In short, a sleeve is the Altered Carbon slang for the body that someone is currently ‘riding’ or that their consciousness is awake in. For the most part, sleeves are regarded as disposable and or replaceable, barring certain faiths which believe that you are only allotted one sleeve (see Neo-Catholic). For the majority of the population, births and (at least first) bodies are grown the ‘traditional’ way, ie. born via pregnancy. Genetic modification / manipulation of the offspring is an option for any that can afford it allowing for screening and removal of genetic defects and this can be taken to as detailed or as ‘to order’ as one cares to go; ranging from predilection to certain skill sets (physical or mental), hair color, eye color, stature, pigmentation, metabolism, muscle mass, heightened intelligence, senses and more.*
Medical technology exists readily available in this universe that allows for bodies to be cloned in part for replacement organs / limbs or cloned in entirety, either a genetic duplicate or designed per client requests.
Clones can be designed to any specification including gender, build, stature, height, capabilities, pigmentation and more, and can appear human or monstrous or inhumanly beautiful / alien in design.
Cloned / designer sleeves can be purchased by anyone that has the funds.
Sleeve insurance does exist. Like medical and life insurance, it requires a medical exam, genetic sampling and requires weekly / monthly / yearly payments as well as a premium. Qualities / levels range from base / stock model sleeve replacement to a genetic clone or an enhanced clone replacement.
On average it takes one year to grow a clone from birth to fully matured/aged.
Clones can be grown to full size / maturity within a twenty-four hour period but the costs are exorbitant even by the standards of the elite.
Clones do not have any of the injuries or scars sustained by previous models / base code unless cosmetically applied OR if a gene sequencer / duplicator is used. (This process creates an exact duplicate of the sleeve as is and is extremely painful and is typically only used for black market purposes. The equipment used for this, if not property of a registered Cloning facility is illegal and will be seized on discovery by law enforcement officers.)
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT: modifications, stock models, synthetic sleeves, victim restitution and genetic copyright infringement beneath the read more.
