For the last few days, we've had a thread going on about Asari mating habits. The thread has since metamorphosed into a rather clinical and intelligent discussion of anatomical features and evolution (into which, naturally, I crapped a couple of TVTropes links and scurried off - sorry, guys
).A more careful review of that thread got me thinking.
A while back, something in my anthropology course actually got me thinking about how Quarian immune systems could have broken down, and what would be needed to fix them. After playing around with the idea for a bit, the pieces started falling into place. I know that the whole "Tali's sweat" thing has practically become a meme on this site, and I don't want to be lumped into it. Still, this is going to get a bit technical.
Quibbles
As to why I wrote this: I maintain that, after spending three games emphasizing the difficulty associated with fixing Quarian immune systems, "put Geth in their suits" is one of the biggest science handwaves in the series short of Synthesis. First off, we're talking about envirosuits mass-produced by and for one of the poorest races in the galaxy. Tali's suit in ME1 had hoses conspicuously sticking out of it. How much could these suits realistically do? Secondly, if the answer were as simple as uploading a VI to "simulate disease," wouldn't the galaxy-renowned tech experts have thought of it at some point in the last three hundred years?
Dialogue in ME2 stated that generations of genetic engineering would be necessary to adapt to a new world. A codex entry in ME3 told us the reason Quarian immune systems broke down is due to them being physiologically dependent on interaction with their native plant life back on Rannoch - which they did not have on the fleet, and which would exist nowhere else. Taking in those facts, along with the vid I saw in my anthropology class, I put together the below dialogue sequence between Mordin and Shepard, taking place on the Normandy at some point in ME2.
Let me be clear: I don't want this to turn into yet another Quarian/Geth debate. I just figure I'd get another discussion going, kicking around ideas on alien physiology. Speculation follows:
Observations
Look at the legs of this Geth trooper. Every non-Armature variant of mobile platform has legs shaped like those of a Quarian, sporting stripes like those seen above. Assuming they were roughly modelled after their creators, it stands to reason that the Quarians themselves would have these stripes on their legs. We're told that they (Quarians) have an ecosymbiotic physiology. Plant life on their world evolved a symbiotic relationship with large animals, instead of insects, to spread seeds or pollen. These stripes may well play a part in that, allowing seeds to adhere to an individuals' legs as they walk ("Our bodies carried the seeds which spread the desert grass").
The plants benefit by having their seeds propagated, while the host animal in turn absorbs something vital from the seeds in the course of transporting them. Something the host animal cannot do without. Take that away, and health problems begin to accumulate.
Mordin Solus on Quarian physiology
I wrote up this dialogue sequence for a fanfic which I doubt I'll ever get around to actually writing (What can I say? I'm a nerd with too much free time on my hands). Still, I don't want it to go to waste. Given the above framework, it outlines the cause of the breakdown (and the cure for it) in whole. Takes place some time after recruiting Legion in ME2:
Mordin: "Three hundred years insufficient for microevolution to weaken Quarian immune system. Cause of breakdown, environmental. Lack of exposure to symbiotic flora, resultant chemical deficiencies during fetal development led to stunted adaptive capabilities."
Shepard: "Come again?"
Mordin: "Example. Human adult height determined by multitude of genetic and environmental factors. Malnutrition will cause stunted growth. Same for quarians. Development and maintenance of healthy immune system depends on exposure to multiple chemicals in pollen produced by plant life native to quarian homeworld. Liveships originally designed to allow entire codependent ecosystem - dozens of plant and animal species - to be transplanted on new colony worlds. Liveships each meant to sustain no more than 200,000 colonists. After exile, expected to feed millions. Priority shifted to production of staple foods, vital medicines, at expense of inedible codependent flora. Lack of exposure to codependent flora, combined with sterile environment, led to collective weakening of immune systems."
Shepard: "So if they had their native plant life back, their immune systems would rebound?"
Mordin: "No. Child of human mother who suffers from vitamin D deficiency likely to be born with rickets. Quarian immune system weakened during fetal development by mother's lack of exposure. Epigenetic changes compounded over generations."
Shepard: "Elaborate."
Mordin: "Genetic code only half of the story in organic life forms. Methyl groups adhere to DNA structure during the life of an organism in response to different stresses, switching genes on and off. Changes are passed from one generation to the next. Human example: if grandparents suffered malnutrition, grandchildren likely to develop diabetes on account of inherited epigenetic changes. DNA unchanged, but genes switched on or off in reaction to stress. Generations of 'malnutrition' caused quarian immune response to grow steadily weak as effects compounded."
Shepard: "So, in addition to the plants, they would need some sort of gene therapy too? Is there any way that can be fixed?"
Mordin: "Can extract DNA, 'unwind' and apply corrections to specific methyl groups. Use tailored retrovirus to re-insert corrected code. Multiple applications necessary to rewrite epigenetic code of entire quarian organism. AI assistance very helpful in gene analysis, fabricating virus... still, expensive. Time-consuming. Anti-rejection medication needed to alleviate risk of autoimmune response to treated tissues until treatment is complete. Must be done on individual basis, but would reverse generations of breakdown. Restore immune systems to pre-exile strength. In optimal scenario, patient could be rid of the suit in weeks. Permanently, so long as healthy levels of exposure to symbiotic flora are maintained."
Shepard: "So a technique exists. But..."
Mordin: "All living quarians afflicted with weakened immune system. Causitive epigenetic changes. No 'healthy' baseline exists from which to determine proper methyl group settings."
Shepard: "So, you could fix it, but you have no idea what it's supposed to look like? I take it you can't simulate what changes would be needed?"
Mordin: "Genetic code not a toy, Shepard. Change one gene, change entire organism. Educated guess could lead to improved immuno response, also increase risk of heart failure. Genetic Paradigms already conducts procedure without baseline. Sixty percent mortality rate. May have seen commercials on Illium. Blind rewrite poses unacceptable risk. Unethical. No, no, no, no. Need healthy, pre-exile baseline to model appropriate changes - would prefer more than one sample, but medical records no longer exist."
Shepard: "They might in one place. I need to talk to Legion."
Modifié par DeinonSlayer, 15 juin 2013 - 02:28 .
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As I recall that DID NOT work out well. I'm not sure BioWare wanted this message to be carried through. Remember our cycle is "special", but what do I know?
