The Marvels of Meta-Humans by Kenichi Tanoue, Ph.D. (Copyright © 14 AE)

Chapter One: Introduction to Meta-Abilities

Years ago, the world thought that our civilization was coming to an end. Little did we know that it was simply the beginning of a new age. A world with meta-humans, humans with abilities that transcend those of the common homo sapiens, was born.

Since then, we have gained an abundance of knowledge on the extensive potential of meta-abilities. While there are a few people that continue to fear a future that is dominated by meta-humans (metas), it is expected for humans to fear what we don't understand. With this text, I hope to show you how metas are not to be seen as harbingers of fear, but rather heralds of hope. And together, both metas and humans alike can bring about a thriving Age of Evolution.

Fortunately, the basics of meta-abilities are quite simple: metas are capable of transferring energy to and from other molecules. In fact, humans have the same abilities; whether we are pushing a shopping cart in the grocery store or sitting by a campfire, we are giving and receiving energy to and from another object. We give the shopping cart kinetic energy so it can move; our body receives thermal energy from the fire in the form of heat. Alas, this is a conversation on physics, I am a biologist, and you are most likely not here to discuss either of those topics.

In short, meta-abilities are merely taking this human ability to the next level. Instead of having to walk the shopping cart down an aisle, a meta could provide the cart with enough kinetic energy to roll on its own with just a single touch. By absorbing enough thermal energy from the fire, a meta could put the fire out.

Except metas cannot transfer energy between all forms of molecules. To our knowledge, metas can only use their abilities on living or non-living molecules, but not both. Metas that can only use their abilities on non-living molecules are considered to have matter control abilities. Those that can work with living molecules are metas that have cellular control abilities.

Matter Control

For metas with matter control, they can use their abilities on one or two of the three common states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. That is, they can give or receive energy from molecules in one or two of these forms. In addition, metas that can control two states of matter can only control either solids and liquids or liquids and gases, but never solids and gases, and never all three. The reason for this difference in capabilities is still unclear, but our research [1] suggests that it is most likely due to the distance between the molecules.

For example, a bodybuilder may have difficulties in building miniature models that require a light touch; similarly, a model plane enthusiast may struggle to lift one hundred pounds above their head. In the case of metas, those that control solids struggle to sense small gaseous particles, and those that can control gases have trouble transferring their energy to the densely packed molecules that make up solids.

Liquids, however, exist in a state between gases and solids, and it is possible for metas with either solids or gases control to be able to control liquids as well. And this combination of meta-abilities opens the door for many more possibilities. But more on that later.

Cellular Control

Cellular control meta-abilities work in a slightly different manner. Metas with this ability are able to easily control their own cells since they are simply transferring energy to and from themselves; these are called passive abilities. Rarer are metas that can control the cells of other organisms as well; these are called active abilities.

Additionally, cellular control metas specialize in one of two skills: cellular generation or cellular manipulation. Those that can use cellular generation can provide energy to cells to regrow or multiply, commonly known as healing; similarly, they can cause cells to degenerate as well. Metas that can use cellular manipulation can alter cells to take on particular characteristics. This commonly involves metas manipulating muscle cells to improve physical abilities such as strength and speed.

To summarize cellular control, metas with this ability can use them in one of four ways: they can use cellular generation passively, cellular generation passively and actively, cellular manipulation passively, or cellular manipulation passively and actively

Limitations

But as amazing and spectacular as meta-abilities sound, there are a few weaknesses. The most inconvenient one is that a meta can only use their abilities if they are in direct contact with the thing they want to control.

Consider this scenario: a car is flying off a bridge and headed for the water below. How could different types of metas with matter control save it?

A meta that can control gases could transfer their energy to the air around them, then send that energy towards the falling vehicle. And while it would take a significant amount of energy, they could pressurize the air below the vehicle enough to slow or stop its fall, and possibly even return the car to the bridge.

If a meta had control over liquids, they would need to make contact with the water before they could be of any use. Once they had that, they could transfer energy to the water below the vehicle, then use the water to essentially meet and catch the vehicle.

As for a meta that can control solids, they would be, to put it bluntly, essentially useless. They wouldn't be able to slow the car's fall without physical contact with it, and there likely would not be any solid materials readily available that could be used to stop the vehicle without hurting the passengers in the process.

Now, if that meta had control over both solids and liquids, that would be a different story. Because then, not only could they move the water to catch the vehicle, but they could transfer their energy from the water to the vehicle as long as the two remained in contact. With that combination of abilities, the meta could both slow the vehicle's fall (absorb energy from the vehicle) and cushion its landing (transfer energy to the water).

See? The possibilities!

Federal Classification System

The American Protection Organization (APO) has a classification system for meta-abilities based on characteristics such as functionality and rarity, taken from the United Nations' International Meta-Human Commission's standards. Each ability type is numbered with a class level (ranging from one to four). Matter control abilities are either a Class 1 (solids and liquids) or a Class 2 (gases). Cellular control abilities are either a Class 2 (generation) or a Class 3 (manipulation).

If a matter control meta can control two types of matter, then the levels of their abilities' classes are added. For example, a meta with solids and liquids control would be a Class 2, and a meta with liquids and gases control would be a Class 3.

Similarly, if a cellular control meta could use their abilities actively (instead of only passively), then their ability's class level would go up by one. So a meta that can use cellular generation passively and actively would be a Class 3, and a meta that can manipulate cells passively and actively would be a Class 4.

The APO's system also identifies each meta with a specific three-character code. The first character designates if the meta has matter control (M) or cellular control (C) abilities. The second character represents the type; that is, solids (S), liquids (L), or gases (G) for matter control, and generation (R, for regeneration) or manipulation (T, for transformation) for cellular control. Finally, the last character represents the class level.

For matter control metas with multiple abilities, the type that is represented in their designation code will be the one of the higher class level, where gases precede liquids which preceded solids. So a meta with solids control would be an MS1, a meta with liquids control would be an ML1, a meta with solids and liquids control would be an ML2, a meta with gases control would be an MG2, and a meta with liquids and gases control would be an MG3.

This system can also be used to identify groups of metas with similar abilities. Multiple metas with matter control abilities are referred to as M's, and multiple metas with cellular control abilities are referred to as C's. These metas can be more specifically grouped as MS's, ML's, MG's, CR's, and CT's. A meta may fall into multiple groups as well. For instance, an MG3 (control over gases and liquids) would be in both the MG and the ML groups.

Of course, there are exceptions to these guidelines. For more information, please refer to Chapter 11: The APO and Federal Practices.

References

[1] Hester, B., Stein, Z., Tanoue, K. (12 AE). Identifying the different capabilities and limitations of meta-human abilities.

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NOTES

Who thought they would be reading an excerpt from a fictional textbook today? Well, I never thought I would write something like this but here we are. (It was actually a lot of fun to write—probably more exciting than it is to read.)

Up next: we're changing gears a little.

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