Thy2K

In a universe where the aesthetics of the 1980s to the end of the 2000s have remained mainstream, some technology has still advanced greatly, especially biotech. CRISPR is becoming popular in the field of biotech. Biotechnology itself is entering daily life in the form of medicine and pets.

Auric is the prototype for a new species called the Thy2K. These are creatures made during an effort to resurrect the extinct thylacine, a marsupial that once roamed Tasmania, to the south of Australia. The Thy2K was created by ABC Labs, headquartered in Limon, Colorado, which in this universe is a large city rivaling San Francisco in size.

Auric was grown in an artificial womb and had to be placed in stasis several times during his gestation. Several emergency edits and fetal surgeries had to be made to his genome. To fill in one gap on his face, a plastic veneer was grown and transplanted. A few months later, ABC Labs created the second-ever Thy2K, a female named Aqua, to kickstart the species’ reproductiveness.

As news of the thylacine’s resurrection made its way around the world, the scientists were asked what this would mean. This inspired the lead scientist to consider ways to further improve the already revolutionary creature. They created a gland that could produce carbon nanotubes. These would be used to strengthen the new animals’ muscles and bones. Within 8 years, they managed to make a Thy2K skeleton sturdy enough to support a 250 pound human riding the animal like a pony. Auric was then himself implanted with this gland. Soon, the controversies surrounding the Thy2K had dissipated as the species reached global popularity.

Technologies such as USB and fiber optic WiFi exist in this universe, coexisting with things like VHS, DVD, floppy disks, and landlines. But the aesthetics, language, and music are almost completely unchanged from what they were in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.

All Thy2Ks are descended from Auric and Aqua. They have facial plates, stripes, and paw pads of plastic, glass, or wood. The tuft of fur on the back of their necks can support a small storage compartment or instrument or control panel for the functions of that particular Thy2K.

At birth, a Thy2K joey has four stripes. They are carried in their mother’s pouch, although the males also have a pouch. A mother Thy2K must provide for the joeys in her pouch. They come out of the pouch after 2 to 3 months to learn to hunt, forage, how to smoothly run different types of physical and digital media, and their roles in society. Stripes 5, 6, and 7 appear during puberty, like wisdom teeth.

If a baby Thy2K has the chest drive bay gene (see Traits), it will first develop a 3½ inch floppy drive. Educational 3½ inch floppy disks are available from ABC Labs to train the joey. As the joey gets older, this will fall out and the adult drive bay will develop and erupt, much like a human child losing their baby teeth. Using the right cables and connectors, it is possible to reconnect a Thy2K with its joeyhood floppy drive so they can continue running 3½-inch floppies.

Much of Thy2K culture revolves around their modularity and yet having a common origin. Limon, Colorado - the site of ABC Labs’ headquarters - is the holiest place in the universe to Thy2Ks.

Many forms of communication are used by Thy2Ks. Most Thy2Ks have a voice module. But they may also communicate via body language, radio, or exchanging physical media.