Offshoot

Offshoots are defined as a social class of humans who are descended from Mass-Produced Humans that were grown during the Refugee Wars. In modern times, Offshoots form about 75% of the human population. Despite this, Offshoots have lower social status than their Direct-Liner brethren.

Though most direct-liners hold nothing against them, minor quirks in the first batch of mass-produced humans such as spectralopia induced paranoia among some direct-liners who considered them and any of their offspring to be genetically defective (imagine the irrational fearmongering around GMO food or vaccines but directed at people.) This led to a supremacist movement among direct-liners who viewed themselves as being the only "real" humans. In actuality, such discrimination has no basis to it; Mass-Produced Humans, being clones, are genetically identical to the Direct Liners who donated their genetic material. The distinction between Direct-Liners and Offshoots is purely social construct.

Even when they weren't being actively discriminated against, Offshoots were still at a disadvantage during the postwar era when it came to finding employment, education, housing and social opportunities. They had less money and fewer connections in high places. Some became Kreature Tamers and fought their own paths foreword. Some became soldiers as their bioengineered parents had been. Others resorted to crime and formed gangs.