**** Life, *** Time, ** Prime, (***** Spirit,) *****Mind, (**Entropy)
There are times when a person needs to be in more than one place at the same time. In the past, the viable options have been to determine which situation can be postponed or ignored, delegate the situation to someone else, or do a little creative tinkering with the time-space continuum. (Oh yeah, and fervently pray that this time isn't the instant that space-time decides to catastrophically unravel all around you!)Any good Progenator (and most somewhat less Enlightened genetic researchers) can tell you that nearly each and every cell in a body contains the genetic blueprint for the whole organism. This extended rote unlocks the DNA in one or more cells to recreate and accelerate the initial process used by the body to create itself, thus building an exact duplicate (minus any physical scarring that may have occurred) of the donor body. Depending upon the motivation for creating a proxy, a soul may also be cultivated at the same time as the body; though not a duplicate soul of the original, it will bear a passing resemblance much as the soul of any offspring initially resembles that of the parents. The blank mind is then shaped by the desired memories and thought patterns of the original, creating a near-perfect copy of the person that reacts and responds in the same manner as the original, to the extent of it's capabilities.
Note that depending upon the memories transferred or the mental editing performed in the process, a proxy so created may believe himself or herself to be the original person and act accordingly. If not carefully managed, this can lead to complications ranging from somewhat comical to downright inconvenient for both the original and the copy. Also note that while body and mind can be duplicated, an awakened Avatar may not. Supernatural ability cannot be duplicated. Yet. (Although classified reports leaked from top-secret Progenator labs and unofficial rumors from Sons of Ether workshops have indicated that some clones have spontaneously become Enlightened/Awakened, the exact causes have been neither understood nor reliably duplicated.)
Duplicating oneself may require additional editing of the memories depending
on the nature of the situation that necessitated the creation of the proxy.
Ethical considerations aside, a proxy created as a stand-in on a temporary basis
may become resentful, particularly if it feels taken advantage of and fears for what happens
after the "temporary" situation is resolved. A proxy feeling threatened or
endangered will undoubtedly act to preserve and defend itself with all resources
at its disposal. Shared genetics does not guarantee friendship, understanding,
or even a good relationship!
Life is used to unlock the DNA blueprint, cause the initial cell to begin dividing, and shape the new body. Time accelerates the process, recreating and aging the body. Prime fuels the process, providing substance and stability to the emerging pattern.
Mind creates an artificial intelligence and duplicates the thoughts and memories
of the original person. Spirit creates a soul for the clone, preventing the
problems associated with a soulless living body. Entropy, when used, provides a rough approximation of the target age, a rote termination clause. (Without this completion clause, the body continues aging at its accelerated rate, unless an equal amount of time deceleration is used to counteract the time acceleration.)