Constant Cloning

Constant Cloning represents the most significant advancement in cloning technology developed in Horizon City. Created by Emi Tanaka, the Chief Biology Officer at Genetek Revival and known as "the mother of commercial cloning," this revolutionary approach eliminated the fundamental limitation of traditional cloning: the memory gap between a person's last backup and their death.

Technical Innovation

Traditional cloning technology requires periodic memory backups, resulting in a gap between the last backup and the moment of death. This means clones awaken with no memory of their final moments or any experiences after their last backup.

Constant Cloning solved this problem through continuous memory transfer between the original person and their clone. As Emi explained to Richard Johnson:

"It would eliminate the possibility of [desynchronization problems] because of the continuous nature. That's why it's called Constant Cloning."

The technology created a real-time neural connection, ensuring that if a person died, their clone would wake up with memories right up to the moment of death, rather than only to their last backup. This effectively eliminated the memory gap that plagued traditional cloning.

Technical Process

The Constant Cloning process involved several advanced components:

1. Continuous Neural Monitoring: A specialized neural interface constantly monitored and recorded the subject's neural activity in real-time.

2. Quantum Entanglement Transfer: Using principles of quantum entanglement, the technology created a secure, instantaneous connection between the original brain and the clone's neural structure.

3. Memory Buffer System: A sophisticated buffer system stored the most recent neural patterns, ensuring no data was lost even in catastrophic death scenarios.

4. Adaptive Neural Integration: The clone's brain was prepared with adaptive neural pathways that could immediately integrate the continuous stream of memories upon activation.

5. Seamless Consciousness Transfer: Upon death of the original, the system would automatically complete the transfer process, allowing the clone to awaken with complete memory continuity.

Corporate Espionage

Despite its revolutionary potential, Constant Cloning never reached the market. After Emi Tanaka presented the technology to Richard Johnson, Director of Operations at Vatgrown International, a complex corporate espionage plot unfolded:

1. Johnson was approached by Akiko Takahashi, who blackmailed him with compromising information.
2. Johnson arranged for the technology to be stolen through Hammer, a middleman operating in Red level.
3. Emi Tanaka was assassinated by Akiko to prevent her from recreating the technology.
4. Johnson was later murdered alongside his wife after transferring the technology to Akiko.

The theft of Constant Cloning technology represents one of the most significant corporate espionage cases in Horizon City's history, demonstrating how valuable innovations are often weaponized rather than used for their intended humanitarian purposes.

Economic Implications

Had it been released, Constant Cloning would have disrupted the economic model of clone exploitation in Horizon City. As explained in "Corpie":

"They charge as much as they can for the initial clone but make the memory updates cheap enough to afford to make the initial investment seem palatable. What they don't tell you upfront is if you use your clone, you lose it. After that, you gotta pay the initial clone cost again before you get double tapped."

By eliminating the need for regular memory updates, Constant Cloning would have threatened the recurring revenue model that made cloning so profitable for corporations like Genetek Revival and its parent company, Vatgrown International.

Ethical Considerations

Beyond its technical and economic implications, Constant Cloning raised profound ethical questions:

• Would continuous memory transfer create true continuity of consciousness, effectively making the clone the same person rather than a copy?
• Would the elimination of the memory gap resolve the philosophical problem of identity discontinuity in cloning?
• Could the technology be misused to create multiple simultaneous copies of a person with shared consciousness?
• Would continuous monitoring of neural activity create privacy concerns or opportunities for surveillance?

These questions remain theoretical, as the technology was never publicly released or implemented on a large scale.

Legacy

Though Constant Cloning never reached the market, its concept fundamentally changed how scientists and philosophers in Horizon City think about the relationship between memory, consciousness, and identity. The technology represents what might have been a more humane approach to cloning, one that treated death with dignity rather than as an opportunity for profit.

Emi Tanaka's assassination and the theft of her technology serve as a stark reminder of how innovation in Horizon City is often subverted by corporate interests, with brilliant creators becoming targets rather than celebrated figures.