Nietzschean

The Nietzscheans are a subspecies of genetically engineered Humans.

Biology
Nietzscheans are a directly derived sub-species Homo Sapiens Sapiens, that have been modified at the genetic level. They have the same amount of chromosomes as an unmodified Humans, although there is less variation and chance of mutation, removing the threats of everything from cancer to eye sight deficiencies.

Nietzscheans are immune to some poisons (aconite, ammonia, antipyrine, arsenic, atropine, camphor, hydrocyanic acid, iodine, lead, picrotoxin, & strychnine) and diseases (diphtheria, hepatitis a, hepatitis b, influenza, Lyme disease, measles, meningococcal disease, mumps, pertussis, pneumococcal disease, polio, rabies, rubella, tetanus, and varicella).

Nietzscheans are only immune to the Earth-based diseases and poisons that were developed and/or discovered Prior to their leaving Earth in 3477 (as listed above; this can also include other diseases and poisons from the time period and on). Nietzscheans, even with their strong immunological systems, are still susceptible to modern poisons and diseases.

They are able to breathe chlorine gas for short periods of time, although long-term exposure (longer than 30 minutes) will cause permanent harm, just as if they were a "normal" human.

Nietzscheans are able to survive in harsher environments easier than a normal human can, and pride themselves on thriving where normal humans wouldn't dare to tread. It should be remembered though that Nietzscheans are not indestructible, and most environments that are inhospitable to Homo sapiens are also inhospitable to Homo sapien invictus.

Biologically, Nietzscheans reproduce in exactly the same way as Earth humans do. One male and one female is all it takes to reproduce and create a Nietzschean child. Nietzscheans enter puberty anywhere from 10–14 years, with an average of 11.8 years of age.

Their bone blades are a natural outgrowth, and are fully developed by mid-puberty. The bone blades can be either perpendicular to a forearm or can lie on a forearm with blade tips pointed toward the arm elbow and are controlled by a voluntary muscle on each forearm that attaches to the bone blades. The bone blades are made of a bone-like substance, and can be used as a natural weapon in personal combat when blades are perpendicular to forearm to stab an opponent. The removal of the bone blades without anesthetic can cause a Nietzschean great physical pain, but the blades will grow back.

Finally, the Nietzschean lifespan is a maximum 150 years of age.

Culture
The Human philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche believed that strife and conflict would inevitably reshape men into something better and stronger than what they once were. As a superhuman species, Nietzscheans took his words to heart and used genetic engineering and nanotechnology to reshape themselves into the ultimate survivors.

Nietzscheans have built their culture on the twin pillars of social Darwinism and Dawkinite genetic competitiveness. Their single-minded devotion to self-improvement and the propagation of their own genes can strike other species (even their non-Nietzschean Human cousins) as selfish and arrogant, yet in practice the Nietzscheans' boundless energy and willpower have made them valued contributors to the Systems Commonwealth and many other cultures and worlds. For all their genetic engineering and superhuman strength and endurance, Nietzscheans are still human beings, with human emotions.

History
The Nietzschean subspecies originated at Ayn Rand Station. In CY 8400, Dr. Paul Museveni, a human geneticist, left Earth and headed out to deep space with about 3,000 followers. Dr. Museveni's views were not considered proper, and thus he was shut out of mainstream scientific society. Four months later, the Museveni Fleet arrived in the Omari Globular cluster just outside the Milky Way Galaxy. A habitable world was found orbiting the Beta Sirrius Omega star, Museveni and his followers named this planet Fountainhead and declared it the home world of the new Nietzschean sub-race. Ayn Rand Station was built in orbit around Fountainhead in CY 8402. The station was constructed by converting one of the ships from Museveni's origin fleet. Rand station would later become the political capital of the new Nietzschean alliance. The settlements on Fountainhead continued to grow. The people willingly embraced the philosophy of Dr. Museveni, which was based on elements of Nietzsche, Rand, Darwin, and Dawkins.

