Fading Stars Classic Traveller Setting

A clone is a biological copy of an existing being, known as a pattern, and created using the pattern’s own genetic material. Most clones are produced in artificial wombs called metabolic chambers; such clones are sometimes called vat-grown. Some clones follow a normal gestation period, after which they are removed from the chamber and allowed to mature normally like any naturally-born child. The metabolic chamber can also be used to accelerate growth to about one year per week. This forced growth process allows for the creation of adult clones, though this technique also accelerates the aging pattern of the clone.

A force-grown clone body has no developed personality, though it is possible to implant a recorded personality, skills, and memories into the clone’s brain. The implant may be an unaltered recording copied from the pattern, or the implant may be selectively edited to remove memories or shape the personality to better support the clone’s intended purpose.

Guest Clones are deliberately-created clones intended to be cheap laborers. A guest is a skilled duplicate of the pattern, lacking only the memories of the original. A suitable pattern provides genetic material samples, and personality and skill recordings. Guests are then force-grown and implanted with an edited recorded personality and skills. Although memories are supposed to be edited out of the personality, the process sometimes fails. Guests are typically sterilized when created, and many have physical markings that clearly designate their status.

The legal status of guest clones within the Imperium and the Solomani Confederation is often unclear, and individual worlds may grant expanded or restricted rights to guests. Imperial law considers permanent, uncompensated labor to be the equivalent of chattel slavery, but has repeatedly found that indentured labor is acceptable provided the term of service is delimited and the guest receives “reasonable” compensation and treatment.

Indentures can be sold, traded, or bought out early if the owner wishes. In any case, each clone is legally obligated to fulfill the terms of the indenture to the best of its ability. Once the indenture is complete guests are freed from further service. Although rare, escaped guests that are still under contract are subject to repatriation and may be hunted by bounty hunters.