Loyalty Gene
The loyalty gene works as a failsafe for several of the species of the Queendom of Slimea. It ensures they don't misuse their powers against the nation and work together in harmony.
The species that have the gene are the following:
Googirls and their subspecies like the Goocats, Goowolves and Goobunnies.
Urban-Elves
Dragongirls
The Loyalty Gene works in very similar ways to these primal emotions caused by genes. Certain thoughts and actions result in certain feelings that support the person to act in ways that are beneficial to the nation and the queen of the googirls. The thought of actively ignoring a command from the queen results in feelings of guilt and sadness. Following such orders floods the person with positive emotions like happiness, euphoria, and the feeling of belonging to greater unity.
Depending on the person, the emotions may result in different actions. Each person is different and may interpret these emotions differently. A stubborn googirl like Elisa Brackland may find any disturbance of order unnatural, while she has little problems taking actions that may benefit the greater good of the nation, but are not legally or morally good. A Goobunny like Francine Silberstein may not follow all laws and seems to act against the greater good with their actions, but as they believe that spreading joy and bliss to many results in a happier population, they can justify their actions for themselves, which rewards them with the positive emotions.
The gene even operates in the body of the googirl queen herself, Suchiru Eisenstein. For her, it results in a strong will to put their own benefits aside and see the benefits of the nation first. She feels happy when her population lives in harmony and prospers from her actions.
The misconception here is that they think that loyalty genes control people and let them act like drones. The individuums are free and act out of their own free will. The gene just guides them, rewards or punishes certain behavior and thinking with fitting emotions. A strong will can nevertheless ignore these emotions and fight against them at any time. No one is forced to give up their personal belongings, no one is forced to work overtime or work for little payment. The majority of those with the loyalty gene take these actions themselves, as they think that it is the best for all. Most of them also enjoy their work, as it feels rewarding seeing the happy faces of the population. They see it not as work that results in payment to live their lives, but see it as their lives themselves. It is a natural instinct for them to help each other out and to take actions that keep the nation running and bring progress to its whole population.
Many nations actively forbid their higher-ranking military personnel and their officials to get themselves transformed into anything that includes the loyalty gene in fear that they switch sides and take important knowledge or secret information with them. The fear of sleeper in their own government is also high, as agents like Goowolves can Merge with their targets and hide as them during their long term missions. Especially one case, in which a goowolf had merged with a general of China resulted in many controversies. The goowolf and the general were merged for over two years without anyone noticing it and as it eventually was revealed, the goowolf fled with the general to Slimea and transformed him into one of her pack by his own wish.
Another diplomatic crisis arose as several soldiers were transformed into goocats against their will by a modified frag grenade thrown by a goocat in a training exercise. Several of these transformed soldiers wanted to join the Slimean military after the event, causing a disturbance in the allied military. The conflict was resolved by signing a trade agreement for powerful non-lethal gum cannons that the allied nation received as compensation. The soldiers were allowed to join Slimea, but in the following training, it was forbidden to use weapons that lead to transformations including the loyalty gene.
After the nation was founded, there were discussions about the gene and how to use it. Some, like Elisa Brackland, argued that all who live in the nation should receive the gene to ensure that there will never be any rebellion or misuse of the new powers and technologies. On the other side were those that would cause serious diplomatic problems like Maria Mueller. A third side argued that the gene is a gift, not a prison. The unity and the feeling of companionship with so many is pure fulfillment in their lives. One of the strongest voices here was Saya Sumpfkraut. After weeks of exchanging arguments, the queen Suchiru Eisenstein came to the conclusion that the Dragongirls and Urban-Elves will keep the gene same as the googirl species due to their immersive powers and the importance for the nation. Anyone else won't receive it, as she does not want to reduce their freedom or push them towards something they do not want.
There are citizens of the Slimean Nations that voluntarily let themselves be modified to receive the loyalty gene. Many do it to belong to the nation without letting themselves be fully transformed, while others do it out of their political beliefs or other desires.
Criminals may choose to receive the loyalty gene to reduce their punishment. The choice is rarely taken and often results in the wish to become a googirl in the long term for the criminal.
Genetics
The gene is a core part of the genetic code of each of these species. It is not an addition nor just something that can easily be added or removed later. The googirl bioengineers of Slimea ensured that the gene would be integrated so deeply, that removing it would result in the need to restructure the complete genetic code, which makes it near impossible for non-googirls. The loyalty gene works similarly to many primitive genes that control emotions in nearly any animal. Certain actions or environmental influences result in sudden spikes of certain emotions which ensures the animal behaves in a certain way. Depending on the willpower of the animal, it may overcome its primal emotions, but that's rare. Like the natural instinct to feel lustful near an attractive potential partner or the fear of darkness.The Loyalty Gene works in very similar ways to these primal emotions caused by genes. Certain thoughts and actions result in certain feelings that support the person to act in ways that are beneficial to the nation and the queen of the googirls. The thought of actively ignoring a command from the queen results in feelings of guilt and sadness. Following such orders floods the person with positive emotions like happiness, euphoria, and the feeling of belonging to greater unity.
Depending on the person, the emotions may result in different actions. Each person is different and may interpret these emotions differently. A stubborn googirl like Elisa Brackland may find any disturbance of order unnatural, while she has little problems taking actions that may benefit the greater good of the nation, but are not legally or morally good. A Goobunny like Francine Silberstein may not follow all laws and seems to act against the greater good with their actions, but as they believe that spreading joy and bliss to many results in a happier population, they can justify their actions for themselves, which rewards them with the positive emotions.
