Wow it has been a long time since I wrote on the blog, but things, have moved on a lot since then! My next (current) WIP is starting to take shape and I am making an announcement on the front of becoming a full-time writer very soon. This evening, in fact, I hope!
As the WIP takes more form, I plan to do a series of character reveals, of some/all of the characters of which the story will focus on, or have chapters of their point of view on! First up is Cailanna Aste.
Cailanna Aste
Cailanna Aste was born on Phobos, the larger of Mars' moons, which is, in the present day of the story (2610), is the Inner System's largest medical facility.
To survive on the station/facility, advanced as it is, all those born here have to undergo cybernetic implants by the age of fourteen, to become a 'cyber-tro', though they can opt to receive them earlier. The benefits of these implants are few, but precise. A cyber-tro of Phobos are free to determine their gender after the operation, and Cailanna has chosen the pronouns of they/her, and with the upgrades comes resilience to harsher environments, as well as built-in oxygen reserves. This, last, upgrade, particularly benefits Cailanna, as it does their ship: the Rás.
The Rás can achieve higher states of overburn due to engaging a V.O drive straight from the body of a cybertro, using their oxygen chip as an anchor. V.O is pure oxygen, used mostly in medical procedures, but, as always with these things, someone, once, had found out the effects upon the body when applied generously, and it rapidly grew through the system as a recreational substance. Combining the application of the V.O with the oxygen chip as part of their system, a cybertro can funnel oxygen straight into the fusion reactor of a ship. Not only does this allow for higher speeds to be achieved, for the reaction of the drive would be at a different limit, but it also meant that the cybertro would feel little to no effects of the overburn. It also, handily, makes detecting the ship that much harder for there is little to no after-trail, from the core.
While their arms and hands are biological, it is advanced-synthetics, meaning cybernetic biology, rather than natural human bone and skin, but their body, neck, and brain are all human still. Cailanna is unique among the other cyber-tro’s in that their feet are also biological, Cailanna has said to their romantic partner, that "to feel the sand under my toes is something I love, and never wish to forget". Cailanna has fair skin, which is common also of those who were born and grew up on the station, for the majority of the sunlight on Phobos is artificially generated. They have with a sharp nose, and piercing green eyes, and they had long, sweeping, blue hair, for now.
Cailanna studied on Mars, taking a high-mark qualification in engineering, before spending a few months with the United Fleets of Humanity (UnFH), which is where they learned the best routes to take from Mars to Phobos. After this time with the UnFH, Cailanna turned to smuggling; the money was much better than with the UnFH, and they modified their ship to secure a V.O drive, combining it with their own system upgrades. The Rás is one of the fastest splinter-class ships in the Inner System, and largely untraceable. Below is a quick, rough sketch, of the Rás. It is a small ship, only really able to take up to five crew, and that would be a squeeze at best. It also packs a sharp sting, while not loaded with ordnance, it does hold a small series of missiles and high-calibre under-carriage autoguns.
So that's Cailanna's reveal! There is more to the character's life and past but I've gotta save some things for the book! I look forward to be blogging more too, with character reveals, news, and snippets! - Ned
