The Nanophage

Prior to the establishment of the Terran Consortium the denizens of Earth Alpha experienced several global disaster events. These events ranged from rising ocean sea levels due to global warming, nuclear exposure due to lapsed construction regulations around power facilities, biotoxins used in what was becoming an endless state of war between various government and private interests, and other such human caused problems. Each disaster humanity faced was a reflection on how the direction the governments of the world failed the denizens they initially meant to protect. Humanity became a commodity that, to those in power, were expendable without properly taking into consideration the implications on the very populous that gave them their power.
Among these was a Nanophage. The way it replicated and permeated into every living organism on Earth leads many to believe that it was a well calculated and coordinated effort to alter the path humanity had forced itself into. In the end, the nanotechnology that was dispersed bonded with all living things on the planet. It resulted in giving humanity the means to process the toxins and radiation that organic were exposed to due to the failure of the governments.
A technology like this was both a blessing and a curse. It became both the means through which humanity ensured it will survive through the ages as well as the means through which potential exploitation of the technology could lead to humanities enslavement. The unknown group of scientists that unleashed this double bladed sword on humanity were never found. They did however leave behind a form of legacy within the coding of the nanotechnology. The ability to alter the code in such a way that it could be exploited to the detriment of humanity seemed to be blocked. However, there are those within the Terran Consortium who actively pursue exploiting The Nanophage to their own ends.
After the formation of the Terran Consortium, technology was developed to harness the nanotechnology in different ways, leading to the augmenting of average denizens life on Earth. Various technology concerns and entire industries developed to find new ways to apply what little was understood regarding the nature of the nanotechnology for profit and the benefit of the denizens of Earth. It gave rise to the means for humanity to survive in space as it defended against the impacts of interstellar radiation that limited the amount of time humanity could remain in space. It gave rise to s new form of connectedness within humanity as the means to directly interface with the cyberverse were integrated into existing software packages. As the discovery of the use of fire and hunting tools lead primitive humanity into its next evolution steps so did the nanotechnology give rise to Homo Amalgous.

Transmission & Vectors

Anything that comes into contact with any object from the Terran Consortium for any prolonged amount of time eventually becomes exposed to enough of the Nanophage for it to begin to spread.

Causes

Unknown. It is assumed that there was an organization of scientists prior to the founding of the Terran Consortium that introduced the seeds of the Nanophage on Earth.

Symptoms

Once the Nanophage integrates with an sentient form of life they will first be able to observe the Augmented Reality within Consortium territory. Once it has completely integrated with the sentient being, they till find themselves connected to the Cyberverse contained within Consortium territory.

Treatment

No known treatment.

Prevention

Avoid direct interaction with anything from the Terran Consortium.

Type

Nanite / Mechanical

Origin

Engineered

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Common