Knights of Genetic Purity

The Knights of Genetic Purity are a terrorist organisation that features in Andromeda.

History
The Knights of Genetic Purity were formed in the aftermath of the Fall of the Systems Commonwealth when the Nietzscheans Uprising brought about the Long Night that plunged the Known Worlds into chaos. During this time, High Guard Admiral Constanza Stark formed a core group of fighters called the Templars with the intention of preserving the ideals of the Commonwealth where they battled its foes that brought about its destruction. However, two hundred years ago, a radical faction emerged with the Templars who instead wished to pursue an equally radical agenda of total genetic purity for the Human race. These goals did not work well with that of the Templars and Admiral Stark was responsible for exicising these renegades from her faction. Instead of being destroyed, the survivors banded together to form a splinter faction that became known as the Knights of Genetic Purity. This led to the Genites being completely opposed to their parent organization with numerous skirmishes erupting between the two sides. (Episode: Twilight of the Idols)

This core cadre of former High Guard officers placed much of the blame for the Fall on the genetic alteration of the Human genome and thus developed their concept for racial purity. After attacting a huge number of devoted followers, they proceeded to attack the Nietzscheans and those Humans that were corrupted by genetic engineering. With their arsenal of advanced weaponry and legions of soldiers, they slaughtered millions of Nietzscheans and Humans as part of their purification campaign. However, an alliance was formed between the Nietzschean Prides which included the Drago-Kazov Pride which managed to defeats the Genites after a number of pitched, bitterly fought battles across both the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies. After they were defeated, the threat of the Genites seemed to have been destroyed and the Nietzscheans returned to their internal conflicts. Yet, a number of groups emerged claiming to be successors to the original Genites had arisen though none of these were as organized as the original core group. Rumours persisted that these new Genites had secretly established a new power base somewhere in an isolated region of space and have a process of re-armament in order to wage a new crusade against the genetically engineered humans of the known worlds. (Website: All Systems University Knights of Genetic Purity)

In CY 10088, the Genites were active once more and began a systematic campaign of attacking a number of smaller Nietzschean Prides. First striking in the Craylax System then jumped to the Orion Arm and later appeared in the Vanhow System. During this time, they managed to completely massacre the Condor Pride and were targeting a number of minor Prides in order to eliminate the potential of a genetic reincarnation of Drago Museveni that had been long prophecised by the Nietzschean people. As a result, their efforts were focused on the Vadra Sector which was home to a thousand minor Prides which included the Lynx Pride who were massacred as well after initial families were eliminated for bearing the potential for genetic reincarnation. The efforts of the Genites meant that they were also searching for Orca Pride in order to terminate the son of Tyr Anasazi and his wife Freya who was believed to become the genetic reincarnation of Drago Museveni. This provoked the intervention of Captain Dylan Hunt and the Andromeda Ascendant where Genite Armsmaster Desmond Lord Gorice attempted to get their aid only for Hunt to become determined to eliminate the Knights of Genetic Purity. The Genites managed to encounter the Orca Pride and successfully eliminated them leading them to believe that they had completed their mission in terminating the Nietzschean Messiah though were unaware that Tyr Anasazi had actually survived with his son who he had secreted away in hiding for his own protection. (Episode: Immaculate Perception)

Following this event, in CY 10089, they were involved in what was described as being disturbing research as part of a new initiative to rid the Human race of abominations of genetic engineering which involved a bioweapon being developed at an asteroid base in the Fedren system. During this time, the Knights of Genetic Purity once again struck another Nietzschean colony belonging to Kwatcha Pride before departing to an unknown world where they were followed by Dylan Hunt and Tyr Anasazi. Not finding anything initially, the Genites quickly sprung their trap and threatened to overwhelm the two crewmembers of the Andromeda Ascendants position until the arrival of the Templars who were led by the Patriarch himself. The attack was brutal with losses on both sides but the Templars ruthlessly eliminated the entirety of the Genite presence on that world. This eventually culminated in Dylan Hunt aiding the Templars attacking the Genite asteroid base whilst Tyr Anasazi took the Andromeda Ascendant to assault the large Knights of Genetic Purity installation on the four planet in the Heimdall system that was protected by orbital missile batteries as well as a Seraphim Carrier. The destruction of the base brought further reinforcements which managed to damage the Andromeda Ascendant and forced her to retreat. Afterwards, the Andromeda Ascendant attacked Heimdall once more and provoked the Genites into returning to Fedran where they attacked both the Templars as well as Captain Hunt forcing the two to join forces whereupon they retreated. (Episode: Twilight of the Idols)