Drago Museveni, the clone/son of Dr. Paul Museveni, was born in CY 8403 (It is revealed later in the series that Drago had actually time traveled to the future to obtain the DNA of Beka Valentine in order to further enhance the Nietzschean race). Drago's children were the first true Nietzscheans born, the result of genetic modifications. Because of his influence, the first Pride was formed: Pride Museveni. Drago had a philosophy all future Nietzscheans would come to emulate(most of which was taught by Rhade). Due to the modifications of their genetic codes, they developed three bony spikes called "bone blades" on each forearm.

Within four years, nearly 4,000 more Nietzschean children were born. These children were the first members of Homo sapiens invictus, and they were the first generation of Drago Museveni's genetic manipulations.

In CY 8422, Paul Museveni died under mysterious circumstances due to a rare type of arsenic poisoning. His son Drago, at age 19, took the mantle of leadership of the Nietzschean people. It was suspected by some that Drago had removed his father, but it was never proven. In CY 8423, the second pride in Nietzschean society, the Drago-Kazov Pride, was formed after Drago broke ties with Pride Museveni and formed an alliance with the Kazov clan. A year later, the Kodiak, Jaguar, and finally, the Three Rivers prides were formed.

Drago Museveni died of natural causes in CY 8456. Rheged Mossadim of the Three Rivers Pride was chosen as the new leader. Thirty-one years later in CY 8487, the Nietzscheans decided to spread out, establishing Zarathustra, their first colony, in 3576 and Enga's Redoubt followed near the end of the year. Midden was established in CY 8505 and then Dawkinstown and Victoria in 3585. Barbarossa and Hawking followed roughly a year after that. Kagame's World was established in CY 8520 and Cestus Mortialis in CY 8525. The Nietzscheans established the colony of Enkindu in the year CY 8534. Four years later, the newly formed Nietzschean Alliance established the Bedford Forest Colony. The last of the Nietzschean Colonies was established at Hephaistos IV in CY 8542.

The Nietzschean Alliance continued to govern themselves. The strongest and most able of their men became the leaders, the new Alphas of the Nietzschean culture who compete in combat to determine the next ruler of the Nietzschean Alliance.

Formal first contact with the Systems Commonwealth was made in CY 8544. A quick, but cautious, alliance formed; the Nietzscheans were happy to find their long-lost human cousins returned to them. However they did not join the Commonwealth, preferring to keep their independence. They became loose allies instead, sharing culture, technology, and other interests. Eventually, in CY 8553, the Nietzscheans formally joined the Systems Commonwealth.

With their gospel of gene-based survivalism and self-improvement, the Nietzscheans quickly spread throughout known space, reproducing rapidly until by the 52nd century, they constituted 8 percent of the overall human population (and 2 percent of the overall Commonwealth population).

Rebellion
For centuries Nietzscheans lived as loyal Commonwealth citizens, obeying its institutions, serving in its military and energetically contributing to its welfare — until they decided to destroy it.

Nietzschean discontent with the Commonwealth had been growing for decades, with many viewing it as a decadent and insufficiently challenging environment for a people as energetic as Homo sapiens invictus. But this simmering unhappiness rose to a boil after the Magog invasion of 9766 and what many Nietzscheans regarded as an insufficiently aggressive Commonwealth response. Long a frontier-dwelling people, many Nietzschean worlds found themselves along the front lines of Magog/Commonwealth confrontation, and suffered greatly from Magog attacks. Dawkinstown, Hawking, and Kagame's World — were only a few of the Nietzschean planets and settlements terrorized by the Magog.

Talk of Nietzschean secession from the Commonwealth began in earnest during this period, with the leading Drago-Kazov Pride beating the drum for a full-scale insurrection. But many Nietzscheans opposed such a radical course of action — until the Treaty of Antares. This peace treaty signed with the Magog in 9781 was viewed by the vast majority of Nietzscheans as the ultimate betrayal of the losses they had suffered and the burdens they had borne in the fight against this implacable foe. The negotiators who made peace with the Magog may not have realized it at the time, but in the course of taming one enemy, they created a far more dangerous one in its place.

