Officially, House Crux’s pursuit of the Synthetic Humans begins in history with the Synthetic Sedition Order of 3184 and the Hunter squads. But for six years before that day, the War Against the Artificials had raged on, House Crux embroiled in conflict with House Cygnus and their creations. The enemies on Gats, on Prime, were known, adversaries in battle. But across the Empire, Synthetic Humans lived amongst humanity, some known, and others hidden, each a potential spy, assassin, or terrorist behind enemy lines. To win the war, House Crux had to hunt the enemy within, the plague of traitors that could upend their efforts before they even began.
Many efforts were funded throughout the War to combat the Synthetic threat, and amongst them was the controversial Seuchenjäger Program, the brainchild of a Crucian criminal psychologist. Rather than directly combating Synthetics, the Program adopted an unorthodox approach. If Synthetics could be meticulously observed, studied, and understood, then, the Program theorized, they could be identified from humans. More than that, they could be imitated, their own similarities used against them, agents trained to infiltrate the ranks of Synthetics and pro-Synthetic supporters.
The Silent War[]
Paranoia was one of the Synths’ greatest weapons in the early years of the conflict with House Cygnus. It was not simply what they did, but what they could do that terrified people. An entire fleet could be undermined by a few words whispered back to House Cygnus, or a strategic officer slain in their sleep. Emerging conflicts with Synthetics permeated the Core Worlds, crippling any hope of a unified offensive, and fears spread that things could only get worse.
But newer generations of Synths were indistinguishable from humans. If they were not publicly known or openly revealed themselves, finding them often required a scalpel, not a sword. Their own weapon, whether theirs by choice or circumstance, would be an excellent tool against them: paranoia, deception, psychology. A synth could still make mistakes, and if they could make mistakes, they could be hunted.
The JES and the House Guard were both capable of capturing and hunting Synths, but many were focused towards the war effort. House Crux needed every soul they could muster to take on the Imperial House, alone for years in their cause. Those who could be gathered to hunt the Synths within had to be specialized, trained to excel to offset their sparse numbers. Members of every walk of life, Primeborn, Promiseborn, JES, DoJ, and the House Guard were accepted, as they were on the war front.
Many Synths on Hiera had been swiftly retired following the revelation of Cygnus’ plot out of fear, but who knew how many more lingered or worked in secret there and elsewhere in the Empire. Gats was but moments away. How easily could Cygnus have filtered Synthetics into Hiera’s population? How much information had been whispered, almost instantly, back to Gats, preparing them for House Crux’s offensives?
“House Cygnus has spread their plague within our very homes. We need not check our lamps or datapads for listening devices. The lowly noble across from us, the serf beside us, could be an enemy, a Synthetic strong enough to rip our heads from our shoulders as they send our deepest secrets back to Gats, to Prime!”
Training[]
The Seuchenjäger Program was devised before many current methods had been finalized. While it was known Telepaths were potentially able to detect Synths, the success rate of the modern test was still in question, and House Crux only had so many psychics of their own. Additionally, the Synthetic Human Registry System of House Cygnus would not be acquired by House Crux until 3181, a treasure trove of data that would streamline and propel Synth hunting into the mainstream.
Herzog Drachenberg Wenzel, a criminal psychologist and son of a Crucian Primeborn and a Triangulum Neurologist, first coined the term “Seuchenjäger,” as part of a psychological examination of Synthetic Humans. Herzog Wenzel believed that humans could still sense subtle differences between their kin and Synthetics, and that proper training could enhance this innate ability to a useful and recognizable level. He also recognized the power of how difficult it was to tell a Synth from a human in the first place, and reasoned that many Synths likely had the same difficulty telling their Synthetic kin from humans as well.
To Wenzel, Synths were an epidemic, an infestation created by House Cygnus and spread across the Empire. Those that hunted the Synths, that retired them, were the Seuchenjäger, courageous souls risking their lives for humanity. The term was later narrowed from any who would pursue Synthetics to a particular subset of Crucian trainees who studied the methods of Herzog Wenzel and his staff. While many other Crucians could and did hunt Synths, some in other programs or divisions, Wenzel and his peers believed their training method was the most exceptional.
