[SCIENCE] Concerns, Outrage Over ‘Designer’ Varren

Concerns, Outrage Over ‘Designer’ Varren
via Alick Teng, Terminus Consumer Spectator

[BREA] They’ve been a krogan’s best friend - and his enemy’s worst nightmare - for generations, but Range Station-based consumer medtech firm Genetic Future has a new role in mind for the varren: lovable household pet.

“Recent films like ‘At All Costs’ and ‘Our Ground’ have brought to the public the courage and dedication of these amazing animals,” says Genetic Future publicity manager Arvo Munk. “Now anyone can enjoy the lifelong bond of unquestioning friendship and loyalty varren form with their owners - even if they don’t have the tough hide and redundant organs to mix it up with the native breeds.” The company’s ‘Varren 4 All’ product line promises varren engineered to reduce or eliminate hostility and hazardous physical traits, while boosting empathy and social behaviour.

Range Station officials have not commented, but warning bells are ringing across C-Space and even Range’s Terminus neighbours, questioning both the ethics of the custom-made pet varren, and the viability of Genetic Future’s work. Spokesmen for the genetic engineering regulatory body GCAC have cautioned consumers against accepting Genetic Future’s claims at face value, stating: “Altering animal behaviour is not just a matter of flipping a genetic on/off switch,” while the Omega-based Trans-Terminus Technology brokerage firm has stated that the engineered varren are “unviable” as a healthy breed. Blood Pack local overseer Davna Kral was more blunt during his popular weekly broadcast ‘The Truth From Kral’: “You want a varren that doesn’t take a piece out of ya, train ‘im right. You haven’t got the hump for that, go buy a moxie instead.”

In related news, ‘Varren Force Go!’, an animated children’s adventure produced as an advertising tie-in for Genetic Future’s new line, made its premiere overnight to dismal reviews.

I know a few people who own a varren and they are usually well behaved, but here is one thing.
A varren's jaws can put industrial sheet metal cutters to shame in terms of applied pressure. Now imaging that kind of force applied against organic tissue.
Now, since there will never be such a thing as a childproof sheet metal cutter there will never be a child proof varren.
Advertising varren as a pet suitable for households with children is just...
Do they want to get sued by angry parrents?

There are about a billion pets out there that are better than varren in every conceivable way that does not require eating someone alive. These pets are also more aesthetically pleasing and don't require you to play god and remove their natural instincts with gene manipulation just to suit your stupid vanity.

Just get a choriick or something

No one wants your giant space bugs.

Or Varren, for that matter.

And what, pray tell, are you interested in? Furry rodents or giant monstrosities that cannot be house trained.

Or is it fish?

Varren are for kicking ass, not being modified and kept as family pets.

You want a good pet that's kind of like a varren? Try that earth creature, doge or something. Basically furry varren with measly pierce weak skin bites rather than crack bone and rend flesh bites.

Or a space hamster. Just remember, they're crazy expensive, and can't defend your home.

I live on Omega. I want my varren to be tough-and loyal and obedient, which has to do with how I trained him.

...Like people have a really great track record on rewiring brains.

Varren? the really angry four legged creatures? I mean, they look kinda cute... but after reading an article on them they don't seem like the best pets. Especially from what was said here...

But, I mean, if they can make them nicer for those kids that for some reason want a pet that can bite someone in half... Well, I don't think it's an entirely bad idea. Just gotta be careful with something like that.
Though... if something needs to be modified to be safe, maybe it's not ment to be a pet.

Isn't it interesting that nobody ever made an attempt at that so far? At least not that I know of. But yes, the eternal question, how far should anyone go just to make a profit out of a living and fairly intelligent being.

My job does not go well with most pets anyway. I shared an apartment with a moxie owner during my studies, that's about it. I would not want something as demanding as Varren.

Are these Varren regular sized or do they breed smaller ones now? I mean, a full sized Varren is a pretty big animal, if they are aiming for harmless and nice now to cater a new audience they should also have looked at keeping them smaller.

The only pet I once had was a lime Ice Whistler. It was quite cute.