed by the subject previously was also noted to the King.

This briefing occurred at Jace's first visit to the Royal Palace to show the doctor's latest handiwork. He was manacled for the visit because of the magical talent. He had the body and muscle mass of a 14-year-old at that stage.

Doctor Xioroz received critical praise and approval for her ingenuity in the approach in creating Jace from the Royal Family, the San Angeles facility being the only place known to attempt this level of genetic research.

---

"Jace's 16-year evaluations were considered to be in the top 1% of the top 1% for those with a 10-year military veteran background, let alone a new evaluation.

He was placed into Advanced Military Tactical Training and given some minor formal magical training at that point, to help him focus that power through a focus mostly and not to teach him new abilities as they wanted to see what he would develop on his own.

That started 6-months after turning 16 once the King approved of the additional training regiment. Used normally for adult Spec-Ops operatives after coming of age and having been in the service 5-10 years.

This training was unprecedented and pulled him out of the standard Military Academy to undergo this training with actual military veterans. That led to 3 more deathmatch demonstrations where he was the youngest in the group with no field experience. That training ran until his 18th birthday. After his indoctrination into the military though 'standard basic training' which was a 1-month vacation for him.

He was selected again for 'formal' special operations training for another year, and 2 more sets of deathmatches were done but those matches had been done by squads of all human recruits. He was the only candidate from 124,894 subjects in that year's graduating class to be put into Spec-Ops training directly.

Again military Spec-Ops training was considered advanced for veteran human subjects only. It had been unprecedented to bring one in from basic-training, yet he gained more advanced tech and Ki upgrades for how well he did in those tournaments."

---

72,511 were put into the regular military some were combat medics and healers, from that year group. 3,479 were allocated into the mage corp portion of the military from this number, and only 511 when into the Military Science corp.

As to the rest of that subject year's annual 'crop', 20,231 were released into mining and farming communities as sterilized males. Strong enough to do the work required. Most remaining females if they had strong genetic markers were released into those same programs while they kept them fertile to generate human Ki crops at a minimum.

18,045 fell into this category, females who would look for fertile mates if they desired to improve their lives beyond being a wife of a sterile farmer or miner. Yet another control mechanism to limit the population growth.

The rest of the males and a small number of females were harvested for there Ki directly; based upon class ranking and genetic quality. This created a market for 'approved soldiers' to be sought after in finding females to give children too.

Once they were out of the service or they had at least finished with their initial 2-year enlistments. This helped to supplement those families' incomes. They could breed more soldiers from the best of the lot while keeping the 'average farmer or miner' with weaker genetics from contaminating the genetic pool, at is were.

---

"Every stage of advanced training earned Jace more Ki and tech; when he was finished he was once again at 100Ki above his calculated construction cost with a full 50Ki expansion unit. He was a true weapon to be put into the field. The council disagreed and I overrode their rejection when he turned 18. The council appealed to the King and my ruling on the matter stood. At 19 years of age, his 2-years of required military service truly began.

They did not count Spec-Ops training in the enlistment time for mandatory service, especially coming out of the program and for someone who had not signed up to be a lifer as of yet. Something that could only be done once the mandatory training was completed.

He would complete his service on his 21st Birthday. He had no family or advocate to object to this approach on his behalf because of how he was manufactured by his creator. His genetic template of what was developed was applied to modify the offspring from 4 separate female children coming of age selected as breeders.

Once he was selected for special operations training, before becoming 18 years of age, and him being permitted to start breeding experiments. This was done to generate up viable mate subjects for further study through more 'traditional gene therapy' via genetic manipulation.

While Jace's final configuration was randomized in the Petree dish, these females underwent gene therapy to match the percentages that this survivor had produced. Some were born in the program and others were taken from parents for further experimentation at birth. Standard practice for single mothers and those born from multiple births of married couples in regards to human offspring only." End of sealed Genetics file.

---

Beginning of Sealed Military record. Jace was placed into a Mastro97A unit. Not just an Elite Spec-Ops unit, one with the highest mortality rate and lowest chances of success; for even a single mission. Let alone one every 6-8 weeks this particular unit would be subjected too over the next 2 years that the King had planned for him to undertake.

The King wanted to see if the doctor's latest work would continue to impress. He liked Jace, Jace was respectful and articulated how and why he did things during his 'deathmatch assessments' when brought before the King to review the footage of the matches. Jace's observation and hearing skills also astounded the King.

He wanted Jace to undergo a trial by fire as it were; his program was costly and he needed to know if Jace would become the template of his future army. Jace had impressed in training and he watched that transition in the field without missing a beat.

Actually, impressed would have been an understatement. Raised from a private to a sergeant in Spec-Ops training. He was a Captain at the end of his two-years stint after being the only human to ever complete a 2-year sting in a Mastrao97A unit.

Jace turned down the opportunity to be a military lifer by purchasing his way out of the service. He looked to work in the private sector. The Royal Family had a dilemma, he was talented, dangerous, and an asset they wanted to call upon again when the need arose.

Yet they were extremely nervous about him going off the rails, working against the royal family, or working for another royal family. He would be released and monitored for life as the King found him to be exceptionally loyal, especially after his last mission.

He had earned the opportunity, always proven himself loyal, and given his 'defect' a long-term asset still under their control as they could recall him back to active duty if the need arose. Jace, like all of those released from the military after only a 2-year stint, were still subjected to a Royal recall at literally any age as age at that point was irrelevant.

As long as he resided in the City-State or if he returned to that City-State. They would work to ensure he remained in the City-State of San Angeles. The subject was authorized for release upon completion of his final physical assessment.

The King signed the order which amused the King as he had monitored Jace's activities in negotiating with Dr. Xioroz. Jace's creator dug herself in a hole with Jace. The King wanted to see how these two human hybrids squared off outside of the 'program-controlled' framework.