With the majority of Nietzscheans now backing a full-scale assault against the Commonwealth, preparation for the attack began in earnest. Nietzschean-owned shipping firms went on a ship buying and building spree, choosing vessels which could easily be converted from harmless civilian transports into lethal military vessels. Passenger liners became troop ships, cargo vessels became cruisers and destroyers, and couriers were converted into stealthy attack fighters.

Similarly, the Home Guard units on Nietzschean worlds were beefed up with new personnel and equipment, and even in the elite High Guard Argosy and Lancer Corps, Nietzschean officers and crew made plans to betray their ships and units and turn them over to the enemy. In secret, a vast armada of 10,000 vessels was assembled in the Hephaistos system, with smaller strike groups positioned throughout Commonwealth space, ready to pounce on unsuspecting High Guard bases and Commonwealth seats of power when the signal to strike was given.

At Hephaistos System, a rogue black hole allowed the insurrectionists to send distress signals to a large number of High Guard starships, summoning them into a trap where they could be picked off one by one. In CY 9784, over 200 top-of-the-line vessels were destroyed in this fashion, until the captain and crew of the heavy cruiser Andromeda Ascendant managed to draw off the fleet's fire long enough for much of the crew to escape and reach Slipstream. Their veil of secrecy about to be broken, the Nietzscheans struck, and struck hard. Their intent was to overthrow the Systems Commonwealth and replace it with a Nietzschean-dominated empire.

In the opening days of the war, the attackers inflicted devastating losses on the High Guard fleet and ground forces. Despite the Commonwealth's overwhelming military superiority, defeat appeared swift and certain, with the Nietzscheans already planning to establish a post-Commonwealth Nietzschean Empire.

But rather than roll over and accept defeat after these initial losses, the Commonwealth regrouped and fought back fiercely. Interestingly enough, some of the High Guard's few victories were actually achieved by Nietzschean commanders, for a sizeable minority of Nietzscheans (including Dylan Hunt’s friend Ismael Khalid) remained loyal to the Commonwealth and fought bravely to preserve its ideals.

Mutual Destruction and Long Night
A war that was supposed to end in weeks lasted over two years, and rather than resulting in a Nietzschean triumph, ended in the two sides' mutual annihilation. The last battle of the Commonwealth Civil War was fought in CY 9786 at the Witchhead Nebula when High Guard ships were ambushed by a sizable Nietzschean fleet. The two fleets destroyed each other almost completely. The Nietzscheans would've won, had a mysterious ship known as the Angel of Death not appeared (eventually revealed to be the Andromeda Ascendant briefly thrust back in time through a slipstream mishap). It led the Nietzschean fleet on a chase, then detonated the nebula, taking out at least two thirds of the fleet. Shortly afterward, the Magog crossed the Quarantine Zone in strength and numbers never imagined. Swarm Ship fleets roamed all of known space, indiscriminately attacking Nietzschean and former Commonwealth worlds alike. With no central political authority remaining and reliable interstellar communications only a memory, individual worlds were left to fend for themselves.

Weakened by the war to overthrow the Commonwealth, the ruling Nietzschean Drago-Kazov Pride was betrayed and attacked by Pride Jaguar in CY 9787. The Nietzschean alliance was shattered, and instead of replacing the Commonwealth with a Nietzschean empire, chaos reigned instead. Fountainhead was rendered uninhabitable by orbital bombardment from either a Pride Jaguar attack or a final act of vengeance from a remaining High Guard starship.

The remains of Nietzschean Progenitor Drago Museveni were recovered and entrusted to Kodiak Pride, one of the Drago-Kazov Pride's allies. More than two hundred years later, in CY 10021, the still-powerful Drago-Kazov Pride betrayed the Kodiak Pride and seized the remains of the Progenitor from them. Kodiak Pride was exterminated, and the Progenitor's remains were relocated to Enga's Redoubt, the Drago-Kazov homeworld.

