Genites

The Genites, also known as the "Knights of Genetic Purity", are a fictional terrorist group in the science fiction TV show "Andromeda".

History

Founded after the Fall of the Systems Commonwealth, as a splinter group from the men and women of the Templars, founded by former High Guard Admiral Constanza Stark, their declared aim is to rid the Universe of all genetically engineered human beings. Unlike the Templars they do not just target the war-like Nietzscheans, the destroyers of the original Commonwealth, but also genetically enhanced heavy-gravity worlders like Dylan Hunt, bio-enhanced humans like the "Inari", or simple genetic manipulations like Beka Valentine (who has had her strength, stamina and reflexes enhanced and gained the ability to morph her hair color at will by her father, although the last was due to nanobots rather than genetic manipulation).

The Genites were in hiding during the Long Night until Hunt's first year after his awakening, but are drawn out by the news of the existence of a reincarnation of Nietzschean Progenitor Drago Museveni: Tamerlane Anasazi, the son of Andromeda's Nietzschean crewman, Tyr Anasazi. They consider him a threat because he was prophesized to be the one who would reunite the Nietzschean Prides and lead them to conquest of all the sentient species of the galaxies. Their usual tactic is to obliterate small Nietzschean Prides that cannot adequately defend themselves against the awesome power of Genite military might. They seem to be weak in comparison with the larger and more powerful Nietzschean Prides, such as the "Drago-Kazov", the "Sabra-Jaguar" and the "Maroon". Fearing that their incursion into the large Nietzschean Prides territory would be met with reprisal, they generally do not interfere in their affairs. Beka Valentine characterized them as "intergalactic bullies".

Technology

Genite weapons technology is very advanced, having inherited Commonwealth technical know-how. They developed reactive armor from the Commonwealth's early research during the Fall, they have excellent stealth technology (their Seraphim carriers are not detected originally by Andromeda's sensors) and they have developed bioweapons for use against genetically engineered humans.

The only ship shown onscreen in the series belonging to the Genites is the Seraphim Carrier, which along with usual weapons such as PDLs (Point Defense Lasers) and missiles, has fighter/boarding craft called Seraphim which punch through the hulls of ships. It is not specified if these are manned. As ground tactics, the Genites will assault in groups of two knights, equipped with heavy Gauss guns and reactive armor. They are all but impervious to regular small arms fire, but it seems that a force lance will do more damage, and eventually kill or disable a Genite.