Because advanced Synthetics could so easily pass as humans, Wenzel made his admission process particularly rigorous. Applicants had to submit as much physical proof of their humanity as possible, including photographs, film, birth certificates, and DNA samples. Both the applicant and randomly selected family members had to answer a lengthy series of questions and pass a psychological evaluation, and preference was given to psychics and those with children, as these were believed to be things that Synths could not do. Additionally, only Nobles with a verifiable Signet ID were permitted to apply to the Seuchenjäger Program.
Method[]
The Seuchenjäger Program is divided into five methods, courses built to heighten and focus the minds and skills of trainees.
Observation[]
“They look like us. They move like us. They have been taught to BE us. So we must study them. Examine them. Find the subtleties, the imperfections. They are there. They MUST be.”
Initiates into the program are tasked with watching hundreds, sometimes thousands, of hours of recorded footage of humans and Synthetics performing mundane tasks: cleaning, walking, having a conversation. At first, the humans and Synths are clearly separated, shown individually so that trainees can carefully examine mannerisms, body language, and behavior patterns. As training progresses, footage of humans and Synths working side by side or together is introduced, with more and more individuals in each example and less and less information provided about which might be human and which might be a Synth. Tests are given to see if the Synths in each example can be identified or suspected.
Complaints have been levied over the years that the examples don’t really show that there are identifiable differences between humans and Synthetics. Others have claimed that some of the footage is specifically chosen because the Synths and humans acted in explicitly different ways, possibly by instruction of the film crew. Herzog Wenzel responded similarly to both accusations, claiming that the training was simply difficult and that some minds were incapable of noticing the right subtleties.
Cognition[]
“They think like us, but us if we were criminals. They worry, they fear - or at least they pretend to, to use our hearts against us. We must learn how they think, as they know how we think, so we can turn the tables against them.”
Perhaps the most controversial method, Cognition initially involved putting actual, active Synths and trainees in a room together. The task was simple. The trainees and the Synths had to talk, often one-on-one. They could talk about anything, asking questions and exchanging stories, so long as the human understood the purpose of the conversation was to get into the Synth’s head, to understand how they thought. Rumors suggest Synths were motivated to talk by promises of freedom or a fair trial, neither of which were ever granted.
In the present, Cognition is often either skipped or done as an extension of Observation, utilizing previously recorded footage instead of live interaction. That said, because Synths are without rights, Cognition is not technically illegal. The decreasing availability of Synths has instead been the driving force behind Cognition’s redesign.
Mobilization[]
“The greatest proof that there are differences, that Synths are not like us, is how many ways they can be better. They can be stronger than they seem, smarter than they seem, and more dangerous than they seem. We must learn their strengths, as they know ours, and from there we find their weaknesses, the ways to take them down.”
Using human experts and VI robots, the Mobilization method focuses on direct confrontation with Synthetics. Some Synths are stronger than humans, or smarter, or faster, and Mobilization is designed to assist trainees in overcoming these obstacles. If a Synth is stronger, direct hand-to-hand would likely fail. If a Synth is smarter, a battle of wits would prove difficult. Tests focus on different scenarios and angles of attack, training initiates to acquire information on targets before engaging, and to be ready to adapt at a moment’s notice.
Infiltration[]
“Synths are mimics, copies, pretenders. Their whole existence is pretending they are something else. We must learn this tactic, exploit our similarities, and pretend as they do. If they are as smart as us, we will deceive them. If they are smarter, they will give themselves away in time.”
Sometimes, finding a Synth is not as easy as waiting for them to walk by. Banned texts, films, and information were and are collected for the Infiltration Method, including works by known Synths and Synthetic sympathizers. By studying the thoughts and art of Synthetics and those who ally with them, Herzog Wenzel believed trainees could better learn to get close to well protected Synthetics, pretending to be human allies or even other Synthetics.
