Beta
From Shadow Unit Wiki
Term coined by Stephen Reyes to denote a human affected by the Anomaly. This stage appears to be midway between alpha and gamma. It was once believed that a beta was an anomalous individual whose manifestation was purely internal, and generally perceptual. When Hafidha achieved breakthrough and did not become a gamma, but gained external abilities, a new classification was created, that of second-stage beta. A beta is now considered to be an anomalous individual who is sane and in control of his or her own actions, rather than being controlled or driven by the Anomaly to do harm.
Only two betas are known at this time: Hafidha Gates and Chaz Villette. Nicolette Lau may have met a third beta at My Sister's Place in the DVD extra "Softer".
See also: Gates Syndrome, alpha, gamma.
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"Then betas are hosts, too?"
Chaz pressed into the cabin wall so he could look over the back of his seat at Reyes.
The silence got Reyes's attention. He twisted to stare over his seat back, first at Worth, then at Chaz. Window light reflected off his reading glasses. "You can answer that," he said to Chaz.
Chaz hiked a shoulder. "I don't like to talk about myself."
Reyes took off his glasses and laid them on the table before he turned to consider Worth. Worth didn't think he was as reluctant as he pretended. "We don't know what the anomaly is. But we have models for how it interacts with humanity."
"Genetic mutation. Virus," offered Chaz.
"Brain injury," said Brady, in a tone that made Chaz glare at him. Brady grinned back.
"Demonic possession," Lau said.
"Or parasite and host," Reyes finished. "But that model suggests that the organism is co-opted by the parasite. In betas, the human is in the driver's seat, keeping the anomaly under control. So the host-parasite model doesn't hold there."
Chaz bobbed his eyebrows at Worth. See? You're perfectly safe, they said.
"That's probably why betas have no external anomalous manifestation," Reyes added. "The anomaly doesn't have enough control over the body's resources to divert them to extranormal function."
"Besides the brain activity," Chaz added. "What that comes down to is, all our superpowers are up here." He tapped his temple.
"Coffee's up." Falkner set a cup in front of Reyes and stood sipping hers. Chaz looked longingly at it. "You're young and strong," she told him. "Get your own."
Worth turned Reyes's lecture over mentally. "But you can't know any of that for sure. You've only identified two betas."
