Humans-(SPEEDLAND)

## A Quick Disclaimer

This is not relating to humans from the "regular" world. Instead, this is relating to the human society from the alternate version of the solar system which Dr. Ben Reuters originated from.

## SPEEDLAND Humans

### Level

Tech Level 9 in aeronautics, space travel, and transportation; Tech Level 8 in all other technology

## A Brief History

Most people think fast things are cool, right? Well in this solar system, *everyone* thinks fast things are *super* cool. In normal human history, races have been a part of culture, myth, and entertainment for centuries. The Greek myth of Atalanta's footrace, the proverb of tortoise and the hare, the Roman chariot racing sport, and the Incan runner tradition are all examples of how important racing, movement, and speed are to humanity. Now multiply that innate attraction to speed and agility by five. That is a good estimate of how obsessed with the concept of *"gotta go fast"* these humans are.

It has been estimated that the horse was domesticated by 8000 B.C.E. on their Earth, the first animal to fall under the human yoke. The first wheels are carbon dated to be from around 7000 B.C.E. Evidence of chariot racing for sport and "trial by race" become apparent by 5000 B.C.E. Remnants of ocean going ships have been dated to 3750 B.C.E. The major battle between the ruling Chinese dynasty and their northern neighbors in 2786 B.C.E. marked the first conflict in history where cavalry *were not* the main force of both sides.

Twelve years after the death of Christ, Vikings land in North America. When the Roman empire falls, every family owns a wheelbarrow and a cart, sometimes a wagon. Charlemagne declares that wheelwrights, wagon makers, and horse breeders are employees of the king himself, and creates the first guild, the "Ligue des Fabricants de Transport Rapide" after he failed a major campaign due to poorly made supply wagons.

The same year the printing press was invented, the first steam locomotive hit tracks in Italy. The United States won their independence from Great Britain due to a fleet of fast and sleek steam powered clippers that could harry Britain's slower ironclads from afar. The American civil war saw the two sides vying for control of railway routes to transport troops quickly. But, just a few short years later, in 1867, the first mass produced automotive came off the assembly line. The year of 1883 marked the first flight, and aircraft, especially highly maneuverable aircraft resembling the Zero of our Earth, would play a major role in WWI. During WW2, the United States and Soviet Union competed to reach space and to complete their supersonic jet program. Man landed on the moon in 1947. Today, the humans of that planet have reached out into their solar system, creating colonies on Mars, mining settlements in the asteroid belt, and numerous scientific stations orbiting planets throughout the solar system. These outposts of humanity are linked by spacecraft capable of manipulating the forces of acceleration and deceleration so well as to allow pilots to fly personal, passenger, cargo, and military spaceships at speeds up to 5% of the speed of light. For reference, it is a one hour flight between Earth and Mars in that solar system.

## Biology and Statistics

Speedlandians aren't too different from normal humans and can produce fertile offspring with them, but the differences that are present are enough to make it noticeable. Speedlandians stand slightly taller and are leaner than normal humans, with longer legs and shorter torsos on average. Double jointedness is quite prevalent among Speedlandians. They also have a faster metabolism, which enables them to stay energized despite all their exhaustive expenditures of energy.

They also pay for this benefit with higher risks for lots of things. Cardiac arrest is common in speedlandians around ten years before it becomes common in normal humans. Due to increased adrenal and dopamine production and response in their metabolism, they tend to be moody, prone to extremes, and have a high risk for chronic mental illness. Their fast metabolism also means they replicate their DNA more often and experience the effects of aging earlier on; many speedlandians start to have gray hair by 35.

Because of their radical focus on all things fast, Speedlandian society functions somewhat differently from normal human society. Marriage tends to be more of a "long term dating commitment" than a lifelong bond, and divorces are the norm after ten or so years. Children are encouraged to learn and work earlier than normal; the equivalent of kindergarten begins at the age of 3, and most speedlandians have started part time work by age 13. The age of matriculation to college is 16, but many decide to skip college. The most prominent institution of higher education in the solar system is the Terran Institute of Technology and Science, which accepts adolescents as young as 14 who can pass its rigorous entrance exam.

The pastimes of many thrill seeking speedlandians makes the average life expectancy even lower than it already is with their shortened lifespans. The leading cause of death is car accidents, followed by "shredding too hard bruh". Industry prioritizes adaptability and quick gains over long term growth, which makes the business cycle of the speedlandian economies frequent and profound. The global standard of living is still quite high since rapidly advancing transportation technology leads to new developments in interplanetary industries. Asteroid mining recently opened up thousands of jobs in mining and the services needed to support the miners, as well as an interesting new sport dubbed "Asteroid Mag-Bike Racing". This new sport has quickly become the subject of pop culture in SPEEDLAND. Race drivers ride modified motorcycles which have magnetic gyros in their wheels which let the motorcycle stick to an asteroid when turned on. When turned off, the bike is repulsed away from the asteroid and into space. The racers must navigate a course laid out through an asteroid field where they must jump from one asteroid to the next.