Challenge #01795-D334: From the Wikipedia Galactica
Humans have been in space for awhile. No-one’s keeping track of the “breeding program” but a new problem has been discovered: human offspring mid-way to maturity. The most dangerous humans of them all. -- Anon Guest
It seemed impossible. There was a stage in human development when the entire species had the maximum amount of physical condition and the minimum amount of foresight and discrimination. And worse, they were often thrust into adult classification whilst also at that stage.
Many species had assumed that Humans might live forever, based on the maturation rates of their young, were it not for their inherent gung-ho attitude to existence. Humans took twenty years to attain physical maturity and a further five to reach full mental capacity. In as much as that phrase. Even when it was explained that it was twenty Terran years, it all seemed impossible. Especially when some Humans were considered adults at sixteen.
That was the most confusing part. Depending on the colony they came from, adulthood could vary from anywhere between twelve and twenty-one. Though most agreed that the colonies with the younger age were the hinkiest.
Age of consent had, so far, been strictly the bailiwick of the origin society, with attendant paperwork for the Galactic milieu. And then the Humans came along and messed everything up. Because they had entire subgroups of their population who were developmentally delayed. Consent was a tricky, writhing beast that could not be regimented to age alone.
Therefore, the Cogniscent Rights Committee found it necessary to forge Levels of Responsibility. And the tracker-bracelets that went with them. They invented the term Diminished Responsibility. And it was very necessary in spaceports, stations, and on ships. Humans had an alarming capacity for attempting to abduct others' children.
For ease of understanding, we will focus on the four-limbed sophont model. When the young are born, they are carefully fitted with bracelets and anklets that are also trackers. They are members of society at the level of least responsibility, and therefore in need of the most care. Cogniscents attempting to abduct them are dealt with using the highest severity.
At the age where a young cogniscent is capable of basic self-care: feeding themself, cleaning themself, performing waste disposal procedures reliably, and talking in coherent sentences, then one such tracker is removed. It is presumed that a cogniscent at this stage will know to kick up a ruckus if someone attempts to abduct them. And, in fact, they are trained to do so by guardians and teachers alike. Even then, the trackers will send up an alert the instant the individual leaves their expected area of travel.
One attains full adulthood by being responsible enough to take the tracker unit with you. Often as part of one's clothing. Some do not reach this level, and have varying degrees of care, according to their needs. Most Humans alarmingly choose to keep one tracker bracelet so that they won't forget.
But then again, Humans are insane.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / vitanovski]
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