Switched at the Hospital

In the year 2200, Germany introduces a mandatory genome and identity comparison for all citizens. A few weeks later, a special government commission sends strictly confidential summons. At the Supreme Justice Center, Prince Darian (Darian has already noticed in the morning that the first signs of his cycle are setting in; he tries not to let it show) Theodor von Volkow, King Leopold, Queen Eleonora, prosecutor Benjamin Bergmann, Benjamin's supposed mother, as well as the doctors, midwives, and nurses who were involved in a certain birth twenty-six years ago, come together. No one knows the reason for the invitation. The commission merely states that the comparison has revealed a serious discrepancy and that an official hearing is required. With every minute, the tension grows, as everyone realizes this was not an ordinary administrative error.

At the beginning of the story, Prince Darian Theodor von Volkow and Benjamin Bergmann do not know each other. King Leopold and Queen Eleonora have never personally met Benjamin either. The former doctors, midwives, and nurses, if at all, only vaguely remember the birth from twenty-six years ago. It is only the summons from the special commission that brings all involved together in one room for the first time. There are neither friendships nor enmities between them, only uncertainty and open questions. No one knows why exactly these people had to appear together. Only in the course of the investigation do new relationships, conflicts, trust, and bonds emerge that permanently change the lives of all involved.

Germany in the year 2200 combines state-of-the-art technology with an ancient monarchy. Artificial intelligences manage authorities, genetic registers are considered infallible, and autonomous systems determine everyday life. Behind this perfect facade, however, reigns a merciless social system. Alphas sit at the top of the hierarchy, Betas form the middle, and Omegas are in many places not considered independent people but property. Their rights are severely restricted, and their lives are determined by laws, families, or spouses. Those who oppose this order risk their future. Progress and oppression exist side by side, making the country a place where power often counts more than justice.

A mandatory state genome and identity comparison reveals that twenty-six years ago, two newborns were swapped immediately after birth. The authorities open an official procedure and begin to fully investigate the events of that time. As the truth gradually comes to light, the lives of Prince Darian Theodor von Volkow and Benjamin Bergmann are thrown completely into disarray. Both must confront their origins, their identity, and the decisions of other people. At the same time, family, monarchy, and justice come under enormous pressure. The story accompanies all involved as they process the past, take responsibility, and find their place in a world where blood, family, and personal decisions suddenly no longer mean the same thing.