It has been a couple of decades since the first Superhuman was created using gene enhancing techniques. Now, twenty years later, a whole new race of Superhumans exists. They are stronger, smarter and in almost every way better than the Ordinary. But what has happened to the Ordinary? What place is still left for them in the world?

Superhuman embryos

The first Superhuman was made in the fall of 2021. While investigating and researching possible vaccinations against the Covid-19 virus that conquered the world in the winter of 2019, scientists stumbled upon a DNA-enhancing technique. The vaccine against the virus contained certain types of RNA. During the analysis on how RNA would affect human DNA, scientists found that DNA could be easily manipulated. Since there were already studies on gene manipulation, it only took a year for scientists to figure out how to safely manipulate genes without destroying the original DNA.

The tests started out with people who were already terminally ill. After the first few persons started to recover after having their DNA altered, scientists moved on to testing on healthy volunteers from all ages, races and genders. It did not take long to start the first trials on embryos. After a couple of months the first Superhuman babies were born.

Ordinary outnumbered

Not only are Superhumans stronger and smarter, they are also healthier. Their life expectancy is beyond the life expectancy of the Ordinary. It will not take long for the Superhumans to outnumber the Ordinary. It is expected that in another ten years, the first generation containing more Superhumans than Ordinary will be born. But what place will the Ordinary take, if the Superhumans are better at being humans? Superhumans are already favoring other Superhumans to mate. Together they create Superhumans as well.

Discrimination

It is already noticeable that high functioning jobs are no longer hiring Ordinary. A whole new type of job discrimination has risen: jobs only meant for Superhumans. Children of Superhumans are also following separate classes with different curriculums. New Superhuman-only-schools have already been announced to open in the beginning of 2042. Furthermore, the army only hires Superhumans, because they are more easy to use in the field. They are stronger and make better choices in the battlefield, which leads to less injuries and deaths. This favors the use of Superhumans as opposed to Ordinary.

It also happens more and more often that Ordinaries allow their genes to be manipulated for scientific research. Ordinaries are being used as guinea pigs in new Superhuman trails, though a lot of Ordinaries remain. They still remember their lives before Covid-19 and before the hype of gene modification. But the question remains, is there room in the world for both races?

Rianne Haak