Infiltration is considered a significant hurdle. Some trainees become sympathetic to Synths as they read their words or watched their films. Those that do not, that show they can wield their knowledge convincingly, are highly regarded. To ensure compromised individuals do not progress further into the program, an interview with a skilled Telepath is the required final step of Infiltration.
Manipulation[]
“I am not so foolish as to ignore how similar Synthetics are to us. The differences are often subtle, detectable by only the most trained and careful minds. But in the similarities, we can also find our tools. A criminal worries on the run. They are cautious. They are afraid. So too are the Synths. We play into those fears, that drive for self-preservation. We make them make their move, and when they do we strike.”
An extension of several other methods, Manipulation focuses entirely on getting a Synth to reveal themselves through indirect means. Interrogation, included already for many Crucian lines of work, does not always prove fruitful, and some targets are well protected or only known by a name or location. Through manipulation, a Synth might change their behavior, attempt to flee, or reveal themselves willingly or accidentally. Rumors passed to friends, threats of harm to companions, or abnormal occurrences such as neighbors getting questioned or a gravcar parked on the same street day after day could all be used to attempt to reveal a Synthetic.
The Police You Never See[]
Members of the Seuchenjäger Program come from all walks of Crucian life, and many continue their work as normal during and after entering the program. Primeborn continue to lead their families, Richters continue to administer justice, and Inquisitors continue to investigate more complex crimes. As Synths blended in with humans, so also could the Seuchenjäger, carrying on their lives as any other human until the time was right. Some openly pursue Synthetics as part of their obligation to the House, members of the JES and the House Guard especially, but they work side by side with others who have never even considered the Program.
Wenzel believed the best tools against Synthetics were the tools they themselves used, and the Seuchenjäger were trained tirelessly to understand what it was like to be a Synth. It has been rumored that in a rare few cases, some individuals went too far and came to believe that they were Synths themselves.
Chapters[]
Within the Seuchenjäger, a number of divisions or “chapters,” exist, usually small groups of a dozen or less that either operate in the public eye or who are undercover, connected in secret. Each chapter is numbered, but there is no specific hierarchy within or between them. Hierarchies often develop out of the titles of the Nobles in each chapter (So a Kriegsherr would have more import and clout than a Kapitän, etc.).
Chapter One[]
The oldest group of Seuchenjäger still operating. Only about six are still active, the others having died, resigned, or been removed for various reasons. Chapter One operates exclusively on Hiera.
Chapter Eight[]
Most of its members replaced, the original Chapter Eight included mostly members who saw combat in the War Against the Artificials, many of whom were killed or retired after the war. Chapter Eight operates out of the Crux precinct on Imperial Prime, but is often off-world.
Chapter Nine[]
More rumor than anything, Chapter Nine is believed to be a deep cover unit of nine operatives operating from an unknown base. Chapter Nine rose to prominence as a name often heard in the Judiciary for their incredible success rate during and after the War Against the Artificials.
Psychological Concerns[]
One of the greatest subjects for debate around the Seuchenjäger Program has been the psychological effects it can have on its trainees. Subjects have been known to become obsessed with Synths, sometimes ignoring their other duties to House Crux in favor of pursuing a target. Others seem to lose empathy, becoming apathetic and calculated living weapons. A small number have even been reported to come to believe they themselves are Synths, a mindset that often gets them killed.
Because of these concerns, the Seuchenjäger Program has been investigated several times, but no reasonable evidence could prove it was the Program affecting individuals and not natural predilections in those who chose to approach it. Additionally, a number of highly influential families within House Crux have given their backing, both politically and monetarily, to the Program, some hoping it would be a strong example of Crux’s commitment to the Empire come the next election.
Whatever the case, rumors abound about how the Program affects people, from individuals who never sleep, working themselves to death in the pursuit of a single Synth, to people who claim they can spend a minute in the same room as a Synth and identify them. Because of this, the Seuchenjäger are a necessary evil to many. Whatever must be done to wipe out the Synth menace, whatever an individual might have to lose in pursuit of safety for Humanity, is a price worth paying. Ours to bear.
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