t-Abyss Virus

The t-Abyss Virus is a strain of the The Abyss Virus that was genetically engineered in 2003 as a bioweapon through alteration with Umbrella's perfected t-Virus. Although a sample made its way to TRICELL, it has not been sold on the black market due to concerns over the ecological hazard it poses as a weapon product.^[1]

History[]

The virus' origins lie with the discovery of the Abyss Virus, a retrovirus endemic to the Hadopelagic zone of the Kermadec Trench. This retrovirus was found to be present in various fish species, and its genetic material consisted of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) with genes related to piscean anatomy that allowed for better swimming performance in high-pressure environments.^[2] This virus was studied by the Montpellier University of Marine Science, who went on to splice it with the genetic material of the t-Virus, which had already made its way onto the black market.^[3] Around this time, the research institute led by Excella Gionne contacted the Montpellier research team and proposed a research partnership. Using their advisor Morgan Lansdale, then head of the FBC, as a middleman, he financed the project and supplied three cruise ships confiscated from Umbrella Corp. as research laboratories for t-Abyss.

It was Lansdale's belief that a major bioterror incident publicly aired internationally would expose it as a military threat and increase support for American counter-terror operations and his agency as a result.^[4] When completed, Lansdale supplied the new virus to Il Veltro who used it in a bioterror attack on Terragrigia, the only instance of t-Abyss being used in a major attack. To eliminate them, an outbreak was remotely triggered by Lansdale on their bases, the cruise ships Queen Dido, Queen Semiramis, and Queen Zenobia, with the former sinking.

Immediately following the Terragrigia Panic, Queen Semiramis and Queen Zenobia were captured, and their laboratories opened up for vaccine research, while teams continued to study the mutations inflicted on the Veltro fighters.^[4] Work on the vaccine took place competitively, with Queen Zenobia announcing its success in 2005. Once the research data was transmitted to FBC leader Morgan Lansdale, the mutant test subjects were automatically released from their cells and spread the virus across the ships once more, killing or otherwise mutating the researchers and crew.^[4] Following this incident, a sample of the virus was recovered by Raymond Vester and Jessica Sherawat then delivered to TRICELL, a pharmaceutical corporation with a large bioweapons project. Believing the virus to be too dangerous as a bioweapon, TRICELL used its position to prevent the virus from making its way onto the black market.^{[1][excerpt 1]}

Effects[]

Mutagenic effects[]

The Abyss Virus was known to restructure organisms, breaking down fat and strengthening the muscular and skeletal systems.^[5] When introduced to humans through the t-Abyss virus, mutations in the form of various aquatic animal features would manifest, such as fins, suckers and hard shells.

One of the most common mutations experienced by male humans is to be warped into an "Ooze"; a strange zombielike creature somewhat resembling a hybrid of a human and a deep-sea fish. This mutation causes extreme dehydration as the body constantly excretes mucus, driving the Ooze to hunt other organisms and drain their bodily fluids to replenish its own.^[6] Interestingly, certain types of infected (such as Rachel Foley, Jack Norman and the comms officer Scagdead) exhibit the ability to speak, though it is unknown whether this is a sign of intelligence or merely mimicry of behaviours before mutation.

Long-term infection can mutate an organism into an unrecognizable mass of flesh known as a Globster, which lacks any external features other than a large mouth. These organisms are fully aquatic, barely able to move outside of the water but extremely agile and dangerous while undersea.

As seen with the Sea Creeper, the t-Abyss virus has the potential to cause different mutations depending on the gender of its host.

The t-Abyss can mutate non-human hosts, creating such creatures as the Fenrir from canid hosts and the Ghiozzo from common fish. Also of note is the Malacoda, a mutated marine parasite that inhabits and controls a similarly mutated humpback whale; it is not known which was infected first, though Malacoda can be encountered alone and outside of a host. Uniquely, the t-Abyss can cause further mutation in a t-based BOW such as the Hunter, creating the Farfarello- a Hunter variant with the ability to become invisble to the naked eye.

Ecological effects[]

Due to its ability to rapidly alter an organism and produce more of the virus, t-Abyss poses a significant threat to the world's rivers and oceans. The terrorist group Il Veltro was in possession of a number of vials containing the virus in a red protein medium, which was calculated to be able to mutate life in one-fifth of the world's water bodies. This is explained by the virus infecting plankton, then using their bodies to produce more of the virus, spreading across a wider area in greater numbers, soon reaching larger organisms such as fish, which will mutate and spread the virus further.^[5]

Gallery[]

Two fish before getting infected.

An infected fish.

An infected human.

Some t-Abyss Creatures

Sources[]

excerpts

references

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