Post-Fall
As instigators of the civil war that ultimately destroyed the Commonwealth, Nietzscheans aren't the most popular denizens of the current post-Fall landscape. The war itself proved devastating to the Nietzschean people, with untold billions killed in battle fighting on both sides. Many Nietzschean Alliance planets were on the front line of hostilities and suffered greatly in the war, while Nietzschean populations on many Commonwealth worlds were subjected to internment and mob attacks. The inter-clan wars and general strife that began with Pride Jaguar's betrayal of the Drago-Kazov and continue to this day have proved even more pernicious to the long-term health and survival of the Nietzschean people. Dozens of once-powerful prides, such as Atreus, Kodiak, Al-Sharif, Three Rivers, and Banyamulenge, have been all but exterminated by other Nietzscheans, while still others have fallen prey to Magog, Than, or other hostile powers. Meanwhile, those prides which remain powerful, such as Drago-Kazov, Sabra, and Jaguar, spend much of their time defending territory from each other or putting down revolts by restless subjects. Despite this they remain a dominant power in the post Commonwealth era. Others, who have remained loyal to the Commonwealth, joined a number of humans lead by Sara Riley to the planet Tarazed, who they will live with in peace and co-existence.

After three centuries, with the re-emergence of the Andromeda and its plan to resurrect the Commonwealth, the Tarazed Nietzscheans and Sabra-Jaguar Pride joins Dylan Hunt's cause.

Unfortunately, the enigmatic being known as the Abyss, had caused a new Nietzschean uprising, resulting in the occupation of Sinti, the near loss of an entire High Guard fleet and the corrupt Commonwealth collectors ally with it.

About two years after the Commonwealth reformation, the Drago-Kazov and Sabra-Juguar Prides make a move on Tarazed, now the new Commonwealth capital. It was only opposed by a few defense forces, their very much surprising Alpha Mother and the Andromeda. It was forced to go through the Route of Ages to the Seefra System in order to use the Vedran sun to destroy the Abyss. It is later reported that Tarazed had survived the attack.

Psychological & Social Characteristics
- Fair is not a word in the Nietzschean Lexicon;

- Rabid Self-Interest that can progress to Destructive Self-Interest;

- Godlessness;

- Blunt Honesty, but capable of extreme dishonesty as well;

- Strong Individualism;

- Monsters staring at the abyss and having it stare back;

- You can win big, but you can lose big too;

- Total personal responsibility of actions

Nietzscheans will switch sides if necessary, to whatever side seems to be winning or will bring them the most honor in the eyes of their fellow Nietzscheans.

Known Nietzscheans

 * Tyr Anasazi
 * Gaheris Rhade
 * Telemachus Rhade
 * Freya
 * Lucrezia
 * Saladin
 * Olma
 * Agio
 * Charlemagne Bolivar
 * Elssbett Mossadim-Bolivar
 * Victoria
 * Barbarossa Anasazi
 * Temujin
 * Tamerlane Anasazi
 * Desiree D'lene
 * Parvati Quechua
 * Gaiton
 * Ismael Khalid
 * Ursari
 * Szabos
 * Kiyama
 * James Severin
 * Errin Shohashi
 * Genghis
 * Dimitri
 * Cuatemoc
 * William Ataturk
 * Guderian
 * Zhukov Pashtun
 * Niobe
 * Isabella
 * Zarathustra
 * Arjun
 * Cuchulain Nez Pierce
 * Shig
 * Lipp-Sett
 * Calleb Voth
 * Melea
 * Kallan
 * Louisa Messereau
 * Jillian Rhade
 * Promethieus Wellington
 * Stalin Kuleshov
 * Andulasia
 * Zayas
 * Iskander Hassan
 * Olorun Bonaparte
 * Ferahr al-Akbar
 * Alric Augustus
 * Ogun Bonaparte
 * Malthazar Jrinto