Delta Green and Genetic Editing of Humans

 A Nature Briefing on the subject of gene editing slid into my emails a bit ago. It stated the following:

“In 2018, biophysicist He Jiankui kicked off a firestorm of controversy when he announced that he had edited the genomes of three embryos, resulting in the birth of the ‘CRISPR babies’ — an act that ultimately landed him in prison for three years. Nevertheless, some scientists are planning for a future in which gene editing babies eliminates certain diseases. Most scientists think it is unethical — at least for now — to introduce genetic mutations that can be passed to future generations. But the general public might be more sanguine: a survey [2023 published in Science] showed that 30% of people would edit their children’s genomes to improve the child’s chances ofattending a top university.”

The above addition in brackets is mine.

What this email linked to was a news article written by Antonio Regalado, published in the MIT Technology Review.  Regalado’s article was titled, “Beyond gene-edited babies: the possible paths for tinkering with human evolution.”

This is real. Regalado, a journalist specializing in genetic engineering, discusses the science of gene editing in embryos, the ethical considerations, what scientists are working on right now with CRISPR and other gene editing technologies, and potential genetic variants people may want to include in their genomes, or the genomes of their children.

Regalado also forecasts how people and governments could use or abuse genetic editing if it becomes widespread. The idea in our reality is terrifying.

Naturally my thoughts turn to the darker world of Delta Green. 

Below are some excerpts from the article “Beyond gene-edited babies: the possible paths for tinkering with human evolution.”  Additions in brackets and bolded sections are mine.

" “I would say my enthusiasm for what the human genome is going to be in 100 years is tempered by our history of a lack of moderation and wisdom,” he said. “You don’t need to be Aldous Huxley to start writing dystopias.” [By Fyodor Urnov of Berkeley]

…

At the Innovative Genomics Institute, a center established by Doudna in Berkeley, California, researchers anticipate that as delivery improves, they will be able to create a kind of CRISPR conveyor belt that, with a few clicks of a mouse, allows doctors to design gene-editing treatments for any serious inherited condition that afflicts children, including immune deficiencies so uncommon that no company will take them on. “This is the trend in my field. We can capitalize on human genetics quite quickly, and the scope of the editable human will rapidly expand,” says [Fyodor] Urnov, who works at the institute. “We know that already, today—and forget 2124, this is in 2024—we can build enough CRISPR for the entire planet. I really, really think that [this idea of] gene editing in a syringe will grow. And as it does, we’re going to start to face very clearly the question of how we equitably distribute these resources.”

...

Whether we encourage genetic enhancement—in particular, free-market genome upgrades—is one of them. Several online health influencers have already been touting an unsanctioned gene therapy, offered in Honduras, that its creators claim increases muscle mass. Another risk: If changing people’s DNA gets easy enough, gene terrorists or governments could do it without their permission or knowledge. "

Along with these ideas of gene terrorists or government gene controllers, consider that there could be gene scouts (an idea I’m taking from the book The Body Scout) that track down populations or individuals that have desirable genetic variants and obtain their DNA through any means necessary. Let your imagination run wild with that one. Do they use coercion or commerce to obtain the DNA? Who are they funded by? March Tech? Some cult like the Sowers? 

And another thing. Since Delta Green is part of the government, would they be on the leading edge of technology to actually understand what is going on or would they be like some sort of bureaucratic dinosaur ham-fistedly enforcing the law through violence and torching any new technology they find like a luddite?  I’m not saying either perspective is better; it may be interesting for a Handler’s group to deal with a well-funded rogue biotech firm rather than a Mythos threat for a change of pace.

Also consider that with this new technology, you will always have its early adopters and fanatical adherents. Instead of a Cult of Yog-Sothoth, how about a Cult of Human Perfection? They could function like a Mythos/religious cult, but their enforcers may be supermen with enhanced muscle mass and endurance rather than tentacles.

If Handlers decide to go down the Cult of Human Perfection route and want inspiration, look no further than the Ultimates faction in the scifi/horror transhuman rpg Eclipse Phase by Posthuman Studios. In the first edition of the Eclipse Phase core book (there is also a second edition now), the Ultimates are described as follows on page 82 of the pdf: 

“The ultimates are a controversial movement that embraces a philosophy of human perfection. Decried by some as immoral or even fascist, ultimates are typically viewed as elitists.

…

The ultimates advocate the use of applied eugenics, strict physical and psychological training, and asceticism in order to improve their overall mental and physical stamina and environmental adaptability. Their social traits and entire subculture visualizes life in the universe as an evolutionary battle for survival and is built around the victory of the superior transhuman over both its opponents and peers. Their movement is heavily militarized, and experienced ultimates offer their services as mercenaries and private security forces to hypercorps, independent city states, or wealthy individuals in need of additional protection.”

This is a good description of a militaristic cult that could slot in perfectly to the horror saturated world of the Delta Green Mythos.  After all, a good human-based horror is a nice break from fighting supernatural Things from Beyond the Stars.  

But let’s revisit the ideas of gene terrorists, gene controllers and gene scouts. Part of the horror with these three ideas is future-shock.  Or in the Delta Green dystopia, horrible things done in the name of human advancement. We’ve already discussed gene scouts, so let’s move on to the other two.

Let’s define a gene terrorist as someone who inflicts a genetic based disadvantage on a target to harm the target or exploit it for financial gain. For example, a gene terrorist could hold an individual or population’s health for ransom.  This biological ransomware could require Agents to travel to some isolated place on the globe and rescue, say high value tourists. Or it could be more nefarious, in which the gene terrorist blackmails a third party’s health and forces the third party to cause problems for the Agents.

In contrast, the idea of a government gene controller would be more subtle. Imagine a government mandating that certain genes are turned on or off in its employees. The idea is terrifying enough, but how would this mechanically function?  A Handler could impose a malus to skills or attributes…or if the Handler is particularly twisted, give the target Agent a genetic benefit but require the agent to pay monthly or carry out certain undesired tasks to get another hit of that sweet, sweet genetic augmentation.  At this point a particularly devious Handler could consider that this transient genetic augmentation functions as a drug…and the unfortunate target Agent has an addiction (both physical and mental) that affects how they behave from day to day.

How would the other Agents react to having a “juiced up” superman in their group? Is it a burdensome secret the modified Agent needs to keep from his Delta Green circle or even home life?  Would the modified Agent eventually start to sympathize with para-humans like ghouls or Deep Ones or cultists that court their Gods for mutations?  What if there is a population of cultists that turned to the Mythos for power to make them on par with a genetically modified population.  Could you blame them?

Special thanks to Sammy J and Doubloon, both on the Night at the Opera discord server, for thoughts, discussions and recommendations for this blog post.  In particular, Doubloon made me aware of the book The Body Scout, and Sammy J suggested the Ultimates and Eclipse Phase.