The gene even operates in the body of the googirl queen herself, Suchiru Eisenstein. For her, it results in a strong will to put their own benefits aside and see the benefits of the nation first. She feels happy when her population lives in harmony and prospers from her actions.
Cultural Consequences
Many say that the Slimean species that have the loyalty gene work like ants in an ant nation. They often take actions that bring themselves no benefits but help the greater good of the nation and its whole population. At first, it feels unnatural for a person from a human society, where personal benefits and egoistic behavior are rewarded more than thinking of others first. In the longer timeframe, the social behavior that is caused by the gene results in a better environment for all citizens of the nation. If taking the perspective away from being human, such behavior looks more natural. An ant or a bee would never steal food from the nation just for themselves. They act for the greater good of the nation, as they know that they need the nation to live and that it benefits themselves as well in the long term.Economic Consequences
The Queendom of Slimea has a strong economy thanks to the strong workforce of its googirls. The idea of working voluntarily for the greater good of the nation without gaining much for themselves makes it hard to compete against such a nation. It is thanks to the loyalty gene that the economy is strong and robust, thanks to the many hours without direct payment. Many who have the loyalty gene feel that the thanks of the people and seeing that the nations propers is enough payment for their time and efforts.Misconceptions
From the outside, it is very easy to think that the Loyalty Gene is in the end nothing more than a form of mental slavery. Depending on their own perspective of freedom, it seems that the species that have the gene are not free, but bound by their emotions to the nation and their queen. They often work for the nation without much payment and many even give up much of their belongings to the nation, sharing what they have with each other in unity. Looking from a capitalistic worldview, it looks unnatural and wrong. It is not rare that political and economic commenters are arguing that the loyalty gene results in a form of communism, in which personal belongings matter less than the greater good of the nation and physical wealth is shared and not owned by single individuals. In the end, this assumption is neither wrong nor right and depends on the worldview of the individuum.The misconception here is that they think that loyalty genes control people and let them act like drones. The individuums are free and act out of their own free will. The gene just guides them, rewards or punishes certain behavior and thinking with fitting emotions. A strong will can nevertheless ignore these emotions and fight against them at any time. No one is forced to give up their personal belongings, no one is forced to work overtime or work for little payment. The majority of those with the loyalty gene take these actions themselves, as they think that it is the best for all. Most of them also enjoy their work, as it feels rewarding seeing the happy faces of the population. They see it not as work that results in payment to live their lives, but see it as their lives themselves. It is a natural instinct for them to help each other out and to take actions that keep the nation running and bring progress to its whole population.
Controversies
Around the world, there are many controversies against the loyalty gene. Most nations see it as a form of mental dependency, rarely taking the world slavery in their mouths even while meaning exactly that. It is not rare that transformations of tourists lead to them migrating to Slimea later, which results in diplomatic anger on the other side. The Loyalty gene is not liked by most nations but is just tolerated as Slimea offers many things that you can get nowhere else in the world.Many nations actively forbid their higher-ranking military personnel and their officials to get themselves transformed into anything that includes the loyalty gene in fear that they switch sides and take important knowledge or secret information with them. The fear of sleeper in their own government is also high, as agents like Goowolves can Merge with their targets and hide as them during their long term missions. Especially one case, in which a goowolf had merged with a general of China resulted in many controversies. The goowolf and the general were merged for over two years without anyone noticing it and as it eventually was revealed, the goowolf fled with the general to Slimea and transformed him into one of her pack by his own wish.
Another diplomatic crisis arose as several soldiers were transformed into goocats against their will by a modified frag grenade thrown by a goocat in a training exercise. Several of these transformed soldiers wanted to join the Slimean military after the event, causing a disturbance in the allied military. The conflict was resolved by signing a trade agreement for powerful non-lethal gum cannons that the allied nation received as compensation. The soldiers were allowed to join Slimea, but in the following training, it was forbidden to use weapons that lead to transformations including the loyalty gene.
History
The loyalty gene is nothing that was created by the googirls. It was there since the beginning of the first googirl and was always a natural part of their genes. The first transformed googirls felt that it was natural to call Suchiru Eisenstein their queen and took notice that following her orders brought them positive emotions. During these times before the Queendom of Slimea was formed, it was helpful to keep their existence a secret.After the nation was founded, there were discussions about the gene and how to use it. Some, like Elisa Brackland, argued that all who live in the nation should receive the gene to ensure that there will never be any rebellion or misuse of the new powers and technologies. On the other side were those that would cause serious diplomatic problems like Maria Mueller. A third side argued that the gene is a gift, not a prison. The unity and the feeling of companionship with so many is pure fulfillment in their lives. One of the strongest voices here was Saya Sumpfkraut. After weeks of exchanging arguments, the queen Suchiru Eisenstein came to the conclusion that the Dragongirls and Urban-Elves will keep the gene same as the googirl species due to their immersive powers and the importance for the nation. Anyone else won't receive it, as she does not want to reduce their freedom or push them towards something they do not want.
Trivia
To this day, it is unknown what exactly caused the loyalty gene to exist. Some say it was the pink mist that caused the transformation of the first googirl and the loyalty gene was a chaotic, random mutation. Others find it more logical that it was a direct action by the Guardian Angel to push evolution without causing a major conflict on Earth.There are citizens of the Slimean Nations that voluntarily let themselves be modified to receive the loyalty gene. Many do it to belong to the nation without letting themselves be fully transformed, while others do it out of their political beliefs or other desires.
Criminals may choose to receive the loyalty gene to reduce their punishment. The choice is rarely taken and often results in the wish to become a googirl in the long term for the criminal.
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