[quote=@catchamber]
Lovely. Can't wait to see where this goes. Mind if I take a stab at Captain?

I'm also curious to know if these techs are common:

[b]Biotech[/b]: Cloning, designer babies, retroviruses, uplifts, etc.
[b]Cybertech[/b]: Enhancements, replacements, cybertelepathy, mental uploading, etc.
[b]Infotech[/b]: Augmented and virtual realities, quartz data storage, quantum computers, etc.
[b]Microtech[/b]: Micromachines, nanomachines, matter (dis)assemblers, etc.
[/quote]
[b]Biotech:[/b] Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) reproductive cloning technology has progressed to the point where creating human clones is possible within a cutting-edge laboratory. Several problems remain. No safe way of accelerating the aging process has been found, and clones still develop their own distinct personalities separate from their source. There is no way to "transfer" a mind, much to the dismay of politicians and CEOs seeking immortality. Furthermore, the human cloning ethics debate still rages on, which lead NATO to place an indefinite moratorium on the issue. However, it is common and socially acceptable (if very expensive) to grow and store replacement organs - just in case.

Developing on 21st century CRISPR technology, designer babies are common among those who can afford genetic engineering services and believe they know what's best for their baby's genome. Changes are limited to basic physical traits.

[b]Cybertech:[/b] It is possible and common to replace limbs. For internal organs, biotech solutions are preferred, however, mechanical replacements are a (relatively) cheaper alternative. Augmentations above normal human ability are possible but illegal under NATO law. The idea of people who can punch through steel plating, perfectly conceal deadly weapons, and react with superhuman speed and agility tends to worry some folks. Rumor has it that hasn't stopped black markets from cropping up here and there, as long as you're comfortable with your surgeon having "graduated from a real medical school, I swear!"

Telepathy/mental uploading or transfer is still in its infancy due to real problems developing a brain-computer interface with enough bandwidth to accommodate high intensity applications.

[b]Infotech:[/b] Augmented reality is common and usually takes the form of glasses or contacts using digital light field technology. Most of the functions one performs in today's (2016) society with a smartphone are now performed within AR. VR is used in some specialized applications, gaming, and the military, but the average person needs to maintain awareness of the environment around them. Studies also show negative dissociative psychological effects correlated with extended VR usage.

Data storage and I/O has been greatly increased with the introduction of holographic data storage. In combination with the advent of planetary scale mesh networking, huge volumes of data can be moved and processed rapidly in a decentralized manner. However, laws passed during early 21st century privacy debates greatly limit the ability of governments and corporations to access this public data. Therefore, these entities have constructed much more limited private networks that must be used to access their services. This has limited the development of information technology to those with the know-how to work outside of established infrastructure.

Quantum computers exist and dominate some specialized applications. However, for reasons such as expense and compatibility with legacy systems, digital computers remain the most widespread.

[b]Microtech:[/b] Nanoscale engineering is an extremely promising and lucrative field. Huge budgets fund the nanotech departments at companies like General Dynamics. Most of the public is unaware these departments even exist, let alone what they are working on.