Overview
Members of the Knights of Genetic Purity consisted of largely of Humans who's views were colored by the Nietzschean Uprising and believed that mankind needed to be cleansed of not only Homo sapiens invictus but also of all genetically engineered Humans. This ranged from simple genetic alteration to complete offshoots of the Human race. They referred to their ancestral homeworld as being Old Earth and often compared Nietzscheans to the story of how ancient Humans used to keep baby alligators as pets only to be attacked by them. Though Nietzscheans were not animals, the Genites did not believe them to be Humans either and believed that they were genetically engineered for treachery which was responsible for the Fall of the Commonwealth. Supposedly, the Knights also intended for the restoration of the Systems Commonwealth by first eliminating the threats that would challenge its return. To others, they were considered little more than "intergalactic bullies". (Episode: Immaculate Perception) According to the Templars, Genites had the tendency of abandoning their bases when they believed they were overwhelmed. (Episode: Twilight of the Idols)

Typical Genite tactics involved them deploying two to three commando units in the midst of confusion who used their advanced technology as well as weaponry to quickly massacre any enemies in their path. Against their foes such as Nietzscheans, members of the Knights of Genetic Purity felt no remorse or sympathy as they ruthlessly gunned down women or children in their attacks. To members of the Genites, the Knights often did "brave" work for the good of all Humans with it being believed by their number that it took great strength not to be effected by the brutality of butchering children as well as hearing their cries or their pleas. Genite attacks were often led by commanders who held the rank of Armsmaster. (Episode: Immaculate Perception) They were known to make use of tactics combined with discipline as well as their advanced technology to overwhelm their enemies in carefully constructed ambushes. Such attacks were often sponsored by their shock troops with their bases being heavily defended. (Episode: Twilight of the Idols)

It was stated that the Genites possessed a manifesto. (Episode: Immaculate Perception) The motto of the Knights of Genetic Purity was "a pure universe for pure humans.". (Website: All Systems University Knights of Genetic Purity)

Technology
Genite soldiers often wore the white encasing photo-reactive personal body armor which was developed by the Systems Commonwealth before the Fall. This was improved on over the Long Night and allowed Genite warriors to withstand most forms of small arm's fire with the Force Lance being one of the few exceptions. This allowed a strike team of Knights to be capable of fighting against a much more numerous enemy as their weapons proved to be ineffective against the Genite armor. In addition, they made use of powerful gauss rifles which they used to gun down their opponents. (Episode: Immaculate Perception)

They also produced an infinitely scannable ECM shielded sensor probe that could be used as a surveillance device when activated and tracked the movements of starships across slipstream as well as listened into sensitive conversations. Furthermore, they were capable of creating large mechanical four legged insectile drones known as Seraphim which were typically in a hemispherical state until deployed by Genite carriers. Once unleashed, they floated in space and attached themselves to enemy warships where they began to rip the target hull to pieces. (Episode: Immaculate Perception)

In terms of starship capabilities, the Knights of Genetic Purity were known to make use of communication relay drones in order to confer with beings that were a considerable distance from their vessels. Furthermore, their ships possessed a form of stealth technology that was deemed to be very good and capable of hiding from a Glorious Heritage class's sensors. (Episode: Immaculate Perception)

More dangerous examples of their technology was the capacity to produce a powerful bio-weapon virus that targeted those with genetically enhanced Human DNA in order to rid the species of such individuals. This would have effectively eliminated just over 92% of the Human race with the virus being highly contagious, airborne, and if contracted it was 100% lethal. (Episode: Twilight of the Idols)

Members

 * Desmond Lord Gorice : a Genite commander holding the rank of Armsmaster by CY 10088 who was in charge of the mission to eliminate the son of Tyr Anasazi. (Episode: Immaculate Perception)

Appearances

 * Andromeda:

External Link

 * Andromeda Wiki Entry
 * Andromeda Ascendant Wiki Entry
 * All-Systems Library